1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build - Page 10

Lyn Smith · 07-20-2023, 10:09 PM

Back working on the ol Silver Bullet 55 Q/SA as a long wait for some new engine components finally came to an end. Got the motor back together and made the trip to Larry Allen's dyno in Indiana. The goal of making a little over 1 horsepower per cubic inch was made, so I will probably take the car to the Indy LODRS in 2 weeks. Dyno operator was impressed with how well balanced the new carb was, (typical for a Deano carb) and how the engine responded to timing and other changes. Well we will see how it runs in a couple of weeks. Just hope it is not going to be high 90s then. Check back in a couple of weeks for details.

Lyn Smith · 09-05-2023, 02:48 PM

Well the Indy points race did not go well .Had to go to the back up trans and convertor and that convertor is way too tight. Talked to fellow Stock racer Duane Dickens and he said he had good luck working with Coan Eng. to get a convertor loose enough for the little small block applications. Called them and they had a convertor done and to me at Indy on friday. Will see how it does at Earlville this weekend. Will be a little cooler with temps in the low 80s.

Larry Hill · 09-05-2023, 09:13 PM

I have some metric 200 converters and a trans that we used in the truck. Engine was 262 with a 3 .48 stroke. Let me know and I’ll bring them to a race.

Lyn Smith · 09-06-2023, 01:45 PM

Thanks Larry. Will take you up on the convertor offer. I will be going to all the races down in St. Louis later this month. Are they 7 inch or 8?

Larry Hill · 09-07-2023, 06:59 AM

I’m not sure I will measure and get back to you. They fit the metric trans.

Lyn Smith · 10-23-2023, 09:25 AM

Took the 55 to the Indy Fall Classic and it is running a little better with a string of consistent 13.65s at nearly 97 mph runs in testing and qualifying. The air was not that great, and an ever changing wind direction (head wind on sunday) was a pain. I really had to steer the silver brick when I passed the grandstands with the cross wind on friday. LOL. With the installation of a play back tach I can really see the lack of convertor flash stall in first gear. It jumps up to around 4800, then continues a seemingly slow rise to my 7200 shift point. I'm going to send the convertor back to ATI to see if they can get that initial stall to around 5400. On the dyno sheets the difference in horsepower between 4800 and 5400 is over 30 horsepower so a looser unit has got to help.This weekend I hope to try one of the 8 inch convertors Larry Hill has loaned me. I didn't last long in eliminations as I lifted a little to early against Robin Lawence's number 1 qualifying Mustang and gave him a early Christmas gift. Oh well there is always next year. More info next week if I get to test one of Larry's units behind the metric 200.

Lyn Smith · 10-31-2023, 10:08 PM

Well had the 55 back up on jack stands the week after the Fall Classic and installed one of Larry Hill's 8 inch convertors he was so very kind to loan me. I was pleasantly surprised on the first run as the car picked up over a tenth in the 60, and 2 tenth in the 1/4 over the Indy runs the week before as it ran a 13.44 at 98 mph on the 13.80 index.. Some of this had to be related to the better weather conditions and a nice little 10mph hour tail wind but as the playback tach showed it was the first convertor out of 5 units tried that flashed upwards of 5000 on the launch. After 4 runs or so trying a few different things with no gain I decided to take out the 200 lbs of ballast I carry to make the Q/SA weight to try to hit the magic 100 mph barrier. Got close in the next few runs with a runs of 13.22 at 99.57 mph but no cigar. LOL Earlier in the week I had a nice conversation with Charlie at ATI and he said he would attempt to loosen up my convertor so it has been sent back to them. One of the local tracks has some test and tunes listed in the first few weeks of November so i will try to make one of those to close out the season. I feel that if I can get the flash stall up to around 5400 it will help the car.

MAURICE BLENDHEIM · 11-01-2023, 12:14 AM

Lyn… I'm Very Interested in the results from your Convertor Thrash. Are you still running a 5.57 rear end ratio with a 2.75 first Turbo 350? Also do you still have the 1 5/8" Headers on the car? Did Charlie (ATI) mention anything about 7" convertors at all? MB

Lyn Smith · 11-01-2023, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAURICE BLENDHEIM

Lyn… I'm Very Interested in the results from your Convertor Thrash. Are you still running a 5.57 rear end ratio with a 2.75 first Turbo 350? Also do you still have the 1 5/8" Headers on the car? Did Charlie (ATI) mention anything about 7" convertors at all? MB

Yes 5.57 rear gear, metric with 2.74 and the small fender well headers. Been told by a couple convertor people they do not think a 7 inch in the small engine stocker is worth messing with. A SS car yes.A stocker no.

Paul Wong · 11-01-2023, 11:38 AM

We tried a 7" converter in the 231 firebirds more than once and it just did not have the power to make it flash like it needs to. There may be something there but it will take a lot of adjustments for something with this little power.

