Secrets Of The Pro Car Builders - What They Know And How You Can Use It. Daily Driver To Funny Car

Making power is one thing, but managing it is where you'll find success or failure. Here are the basics of how car builders and tuners engineer maximum efficiency into their cars, the forces at work and how even the lowliest street car and the fastest race cars on the planet share common principals that you can learn and apply...once you know the secrets.
#musclecar #wheelie #noprep
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[@billfioretti3013]

To Pro Drag Racers the ideal sweet spot for weight transfer is referred to as "Instant center." Thank you for this explanation, Tony.

[@UncleTonysGarage]

Actually Bill, Instant Center is an imaginary point arrived at by continuing the link angles from the rear axle forward to the point at which they would meet if they were long enough to do so. There's more to it than that, but we'll save that for another video.

[@billfioretti3013]

@@UncleTonysGarage Tony, I agree. There is more to it than that. B.T.W. Instant center can be plotted. Experience in '70's Pro-Stock and Comp. with my former racing partner Ed Prout taught me that. Will be waiting to hear your additional thoughts on the subject. As always, thank you for the content.

[@johnw5242]

#Uncle Tony's Garage If you were willing to sacrifice 2-1/2 fingers, you'd make the worlds best auto shop teacher. Thank God for KZbin, hu? It's a lot less painful, and those exgra fingers come in handy! Stay awesome, Tony! I for one, really love your content.

[@bunit121]

Tony, We want you to talk about this until the end of time! These drag racing/nitro tech videos are awesome. This is stuff you can't find or buy anywhere else

[@lewhanna6112]

Been building cars for 40 years, never heard this explained so simply. Well done Tony.

[@akt2603]

Everyone knows the secret is stickers. Lots and lots of stickers.

[@tomschultz2833]

No it's chrome!! Lol

[@lilmike2710]

Yes, but not everyone understands the HP+ per the sticker used and where to put em. Performance parts stickers on back window = 5hp each. On front fender behind tire = 7hp But on the bumper it's minus 5hp. For ricers it's different. Any sort of anime sticker = 5hp. Stickers with any Asian letters = +7hp. And for ricers, Plastic-dip IS considered a mod.

[@SlickTrickRC]

Haha. I love it. ❤

[@mikebaldwin4220]

Being of the 16 in the mid 60 group,we thought a lot of doing what you are talking about and some of us got most of the basics figured out but life got in the way and we didn’t get to go as far as we would like’d to ,THANK YOU FOR THE STEP BACK IN TIME….!!!!!

[@williamstamper442]

Well said. I've said same thing before, life got in the way. I still kept my first car/race car for when I do get back into it. In fact... I hear my '70 442 calling me now... "Put me back together already! It's been 20 years!"

[@joeanspach539]

Yes please more of this. This is why I watch UTG. I love the nitty-gritty science of how this stuff works.

[@wheelieking71]

Damn it Tony Defeo! So much science. And, logic. No witch-craft. No smoke & mirrors. No shilling. No bullshit! As a very mechanically inclined individual. And a 35 year machinist. Which basically loosely translates to a low-level mechanical engineering degree. From years of fixing poor designs by "real" engineers. I understand every single word you speak. It all makes perfect sense when you explain it. You are a fantastic teacher! I have heard you say several times in videos and lives that: "you need to get all this out of your head before you are "done"" (LOL). Well, I want to thank you for feeling the importance of that task! I consider myself no dummy. But, I have learned soo much! Volumes! From your videos. thank you for sharing all this practical knowledge. That most of us would never have the chance to learn properly. Because the average Joe, can not live at the drag-strip. Or even just all the practical wrenching knowledge. I can not even begin to count the AH-HA moments I have experienced watching your vids. Or the DUH! moments either, LOL

[@randyoehlert5045]

The old saying. Spinning ain't winning. Move weight and center around but there's still a lot more to getting traction without wheel hop and on and on. But that's a whole different video. I'll be watching for it. Great explanation for center and ballist. Makes it sound easy. Lol

[@dalewagatha9678]

Thanks so much for your interest in helping the regular guy out there.learing more and more every video.keep em coming!!

