Ran my 74 Dart!

-
INVUJerry

INVUJerry

Active Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
Hey guys, just got my 74 dart last week, and decided to give it a run this week. It's a 74 Dart Special Edition, it's got most options, AC, PS, Auto, 318 with the 2 barrel carb. The only mods to this car are a hacked up cherry bomb dual exhaust, a K&N drop in filter, a set of 205/70/14 rear tires, and the previous owner thought there might have been a set of gears in it. The speedo isn't working, so I can't verify it right now.

Anyway, to the track. I raced at Capitol Raceway in Crofton, MD. Everyone was complaining most of the night that they were running a few tenths slower than they usually ran.

I teched in, and the guy asked what I thought I would run. I wrote down 17.0 with no hesitation, I read around on the boards and just thought it would be that slow. I really surprised myself. I only hit a 17 when I screwed up my launch and spun, catching a 2.6 60'. For all the runs, I just left it in drive and let the car do it's thing. It was shifting into 3rd around the 1000' mark or so.

Anyway, here's a breakdown of my runs:
1st run:
60': 2.286
330': 6.798
1/8: 10.698
1/8 MPH: 63.19
1000': 14.045
1/4: 16.881
1/4 MPH: 79.90

2nd run: Car had a small stutter at the top of 2nd gear. I'm assuming a spark issue.
60': 2.291
330': 6.836
1/8: 10.744
1/8 MPH: 63.14
1000': 14.087
1/4: 16.923
1/4 MPH: 79.81

3rd run: Tried launching a little too hard, didn't let the car hook up first.
60': 2.612
330': 7.182
1/8: 11.049
1/8 MPH: 63.68
1000': 14.372
1/4: 17.190
1/4 MPH: 80.46

4th run:
60': 2.308
330': 6.840
1/8: 10.721
1/8 MPH: 63.52
1000': 14.053
1/4: 16.882
1/4 MPH: 80.06

5th run: Called my buddy that I bought it from to let him know I was running. He told me the gas foot pedal was blocking the pedal from the floor, and to take it off. Definately helped me.
60': 2.269
330': 6.750
1/8: 10.575
1/8 MPH: 64.27
1000': 13.875
1/4: 16.681
1/4 MPH: 80.70

6th Run:
60': 2.275
330': 6.776
1/8: 10.645
1/8 MPH: 63.62
1000': 13.969
1/4: 16.785
1/4 MPH: 80.50

All in all I had a great time. Car was doing the weirdest thing durning the burnout box. It was a one tire fire while in the box, but when I'd let off the brake and drag it out, the other tire would spin up too. It's really weird.

Sorry for the long winded ness.
 
Not bad at all for a stock 318 2 bbl with all them power robing acesorys on it.

Bet you still had a lot of fun.
 
You are now hooked. Great numbers for a true stock setup. As far as the one wheel peel. That could be a simple adjustment of the star nut on the drum backing plate or it simple needs a gear oil change in the rear end. Great job!!
 
When I was living in NJ. I had a 74 Duster with a stock 318 & 904, a/c,p/s, & 2.76 gears & was running identical times, I recurved the dist. & added a flowmaster muffler to the single exhaust & was running 16.20s @ 84 mph.
 
Thanks everyone for the comments. I still really had a lot of fun.

Jim, I really thought it was gonna go 17.0's@slow.

DrJay, I've been hooked on drag racing for a while. Jim (74 Demon) is the person I bought the dart from. We've known each other for a while, and he's seen my neon that I've built up. It went a best of [email protected] all motor last year, this year the clutch has been slipping so I haven't really had a chance to get it out. I just put a fresh transmission with a limited slip and a strong clutch into it. I'm hoping for 14.70's on the motor, and 13.90's on a 65 shot of nitrous. There's no posi out back, it's just stock with a set of 2.76 gears (verified by tach and speed). 2000 RPM' around 55MPH with 205/70/14 tires.

Hypermite, I really want to do mods to it, but I don't think I'm going to be doing much with it for a while. I really need to get my 98 neon back on the road. It's the fastest car I have, and the one that gets the best gas mileage (32MPG), and it's my favorite car to drive, although the dart is a close #2. Besides, I really have no idea how to do a spark recurve to it, although I'm sure I will find out.

By the way, I just put a tach in the car this past weekend. It's been shifting at 4K, really low from what I've read. I want to shift it higher, but it starts sputtering a little past 4500.
 
Great time from a stock 318 ! The stumble could be fuel spark or could be the valve springs giving up. A stock teen wont wont to rev to high anyways. If you plan on some mods start with ignition and exhaust.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top