I Have a situation
I have a 66 Valiant ragtop. My goal is to run in the 14's.
I have a 360 (.040 over)
Dr Dif 3.55 sure grip
Eddy intake
Eddy 1405 carb (600cfm)
Bullet cam
Engine built by Carolina Machine Engines
Engine is supposed to produce 365 HP
with headers and a 750 (cfm carb)
I have stock 273 manifolds
Running Cooper 235-60-14 tires.
Best ET so far is 16.3
Any suggestions on how to get this car in the 14 sec
range will be greatly appreciated.
We'll start with the "supposed to produce 365 HP" first. Was the test engine the exact same build as yours, or did they use yours as the "supposed to" engine?
No disrespect, it's a selling point, and a good one, read any disclaimer it may have and get a good laugh like I did-no way was my little 318 gonna put out 417 HP and I knew that before it ever got on the ground for a rebuild.
OK, that being said, we can start back where you have Carolina Machine Engines as the builder. Can you get your hands on the original spec sheet? It will tell you a lot of things done, and yet to be done.
Did they dyno it when it was done, at the crank or at the ground?
Bullet cam? Seems a little short of lift/duration/etc. The 273 manifolds (exhaust I'm guessing, and why?) would have to go, as would the 600 cfm, and the heads. If you want to keep from spending a few dollars more you could keep the Edelbrock intake, and match a set of heads from Edelbrock up with it, and actually get a 750 cfm to sit on top. A decent good set of hedders from Hedman, and a good cam-maybe one across the counter or a ClaySmith custom or some of the other grinds, and the difference felt would be immediate. (remember, the bigger the cam the more you might need more vacuum for your brakes if you have power brakes.)
If you mentioned it I didn't catch it, but the ignition system is...stock? Or a good aftermarket? I've known a coil to rob someone of at least better running, better response time. Some ignition/distributors mimic stock applications with some flashy color schemes, others are for real better and don't have the flashy-and thats how I have seen them picked out, and the dollar value.)
The rear end sounds solid, gives you room to go a different direction with gear ratio's, have you checked to see if maybe a brake was hanging a little? Had to ask.
I'm a little confused with it as it sits. Stock should of gotten you a better trip time.
Why not shoot for the 12's? If ya make 13.9, 13.5, 13.1 and your happier than you'd be with 14.5, then thats a win.
Work in progress is satisfied with what it is now, and what it will be when you get there, cheap ain't good and good ain't cheap, and it's always a work in progress, because there is always a next level, and you get to keep the parts from "what it was".....life is grand when you own a Mopar.....still seems it should pull better than it is as is...Luck, and a few dollars more.
