What will my 68 Dart 408 run in 1/4 mile?

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68Dart500

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Just for fun I'd like to see what people think my 68 Dart will run in the 1/4 mile? Also this will be my first time running the car and setup. My only other drag race experience is with AWD twin turbo Stealths and 3000GT VR4's.

My setup:
1968 Dodge Dart
4 speed manual- 23 spline
408 Stroker (485 hp/511 tq)
MSD 6AL2
Aluminum radiator
28x12.5R15 Mickey Thompson ET Street SS on steel 15x10 rims
All steel body
Full interior
Quicktime bellhousing
Chromemoly driveshaft with 1350 joints
Driveshaft loop
Hydraulic Hydramax clutch with Centerforce Dual friction
8 3/4 with Moser axles, Auburn Pro LSD, Yukon 3.55 Gears, 489 case with crush sleeve eliminator
Xhd Mopar leaf springs
Kyb shocks
Stock 318 V8 torsion bars
3 inch exhaust with turn downs at axle
4 wheel drum brakes

So what do we think it'll run? :)

Also any suggestions for launch rpm? It's got a 2 step so I'll set it at the recommended rpm

It gets dyno tuned on the 20th of this month so i hope to be out at the track within a week or two of getting it tuned.
 
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You have an assload of clutch. And no way to tune it. Your shocks leave about everything to be desired. Not sure of MT nomenclature but that looks like a radial tire.

So your tires will hate an assload of clutch, untunable shocks and most likely a 9.45 overall first gear. That's if you have a 2.66 first gear box. If it's a 2.44 first you will have a 8.66 overall first gear which is powerglide and less first gear.

I'd skip the two step and slide the clutch like a mutha humpa at the starting line. The last thing you will want to do is beat the crap out of the tire.

You have enough HP to run low, low 11's if you can make the chassis happy.

Not bashing your stuff. It just looks to me like you've got a lot of parts that will hate each other, and really no way to tune it.
 
17ECD174-85BB-4299-A41A-6603D6BDCFBF.jpeg
I thought I read ST not SS.
I think this is the tire he has, it’s bias ply
Might hook after all
 
the gears are going to be the biggest problem.

I have a similar combo with an overdrive. I have 4.56 gears. I run low 11.70@114 in 3rd, 12.20's in OD.

I'm guessing you'll go 12's
 
View attachment 1715186540 I thought I read ST not SS.
I think this is the tire he has, it’s bias ply
Might hook after all

These are the tires I've got:
Mickey Thompson 3454: ET Street S/S Radial Tire P295/55R15 | JEGS

I was going to go with a bias ply but I was afraid of the tire growing with how close I am to my front wheel well opening.

I dont know how fast you'll go, I just hope you can stop with those drums.

I did just order a disc brake setup for the car but it came in with some wrong parts so I returned it and I',m on the hunt for a new disc brake conversion kit. Ideally I'd like to find one and get it installed before I take it to the track next month.


You have an assload of clutch. And no way to tune it. Your shocks leave about everything to be desired. Not sure of MT nomenclature but that looks like a radial tire.

So your tires will hate an assload of clutch, untunable shocks and most likely a 9.45 overall first gear. That's if you have a 2.66 first gear box. If it's a 2.44 first you will have a 8.66 overall first gear which is powerglide and less first gear.

I'd skip the two step and slide the clutch like a mutha humpa at the starting line. The last thing you will want to do is beat the crap out of the tire.

You have enough HP to run low, low 11's if you can make the chassis happy.

Not bashing your stuff. It just looks to me like you've got a lot of parts that will hate each other, and really no way to tune it.

When you say slide the clutch you mean feather it and let is slip at the line a little or are you meaning dump it at like 5k rpm? Are there clutches you can tune/adjust?

Mines the 2.47 gear set for my A833 (3 groove gears)
 
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How close is the tire to the well? You can space it back.

They don't grow as much as you think
 
Get a wilwood kit for either 9 or 10 in drum, whichever you have.

Do you need to switch to 15's for a Wilwood kit? I saw Wheel Vintiques had the 15x3.5 steel dog dish rims for sale but they are like 208 bucks a piece!

How close is the tire to the well? You can space it back.

They don't grow as much as you think

I can't say for sure because I just finished painting the rims so the tires will be getting mounted in the next day or two but from preliminary measuring it looks like it'll be very close. If I were going to get a bias ply what kind are most people running in a 28x12.5R15 or something similar in size? This car will be 85% street driven and 15% track.
 
