Rear set-up for Street/Strip

My kids (shop students) and I are finally started on our project Mopar. It has taken months to get a car etc. Have one now.

It is a 74 Dart Sport.

We are swapping out the rear and installing an 8 1/4".

I have some 5 leaf A/C Dart rear springs with good arch.

Here is my plan:

Ad one long leaf to the set

Poly bushings

Spring clamps if needed

Comp Engineering adjustable shocks

The car will see some DD use and probably 4-5 strip outings a year. At this point it is not a "G" machine. Just a straight line car.

It will likely get a 440. I should know fairly quickly on that.

Ideas? Links? Help.....?

We are starting on this within the next week. Sub-frame connectors next week and then the rear.

Thanks, ROB

Sounds like a plan. I would look into either buying or making a set of slapper bars as they will help at the track.

I always thought that those were kind of "a non-mopar item" because we use the pinion snubber?

ALthough I don't see why they would not work.

Thanks, I gotta run. ROB

Don't think that 8 1/4 will last long behind the torque of a 440 with any kind of traction,

If you plan on running even a mild 440 I would consider at least a 8 3/4 rear diff.(489 case). I also agree on a pinion snubber vs slapper bars. Mopar Perf. super stock springs are also a good investment.

It's funny that you guys would post that as I am reading a big discussion on Moparts about Dana's vs. 8 3/4" vs. 9" rears.

I don't plan on leaving the rear in there for much more than this summer. At this point I just want to get the car going.

No slicks and a largely though not entirely stock engine.

I am going to look some for an 8 3/4". I have a buddy that may have one or two.

Thanks for the posts, ROB

I've added leaves a few times. It works great. But if you are planning to straightline it, I would keep the whipped leaves, and add Cal Tacs. Remove the snubber. Adding big leaves will make the car handle better, but dirupt the way the factory leaves handle the load on acceleration. While SS springs would be nice, they are not really needed. You do need good poly bushings and good rear shackles. You do need good shocks, and if you keep the factory leaves you can use the snubber properly. That 8 1/4 will last about a day on the street, nevermind the track with a 440 pushing on it...lol.

I'm with Moper on this. The 8-3/4 will be fine for what your doing.

A day...........I thought there was more in there than that? I know they don't do well with the ole one wheel peel.

I'm talking to my pal here quickly and I will discuss the 8 3/4" scene with him.

Thanks for the advice.

ROB

The weak like of an 8 1/4" is the axles(27 spline) so high torque and good traction might snap one but with street tires (not DOT race tires) I do not see a problem with the axle thing. I have a '77 Cordoba with a 400 and it runs high 14's and is a heavy car and the stock 8 1/4" is doing fine. If course running an 8 3/4 would be better.


Chuck

I decided rightly or wrongly that I am going to run some Dart 4-door AC springs. They have an extra leaf or two from the factory.

One question:

1. What rear shocks would you use for a street/strip car? Truthfully it will spend almost its whole life going straight down the road. I already have C/E drag shocks for the front. Would you run the C/E rear shocks for drags?

Thanks, ROB

Found this is in the tech archive here for building your own version of caltracs. http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html
Or this traction set up. http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/3link.shtml
Widen the wheel wells http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/wells.shtml
Make and weld in some subframe connectors http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/connectors.shtml
Make your own big block k member http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/dck.shtml
Have you considered a B body 8 3/4? Cheap and will work in an A body. Several folks here did it to a Dart Sport. http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php/topic,16026.0.html

Shocks off of a 70's New Yorker are what several people I know used when Direct Connection stopped selling the long shocks. Long and cheap.

I've actually moved in there and am doing some of that stuff, such as the subframe connectors etc.

Thank you for the link.

ROB

i think you might try the long c-body shocks, they have good travel ,and dont bottom out. an old super stock trick

if u want to run some traction bars.i have a new set of competition engineering slide a link bars i need to sell.i have ran them 3 times. i'm going to coils and 4 link.