Why the /6

-
For me not every slant has to go fast. I am building my 72 swinger with the one barrel and stock engine. I just want my car back to the way it was when I bought it off a used car lot many years ago. It was never fast but always reliable and always happy.
 
I'm with you Bill on everything except using a turbo car in "bracket racing" It will be inconsistant compared to a normally asperated car. Or can turbos be consistant now a days?

I see lots of diesel trucks drag racing in an all diesel drag race and they are very fast but take forever to spool up at the line, therefore cut terrible reactions.

Any suggestions? Would love to turbo a slant except for that reason...

Dorian, this bracket race scenario you bring up is very real, and I agree, would probably result in the turbo slant six being a poor choice for a bracket racer.

Good point you bring up!:cheers:
 
Dorian, this bracket race scenario you bring up is very real, and I agree, would probably result in the turbo slant six being a poor choice for a bracket racer.

Good point you bring up!:cheers:

My suggestions would be: two. ..

1. Don't build a turbocharged slant six car with the idea of Bracket racing it; it's just not going to be very good at that... You can have tons of fun doing other things with it (embarrassing a lot of V8's in grudge races, for example,) and taking it to car shows where the mere fact that most spectators have never seen anything like it, will generate a lot of interest.

2. If you want to Bracket race, build a naturally-aspirated, lightweight car with a huge displacement engine and a two-speed automatic with an eye toward good weight distribution and some huge (WIDE) slicks.

HAVE FUN. whatever you do!!!:cheers:
 
I've always been someone that was impressed by mega-horsepower. After reading about some of the slant 6s that have been built on this thread it makes me want to build one. I'd love to have a slanty that is scary fast. You guys with those motors must really get a kick out of seeing the reaction people have when they see the power.
 
For me, At The Las Vegas Drag Strip a few years ago I lined up against a 68 Dart Hemi Clone that was street legal.It was just time trials,Thought don't pay attention to the car next to you,,just do your own thing.The lights came down and off we go..Was waiting for him to power on by.?? hey,, I"m in front of him !?! his front bumper was at my door,,,,?? He's not gaining ??? This can't be,,,,, I take the stripe ! We both ran a 13.40 but I had a better reaction time..Not that this would ever happen again,,,,But ,boy did it make my day ! A Hemi getting spanked by a Slant Six.
In the words of Alan Johnson, ''It may not be pretty,but a win is a win.''
 
For me, At The Las Vegas Drag Strip a few years ago I lined up against a 68 Dart Hemi Clone that was street legal.It was just time trials,Thought don't pay attention to the car next to you,,just do your own thing.The lights came down and off we go..Was waiting for him to power on by.?? hey,, I"m in front of him !?! his front bumper was at my door,,,,?? He's not gaining ??? This can't be,,,,, I take the stripe ! We both ran a 13.40 but I had a better reaction time..Not that this would ever happen again,,,,But ,boy did it make my day ! A Hemi getting spanked by a Slant Six.
In the words of Alan Johnson, ''It may not be pretty,but a win is a win.''

He must have felt like he was Mike Tyson and he just got beat up by PeeWee Herman.
 
It's the sound of a 6 cylinder.
Nothing is sweeter than a 6 turning 6800 with a 6 into 1 header.
Most V8 guys think we turn it 8500+ rpm.
That's one of the most ask questions is how tight we turn it.
 
why the slant six? Because me and my dad just pulled a valiant out of a salvage yard today and the car had been sitting since the early 80's. Checked the oil and there was some in there, connected a battery, poured some gas down the carb and it actually fired. We just tried to start it just for the heck of it. I didn't actually believe it would fire or even turn over for that matter. I bet with a carb rebuild and a tune up it could be on the highway next week. Too bad the car is trashed from sitting in the same spot since 1983.
 
I've always been someone that was impressed by mega-horsepower. After reading about some of the slant 6s that have been built on this thread it makes me want to build one. I'd love to have a slanty that is scary fast. You guys with those motors must really get a kick ..out of seeing the reaction peo..ple have when they see the power.

..
 
I'm with you Bill on everything except using a turbo car in "bracket racing" It will be inconsistant compared to a normally asperated car. Or can turbos be consistant now a days?

I see lots of diesel trucks drag racing in an all diesel drag race and they are very fast but take forever to spool up at the line, therefore cut terrible reactions.

Any suggestions? Would love to turbo a slant except for that reason...

One thing to remember is they are 3+ton trucks they are racing. Thats a lot of weight to get moving. Would think a car with half the weight would get up and go a little easier.
 
From a social science point of view, this thread is quite interesting....

From a drag racing point of view, no so much. We really don't formally drag much here (even thought I knew 2 guys that dragged their 60's minis and MGA) and the fines for stunting ( a broad category of running your car over the speed limit) are quite harsh.

I am curious because i lived around small displacement, high reving and power producing engines. There is a definate trade off or cost. How are these high revving, muscle bound /6 for lugging around town or city driving and maintenance ?
 
From a social science point of view, this thread is quite interesting....