[@danfarris135]

Living in the salt belt, I always get sidetracked with the term rust free. As I sat here looking at the clean wheel house right before you pointed out the rust! Nice clean car you have.

[@OllamhDrab]

When my ex dragged me down here, I was like, "OK, one thing's for sure, I'm not leaving without a good rust-free car." The leaving part proved complicated though. :)

[@billnlori3149]

Very cool stuff!! I remember a Bob Glidden interview where he said to get your engine running clean and then focus on the suspension, that's where the time is!!

[@tonypace2009]

Glidden I loved his cars left always low and gone off the tree.

[@TaekwondoFitForLife]

You are a genius sir! I am retired United States Air Force and for a small amount of time I taught physics relative to jet engines. This aside I find it very refreshing to find someone who speaks my language, or a language that I can understand readily. This is the very best example or explanation rather, of the dynamics of traction advantage, and center of gravity does go through transition, you explained this so well.. Better than I can equate.. I think it’s really cool how are you or into the physics Of drag racing! I love how you exaggerate the physics talking about it being on a 10 foot pole! This gives all a good understanding Sir! Oh I got a 1963 Chevy C 10 with a 383 Tremec five speed manual tranny, it’s a show truck but I want to be able to go with a balanced advantage of torque on the road. It’s not a drag truck it’s a show truck but just knowing that the physics are there is comforting for “control”… Michael retired USAF Disabled Vet, ptsd still turning those wrenches..😊 You rock sir!

[@williamwigfield7296]

Have to admit to being an engineering geek. Love the real world applications of trig/ geometry/ calculus into fun science. My Physics teacher always said if it doesn't apply to pizzas and baseballs what good is it? I've been w/ your channel from the beginning and have to say it's always informative and fun. Thx to all @ UTG.

[@timmchale6880]

Tim from Ohio really love the way you inspire all the youth keeps the spirit alive keep on keeping on brother

[@captainjohnh9405]

"built for a purpose" In aviation that is why all super sonic aircraft have delta shaped wings (think Tu-144, Concorde, and Boeing 2707). Low powered aircraft that are trying to achieve long range have long, skinny wings whether they are gliders or the U-2. Passenger haulers that fly about 600 mph all have fairly long wings swept back about 30 degrees. Whether one is dealing with levers and Newtonian physics (dragsters) or Bernoulli and liquid or airflow, there is pretty much one formula that works best.

[@joshuadille5005]

I thought I gave good reference? Haha that so much simpler the way you put it . People don’t understand. But if they watch this they will lol. It’s amazing how motion transfer to lave-rage torque ect ect .. tony is a mad scientist!!

[@tomdamon7208]

Great video ! Herb McCandless once told me , "the slower the car the more front end rise . Faster the car , less rise is needed ." Love the vid , keep it up !

[@shaunclifton5281]

Herb Rules. Such a great guy.

[@iliap1217]

Uncle Tony is our motion dynamics whisperer

[@mikeg4163]

Tony…you bring a great “flavor” to the hot rod scene

[@shaggydogg630]

Uncle Tony, in my book you have taken this science to a level with the great ones of drag racing. Bob Glidden , Grumpy Jenkins among others.You fellers have that gift of knowing what makes a car go fast. Very impressive. Thanks for a great video.

[@davenorman8251]

When I started racing street drag bikes the best advice I got was "try to get the counter shaft sprocket either inline or below the rear axle" wheelies are cool but slow.

[@ShakeYourFist]

Facinating stuff that was never covered in the old direct connection books, I guess I just got lucky. Most of my racing was no prep. Thanks, at 60, am still learning. I am handicapped running a convertible.

[@marcgendron6745]

Great vid UTG !!!

[@JC-yt1pm]

I have never thought about cars this way and i should have as racing bikes we do a lot of this with body position! Excellent thanks Tony!

