Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: dartman366]
#2217135
12/19/16 06:21 PM
12/19/16 06:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,531 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,531
So. Burlington, Vt.
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The way I look at it, I want the guy on the other end of the phone at the converter shop to be on the same page as I am. If that isnt the case, it's not going to be what you want.
One of my customers had a TCI 9" that had been redone by Lupo when he was still in Ct. Worked really well for years. Finally broke it, and pretty much wasted it. Plus the technology had changed. He ended up buying a bolt together deal($1400) from a pretty well known shop that was just way off. Sent it back many times. They never even got it close. Speed way off, lots of slip, no 60', couldn't get it to cut a light(glide with a brake). Interestingly, at the same time he bought his, his brother also bought one from them..... And that one worked well first try. In the end, the shop basically admitted they were stymied by his combo and took it back.
He replaced it with a Hughes converter, which also has a fair amount of high gear slip(and low mph), but the 60' times were back to what they were with the old TCI/Lupo piece, and the consistency on the tree greatly improved.
When he finally stepped up to a bigger motor he got a new converter from PTC, and thàt one was pretty good on the first try.
Years ago when my friend was running an auto in his GTO in Stock, he had multiple converters from a few different shops, and each one went back at least once. We never got any of them to do what we asked for, and felt there was a fair amount of performance being left on the table, both in ET and speed. He got tired of spending $$$ and not getting any result for it, so he put a stick in it. Picked up over .3 and 3mph on the first outing.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: fast68plymouth]
#2217156
12/19/16 06:39 PM
12/19/16 06:39 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972 Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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One thing when it comes to talking with the conv people... is using the right terminology... they cant understand when a person says something when terminology is different than they they understand so try to get that right or make sure you both understand each other.. when I sent my J conv into Lenny I wanted it tightened up on the slippage and I wanted the stall dropped about 300-500 rpm.. I told Lenny what my slippage rate was when in high gear with OD.. we talked a bit just on that part.. the stall change was the easy part when I told him the torque of the engine and the rpm of the max torque and the weight of the car... it came back like I wanted and the best he could do on the slippage was drop it 1% more than what it was... its not bad now at 8% in OD.. Paul at TA guessed it would be about 10% but it turned out to be 9%.. Paul told me right off the bat that he hasnt done much if any OD stuff so he had a good guess
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: dartman366]
#2217194
12/19/16 07:45 PM
12/19/16 07:45 PM
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crabman173
Unregistered
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crabman173
Unregistered
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Black Mystery Donuts Most important part of a drag car and the least understood
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#2217268
12/19/16 09:41 PM
12/19/16 09:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,928 Akron, Ohio
ProSport
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,928
Akron, Ohio
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Bill, there's a place near my area that's getting real popular and guys at Thompson seem to be running quicker with their converters and they have a good reputation. Place is called Perfect Converter Company and his name is Bubba Rafferty on Facebook. Tell him I sent you if you call him. WOW... thats my last name.. no I dont have a brother named Bubba LOL, I didn't even think about that Mike.
1970 Challenger, all aluminum 528 Hemi, HDK suspension, Tremec 5 speed manual
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: fast68plymouth]
#2217329
12/19/16 11:17 PM
12/19/16 11:17 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 9,225 Charleston
sixpackgut
Drag Week Mod Champion
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Drag Week Mod Champion
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 9,225
Charleston
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I agree that dyno testing the motor would be best....... But....... There is no denying that the same motor tested on 10 different dynos would likely have at least a couple where the numbers were pretty far off from the others. Just think of all the dyno numbers the average converter shop sees. How many of those are from "happy" dynos? I still say it's worthwhile to have it done, but I would pick a shop that has a pretty good track record with cars running close to what the dyno numbers say it should run.
All that being said......knowing what I do about your combo and what youre doing with it..... In the vein of "you gotta start somewhere"...... I would want a pretty tight 8" converter. Around 5200 flash stall off the foot brake, and solidly under 10% slip out the back. I have a 9" ultimate 5300 behind my 720hp BB that was freshened last year then i took it out if your interested
Gen 3 power 6.22@110, 9.85@135 Follow @g3hemiswap on instagram
performance only racing, CRT, ultimate converter, superior design concepts, ThumperCarbs
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: earthmover]
#2217339
12/19/16 11:34 PM
12/19/16 11:34 PM
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,031 ohio
67mprfan
super stock
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super stock
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,031
ohio
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What ever happened to Lenny at ultimate convertor..always heard good things about him Lenny is good to deal with I had my convertor done by another company now my lights are worse than before... Trust me they were terrible before
71 demon stock stroke 440/indy ez-1 running 10.10 @ 132.14 mph in the 1/4 and 6.36 @ 107.46 mph in the 1/8 not in the same weekend but It did it then I sold it. 67 Belvedere that worked it's way in the 10's
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: sr4440]
#2217351
12/19/16 11:56 PM
12/19/16 11:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio
dartman366
OP
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OP
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Mt. Vernon, Ohio
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been thinking about that, my engine guy had told me that if I wanted to i could take it to the guy that does his dyno work and he has a shop local to me within 30 miles and that also he is the same guy that used to do all of Larry Morgans engine assembly and dyno testing and is now off on his own, sounds like it would be well worth the money to do that and he isn't that expensive, I agree that if you are happy with a person's work stick with them but I have also heard a lot of good about ATI and Lenny and kind of leaning toward them, thanks for all the input guy's keep it coming.