From a drag racing point of view, no so much. We really don't formally drag much here (even thought I knew 2 guys that dragged their 60's minis and MGA) and the fines for stunting ( a broad category of running your car over the speed limit) are quite harsh.

I am curious because i lived around small displacement, high reving and power producing engines. There is a definate trade off or cost. How are these high revving, muscle bound /6 for lugging around town or city driving and maintenance ?

You need to separate the two varieties of high-performance slant sixes into two different and distinct groups for purposes of analyzing their street manners.

The two groups have different methods of achieving their goals, though both do it by increasing (working) cylinder pressure.

Group one, and by far the most popular, consists of modifying naturally-aspirated motors. These depend on higher compression, increased carburetion (or, fuel-injection,) a better-flowing cylinder head, ignition mods that will allow for efficient spark advance curves and suitable high-rpm spark performance, headers, increased- lift and duration cams, and improved cam profiles and valve-train dynamics that will allow reliable high rpm for increased horsepower.

This all works to increase power, but mainly in the high- rpm areas, and usually comes at a cost to mid-range torque, which affects driveability, and results in poor idle quality. Most 225 slant sixes modified in this way have difficulty in making much over one horsepower-per-cubic inch, and staying very streetable, because of breathing-limitations presented by the small ports and valves in the only head available, (one that was originally-designed to work well on the 170 cubic inch 1960 Valiant/Dart.) Bigger valves can be fitted, but the ports are problematic; they're small, and can't be enlarged a whole lot. The 225's longish-4.125" stroke in not a plus in trying to use this naturally-aspirated approach technology to make high rpm power. The 170 motor is a better candidate here, (MUCH better specific output!,) but suffers from the "size matters on the street" syndrome; it's just at too much of a displacement-disadvantage to haul much weight very fast...

Which leads us to the alternative... forced-induction and the 225.

The slant six was originally intended to be an aluminum block engine, and as such, was designed with a lot of extra beef in the stress-bearing structures, such as main bearing webs, cylinder block side walls and such. It also employed a forged steel crankshaft, with main bearings the same size as those in the 426 hemi(!)...

The aluminum-block engine had a variety of unforeseen problems, so it was abandoned after 60,000 were made, but the cast iron version still used all of the heavy-construction parameters of the aluminum engine. This resulted in an unusually strong, stiff, block (not unlike a Diesel,)with a really thick deck, and still used the same 84-pound head, which has itself, a really thick deck surface.

All this resulted in a basic infrastructure that invites boost levels that would blow most other engines into a pile of scrap iron. It's not unusual to see 225 slant sixes that are turbocharged, with as much as 25 pounds of boost (and more.)

Such engines can, on race gas. make upwards of 500 horsepower, with the rather strange quirk that they don't make much power over 5,500 rpm. Some sort of breathing problem, but, there it is...

Two of these engines that I know of, have no fuel injection (just one Holley 4-bbl carb,) a flat tappet cam, and since they are red-lined at just 5,500 rom, no special ignition beyond an MSD box, or valve train heroics are called for.

They are NOT high-tech engines... basic stuff, mostly.
Milder examples employing less boost... using only ten pounds, can usually make somewhere between 250 and 270 horsepower on pump gas...

These milder turbo engines have a stock "demeanor," with gobs of mid-range torque and a smooth idle. Turbo /6s don't run well with camshafts that employ much duration because those cams invariably have a fair amount of overlap, and during that overlap period, the boost goes right out the exhaust valve... so duration is kept to around 220-degrees at .050" lift, and ground with wide lobe separation (such as 115-degrees,) to minimize overlap.

I would guess that it might be possible to have a 300hp turbo slant six with a pretty stock idle and excellent street driveability, that gets gas mileage comparable to a stock engine.

This might give you a better idea of what is available to those of us who still like to play with this old stuff....

In summation; turbos are better in some respects, but tuning the mixture is not easy... you need a LOT of patience!

You pays your money and you takes your choice! :)
 
You need to separate the two varieties of high-performance slant sixes into two different and distinct groups for purposes of analyzing their street manners.

Bill, what a great answer.

The /6 is a great base for those that like to tinker. I see the appeal.

Thanks !
 
Bill,

A short answer would not have worked. Your explanation did.

Ian :)

Glad I could help!

I am a relative newcomer to the /6 camp, but reading the notes on this forum, and the slant six.org forum has been a very interesting and educational experience. Five years ago, i had NO experience with sixes of any kind, and had never owned a turbo-anything. Building this car (SEE BELOW) woke me up, out of necessity...

I sure hope it will run...:prayer::prayer::prayer:
 

Attachments

  • 100_3613.jpg
    75.8 KB · Views: 288
  • 100_3795.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 321
  • js640_js640_turboside.jpg
    112.7 KB · Views: 1,020
  • js640_turbofront.jpg
    103.9 KB · Views: 317
You can 'work on' a slant six, it has mechanical lifters (The early ones!) and yiou can dial in the engine to sound so sweet when finished. Pulling extra performance from a 'Slanty' is more challenging, but more rewarding at the same time. The one barrel was good in its day but we know today that the cylinders did not receive the same amount of fuel. Today we can build digital Fuel Injection systems that give each cylinder a precisely metered amount of fuel every time. So much better fuel mileage is possible. In 1964 I remember reading the Mechanix Illustrated Article that said, "The difference between the slant six and the 273 V8 is not noticed until third gear. The performance is the same up to that gear.
 
