Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Helping a buddy with his 67 mustang at the track. We have the slapper bars and springs from my 68 which worked well with an automatic (mid 1.40's and mid 10's on a BF Goodrich drag radial, 347 sbf).

However this stick shift with a 445 cube FE motor is a whole other animal. Last night we were 11.35 with a 1.60 60 foot and spinning like crazy and 122mph. The car was literally fishtailing lol. Tires are MH Racemaster "Cheater Slick" 26 x 10 or somewhere around there.

Right now this thing body separates too much and too fast, I think, and losing traction. I'm open for any suggestions (no...caltracs aren't in the budget until next year lol) but I would like for him to invest in some good rear shocks with very stiff rebound. Been out of the loop on stuff for awhile...what would be a good shock choice?

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Taller tire for one.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Rancho 9000 are a good cheap choice. Start around #5

Sounds like time for new tires if track was well prepped !

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Calvert 9 way adjustables (might be similar to the Rancho shocks John mentioned) are very reasonably priced. You can save a few extra bucks if they have blemished units available. 7 might be a good setting to start with for a stick car on a decent track.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Is it this one?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/r...9274/overview/

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

I recommend you buy them directly from Calvert Racing,cheaper and you get their first-rate tech service.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

I agree with Dana. Calvert is outstanding!

I forgot he sold them (Senior Moment)

Make sure length is correct for you application.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

If length of shock is too short it will pull the wheel off the ground as it reaches full extension.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

visualize the body separation....in your brain , take a picture, record it..whatever, now, disconnect both shocks, jack the car up to that point you saw on the hit and measure the mounting points then measure the shocks, ad 1" or 2" for the tire (does the rim hit the pavement) ect... and as the guy above said....make sure you have the correct application.... shock "extenders" were sold in the slapper bar era for a reason.

after all that now you can get the correct size, with adjustable extension so you can control it.....its that simple

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

In the late 70's I had a 68 Camaro in C supermodified. 10 inch tire 28" tall. Has slapper bars when everyone had ladder bars. A 302 SBC with stock heads and a 750. Car went 10.90 @ 124mph with low 1.30 60'. I had a simple 50/50 shock. They need to be long enough as well.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

I cannot recall what the Waldo's ran in their Mustangs.
Nevertheless, if I recall, Jim Waldo ran slapper bars on his Mustang and that car hit hard in the starting line and ran fast.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Sounds like you need different tires as well. This sounds like a real torque beast. What gearing, clutch and trans? Launch rpm? If you added a hundred cubes and a stick, most of the things that worked before will have to be re-evaluated.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

It made 540hp at 5600 and something like 520ft-lbs at 4500. It had a centerforce clutch that it was driving through. We just put a McLeod long style...forget the clutch disc off the top of my head.

Now the clutch is working well but the tires are blowing away bad.

I found an old pair of QA1's single adjustable on my shelf and we're going to try them this weekend. I never ran them, but at their highest setting they're very tight! He ordered some shock extensions, as it looks like the suspension is extending about 1" more than the shocks will allow.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

Calvert's Shocks are Rancho's but with his name on them. Since Ranchos are truck shocks there's no Mustang specific listing but he will give you the correct ones. They are listed for the front of some Import 4x4 as I recall.

The shocks will help but unless the front end has the usual mods you're probably fighting a loosing battle here. Even CalTracs won't be a fix all unless you have an adjustable clutch like a SoftLok. I have tried and done most everything and still can't leave much more than 4500 and I consider a 1.42 60' as being decent. My 390 ran a 10.18 @ 132.25 last year which tell me I need to leave harder.

And I agree with the others about tires. Don't think what you buddy has will get the job done.

Re: Old school slapper bars and stick shift
 

That 'stang is awesome!

The front suspension is a bit of a mystery at the moment. It's one of those coil over conversions...can't remember the name..want to say Kodiak but that's not right.

Anyhow after the first time he took it to the track I noticed there wasn't much front end travel. We got to looking and he had them installed with a spacer in the wrong place. The travel was 2"...after we corrected it, it was more like 4". Still, it seems lacking. I think the spring rate might be all wrong for drag racing, and the front still doesn't move much.