Mistakes

[tmracing62]

My court case is consuming my whole life so there's no time to work on the car or anything else. My wife finally ordered me to stay in the garage to break the cycle even if I didn't do anything. Everyone in the courtroom knows what this guy is trying to pull except the judge and no matter how simple I try to make it, he's lost. And this guy is talking all race talk and it's working. Not good.

Anyway, hopefully the following mistakes I made will help someone out.

If you are running an automatic: A 4000 stall converter is pretty soft for racing, but is well matched to my engine and I thought it would be livable on the street. Not really. It isn't locked up 99% of the time on the street, makes big heat, wastes gas and if you just want to stab the car for kicks, the converter is slipping until 4000 rpm and can be unimpressive. A 2800 runs much cooler and the car is a lot more fun. It won't cut as good of a light, but it's loads more fun.

I regret going to a one piece driveshaft. It's 4130 3.5" diameter, 54" long and starts to vibrate around 6400 rpm in third. (TH400) That means it's already vibrating before I can feel it and will wear everything out sooner if it doesn't fail first. I may go to a composite or carbon fiber, but that's a lot of $$$ that there's not much of. If the chassis was not already slightly twisted, having cut it up would be causing more than just regret right now. Maybe someone has had better luck, but the two piece beefed up would have been a better choice.

If you're using a Precision Products Shifter, adjust it in SECOND, not neutral. It wasn't fully engaging in third and damaged the transmission. Their instructions don't mention this, but they've started putting a little sticker on it telling you to do this. I've had three before, all adjusted in neutral and I guess I just got lucky.

And lastly, drilling the bypass holes in the thermostat is actually working very well. It opens at 160 and is not flooded with a rush of cooler water and closing again and again until the whole system reaches the same temp.

[CDNpontiac409guy]

WHAT ?
WHAT ? TM ? You weren't perfect the first time ?
Probably something to do with these Corona Cream BelAirs... because I'll tell you what.... you're not the only one who made a couple expensive mistakes ( I'm trying to use smilies here, but they don't seem to be working?... Bob ?! ).

Thanks for sharing your hard earned info. It's goning to save a few people some $$ and aggravation.

and... about your court case. Keep in there. I have gone a couple rounds myself, and I have noticed a pattern. Truth is a powerful tool in the courtroom. It may seem that everything is getting all complicated... and it may be. However, it's kinda funny, more often than not, at the end of the day, the judge will simplify the whole thing to pretty much how you have it in your mind, and with that truth on your side, I think you'll like the outcome.

[bobs409]

Aubrey,

If the smilies aren't working, that would indicate that the thread starter, (tmracing) checked the box when posting this thread that stops smilies from being used. It's an option.

[jim_ss409]

We always have a list of mistakes, opps, I mean things we'd have done differently. When I get my car finished I'll post a pretty long list.

[Fran Preve]

I've told people for years that your converter should lock up at least a few hundred rpm sooner that your typical cruise rpm, no one listens. Anything over 2500 on a MOSTLY street driven car is a mistake. Haven't been there, never done that, because I know better.

Driveshafts built by COMPETENT driveshaft builders will be balanced, before changing your driveshaft have it rebalanced, there should be more than one shop in your area that does this.

In court tell the truth, back up your story with FACTS, and as many as you can come up with. Then keep your cool, calmly point out your opponents mis-statements on cross examination. Document, document, document!. Nothing beats the written word.

Above all, good luck!.

[tmracing62]

Actually I did not consciously shut off the smilies. Went back to edit the post and they were not disabled. :dunno

The truth - well first, being under oath is something I take seriously. It's a matter of honor. The older guys may especially agree, but really all you have is your honor. The things I really regret are things I knowingly did that were wrong. It is a hard line in court because in trying to tell the whole truth, you can easily create doubt. For instance this guy claims I put in a cheap converter instead of the JW. Rather than assume he is lying, I think "Did I for some reason use a Continental instead of the JW? Not cheap, just different. Was there a delivery problem or ... whatever?" The WHOLE truth has to allow for the possibility. But an "I think so" or "to my best recollection" and the attorneys tear you to bits. A wise friend once told me just before my first time as a witness in court years ago that "The only thing worse than a pathological liar is a pathological truth teller." So a lot of my time is spent confirming what I think is true. In this case the chassis builder proved we put in the JW so a yes without qualification was correct. We have a stay until an Oct. 7 court date and the big deal now is if it is a double rail chassis. It is, just not a double rail ahead of the firewall which from a structural point of view is not the best. There are better ways to get beaming stiffness and torsional stiffness. But making a judge easily and quickly understand the difference is really time consuming.

Fran - the balance is nuts on perfect. The problem is the driveshaft is too long and begins to sway in the center so to speak. And you really got it right about documentation. I took lots of casual pictures during the build and saved everything except some of my time slips and it is saving me now.

Anyway, I am rambling. Thanks for the support and advice. And Aubrey, I think you're right.

[dq409]

TM, I had a vibration from about 4-5 grand and took my drive line in for a rebalance that cured it.
I used one of the best shops in Portland and they did the first balance about a year and a half ago. With the low miles on my car it was weird to both of us that it was off balance but it did do the trick.

Nuts on? Does that mean you had it checked?
Do you have a new trans yoke? Does it go into the tail shaft far enough?
I`m sure you have check these but have to ask.


Good luck in court ! I just went through one and lost. We told the truth,, he lied and won. Judge was a joke !
I layed the wrath of dq on him in private in the hallway after wards !
I don`t think anyone had ever scared him like that before! :eek: He will be looking over his shoulder for a long time,,,, and I will be there !!!:evil
,,,dq