Getting Wilma to hook up.

-
340 Dart

340 Dart

I don't know ****.
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
2,358
Reaction score
30
Location
San Antonio
This is the 75 dart with the 360.

My 60' times are still 2.04-2.10. The only time it really hooked it was a 1.84. I wrote down that I did a 3rd gear burnout and launched at 2,200 rpm's. This was the hottest I had gotten the tires. Pressure was 16lbs in the rear and 40 in the front.

The car has stock shocks, SS springs with the front segments clamped and a 8 1/4 with 410's. Timing was 22 initial with 38 total. 26" tall MT street ET's 9" wide.

I want to make a list of the things I need to do and make one change at a time.
1. Longer shocks for the rear and some 3 way adjustables for the front.
2. Moving the battery to the back.

Any other ideas?
 
When you take it to the track have you tried to set the torion bars up any stiffer to help throw more weight to the rear? I also used to use 80-20 shocks, helped some on the 64 Dart. But these cars have very little trunk over hang Vs wheel base. I do think a trunk mounted battery will help some, that is what I am planning on too.

PS do you have frame connectors installed? Also what about a pinnion snubber? Is the diff twisting much on ya?
 
I didn't know you could adjust the tortion bars. How do you do this?

Subframe connectors are going on this month.

I would love to have a pinion snubber but I cannot find one for an 8 1/4. Any ideas?
 
There are 2 adjusting bolts on the bottoms. However I would not over adjust, and when you make an adjustment to the ride height it can also effect the alignment of the car too.

Check the specs for the factory ride height, over the years the cars tend to sag, and even putting the car back to the factory spec can help the traction weight transfer for a car that is sagging in the front end.

Carefull to not over tighten through, old bars can break on occasions.


I guess you could put a paint mark on the bolts, then when at the track turn them up 1-2 turns when racing, then put it back for the street. but check the specs 1st in a motors manual or other book, maybe you are sitting to low?

On an 8 1/4 I guess you could go with a ladder bar type of setup, I have seen guys make their own snubbers for the 8 1/4.

Maybe someone has something for you?

Frame connectos will help too. :thumbup:
 
Always jack up the front end before adjusting the torsion bars. I have heard of a couple of people that didn't and they got hurt. Just a safety reminder. o----o<>
 
Yeah, you have to raise the front end, spray a bit of penetrating oil on the bolts and the peice it theads thru in the lower control arm. Usually a change of one turn will make a feelable change, and may raise the front end. I see too many drag cars with the nose slammed. That's a bad way to be if the rear is high from SS springs. You only want about 1" of "rake" from rear to front. I raise the car to the height I need, then have it aligned by a competant shop that knows otrsion bar front ends on old mopars. The Comp shocks are fine for the rear. I use the cheapest plain hydraulic shocks I can find for the front. You may not need the snubber if the ride height is corrected, but it cant hurt. Faster cars may not want to use it at all. Also, you Should play with the air pressure on a clear section of pavement. Do a quick launch at you rpm with no burnout. Then, look hard at the mark. If it is narrower than the tire, your pressure maybe too high. Do it again on a clear spot, this time with a burnout. Pressure goes up as the tire heast, and forces the tire to hold the sidewall stiff, and the center of the tread to bulge out, making the mark narrower. You should be able to see the exact tread pattern in the pavement if it's all right. I usually start high, and work my way down until it hooks, without altering the length or tire speed of the burnout.
 
Thanks alot for the info everyone!


Is there a certain place I should measure for the rake Moper, or just pick a spot on the fram in front and back?
 
100_0285.jpg
[/IMG] Pinion angle is very important .It must be between 5 @ 7 degrees down in front to make ss springs work . ss springs do not require pinion snubber , as they take the pinion away from the bumpstop at launch. Nick.
 
I measure from the front flat behind the front tire on the bottom side of the rocker (basically where the fenders bolt on), to the same spot just ahead of the rear tire. The surface it's on needs to be flat and solid. And like '71 says...before the poinion snubber is installed, but after the front end height is set, the pinion angle must be set. Then you can mount the snubber at the right distance from the floor.
 
Very interesting. You guys are making my car faster already.

Let me do a search and try to educate myself on pinion angle, how to check it and how to do it.

Thank you.
 
New toys are on the way!

Just ordered some 3 way shocks for front and rear and a line lock.

Anyone have a "how to link" for how to set your pinion angle?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top