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Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
#648503
03/22/10 09:47 PM
03/22/10 09:47 PM
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Slightly different question than the one in the Q&A section.
Anyone here ever drag raced a big block with a 4-speed and 2.76 rear gears? How fast did it go?
And whats the fastest anyone has heard this combo go on the strip? I'm sure over the decades people have done this for whatever (odd) reason, there must be some stories.
Basically, i need a 5 or 6-speed for my car. I can wait 1-2 years to get one, or i can drive this rig this year with the above combo. Mine will be in a 70 Challenger, 383 or 400 stock stroke lowdeck, 400-450HP (big cam, higher RPM build), 2.76 gears, 3450-3500 vehicle weight with me in it. Its a road race driver, but will see very occasional drags.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#648505
03/23/10 06:53 AM
03/23/10 06:53 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,010
Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
gregsdart
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My first concern would be the life of the clutch, and that 8 3/4. To get any sort of a launch, its going to be hard on both. My guess is it will be half a second slow minimum over the right rear gears.
8..603 156 mph best, 2905 lbs 549, indy 572-13, alky
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#648509
03/23/10 09:07 AM
03/23/10 09:07 AM
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Grand Haven, MI
patrick
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FWIW GmachinedartGT has a 3500ish lb dart with a built 408 (eddie heads, IIRC small solid roller), 2.94 gears, 26" tires, and a low gear 904 with fairly high stall (3000ish) but very tight converter, and he can cruise comfortably at 75+ and also knock down mid 12's...
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2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: patrick]
#648510
03/23/10 09:30 AM
03/23/10 09:30 AM
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Quote:
FWIW GmachinedartGT has a 3500ish lb dart with a built 408 (eddie heads, IIRC small solid roller), 2.94 gears, 26" tires, and a low gear 904 with fairly high stall (3000ish) but very tight converter, and he can cruise comfortably at 75+ and also knock down mid 12's...
I forget, is that the big block lowdeck 400 Dart? or are you talking a different one with a smallblock? That stock stroke 400 Dart always impressed me.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: quickd100]
#648511
03/23/10 09:34 AM
03/23/10 09:34 AM
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I never have but I have met one guy that did. In fact he was an open road racer. His name is Joel Hanning from Hickson, ND. He runs a '63? Polara 500 with a stroker bb 4spd and 2.76 gears. I run into him in the staging lanes at the local strip a number of years ago. Don't remember what he ran for a time but he was trapping in 3rd I believe. Oh, don't laugh, this guy won his class a few years ago down in the open road racing series in Nevada. His top speed was 205mph.  Dave
Well, those 63 Polaras always were aerodynamic...
Sounds like he's got a pile o HP though. That can over come all kinds ov shortcomings. I've read about more than one blower car here running really fast with hopeless rear gears. I wont have anywhere near that kind ov steam with the engine thats going in there first anyways.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: gregsdart]
#648512
03/23/10 09:41 AM
03/23/10 09:41 AM
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Quote:
My first concern would be the life of the clutch, and that 8 3/4. To get any sort of a launch, its going to be hard on both. My guess is it will be half a second slow minimum over the right rear gears.
Well, i've read enough dana60 - 8 3/4" 'will it blow up' questions here to know NOT to drag race with a 8 3/4 and serious hook/power. My car will have neither, and will never run slicks, so i think its a worthy gamble. For now...
But a half second off optimal gearing numbers... well that i can handle. If thats the case i'm sold already. Maybe i will look for a 742 SG pig to throw my 2.93's into.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: patrick]
#648513
03/23/10 09:45 AM
03/23/10 09:45 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Quote:
FWIW GmachinedartGT has a 3500ish lb dart with a built 408 (eddie heads, IIRC small solid roller), 2.94 gears, 26" tires, and a low gear 904 with fairly high stall (3000ish) but very tight converter, and he can cruise comfortably at 75+ and also knock down mid 12's...
apples and oranges. 1st off he has 2.94's and a 26" inch tire that makes it more around the 3.10 range. Doubt anybody is going to run a short tire like that on an E-body. 28 at least. 2nd it's an auto w/ a stall way easier on the drive line than a stick. To get that e-body (probably closer to 3800+lbs)into the mid 12's w/ 2.76's he's going to need to drop the hammer hard and bang gears around 6500. It's going to smoke the clutch quick.