07-20-2023, 10:09 PM	#91
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,183 Likes: 269 Liked 935 Times in 185 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Back working on the ol Silver Bullet 55 Q/SA as a long wait for some new engine components finally came to an end. Got the motor back together and made the trip to Larry Allen's dyno in Indiana. The goal of making a little over 1 horsepower per cubic inch was made, so I will probably take the car to the Indy LODRS in 2 weeks. Dyno operator was impressed with how well balanced the new carb was, (typical for a Deano carb) and how the engine responded to timing and other changes. Well we will see how it runs in a couple of weeks. Just hope it is not going to be high 90s then. Check back in a couple of weeks for details. Last edited by Lyn Smith; 07-20-2023 at 10:14 PM.

09-05-2023, 02:48 PM	#92
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,183 Likes: 269 Liked 935 Times in 185 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Well the Indy points race did not go well .Had to go to the back up trans and convertor and that convertor is way too tight. Talked to fellow Stock racer Duane Dickens and he said he had good luck working with Coan Eng. to get a convertor loose enough for the little small block applications. Called them and they had a convertor done and to me at Indy on friday. Will see how it does at Earlville this weekend. Will be a little cooler with temps in the low 80s.

09-05-2023, 09:13 PM	#93
Larry Hill Live Reporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hickory, Ky Posts: 10,591 Likes: 1,883 Liked 10,597 Times in 2,192 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build I have some metric 200 converters and a trans that we used in the truck. Engine was 262 with a 3 .48 stroke. Let me know and I’ll bring them to a race. __________________ IHM Used Parts https://ihmusedparts.com 888-821-1817

09-06-2023, 01:45 PM	#94
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,183 Likes: 269 Liked 935 Times in 185 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Thanks Larry. Will take you up on the convertor offer. I will be going to all the races down in St. Louis later this month. Are they 7 inch or 8?

09-07-2023, 06:59 AM	#95
Larry Hill Live Reporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hickory, Ky Posts: 10,591 Likes: 1,883 Liked 10,597 Times in 2,192 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build I’m not sure I will measure and get back to you. They fit the metric trans. __________________ IHM Used Parts https://ihmusedparts.com 888-821-1817

10-23-2023, 09:25 AM	#96
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,183 Likes: 269 Liked 935 Times in 185 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Took the 55 to the Indy Fall Classic and it is running a little better with a string of consistent 13.65s at nearly 97 mph runs in testing and qualifying. The air was not that great, and an ever changing wind direction (head wind on sunday) was a pain. I really had to steer the silver brick when I passed the grandstands with the cross wind on friday. LOL. With the installation of a play back tach I can really see the lack of convertor flash stall in first gear. It jumps up to around 4800, then continues a seemingly slow rise to my 7200 shift point. I'm going to send the convertor back to ATI to see if they can get that initial stall to around 5400. On the dyno sheets the difference in horsepower between 4800 and 5400 is over 30 horsepower so a looser unit has got to help.This weekend I hope to try one of the 8 inch convertors Larry Hill has loaned me. I didn't last long in eliminations as I lifted a little to early against Robin Lawence's number 1 qualifying Mustang and gave him a early Christmas gift. Oh well there is always next year. More info next week if I get to test one of Larry's units behind the metric 200.

10-31-2023, 10:08 PM	#97
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,183 Likes: 269 Liked 935 Times in 185 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Well had the 55 back up on jack stands the week after the Fall Classic and installed one of Larry Hill's 8 inch convertors he was so very kind to loan me. I was pleasantly surprised on the first run as the car picked up over a tenth in the 60, and 2 tenth in the 1/4 over the Indy runs the week before as it ran a 13.44 at 98 mph on the 13.80 index.. Some of this had to be related to the better weather conditions and a nice little 10mph hour tail wind but as the playback tach showed it was the first convertor out of 5 units tried that flashed upwards of 5000 on the launch. After 4 runs or so trying a few different things with no gain I decided to take out the 200 lbs of ballast I carry to make the Q/SA weight to try to hit the magic 100 mph barrier. Got close in the next few runs with a runs of 13.22 at 99.57 mph but no cigar. LOL Earlier in the week I had a nice conversation with Charlie at ATI and he said he would attempt to loosen up my convertor so it has been sent back to them. One of the local tracks has some test and tunes listed in the first few weeks of November so i will try to make one of those to close out the season. I feel that if I can get the flash stall up to around 5400 it will help the car.

11-01-2023, 12:14 AM	#98
MAURICE BLENDHEIM Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Langley (no igloos), British Columbia, Canada Posts: 565 Likes: 305 Liked 264 Times in 85 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build Lyn… I'm Very Interested in the results from your Convertor Thrash. Are you still running a 5.57 rear end ratio with a 2.75 first Turbo 350? Also do you still have the 1 5/8" Headers on the car? Did Charlie (ATI) mention anything about 7" convertors at all? MB

11-01-2023, 11:38 AM	#100
Paul Wong Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 377 Likes: 98 Liked 400 Times in 79 Posts	Re: 1955 Chevrolet Q/SA Build We tried a 7" converter in the 231 firebirds more than once and it just did not have the power to make it flash like it needs to. There may be something there but it will take a lot of adjustments for something with this little power.