So I'm looking to do some tuning/changing of things this winter to gain some et. Best so far was 7.35 1/8 @94 mph with a 1.65 60'. Here's the combo.
65 coronet 3500lb
.030 over 10:1 440
440 source crank and rods
CNC ported 440 source heads
Hughes .600 lift 254/260*@.050
Victor intake
850 Holley
1 3/4 headers

727 with ati treemaster. Flashes to about 5k
4.56 gears with 275 drag radial
Superstock springs with a snubber.

Do you think that's about what it should run? Or any changes you think would help out?. I was thinking of having heads milled to get around 10.75:1 pump gas compression and maybe some bigger headers?

I think you're missing about 100 hp from what that combo should have. You might want to start by just doing all the usual checks. Run the lash just to make sure you haven't lost a lobe. Check the cranking compression, check your ignition system, run a fuel flow test, etc.

A 440 with those parts should make about 550 hp but your ET, MPH and Weight say that you're making about 450 hp.

Headers are TOO small.

Carb is too small.

Cal Tracs, Slide a Link, Asassin (sp????) traction bars (or similar).

.75 compression is not worth milling the heads to do IMO.

Andy, I thought the same thing as you! Lash was OK other than the 440 source rockers are going in the trash. Fuel seems ok, pressure stays consistant all the time, I will try the free flow test. I do think the timing curve is off. Around 15 initial and 37 full advance, timing at idle does jump around. I will also check cranking compression

Mad, definitely going to 1 7/8 or 2 inch, I've seen 20-35hp gains on similar motors. This is my dads car and he is old school so the caltrack/assassins are out of the question lol. I do think I can tinker with the ss springs to find gains in the 60'.

Do you guys think the converter flashing to 5k is a little loose for this combo?

If you screw with it long enough, you can make the SS springs work. I know old school and it is me. But sometimes I just have to step into the 1980's. LOL

What is your shift RPM and camshaft LSA? Just curious.

Cam is at 104 and I shifted at 6200. I wasn't able to take the car back out but I would liked to have tried 6500, I think it would have liked it

No I dont think the conv is too loose.. if its
really 5000 stall.. your shifting at 6400 so the
conv isnt bad... dont go with 2" headers.. the 1 7/8
is plenty.. any larger you would just hurt low end
torque
EDIT
Whats the LSA on that cam

104 is what he posted. I'm ASSuming that's the LSA and not ICL.

EDIT: looks like he said "installed" at 104*. I have no idea where Hughes installs their cams, but it is likely that it is ground on a 108 of possibly 106. Hell, now I'm just guessing.


To the OP...when choosing a header size for a track car, always look at the lowest possible engine speed and header it for that. Guy who put headers on to incease TQ and HP 2K below working RPM frustrate me.

I assumed that was the installed.. from what little
I know Hughs cams tend to be on a wider LSA
EDIT
Also.. if the SS springs are any good there is no
reason for the snubber... that had ONE purpose.. for
worn out springs.. if the chassis isnt working right
that will be a big issue.. being that your playing
1/8 mile that 1.65 60 isnt good enough.. for every
.1 in the 60' you can get a ET better by .15 in the 1/4
so do some math on the 1/8.. but if you have the true
550hp that it should have you should be quick in the 60'..
I have seen a lot of people just forget about the chassis
and with all sorts of power never pick up... when I first
started working on my car all I did was chassis work.. I
picked up just over a 1/2 second in the 1/4 mile.. never
even touched the engine ... I've worked on my buddies
ford PU which weighs 3900#.. he has about 550 hp and
has a 1.42-1.44 60'.. I built him a set of home made
Caltracs.. thats on a drag radial

I don't buy the headers and carb to small. We've gone 10.80 with 440 + .060", 4.56, 5K converter Eddy heads , 1 3/4" headers, 850 at 3700.
But with 12.5-1 Besides compression I'd work with what you have and check the basics, there's more in it.
Doug

I don't buy the headers and carb to small. We've gone 10.80 with 440 + .060", 4.56, 5K converter, cleaned up Eddy heads , 1 3/4" headers, 850 at 3700. But with 12.5-1 Besides compression I'd work with what you have and check the basics, there's more in it.
Doug

the cam from hughes is ground on a 108 and its installed at 104. and im sure theres plenty left from just the chassis, when the car leaves it sort of jumps then goes, it also has a very slight hesitation, almost like the jut sucks air for a fraction of a second or something...ill try to get a link up so you guys can see what it does off the line

best video i have

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox-IeNIbiMg

That hesitation can be really hurting... what you
think is just a short period of time is usually a
lot when we are talking .010 of a second or more..
good shocks are a good place to start on a chassis
set up.. the best you can afford

1

It has the MP long shocks for the rear

On that launch.. you can see the front fall a few
feet out.. it sure doesnt sound like a 5000 stall
conv.... you might want to see how far the front
is coming up.. could be topping out and falling

Those are not what I call a good shock... you need some adjustment
its pretty hard to tune in a chassis when you dont have anything
that you can adjust

well leaving at about 2200-2500 and watching the tach it definitely flashes to 5k, but i do see how the front end falls...so you think longer front shocks?

Clamp the front of the leaf springs and put the rear clamps that were on back on. Ditch the snubber.

Time for some adjustable shocks(rear first)