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Author
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Topic: Racing with Fairlanes
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Kyle
Journeyman Posts: 20
From: Sumner, WA USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-10-2001 06:49 PM
   
Hello. I have a 63 fairlane that I drag race with. It has a aluminum-headed 302 (on nitrous) and C4 tranny. I have three questions for all you fairlane racers (and ford racers) out there:1. What radiator do you run? Without buying an aluminum one, what are my options? The car consistently runs in the 200-220 degree range. I use water-wetter in the radiator, and have a 14" eletric fan and hi-flow pump on a moroso belt drive. Can you swap one from another car (like a 4-core) and if so what? 2. It seems to me that the front spring perches may be a little weak, being held on to the frame by only three bolts. Is this accurate, or will they be able to hold up to repeated hard launches? Any suggestions for changing or modifying them? 3. I have been reading about the various manufacturers of traction devices. Caltrax are too much right now, so the best ones I can find come down to Lakewood, Comp. Eng., and Southside machine bars. Anybody with expierences with any of these? Reccomendations? Car has no transbrake, and leaves at about 2500rpm, and uses 26x10.5 slicks (a spool in the rear). Lots of questions, I know. But I have been surfing through the archives and I figure that you guys are the ones that should be able to help me out! This is my first race car, and I am learning as I go along. Best run w/o nitrous is 12.90@110, 2.1 60', so you see that there is work to be done. Thanks! ------------------
Kyle Laramore 63 Fairlane
66 Mustang coupe
73 Mach 1
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 1558
From: from between the end of the road, and the middleof no-where
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 12-10-2001 08:00 PM
I dont know the answers to the fairlane questions, but I would definately spend the money and buy an aluminum radiator. It is lighter and will cool a bunch better than a brass/copper 4 core. A 2 core Griffin in any size you need is generally around $180 (definatley worth the money). Plus if you havent done it already, buy the overdrive pulley for the electric motor on your water pump drive. It will spin the pump faster and definately helps it cool better.
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 9936
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-15-2001 12:42 PM
Kyle, I would also recomend an aluminum radiator. www.Smithsradiator.com sells "bolt in" Fairlane radiators. That is what I use on MM and it NEVER see's the other side of 160 degrees and KV can attest to that first hand.
On another note, I just have to ask one question because I see this so often with novice FoMoCo engine builders. Is there any way that you may have installed one of the head gaskets upsidedown? I would not even mention this, but in your location the temps are not that hot and you should not be running anywhere near 220 degrees. I have seen this error so many times even though the gaskets are stamped "FRONT". They just don't look right when you install them the correct way, but they are. If you were to install the one side upsidedown you would be restricting a water jacket and that would cause you to run as hot as you do. Just a suggestion.
If you have good shocks you can actually get away with just clamping the front half of the leaf springs. Put three clamps evenly spaced on each side, front only. About a $20 investment with great results. You can upgrade later at any time as your funds come in.
I and KV both use a modified stock spring perch just to make them looser for a quicker response. They are more than adequate. Both KV and I pull serious wheelstands on each and every pass. Hope this helps you out some.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
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Kyle
Journeyman Posts: 20
From: Sumner, WA USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-15-2001 02:47 PM
Thanks, Alex. The website doesn't have any info on it, but I will email him to find out pricing. I can afford one of the traction devices mentioned above- do you have a preference? I plan on buying the rancho rear shocks, and am using 4.11 gears with 26/10x15 slicks. After searching through the archives, I think I might try the Hoosier tires. I just hope the 8" rear end holds up. It has 31-spline strange axles and a minispool. Saving up for the 9".------------------
Kyle Laramore 63 Fairlane
66 Mustang coupe
73 Mach 1
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 9936
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-15-2001 04:59 PM
8 inch will hold up indefinitly with an automatic Kyle. Skip the SSSM bars and take your pick of Lakewood or C&E if you must although I am dead serious about the clamps working as good. I would much rather see you with Cal-Tracs eventually anyway. They can pre load your suspension far better than a hopper bar. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
IP: Logged |
kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 1558
From: from between the end of the road, and the middleof no-where
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 12-15-2001 10:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Moneymaker:
On another note, I just have to ask one question because I see this so often with novice FoMoCo engine builders. Is there any way that you may have installed one of the head gaskets upsidedown?
Not only novice builders do that. I did that once also. I got in a hurry and wasnt paying enuff attention. Made it run real hot. I had to pull the heads back off and correct it. Teach me for getting in a hurry.
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 9936
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-16-2001 11:01 AM
So did I once.  : Just once and it was a long, long time ago.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
IP: Logged |
Kyle
Journeyman Posts: 20
From: Sumner, WA USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-16-2001 03:45 PM
I used the felpro head gaskets- pt#1011-1, i think. It's their better head gasket, not the one is a top end set, and not a loc-wire gasket. As I recall, they have front and top written on them. Anyway, after I put them on, one looked upside down, but it was correct as far as the markings go. This is the first race motor i have done, but the third one overall (two fords and a mopar for my '65 barracuda). I am using the moroso water restrictors instead of a t-stat, and a 13lb cap on the radiator. Could the extra heat be due to the lack of a rear water crossover in the victor jr. manifold? Really don't want to warp my aluminum heads, they were expensive.------------------
Kyle Laramore 63 Fairlane
66 Mustang coupe
73 Mach 1
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 9936
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-17-2001 12:07 PM
That's the problem Kyle, they (one of them) all "LOOK" upside down when you install them correctly. LOL  You just have to figure that the gasket company screwed up and marked them wrong, right? LOL
If you are certain that you have them on right, then you have to look elesewehre as in the radiator. I have used dozens of Victor Jr's since they came out and have no problems. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 1558
From: from between the end of the road, and the middleof no-where
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 12-18-2001 04:38 PM
I use an electrice water pump drive with the bigger overdrive pulley on it, and no t-stat or restrictor in the hole. The water isnt flowing fast enuff for it to need restricted. I would take the restrictor out, and buy the bigger pulley for the electric motor.
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Kyle
Journeyman Posts: 20
From: Sumner, WA USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 12-18-2001 06:40 PM
Since an electric cooling fan is the only way to go, what brand and how big am I going to need? The other idea I had is that I know someone with a scirroco radiator, and it already has 2 fans on it. What do you think?------------------
Kyle Laramore 63 Fairlane
66 Mustang coupe
73 Mach 1
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 1558
From: from between the end of the road, and the middleof no-where
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 12-18-2001 07:44 PM
As big a fan as will fit on the radiator. I used to use a 16" Mr. G fan on my other car, and now have a 14" Perma Cool on this one. If the scirroco is the right size for your car, and if he doesnt want too much for it, I would buy it. I have seen alot of those types though that are prety small and designed for tight fitting applications; IE, like an all tube frame car with a real short and sloped nose (newer style firebird, probe, etc.) I have a Griffin in my car. Also, when (if) you buy an electric fan, pay close attention to the cfm it pulls as well as the amp draw. That was why I switched brands this go around. The Mr. G pulled way too many amps.
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 9936
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 12-19-2001 04:05 PM
Perma cool is good. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator
NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00 & '01
Fleet of FoMoCo products
Moneymaker Bio
US Class Nationals link
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