trying to get my challenger into the 12s

[youngunss1987]

yea i wanted to make it to the track soon but i am installing my posi 3rd member and and i will post pics of the car on the scale but when i had it up on the scale last time i forgot to note that when the car weighed 3065lbs that was with just headers and no exhaust which i plan to something about. I am thinking dumps or i may go all the way out the back with it

 

[projectmopar]

How did you get rid of that much weight ?

My '70 Challenger (all steel street legal with the glass hood only - and its heavy when compared to most glass hoods). Same as car mentioned and tips the scales at 3125 w/o driver. This car is a 346 (bored .030), 13.2-1 comp., ported/polished W2 heads on R3 block w/904 and 4.88s - runs mid 11s @5,800' in Denver and low 11's in Salt Lake City. The car has full interior (roll bar, trunk/compartment pan and carpet the same weight as rear seat that was removed). Manual crank window assemblies were traded for elect units that weighted 7 oz. less per window and so on. If your wanting to go fast with a small block everything removed or added needs to be checked, your weight is one of your biggest battles in E-Bodies. And that's just the beginning of spending spending and more spending to go fast, it's a sickness that I haven't shaken in over 50 years of "petal to the metal" on the strip.

Our motto for 30 years has been "KISS" - "keep it simple stupid". One learned when working for Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins that many plus years ago.

:wav:​

 

[projectmopar]

Your talking small block, they will run as good as any small block at twice the price. When talking cutting weight, remember removing weight in some case really hurts the value of your ride when it comes time to sell, now it's not a collector but just a race car.

The other guys (companies) are more popular than what you have because of the expense to run and keep them up, fewer numbers help's with this problem. Just look at what the different parts cost for Ford, Chevy then your Mopar. Go to swap meet and there is a large percentage of Chevy then Ford then some Mopar parts available. Even the size of the other guys events compared to Mopars, its all about money to the promoters, we're number three like it or not.

Not trying to burn the wagons, you just need to know these things before you get in over your head. I'm not blowin' smoke, have been around Mopars, raced them an crewed with some pretty good racers; "The Dodge Boys", "Black Arrow", "Bandito", "Turner & Wierd" all Mopars with names of owners like Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, Dave Strickler, Jack Wierd and Al Turner. Dick Landy, Judy Lilly and Dennis Mauer were and are personal racer friends. Those that are still around will tell you the same thing.

Being a Mopar racer is expensive when compared to other cars they have been successful with like "Old Reliable", "Monster Mash", "Tin Indian" and so on. I personally have owned and raced a half dozen good Mopars holding local, state, division and national records in AHRA and NHRA all at a cost because of being the odd brand. Good Luck in your quest for going fast.

:wav:​

 

[projectmopar]

the edelbrock 60779 were 30lbs each not sure what stock ones were
edelbrock air gap intake was 19lbs i believe the stock one was round 60lbs
the drive shaft was 35% lighter then stock and i would love to know the weight difference between the 904 and 727 but the 727 seem a lot heavier then 904 when i pulled it out and the same goes for the rims spare tire had to have been 50 or 60lbs and the a/c all together had to have been 100lbs

904 "slam and bangs" (stock elimator setup that you rebuild every other outing) are 101.3 lbs lighter than a 727 with the same light weight parts.

Weighting piece by piece is not the way to determine what you have saved, like mentioned the car needs to be checked on a scale (use the same scale each time you have removed weight is the correct and true measurement).

NOTE: I was using the local feed store truck scale until I took the car back to recheck its weight with doing nothing and found it was 12 lb heavier. I was told their scale will vary 10 lbs. at times, so much for that plan. We started checking the weight each week at the local drag strip with either AHRA or NHRA officals keeping tabs on the scales.

:icon_hockey:​

 

[projectmopar]

Have you been to the track with the new set up? If it was me I would tune/dial in what you have and go to the track for some base line numbers.


A stock SB E body is what? 3400LB or so I would say. I don't think you dropped 500LB with the mods you did. Only way to know for sure though is to put it on a scale.

Use to be an AHRA/NHRA [SFI Certified} Tech Official, ran the certified scale at div. events - most E-Body cars without the roof covering, minus air cleaner, no spare or jack go across the scales in the 3460 lb range (that's with radio, power steering, AC, auto trans, etc. Like said go to the scale.