Do it right you get a set of 3.55's you can still run at 70 easy plus you won't be breathing asbestos all the time. 
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#648514
03/23/10 09:52 AM
03/23/10 09:52 AM
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Quote:
why not try aome 3.23's or 3.55's? I can't imagine the 2.76's will be any good for road racing either. That's like a Bonneville gear. That thing will be a dog on the road course because it won't get out of the corners and down the starightaway because it will be so far down in the rpm range.
I've had lots ov 3.23's in Mopars and i just never liked it. The 3.55's are nice, but then i'm top-end limited, still wrung-out on the highway, and mileage tanks. I had 3.5's in my 70 340 4spd Challenger and it was fun, good at everything. That was a nice, well-tuned car, but a lengthy road trip at speed would put me into the poorhouse. I've only had 2.76's in C-bodies, but i could flog them for hours on end and still come back with some money in my pocket. Last high-speed road trip i did was in my 440 Charger, with 3.23's, and it was awful. Getting into the Prairies i just really wanted more gear, whats more, drove 3000 miles and didn't get into one stoplight drag, so might as well have had 2.76's...
The end goal is a T-56, i'm just trying to find the best, cheapest (including mileage, i have to drive the thing) compromise until i get one.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#648515
03/23/10 09:57 AM
03/23/10 09:57 AM
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Oakland, MI
dizuster
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My Dad and Mom were going to drive to Yellowstone Nat'l Park for there 25th wedding anv. My Dad put a 2.76 gear in my Mom's 360/4-speed challenger for the ride. The car has been 12.60's with slicks and a 4.30 gear. So not too weak, but not real powerful either.
They stopped in Minnesota to visit relatives on the way. He took my cousin for a ride in the car, went to do a burnout/launch with it, and it spit the front yoke out. Not only did it do that, but it split the tailshaft on the trans, and bent the output shaft. This was on regular 275/60 BF Goodrich radials (NOT DRAG RADIALS), and just on the regular old pavement.
Based on that, I think with a big block, 2.76 gear in an e-body, and some good traction (at the strip), you'd be asking for it...
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#648516
03/23/10 09:58 AM
03/23/10 09:58 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
Quote:
why not try aome 3.23's or 3.55's? I can't imagine the 2.76's will be any good for road racing either. That's like a Bonneville gear. That thing will be a dog on the road course because it won't get out of the corners and down the starightaway because it will be so far down in the rpm range.
I've had lots ov 3.23's in Mopars and i just never liked it. The 3.55's are nice, but then i'm top-end limited, still wrung-out on the highway, and mileage tanks. I had 3.5's in my 70 340 4spd Challenger and it was fun, good at everything. That was a nice, well-tuned car, but a lengthy road trip at speed would put me into the poorhouse. I've only had 2.76's in C-bodies, but i could flog them for hours on end and still come back with some money in my pocket. Last high-speed road trip i did was in my 440 Charger, with 3.23's, and it was awful. Getting into the Prairies i just really wanted more gear, whats more, drove 3000 miles and didn't get into one stoplight drag, so might as well have had 2.76's...
The end goal is a T-56, i'm just trying to find the best, cheapest (including mileage, i have to drive the thing) compromise until i get one.
