Ba Gt-p 11.96

[Craig]

A little story for those of you that like to see current model cars run fast down the 1/4 mile.

Gaela has a beautiful BA GT-P that has won a few "show and shine" trophies over the past couple of years but after getting a little bored with the show scene the question was asked "what's it going to take to race this car down the quarter"?

Well my ears pricked up with the thought she must be having me on but no Gaela was deadly serious and then started asking what's the record for this class of car (12.32).

The only condition was that it must be done 100% with no short cuts and if you break it you fix it.......lol

So the plan was set to go after the record and if the car was good enough lets have a crack at the 11 second zone. So I set the car up with standard suspension, slicks and front runners, exhaust off and the seats taken out, all up the car weighed in at 1629kgs + my weight of 107kg the whole combo was 1736kgs.

We had a couple of shakedown runs at the LS1 Nationals on a slippery cold racetrack and cranked out 12.44. Then off to Ballarat for the PFM masters on the 1/8 mile track and running 7.93 @ 89.00 MPH which told me it should run around the 12.0 zone.

So it was off to the AFF drag day test and tune on the friday night, 1st run netted a 12.15 we got the record and then we ran a couple of 12.02's.

The next day at the AFF Nationals i watched a few cars go down the track and thought it looked pretty good out there so it was time to see what this beautiful car can do.

1st run 11.97 @ 118.11 MPH with a 1.69 60 foot time........there it was the 1st GT that is naturally aspirated to run into the 11 second zone, then we backed it up 2 runs later with an 11.96 @ 117.88 MPH run.

That was qualifying out of the way then came the racing side of things, we entered the car in the 12.00 - 12.99 bracket and we ended up taking home the winners trophy with some consistent times all in the low 12's.

The car is a BA GT-P MK2 6 speed manual with only bolt on's and pump gears fitted and a tex clutch with a RIP SHIFTER (the best manual shifter by miles) and 4.10 diff gears.

Racing utes was always fun but running a sedan is a whole different ball game being wary of the weak CV joints etc I just couldn't believe how good this car reacted to everything I threw at it. Launching this thing at 5,500 RPM is a great feeling let me tell you.

Here's some pics....

Cheers Craig

[Stav]

Good on you Craig and Galea. If anyone could get those boat anchors into a fire breathing dragon its you..good going mate.

[Road Games]

Yeah but it wasn,t street trim waaaaa- ya had slicks on waaawaaaaa - I was the first waaa haaaa waaaa.....................

Top effort mate , just thought i,d beat someone else to saying it ..
Love the car and the story xxx

[FlipXW]

Well done champ. Beautiful car, congrats on the record. Good to see someone going fast in these things with some bolt on's rather than the 'charged route. Nice pics too.

[Quadcams]

Well done Craig, tough GT There mate and a manual too gotta luv that.

[ratter]

Well done and congrats Craig

Good write up and better results
Just a question though, is the car totally back together yet, if so how long did it take and what does it drive like now?

[FPV8U]

Great work Craig, fantastic result again.

[ADSXR8]

Nice story there mate. That is a ripper 60ft time, shows what a set of slicks and good driving can do. Also, looks like that car launches like an aminal.

[XRCIST]

Excellent write up Craig and great driving too!!!!!! That 60fter is really hammering for a manual sedan!!! Gaela must be very proud

1629kg!! That is very light. If you dont mind me asking, how much did the stuff you removed weigh and how much weight do u save by running slicks?

Well done again mate :

[HEMI POWER]

Good effort as i know driving a manual FPV BOSS powered car is quite difficult.What type of fuel were you running with this combo craig? Might pay you to strip the rear spoiler off next time aswell pretty sure that is good for a few 1/10's. :

[GT]

Originally Posted by HEMI POWER

Good effort as i know driving a manual FPV BOSS powered car is quite difficult.What type of fuel were you running with this combo craig? Might pay you to strip the rear spoiler off next time aswell pretty sure that is good for a few 1/10's. :

Fuel is BP Ultimate. Spoiler removal - Over my dead body! Wouldn't let him touch door trims etc, spoiler, stereo speakers etc - just seats and spare wheel. Perhaps I should cook smaller meals and no dessert...................................

Cheers
Gaela

[GT]

Originally Posted by ratter

Well done and congrats Craig

Good write up and better results
Just a question though, is the car totally back together yet, if so how long did it take and what does it drive like now?

