Can anyone provide me with a make/part # for a good set of racing shocks for the rear of my 56 Victoria? I have a set of traction master bars installed, but still get substantial wheel hop when I dump the clutch hard (even with radial tires). Now that my motor will be making a LOT more torque this summer, I want to try and eliminate this as much as possible. Thank you 

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

I don't know about shocks.
The Caltracs seem to be about the best thing out there for street/strip use.  They eliminated the hop I had.  They're adjustable, two positions for the bars, and preload.  And judging by the number of guys who use them at Columbus, they actually work for racing, too.

I just saw that Calvert racing (maker of CalTracs) also have drag shocks.  You can probably get them at Summit and Jegs



Lawrenceville, GA

Rob, Also try Summit Racing, Competition Engineering makes a drag race shock. The trick will be to find the contracted and extended lengths of the 56 and get them and the type of ends matched up. I use them on the red car and they work pretty well.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Rob  Yes the Cal-Tracks are great.It kept the big Merc. from bouncing around. As far as I know you have to deal directly with Calvert Racing.Very good to deal with.Just go to their web site.At least they aren't in the deep freezer. Harry

Don't know squat about Cal Tracs..however just read recently that to get them to work really well, it's importent to have lots of front wheel suspension travel.. Don't know it that's true? Just thought to throw it out there.. 


Paul

I am wondering why you are having wheel hop problems with the tractionmasters. Had a homemade set on my '57 T-Bird back in the day and never had a problem. One thing that I did at the time was to replace the T-Bird rear springs with station wagon rear springs that have an extra leaf in them. Was the car sitting on the ground when you welded the front bracket to the frame?

Slumlord, everything I've read or seen shows that the Caltracs do reduce the 60 foot time over the old standby, traction masters. I use the the traction masters because they are cheap. But i can still generate wheel hop by leaving to hard without My comp engineering shocks. And, that's on cheap radials. With a good , modern drag radial you'd probably break an axle without them. The Caltracs do plant the tire hard, but are not rigid. Bottom line seems to be they really work. 

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Thanks to everyone for the replies! Slumlord, my Traction Master bars are the ones that bolt around the leaf spring just behind the front spring shackle. I should have maybe gone for the welded ones when I bought them. They were a GREAT improvement over the slapper bars, but not 100%. Now my new motor makes a lot more torque so I want to eliminate as much hop as possible, with out spending what little I have left in the bank!! lol (new motor depleted my budget!) LOL

Frank (or anyone) I emailed Cal-Trac to see if they could give me a part # for the shocks, but have not gotten a reply. Can anyone provide me with a part # from them or ones from Summit? 

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

I think Gary runs them on his 'Bird. He should know.



Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Rob - When you are getting the wheel hop, it comes from the drive shaft torque trying to lift the right rear wheel. the traditional way to deal with this was to stiffen the right rear spring (some 60's Mopars had an extra leaf). If you want your outfit to have a dual personality (street ride and drag traction) - think about adding air lift or air shocks - with isolated pressures. Weight jack the right rear with extra air pressure for racing - let it out for the ride home.
My old 442 likes to have 45 pounds in the right rear - 5 pounds in the left for max acceleration - and 5 in each for the ride home. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona