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Overthinking a torque converter? #3218311
03/05/24 01:49 PM
03/05/24 01:49 PM
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 580
North Carolina, USA
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Silverbullet2 Offline OP
mopar
Silverbullet2  Offline OP
mopar
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 580
North Carolina, USA
Building a mild 438 for a 68 Road runner. Hoping for maybe another 100 HP over the 383. Had about decided to spend the bucks on a good converter. Way back in the day my 383 was near stock with a long duration Crower Monarch cam. Sounded and ran good, but with an automatic it was hard to hit a happy medium between idling in park and cutting off in gear. In my research it's sounding like a stock 383 Road Runner converter is not a bad choice for a street cruiser (Mostly). The 438 will have a little more lift and duration than stock, but under .500 lift and .300 duration. .323 gears, 70 series tires. Also back in the day and by accident I replaced the 440 converter in a GTX with one from a 383 Road Runner because it was what i had. The X would smoke the tires effortlessly with the smaller converter. I see converters rated at 2200, 2400, 2500, etc. I'm reading the 383 converter is already there.

Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: Silverbullet2] #3218359
03/05/24 04:10 PM
03/05/24 04:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA
Originally Posted by Silverbullet2
it's sounding like a stock 383 Road Runner converter is not a bad choice for a street cruiser (Mostly).


Not a bad choice at all.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: John_Kunkel] #3218424
03/05/24 07:34 PM
03/05/24 07:34 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,810
Sobieski Wi
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bee1971 Offline
master
bee1971  Offline
master
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,810
Sobieski Wi
Dacco #764 that I purchased many moons ago is behind my 383/432 Stroker

Absolutely love it on the street - Perfect idle as low as I want to go - Stab the go peddle off idle 700 RPMs and melt the 275-60R 15 tires as long as I am in the gas

Smooth and just works perfect for street use


1971 Dodge Charger Superbee
2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded
Siberian Huskies
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: John_Kunkel] #3218503
03/05/24 11:20 PM
03/05/24 11:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,127
Bend,OR USA
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Cab_Burge Offline
I Win
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I Win
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,127
Bend,OR USA
Originally Posted by John_Kunkel
Originally Posted by Silverbullet2
it's sounding like a stock 383 Road Runner converter is not a bad choice for a street cruiser (Mostly).


Not a bad choice at all.

I was told by many Mopar stock and SS racers back in the early 1970s that the 1970 383 two barrel converter was the best choice for a decent stock street and drag strip converter, not the stock street hemi converters shruggy work
I've tried using a stock 440 motor home converter as a cheap way for better low price Hi Po converter, for street racing, the smaller (11 inch smog converters) later converters work better on foot stalling and having a higher foot stall RPM, around 2800 instead of 2300 to 2500 like the stock 11 inch street hemi converters had shruggy


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: Cab_Burge] #3218600
03/06/24 02:44 PM
03/06/24 02:44 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA
Originally Posted by Cab_Burge

I was told by many Mopar stock and SS racers back in the early 1970s that the 1970 383 two barrel converter was the best choice for a decent stock street and drag strip converter, not the stock street hemi converters


You were misinformed, the 383-2 converter is a 12" (11 3/4") converter same as the 440 and the lowest stall offered. The 383-4 converter P/N 2801764 is the 10 3/4" hi-stall converter which is basically a Hemi converter with smaller drive lug bolts.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: Silverbullet2] #3218604
03/06/24 02:53 PM
03/06/24 02:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,076
Berlin, N.J.
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abodyjoe Offline
I Live Here
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,076
Berlin, N.J.
Originally Posted by Silverbullet2
Building a mild 438 for a 68 Road runner. Hoping for maybe another 100 HP over the 383. Had about decided to spend the bucks on a good converter. Way back in the day my 383 was near stock with a long duration Crower Monarch cam. Sounded and ran good, but with an automatic it was hard to hit a happy medium between idling in park and cutting off in gear. In my research it's sounding like a stock 383 Road Runner converter is not a bad choice for a street cruiser (Mostly). The 438 will have a little more lift and duration than stock, but under .500 lift and .300 duration. .323 gears, 70 series tires. Also back in the day and by accident I replaced the 440 converter in a GTX with one from a 383 Road Runner because it was what i had. The X would smoke the tires effortlessly with the smaller converter. I see converters rated at 2200, 2400, 2500, etc. I'm reading the 383 converter is already there.


its now 2024 and converter technogoly has come a long way since the 70's and 80's. my opinion would be to call dynamic, ultimate or ptc and have a converyer built for you car, combo and intended use. be 100% honest about everything when talking to them.. the converter won't be cheap but the difference it can and will make is incredible.. i always laugh when i see someone dump thousands into a motor and trans only to skimp out on a conveter. the conveter can make or break the entire combination..


It's better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.

www.MoparMisfits.com
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: abodyjoe] #3218626
03/06/24 03:48 PM
03/06/24 03:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,750
Rio Linda, CA

For a "street cruiser", no need to overthink the converter.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: John_Kunkel] #3218707
03/06/24 08:39 PM
03/06/24 08:39 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,826
MI, usa
dvw Offline
master
dvw  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,826
MI, usa
I’ve used the stock 340 converter which I believe is similar if not the same as the 383 hp converter. It served me well for years. It was not as quick at the track. But it drove well on the street.
Doug

Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: dvw] #3219132
03/08/24 05:48 PM
03/08/24 05:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,755
Windsor, ON, Canada
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Diplomat360 Offline
top fuel
Diplomat360  Offline
top fuel
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,755
Windsor, ON, Canada
Originally Posted by dvw
...It was not as quick at the track. But it drove well on the street...

This last part here is the key: be VERY honest with yourself (and your converter builder) about what it is that you want!!! While converters today are very good, that high-stall ones will end up bit looser on the bottom end, they have to be...so if you absolutely can NOT tolerate that you builder needs to know this.

Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: Diplomat360] #3219254
03/09/24 10:19 AM
03/09/24 10:19 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,766
Holland MI Ottawa
2
2boltmain Offline
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2boltmain  Offline
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2

Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,766
Holland MI Ottawa


Keep old mopars alive.
Re: Overthinking a torque converter? [Re: 2boltmain] #3219271
03/09/24 12:29 PM
03/09/24 12:29 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,965
Apollo, PA.
B1MAXX Offline
top fuel
B1MAXX  Offline
top fuel

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,965
Apollo, PA.
My favorite mild street strip is a 141200 tci







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