HEMI-Powered wrote:
> Bryan added these comments in the current discussion du jour ...
>
> >> I'm scratching my head as to when the 383 went
> >> > into the A-Body cars like the Dart, may have been 1968.
> >>
> >> IIRC it was '68 for the 383 and non-factory 440s (Mr. Norm, I
> >> think). The factory did 440s for '69 based on Mr. Norm's
> >> installations.
> >
> > The 383's debut in the A-body was 1967. I recall seeing a '67
> > 383-S (fastback) running low 12s in Heavy bracket (12.00 -
> > 13.99 at the time) in Seattle. When I asked the owner why he
> > didn't push it a bit harder to run 11s, he stated that he
> > would have to put a roll bar in it, and didn't want to go that
> > far with such a rare piece. I've also seen a Dart version.
> > IIRC, the 440 was a dealer-install option (M-code) for '69
> > A-bodies. Bryan
> >
> Bryan, if you say it is true, I believe you. I guess I need to
> dig deeper and probably eat some crow, but so far, I cannot
> verify that a 383 was available in 1967 with the usual reference
> books.
I didn't look at the VIN but I had no reason to believe he was pulling my
leg. It had all the correct trim for a '67 Barracuda.
> And, I can hardly dispute the numbers you quoted for that bracket
> racer, but it must've had one helluva lot of mods! A production
> 383 was barely quicker no matter what gears than a 340, and often
> lost anyway due to its weight and front-to-rear distribution
> disadvantage.
Yeah. It had headers, aluminum intake, probably 4.??:1 gearing, etc. It
was an automatic. By the way, the owner/driver was wheelchair bound, so
the
car was set up with hand controls. And yes, he often went rounds (more
than
me, usually).
> Now, when we watch American Muscle Car, we see feats of drag
> racing, street racing, billowing clouds of tire smoke and all the
> dramatic crap out of cars I KNOW could not do that, because I
> drove many/most of them.
I tell people that no matter how hard I try, my hotrod *won't* spin the
rear
tires... every time I try, it just lifts the front wheels! <G>
> And, for production cars, not mods, I
> have 2, maybe 3, books that reprinted the original road tests of
> the day and a 340 or 383 A-Body was a long, long way from 12.00.
> Hell, even the Hemi drag cars of the day were often running only
> high 11's.
I b'lieve you... something like mid 14s for a bone-stock A-body w/ hipo LA
or B-Body w/ hi-po B/RB. My machinist used to own one of the Hemi Darts
--
he said their biggest issue was hooking up (due to the tire compounds of
the
day).
> Now before you flame me, as I know you know, MUCH
> depends on weather and track conditions, not just raw hp, torque,
> gearing and driver skill. Besides, in drag racing, it matters not
> what your ET or trap speed is, only that you got there before the
> other guy.
Aw, I wouldn't flame you! Once in the early 80s, while I was in
Albuquerque
for my company, I visited Roadrunner Dragway to watch some bracket racing.
A guy had a *very* healthy sounding & looking '70 Duster 340. The guy was
running mid 11s. When I asked him, he said he had in his 5.56:1 gearing
in
his Dana 60. Confused, I asked him why he was running only mid 11s with
that much gearing. He said, "We're at 5000 feet elevation... ya gotta
spin
the engine fast to make *any* power!" :-O
> Thanks for the info, I'll dig deeper.
>
> --
> HP, aka Jerry
Bryan
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