Monte Carlo drag car question

[MPac]

Alright so I got a 1985 Monte Carlo SS that is one of our drag cars. Either tomorrow or saturday I'm taking it to the track and I'm trying to get a good guess at what RPMs to shift at. I don't really know much about the engine that is in the car. Its a 305HO but I'm not for sure how stock it is it has an edelbrock 650 on it, headers and chrome vavle covers thats all I know about it so far. I have no idea if anything interal has been done to it. So my question is say this is all stock other then the carb and headers about what RPM should I shift at? I'm thinking I'm not gonna let it rev over 5,000 just for a saftey net and I should shift between 4,000 to 4,500? Does that sound good or should I lower it?

[bracketchev1221]

In stock form I think they made peak power about 4800 rpm. Depending on engine condition, see if you can get there. But I think optimally 5000 shift point should be about right.

[Ron Golden]

Shift at 4000 rpm and see how it runs, then raise the shift points a few hundred rpm until you get the best times. Once you have the rpm kinda dialed-in vary the rpm around that point for final tweaking.

Ron

[bigjoe1]

When the cars all came with the 305 engines, I let by kids run the two family cars at the drag strip, so they could learn how everything was supposed to be done. Completly stock, but NEW, with Hooker headers on both cars. They would turn the best times when shifted at 5700 RPM for first to nsecond, and rev all the way through in second gear at 57-580 both of my cars had 2.73 gears with positraction and small , 14 inch stock tires== they would run 15.6 to 15.7 at 88 to 89 MPH-- One car was an Elcamino, the other was a Pontiac Gran Prix==they would weigh in at 3550, plus a 150 pound driver ( my kids )without headers, they would NOY rev above 46-4700, just adding the headers, the same engine would go 57-5800==AMAZING HUH ??


JOE SHERMAN RACING

[MPac]

When the cars all came with the 305 engines, I let by kids run the two family cars at the drag strip, so they could learn how everything was supposed to be done. Completly stock, but NEW, with Hooker headers on both cars. They would turn the best times when shifted at 5700 RPM for first to nsecond, and rev all the way through in second gear at 57-580 both of my cars had 2.73 gears with positraction and small , 14 inch stock tires== they would run 15.6 to 15.7 at 88 to 89 MPH-- One car was an Elcamino, the other was a Pontiac Gran Prix==they would weigh in at 3550, plus a 150 pound driver ( my kids )without headers, they would NOY rev above 46-4700, just adding the headers, the same engine would go 57-5800==AMAZING HUH ??


JOE SHERMAN RACING

Man BigJoe I'm glad you chimed in with your expertise! The headers on the car now suck. I don't believe these headers are for a monte because some one put them on and tried to "clearance" them and beat a couple tubes down. For what the engine is it has some awersome throttle response.

[the nitro man]

if it has a 2004r trans & 3.73 gears, i would just put it in drive & leave it for the first run & see how it does. my 2004r will shift at about 5,400 rpm.

[Mmfh]

You say you don't know much about that engine in that car. If it were me I think I would
take it easy for the night, and shift on the low side to see if that engine likes it or not.

If that car has been a grocery getter all its life, rpm might make it a little noisy after the pass.

Just sayin, I'd be scarred to go and pound on it until I knew more about it.

Just thinking out loud.

Mm