I have a 3,800 pound 1980 El Camino with ZZ 4 600 double pumper Holley, headers, turbo 350 transmission, and 373 gear ratio. My car will run a 8.46 on motor alone and a 7.99 with 125 shot of nitrous. I know the first answer is going to be a bigger shot of nos, but I have hypuereutectic pistons and running anymore than a 150 shot is a gamble. I would like to drive to the track in the El Camino, run a 7.0 in a 1/8 mile, and be able to go cruising in it. The engine specs are 355 horsepower ZZ 4 engine at 5250 RPM, 405 foot pounds of torque at 3500 RPM, 10 to 1 compression, L98 aluminum cylinder heads with 58CC chamber, and 163CC intake runners, 1.94 intake, 150 exhaust, camshaft GM hydraulic roller with 474 lift intake/510 exhaust, duration at 50% is 208 intake 221 exhaust and aluminum dual plane intake. What do I need to do to this car and motor to make it run a 7.0 1/8 mile and still be able to drive it on the street with all accessories? Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

David

I agree... I wouldn't spray it anymore than what you're already doing.  Think about dropping the cogs down to 4.10s (posi).  You didn't mention the stall of your converter... with your combo try a converter with a 2,800/3,000rpm stall.  Bolt on a pair of BFG Drag Radials - or similar hides.  These changes will likely shave +0.5 e.t., get you close to your goal, and still be streetable.

Good luck.

The stall I have now is stock ,it has posi but I dont think that will do the trick but will help . Thanks for the input please keep it comming. does any one think a bigger cam would help and what about the heads? What weight could I take off and leve it solid ? What power in numbers would I need to make this 7.0 possable ? 350 hp 450 hp 700 hp to drag this sled down the track? I know it can be done but I'm not sure how.

Thanks

David 

gears and converter make more of a difference than you think, thats the same concept why some busch cup teams qualify faster than Nextel Cup cars, and why ive seen 275HP 327's run low 12's in a quarter

I would not consider a larger cam and higher flowing heads without first installing a looser converter.  You'll simply defeat yourself, because the larger cam/heads will want to operate at a higher rpm - and the stock converter doesn't allow for higher rpm launches. 

IMO, deepen the cogs and loosen up the converter, then think of installing the higher rpm parts.

ok but waht stall 2500,3500 and how will it be on the street?

Dave

Much of the stall speed for a steet driven car depends on the rear end gearing.  You don't want to be cruising down the freeway for extended periods of time at an rpm less than the converter's stall.  If you do then the converter is slipping - this will create heat, which can potentially cause failure.  Bottom line, you don't want to be cruising at 60mph turning 2,500rpm in high gear with a converter that has a stall of 3,000rpm.

Whether you install a 2,500 or 3,000 or 3,500rpm converter, then gear the car so that your cruising rpms are above the converter's stall speed.  This will ensure that the converter is locked.  IMO, I'd go with the loosest converter I could use while staying within the above boundries.

Edit: To reference your needed gearing for a specified rpm and mph check out: 

www.speedworldmotorplex.com/calc.htm

Getting a good bit closer ran a 7.34 inj the 8th Friday night and spun at the line .I have some new mickey ets but My wife will not let me use the dam thigs untill after xmas ,oh and i all so have a 3500 stall but need a new trany to put it in and an victor jr intake.I think that may help what do you think?

Dave 

any one????  

victor jr's are said to create quite a bit more top end power when a cam of more than 250@.050 is used with giving up little buttom end, i seem to doubt that you need a single plane intake at all, of course they favor a true peak of closer to 7000 RPM's, edelbrock performer RPM air gaps handle quite a bit of engine, had a recent 468 BBC dyno 550 HP with one

Single-plane intakes (such as the Vic Jr.) are wonderful intakes if applied properly.  Rule of thumb is a single-plane only begins to outperform a dual-plane above 5,500rpm.  The question you need to ask is how often are you operating above that rpm level?  If your shift point is 6,000 to 6,500rpm (or less) consider sticking with a quality dual-plane.

* Here's something to chew on...  think of all those factory L79 327s, LT-1 350s and LS6 454s that Chevy offered.  Not one had a single-plane intake from the factory.

Good luck.

      I MYSELF WOULD GO FOR THE 4.11 GEARS, NITROUS SPECIFIC CAM WITH LESS OVERLAP, (COMP CAMS) 26" TALL TIRES, SHIFT KIT, K AND N FILTER, OR TAKE THE FILTER OFF FOR THE RACE, THAT WAS WORTH  1/10 FOR ME, AND PULLING THE POWER STEERING BELT OFF WAS WORTH ANOTHER 10TH. YOU COULD ALSO CHANGE YOUR THERMOSTAT TO A 160 DEGREE UNIT OR TRY TO COOL THE FUEL CHARGE. GOOD LUCK.

  I JUST READ YOUR INTRO AGAIN AND I THINK YOUR ELKY IS A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN IT SHOULD BE. MY STOCK 78 ELKY WEIGHED IN AT 3440 LBS. IF YOU GO TO YOUR LOCAL TRASH COLLECTION SITE THEY WILL WEIGH IT FOR 4.00, OR GO TO A SCALE SITE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TIMES YOU GAVE FOR THE MOTOR, AND THE SHOT OF SPRAY SEEM A LITTLE OFF TOO, RULE OF THUMB, 100 HORSEPOWER PER SEC. YOU SHOULD BE ALOT LOWER FROM THE START WITH A 125 SHOT 1.25 SEC LOWER, NOT .47 WERES THE OTHER .78? DO YOU HAVE A SWITCH AT THE CARB FOR FULL THROTLE ACTIVATION OR ARE YOU SPAYING IT YOURSELF. ITS POSSIBLE THAT THE CAM OVERLAP IS LETTING THE JUICE GO RIGHT OUT THE TAILPIPE.  

I'm not here to pick a bone, just to keep the discussion on track. 

The statement of 100 horsepower per second is a huge generalization.  The relationship between power and e.t. is not linear, it's exponential.  Meaning (in the 1/8 or the 1/4 mile) it takes more power (and traction) to get into the 6s from 7s then it took to get into the 7s from 8s.  And it's going to take gobs more to break into the 5s. 

Also, a cam would have to have an extremely wide LSA and boat loads of exhaust duration (read: very early exhaust valve opening) to allow unspent fuel out of the exhaust track under acceleration.  I doubt if that's his issue.

Peace.