'66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
I see you didn't mention the radio and heater. Do you really need to be warm and listen to "Communication Breakdown" by Zeppelin, while pounding the quarter-mile?
As mentioned earlier, by another Mopar head. Old school "body panel
chemically engineered" (Acid-Dipping) by Chrysler Factory Men is also a nice way to lose weight. (Sponsored by; Valerie Bertinelli)
PC

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Alan,
if you check out the "Mods for Mopar 273" article, Feb 66' Hot Rod,
with Tom Hoover and Mike Buckle (of the Ramchargers), you can see the first free-breathing intake manifold. A standard 273 cast iron intake, with the carburetor butterfly openings cut-out to 1 11/16" (primary and secondary) for the first Holley carb to be mounted on the intake, during
the early stages of the D-Dart. The first carb used was a 4160 #3116
600 cfm, off the 65' Race Hemi's.
Paul

Paul,

Hot Rod (I think) also did an article about using the carb base from a 3705sa carb from a '64 Max Wedge and putting it on the 273 4bbl manifold then put the rest of the stock carb on this base so that unless you looked real close you would swear it was stock.

JimR

[bill dedman]

Paul,

This "project" (if you could call it that!!!) started out to be a street/strip car, and, as such, I have avoided removing the heater/defroster; A-C is gone, however except for the evaporator, and it's pretty light.

If I get desperate enough for some daylight under the front wheels, however, the heater will be history...

Acid dipping is more work than I have the desire to perform, seeing as how there are so many less labor-intensive ways to lighten up the front end...

Thanks for the ideas, though; I am ALWAYS open to sugestions.... ALWAYS!!!

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
Thermal socks weight less than the heater/defroster.
Jim R,
I think the Max-wedge carb could be utilized, as long as you used the
Super Stock Carb. Flange part #2468451.
But, if you used the #3705 carb, wouldn't that be chea-ing?
Paul (It's OK with me)

[bill dedman]

Paul,
Unfortunately, at my advanced age, the feet aren't the only parts that get cold....

Gonna try a lighter fiberglass hood, and maybe a bumper, next.... That stock hood is HEAVY!!!

Happy New Year from not-so-beautiful Conway.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
Those old stainless steel 'pocket warmers' works wonders for those hard to get areas
A liitle weight-saving trick,,,replace steel fastening bolts (ie; hood, trunk lid, fenders, bumper-brackets and other non-structural bolts/nuts with plastic units). Easy to do, and suprisingly saves alot more useless weight than you think.
Paul, ,,,Happy New Year

[bill dedman]

Good ideas, all, Paul... hadn't thought of any of that!

I have precious little spare time, for a retired guy though, so I'm going to concentrate on the easy (quick) stuff for a while, and see if I can get a 1.55 60-footer this year. I have a group of friends who all run turbo V6 Buicks, and some of them run high tens, when they're running. IF they're running...

If I can get this thing into the 11.20s or .30s, they'll still be able to outrun me, but they'll have to crank up the boost into a "DANGER ZONE" (25+ pounds of boost) to beat me, and they may not want to waste an engine on shaming my old clunker.... They're a proud bunch, these Grand National guys.... LOL!

I'm limiting my boost to 10 pounds, which doesn't seem to hurt the motor.... so far. I have band aids aplenty, with an MSD Bootsmaster Timing retard, alcohol injection from a Snowperformance Boost Cooler, Av gas (100+ octane) and an Air Gap-style intake manifold to help provide a cooler charge. It's just a 1,000-foot strip, where I run, so that helps keep engine temperatures down, too.

I don't run it over 6 grand (though it easily goes 6,500) in the interest of longivity... its, AND mine! LOL!

Thanks for the good advice; I'll probably get one of those pocket warmers....

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
Sounds like you have the right combo there. You can probably run 11.20's all day long, and not hurt the engine internals.
Air-gap style intake and those Ansen Sprints bring back nice memories.
What do you leave the line at?
One more weight saving trick...When the roll-bar was required, we
fabricated a PVC unit (central vacuum tubing) with foam over it. Of course that's crazy, but it saved weight. If I crashed, I know God would have not let ne into the Heaven Staging Lanes
Paul

[bill dedman]

Paul,
That's the plan (everything but the faux roll bar... LOL!)

Send an email to Billdedman@hotmail.com if you want to see a picture of this relic... Ansen Sprints and all...... LOL!!!

Might even include a picture of my (defunct) 340-powered '64 Valiant 2-door sedan...

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
Thanks, I'll forward an e-mail address.
Our 69' 440 Cuda is pictured on the "Original Hemi Dart Info" post.
Page 10, post #94. Photo from 1988/89.
The 64' Valiant, and a high-reving 9500rpm 305 = 30" wheelstands
paul