How much difference will it make?

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I kinda think I know the answer, but thinking I know usually bites me in the ***. When I set my suspension up initially I had never drag raced and did not have that in mind.
I have 1.03" torsion bars up front, 1-7/8" front sway bar, 7/8" rear sway bar and Bilstien RCD shocks. I have 002/003 Super Stock springs out back.
My drivetrain consists of a 318 with Summit K6901 cam, Performer 318/360 intake, 750 DP carb from QFT, Headers and full dual 2.5" exhaust. I run an A-500 OD auto with an 8-3/4" rear (4.10 sg).
The car is a 74 Duster, at least 3200 lbs with 275-60-15 Nitto NT555R drag radials. I tried the tires at 20 psi and at 18 psi and found no difference.
I spin off the line regardless how I launch it. I tried getting up on the converter against the foot brake as much as possible (maybe 2300), it tried 1500, I tried from idle and it always spins. 60' times from 2.2 to 2.3.
Where should I start? I am thinking shocks first. I know the rear A body length shocks are a problem with the SS springs. Do I need to ditch my sway bars and heavy torsion bars? I really like how it handles as is but out here In the prairies there are no canyon roads to speak of.
Thoughts?

Cley
View attachment 1715870296

I've got a pair of 69 273 Dart torsen bars. I'll swap you. Interested in your front and rear anti-sway bars also.
 
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Obviously, you are getting a lot of opinions, but I'll let you know what I do with my Dart that runs 9.90s in the 1/4.

I run SS springs (add a clamp to front segment, remove rear)
I run 4 degrees negative pinion angle
make sure your rear shocks are long enough to let the SS springs do their job
I run Clavert racing 9 way adjustable rear shocks
Cheap summit 90/10s up front.
No sway bars front or rear
275/60/15 MT Street SS (I've never had luck with Nittos)

At your power level you don't need super expensive double adjustable shocks. You don't need caltacs. Don't over think it and don't over spend.

Here is a picture of my car launching on a 9.94 pass last week in Florida at Sickweek when I was trying to go 10.00. Look at the driver's side leaf spring seperation. That's what you want!

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Thanks for telling us that, bad *** dart dude
 
Cley, be 4 the stroker my car ran mid 12s. With SS springs and long shocks it had more traction than I ever needed. Factory stock shocks and torsion bars. I never used a snubber even though I have 2. I now have Competition Engineering slide a links. Basically the same as a Caltrack. I have long race shocks if u need them. Kim. U can see in these pics how much suspension travel my car has.

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Kim, if that guy in the 71 charger wants to give it away make sure to tell him I'm 1st in line.
 
Kim, if that guy in the 71 charger wants to give it away make sure to tell him I'm 1st in line.
That won’t bee happening. 511 coming out 572 going in. It’s an awesome car. Kim

8C0F1530-7AAA-47E5-8690-550E5E08A51A.jpeg


BF63AC89-5C66-4AD5-9D9D-4B9A01CDEE3C.jpeg
 
I'm a parts vampire .
Building a track car .

I hate to put it that way. Maybe buzzard or vulture would be better. But whenever I see parts that I'm interested in that somebody may want to part ways with, I have to speak up. They don't make a lot of these parts anymore. Some of them they haven't made in a long, long time. And I'm finding they are difficult to locate. Like W2 mechanical rockers .
I'll be circling in the sky above .
 
Throwing parts at it, especially expensive shocks is the wrong approach with what you have and what you’re trying to do. If it were me...

1) Remove the rear clamps on the leafs
2) Unhook/remove the front sway bar
3) Run it
3a) Lose the Nittos and replace with MT or M&H drag radials

MANY a mopar has hooked and went fast with SS springs and the basic of shocks. I also think that at your power level, loose (90/10) shocks and slant 6 t bars will do wonders.
 
