Big inch turbo motors in Pro Mod on alky (1 Viewer)

[Bill]

Is there anyone on the 'mater who might know what size the motor is in Brad Personett's car is? I just know it's a Hemi; probably a BAE or AJ motor.

He (Brad) did pretty well at Gainesville, today, both in the eliminations and in qualifying; the first time a turbo car has made it to the semi's, according to the reporter on Fast News.

I was in a discussion the other day with some folks who didn't think that a large-displacement turbo motor on alcohol would be competitive in a class like Pro Mod that is dominated by Roots blowers.

I am not very familar with the history of turbos in Pro Mod, but I think they have been around for a while, and wondered if they are the wave of the future, or are just a flash in the pan, or will never be viable in this class.

Any information would be appreciated.

Bill, in Conway, Arkansas

 

[handsome]

if i'm not mistaken , its a 526. some have tried 600 inchers, but Andy Jenzer runs a small block that has been 6.20's

 

[Bill]

Thanks, Bruce. I keep waiting for somebody to put one of these 800+ cubic inch Sonny Leonard motors with four turbos (on alky) into an Outlaw Pro Mod and run some mid-5's... LOL!

Wish I had the considerable bucks to try it...

 

[haagar]

You may already know this, but from what I have read it seems the problem with the big turbo motors isn't making power. It is getting the power hooked up when the turbos really kick in. You may have noticed they tend to run real big MPH even when they don't run the ET.

 

[----NONE----]

I'm not sure what Mike Moran's combo is, but he just ran a 5.97 @ 250 testing at SGMP last week. I'm pretty sure that he's around 2800 lbs. from what I've read.

Mike Moran 5.97 - Yellow Bullet Forums

Mike Moran is a baaad dude.

 

[haagar]

Do you know if that is still the Monte Carlo Moran is running?

Edit: Finally found a post in another forum that says it is.

 

[squid]

Do you know if that is still the Monte Carlo Moran is running?

Edit: Finally found a post in another forum that says it is.

I talked to mike the other day...that car has over 1,200 runs on it..
That car is 10 years old

 

[Bill]

You may already know this, but from what I have read it seems the problem with the big turbo motors isn't making power. It is getting the power hooked up when the turbos really kick in. You may have noticed they tend to run real big MPH even when they don't run the ET.

Yes, Frederick, that seems to have always been the problem for turbos (witness the early '80s attempts by Jerry Verheul to hook up the "FLO-RITE" funny car of Gordie Bonin.)

But, the sophisticated clutch managment systems that exist today should be able to deal with the vagaries of turbo power peaks (and, valleys.) I think it's just a matter of time before somebody figures it out for everybody.

We'll see...

Bill

 

[vegasnitro]

I'm not sure what Mike Moran's combo is, but he just ran a 5.97 @ 250 testing at SGMP last week. I'm pretty sure that he's around 2800 lbs. from what I've read.

Mike Moran 5.97 - Yellow Bullet Forums

Mike Moran is a baaad dude.

That was one of the most impressive passes I have ever seen in person ... at Vegas 2 last year Moran qualified top half ... 15MPH faster than anyone else in Pro Mod. (going off memory here 6.15 at 246?)

 

["Chuck"]

Its interesting to watch the evolution of Turbocharged combinations recently, it seems whatever was keeping them from hauling butt is now a thing of the past, considering alot of guys are out there just destroying the comp eliminator competition....Pro Mod might be next if they can handle the massive ammounts of power that that particular class combination wants to make.

 

[haagar]

But, the sophisticated clutch managment systems that exist today should be able to deal with the vagaries of turbo power peaks (and, valleys.) I think it's just a matter of time before somebody figures it out for everybody.

The only section pertaining to ProMod I could find in the rule book was under comp and it states the following:

"Clutch must be manually operated by driver's foot: Electronics, pnuematics, hydraulics, r any other device may in no way affect the clutch system. Throwout bearing must release all fingers, levers, stages, etc. simultaneously. Staged or variable release clutches of any description prohibited."

This would seem to rule out a lot (all?) of those systems.

Anyone more familiar with pro mod know if this is the same when they aren't running in comp? The IHRA rulebook has different wording, but the intent seems the same.

 

[Bill]

How about a Lencodrive torque converter system? I wonder if NHRA has disallowed them in this class, too?