[@richardoliver1303]

Where were you in 67 when I got my driver's license and wanted to know what makes cars go fast. You are the Professor

[@joshmorris3469]

I've grown up messing around with short bed pick-ups.. used a rich tip in mixture as traction control for years... Never had the money for metal to experiment with suspension stuff... KZbin and midlife issues have me planning how to experiment now though...😂

[@WalksInThunder]

Very clear and concise. Thanks 👍

[@radkesrods1184]

most of us pro's dont youtube. 1 were too busy. 2. our secrets are too valuable. 3 why bother when you got uncle T

[@clembob8004]

Rust-out is a good weight loss strategy on any drag car. Live in the rust belt and watch your car lose all sorts of weight. Not necessarily in the right places though.

[@warrenlucier5796]

Yeah, it reduces the air drag and lift in the wheelhouses too 😂!

[@DependableAutoTruck]

i had a 1974 duster with a 360 would run 1.53 60ft times with a 26X12.5 MT treaded street tire. had super stock springs one thing i did was mount the battery just above the rear tires under the package tray. did several other things to make it work could out run really fast cars on the street my car wasn''t fast it was QUICK it is hard to run a QUICK car down on the street when it will 60ft like mine ould

[@hlukufarmmechanic2497]

well this is some good knowledge to have about drag racing. thank you uncle Tony.

[@grantsgalaxy687]

Power is what everyone is concerned about , I think weight , suspension, and a well sorted out trans and diff for the engine makes more than a difference. Big power does not make quick et

[@needmoreboost6369]

Damn right my ute makes good mph but et is trash on the rubbish trans and tyre combo, frying all the way to 60mph before the slow shift to 3rd let’s it hook and if the surface isn’t right it’ll flare then haze 3rd and I’m told my tune is trash and my turbo is no good but for bop it’s just silly enough for a daily can’t imagine this trans or my tyres lasting longer with more power right now

[@unclesquirrel6951]

Personally I blame squirrels

[@rustybritches6747]

it's gotta stop!!!!!!! ENOUGH! it's not the squirrels! mice and Chipmunks maybe! stop blaming the squirrels for all your problems!

[@matthewcalifana488]

You will need Lots and Lots of Squirrels 2 go fast , Maybe try one moose in a cage / Best Wishes & Happy Motoring !😃😊😁

[@unclesquirrel6951]

@@matthewcalifana488 I wonder how many squirrel power = 1 hp hmm 🧐

[@stevewielichowski7951]

Could be his best video yet!! Thank you

[@rctopfueler2841]

i thought that removable back plate of my el caminos tailgate was a factory traction control ,just keep putting sand in it till you quit spinning and if that didnt fix you.put it where the removable rear facing seat plate was at in middle

[@brianlevan339]

Awsum !!!! I now know why a funny car chassis is built in the configuration it is , I learned something.

[@justinnewbury6785]

These are the best videos on KZbin

[@mikerundell6517]

Great video Tony love this one😊

[@bnewton239]

great info, thanks for sharing.

[@Anthony-vq1wn]

Uncle Tony sharing knowledge. Old guys rule.😎👍

[@mikesr3407]

Keep it up 😉 Uncle , always going on about racing !

[@alanpaardekooper1148]

Really enjoyed it. Thanks for the video 👍

[@craigmeyers8793]

Love when your into teaching!!!

[@carmudgeon7478]

Weight transfer used to be over my head. No, over my house. Thanks for illustrating it so well. Now I can apply it so my Jeep doesn't flip over backwards on a steep climb.

[@gtols228]

Great information Tony

[@slickline4576]

Tony BEST VEDIO EVER... this is what separate the winners from the also ran'S.

[@BurchellAtTheWharf]

Love this channel and content

[@alva1370]

Excellent talk on a difficult subject.

[@DistinctOgre]

You've taught me more about leaf springs than anybody I've ever known. Teach us about the ladder bars and 4 link. 😈

[@carsntrucks782]

Can’t wait to see it go down the track

[@totensiebush]

Wow, I'd seen your reply to my comment the other day and didn't expect to warrant a whole video. Thanks for the reply.

[@UncleTonysGarage]

Thanks for the inspiration!

[@bjornandersson5694]

Great information and very well explained!🙏

[@nastybastardatlive]

Today i was educated. Thanks.

[@deang9061]

Wow, some of what you said went over my head, but what if you could move the ballast as you went down the line? Up, down, forward, back in those few seconds. Moving a chunk of steel is not an option, but tanks of water and a high volume pump. The pump would have to be rated in gallons per second. My hair brain idea.

