Looking for advice on speeding up the 63’ Dart in improve on the following best run.

R/T : 0.033
60': 2.136
330': 5.966
1/8: 9.160 @ 76.82 MPH
1000': 11.960
1/4: 14.349 @ 94.20 MPH

OCG grind #1475 .495 lift, 236 duration
Quick Fuel 450 cmf carb
Bored over
10.25:1 compression.
Larger valves.
Shorty headers
Torqueflight 904
Stock 7 1/4 rear with welded spiders
3.55 gears
Tires: 225x70x14

A few changes I’m making regardless is the rear end and suspension. I’m installing an 8 ¾ with 3.55 gears, and spool. I’m re-locating the springs and going with the split mono leaf, Caltracs and slicks. For the trans I’ll be installing a full manual valve body.

So, where else can I put some money into this engine to increase performance/RPM. I’m not getting much above 5200 rpms in the 1/4 . At this time I don’t want do any bottom end work. I was thinking about bumping up the compression by shaving the head a bit more. After checking clearance go with a bigger cam (any OCG grinds that you’d recommend?). Check the valve springs and maybe go with doubles. Any performance gains with an MSD ignition?

What’s it going to take to get to 100mph besides a V-8

Thanks,

Andrew

What converter do you have in it? It looks like you are running pretty good for what you have.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

It's a 2200-2500 stall converter.

What does your car weigh ready to race including driver? My car is similar and goes faster but is probably lighter.

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If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

Fully loaded it's probably about around 2700 lbs. It will be getting heavier because I feel it needs a roll cage.

3.91s in the rear will help if you can live with that. 14.30 is not bad at all with your set up.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I would put more converter and gear in it.

What rpm are you shifting at?

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

I agree, gears and convertor would help, the engine build looks good, losing some weight would help as well.

If you decide you are going to flog the engine and will trailer the car because of the gear change going to 11:1+ SCR, then going to an OCG 549 would work... that is 250/250@.050 and will give you a lift of .539....

You will have to make sure you have ported the head really good...

Are you running an EI distributor?

I'm running the GM HEI setup. Right now, with the way the transmission is setup, it shifts around 5200 rpms, that's why I'm going to go with a manual valved body so I can try shifting at different rpms.

I'll did port the heads a bit, since it will be coming off this winter I'll do a bit more work to it.

I'll see how many pennies I have left over after the rear end and suspension work is done and see if I can spring for new gears and converter.

I've taken 0.100 off the head and 0.060 off the block. I think the combustion chambers are around 44cc. Can I take any more off the head to bump up compression?

Andrew

If going for speed and not much street driving, that guide boss in the runner has to get reduced...

42 cc is about it for some head castings, typically you take more out of the deck so you can adjust the head later or if the head tanks a replacement won't need much of a scrape...

Here's where speed scope creep comes in... if you up the compression and do more port work, then you may want more cam to get more lift and breathing room...but you will also need to make sure you are using the 340 springs and that the guide bosses are cut to allow for larger lift....


Shifting at 5200rpm is pretty good there isn't much more power to be made above that range unless you have to make up for the rpm drop on the upshift...that being said I know a few guys shift at 4000 rpm and call it good....

GM HEI setup is fine, have you recurved the distributor yet?

If your car weighs 2700 with driver that is about the same as mine. My car has an 833OD trans and 3.73 gears and I use a short 22X8X15 slick on the drag strip which puts you right about 5700RPM at 100MPH without any converter slippage. Your engine is similar to mine except I have a 242 degree cam and a 500CFM 2 barrel which is equivalent to a 375CFM 4 barrel due to the different way they are rated. My head flows 170CFM on the intake. Your trap speed is pretty good for an automatic but you should see 60' times closer to 1.80 which would knock at least a half second off your ET. You definitely need a higher stall converter and maybe some chassis work although I just have 5 leaves biased toward the front and a pinion snubber. We would like to see you at the Slant Six race at Woodburn next year!

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If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

More port work. Yes, you can go with more compression by shaving head another 0.020 - 0.060 depending on how much you want. You should be making power at or above 5500 if you have good head flow.

What is installed centreline and lobe sep angle on the cam? You may pick up quite a bit there, or go with a bigger cam.

Increasing stall to 3000-3400 range will help 60 ft if you are really 2500 stall or below. What is tested static stall RPM? 3.91 gears also a good idea, if not doing much street driving. 3.55 is a good street/strip gear and won't lose you much (0.1-0.3 sec).

Happy building and nice to meet you last June!

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I'll start with a new cam and try the OCG 549 grind that DusterIdiot mentioned, shave the head a bit more. More port work.

I don't know what springs I have but what do you mean by 340 springs? Can someone just give me a part number for the best springs and I'll just order them.

I'm sure once I go with slicks the 60' time will drop. It's really hard to get this car off the line without spinning the tires. With the front line lock it they will spin before 2000 rpm. Sure does sound like a torque converter is in it's future.

Is it race season yet???

Thanks,

Andrew

The enginebuilder valve springs are good for only $38! I ran them with a .513 lift cam with no problems.

13.82 @ 94.97, Rick Covalt- 65 Valiant, 1.86 60', 2800#, 3.91 Auto, 6100 RPM, Mason Dixon , all motor. 5/18/13

The above was with a 3000-3200 stall speed convertor, Engine was 10.7 CR and the cam was Oregon 977I & 1672 E. It would pull strong to 6400 where I got skeered!

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Rick, what diameter of tires are you running?

Andrew