Light travels faster than the speed of sound,,,this is why some people seem bright untill you hear them speak.
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: Whompin_Wedge]
#2218634
12/21/16 10:36 PM
12/21/16 10:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio
dartman366
OP
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OP
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Mt. Vernon, Ohio
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ATI is my personal favorite.
However, quickdraw did some work for us before... guy knows what he is talking about.
Casey The smart side of my brain says to stay with him,,as I have said before I have NO complaints.
Light travels faster than the speed of sound,,,this is why some people seem bright untill you hear them speak.
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: dartman366]
#2218679
12/21/16 11:50 PM
12/21/16 11:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,928 Akron, Ohio
ProSport
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I Live Here
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Posts: 17,928
Akron, Ohio
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Quite a few local racers have told me to go to Quickdraw over the years. I never had any problems with my ATI converters though. They drove great on the street for an 8", at the track would footbrake to a 1.36(9.90 car), and only slipped about 3% at the stripe.
1970 Challenger, all aluminum 528 Hemi, HDK suspension, Tremec 5 speed manual
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: dartman366]
#2218686
12/22/16 12:04 AM
12/22/16 12:04 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,749 Chowchilla,ca
Chassisman
master
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master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,749
Chowchilla,ca
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We now use Dice Performance Converters out of California. Jeff Paradise was with B&M for decades when they were good products. He is by far the best we've dealt with. Either with Mopar...GM...or Fords. Jeff is a wealth of knowledge and a down right nice guy. The TC in our S/C dragster stalls EXACTLY where he said it would and my boy goes .00X consistently. He just built us a new one for the footbrake Valiant....says boy will be . 00X with it.....and I believe him. Tell him Ron and AJ Thomas sent ya his way. Jeff Paradise 818-850-6001 He's on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diceconverters/?fref=ts
Last edited by Chassisman; 12/22/16 12:05 AM.
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: Monte_Smith]
#2218808
12/22/16 04:12 AM
12/22/16 04:12 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md
383man
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421
Balt. Md
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From a QUALITY converter company, if they miss it badly the first time, chances are you gave them junk info. If they continually "can't get it right".......either you don't know what you want or the car is not repeatable.
GOOD converter companies use good parts and know what they are doing......BUT what they are not is mind readers, or clairvoyant. They rely on data or input that YOU give. Junk in usually results in junk out. Sometimes they also have to deal with guys who SAY what they want, but really have no clue what they NEED. It's always a fine line.
PTC is 30 minutes from me. I go there and just hang out quite a bit. The calls these guys get.........sheez, I would want to eat a bullet........LOL!!! I agree with that. I can only imagine some of the calls these converter company's deal with sometimes. Since I dont race alot I do alot of local cruising on the weekends and meet alot of people in the hobby. And many times I laugh to myself at some of the things some of the people tell me that they feel they know about their cars. Just like a guy telling me how his buddies 71 Mustang with a 429 SCJ eng went 11.94 right off the showroom floor. I realize that when 5 guys all say a certain converter company is junk and 6 more say it the best in the world most of the time its the info they receive about the vehicle they are building the converter for thats the problem. I dont have a real race car or race as much as most but I am very happy with the two converters I have used over the years which are Dynamic and Turbo Action. Both built converters that worked just as I wanted in my cars and I would use them again in a heartbeat. Ron
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Re: converter selection, need some pointers
[Re: dartman366]
#2219175
12/22/16 06:36 PM
12/22/16 06:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,082 Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
gregsdart
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I Live Here
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Posts: 10,082
Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
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Just a guess on what will please you for driveability; it sounds like a stock configuration 10 3/4 Mopar converter, set up to act just like a factory original yet be built for the abuse a 540 can deliver is what will work well for you. I used exactly that converter behind a 535 cube wedge with a 590 cam in it, and it stalled plenty high yet was tight enough to not flash a lot higher at a light throttle application. If you take the K factor into consideration, it will give you an idea of what it will do in the car. Those converters were used behind 340s ,383s, and street hemis I believe. The stall behind a street hemi was about 2800 from what I have read, and 2400 behind a 340. That same converter stalled quite a bit higher behind my 535, like mid 3,000 or more. A couple of things make me think this might be the right path for you. You want street drivability over ultimate performance for one. The other is street traction. A motor like that ought to be able to fry the tires at low speeds anyway, so a high stall loose converter just isn't needed much there.
8.582, 160.18 mph best, 2905 lbs 549, indy 572-13, alky
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