Hooking up an A Body Mopar

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

Send me the chineese ss springs. My anchors have been eaten away by the salt water for my boat. Get the Cal Tracs;, mono leafs, shocks, and go fishing. 1.81. That's really bad.

Had a friend who ran a super gas camaro using only the '68 SS springs and shocks. I'm still running the one's I bought in the '70's on my '64 Savoy.

When did they go overseas for the cheapies they sell now?

Jim

I use an entire '69 camaro with a ZL1 for a boat anchor, it'll only rust so far!

[bill dedman]

Terry,

Here' my engine:

STOCK 360 Magnum short block EXCEPT for the cam.

The cam specs are: 214-218@ .050"-lift, ground with 114-degree lobe separation. Gross lift at valve .525"

Ground by Engle for Hughesperformance, a Mopar-only vendor with a dyno. HE says it's a good supercharger cam. Very little overlap. Stock hydraulic roller lifters with 300# open, Crane aluminum roller 1.6:1 (stock ratio) rockers.

Heads; OEM 318/360 Magnum cast iron 1.94".1.60" with a 3-angle valve job and minimal valve bowl work; NOTHING else. TRUE compression with stock, dished, hypereutectic pistons: 9.00:1.

Intake manifold: Professional Products 180-degree Air Gap ripoff, untouched

Carb: Holley 4150, 750 double-pumper from the Carb Shop, modified for blow-thru up to 15 psi. ($900.00!!!)

Ignition: MSD Boostmaster with MSD Blaster coil (all analog; no multiple spark discharge)

Exhaust: TTI stepped headers (1-5/8" into 1-3/4") with 3 1/2" collector; 2.5" street exhaust with Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers


Snowperformance BoostCooler alcohol injection system coming on at 3 psi of boost.

Fuel: Avgas... probably 106-110 octane. Doesn't ever detonate, even at 10 psi of boost.

Transmission: Len Schneider built 2.45 low 904 with a 2500rpm stall 318 converter (cheap!) As much low end torque as this thing makes, the last thing it needs is a hi-stall converter. Pulls like a freight locomotive at 2,500....

Idles fairly smoothly at 475 rpm and makes 12 inches of vacuum for the power brakes at that speed.

160-degree thermostat

M-P "curved" OEM-type distributor.

3.55:1 Auburn limited slip, 8.75", soon to be 4.10:1.

Moser axles coming very soon.

When I put this engine together, a supercharger was nowhere on the horizon; I'd never even considered one. I wanted a car my wife could drive and she hates ragged idles; that's how that short-duration cam got in there. But, it only ran low 13's without a blower (I even had 340 exhaust manifolds on it), and that wouldn't get it. I spied a Vortech V-1, S-Trim new in the box on Ebay for a grand, and decided that that was the crutch I needed to pick this ol' tub up a bit.

It picked it up about a second and a half and 17 mph....

It cost me a lot (about 4 grand) by the time I put the new half-inch fuel system with 2 pumps on it (main pump and a backup; I don't trust electric fuel pumps.)

I have a 4" arm and a new set of rods for it... saving for some JE slugs right now. 402 cid will work.

In the meantime, I can have some fun with it as it sits, IF I can get it to hook.

That's what this is all about...

Thanks for your time and all the good info! The cam is gonna stay, at least for now. Driveability around town is like a 2bbl 318... I like that.

Bill

[X-TECH MAN]

OK Bill......Im no pro but from what I know it is the cam that is causing the varience in boost. I would think that a cam with 112 centerline with a little more duration @ .050. Something around 230 degrees on the intale and 240 on the exhaust. The blower calms the cam down and will make it run fairly smooth. . When you go to a 402-408 inch piece you will need more cam. Larger engine needs more duration (air flow) because the cubic inches makes the cam think its smaller. The heads (Magnum) are OK but need some work. The exhaust is better (almost 30 %) than the old LA style head. Ive done quite a bit of playing with the 360 Magnum style heads in crate motored stockers and bracket cars. Also with all that instant torque it might hook better and the chassis will work better with the 4:10 gear. Im not an expert by far but just from what I have found over the years, In case a blower is not always a blower I can only say Ive worked on the DRAW THRU type and not the blow thru versions. Terry

[bill dedman]

Thanks, Terry. I do appreciate the time you took to think that out and write it.

I'm no expert either, and I hear what you're saying about the duration. I don't know much at all about turbochargers, but every Saturday I go to breakfast with a bunch of guys (8-10) who race Grand Nationals and they all have cams in the 210-214-degrees @ .050" range, even the ones who run high tens. Some have lobe-center separations as high as 116 degrees. Maybe that's a turbo thing, I dunno; as I said, I am no expert, but I know you're certainly right about a bigger engine needing more cam. This cam will never do for the stroker motor. Some of those new EQ heads would help a lot, too...

Is there a bigger money pit anywhere, than a drag car?????????????????????????????

For now, I am cash-flow limited and will get the Moser axles ($445.00) and some better slicks (another $400) and bolt in that 4.10 and go racing. If I can't run some 11.30s, shame on me!!!

Oh; I have a big U-joint driveshaft in the works, too... I still have the small U-joints in the one I've been using and I feel like I'm living on borrowed time... LOL!

[X-TECH MAN]

Since your not limited to rules you should try the Edelbrock Alum. Magnum heads when $$$$ is avaliable. They already have 2.02 intake valves, lighter weight, use chevy valves and rocker parts and flow pretty good out of the box. Just be sure to check the C.C.s. They are not even close out of the box in that dept. In the long run they are cheaper than modifying the iron heads. We had to use a larger drive shaft also (3720+ lbs). Used the larger joints and a 3 1/2 shaft. Never lost another one. Again Im not that up on turbo engines but Ive heard they are camed differently than a blower engine but boost is boost. It just comes in at a different RPM range. Food for thought until someone who really knows could help you out. Terry

[bill dedman]

Terry,

I'm not limited by rules, but I AM limited by $$$$ and the EQ heads flow about as much as the Edelbrocks for about half the price. The reason the stock heads are on there is that I am always cash-poor, it seems, and I have to do this thing one step at a time... being retired, and with a disabled wife who needs 24/7 care, I can't just go out and get a job to make money for this little pissant race car project. So, I have to do what I can, when I can... I'm sure you understand.

I've got a 4" crank and a new set of rods for it... just need a new set of reverse-deflector, 8:1, forged, J-E pistons, so the piggy-bank is IN OPERATION, but there again, it would be an exercise in futility to put the long arm in without a better set of heads.... so, I decided to try to get it hooked up, first. I'll build the big motor next year, with any luck.

There's no end to this... is there? LOL!!! After doing it since 1955, you'd think I'd learn, eventually...

I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a trailer once that said "CAUTION; THIS TRAILER CONTAINS A DISEASE FOR WHICH THERE IN NO CURE." There was an NHRA decal beside it... LOL!


Bill