Car is still in Drag mode as we are taking it to Calder this Friday night and then on loan to one of the sponsors as a static display. I am happy to let Craig keep playing with it through the drag season as I have a new car arriving in the next week or two. I was driving it before we removed the seats (running in the diff gears) and nothing else has been done since, that would change the drive - it was great before and I'm sure it will be just as good.

Gaela

[Falc'man]

Well done Craig and Gaela. Very impressive, being manual.

[DABOSS]

This just proves that there no need to run CAMS in an engine. Might see you guys Friday , Hopefully the planes not late coming in from SYD.

[HEMI POWER]

Originally Posted by DABOSS

This just proves that there no need to run CAMS in an engine. Might see you guys Friday , Hopefully the planes not late coming in from SYD.

Strip yours out you might run quicker who knows unless you try it.I might strip mine out in the next few weeks,i wonder if they will let me race without the 2 back doors off. I have seen a few cars running no headlight assembly i might take the gamble and take both out aswell.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Craig

.....with a 1.69 60 foot time........Launching this thing at 5,500 RPM is a great feeling let me tell you.

:sm_headba You're off ya guts. Great times mate.

[schnoods]

Incredible result. Good to see the power was put to good use with a great driver.

[Craig]

Guys guys guys the weight and stripping is only a small part of this deal, this car has the package, a tough engine, clutch and shifter, diff gears etc etc etc.

I have worked on many a GT over the last few years and all have a different feel about them. Being a manual makes it all a bit more challenging.

This car is simply outstanding and to think I had this under my nose all this time but never really thought it would see a 1/4 mile racetrack.

[hot460]

Originally Posted by GTGTP

Fuel is BP Ultimate. Spoiler removal - Over my dead body! Wouldn't let him touch door trims etc, spoiler, stereo speakers etc - just seats and spare wheel. Perhaps I should cook smaller meals and no dessert...................................

Cheers
Gaela

Great work. :
107kgs...... I'm sure its not your cooking or dessert. Dare I mention "Krispy Kremes".

[rodderz]

Great steering Craig, thats a ripper time out of a 290 with just basic bolt ons and a bit of weight reduction, pretty standard fare these days.

I remember a few years back when I had my XR8 ute I would run it at Calder, then jump in Aulien's XR8 sedan and the squat it got on launch compared to the leaf sprung ute was awesome, a great feeling on a good launch. Just harder on the CV's!

[baboon]

Congratulations Craig! Any chance you two coming up to Darwin? The weather is beautiful up here now, and theres a few drag meets coming up!

[OZQUAD44]

Is this time going onto the timesheets? I'm sure the "boss thread" boys would like to see it

[ADSXR8]

Originally Posted by Craig

Guys guys guys the weight and stripping is only a small part of this deal, this car has the package, a tough engine, clutch and shifter, diff gears etc etc etc.

I agree with you 100%.

IMO, the record GT time comes from the ripper 60ft. A couple hundred kg's less will not drop a 60ft time 4 tenths. Its all in that package. And again, well done.

And my favourite pic!

[Craig]

Here's another one from Luke at fullboost.com.au....Love the way this car leaves the line.

[shanegh]

Originally Posted by ADSF6

I agree with you 100%.

IMO, the record GT time comes from the ripper 60ft. A couple hundred kg's less will not drop a 60ft time 4 tenths. Its all in that package. And again, well done.

And my favourite pic!

we could all argue that reducing the weight helped or it didnt, but the end of the day its the driver + the car that gets it down the 1/4 and makes a good time, it couldnt of happend to nicer people

Thanks

Shane

[rns-11z]

could you please list your mods done if thats ok??

thanks
h

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by shanegh

we could all argue that reducing the weight helped or it didnt, but the end of the day its the driver + the car that gets it down the 1/4 and makes a good time, it couldnt of happend to nicer people

Thanks

Shane

Especially in a manual Shane.

[shanegh]

Originally Posted by Quadcams

Especially in a manual Shane.

yep being a manual shows how good the car and the driver are

[x_phantom_x]

Great times, but I'd like to see what it does as an everyday street car, ie exhaust bolted on, seats back on, and on DOT tyres.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by rns-11z

could you please list your mods done if thats ok??

thanks
h

Yeah sure no worries.

Billet Oil Pump Gears
Underdrives
Blue Power Air Box
Blue Power Tune
Di Filippo Exhaust
Textralia Clutch modified by me
Rip Shifter
4.10 Diff Ratio
And about 60 kgs of underbonnet bling......that i'm not allowed to touch

Cheers Craig