Finished!! Forged piston block, Custom valve head (flowbenched)

[Ondonti]

Loads faster then most of the forums I am on so I cant complain.

I was inspecting the slicks and the traction side just sorta "rubs off rubber" or something like that. the tires look badly hazed but they just are not sticky. I dont know what delaminated is.
The only place the slicks are sticky is where they rubbed on the strut. :P
My slicks dont pick up rocks but everyone elses do. Even the drag radials I had on the car pick up rocks.

They spun at 12psi, and I lowered the pressure and they kept spinning. I think we got the pressure too low because we found evidence of the slick cupping (worn in middle and the edges).

I think I will take a picture of the slicks. The rubber just seems to tear off instead of getting "worn"

[bansheenut420]

You can use my new slicks on Wednesday brent. and some vht.

[kreel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ondonti Loads faster then most of the forums I am on so I cant complain. I was inspecting the slicks and the traction side just sorta "rubs off rubber" or something like that. the tires look badly hazed but they just are not sticky. I dont know what delaminated is. The only place the slicks are sticky is where they rubbed on the strut. :P My slicks dont pick up rocks but everyone elses do. Even the drag radials I had on the car pick up rocks. They spun at 12psi, and I lowered the pressure and they kept spinning. I think we got the pressure too low because we found evidence of the slick cupping (worn in middle and the edges). I think I will take a picture of the slicks. The rubber just seems to tear off instead of getting "worn"

I'm certainly no tire expect but my understanding is that the rubber on tires that are 6+ years old will "break-down" and more or less slowly fall apart due to delamination. I don't think your slicks will have a date code (DOT tires must have them) but you could look for a date code. 3 digit dates codes are from the 90's. 4 digit codes are from 2000 or newer

[Ondonti]

If I buy new slicks, I am thinking 26x8.5x14"

I think I want a 14x7 or 14x8 rim

Finding rims is not very fun though. I just wasted a few hours looking online.

Borbet T seems to be on some neons. They cost like 240 bucks each though and I dont know if they are very light. I dont want to spend 1000 dollars on a set of bogarts if I dont have to. Some people buy "weld racing" rims but I cant figure out which set they order.

I dont care if the wheels stick out a little bit as its better then hitting my struts with the slicks.

[speeduphoria]

hey this is the place I found for cheap wheels, you may need 2.5" spring/coilovers in front?

Road Race Series

The guy that tried those has 13x8's w/ 25/8.7" slicks on his SRT4(5" backspace), AFAIK he has the regular neon calipers which are thinner(he may also have reg neon rotors which are also thinner but still 11" AFAIK). So I'm wondering if I can get some 13's to fit or if not 14's w/ my R/T brakes

[Reaper1]

Bogarts are VERY light!! If you decide to get those you won't be dissapointed.

Another inexpensive option is custom steelies. A lot of round-track guys use them. If you look in Grassroots Motorsports I know there is an add in the back for a company that does this. They won't be as light as the Bogarts, but it'd make it so you could run the slicks and clear your calipers ect...

[Ondonti]

I might just get a set of these

Modern Performance Racing Products

Rota slipstreams. 13.25 pounds and $249 for two.

I was also looking at the Diamond rims but I think the 14x7 and 15x8 etc rims would end up weighing 15-16 pounds or a little more. I would save some money but $249 seems good.

I just dont know if 35mm offset is what I want. I might still need spacers with that on a 26x8.5r15 slick.

I dont think I can afford Bogarts, and I dont know if I can even afford these + slicks. I am in the market for a Tow Dolly and I will probably spend $1800 on some one that has to be shipped from the east coast because the stuff for sale here is "Stahl" garbage dollies.

It would be nice if I was working instead of "studying" for the LSAT.

[Reaper1]

D@mn...that's a good deal for those wheels!! Too bad they don't have them in 17x7...that's what I want for my car for road use. Finding good performance tires in 15" size is pretty hard anymore...

[speeduphoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ondonti I was also looking at the Diamond rims but I think the 14x7 and 15x8 etc rims would end up weighing 15-16 pounds or a little more. I would save some money but $249 seems good.

yeah after looking at them it says they need larger studs and different 45deg nuts. Also I read some more and the guy didnt run them i dont think he just wanted to make sure they fit so bought cheap rims. He is getting bogarts now,lol

[Ondonti]

Reason I didn't go racing Wednesday. Halfway through a suspension swap and this bolt had welded itself to the bushing.
Hopefully the new struts arrive in time. The tracking number Autozone sent doesn't work.

Going with Gabriel Hi Jackers (air shocks). Excited to have a decent rear suspension as I think it will help keep the tires planted when rowing gears. Going to take the S/T springs out of the back of my spirit and throw them in the duster temporarily. Not sure what the Gas-Adjust shocks will behave like on the Spirit with stock P body springs.

[Reaper1]

Brent, I think you know this already, but make sure you hook up the air valves for the air shocks seperatly. They come with the kit that does them both at the same time. I drove a car that had them like that...one word: DANGEROUS!! LOL Anyways, I'm sure you can see the bennefits of hooking them up seperatly.

Good luck!

[Ondonti]

Yeah, my spirit is set up with one line per airbag. I dont know if this will come with the parts for both.

Why dangerous?

I have no idea about how to use these off the track but they cant be much worse then the totally blown shock in the picture (that I can push all the way in and it wont extend back).

[comp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ondonti Yeah, my spirit is set up with one line per airbag. I dont know if this will come with the parts for both. Why dangerous? I have no idea about how to use these off the track but they cant be much worse then the totally blown shock in the picture (that I can push all the way in and it wont extend back).

i think he is talking about the compressed side adding to the other in a turn,,make for a dangerous ride in the turns

[Reaper1]

^^Yessir! First time I experienced that it scared the living CRAP out of me!!

To use them on the street keep about 20# of air in them so when the shock compresses it doesn't pinch them. I don't suggest higher than that becuase it'll act like you have a HUGE sway bar back there and will make the car very loose(found that out on a highway on-ramp! :O )...I wouldn't go lower than 10#. With your car being so light back there I might even start at 10#'s..but the directions will tell you what's up.

LOL...when I put the new shocks on my 'Baron the ORIGIONAL 1989 shocks were STILL on the car!! You could hold them in the air and they would fall down on their own weight! Made for an intersesting, wobbly ride!

No, they don't come with the parts to do seperate lines. You have to get that kit seperatly. They usually have them atthe store you're getting the shocks from.

[Ondonti]

I bought them online from autozone. Not a good idea so far as they have not actually shipped yet

With the airbags in the spirit I tried pumping them up a lot and also tried putting lots of pressure in one side (tried both) and then went around a traffic circle as fast as I could. Didnt seem to make a difference whatever i did...but maybe an actual shock would make a bigger difference then airbags in the springs (which do make the back very solid when you put them up to 35psi).

The car is so light in the rear that I really had no idea the shocks were dead. I dont take any high G corners and Even with totally blown shocks I thought the car seemed stiff. Oh well, I guess I will find out what functional suspension is like on that car soon enough.

I am replacing the rear tires in the car and I am going with a 195/50r15. They are about 1.54" shorter then the dry rotted tires currently in the back so that should drop the rear about .77 inches. Not sure if the S/T springs will drop the P body.