BBC 396 stroker

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Alan Roehrich
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Re: BBC 396 stroker

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tjz450 wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 8:21 am The A/SA record is 9.93 at 129.99 on 2/21/16. Mr. DeArmond has had the record along time. So how much ET is in his chassis tuning skills. I would love to have him set my car up, but certainly could not afford him.
Bobby is a good friend, he was the first guy in the nines. But he sold that car a couple of years ago, and retired. I think the car is in Sweden now.

The record is currently held by Steve Wann, in a Mopar, 5/5/18, at 9.65 @ 136.

Stockers are pretty simple, Bobby's car was a leaf spring and traction bar equipped 1969 Camaro, on 9" slicks. We race a very similar car, a 69 Camaro, 427, we use CalTracs springs and bars in the back, the front has Global West bushings, TRW replacement springs, and Santhuff shocks.

The B/SA record is now 10.05@130, probably a 70 model 402 Camaro.
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Re: BBC 396 stroker

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Hi Alan, can I ask you how much time do you spend on adjusting corner weights for Camaro stockers? Or do you fix it with preload on the bars? I don't have access to any scales, but could make some Ruggles type scales. Thanks.
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Re: BBC 396 stroker

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tjz450 wrote: Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:12 pm Hi Alan, can I ask you how much time do you spend on adjusting corner weights for Camaro stockers? Or do you fix it with preload on the bars? I don't have access to any scales, but could make some Ruggles type scales. Thanks.
Yeah, we pretty carefully moved things around, the weight box, the battery in the trunk, and the ballast bars, until the car left straight and even. And it was actually pretty good for a long time before we actually scaled it. We became friends with one of my bosses (before I went to work for him) who had a sprint car, and scales, and we scaled the car. It turned out the cross weight was within about 5#.

We don't run preload, really, the driver sits in the car, and I adjust the CalTracs to just touch the hard washer that we have secured to the split mono leaf with gaffer's tape.

Having the cross weight and corner weight so equal is a big key to how that car works, how easy it is to drive and to adjust, and how predictable and consistent it is.

I'll be honest, the very best move we ever made was putting Santhuff shocks on the front. The change was so radical that he thought the car slowed by almost a tenth, when it actually picked up 0.05 in the 60', and close to a tenth in the 1/4 because of that. Before the Santhuff shocks, we were having to "hit" the car pretty hard, and stand it way up to get it to hook. Now it is just incredibly smooth, we usually keep it set where the front wheels end up about 2 feet off the ground, pulling and carrying them smoothly, and setting them down easy and clean. On a bad track, if necessary, I can stand it up pretty hard with a simple adjustment, have it break the 60' clocks with the back tires, and still have it smooth and easy handling.
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Re: BBC 396 stroker

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Alan, thanks for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it. Great info for my situation.
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Re: BBC 396 stroker

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tjz450 wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:26 am Alan, thanks for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it. Great info for my situation.
Glad to help.
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