Auto Racing: weight transfer, ladder bar setup, classic muscle car

Question
hi,I HAVE A DRAG CAR, A 66 CHEVELLE IVE HAD A FEW CHEVELLES BUT YHIS ONE PUZZLES ME I PUT A S&W FRONT CLIP ON THE CARS OLDER LADDERBAR REAR HALF.I WAS SPRAYING THE CAR BUT THIS YEAR IM RUNNING ON MOTOR.A 632 BIG CHIEF MOTORS IN THE CAR W/A COMPITITION POWERGLIDE THE CAR RAN A 8.64@157 LAST WEEKEND,NOT BAD BUT NO MATTER WHAT IVE DONE W/THE SHOCKS OR LADDERBAR THE CAR LEAVES VERY FLAT.I WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN W/A LITTLE WHEEL STAND ACTION.THE CAR 60 FOOTS A 1.26.ANY IDEAS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Answer
Joe-

 I gotta say you're the only person to ever ask me how to improve a car with a 1.26 60 ft time.  If it were me, I'd put some really weak springs on there.  I assume this car isn't street driven so handling probably isn't a concern.  With a weaker spring combo your front end will be more prone to lift and the rear will be more prone to squat down and plant.  This trick's been around for years...like building up a V8 car and taking springs from a 4 cylinder car of the same model car and sticking them in.  I'm not sure what's out there in the way of suspension setups for Chevelles (my apologies...I'm more of a Ford man), but a 4 link rear setup will work just as well as a ladder bar setup if it's setup right.  Anti-roll bars are a big help as well..but again I'm not sure how they've caught on with the classic muscle car crowd.  Check around with some of the parts distributors you buy from and watch guys at the track running times like you want and ask what they're using.  Word of mouth is always better than theory.  Hope this helps.

Steve