Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Does it look like I wanna race?

H

harrop.senator

Guest
Happens a lot in Adelaide too. Happens sometimes in Launceston but not that often that I have experienced. If they pull up and try to take me, I sit there and creep ahead a little bit and make it look like I am gonna have a go and then just ease off the line. Petrol costs me too much as it is, so I don't hoon off at the lights. Down here it not very often the V8 ute drivers but more so those who drive ricers, with their turbos quite often backfiring or that's what it sounds like when they ease off the pedal, huge bang.... I'd rather go to the drag strip and have them up against my RD 400 where they would have no hope....

How much quicker is your Rd then stock down the 1/4? Almost any modified car I've owned would destroy an Rd without A LOT of work.
 

losh1971

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
22,366
Reaction score
21,983
Points
113
Location
North Tas
Members Ride
VE Series I SS Ute
53hp at the wheel, and 120kg full weight. Stock 26hp and 140kg. Far from stock. Spent 8k all up and around 4.5k of that the engine.
 
Last edited:
H

harrop.senator

Guest
Ahh yeah that'd be a low 12 with a good rider. Bit more respectable then the 13-14 they usually ride but still would be caught out by same fast street cars.
 

losh1971

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
22,366
Reaction score
21,983
Points
113
Location
North Tas
Members Ride
VE Series I SS Ute
Id be a bit rusty now but i used to get low 118s at malalla.
 

losh1971

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
22,366
Reaction score
21,983
Points
113
Location
North Tas
Members Ride
VE Series I SS Ute
No only on the start line.
 

losh1971

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
22,366
Reaction score
21,983
Points
113
Location
North Tas
Members Ride
VE Series I SS Ute
Ever dragged it?
I would like to have a go at dragging just to see what results I can get. Obviously I'm not going to beat twin turbo V8s and I never claimed to. In case you missed it we were talking about those who drag at the lights and the young clowns think they are **** hot because they own turbos and V8s, not those who have set there cars up for dragway.....

Having said that, before I do though try it out I will be getting new heads fitted which should give me an extra 5hp or possibly up to 7hp. Big money though looking at close to $600 to have them reshaped plus another $250 to put it on the dyno and have it tuned. I'd like to fit a close ratio gear set because I could pick up another 4-5hp if I did. But getting hold of a TZ 350 gear set would be hard and may not be a straight fit since I machined the TZ rear hub to be closer to a stock 400 hub.
It would be better to ride with a close ratio set because there is tad too higher step between 3rd and 4th and you can lose some speed unless you keep it up around 9k but it will rev out to 9500. But I tend to keep it around 7800-8800 because max power is about 8500-8700 and the rest is just over-rev. But it makes power anything above 6500. Also the power curve doesn't have hardly any drop from 6k - 9k like a lot of 400s do. The new heads should sort that and it should an upwards curve all the way. I think you might be pleasantly surprised how well my 400 goes Harrop. I don't know for sure but back when I was racing it was more powerful than any other RD 400 that raced in the SA State titles and the summer meet in Mt Gambier. At the time I would dare to say it was the fastest RD 400 in Aust. I'd say it probably is now but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Even though I would like to have a go at drag I would probably never properly set it up for it though as it would be too hard to ride on the track.
 
Last edited:

figjam

Donating Member
Joined
May 14, 2013
Messages
3,212
Reaction score
8,365
Points
113
Location
Far Kurnell
Members Ride
FJ
Ha Ha nothing has changed in 50 years.

I suppose so, except 50 years ago I was the 'traffic light d***h***', coz nuthin' was faster than my modded '57 Zephyr, complete with black wheels and black roof, ( just like the last of the Falcon Sprints,) …….. way ahead of its time.
 

Drawnnite

Obviously Unsensible
Joined
Sep 2, 2010
Messages
2,026
Reaction score
2,105
Points
113
Location
Victoria
Members Ride
2000 Vs Ute
I find it more fun just to let them drag off and you just cruise off slowly.
Makes them look like an absolute muppet to everyone else and then they can have bragging rights if they want.
cos when they say to their mates "I totally beat a lumpy supercharged HSV from the lights the other day" their mates are really going to believe them.
 

EYY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
5,752
Reaction score
2,032
Points
113
Location
Vic
Members Ride
VS Statesman
Doesn’t bother me if people take off quickly. As long as they’re not bagging em up and weaving through traffic etc I can’t see an issue.

Personally I LOVE pulling up next to platers in a riced up civic or excel, throwing it in neutral and stabbing the throttle a couple of times, sliding it back into drive and then taking off really slowly.

Great entertainment! :p
 
Top