I havent taken it out on the street yet, Im just now wrapping up the brakes. I started this car form ground zero back in august, and it should be all done within the next 7 to 10 days actually, I will let you know how the highway gear runs. Ive heard the same thing out of people, a guy I talked to had a 383 TWO barrel and said that at speed on the highway you could stomp it and it would smoke the tires... thats a tall claim, but it wouldn't really surprise me. I don't plan on taking it on the highway a whole lot, and Id like to be able to punch it from a standstill and get a little response out of it, hence my initial idea of a 3.23 or 3.55.
Joined: Sat Mar 29 2008, 03:36PM
Location: North eastern Wis.
Posts: 1638
Beautiful work. Looks like a fun car. You can disregard what I said about the shinny paint in your rear axle alignment thread I guess huh? I love the old NASCAR theme. Hope you get that rear axle sorted out.
Joined: Sat Nov 27 2010, 12:16AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 135
BenH wrote ...
I havent taken it out on the street yet, Im just now wrapping up the brakes. I started this car form ground zero back in august, and it should be all done within the next 7 to 10 days actually, I will let you know how the highway gear runs. Ive heard the same thing out of people, a guy I talked to had a 383 TWO barrel and said that at speed on the highway you could stomp it and it would smoke the tires... thats a tall claim, but it wouldn't really surprise me. I don't plan on taking it on the highway a whole lot, and Id like to be able to punch it from a standstill and get a little response out of it, hence my initial idea of a 3.23 or 3.55.
Hey Ben, thanks for taking the time to share your build and generating some history lessons for us as well ... great colour and amazing theme.
I'd say smoking tires at highway speed with a 383-2bbl (would have 2.76 and at best 2.94 rear gears from factory) is a tad bit more than a tall claim , in fact I'd bet it pretty hard to get more than a chirp from a standing start (no brake or dumping into drive). These are 3850 pound 2 doors or as I like to say "big ole girls". My 66 Windsor (Newport) has a mild built 73 440 (0.020 bore, matching set of Edelbrock components, Performer timing chain set, Performer Plus Cam kit, Performer 750 carb, Performer 440 Intake, valve springs, push rods, distributor and electronic ignition system, TCI Saturday Night Special Converter (Stall 1800-2000) and its factory 2.76's and though I haven't tried all to hard I don't think she will even chirp. Even my 73 Challenger which is 700 pounds lighter has 78 block 440 with 0.030 bore, much more cam, higher stall, headers and 3.23 non SG will not burn the tires over 20-30 miles per hour (all to do with downshift to first and temperature/composition of pavement), but at a standing start will smoke them till the cows come home and often acts like a limited slip posi. I think people often assume way too much horsepower at the rear wheels, my Challenger on dyno was 288 hp and 369 torque at rear wheels and "feels" fast and love the 440's torque. My gut feeling is that 3.23's will give you a "little" chirping and 3.55's giving you some smoke. I'm going through this mind debate for my Windsor, I miss the torque but love the gas mileage, I picked up another 66 Windsor parts car and it has 2.94's in it, so I might just start with that first.
383 2 bbl smoking the tires at highway speeds just by stomping on the gas?
Not a chance. Very few cars with factory setups have the guts to do that... and certainly not with a 383 2 bbl...
I have one though...
66 Dodge Monaco w/a 440 and a 4 speed, RCMP issue factory balanced and blue printed motor (basically all the same parts as a regular 440 motor, but hand picked and balanced, and built to design tolerances rather than just assembly line slapped together). 3:23 Suregrip.
This car is killer/scary powerful, with NO modifications to it whatsoever. I still run points in it!
The video is of me stomping on the gas in 1st gear at roughly a 15 or 20 mph roll.
Beautiful work. Looks like a fun car. You can disregard what I said about the shinny paint in your rear axle alignment thread I guess huh? I love the old NASCAR theme. Hope you get that rear axle sorted out.
got the rear alignment sorted out today. took it on the road for the first time, did real well. I need to sort out a few small coolant leaks and fix the brake lights and itll be good to go.