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Topic: Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto? (Read 3008 times) previous topic - next topic

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #30
Why do you need one? I know it's got potential with 500ci (or whatever it's got now) but their current track requirements dospoogeent only lists that as either <11.5 or <11. A driveshaft loop seems to weird for 13 seconds though - cars everywhere do that now days.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #31
All three of the tracks near me require them at 14 or quicker or at any speed if you are running slicks or cheater slicks.  I tell you it is a good idea if you ever seen a front u-joint break.

My friend had a full size Ford SW one time and the front joint broke for no reason.  We were only gong about 5 mph and it stoped the car dead and lifted the rear wheels and just about put us through the windsheild.  Also put a nice dent in the road.  I would sure hate to be going much faster.

I think they are a must have for any car.

My car with a 500 and tons of torque has lots of need for one.  I guess I'm legal to 11.5 now but any faster I will need to install my roll-bar.

TED

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #32
True about the slicks - they slipped my mind :p
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #33
Reminds me of a story I know about some young boys in a '72 F-100...seems they were jumping some terraces on a farm, when the axle droop was enough to cause the  front driveshaft to slide out of itself. (it was 2 piece deal) and caused a sudden stop when the one end jammed into the soft ground. Seems the passenger had a bloody face. The driver got his ass kicked..once by the passenger, and once by ole dad...yup...twas me.

Use the loop...it's like insurance, hate to have to need it, but glad it's there if it IS needed. ;)
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #34
Perhaps I should add that next to an aluminum driveshaft also. I cannot see any negative to getting one of those, especially with an automatic. I would go all out for lighter wheels too but I like the snowflakes (other than no 5 lug/13" brake capabilities). While the loop's fairly simple, the driveshaft won't be in in 2 weeks time.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #35
You know, I've been checking out RPM calculators and such online, but I have not quite figured out where my vibration is coming from. It's either;
1-Motor
2-Transmission
3-Driveshaft

When I punch it and it hits 70 in Second(1.46 ratio, 2.73 rear), it starts shaking like crazy. Could it really be the DS or is it just the transmission not wanting to spin that fast?

I sure would like to know, because i have an alum. Shaft but it will cost about $100 to put it in, and I'd rather not if what I really should do is put the 5-Speed in.
1983 Tbird with '03 Split Port V6 motor swap done! Headers, dual exhaust, 500CFM Edelbrock, 3G upgrade, Electric fan. 3.73 Gears and an FRPP Limited Slip. Five lug complete! 5-Speed conversion complete! Standalone Fuel Injection in progress...

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #36
VIR got pissy with me cause I didn't have a D/S loop, figured with a 13.11, I was going to bust into the 12s any time... When I went back with the slicks and nitrous I had a loop installed, they checked too...

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #37
Well I'm heading down to Portland for Friday night if anybody lives nearby and wants to say hi.  I will also go Saturday night if all goes well.

Today I hooked up some better gauges, put on a better alternator, cleaned up the slicks and got it in a good beginning tune.  Seems to be no hesitation now and it just lites up the tire with ease.  Still running a bit hot, about 209, so I will have to watch that.

Last time at the track I ran a 12.8 but this motor is all new with ported heads and a bigger cam so I hope to beat that.  I also have the NOS hooked up so maybe if I get it tune good NA I will pay with this.  Only legal to 11.5 but I don't know if my suspension tune is good enough to go there or not.  Would be fun if it did.

I guess that Mike will just missed out.

TED

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #38
ted if i could i would be there...things been tight for me and dont wanna risk blowing another tranny there LOL

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #39
Bummer, I'm at the beach all weekend...:)    :(

I'm so torn.
Although the weather is perfect down here in Winchester Bay.
1983 Tbird with '03 Split Port V6 motor swap done! Headers, dual exhaust, 500CFM Edelbrock, 3G upgrade, Electric fan. 3.73 Gears and an FRPP Limited Slip. Five lug complete! 5-Speed conversion complete! Standalone Fuel Injection in progress...

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #40
Well I went tonight but I will not be there tomorrow, little bit of bad luck.

I thought the track was open at 5pm but it was not till 6pm and I was the first one in line.  Tech went very well and the employee at the track could not be nicer.  All went well for the T-bird but I blew a head gasket in the 5 run.

R/T      60'      1/8    MPH      1/4      MPH
.511      1.811  7.877  89.02  12.303  110.47
.423      1.716  7.805  88.72  12.257  109.90
.735      1.767  7.957  88.47  12.410  110.05
.101      1.619  7.339  95.88  11.429  119.52 (My car is legal for 11.5 without a bar but they did not say anything)
.272      1.730  7.858  88.60  12.320  109.50

The forth run is not in error; I used a 150 hit of NOS and it was a really fun ride.  It squired like crazy off the line, it spun the tires going into second gear and push me sideways and did the same in the 2/3 shift.  Really made my blood pressure go up!

In the last run for some reason I decided to shift into 4th that I do not have and hit the N.  It reved to the 6200 limit right now and when I pull around it was not running very good.  I pulled the plugs starting with the even and all look good, nice and brown and even, no sign of anything bad.  I started on the passenger's side and 1, 3, and 5 all look the same and very nice.  Then when I pulled number 7 I could see the water.  I turned the engine over and it shot all over the place.

Not sure what happened.  I'm running timing of 35 total.  The compression is about 9.7 to one.  When I did the nos I pulled back 6 degrees with the digital six box; I think most with only a 150 hit do not bring it back this much.  I using the good head gaskets and studs.  I don't know if going to netural at the end of the run could do this?

But I do know that I'm running too hot.  It is running about 225 to 230 at the end of the run and then I let it cool to about 200 before I ran again.  I really need to fix this cooling problem.

Anyway the head gasket can be replaced without pulling the motor and I already have all the parts.  Just kind of  me off.  Had to quit early tonight and no runs for tomorrow.

One guy there told me that it's because I'm running stock manifolds and you can't do this with NOS, creates too much back pressure.  Don't know if this could be true or not.

TED

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #41
Sorry to hear that - at least you got a 11.4 in though!
1988 Thunderbird Sport

 

Has anybody heard from Mike Pinto?

Reply #42
I dunno if manifolds could be blamed for you problem or not... You'll know more when you pull it apart...

Congrats on the 11.4, the night I was jetted for a 11 sec run(and had slicks) the "nawss" activation switch screwed up...

With almost the identical setup, the guy I got the nitrous kit from went 11.64@114 in a '88 Bird with a 308... I went a 12.5@115 and didn't have any shot till 2nd gear... With that MPH, I figure if it had of activated on launch, I'd have been deep in the 11s(prob kicked out as they are pretty tight at VMP)... It's gone 12.23@112 on a 85 shot...