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Short wheel base and horse power... #2495318
05/12/18 11:19 PM
05/12/18 11:19 PM
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 72
sioux falls, sd
1
10sec.dart Offline OP
member
10sec.dart  Offline OP
member
1

Joined: May 2012
Posts: 72
sioux falls, sd
My 1978 Plymouth Arrow tube chassis car has a wheel base of 92-92.5 wheel base, I’m going to be putting 720- 780 hp to it, would you be worried? I guess I’m looking for opion on wheel base and hp, the car should be a nasty car, good ride, looking for other member opinions, is the hp to much for the wheel base??

Last edited by 10sec.dart; 05/12/18 11:20 PM.
Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495326
05/12/18 11:49 PM
05/12/18 11:49 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,822
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,822
Kirkland, Washington
Sounds like a car you steer with your right foot..........and that's REALLY cool!

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495330
05/13/18 12:00 AM
05/13/18 12:00 AM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11,684
W. Kentucky
justinp61 Offline
I Live Here
justinp61  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11,684
W. Kentucky
A buddy of mine had a Omni with a 500" Mopar, it ran 5.60's short shifting. He ran it almost ten years and wrecked it on the big end when he got into some oil or anti freeze. he said it happened so fast there was no time to react, now he runs a 68 Dart.

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495331
05/13/18 12:08 AM
05/13/18 12:08 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY Offline
Master
MR_P_BODY  Offline
Master

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
I have no problem.. you would have a little
more power.. but my Shadow drives like a Caddy
just set it up right
wave

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495380
05/13/18 02:14 AM
05/13/18 02:14 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,587
Great Neck,LI,new york
hemi-itis Offline
I Live Here
hemi-itis  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,587
Great Neck,LI,new york
I see sissy sticks in your future........ work


HEMI-ITIS has no cure.
My condition is fully BLOWN!!
Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495395
05/13/18 05:45 AM
05/13/18 05:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline
master
MoparBilly  Offline
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
It's an acquired taste, my brother has been 8.80's in his street driven Gremlin. Steering wheel input needs to be limited, especially on the big end.

03-1976-amc-gremlin-hot-rod-drag-week - Copy.jpg11794260_10201025964207849_1404408086293309101_o.jpg23415273_1953303231584053_3733577470470487526_o - Copy.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: MoparBilly] #2495401
05/13/18 07:25 AM
05/13/18 07:25 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline
top fuel
Dave Hall  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
My Challenger was built in the 90's as a ladder bar/a-arm and it had terrible bump steer like that Gremlin. I never noticed it going down the track. I've seen and heard of a few Daytona's and the like getting wrecked. A guy got killed in a 10 sec. Pinto here at Sonoma this year. Seems to be a ton of Vega's and the like running. Big positive caster helps a lot. A 16X16 bead lock rear wheel with say a M/T 10.5W or a "Little Bubba" will help with stability as well.

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495447
05/13/18 11:07 AM
05/13/18 11:07 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,894
Florida
Locomotion Offline
master
Locomotion  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,894
Florida
As mentioned, set-up & caution are VERY important. Short wheelbase cars are less forgiving, as was found out in the early Pro Stock days when they started running Pintos, Vegas, Colts, etc.

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495518
05/13/18 02:13 PM
05/13/18 02:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,552
Fulton County, PA
C
CMcAllister Offline
Mr. Helpful
CMcAllister  Offline
Mr. Helpful
C

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,552
Fulton County, PA
Put some caster in it.


If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495534
05/13/18 02:32 PM
05/13/18 02:32 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,174
PA.
pittsburghracer Offline
"Little"John
pittsburghracer  Offline
"Little"John

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,174
PA.
My 1978 Plymouth Arrow tube chassis car has a wheel base of 92-92.5 wheel base.




My 1991 Daytona had a shorter wheelbase than this and it was and still is the BEST driving car I've ever owned. It ran a best of low 8.40's at almost 160 mph and was so much fun to drive. After many years of owning it I finally wrecked it in 2010 at Norwalk after an oil line broke. I almost had it saved but the rear touched the guardrail pushing a body strut thru a brand new slick. You could drive that car with 4 fingers going down the track it drove so nice. A Moparts member bought it and finished the repairs so it should be out soon. The only thing I didn't like about his set-up is he insisted on switching from at powerglide to a turbo 400. Not sure about that choice.



norwalk d by John Cadamore, on Flickr


1970 Duster
Edelbrock headed 408
5.984@112.52
422 Indy headed small block
5.982@112.56 mph
9.42@138.27

Livin and lovin life one day at a time




Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: 10sec.dart] #2495613
05/13/18 06:14 PM
05/13/18 06:14 PM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY Offline
Master
MR_P_BODY  Offline
Master

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
I would HIGHLY advise a 4 link in the car.. a
ladder bar will be really violent on the launch
been there done that and learn it well
wave

Re: Short wheel base and horse power... [Re: MR_P_BODY] #2496313
05/15/18 09:25 AM
05/15/18 09:25 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 80
Maryland, USA
R
Raymond Offline
member
Raymond  Offline
member
R

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 80
Maryland, USA
My 1981 4link Omni has run 8.11 at 175.
96 in. w.b. with a th400.It is alittle scary
on the launch because of the 2.48 first.
but once you hit second gear it is a smooth
and straight ride







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