wcialrlter

Seeing as there is a 1/8 strip less than 5 minutes from the house I'm starting to get the itch to go try it out.

I raced my stock Duramax a few years ago at Wilkesboro, NC a few times and actually made it into some of the final rounds a couple weekends...but that's the extent of my drag racing experience.

I'm not a new guy to racing or anything (I'm quite involved in offroad racing...www.ultra4racing.com if you want to check it out...) but I've spent very little time at a drag strip.

I had to buy a 'display truck' of sorts for my business...so why not make it double duty and race the thing too, right?

I have:
2003 Chevy 1500 RCSB, 2wd, 4.8, 4l60, 50k miles.

It looks like the local track has a 7.49 and a 8.99 class that races weekly. I'd like to shoot for the 7.49 class if it's po$$ible.

This truck will also see street/hwy miles regularly so there will be some compromises. Like the 3.73's instead of 4.10's or 4.56's.

Current mods I have in store:
-Stock LS1, 60k miles on it (already sitting in the floor ready to go, had it for one of our offroad cars, put in a different engine instead)
-TransGo kit with Sonnax pistons, Corvette servo (soon to arrive...)
-Semifloat 14bolt rear axle, 3.73's, locked (found, just gotta pick it up)
-Caltracs knockoffs (I'll make my own)



What else do I need to get a 7.5 truck?

I know engine is the answer but I don't want to have to go too far into the 4l60e right now. From what I've read it should take a stock LS1 with the TrandGo/Sonnax mod's....is that correct? If it'd take more...how much?

Also looking for torque convertor advice...? I could handle some stall but this thing could see a trailer hooked up to it every once in a while.

Will the Caltracs hook up decently or am i looking at needing a linked rear?


Exhaust? No idea here...i'm not interested in something that 'sounds good'. I'd rather have it quiet as stock but put in a cut out for the race track. If the cut out would even gain me that much more performance...? I'm eyeing that cheap ebay header kit though...



I'm sure there's more but this will get me started...

Thanks.

wcialrlter

Or, better worded: Will what I have in mind come close to 7.5?

RacinRust

Tall order 7.50's and want to tow a trailer and reliability? A really big motor is the only way. 500+ cubic inches.
Or a well built Duramax.
That LS1 is not going to come close!
Just my .02 .

02gmcbandit

iTrader: (2)

500+ cubic inches for what he wants? lol wow man , OP go ahead and consider spray or boost if your wanting a dual purpose truck like that. ls1 can get you 7.50's with either with a few other mods. you can keep the stock muffler if your not wanting it loud. longtubes with a cutout will be your best bet performance wise for track. stall depends on how much hauling youll do and how much weight u put behind the truck. stock 4L60e's are known to give under the stress youll see from racing it. best money spent would be a 4L80e swap. caltracs would be fine also for what your wanting.

slow2500

I would put a lot of money on the fact the ls1 isn't going to net you 7.50 very easily. I would say you will need 450 hp or better.

Calculator says 4500# truck with 450 hp is a 7.9 in the 1/8. Going to take a few good mods and some juice might get you close. But you won't be able to tow and expect it to survive.

This goal is going to require a good deal of money and time to get close. The 8.99 class should be a reasonable goal but you will still need to invest a good deal of money for a built trans and probably a rear end in the near future.

wcialrlter

Sounds like I'll just shoot for the 8.99 to get started.

I have a 4l80 sitting in the floor but I don't want to get that involved right now...I have other projects...

Unless...somebody shoot me the best link to a 4L80 swap in this truck? Are the plugs the same aside from the TCU program?

I have a TCI 6x 4l80 in my offroad car...I keep going back and forth that it might be better suited in this truck...

02gmcbandit

iTrader: (2)

8.99 taking a good deal of money??.....




that was one of my first passes,chirped 2nd gear track wasnt prepped the best. that was when i was first startin , 02 rcsb full weight with tailgate on. 5.3, 4L65e with hd2 shiftkit, vette servo, footbraked to 1500,4.11 gears with stock g80 MT E/T streets 27x10.50 16's oh stocks. volant ram air intake and tune. wouldve been your 8.9x pass if didnt chirp 2nd and wouldve stalled to 1700 like usual.

obviously not a good deal of money

slow2500

I was saying the 7.5 would require a good deal of money.

The 8.99 should be fairly easy especialy since he has a ls1 to start off with. Obviously you don't have all that much done and runing close.

02gmcbandit

iTrader: (2)

ah ok that makes more sense. the 7.50s is doing with decent stall, gears and spray, truck just wont be able to haul with a bigg stall. thats why i said either spray or boost. spray would be the cheaper route obviously since a good charger is $5k+ new. plate kit is around $550 i believe .p1's have been going for 1800-3200 used lately so thats a starting place. since he's looking at 1/8 with low mods i'd say 4.56 gears

RacinRust

Noob I don't think they are listening to you ! You used words and phrases like po$$ible, and, This truck will also see street/hwy miles regularly so there will be some compromises. Like the 3.73's instead of 4.10's or 4.56's. Along with all the other limiting phrases. Nothing wrong with staying within your budget!
Honestly the 8.99 is looking a lot more attainable at this time.
Is this your primary mode of transportation? Or do you have another means of daily transportation?
No LOL here! But using second gear chirp is funny!