Help with analyzing my timeslips

[Ed]

Hi all. I have a 65 Plymouth Belvedere with a 440, 727 trans and Dana 60 with 4:88 gears and spool. 30x9" slick. I went to the Sep 2nd test and tune, and the best I could rip off was a 13.26 @ 105.188mph. No tire spin whatsoever. My 60' time was 2.157. The engine bogs really bad. It also seems as if it was over geared. On the first pass I let off at 1000' and it went 13.48 @ 88mph. The next pass resulted in the 13.26, held it thru 6,100 rpm ( ). Then the next immediate pass yielded a 13.42 @ 104.57 mph, letting off at 1,000' and getting back in it at about 1,200'. I guess I'm in need of a torque converter and higher gears; 4:56 or 4:11. Anyone experienced with Big Block Mopars. I read where you shouldn't rev it over 5,000 RPM. I'm used to small block Fords that rev to 7,000, so I wasn't sure about these Big Blocks. This engine runs outta steam at 5,500RPM. I'd hate to buy parts twice. Anyone have a good 440 recipe? I have about $1,000 to spare, and I think it would be well spent in a converter and gears.

Stock 440 with high compression, stock heads, a Mopar "purple" cam, torker intake and 850 cfm carb. I did not build the car, so I don't know what's inside. I'd like to rip a mid 12 sec pass. The tranny does not stall at all. I leave off idle. The converter does not flash and it rolls right thru the beams if I try to foot brake it.

Just looking for people's opinions. You ANRA racers are awesome. I'd like to launch like that Ranchero running around there, minus the trans brake. I'm going to buy the Competition Cams drag strip software and engine analyzer and see if that can help select parts. Any opinions appreciated. Thanks for looking! ;D

P.S. I can supply more timeslip intervals if anyone cares...

[jgruzen]

You very well could have a convertor problem...I'd like to suggest you contact Art Carr at California Performance Transmissions in Huntington Beach CA...

His phone number is 866 278-2277...He can probably give you some help over the phone, and make and build you a convertor that will work properly in your car..

Good luck....Joel

[Eric]

Hey Ed , I'm the owner of that Ranchero you mentioned . It took me about 4 years to make it launch like that with lots of trial and error and listening to some really good advice from some great car tuners . That set up you have should run in the 12's easily . My car wouldn't leave at all without a good converter . Joel is one of those guys you listen to and learn from , my car was turning high 1.50 sixty foot times footbreaking. That would be my first change - get it to leave and then work on the big end!

[Ed]

Thanks Eric. I was the one with the "Green" Falcon and tranny,.... remember? Anyways, your car leaves hard with that 347. What kind of stall do you run? My thought was to run as big a converter as possible that wouldn't slip between gear shifts.

Thanks for your advice too Joel! I'll give him a call soon. I have some computer software on the way to help me sort out this combo. I don't want to call yet, because I don't want to waste his time. I need to regear the car first cause I don't want to pop the motor on the big end. I was hoping to have it re-geared so I can make the next ANRA race. Once I can make a full 1/4 mile pass, then I wil call Art Carr to set up a converter and cam to launch that thing. I think the power is there. It was hotter than "fudge" on Sep 2nd. 104 or 105 if I remember right, but it still trapped 105 mph with bad gearing. I guess we'll see....

[Eric]

Hey Ed how's it going?, 488's don't sound too big with a 30" tall tire . I run 456's with a 28 X 10.5" tire(about the same effective gear ratio) and go out the door at about 6300 RPM at 116 mph . If you get that car to sixty foot in the 1.70's you'll pick up over a half a second probably more! Good advice is to make one major change at a time I'd start with the converter. My converter isn't that big -about 3500 rpm 10" and I leave at 3000 . If you're not planning on going to a monster cam you won't need a super loose converter- Who ever you get it from just give him all the details and they should set you up with a piece that'll work for you. I met the new owner of the green Falcon when i was at the Pomona Good Guys race - He said he'll bring it out and thrash on it sometime , I can't wait to see it go down the track !

[Ed]

Ya, Bruce is the new owner of that Falcon. He seemed like a great owner, ie: he's not going to ruin it! I really miss that car. On the bright side I am debt free now!!! I sold two houses and that car, and that free'd me up. It sure feels nice. That's why I was able to go racing again.

I agree with one change at a time. This is my first Big Block and I'm not experienced with them. The books I have and the previous owner said it shouldn't rev over 5,500 RPMs in stock form. It used to be tubbed with 33" tall tires. I do not care for the 80's Pro-Street look, so I made it look nostalgia with torq thrust wheels and swapped to a smaller 30" slick. It just ran outta steam between 5500 and 6000 RPMs. I guess the proper thing to do is figure out where it trapped with 33" tires and then see what gears would bring it to that RPM. I'm just worried about over-revving the motor.

116mph?.....getting good power outta that little FORD I see!

[Roy]

Ed;Eric's car is a slug,my 347 Comet runs 127mph.Just kidding about that farm truck.I would call Art Car or any reputable converter shop for advice.Just be honest with them so they can give a good ballpark answer.Or you could scrap that slushbox and put a 4-speed in that big Mopar!Roy

[Ed]

Looks like you guys were right. I got my software from Jegs and started plugging the numbers. Interestingly, changing from 4:88 to 4:56 did not yield any significant change. It went .006 slower in E.T. and picked up .5 MPH. Here comes the juicy part, changing from a 1,200 RPM stall to a 3,500 RPM stall dropped it 6 tenths of a second yielding a 12.67 ET. Looks like I will give Art Carr and the others a call and see what's available. I should be ready to go by the Nov ANRA meet. Hope to see you all there.