Need advise on getting power to the ground

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TheDemonator

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I have an opportunity to pick up an engine from a 360 class sprint car.

It is a tricked out MOPAR 358ci, alky burner... 730 +/- HP.
I already have access to a Jerico 5-speed that will handle that much power... it came from a NASCAR team.

I am trying to figure out how to get the car to hook up on the street if I go ahead and do this.

I am thinking that the leaf springs are out, and some sort of trick 4-link coil over set up would need to go in.

I am also thinking that unless I hardly ever intend to drive the car, that I will need to "de-tune" it to burn gasoline.

The intention is to drop it into another Demon.

Thanks in advance for any advise!
 
Having pitted on sprint cars for several years, but not lately, I can tell you this about them. They "idle" around 1700 to 2000 make power at 5500 to 8500 and drink alchohol by the 55 gal drum. Work really well in a 1200 lbs sprinter at WOT but how they would do in a 3000 lbs street car would be somewhat questionable. If you can get the motor for the right price and reduce the compression enough to run gas it would be pretty sweet but could be a lot of hassle. When we ran we changed filter every night, oil (12 qts) every 2 nights, ran the valves every night, new bearings every 10-12 nights. We also always ran our motor a little "fat" on the fuel as we were pretty low budget and couldn't afford a breakage.

just my .02
 
A four link with good double adjustable shocks and huge sticky tires is your only hope to ever hook that up on the street.
 
What is the ratio? And head gasket thickness used with it? A thicker gasket is my first thought, though, I have no idea how these things are put togther.
Possible cam size reduction for some streetabilty.
 
unless you change the compression ratio and the cam I don't know how you would drive it.all the alcohol motors we had were around 15to1 motors.and the cams were 700 or bigger with a power band from 3500 to 8500. and idle at 12to1500.I always wanted to put a good 4or5 speed behind one and try it in a drag car...but not on the street.good luck it will be interesting to here the results.
 
Do you mean like you have plans of street racing it? Or do you mean this like you actually plan on this being a driver? If you are going with the first option I assume this is a prepped street you are playing on, cuz there's no way you are going to hook that on unprepped streets. Obviously a fancy 4 link would work, but for me anyway that's too pricey and a hassle. You could look into something like Calvert's mono leafs and Caltrac's, also if you wana hook it on an actual street I'd suggest you pick up a good supply of Pimp Juice (www.pimpjuice.com) the **** works and if it can be hooked on the street, this stuff will do it. Honestly I see no reason for wanting it to hook on the street unless you plan on street racing it, it's not like it's a very practical street car motor
 
that motor will be a dog on the street...youll have take soo much out of it to run properly ...youll prollly be better off...with a scratch motor..
unless you get it for a super cheap price..
cheapst.
 
There is all kind of speculation in this thread but one thing I do know is that engine will never be a dog. It may not make good power in street parameters but a dog it will never be. If you feed it and keep it up it will be one hot small block. Just not what most people would consider a street engine and therein lies the problem. Most people aren't willing, or at least they think you aren't willing to put the effort into what it takes to make that engine perform and live in a street environment.

Screw them, this is the very reason why you don't see hot Mopar small blocks on the street, everyone is afraid to go for it, while the brand x guys are building and driving what you Mopar guys won't.
 
Guitar Jones said:
There is all kind of speculation in this thread but one thing I do know is that engine will never be a dog. It may not make good power in street parameters but a dog it will never be. If you feed it and keep it up it will be one hot small block. Just not what most people would consider a street engine and therein lies the problem. Most people aren't willing, or at least they think you aren't willing to put the effort into what it takes to make that engine perform and live in a street environment.

Screw them, this is the very reason why you don't see hot Mopar small blocks on the street, everyone is afraid to go for it, while the brand x guys are building and driving what you Mopar guys won't.
Click to expand...

True words of wisdom!!
 
Id run it and do what it takes to run on the streets, of course id wouldnt use it as a grocery getter and a every day driver but for weekend cruising or what not GOR FOR IT, i ran my 340 alcohol motor out of my L/M dirt car and put a 32gal cell and ran it all the time on alcohol but that was when a barrel was 60$ for a 55gal.drum, just keep a maintanance plan on the motor. Is this a injected or carberated motor? if carb. switch to E-85.
 
not sure you are fully grasping the internals of that engine...
it will be a pig...unless you put 5.13 gear and switch to a stick shift.
that engine is designed for a Target rpm range..ie short power curve..
its not gonna pull down low at all...
that motor is designed to run in one gear and you floor it ..then lift ..floor it then lift..never going under 5-6 grand rpm..
your idea of a radical race motor on the street..isnt relavent to this motor in its "as is condition..."
unless you like hick-uping ..and.. stalling below 5k rpm......like when you are pulling away from a traffic light..!

driving a powerful car/radical engine on the street has little to do with this...

fwiw..my car is street legal..I.drove the boy to football practice in it theother day...slicks and all....
cheapst

wheels%20upsmaller.jpg
 
I know where cheapest is coming from.

That motor has to stay within a certain rpm window,5500,to 8500
rpms to run hard.
Under that,it will buck back an forth like a wild bronco,then
pull forward like a nasty 2 stroke on band.

Im all in for it,you know how it goes.
Whats classed as streetable for one person,might not be
for another.
 
I know of a car in my area that has a 400 inch Chevy full on Sprint Car motor with the dry sump and mechanical piss and dribble injection. Like Guitar says, its no dog! It has a loose converter and 5.67 gears. Its streetable in my eyes and it gets driven out on the street. It makes 800 hp at 9k but down low it makes say 400 at 4k more than a lot of our so called street motors. It lays rubber on command and is an absolute animal! Practical? Not really. Everyones idea of streetability is different. I say try it and you'll be a hero, also its not hard to convert a alcohol motor to gas, you just have to run good gas.
 
turbodart68 said:
I know of a car in my area that has a 400 inch Chevy full on Sprint Car motor with the dry sump and mechanical piss and dribble injection. Like Guitar says, its no dog! It has a loose converter and 5.67 gears. Its streetable in my eyes and it gets driven out on the street. It makes 800 hp at 9k but down low it makes say 400 at 4k more than a lot of our so called street motors. It lays rubber on command and is an absolute animal! Practical? Not really. Everyones idea of streetability is different. I say try it and you'll be a hero, also its not hard to convert a alcohol motor to gas, you just have to run good gas.
Click to expand...

More words of wisdom!!
 
In terms of technology, the engine might be a bit past anything I'd want for the street. But as you say, you will be de-tuning it. Alcohol needs more static compression and my guess is it has gas ported pistons which may make things hard. What head package is on it? What oiling system? What water pump and cooling system? It might be easiest to just replace the pistons, roller cam, and springs if it's a wet sump and doesnt use the block and head coolant lines. That would make it more fun and more reliable on the street. I think it would be a cool thing to have. But there are some real reasons why you dont want to drive it as built on the street: Valve spring breakage, top end oiling issues, oil pan fitment, clutch setup, header type, hood clearance, extra coolant plumbing, etc.
 
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