[@tonypace2009]

Keep these coming .

[@superrodder2002]

Back in the day when my brother and I were building chassis for all the local guys I would sit down and have a long talk with the customer about what engine/trans they were putting in the car and what HP they should have and then spec out the suspension and wheels to make the car react at our local tracks. Lots of thought goes into each combination because some cars are nose heavy and some are better balanced from the factory. Juggling weight around in a car to get it react correctly takes more time than most people are aware.

[@Pilgrm]

Tony, I'm not even into drag racing, I just like old and simple/ rat... But, you almost make me want to get into drag racing. I had no clue about the science of weight transfer. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! ✌

[@jonmoore8995]

Fascinating technical info. Learn more from this. Please keep it up.

[@cobyburrow9339]

Great lesson in layman's terms!

[@jarkkoniemi3203]

Good job👍 Best video ever. You really know how to explain these things to "normal" people. Thanks

[@DuckyHunter812]

Really enjoyed this one, very informative.

[@jamescampbell4121]

Great job!

[@moparone7962]

I always like the weight transfer of the Little Red Wagon and the Hurst Hemi Under Glass.....

[@randylamountain5916]

I built a 1983 short bed ranger around 2004, The cops nicked named it the little shaker ford ranger. I did not have much money to spare so i made stuff work for the most part. Had a 8.8 rear out of a explorer 3.73 gears ladder bars that went just about to the cab. N 50s on the rear. C6 trans with a shift kit. bought a reman 302 from napa slapped a cam, headers, gear drive, and a tunnel ram on it that i barrowed, And as crazy as this sounds i put a 600 carb on the front and a 650 on the rear and used a coat hanger to tie the two together. Like i said really short on funds but it was working. Striped as much weight out of the front end as i could , Hood, inner finders etc. pushed the motor back were the back carb was 2in from being in the windshield. Needless to say my poor man combo worked. The front tires would only raise about an 1in and i could beat a good majority of 5.0 mustangs in my surrounding area at the time street racing. Had one guy said when i hit 2nd gear i left him going down the quarter sideways. I ran the snot out of my napa motor for 4 years before i pulled it and sold the truck. Now it sitting in my model T. Im sure its life is coming up to a rebuild. Just one of though weird oddity motors that you cant seem to kill.

[@larryreagan6936]

When I was young I always wanted to lift the wheels off the line because I thought it was cool! my dad used to tell me "if you're lifting you're not getting down the track" I realize now he was right! yes you need the torque and weight transfer but if you've ever watched a slow motion video of your car leaving the line it's flexing a bunch of different directions at once, its almost like it's dancing. I've seen waterfowl do mating dances where they flex and twist and kick up out of the water much like a car taking off, anyway I was older then I'm glad I'm younger now lol Great video as always!

[@markbattista6857]

Sounds like a lot of work Uncle Tony

[@madjack8893]

Thank you ♥️

[@immikeurnot]

The funny car makes yuge power. I like it.

[@monstermudratroddragworth3738]

Thanks for the video very interesting

[@wobbles7915]

My grandpa gave me a book titled "Chassis Engineering" and i was captivated but barely understood it. Maybe you should give it a look and relay what you can 😎

[@napoliansolo7865]

The physics of racing. Thank you.

[@matthewcalifana488]

Uncle Tony what is your opinion on cars that squat vs ones where the back rise on launch ? Thanks !

[@chrisduda1974rr]

Ramble on, it's enjoyable

[@victormiranda9163]

I truly like your racing head talks. race prepping any car is a similar set of tasks/considerations I like the road racing (scca) type cars. So you are a bit out of my knowledge. The weight transfers side to side are a bit more familiar. the road racers have few options to success...

[@georgewelker853]

My only experience with power management is the difference between loaded leaf springs and neutral leaf springs on the takeoff. I thougholy enjoyed walking away from “sports cars” in traffic with a stock pickup truck. Load up the springs and stuff it, then watch the guy’s face at the next light 😂😂

[@WhiteTrashMotorsports]

This is why drag will always be my favorite type of racing I love the science, that also puts low speed rockcrawling in second.

