[WB54]

with the clutch and slicks you're dead hooking but haven't got the torque to use it.

Wheel spin equals wheel speed, I'd reduce rear traction with increased tyre pressure to allow some wheelspin and get the engine up into it's power band and off the line. Either that or looking at some sort of slider clutch set up where it gradually locks up.

 

[WB54]

I ran a slingshot with a Rover that made similar power. The fastest run it made was at a cold Fireworks meet at the pod at night and the reason for it is because it span. Before then, it would hook and wheelie but affect the ET as it had 10in slicks. It was over tyre'd, could easily have ran on 8in but couldn't get the tyre height. All drag cars spin a certain amount, you won't see them blowing the tyre off, but dead hooking is to be avoided, especially with smaller engines and low torque.

The pressure will obviously reduce the contact patch further but you might just be able to go down to a 7in tyre at the same pressure or tune the suspension / damping to reduce rear squat.

Slider clutch set up would take some figuring out but also not really practical for a street driven car. You might just have to slip it manually off the line., like the real hero's did in the 60's, balancing wheelspin and clutch slip with the left foot.

 

[WB54]

Yes Robert, the pic is of the car bouncing around on slicks, but with the 888s on it was fast and smooth.

slicks can be tricky with smaller engined manual cars. You need lots of torque to keep it planted and hooked up. The see-saw bouncing is all in the tyre sidewall, so you'll struggle to dial it out with 4 link and shock adjustments. Running a stiffer sidewall tyre like you have or more pressure in the slicks should help but its a fine balancing act between traction and wheel speed. It's a moving target based on track temp and prep levels but it helps to collect and record data from your clean full pass runs if you don't already, basic stuff like ambient temp, track temp, tyre pressure, shock settings etc.