The T-56 is a pipe dream. It's expensive and will require a lot of fab work to get it in the car. You'd have to drive it 100k to break even in the gas you save. BB mopars and mpg don't go together. 3.23's are great on the highway. Had a 70 383 4 speed charger and 3.23's and the thing kept pulling and pulling, had it at 90 with one more gear and half a pedal left. I also had a 67 GTX auto w/ 3.55's Great gear could cruise at 75 no problems, didn't feel like I was over reving the motor. Don't know about mpg's as I don't care. My 340 swinger w/ a 340 auto and 3.55's got about 17 mpg @ 75 mph.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#648517
03/23/10 09:59 AM
03/23/10 09:59 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
FWIW GmachinedartGT has a 3500ish lb dart with a built 408 (eddie heads, IIRC small solid roller), 2.94 gears, 26" tires, and a low gear 904 with fairly high stall (3000ish) but very tight converter, and he can cruise comfortably at 75+ and also knock down mid 12's...
apples and oranges. 1st off he has 2.94's and a 26" inch tire that makes it more around the 3.10 range. Doubt anybody is going to run a short tire like that on an E-body. 28 at least. 2nd it's an auto w/ a stall way easier on the drive line than a stick. To get that e-body (probably closer to 3800+lbs)into the mid 12's w/ 2.76's he's going to need to drop the hammer hard and bang gears around 6500. It's going to smoke the clutch quick.
Do it right you get a set of 3.55's you can still run at 70 easy plus you won't be breathing asbestos all the time.
Tires will be either 295/50/15 (26.5" tall) or 335/35/17 (26"ish) depending on what rims i want to look at that day. Car will weigh no more than 3300 without driver, probably closer to 3200. Light for an E-body with a BB and an iron 833 (i've got a rare car and i'm a master at weight reduction).
So far, from what i've read here, i'd rather take my chances with clutch life than have to live with 3.55's. I'm not rich enough to go 1:1 with 3.55's...
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#648518
03/23/10 10:07 AM
03/23/10 10:07 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
why not try aome 3.23's or 3.55's? I can't imagine the 2.76's will be any good for road racing either. That's like a Bonneville gear. That thing will be a dog on the road course because it won't get out of the corners and down the starightaway because it will be so far down in the rpm range.
I've had lots ov 3.23's in Mopars and i just never liked it. The 3.55's are nice, but then i'm top-end limited, still wrung-out on the highway, and mileage tanks. I had 3.5's in my 70 340 4spd Challenger and it was fun, good at everything. That was a nice, well-tuned car, but a lengthy road trip at speed would put me into the poorhouse. I've only had 2.76's in C-bodies, but i could flog them for hours on end and still come back with some money in my pocket. Last high-speed road trip i did was in my 440 Charger, with 3.23's, and it was awful. Getting into the Prairies i just really wanted more gear, whats more, drove 3000 miles and didn't get into one stoplight drag, so might as well have had 2.76's...
The end goal is a T-56, i'm just trying to find the best, cheapest (including mileage, i have to drive the thing) compromise until i get one.
The T-56 is a pipe dream. It's expensive and will require a lot of fab work to get it in the car. You'd have to drive it 100k to break even in the gas you save. BB mopars and mpg don't go together. 3.23's are great on the highway. Had a 70 383 4 speed charger and 3.23's and the thing kept pulling and pulling, had it at 90 with one more gear and half a pedal left. I also had a 67 GTX auto w/ 3.55's Great gear could cruise at 75 no problems, didn't feel like I was over reving the motor. Don't know about mpg's as I don't care. My 340 swinger w/ a 340 auto and 3.55's got about 17 mpg @ 75 mph.
Geez... we might as well find a chat room...
Well, my thinking is, every badass supercar out there runs a T-56, its got to be the ticket. I'm willing to cut my virgin car for one, just gotta find a way to hook 'er up. Thats Next years mess though, this year i want to drive this car. And i want to drive it a lot. Been cooped up in that 96 GT too long...
I'm thinking that i like to drive a lot faster than you do... And mileage IS a concern for me. Not the #1 priority, but its up there. Bad mileage forced me into a new Mustang, and took the Charger off the road. Never again.