[@travismopargarage4949]

you are giving away the best secrets lol just kidding but i have seen it a lot street racing people will just throw hp at a car and never look at anything else and can not figure out why their car wont launch like a 500hp car should If you want your car to work everything has to work together seemlessly with my truck after i lowered it i found the center of gravity so i can bais it in the right areas i need to do some testing to get it spot on but it should put me in the right area you should do a video of how to find the center of gravity on a car/truck im sure a lot of people don't know how to do it

[@jeremynelson9670]

I look forward to your videos so much man, thank you for taking the time to educate us out here sir.

[@d.moutdoors4377]

Just like operating a fork lift about weight distribution of the load. Cool. I appreciate you taking about I got a 1989 s10 with a 350 in it and I want it to hug the road it's going to be my work vehicle.

[@grantbovee]

thank you

[@chilee6994]

Interesting information about center of balance.

[@raginroadrunner]

Tony...great job. We struggled with this in the 60s. It was unclear and we tried everything. It was mostly a mystery. Now it is just common knowledge.

[@craigbenz4835]

"Who doesn't love a wheelie?" Love it.

[@johnscott2018]

Always look forward to the next installment but what happened to the live shows?

[@89ddx]

Here is an interesting thought and I would like your input. Caltracs and slapper bars cause the rear to separate from the chassis. Thus moving the center of rotation below the center of gravity. Planting the tire and moving the weight up. Where as ladder bars and 4 links tend to do the opposite by pulling the weight down onto the tire. How would you distribute weight to make each work better?

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

As far as weight transfer goes, how is it affected by wrinkle Wall, or say, drag radial? Do you want different transfer for tire construction?

[@immikeurnot]

Look to what he says about "no prep" for your answer. Different traction at the line demands different solutions, but ultimately you want the rear tires (assuming RWD) driven into the track as hard as possible to maximize traction. The only real question is how you get there. Honestly, "drive the tires into the track as hard as possible for traction" is the answer in every kind of racing. It's only a question of how, and if you're giving up too much of something else to achieve it e.g. too much drag for downforce in certain racing, or too much wheelie in drag racing.

[@GoGoGarage]

That's the stuff indeed

[@mohawk2185]

That's what I was asking about earlier balance and ballast rotation I don't understand how all those factors come together but I do know that the witchcraft and and bleep bloops and all the lightning and and smoke and fire it all comes together and makes a pretty car but I have my truck. I love my truck it's pretty well balanced it should run well

[@ray_s281]

Im interested in funny cars and how they developed in terms of their axle placement, etc.

[@428eliminator3]

Tony can you explain Instant Center for the layman?

[@playasurf1000]

Love the tips. Though I've got an xb falcon coupe and working to get it to handle well on street circuits and rallies. Im not super inteterested in quarter Mile racing.

[@tonymaglio9376]

Informative as fuck I love you UT.

[@pauberrymon5892]

Hey Uncle Tony next time talk about the Twisting of the car in response to the onset of the high amount of torque applied when coming off the line where it is the maximum output at WOT on the drivetrain as in the first 25feet.

[@ThePyleDriver]

I’ve got an LS swapped Jeep so not going for speed but still love the hot rod and general car learning - thanks!

[@stevesmoneypit6137]

Why would you ruin a Jeep 😟

[@ofp8574]

Because he had a desired function of the vehicle that wasn't already there.

[@JOMaMa..]

@@stevesmoneypit6137 the irony of your handle

[@peterkielczynski7427]

Great vid UT. How were the knees when you finally stood up. Fan from OZ

[@motorised1]

watched nugget garage the other day and he had to put ballast on the front of his corolla to keep it down

[@bcbloc02]

My truck is awesome for 1/8th to the 1/4 everything before that is trash. LOL

[@mikeymike758]

Being an old street racer, we tried to have the front tires just tickling the road surface when full out. 🤣🤣 We didn't know any better? 🤣

[@rustyrideon]

Great vid Tony. Still waiting for that slant Fiero though. Jk

[@77yogurt]

Holy shit I got a lotta something outta this video too!!