Breaking the Bronco Raptor 1/4 Mile Record - Again | Quicker Than Expected!!!
It may not be what she was designed for, but the Bronco Raptor is shaping up to be quite the surprise on the strip. A few weeks back, with the help of a Whipple tune and intercooler combo, we set what we believed to be the current ¼ mile record with our BRaptor. A cool night in Darlington, SC yielded a best run of 13.93 @ 98.06 MPH. However, we always felt there was at least another tenth on the table if the launch could be better dialed-in.
Fast forward a few weeks, and we installed a set of SPD downpipes with the optional GESI cats on our rig at 5 Star Tuning in Florence, SC. That install netted us an additional ~12HP and 12 lb-ft throughout the meat of the rev range, but that wasn’t the end of the story. With SPD’s stainless pipes in place the Raptor just felt faster on the street. I know added exhaust noise often translates to an increased psychological sensation of speed, but I suspected there may be something else afoot.
Fast forwarding yet a couple more weeks, and we found ourselves hitching up our NoBo 19.6 camper and heading north to Norwalk, OH for the NMRA 25th Anniversary Racing Event. SVTP was the presenting sponsor of the event’s SVTP 30th Anniversary Reunion Car Show, so we wanted to arrive in style. There’s nothing like setting up camp and staying on-premises at the track. The modded up Braptor towed great the entire 600 mile trip, especially in the mountains of WV.
On Friday we managed to get two runs in. The first was our best, but we didn’t manage to get any video footage from it. We defiantly figured out the perfect setup for launching off the line without producing the pogo-stick effect we were getting at Darlington. The early run (with somewhat better temps) was a 13.567 @ 98.87 MPH. The 1.923 60-foot time was particularly impressive. We followed that up about 5 hours later with a 13.887 @ 96.65 MPH. Datalogs showed it was pulling timing and boost was down a couple pounds, likely due to much higher temps on the second run.
The data doesn't lie.
We are currently working on picking up another mod (possibly a prototype) that will help us on the street/track, but more on that at a later date. What I really want to do next is test out some blended fuels, specifically mixing in a couple gallons of E-85. I think will help us get a few more degrees of timing on the top end. Ultimately, I want to see this 5,800 pound brick run a 12.99. I think it’s definitely possible with a few more mods. And I love the fact that nothing we have done do enhance performance has degraded our use of the rig. It does everything we ask if it and more. It just makes me want to add another Raptor to the collection…
This may not be the BRaptor's home turf, but she still holds her own at the tree.
Not the best pic, but she handles the little camper well.
-SID297
