Budget drag car… B-Body or A-Body?

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slimjim

slimjim

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I’ve built A-bodies exclusively over the past 15 years. I know them very well. Understanding that I’m posting this in an A-Body forum, are there secrets about the B-Body platform that give it an advantage at the drag strip? If you were given a super strict budget, which components of each platform would you be looking at? *strict as in <5k*

picture as tribute

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B body 4 door, gut it completely and ditch any unnecessary weight.

used super stock springs, cheap used mag wheels and slicks, cram a bunch of nitrous in a 5.9 Magnum
 
A body has all the advantages. Lighter (Better results with building a small block.), shorter wheelbase (Better weight transfer/traction.), probably easier to get parts (body & chassis) for and you already have your experience with them.

Biggest disadvantage I can think of is the '72 & earlier small bolt pattern rears and lack of 8 3/4s in '73 & later models. But the 8 1/4 isn't that bad.
 
Get a somewhat rusted A body (free lightening) pull all the glass put lexon in your choice of drivetrain and go. And get a valiant.
 
I know some B-bodies weigh close to the A-body. I guess a majority of my curiosity with the B-body platform are frame stiffness, available rear ends with lower gears, and big blocks.
 
How fast are you wanting to go ?
5 k if you already have a car, 5 k isn't going to net any b-body worthy of drag strip duty, not to mention every single item you had to buy now is more money.
I have a $400.00 dart I got 4 years ago luckily, I'm shooting for low tens... so I got $5000 in heads crank pistons & rods, $1000 in rockers. the stock 400 engine was $400.00 & machine work $2500.00 with ARP main studs. Shoot, oil pan was about $500, intake $350.00, headers $850, way to much to list. Rear suspension $800, front $400, rear end $1900. I haven't built the trans or got a converter and I'm guessing 3k minimum
Haven't even bought rear wheels yet $900.
I'm forgetting all the small parts which are easily 1000 and the probably 4k more to get the car ready to go down the track.
5k is a dream, not today & definitely not from scratch. Some will say it can be done but unless you're getting mostly free parts, it is mathematically impossible.
Unless you want to drag a 66 4 door with a 6 and 3 on the tree.
 
Locomotion said:
A body has all the advantages. Lighter (Better results with building a small block.), shorter wheelbase (Better weight transfer/traction.), probably easier to get parts (body & chassis) for and you already have your experience with them.

Biggest disadvantage I can think of is the '72 & earlier small bolt pattern rears and lack of 8 3/4s in '73 & later models. But the 8 1/4 isn't that bad.
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Definitely be putting bb axles in over an 8.25
 
67charger383 said:
B body 4 door, gut it completely and ditch any unnecessary weight.

used super stock springs, cheap used mag wheels and slicks, cram a bunch of nitrous in a 5.9 Magnum
Click to expand...
Sounds like, junkyard on junkyard with nitrous. Not a very lasting combo
 
slimjim said:
I’ve built A-bodies exclusively over the past 15 years. I know them very well. Understanding that I’m posting this in an A-Body forum, are there secrets about the B-Body platform that give it an advantage at the drag strip? If you were given a super strict budget, which components of each platform would you be looking at? *strict as in <5k*

picture as tribute

View attachment 1715869531
Click to expand...
Do you have a bunch of parts stashed ?
 
What ever starts as the cheapest w/an 8 cylinder.

A case in point could be as mentioned a 4 door or perhaps a later year. Perhaps a ‘74 plus. Not so desirable perhaps, but cheap is the key. I picked up my ‘79 Magnum for $500. While the drive train takes all the tricks as any earlier ones do, the iso suspension needs some attending. T bars for drag are not available but if you could weld, earlier ones could be adapted in ez enough. They can become pretty light as well.

A 5.9 Magnum swap is a good move (as mentioned earlier) and only takes a minor flex plate mod or a B&M flex plate. Also, the late B bodies will take the earlier B/E Hooker Super Comps @ 1-3/4.

Big block cars (P code IIRC) will have 9-1/4 rears. 400 B engines can do well even unstroked. But the low low compression is a drawback.

Aspen/Volare’s can also be a cheap car as well. The later year front “Bent Torsion” bars are the draw back as none were made for racing. They also kind of heavy (or can be) to start as well.

Get crafty & slick with lightening your car.
Think! Out! Of! The! Box!
Have fun!

slimjim said:
I’ve built A-bodies exclusively over the past 15 years. I know them very well. Understanding that I’m posting this in an A-Body forum, are there secrets about the B-Body platform that give it an advantage at the drag strip? If you were given a super strict budget, which components of each platform would you be looking at? *strict as in <5k*

picture as tribute

View attachment 1715869531
Click to expand...
 
MOPARMAGA said:
Definitely be putting bb axles in over an 8.25
Click to expand...
Late year 8-1/4’s are big bolt and owning a B body is not an automatic big dollar expenditure. There “Going slower” is only weight related. While the extra wheel base length is a draw back, it’s minor. You just work with what you have.

Going fast cheap is an exercise in thinking as well as what you can afford.
 
Definitely not looking to build a long lasting car. Just pondering a junkyard on junkyard build. Thats why I’m so curious about the stock benefits of each platform. I would be aiming to push the car to its breaking point for a single weekend of fun.
 
slimjim said:
Definitely not looking to build a long lasting car. Just pondering a junkyard on junkyard build. Thats why I’m so curious about the stock benefits of each platform. I would be aiming to push the car to its breaking point for a single weekend of fun.
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Run with a 5.9 then
 
Personally I don't have 5K to put into a car I plan on blowing up in a weekend...
To me that is a pretty strong budget for a weekend...
And it's no kind of decent budget expecting the kind of power that's going to put your world on fire...
And definitely nothing in that price range is going to be worthy of any kind of heads up racing...
Now if you want to go win races weekend after weekend bracket racing you can go by the cheapest rusted out four-door slant six automatic you can find...
Take it to the drag strip and slam it to the floor and drive for your three test runs and get a solid consistent dial and time and go out and kill um ..
 
The Mopar A-body in my humble opinion is the best bang for the buck performance build in the Mopar arsenal.

There are later model Dusters out there that can be found for budget. My '74 lightly modified steel body with a fresh 451 build is an $18k car that can run a low 10 from single 4 barrel naturally aspirated setup.

ZomboDroid 27062021135616.jpg
 
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