Stock TR-What MPH In The 1/4?

[Scoobum]

I had a gentleman walk up to me last summer at the track and introduce himself. He purchased an 86 TR from an 80 year old lady...and she's the original owner. He asked me to go over the car and give him a list to bring it up to snuff. It now has a new fuel pump, hot wire kit...etc...he actually listened. I put a new AFPR on it at the track last nite and set the fuel pressure. All looked good on the SM and he took it for a blast down the track. It's a non posi...with shitty TA tires. It went a single tire smoking 14.8 at 95 MPH. He's gonna drop by the shop and were gonna put valve springs on it over the next couple of weeks. Any idea what the car should MPH?
'

[TexasT]

With 18-19 psi boost and a decent launch it might do 102 or so. I used to launch it pretty hard and do 13 ohs to 13.20s at 105-106. His should too especially with the fresh valve springs. What about a timing set?

[Scoobum]

Good point...and I have no idea of the mileage on the car. He races snowmobiles during the winter...so he can do the timing set himself. I was figuring 100 MPH or so. He insisted on a new DP...so I told him an RJC unit or nothing. Sure nuff...showed up last nite with the new RJC DP and a test pipe installed.

When we get the valve springs on it...the original owner...the 80 year old lady...wants to take it down the track. I'll post pics.

[TexasT]

That I will be looking for. Kinda like basketball sams mother making passes in his gsx.

If it has the original nylon gear, most of it is in the oil pan. Make sure he understands the crank sensor and the needed clearance if he does the timing set himself.

[motorhead]

Stock chip? Modern gas? Factory WG settings? I'd say that car ran well for basically stock with undisclosed mileage on crap tires.

[Steve Wood]

that was pretty typical for a new, off the showroom car with a peg leg.   105 was pretty good for one with a little work

[Steve Wood]

Pull a Jeremy and put an air bag with 20 psi of pressure on the passenger side and hook it up!

[nocooler]

Steve lets just say it had just north of what everyone thought it would hold. 60psi at times! After the ATR sway bar I lowered it to 20-25psi. I wish I would have taken pics. The spring looked like the michelin man was attacking it.

[Scoobum]

Stock chip? Modern gas? Factory WG settings? I'd say that car ran well for basically stock with undisclosed mileage on crap tires.

I gave him a list a mile long. TT chip...new injectors...fu el pump...hotwire kit...plugs... wires...weld the DS header...the whole 9 yards. BLM's were 126 last nite after I set the FP. Engine runs nice. He drag races a snowmobile during the winter months. He says he isn't gonna mod this car...but I bet he does.

[good2win22]

I agree with Rich on the timing chain.  Everyone that I've owned or worked on has had radiator issues.  That may not be a problem for you guys up in the polar regions though....  Every other thing that I do to make them reliable and run decent, I'll bet you've already told him

[earlbrown]

The valve springs alone should put your over 100mph.


I'd check the radiator for clogging with an IR temp gauge (or just look down the filler hole if it's bad enough) and get that 1/4 century old timing set out of there yesterday.

On the upside, if he does lose the teeths after doing the valve springs, the valves won't get bent.

[Scoobum]

I agree with Rich on the timing chain.  Everyone that I've owned or worked on has had radiator issues.  That may not be a problem for you guys up in the polar regions though....  Every other thing that I do to make them reliable and run decent, I'll bet you've already told him

He found a rad shop a few days ago to have it recored. Rad shops use to be a dime a dozen...but they're getting hard to find...at least up here. I had him put a new 160 thermostat in it...and he said he put a new water pump in it.

[earlbrown]

I wonder what the lifespan in on the internal coolers.

I'm pretty happy with my budget Fbody unit.  $70 for a new radiator with a lifetime warranty that also drops something like 26#s off the nose.   Can't buy weight savings like that anywhere else on the car.   Not to mention better cooling too.

[motorhead]

Stock chip? Modern gas? Factory WG settings? I'd say that car ran well for basically stock with undisclosed mileage on crap tires.

I gave him a list a mile long. TT chip...new injectors...fu el pump...hotwire kit...plugs... wires...weld the DS header...the whole 9 yards. BLM's were 126 last nite after I set the FP. Engine runs nice. He drag races a snowmobile during the winter months. He says he isn't gonna mod this car...but I bet he does.

It is a slippery slope... granted I never really tried to make my car go right on stockish stuff.

[Scoobum]

Pull a Jeremy and put an air bag with 20 psi of pressure on the passenger side and hook it up!

Too late. He's out looking for a posi unit.