 

[projectmopar]

A stock SB E body is what? 3400LB or so I would say. I don't think you dropped 500LB with the mods you did. Only way to know for sure though is to put it on a scale.

My '70 Challenger has been a race car much of its life, when purchased it weighted in at 3422 lbs. race ready with back seat legal G/SA that ran in the 11.70s in Brainerd MN. When first tested off the trailer, same weight just 1000' higher in Denver CO it was a second slower running 12.70s. The factors for height and class told me this wasn't going to work.

Have a friend that builds Mopars race cars and collectors, had him start going through the car. Finally decided to take it down media blast and bring up to today standards as a Pro ET car or Super Stock car, after mini tubbing it was illegal for Stock. Anyway completely bare no under coating, insulation or sound reducing materials left the car was primed then POR-15 on the under carriage, rebuilt the front end with poly bushings, Wildwood discs, bearing replaced, the heavy Super Stock springs with Cal Trac system and so on. It's as light as NHRA/IHRA will allow for Super Stock E-Bodies, they questioned the grill change to a '71 (they're 9 lbs, lighter), the replacement dash was questioned but approved. Built the car to run in either class mentioned with motor changes (Pro ET is by far less expensive than a good Super Stock motor). I sold the original interior, seats, carpet, visors and dash and replaced them with lighter seats and carpet with no felt backing. I don't want to drag this out to long but we are as light as we can get to be legal for the SS class at 3125 lbs.

I don't believe his car is as light as he thinks it is, if it were me I would question the scale he's using, at least use a certified race association scale with current dates. I agee with your comments.

 

[projectmopar]

Who's going to open up those little ports, they need some work by a professional. If you don't know what your doing in this area its worth finding a shop with a CNC machine that does this type of work. Shadey Dell in PA or Indy Cyl do excellent work at fair prices.

This set was done by Mad Cap in Denver, these Mopar W-2 heads flow the same as the CNC Indy heads just heavier.

 

[youngunss1987]

I had my heads are ported professionally i took that pic when i first pulled them out of the box and the air gap intake is being port matched to the heads now but i don't know if the will flow as good as your w2 heads tho. I want to have my car weighted at a different scale 3065 seems a bit light I would agree and it’s very possible that the scale could have been off. I am just trying to pool more money to finish my project right now I have got $6000 in it right now but its all good I love the car to much to let it go. And i love the 70 Challenger projectmopar glad to see some guys run their mopars !

 

[projectmopar]

Go slow and rethink everything, you'll save time and money plus get what you want. :icon_thumbdown: Your doing it the right way, see so many jump from one end to the other and never get everything coming together.

I'm about to the end of drag racing now, been at it since 1955 to 2005 so 50 years and a small 401K went down the road in the process. ottytrain5:

I've been in the racing business for years and have yet to see this disproven (if there's such a word???). I'm not bragging, have been very lucky with great friends like Dave Strickler - "Old Reliable" Chevies & "The Dodge Boys" series of cars", Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins - "Black Arrow" Ply. & the "Grumpy's Toy" Chevies, Dick Landy - Mopars & Performance Schools along with a couple dozen nationally known engine and chassis builders and racers that would tell you the same. :icon_eek:

You young guys wanting to race need to think about this. It's pretty hard to have to drive your car to the track and then get it ready to run in serious competition. The guy that trailers his ride has the advantage, being mentally ahead of you (Example: if he breaks, he loads the car on the trailer and goes home), you break - you have to fix it to go home and so on. Another is the trailer guy doesn't have his personal goods laying out in the open, or has to sit in the race car to relax like you will be doing are just little things that pray on you the whole event. The trailer guy is working his routine out for the lights in his head while your looking for the wrench to set the timing some where in your personal wares on the ground - advantages-advantages....

If you get real serious you'll need to be organized, if your running "round robin" and have a problem you need to keep the car moving per the rules and make the needed repair if possible to keep from being bumped out. I have hung on the front of cars while going through the pits headed for the starting line and changing carb. adjustments or resetting the timing many times. We would get the job done because we were organized and knew where everything in the trailer was and so on.

Good luck

 

[fernendisjoyc]

Thinking about fitting a NOS bottle? If that is allowed that is...