Making my race car slightly less of a race car

[340dartley]

I have a 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 that has been a race car for almost all of its life. I enjoy bracket racing it and it runs pretty well with old school technology. Runs consistent 12.0 to 12.1 with a best et of 11.89 years ago.

My local track seems to have more events set up for street legal cars than bracket cars any more. I was thinking of re registering it for the street and maybe cruise on the road occasionally.

The car is fairly light and comes in at 2950 lbs. I would like to add a few things but don’t want to gain too much weight. Carpet , passenger seat, maybe back seat if someone wants to squeeze past the roll bar. Speedometer Gaige cluster and wiring up the running lights. Currently has plastic drivers seat with cover on it. No other seats.
Secondly I would like to go with smaller rear tires or drag radials. Currently it has 30x 13.5 drag slicks. Was thinking 28x 11 size would be better Rear axle is shortened not sure of the total width.

I don’t want to slow the car down just make it nicer. Not making it a daily driver just street driven race car.

Any advice or ideas.

 

[rumblefish360]

Well, in order to make it street legal, weight will be added. Do you have any fiberglass on the car? As a way to offset the added weight of wiring, lights, carpet and seat(s)?

Do you have (need) windshield wipers (working)?

 

[340dartley]

No fiberglass currently. It doesn’t have wipers but doesn’t rain here very much either

 

[rumblefish360]

Well I figure, wipers may be that “Legal” item to make it street legal, actual or not.
At least the benefit of the fiberglass is that the weight of the car’s balance will change in your favor for drag racing. ;)

 

[Chained_360]

I think rumblefish is right on the money. You could easily offset the weight of required equipment by getting some fiberglass panels. It may already be done, but lexan windows will save a lot of weight too.

 

[rumblefish360]

Thanks chained. At the moment, I don’t know what else to suggest. He did say it is his bracket car and so figured (& assume) the basics like battery relocation, small roll cage?, etc... are done in addition to what he has mentioned. Also not knowing the exact level of the rules “street” are going to be for his track can lead to more or less items.... er... weight... LOL!

The fiberglass idea isn’t cheap though. Sure a panel may not cost much compared to a finished product, so, that could lead to sand and paint costs.

There is also the more under the hood power option.... I’d take weight reduction before a more power option. Though it is probably more expensive.

I myself hope to start my weight reduction endeavors this spring.
(Ugly *** ‘71 Duster)

 

[340dartley]

It has lexan quarter glass but everything else is Stock glass.

 

[rumblefish360]

@340dartley

Got a picture or two???

 

[340dartley]

The street classes I wanted to enter basically require a license plate. Slicks are allowed but if it spends any real time on the street a dot slick or drag radial may be better. I will check to see if wipers are required.

 

[340dartley]

Here you go

 

[ScampMike]

Here to be street legal you have to pass safety inspection - all lights (blinkers, brakes, high beam/low beam, reverse, etc.) must work, wipers AND windshield washer must work, horn must work, E-brake must work, seat belts (at least equal to OEM) must be in place for all seats and must work, suspension must be in good working order - the big one here that they check is ball joints. And of course tires have to be DOT and have correct level of tread. Get a copy of your states requirements for inspection and follow them - if they're anything like they are out here (Mass.) - they tend to be a bit tougher on older cars.
Mine is an ex-bracket car that I have reconfigured to a street machine - - first thing- I calmed it down a little - took off the 950, the Victor intake, the nitrous system and changed the cam. Then took the race seats out and put in some comfortable buckets and added a newer set of belts (harness system really). Installed an after market wiper kit and washer bottle. Then went through the wiring to get the lights working, as well as added a reverse light switch to the shifter. I installed a Lokar e-brake system.. and then after all that I found out that I had to have a FULL exhaust system (as in exits out the back) because these cars were never offered with side exit exhaust (yea, the guy was being a bit of a dick about it). So putting a race car back to street duty can be challenging and a little expensive but it is SO worth it!!

 

[rumblefish360]

Nice car! Looks great. I hate to say this because I can’t remember the screen name, but I’m sure someone will remind me here....

A fella here makes aluminum light weight bumper brackets for use with fiberglass bumpers. The whole box with the front brackets showed up under 2 lbs. the brackets were super light.

Poke around, do a search.

 

[justinp61]

A lot of weight can be lost with a fiberglass hood and front bumper. The factory fenders aren't very heavy, so not much to be had there with fiberglass. I lightened up my factory bumper brackets a bunch too with a cut off wheel and drill bits.

