Weather beaten '68 Charger 4-speed Hurst

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Wed Aug 12, 09 3:24 pm

don't worry

it always is. you can feel when the rate of acceleration decreases you need to change before then. after a few goes just count

123 change 123456 change 12345678 finished thats about right for a 17 second 1/4 with 2.92:1 rear...i have learned to be consistently slow

you can't keep an eye on the track the bloke next to you and the tach at the same time

and you can't hear anything if hes got open headers.

avoid the burnout box with street tyres they just get wet
don't bother burning out with street tyres. 1) the compound doesn't like heat and 2) you need your clutch cool ish

and i have found the lurching back and forth and thumping the wheel doesn't make you go any faster.

Dave

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Aug 12, 09 4:24 pm

And don't forget to adjust your tyre pressures.I'd start with about 9 or 10psi in the rear droping a a bit each pass untill you feel you have reached it's optimum presure: ie the csr feels safe and you feel safe.Fronts want about 38-40psi.Good luck.I'll see if I can get down but HinD might have other plans for me.

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Wed Aug 12, 09 4:34 pm

9 or 10 psi might be a bit low if he's on ordinary street radials,might be better not lowering them at all...cant say I've ever had much success running street tyres at low pressures...maybe start at road pressures and work down

9 or 10 would be ok for drag tyres or slicks

not that I know what i'm talking about

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Aug 12, 09 4:38 pm

Normal street radials usually grip better at around 30psi.

Philth · Post by **Philth** » Wed Aug 12, 09 7:12 pm

I did the ol' scientific study on my oil level using a new chinese made dipstick, the kitchen tap and the wife's measuring jug...

When the engine was apart I found out how much 5 ltrs of fluid filled the pan. 5 ltrs was good as it was still well below the windage tray by a nice amount (plus taking into account oil flowing round the engine).

Marked the pan off both sides, placed it on the engine (upside down on an engine stand) and slid it along until it was as close to the protruding dipstick as possible and marked that off to the same level (using two used gaskets and the windage tray to simulate install).

That became the 'full' or 'max' mark, which I notched with a junior hacksaw.

I ground off the factory marks (way low - which would have given 3.5 ltrs max!!!) and notched in a min mark - typically about 1 - 1.5 ltrs difference and a space of about 3/4 of an inch.

Hey presto! an accurate dipstick!

I know you're not going to go to this extreme Jonny but my point is 4.5 - 5 ltrs is enough.

Of course the size and shape of the pan itself will have an influence...

As for the 4 speed shifting, you'll get the feel for it

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Aug 12, 09 8:29 pm

Bloody hell Philth - that is some science you've gone to! I think what I might do is pour in the rest of the 5-litre container to make my sump 5 litres full. Perhaps someone could line up a factory dipstick next to a repro chrome one and measure marks accurately??

Gringo · Post by **Gringo** » Wed Aug 12, 09 8:55 pm

That's assuming the dipstick tube is the same length...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Aug 12, 09 9:57 pm

Shucks this is getting unnecessarily complex

Philth · Post by **Philth** » Thu Aug 13, 09 7:03 pm

A-ha! Not so!

When you know you have the 4.5 - 5ltrs in there (from fully drained), just mark where the top level of the oil sits on the dipstick! That's yer new 'full' mark!

Da-daaah!

Thinking about it, perhaps my way was a bit - ahem - excessive...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Aug 13, 09 9:18 pm

bloody good call Philth - will do just that

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Aug 13, 09 9:30 pm

Stick 4 litres in there & run it down the 1/4 , if oil pressure drops to zero then stick another litre in there.

Stock pan & oil pump then 4 litres should get the job done , high volume oil pump then add another litre.

You're engine is freshly built so 4 litres will be plenty , a tired engine with crud up on the heads will require more oil due to drain back issues (assuming bearings are in tolerence)

Good luck with the racing , are we betting what times you gonna run? , i reckon 15.9 sec @ 88 mph , tyre pressure around 22 psi.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 16, 09 7:36 pm

Had a fun day at the strip. I'd love to say it ran 15s......or 16s.......but sadly my best was a miserable 17.2. Felt quick but the starts kept bogging down. i think I might have to re-adjust the carb too. Let the tyres down from 28psi to 22 and the car got slower

Hey ho, didn't wanna break it and came away happy. Have scrubbed a new 'maximum' dipstick level with 5-litres in the sump. Oil pressure still faultless.

Watched the Surrey Muscle General Lee do consistant (damn impressive) 9s.

the dodge · Post by **the dodge** » Sun Aug 16, 09 7:37 pm

Gringo · Post by **Gringo** » Sun Aug 16, 09 8:23 pm

Patina Charger wrote:Had a fun day at the strip. I'd love to say it ran 15s......or 16s.......but sadly my best was a miserable 17.2. Felt quick but the starts kept bogging down. i think I might have to re-adjust the carb too. Let the tyres down from 28psi to 22 and the car got slower

Hey ho, didn't wanna break it and came away happy. Have scrubbed a new 'maximum' dipstick level with 5-litres in the sump. Oil pressure still faultless.

Watched the Surrey Muscle General Lee do consistant (damn impressive) 9s.

At least the only way is up! Every mod you do now should bag new PB's!

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Sun Aug 16, 09 8:29 pm

Jonny, you say your car was bogging down on the starts but you reduced the rear tyre pressures from 28 to 22psi.
Were you losing traction despite the bogging, or did you find more grip which made it bog ?

Mopar Muscle Association UK

Weather beaten '68 Charger 4-speed Hurst

rwyb