Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock

[ddartdude]

Edelbrock released the D4B for the early 273's. Not sure if any of them had Chrysler P/N's on them or not. I do have an LD4B that has Chrysler P/N 2836139 cast into it. I think this is the one that is being used by Angela.

[Real Racer]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

At some point it looks like there was an aluminum intake somewhere, as it is now legal on the 235HP "Commando" motor (manifold newly legalized), because Angela Bushmaker's K/SA car has one on it, now, and it wouldn't be on there if it weren't legal. She has a '65 Valiant 235HP car.

...

Who says that Edelbrock intake is legal for a 273-235 in stock?
Where is that information listed? Not in the blue prints or classification guides.
Maybe I can run a Rat Roaster on my Hemi now?

[bill dedman]

Bill Bushmaker owns the '65 Valiant that his daughter, Angela drives in K/SA (Div. VI) and the engine work is performed by Larry Hollums, in Kent, WA. I talked to Larry about this car a couple of weeks ago and he said that they had just finished putting a newly-approved aluminum intake manifold on the car.

Bill and Larry have been knee-deep in NHRA Stock Eliminator for over 30 years; they're not going to install a manifold that's going to get the car bounced.

I don't know why the information is not in the Blueprint specifications, but probably, NHRA laid-off the person who changes the info on that website in their last round of cost-cutting measures.

If you want to run a Rat Roaster, put the car in Super Stock and have at it...


Bill

[Billy Nees]

There is no listing for ANY intake for the 273/235 in the engine specs. The next question is, how can anyone run the 273/235 combo without an intake? That must be one good trick. I have been told by a couple of different tech inspectors over the years "If it's not in the guide, then you can't run it".

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

There is no listing for ANY intake for the 273/235 in the engine specs. The next question is, how can anyone run the 273/235 combo without an intake? That must be one good trick. I have been told by a couple of different tech inspectors over the years "If it's not in the guide, then you can't run it".

Its in the "SECRET" guide used on the west coast.....lol

[Billy Nees]

Terry, obviously, why didn't I think of that.

[bill dedman]

I'll call NHRA Tech on Monday and try to find out why that (or, at least, SOME manifold) is not in the blueprint specs online. Hard to get them to start without something to bolt the carb to....

[Dwight Southerland]

There are LOTS of pre-1967 specs without manifold #s. Back when this data was gathered, everything was typed by hand and duplicated by hand, so anything that was not necessary was not published. Also, "back then", there were not many choices of production manifolds since most of these engines were only a few years into production and everybody "knew" that an aluminum aftermarket manifold was bogus. The very popular combinations have forced tech to get and publish data. It is only an issue in situations like this where shenanigans go on. Welcome to an era of relaxed values, leadership that has shelved integrity, and a kinder, gentler definition of truth. Oh, and we want people to be fast with no pain.


You know that those factory cast iron intake manifolds are soo-o-o-o- hard to find; much harder than an era correct LD4B.

[bill dedman]

Good post, Dwight!

However, this sort of thing has been going on for so long, and is so entrenched in the M.O. of NHRA tech, it's a case of the horse having left the barn YEARS ago, with the advent of 327 intake manifolds on 283's, aluminum heads on select engines, 904 T-Flite internals inside BIG cases, and now, metric 200 transmissions in cars that were built YEARS before the transmission was even dreamed of...

Yep, I think the horse is long gone, and he ain't comin' back....

More's the pity...

[Paul Ceasrine]

My fellow D-Dart friends,

This is what came on the 66' D-Dart 273/275 HP engine.
The block was a standard 273/235 HP HiPo, with a forged steel crank.
The pistons were standard 273/235 HiPo, 10.5-1 compression with a
2-step rise in the piston (Not domed, as some people think).
The pistons were full-floating.
Standard oil pump. (No windage tray or Hi Volume pump)
Standard 273/235 Hi Po steel timing chain.
The camshaft was not a .520 lift racer Brown as some people think. Though Racer Brown did develop cams for the Max-Wedges and
Race Hemi's, they did not provide the camshaft for the 273/275 HP
D-Dart. The camshsft was provided by Camcraft, out of Easton,
Maryland. The lift was .495 intake and .505 exhaust, with a 284* duration. That cam grind was the same Camcraft recommended for their 273 marine performance engines. How they got involved is still a mystery.
The heads were stock 273/235 HiPo, but the valve springs were
Racer Brown, 260lb. rated tension.
Stock steel valve spring retainers.
Amazingly, the stock steel push rod (yes bendable and breakable) were utilized.
The cast iron (YES!) cast iron intake was a stock unit. The carb venturi
holes were bored out from 1 1/2" to 1 11/16" to accept the larger butterfly openings of the Holley carb, The machining of the intake was performed at the factory. The D-Darts that left the LA plant did not require a carb=adapter plate. In general, the low-plane X-runner shape
intake was a piece of garbage. Small runner ports and low-plane was good for low-end torque, but at top-end the air-flow suffered.
The carb was a Holley #4160, 600 cfm vacuum secondaries.
Air-cleaner was specially designed low restriction-type.
Distributor was a dual-point unit, that was modified (vacuum advance unit was removed), to provide for mechanical advance only.


Paul