Discussion
For my 500 its;
- No throttle at stand still.
- When lights change (assuming this is of course a private drag strip) gradually, but fairly quickly, open the throttle. Basically as much as you can squeeze it with the minimum of wheelspin.
- Change gear at 5500 or just after.
- If going for nest 0-60 don't change into Third
- If going for the quarter don't change up from 4th near the end.
In reality on a drag strip
- Lights change
- sudden red mist drops
- floor it it
- wheels spin all the way through first
- same again in second
- get grip in 3rd and whooosh
- forget to change up and hit limiter and quickly find 4th
- then start braking so you can make the turn at the end!

- No throttle at stand still.
- When lights change (assuming this is of course a private drag strip) gradually, but fairly quickly, open the throttle. Basically as much as you can squeeze it with the minimum of wheelspin.
- Change gear at 5500 or just after.
- If going for nest 0-60 don't change into Third
- If going for the quarter don't change up from 4th near the end.
In reality on a drag strip
- Lights change
- sudden red mist drops
- floor it it
- wheels spin all the way through first
- same again in second
- get grip in 3rd and whooosh
- forget to change up and hit limiter and quickly find 4th
- then start braking so you can make the turn at the end!

DustyC said:
......
In reality on a drag strip
- Lights change
- sudden red mist drops
- floor it it
- wheels spin all the way through first
- same again in second
- get grip in 3rd and whooosh
- forget to change up and hit limiter and quickly find 4th
- then start braking so you can make the turn at the end!
sounds familiar, except for the limiter bit
Harry
My problem is that I want to do it without getting disappointed (as well as the above), so I need a good technique as the quoted figures are probably optimistic. But I want to get under 6 seconds. It'll be my car though, and I don't want to buy a new gearbox or diff for the sake of putting a bunch of Lotuseseses in their place
.
I'm not sure whether I should start in second and dump the clutch at 3-4k (and avoid a gear change) or go for slipping the clutch in first but along the lines of Dusty's ideal.
. I'm not sure whether I should start in second and dump the clutch at 3-4k (and avoid a gear change) or go for slipping the clutch in first but along the lines of Dusty's ideal.
V8 Archie said:
My problem is that I want to do it without getting disappointed (as well as the above), so I need a good technique as the quoted figures are probably optimistic. But I want to get under 6 seconds. It'll be my car though, and I don't want to buy a new gearbox or diff for the sake of putting a bunch of Lotuseseses in their place .
I'm not sure whether I should start in second and dump the clutch at 3-4k (and avoid a gear change) or go for slipping the clutch in first but along the lines of Dusty's ideal.
Trust me, any RV8 Tiv will get under 6 secs with a granny start. Getting under 5 takes a little more effort and a quickish gear change into 2nd, its surprising where you can find an extra 0.5 sec
, some wheel spin is needed but should still be achieveable and can still beachieved with a sub 2K rpm start IMHO. Harry
V8 Archie said:
So what would you recommend for a sub-5 second run then?
I thought I'd covered it

. For me 2K rpm start suits, swiftly off the clutch to about 1/2 way to fully engaged, hold for an instant whilst car catches up with wheels, squeeze throttle to floor, not too sharpish, before you can swear its at 6K rpm, time to change gear. Very quick gear change, side step clutch, if the surface is poor you will just carry on wheel spinning, but if good you should get some slip but loads of grip and acceleration. Mine hits it at around 4.5 secs all being well, even bodged it should be around 5.5 secs. AIMHO and at the expense of your own clutch and tyres
. Harry
I recall a televised event covering this some years ago - probably original Top Gear. They had a clutch (!) of supercars and testers, Jags and Astons come to mind - no TVRs that I recall and each tester tried various methods to whittle down the elapsed time. The bit which sticks in my mind was the result which was the 'Granny' method. This entailed getting the clutch up asap and let the immense torque do the talking. Just a whiff of wheelspin required to avoid getting bogged down but it prooved to be the quickest method.
Try both (all) and let us know how you get on Nige.
p.s. - where and when?
Try both (all) and let us know how you get on Nige.
p.s. - where and when?

the dodger said:I think I'll only get the one go, hence me asking beforehand rather than trying for myself.
Try both (all) and let us know how you get on Nige.
p.s. - where and when?
It's the SELOC charity do at Bruntingthorpe that Pauline sent a mail about. To pay in advance you have to join (just a sign-up on the website deal) but then you can get into all sorts of extra fun
.The way I start is actually not that harsh on the car to be honest, a sprited granny start really, but as very thing happens so fast it may seem like it as a passenger
. As I said 2K rpm feather the clutch for 1/2 sec and away you go in essence. No dropping the clutch involved in it, on the V8S it is quiet easy to hold it on the hand brake with the bonnet raised and the back end already squat ready to go. I understand that some Tiv hand brakes are only good enough for hanging orniments from and nothng else
.
Harry
. As I said 2K rpm feather the clutch for 1/2 sec and away you go in essence. No dropping the clutch involved in it, on the V8S it is quiet easy to hold it on the hand brake with the bonnet raised and the back end already squat ready to go. I understand that some Tiv hand brakes are only good enough for hanging orniments from and nothng else
. Harry
HarryW said:
on the V8S it is quiet easy to hold it on the hand brake with the bonnet raised and the back end already squat ready to go. I understand that some Tiv hand brakes are only good enough for hanging orniments from and nothng else .
Harry
I might be able to heel and toe the brake for the start, I'll possibly try that as I approach the line. Apart from that it sounds like my granny will be having a day out.

V8 Archie said:
the dodger said:
Try both (all) and let us know how you get on Nige.
p.s. - where and when?
I think I'll only get the one go, hence me asking beforehand rather than trying for myself.
It's the SELOC charity do at Bruntingthorpe that Pauline sent a mail about. To pay in advance you have to join (just a sign-up on the website deal) but then you can get into all sorts of extra fun.
But you can practice before hand
I practiced on quite stretches of wide country road whilst the Euro Cup was on.
The Granny start is definitly the quickest but trying to do it right when the pressure is on is tough.
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