Glad I could help!

I am a relative newcomer to the /6 camp, but reading the notes on this forum, and the slant six.org forum has been a very interesting and educational experience. Five years ago, i had NO experience with sixes of any kind, and had never owned a turbo-anything. Building this car (SEE BELOW) woke me up, out of necessity...

I sure hope it will run...:prayer::prayer::prayer:

That car of yours never ceases to make me drop my jaw. It still kills me that you did all this to a four door. Years ago my buddies and I used to speculate on what would be the ultimate sleeper. I think you may be building it now.
 
When tuned correctly, the Slanty will start faster than the V8 and with Fuel Injection it is runining before you let go of the key, literally! When I was in college, the 'guys' would call me when their cars broke down, they knew my cars were always running. My 65 went 280,000 miles before I sold it, always had Synthetic Oil in it (Amsoil!) Everything was synthetic and with three buddies in the car it still got 23 Miles to the gallon. It was clean, comfortable and reliable. They can sit with their seat belts on and cross their legs in the back seat. When I had my Wagon (64 v200!) We could put all our camping gear in the back and travel with the A/C keeping us nice and comfortable and we could take the canoe on the rack up top! Try that with a 1968 Charger or Barracuda. And it would tow a Teardrop Trailer all day long and never over heat and get better mileage than the V8!
 
after studing everyone;s input about stock, turbos, etc, for the guy that wants a litle more power,and to keep it being pretty stock and looking, the factory supersix looks like a great choice. had one in about 73-4 duster back in 90's, seemed to have quite a bit more punch than the 1 bbl. some on fabo claim it actually gets better mileage than the 1bbl. i think its great there are so many ways to go with the slant! i have to wonder when someone will come ou with a turbo "kit" for the slant.???
in the mopar rags, years ago i read some about the mr, norms paxton supercharger setup, remember some problems with the carbs?? etc. i don't remmber how it was setup but pretty sure it looked great!
 
That car of yours never ceases to make me drop my jaw. It still kills me that you did all this to a four door. Years ago my buddies and I used to speculate on what would be the ultimate sleeper. I think you may be building it now.

Well, thanks for the very kind words... We looked (in vain) for a 2 door we could afford, for a while, but when you're in your 70's (we both were) you don't have unlimited time to give it, so after finding this car for $900.00, we looked up the shipping weight (2,570) and found it to be only 25 pounds heavier than a 2 door sedan, and all off that is virtually over the rear wheels, we decided to go with it. It ended up weighing 2,570 when finished, with Cal Tracs, a roll bar, and subframe connectors.

My other car is alsp kind of a sleeper... '72 Valiant 4-door, Vortech supercharged 360- Magnum/904: 4.10-geared 8.75" Sure Grip.... low 11s on 9" Hoosiers...

It's fun on the street, too... lol!
Hers's a pic or two......

Yeah, it was dark when I did the wiring... :(
 

Attachments

  • 100_3145-1.jpg
    45.4 KB · Views: 278
  • 100_3266.jpg
    95.1 KB · Views: 278
  • 100_3206.jpg
    90.1 KB · Views: 320
Well, thanks for the very kind words... We looked (in vain) for a 2 door we could afford, for a while, but when you're in your 70's (we both were) you don't have unlimited time to give it, so after finding this car for $900.00, we looked up the shipping weight (2,570) and found it to be only 25 pounds heavier than a 2 door sedan, and all off that is virtually over the rear wheels, we decided to go with it. It ended up weighing 2,570 when finished, with Cal Tracs, a roll bar, and subframe connectors.

My other car is alsp kind of a sleeper... '72 Valiant 4-door, Vortech supercharged 360- Magnum/904: 4.10-geared 8.75" Sure Grip.... low 11s on 9" Hoosiers...

It's fun on the street, too... lol!
Hers's a pic or two......

Yeah, it was dark when I did the wiring... :(

I keep seeing this picture in my mind of some big block bowtie youngster returning home dejected, - knowing that he'd just been spanked by a guy in his seventies driving a slant 6 four door. - Priceless! ](*,)

:toothy8::thumbrig:
 
I keep seeing this picture in my mind of some big block bowtie youngster returning home dejected, - knowing that he'd just been spanked by a guy in his seventies driving a slant 6 four door. - Priceless! ](*,)

:toothy8::thumbrig:

The horror :wav:
 
I keep seeing this picture in my mind of some big block bowtie youngster returning home Thanks for your suppport!dejected, - knowing that he'd just been spanked by a guy in his seventies driving a slant 6 four door. - Priceless! ](*,)

:toothy8::thumbrig:

Stranger things have happened...:blob:

BUT, we have yet to make a timed run down a legitimate drag strip in this thing...

Talk's cheap! We need to DO it and then talk about it...

The good weather is here; it won't be long, now... Thanks for your support!

Bill
 
-
Back
Top