I'm guessing we're not going to see eye to eye on the gear thing. To me, 3.23's do everything badly. Crappy mileage compared to 2.7's, crappy performance compared to 3.9's. I'd rather do one really well.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#648519
03/23/10 10:08 AM
03/23/10 10:08 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,635
Oakland, MI
dizuster
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You're rich enough to buy two sets of wheels and tires, but not rich enough to pay for gas with a 3.55 gear? If you're that worried about it, put one of the later OD 833's in it. And like I pointed out with the post above. Clutch slippage would be the least of your worries... 
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: dizuster]
#648520
03/23/10 10:13 AM
03/23/10 10:13 AM
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Quote:
My Dad and Mom were going to drive to Yellowstone Nat'l Park for there 25th wedding anv. My Dad put a 2.76 gear in my Mom's 360/4-speed challenger for the ride. The car has been 12.60's with slicks and a 4.30 gear. So not too weak, but not real powerful either.
They stopped in Minnesota to visit relatives on the way. He took my cousin for a ride in the car, went to do a burnout/launch with it, and it spit the front yoke out. Not only did it do that, but it split the tailshaft on the trans, and bent the output shaft. This was on regular 275/60 BF Goodrich radials (NOT DRAG RADIALS), and just on the regular old pavement.
Based on that, I think with a big block, 2.76 gear in an e-body, and some good traction (at the strip), you'd be asking for it...
Ouch, sounds like either way he had that thing pretty dialed-in off the line, or had some undiagnosed issues lying in wait.
This is turning into a regular intervention....
BUT... if this is good information, then my solution would be to not race it at the track. I doubt my car would even have hook like that anyways. Honestly, i cant even remember the last time i launched the GT from a stop in two years. For a guy who likes to drive really fast all the time, i'm actually pretty easy on my cars.
Interesting thread, i'm learning...
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: dizuster]
#648521
03/23/10 10:19 AM
03/23/10 10:19 AM
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Quote:
You're rich enough to buy two sets of wheels and tires, but not rich enough to pay for gas with a 3.55 gear?
If you're that worried about it, put one of the later OD 833's in it.
And like I pointed out with the post above. Clutch slippage would be the least of your worries...
Well, already have the rollers, but either way, thats a one time purchase. Low gears on the highway is the gift that just keeps on taking...
And like i said, i already have the trans, otherwise at this point i probably would.
Coming back to the top o' the page i see the Green Brick Valiant. I used to love that car, but its been a while. That was a 4speed car for the first while, anyone remember what gears IT had in the rear? I seem to remember they were 2.94's...??? I should excavate those magazines and see if E-berg had any ov these issues with the clutch. That car saw all kinds ov hard duty, and was pretty basic (stockish) in its first couple years...
Oh well, off to bed.
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Re: Anyone ever DRAG RACED a 4-speed and 2.76 gears...???
[Re: dizuster]
#648522
03/23/10 10:20 AM
03/23/10 10:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
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Brookeville, Md
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"Geez... we might as well find a chat room...
Well, my thinking is, every badass supercar out there runs a T-56, its got to be the ticket. I'm willing to cut my virgin car for one, just gotta find a way to hook 'er up. Thats Next years mess though, this year i want to drive this car. And i want to drive it a lot. Been cooped up in that 96 GT too long...
I'm thinking that i like to drive a lot faster than you do... And mileage IS a concern for me. Not the #1 priority, but its up there. Bad mileage forced me into a new Mustang, and took the Charger off the road. Never again.
I'm guessing we're not going to see eye to eye on the gear thing. To me, 3.23's do everything badly. Crappy mileage compared to 2.7's, crappy performance compared to 3.9's. I'd rather do one really well. "
how fast do you want to go? Fastest I've gone on a highway was 121 in a 383 69 charger, 3.23's and auto...yeah it had more but I didn't feel like the big ticket. With a 6 speed and 2.76's it's going to take you a year to get up to speed. The reason people go w/ 6 speeds is so they can run 3.73's(+) and drive at 80 @ 2000rpm. IMO your E-body will never weigh 3200lbs. Unless you totally gut it. It will look silly and ride like doo doo w/ 26" tires and you will be unhappy with the cars performace. Seems like you have you mind set on the 2.76's.
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