I remember a scene in 1965 as a high school senior from the bus one day. One long strip of rubber (~200') in the left lane and two shorter ones (~100') in the right lane. Naturally everyone was in awe. Everybody figured out who made them. This was a rural area, and there were only two possible cars. Donnie Fritz's 440, without posi, and Slade's Hemi, with posi. I forget who won.

-Ed http://www.ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bacaruda

-- Ed Saxman (Edsaxman@sprintmail.com), July 25, 1997

Answers

Sure Grips

It's great having a car that can smoke the tires. I recently added a Sure Grip and better gear to my Diplomat. While testing it out I discovered I can do powerbrakes at will. I am a little concerned because I am going thru my new BFG's at a rapid pace now. This is my first Sure Grip equipped car and I "test" it every chance I get.

-- Thunderstruck... (steve.knickerbocker@sematech.org), July 25, 1997.

SureGrips

Yep, I can lite up both tires when powerbraking. My Diplomat is just a 318 variety, with a 4bbl added to it and the stock 87 2bbl cam advanced 4 degrees. When I'm power braking I can move the rear end left or right at will by just turning the steering wheel. I think the key to my ability is the fact that I am running a low first gear ratio transmission. That in conjuntion with my 2.94 rear end gives me the equivalent of a 3.30 rear gear in first. Add to that my slightly shorter than stock rear tires and it's closer to a 3.35 rear gear ratio in first. My rear brakes are connected and do work.

-- Thunderstruck... (steve.knickerbocker@sematech.org), July 28, 1997.

Sure Grips

You can lite up both tires while powerbraking? What have you done to your Diplomat? I only saw that once before, and it was a big cube motor (421 Bonneville). When he powerbraked, the back end would always skoot around to the left. So when he raced at PID he would stage a little crooked, so by the time the green came on he'd be lined up straight! Kinda' hard on the rear tires, as you said. I knew one other kid, with a '57 Ford 312. The only way he could do that, he disconnected his rear brakes! What do you have in your Diplomat, and what is the new ratiuo? -Ed http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bacaruda

-- Ed Saxman (edsaxman@sprintmail.com), July 26, 1997.

SureGrips

That is cool, but like Ed I'm wondering why can't I do that. I have a '65 Coronet with a substantially rebuilt 273, 3.55 8 3/4 Sure Grip rear gears, but a kinda krapy '64 904LA tranny. If I understand powerbraking, you put your foot on the brake and then put your other foot on the gas and the rear tires are supposed to let go. That just doesn't happen in my car. I've also got 15X8 wheels with 245/60/15 BFG TA's. What's up? I even have 11" discs in front and the stock 10" drums in back, which since the swap don't seem to do much of the braking. The car is at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~sstinson/coronet.htm

-- Stephen Stinson (skstinson@mail.utexas.edu), October 05, 1997.