I was looking at those wheels(15x4). and center bore is only 2.875, not positive but I think you need 3in with wilwood, be careful what you order. BTW nice looking dart, great color combo
 
the gears are going to be the biggest problem.

I have a similar combo with an overdrive. I have 4.56 gears. I run low 11.70@114 in 3rd, 12.20's in OD.

I'm guessing you'll go 12's

I ran an O.D 833 in Dart Sport and loved it ! 4.10s and I could cruise the hwy then race 1-3... cut some 1.60 60fts and high 12s with a mild 340 build.
90% Street driving so I didnt mind the 1-2 gap.
 
I can't say for sure because I just finished painting the rims so the tires will be getting mounted in the next day or two but from preliminary measuring it looks like it'll be very close. If I were going to get a bias ply what kind are most people running in a 28x12.5R15 or something similar in size? This car will be 85% street driven and 15% track.

YOu can easily shim the front shackle.

My favorite street tires are sportsman pros. Bias ply, good in the rain, great traction on the street and at the strip.

I run them tubeless at 25 street, 18 strip.
 
YOu can easily shim the front shackle.

My favorite street tires are sportsman pros. Bias ply, good in the rain, great traction on the street and at the strip.

I run them tubeless at 25 street, 18 strip.

My springs were moved into my frame when I mini tubbed it so I can't shim the front mount. Hopefully I'll just be happy with my radial tires and I won't need to worry about a tire change just yet. My wife might not be too happy if I tell her my brand new tires need to be replaced :elmer:
 
My springs were moved into my frame when I mini tubbed it so I can't shim the front mount. Hopefully I'll just be happy with my radial tires and I won't need to worry about a tire change just yet. My wife might not be too happy if I tell her my brand new tires need to be replaced :elmer:
Lol
 
Be careful if you run it with front drums.
I ran 12.0s with front drums and didn’t have a problem, but sometimes they try to put you in the ditch.
 
I am doing a near identical build right now using a solid roller and W2s.
Seems like a pretty wide Drag Radial. Not sure what will happen if you dead hook ?
Stopping wont be a problen since you run a 4 speed and can use the gears to decellerate.
I plan on running a 245/60 15 SS radial due to space limitations.
Looking forward to hearing how yours works out.
 
These are the tires I've got:
Mickey Thompson 3454: ET Street S/S Radial Tire P295/55R15 | JEGS

I was going to go with a bias ply but I was afraid of the tire growing with how close I am to my front wheel well opening.



I did just order a disc brake setup for the car but it came in with some wrong parts so I returned it and I',m on the hunt for a new disc brake conversion kit. Ideally I'd like to find one and get it installed before I take it to the track next month.




When you say slide the clutch you mean feather it and let is slip at the line a little or are you meaning dump it at like 5k rpm? Are there clutches you can tune/adjust?

Mines the 2.47 gear set for my A833 (3 groove gears)



Yes, feather it. I doubt you can drop the clutch at any RPM and not have an issue.

There are adjustable clutches out there. For you, I'd suggest looking into the clutch tamer. Guy on here makes them. You can at least control the application of the clutch with it and IIRC they ain't too expensive. The guy goes by weed burner on here but if you google clutch tamer you can find him.


That overall first gear is a tough nut to crack. Like I said...you have a first gear that is very tall. I make less power than you and I have a 14.09:1 first and could probably use a bit more. With a 2.47 you have an 8.77 first gear. Just getting a 2.66 first gear box would give you a 9.44 first and that's better than what you have.

You picked a tough combo to tame.
 
I will be running a 3.09 1st and 3.91s.
Clutch tamer is a good idea which combined with your 2 step msd would help launch.

Anyone can run an auto... it takes a real Masochist to run a 4speed ...lol
 
CHeck out the RMS mini tub front shackles. See if you have enough meat to do something like that. I used them on my current car. They allow the rear to be moved up or down, front or back 1.5"

4 holes instead of 2.
 
Its just a guess (and you will need to be a hell of a shifter) but I am rooting for you...

11.20 @115
 
Thanks for all the tips and suggestions so far folks. I'm starting to wonder if I should exchange my radial ET Street SS tires for some bias ply MT sportsman Pro ET tires (2 ply wrinklewall)? I talked to summit and being I haven't mounted my other tires onto the rims yet (that was going to happen this week) they said I could exchange them. Thoughts? It looks like I'd need to run tubes then as well and drill out my valve stem hole to 5/8.

Here's the tire: Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro Tires 90000000208
 
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