 

[340dartley]

Thanks. We have no state inspections here in California. Running lights and brake lights will be a must. Wipers I think are optional. I will also have to add mufflers but can make them removable. Currently it has a 4 point harness that needs recirtification but not required till car runs quicker than 11.49. Fiberglass hood would be nice but would like to keep the factory powere bulge as it is an original swinger. Also eventually would like to alter the rear wheel openings to make it closer to stock looking. Maybe similar to hemi dart openings

 

[cpearce]

Thanks. We have no state inspections here in California. Running lights and brake lights will be a must. Wipers I think are optional. I will also have to add mufflers but can make them removable. Currently it has a 4 point harness that needs recirtification but not required till car runs quicker than 11.49. Fiberglass hood would be nice but would like to keep the factory powere bulge as it is an original swinger. Also eventually would like to alter the rear wheel openings to make it closer to stock looking. Maybe similar to hemi dart openings

AAR/Stinger Fiberglass makes a beautiful Swinger style power bulge hood in street weight bolt on form. I have one, very well made great fitting piece. Your original hood inserts bolt right in.

 

[Marcohotrod]

do what you need to do to make it "street" , and those slicks are huge for a low 12 second car. you will gain around 100 pounds=1 tenth of a second slower. a 11" X 28" will be lighter rotating weight=1 tenth quicker. my Duster weighs 3040 with 340, A833 iron 4 speed, steel bellhousing, 8.75 rear, aluminum intake, 2.5" mufflers, 2 stock bucket seats, carpet, roll bar, horn, all lights work, stock glass and sheetmetal and bumpers, small battery, manual drum brakes, manual steering , street driven - sometimes to the track - 100 miles each way. 11.7 at 115

 

[318willrun]

I remember when you got it and you were trying to get it going
Anyways, smaller tires should make it faster, and there is a nice selection of DOT drag radials out there. Exhaust is pretty good too, so you really don't have to slow up to put exhaust on it. Looks like it wouldn't take much to get it on the street.
By the way, I love old school drag cars.....

 

[340dartley]

I remember when you got it and you were trying to get it going
Anyways, smaller tires should make it faster, and there is a nice selection of DOT drag radials out there. Exhaust is pretty good too, so you really don't have to slow up to put exhaust on it. Looks like it wouldn't take much to get it on the street.
By the way, I love old school drag cars.....

Thanks. I have been running it when I can. I have lots of plans and low budget. Some day I want to freshen the motor up. I was pretty happy when I took and weighed it a few months ago. Potential for a lot more performance is there.

 

[340dartley]

do what you need to do to make it "street" , and those slicks are huge for a low 12 second car. you will gain around 100 pounds=1 tenth of a second slower. a 11" X 28" will be lighter rotating weight=1 tenth quicker. my Duster weighs 3040 with 340, A833 iron 4 speed, steel bellhousing, 8.75 rear, aluminum intake, 2.5" mufflers, 2 stock bucket seats, carpet, roll bar, horn, all lights work, stock glass and sheetmetal and bumpers, small battery, manual drum brakes, manual steering , street driven - sometimes to the track - 100 miles each way. 11.7 at 115

Yeah One reason I want smaller tires besides the performance and weight advantages is I feel the car should be mid 10s or quicker with a tire that size.

 

[j par]

I know I got a thread here somewhere reconfiguring my duster this year. I've already cut the roll bar out to save some weight and make one heck of a lot of convenience, but I'm putting a lot of weight into the car. I'll get started back on it here in another week or so. I think that was total reconfiguration or something like that.

 

[318willrun]

I know I got a thread here somewhere reconfiguring my duster this year. I've already cut the roll bar out to save some weight and make one heck of a lot of convenience, but I'm putting a lot of weight into the car. I'll get started back on it here in another week or so. I think that was total reconfiguration or something like that.

J par vs 340dartley will be the next thread in the "Old Skool Drag Car returned to street shootout"

 

[yellow rose]

J par vs 340dartley will be the next thread in the "Old Skool Drag Car returned to street shootout"

He couldn't even find his way to the swap meet last Sunday. I told him to text me when he got there. I was first in line. He could have blown right in.

If we could find a 4th car we could do a 4 wide deal.

 

[j par]

He couldn't even find his way to the swap meet last Sunday. I told him to text me when he got there. I was first in line. He could have blown right in.

If we could find a 4th car we could do a 4 wide deal.

He was trying to get me to cheat!

 

[340dartley]

What is everyone’s opinion on drag radials vs bias ply?

 

[318willrun]

What is everyone’s opinion on drag radials vs bias ply?

I've ran D.O.T drag radials, and I loved 'em. Handled nice at any speed, rode nice. I used to like the BF Goodrich Comp T/A Drag Radial, not sure if it's even made anymore. Haven't had to shop for drag radials in a while.