Looking Back at 2017 #FairmontProject

[EricTheCarGuy]

Here’s a summary of some of the work I did to the Fairmont in 2017 and ideas for some things I’d like to do with it in 2018. Let’s see how I do.

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[Mike]

Eric, happy New Year to you and your family.

Keeping in mind that I’m not a drag guy, (that may have come out wrong), as far as the traction issue goes, I’m not seeing how rolling the fender lips to install slightly wider tires is going to help much. Seems like you’ll be gaining just a minimal amount of tire width, which will probably translate to a minimal improvement. And of course, tubbing the rear fenders for serious tires is out of the question for many valid reasons.

Have you considered altering the rear end ratio for less aggressive acceleration? It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but what’s the point of consistently breaking the rear tires loose and not being able to use your HP and torque? With gentler acceleration you’ll be able to deliver your high dyno numbers to the pavement.

[EricTheCarGuy]

It’s not just about a wider tire, it’s also about the tire compound. My ‘street’ tires are not ideal for the track. Drag radials would be better, bias ply slicks better than that because of my manual transmission.

Those are wider than ‘traditional’ street tires. Rolling the fender is not a big deal to me and as shown in the video, you really can’t tell the difference.

My plan is to see if I can make a video comparison of the different types of tires and the traction they provide.

My rear gear ratio is perfect for this car. It’s not as bad as many people run and the way my transmission is geared. The gear ratio isn’t the issue, it’s the tire compound that will help out at the track.

[Author]

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