how do you race your vic? Mine was WAY too slow, what's wrong here?

[v8only]

Hopefully someone here can help. I've got a 99 x LAPD p71 vic. It "feels" quick. I'm no n00b to muscle cars, and have a healthy stable of 300+ hp cars.

I only got one run in at the track today. I put it in drive and punched it. I modulated the throttle a little after I was going because I had too much wheel spin. However, I then just punched it and let it run. I let the auto trans do it's job. I didn't shift manually.

I got an 18.5 at 74 mph. I don't understand either. At the worst, I expected my mph to be in the mid 80's and the et slower because of wheel spin, but I didn't expect this pile of garage run.

what gives? Where do these trannies shift at? Do the shift WAY too short? I can't see that being my only problem. I've driven 18 second imports before, and this feels like it would blow the doors off of them, yet judging by my times, it's on par with a pos econobox.

Any hints here? Did I race it wrong, or is my motor just completely worn out?

[P72Ford]

What gears does the car have, and does it have a limited slip differential?

My Dad has a '99 P71 with 3.55s and an open diff. If you stomp it from rest it will blaze the tire until you lift. It doesn't hook worth a shit. Be it the tires, or just the nature of 3.55s with an open diff, and the somewhat loose (for stock) converter that the PIs have.

I have dusted him in a race with my 5000 pound Dodge Ram, with the 4.7, a 5 spd, 3.55s, and 32" tires. Its because he can't hook it up.

Were you spinning when you left the line? How did you leave? Off idle flashing the converter, or stalling it on the foot brake?

You should be able to select every gear manually with the 4R70W transmission. Hold the shifts out if you think its shifting early. Maybe put a tach in there so you actually know when it is shifting. Its tough if your opponent has open headers or loud exhaust, and you can't hear your car/ don't have a tach.

I find that the way the transmission shifts in my Dad's car is very nice. Firm under WOT (it chirps the belt), and you can hardly feel the shifts at part throttle.

The hwale body cars feel pretty snappy, but I wouldn't expect much better than a mid 16 second slip. You may have to work on your technique for racing it, especially if it has an open diff.

[Smokestacklightnin]

if you dont have a tach get one. You will probably have to launch a little soft. Practice leaving by foot breaking at different rpm's till you get to a point were it starts to spin on the launch and back off from there. Once you get of the line then nail it. I'm running a 3.08 open and street tires so it takes a little effort to find the sweet spot off the launch. You lose more time than you think when you spin. Shift through each gear manually and shift before redline.

[v8only]

mine has the 3.55 open rear.

I had all kinds of problem on the launch. I had my foot on the brake while revving the gas to maybe 1500-2000 and let off, had wheel spin, let off some till the wheel spin stopped, then punched it. Way too much for me to get a good launch.

should I be concerned about the MPH, it's REALLY low, usually even with a garbage launch, the MPH is usually always consistent, or is this not the case? for my car to do 16's, my mph should be in the 80's

[gadget73]

If it would hook up, you're probably in the 16s. Hell, a stock box with a tired 5.0 lopo and a 2.73 rear will do mid 18s all day long. Theres no reason you shouldn't be at least in the mid 16s. Toss a traction lock in there so it will attempt to hook up and see what you get.

[1980c10]

I stall my up on the foot brake to right before it's about to spin. Then when the last yellow comes on I mat the gas and release the brake. I have a trak loc and even with 4.30 gears my car just hooks and goes on cheapo whitewalls. Then I do the shuffle the rest of the way, shifting around 5200-5500.

[v8only]

took it to the track..raced my friend alan...right out of the hole he had me, because he had 100% traction...big old lifted 01 chevy truck with a 5.3. From there he gained slightly. He finished 16.3...

get this, the computer said I did 18.5 at 74 mph.

I've been so utterly torn up about that time slip that I did a little research tonight, to see what else is as quick as my car...and here is what is also doing mid 18's in the 1/4

First # is 0-60, second # is 1/4 mile

1974 AMC Gremlin 17.8 18.8

1985 Chevrolet Nova CL 12.4 18.7

1982 Dodge Challenger 12.1 18.4

1986 Ford Escort 1.9 11.7 18.1

1992 Ford Crown Victoria LX 9.5 17.1 *********

1980 Ford Mustang (255ci) 11.8 18.5

1995 Geo Metro LSi 12.7 18.8

GEO FUCKING METRO?????

1974 Honda Civic 15.7 18.5

1991 Hyundai Scoupe 11.9 18.4



You get the idea. It goes on and on and on and on.

Obviously the light system got tripped up and I got a wrong time slip. I was behind alan's time, but NOT 2 full seconds behind and 10 mph behind, lol. So my first run is bullshit, and I didn't get a second run. Looks like I'll have to try it again. I'm sure as shit faster than a 74 gremlin and a geo metro!!!

the 92 vic civilian edition above is rated 17.1's...the police units are quite a bit faster, so this confirms what I suspected...I've got a solid 16 second car.

WOOH!

[1980c10]

Why would a cop car be faster than a civi? They are just a heavy duty and suspension package, nothing special about the motor at all. But anyway go back and run again before you get to hung up on a sigle pass.

[1990LTD]

get a tach!


to answer the question: after launching stand on the pedal, watch speedometer.

[v8only]

Why would a cop car be faster than a civi? They are just a heavy duty and suspension package, nothing special about the motor at all. But anyway go back and run again before you get to hung up on a sigle pass.

Really? Seriously?

Have you driven a civic, ever? They're seriously pathetic...very very slow.

[ford man]

Really? Seriously?

Have you driven a civic, ever? They're seriously pathetic...very very slow.

I think 1980c10 is asking why a p71 is faster than a civillian crown vic.

The P71 is faster especially 92-94? or so because p71's got 3.27 gears standard while civi got 2.70 or 3.08 performance and handling

In later years 3.27 gears became standard on performance and handling civi models. I know 3.55 gears became an option in 2000 on p71 and civi crown vics. So in later years gearing can be even on police and non police.

But non police models don't have:
-looser torque converter
-aluminum drive shaft
-higher rev limit
-stiffer suspension(might or might not be a factor in a straight line)

[1980c10]

Yes when I say civi, I mean civilian. And also to answer you other question, I have been behind the wheel of a few not so pathetic civics in my day . I also don't think a police package car is going to be a second faster in the 1/4 than a civilian car. Maybe .5 at best between the gears and convertor maybe. I could be wrong though, it sure wouldn't be the first time.

[ford man]

Yes when I say civi, I mean civilian. And also to answer you other question, I have been behind the wheel of a few not so pathetic civics in my day . I also don't think a police package car is going to be a second faster in the 1/4 than a civilian car. Maybe .5 at best between the gears and convertor maybe. I could be wrong though, it sure wouldn't be the first time.

I agree, the difference is negligible to be sure. The production variance from engine to engine from the factory could be a bigger difference on a given police or non police car.

Isaiah

[rick99601]

factory freak.

[SVT98t]

Oh, when you stomp on your 4R70W, turn the overdrive off. Please.
You can burn out the overdrive bands when getting into it often. Like I did.
I know the Aeros (92-97) were actually the lightest of the Panthers.

-ryan s.