Right, although I appreciate that. I would never consider building one for going fast.
318 - Best Bracket Engine ..... IMO
- Thread starter 318willrun
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I bet you didn't know they are the lightest of ALL the A bodies, did you?
If I can get Vixen to eventually run 14s, I'll be a happy camper. Just enough to put a smile on my face and not tear it all to hell.
Nope, back when they were available I was only interested in b-bodies, that was the mid 90s.
Past up some really cool cars
I like um to.
You gonna take it to Pacific? that's a nice track except for the yuppies that live around it.
How about Spokane? That's going to be a real nice track again after the tribe gets done with it.
If I was gonna bracket race Vixen, I'd put a warmed over blueprinted 8.5:1 400 in her. With HP manifolds. I alMOST did it.
I hope to make the rounds, definitely want to try Spokane
Pacific is my old home track.
My goal is to be running a few times before the Mopar drags in June.
Hopefully get licensed before that race .
That's a driver too. But, at that point No box probably isn't paying, you are paying to play. A 900 dollar 318 going rounds will pay if the guy is good. I had a friend in the late 80's that wouldn't even do a typical "bracket race" because he lost too much money. He went where the bigger purses were. But stiffer competition were there too.
That's all I plan on doing, is staying poor
Always thought 5.2l magnum make a great race engine, Cam intake headers should give high 300 hp/400 hp. It's an engine most don't want, buy a few and race the **** out of them you got spares. If want a little more out of it pocket port and do some milling.
I couldn't agree more. And actually how much faster/quicker is a 340/360 when racing stock blocks no matter how much money and parts you throw at it?
Plus if you look at the 400 hp recipe for each 318/340/360 there basically the same.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
I don't know about Mark. But a couple of slant six cars of note. When Dale Rose was alive, he would run his Plymouth Arrow both in the slant six class, and the "heads-up" 10.0 class (usually the only non-bigblock car). Will Burns 67 Barracuda has run low 9's (1/4), Several slant cars in the 10's.
Back when I was younger I had 4 bracket cars (one for each bracket)
65 Valiant 170 slant six for B-4..... would run low 16's
65 Valiant 273 V-8 for B-3... 12.8's
68 Merc Cougar 440 Mopar. B-2..... 10.80's
Front engine dragster 302 Chevy. B-1 ... 9.90's
All foot brake cars, and did well with all of them except the dragster
More recently, my 66 Cuda with a 170 slant has done well before I sold it. would run high 12's-low 13's at 3200lbs, street legal except slicks and open exhaust.
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What was done to the 273 for 12's ?
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
Sorry my goof. Not 12.0's but 12.80's . Jahns .030 over 12.5 pistons, cam was about 520 lift and 280 adv dur. If I remember correctly, closed chamber heads, oversized valves, ported. Balanced, windage tray, Don't remember what intake, carb was a holley 750 DP. Mallory dual point dist. 8 inch fairbanks converter, 904 with manual VB, 5.13 SG 8 3/4. Weight about 2800 lbs
PS: I tried a set of 360 heads on that motor, and it did not improve things. I think the improvement of better breathing was offset by the lower compression.
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A56
Street Survivor
BVoelzke
Well-Known Member
318 is a great motor ! years ago I broke my 340 and I picked up a bone stock 70 318 we did a valve job , put in a 340 cam , a D4B intake , a Holley 650 and my headers and it went 13.90s with my 904 and 3.91 gears in my Dart. I put on a set of mostly stock 360 heads and it went 13.20s. I then swapped out the 10 inch converter for an 8 inch race converter and it went 12.60s. I should have never sold the motor. I have a 5.2 Magnum in my 92 D150 , the motor has never been out of the truck and with a few bolt ons it runs low 15s with a best of 14.98 , it goes rounds and has over 10 Eliminator Wins !
Again, a lot of fun talk about bracket racing. But is there a Mopar engine that makes more since in Sportsman or No Box classes than the 318? A lot of slant six talk but in no wise is the slant going to be more cost effective and have as much common parts readily available that it would make more sense than a 318. Remember, here a 7.99 1/8 mile is needed to enter No Box. Maybe the best argument would be the 5.9 magnum as it's not hard to get and an excellent bracket engine itself
Everyone I know that gets into racing enjoys G-force. From acceleration "Drag Racing" or side load from "oval or road coarse racing" off the turn. How much G-force do you like? The answer to that will determine the Horse power need to meet your goals.
Racing to me was all about excitement and the adrenaline rush. That first and money in hand second.
Everyone looks at it different. Some just like to compete. Bracket racing ? Consistency matters more . The fastest car doesn't always win. Heads up street racing there is no replacement for displacement.
I had tons of fun Hammering 318's installed in 340 4 speed cars . If it throws a rod when you miss a gear at RPMs you could just go to a yard and grab another complete engine on the cheap. Blow your 340 and the search for another one can be endless.
None of my Slant sixes ever held up to my abuse. Number 5 would always come out the side and take the starter out and usually the trans case or bell. But I have seen some engine builders get big power out of them. That takes some serious knowledge , Parts and money
Racing to me was all about excitement and the adrenaline rush. That first and money in hand second.
Everyone looks at it different. Some just like to compete. Bracket racing ? Consistency matters more . The fastest car doesn't always win. Heads up street racing there is no replacement for displacement.
I had tons of fun Hammering 318's installed in 340 4 speed cars . If it throws a rod when you miss a gear at RPMs you could just go to a yard and grab another complete engine on the cheap. Blow your 340 and the search for another one can be endless.
None of my Slant sixes ever held up to my abuse. Number 5 would always come out the side and take the starter out and usually the trans case or bell. But I have seen some engine builders get big power out of them. That takes some serious knowledge , Parts and money
In my world that’s a mild street engine.
A perfect example of why the definition of what something is called what it’s called depends on the guy claiming the definition.
Agreed, why a lot of debates on here are really people talking past each other cause of different meanings/perceptions.
Questions of relevance:
- Are you in it for the fun? And what defines fun?
- Are you in it for the money?
- Are you in it for the fun and money?
Would a guy rather set a PB and break out losing second round? Or win it all but have the car run all day a tenth off what it normally runs.
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