I kinda think I know the answer, but thinking I know usually bites me in the ***. When I set my suspension up initially I had never drag raced and did not have that in mind.
I have 1.03" torsion bars up front, 1-7/8" front sway bar, 7/8" rear sway bar and Bilstien RCD shocks. I have 002/003 Super Stock springs out back.
My drivetrain consists of a 318 with Summit K6901 cam, Performer 318/360 intake, 750 DP carb from QFT, Headers and full dual 2.5" exhaust. I run an A-500 OD auto with an 8-3/4" rear (4.10 sg).
The car is a 74 Duster, at least 3200 lbs with 275-60-15 Nitto NT555R drag radials. I tried the tires at 20 psi and at 18 psi and found no difference.
I spin off the line regardless how I launch it. I tried getting up on the converter against the foot brake as much as possible (maybe 2300), it tried 1500, I tried from idle and it always spins. 60' times from 2.2 to 2.3.
Where should I start? I am thinking shocks first. I know the rear A body length shocks are a problem with the SS springs. Do I need to ditch my sway bars and heavy torsion bars? I really like how it handles as is but out here In the prairies there are no canyon roads to speak of.
Thoughts?

Cley
View attachment 1715870296
Do you have a pinion snubber? What is the Stall on your converter?
 
Ok so here's my set up back in the day, street/strip Cuda. 300hp@the track motor., max rpm 6000. 484/284 MP hyd. Stock 340 springs clamped@front, 727 with super holeshot verter. MP shocks with 2" extensions, stock front shocks, snubber 1/4" from floor, stock T-bars, 3.55's/posi, no sway bars in sight. Full weight ran 13.2's@101. Car used to lift front way up on the street when on it some even with road tyres, drove great. Ran it with 8x26" slicks prior to 10x28's same times. Just for some info>

340 hit.jpg

Just one note I would say is to hook radials you need hp.
 
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You have a 69 that came with a 273 ?
Would not all the small blocks (stock) torsion bars be the same Dia., being they are like a spring that holds the car up from the ground. Using the 6 cyl. torsion bars on a small block, being lighter would transfer the weight of the car to the rear wheels quicker, as the small block torsion bars would do the same for the big blocks. I would only change them for drag racing only, as others have stated. Note: Be careful not to nick or scrape the bars upon replacing. They have been known to break if doing so. Someone mentioned adjusting the torsion bars down for racing, but I believe that will only drop the front end and not give you the transfer needed, being still a heavy bar. In my photo I have SS springs in a mostly stock 69 Dart and when I get the itch with the 4-speed hitting hard, there is no fighting the steering wheel, but just a solid straight line of travel. It all depends on the application that is wanted. One, does not fit all!!!!!
 
Just saying:
My car is a lot like yours (OP), and I have it set up for street.
My car also 60fts in the 2.2 to 2.4 range, a lot like yours.
But she goes 93 in the Eighth. Which I'm very happy with.
So I know that my ET could be lower, if I made a few changes, but am unwilling to give up it's awesome street manners, so, I forced myself to accept the slower ET.
Since I only ever tracked this combo the one time, I feel I made the right decision.
For me, just knowing there is a half-second or so, yet to be had right in the 60ft; is enough.
 
I read only pgs. 1 & 4 but what about the tires. Are they old and hard? I'd check that first.
 
I've found that they work good with the ss spring set up. Let it raise up on take-off. I'd do a couple of burn out's one like 5 seconds and one for 10 feel the tires with you hand. Sticky? Do a little testing on them.
 
Ok now that I'm up to speed on this thread.
This is what i would do with your car if it was mine and wanted to keep it mostly street with drag potential.
your not making enough power to have traction problem, in my opinion.
First: Get longer rear shock.......or prove that you have a "lot" of downward travel after your remove the bottom of the shock at ride height.
2nt: Disconnect front sway bar and safely move, out of the way of the suspension. because it has SS spring remove the rear or disable the rear sway bar as well. That It!
There has been plenty more good ideas suggested.

I feel this is all that you need, to get a good 60' time.

let us know how it works for you and what you decided to do.
 
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