440 ci in A body,will it ever handle.....

[cudaboy 67]

Along with torsion bars, shocks, and sway bar, don't forget the basics:

You checked the play in the ball joints and rubber bushings? Don't forget tires. I've gone from and to great to terrible, just by changing tires

1.18 torsion bars,hellwig sway bar,energy suspension bushes in upper A arm,monroe <pooo> soon to be qa1 shocks.

 

[abodyjoe]

realistically will it ever handle reasonably?

the old heads all will tell ya it will never handle. but it will handle fine with big torsion bars, good rear springs, good shocks and front and rear sway bars. if ya go alum heads, intake and water pump and housing it will just get better. a 17 or 18" rim and tire will be a huge improvement over any 14 or 15" rim/tire combo also.

 

[cudaboy 67]

since posting ive dumping the "pain in the ***" 4 speed for 727 {the 75lb lighter inc the flywheel/bellhousing and clutch?} also having fiberglass hood and fenders made, hood gotta be 5o lbs? the going auto wasnt a weight issue just fact mine f@@@t

 

[ne57]

This is what I wrote in this post: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=94024

I've driven a crappy handling 440 Dart, but it was slammed on the ground, /6 torsions, no sway bar, and 90/10 shocks. I've driven poor handling small block B-bodies, and decent handling 440 B-bodies. If weight's your concern, A-bodies can weigh more than some big block B-bodies. We're only talking about 100 pounds from BB to SB, and there's a lot that can weigh much more than that. Considering you can use aluminum parts on a BB, I don't think there's much to worry about. Here are some numbers:

Part....................Weight savings
aluminum heads..........58#
intake..................25#
water pump & housing....15#
headers.................25#
mini starter.............7#
Total savings:.........130#

Manual steering is 37# lighter than power, and a 727 is 75# lighter than an A-833, and who knows how much A/C weighs. Small blocks weigh the same as a slant 6, and the B motors are 95# more than that, so a manual slant 6 or small block with power steering and A/C (guess 60# for that) can weigh 200# more than a 383 or 528 A/T. Relocate the battery, and that's a 50# shift from front to back, so that small block could weigh 300# more up front than your /6 or small block pig.

Here are some real numbers from one of my cars:

'64 GT Dart, 273/904, manual steering and brakes with AC and about 1/3 tank of gas.
Without me
FL:932 FR:960
RL:698 RR:672

1892 front / 1370 rear
3262 total
58% front 42% rear

If I swapped in a big block, with the lighter parts, ditched the A/C, and moved the battery, I end up with this:

1747 front / 1420 rear
3167 total
55% front 45% rear

Less weight, and better front to rear weight ratio.

More reviving old thread. This place is a wealth of info but sometimes ya gotta dig deep. anyway...somebody check me on this please.

My 66 dart with /6 and iron manual trans weighs according to title, 2795 lbs. I'll be swapping in, err cramming, a 392 hemi and 727. So new weight could be like 2938 lbs, before accounting to the 8 3/4 swap, subframe connectors etc. ballpark anyway.

A stock 392 weighs 745 lbs depending on whose chart you use. With some alum parts and other stuff I figure I can reduce the engine weight to 663 lbs theoretical. A RB is supposed to weigh about 670 lbs.
The 383 abody torsion bars have a rate of 130# or so i read.

Could I reasonably expect the 383 bars, .890", to give me enough front end support for a street driven car?
I keep reading suggestions to go one inch or more, but that's mostly in a
G-machine context. I also read to beware of going too stiff, less the front end bounces around like crazy. I'm not building a slot car but I do want safe handing and a not too harsh ride.

I don't know if I figured all the math right but anyone's thoughts are appreciated. Thanks

 

[yellowdartdave]

Just remember to balance the front sway bar with 1 on the rear.
That alone will take a large amount of understeer (push) out of the front end.

Just ask any cop.

 

[Relax360]

my 67 cuda is almost finished. It's a 440 with aluminum heads, intake, and water pump also headers. I am using an Alterkation sub-frame and moved the battery to the trunk. We will be putting the car on the scales soon so I will show you guys the results. But the front end is lighter then a small block car would be.

 

[72BBSwinger]

This thread is a goodun! My 72 Dart has a 400/451 auto with glass hood and valance but cast iron heads. Its been a straight line car with no swaybar,.890 bars and 90/10s on the front to this point. I'm ready to start gearing it towards a more "do it all" car now so these are all things I've been checkin out myself. I've already done 73+ discs and have been lookin at swaybars and shocks next. Rearend has green bearings and its been said before they can't handle much side load from corners is this fact? Also anyone know the weight difference between B and RB? IIRC its like 40 or 60# thanks...

 

[Jim Lusk]

The Green bearings can't handle the same side loads that the tapered rollers will, but I haven't heard of an issue. I certainly wouldn't use them in a road course or autocross application, but a good street handler is probably ok. With that said, though, all of my cars have tapered rollers.