Nova vs Goblin

[Stretch2126]

Alright, so we have a 600 horse nova with a power glide at 3000 pounds and a soon to be 300 horse goblin at 1620.(still working on the leaking pipe but waiting on parts) Nova has a small street tire and I have really old nitto 555g2s at the moment. Place your bets lol.

 

[ole mother]

Stretch2126, Hey your in Titusville, FL.. I am in Longwood, FL about 50 min. drive.. I am in the final stages of finishing Goblin #234.. I have been building for a while and life has gotten in the way.. Are you running turbo?

 

[Stretch2126]

Stretch2126, Hey your in Titusville, FL.. I am in Longwood, FL about 50 min. drive.. I am in the final stages of finishing Goblin #234.. I have been building for a while and life has gotten in the way.. Are you running turbo?

Yeah I have a stock LNF right now. Once I get it legal I’ll give it more boost.

 

[JBINTX]

Alright, so we have a 600 horse nova with a power glide at 3000 pounds and a soon to be 300 horse goblin at 1620.(still working on the leaking pipe but waiting on parts) Nova has a small street tire and I have really old nitto 555g2s at the moment. Place your bets lol.
View attachment 36096

Goblin by a second or more

 

[Stretch2126]

Goblin by a second or more

I’d hope so but if he gets sticky tires I’m hurt lol

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

This race would probably come down to who can hook up to the track and get through the gears without missing a shift. Sticky tires I would go with the Nova, tires as described my money is on the Goblin.

 

[Joebob]

With the powerglide, it will be the goblin every time. Cars back then relied on the engine to make massive torque to make up for automatic transmission technology shortfalls. Having to go 0-120 mph with only 2 gears means you are rarely in the engine power band. Coupled to to the generous ways of measuring horsepower compared to now, don't make the two competitive. Not trying to talk down old cars as I have a 1967 Lincoln Continental. It is rated as 430 HP/ 480 torque. Seems like a lot but for a 5000lb car it gets to 60 in 9 seconds. A 2004 F150 which weighs about the same does the same 0-60 with the 5.4L V8 making 240hp/300 ft lbs. Driving my Lincoln feel every bit closer to 200hp than 400.

Joe

 

[Gtstorey]

A lot of current drag cars use “power glide” transmissions but they may have more than 600 hp to make it work. Or maybe they are 1/8 mile cars.

 

[Joebob]

My understanding is that they work and work quite well to take insane HP. I think their ultimate assets are their reliability and consistency vs overall quickest time. It looks like the nova is on nitrous so a quick launch and a long burn to the finish line with no shifting to upset things.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Supposing this Nova engine, at 600 HP, has a like amount of torque and a 7000 rpm redline (it is a small block), likely has a peak torque around 4000 rpm. If the suspension is set up correctly and adequately grippy tires are used this is the ideal rpm to launch this car, anything lower puts the engine under its power curve.
To accomplish this the torque converter and transmission clutches used in the power glide can be set up to keep the engine in the 'fat' part of the power band. A stall speed of 4000 rpm in the torque converter will only allow the bands to fully engage above that point up to engine redline. This small 'slip',, akin to a feathered clutch, keeps the rpms higher at start, even though the gearing requires transmission inputs below 4000 rpm. And this generates lots of heat, which is why a racing power glide needs to have a huge heat exchanger.
Many drag racers in vintage classes still use the power glide for this reason - simple, rugged and proven over decades of abuse.

 

[Stretch2126]

So just to clarify I just drove it. The nova has a redline of about 8000rpm. It’s a built 415 with a new dart block and heads. The special power glide has an 8 inch race converter and a Dedenbear case. Those 235s don’t agree.

 

[Stretch2126]

It’s also ready for a 400 shot so ridiculous is an understatement lol

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

That's a low 10/high 9 second car with the Nitrous and the right tires. Are you sure you want to race the Nova?

 

[Stretch2126]

That's a low 10/high 9 second car with the Nitrous and the right tires. Are you sure you want to race the Nova?

I’m gonna try. It won’t agree on asphalt I know that