Seems like they will stifle innovation and technological advancements wherever and whenever they can these days.

"Ingenuity in action" is a dead issue... and Wally's spinning in his grave like a turbocharged, de-stroked small block Chevy with shaft rockers...

 

[Nate]

Here is the video of Mike Morans 5.97 pass, That thing was srolling the back half
Experience. The. Best. Moran Motorsports

 

[J.C.]

Here is the video of Mike Morans 5.97 pass, That thing was srolling the back half
Experience. The. Best. Moran Motorsports

Damn that thing sounds BAD to the bone. I got goosebumps hearing it run down the track!

As a side note, I once spent a weekend with John Myers (PSB) in his Turbo Specialities shop about 15 years ago. I watched him rebuild a turbo in about 30 minutes. He knew turbos inside and out, it was amazing. Even though he raced PSB, he loved putting turbos on anything and everything. It makes me wonder what he might have done with turbos if he hadn't passed away 11 years ago?

 

[Toejam]

Another Turbo thread Bill?

 

[Bobby Bennett]

3600 horses

Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - MORAN TURBOS TO THE FIVES

 

[Bill]

Joe Sherwood asked: "Another turbo thread, Bill?"

Yeah, Joe... I started it SIX DAYS AGO!! What took you so long????

I've found that I don't learn much if I don't ask...

NHRA has destroyed the technical development of conventional blowers and the attendant systems through highly-restrictive legislation to the point that there's not much new to see in Top Fuel or F/C anymore, so if there's any "new ground" plowed, technologically, this (turbocharging) is where it will happen.

T/F and F/C have long ago, stagnated with regard to development of performance parts, so it's a lot like NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" in that the competition in those classes has become pretty much just a "drivers' race," with the crew chiefs' hands being tied, insofar as introducing anything innovative or new is concerned, and driving is not something that interests me very much.

I don't know exactly when it started, because I was never much of a fan of cars that ran on fuel that carried its own oxygen supply, but I think it really showed up several years back, when Dale Armstrong developed a variable-speed supercharger for Kenny Bernstein's car, and NHRA promptly disallowed it.

Then somebody, maybe John Force's crew or crew chief, came up with a traction control device to keep cars from going up in smoke (seemed like a good idea to me; who enjoys seeing a race ruined by blowing the tires off the car???) and NHRA killed that, too... So, we still, years later, have races decided by cars going up in smoke and driving all over their lane due to wheelspin. "Pedaling" should be for bicycles...

Don Garlits said it best when he built his "go fast" dragster; called it his "NO SILLY RULES" car... and who should know better than him, what is "silly???"

Turbos are not allowed in T/F or F/C, but are in Pro Mod, though they're somewhat restricted in the interest of not having them dominate, probably.

I am just curious as to how effective and/or competitive they are proving to be because that is at least SOME technological development that smacks of performance improvement that NHRA hasn't squelched.... yet.

If there's another area of NHRA drag racing that still allows "ingenuity in action" as three words, it might be Comp Eliminator, but Pro Mod doesn't have the myriad powerplants that exist in Comp.... I'm easily confused, so I stick with the simple stuff. I think you need more than just a high school education to thoroughly understand what goes on in Comp....

I'm just here to learn what I can about new stuff.... and turbos are the only game in town, or so it seems... That's a shame, but that's the situation, as I see it.

Bill

 

[Mooseman]

NHRA does not like inovation , It has been said by people in the know that NHRA wants to go the spec route . It sucks yes because NHRA used to be big time for inovation , they are even called the national HOT ROD association , well hotrodding has allways been about brains and innovation well reall hot rodding is . Well the NHRA now is pretty much the NO Hot Rods Allowed association.

 

[Toejam]

Just how expensive do you guys want this sport to become? You guys need to follow F1, you see all the innovation you want over there. That's why you see little if any parody either!

If we had 30 TF/FC every race I'm sure NHRA would allow teams to try different things, but with car counts and the economy like it is, I think keeping costs under control is a good thing!

 

[Mooseman]

Innovation doesnt have to costs millions of bucks , it all depends on how smart you are and how much you can do/make yourself . Isnt that how Ken Veney got in business with his heads , he couldnt afford to pay others and buy stuff so he made everything and he was smart enough to make it all work .