hey guys: We didn't find the NSS car we were looking for this year.
However, we just fell into a decent little 72 duster that has already been mini tubbed well so- guess its an A body for us this year, I'm not complaining about a nice Duster- grin.

Ok, help me out with as much real data as possible as I need to move rather quickly and shop is busy so- need to do things as linear as possible.

Engine- 511, engine dyno at 665 hp, 690 tq corrected numbers with a 4150 flange holly that we set up for street/strip, we may change that for a strip only car but- lets just use those numbers.

This will be a 727 car ( as of this writing) , will get with converter companies on the converter but suggestions do matter- what companies have you had good service with/good to work with etc.

Rear suspension: Spring hangers are moved in but- not a big cal trac guy on these- front spring section seems too short.

Looks like ladder bars vs 4 link , know ya'll hate those discussions but I really don't want to wade through miles of back posts to look for data.
Please give me some honest input - want to get build plan done/parts ordered.

Roll bar- at 600+ hp, built 727, right converter 3200-3300 lbs :
just an 8 point bar or do i need to go ahead and do a 10 point- this car is stripped down, will 4 corner it next week but think those weights will be close with 511/727.

Front suspension/ clearances: rebuild with good bushings /adjustable shocks etc or just slide an after market coil over /tubular K and be done?

We will likely just motor plate the car to make either easier.

fwiw to save your time/ efforts: We will be using good multi-adjustable shocks on both ends though am interested in folks preferences ( Viking, CE/Strange etc), frame connectors/ torque boxes etc- normal stuff.

Not trying to reinvent the wheel, just build a stable/safe/fast/consistent race car.
This won't see the street .

Thanks ahead of time for any help/ suggestions.

Blessings all,

Rusty

Fastest leaf spring car in the country still has the stock A body front segment cal type springs

Look over my thread on the Duster that I'm building. Sounds very close to what I'm doing.

Thanks, will check on that.
I wasn't aware he was using stock locations.

Thanks, Andy- will do.

Mine at 3160 with driver, 600hp and 540tq goes 10.1’s so I’d go straight for the 8.50 cage unless you plan to run a throttle stop. Caltracs with stock length front segments have been inconsistent in my experience - good shocks are a must, especially if you’re running drag radials.

As for the front suspension - I’d work to free up the stock parts, make sure you have 5” of travel and run it. Maybe tube upper control arms and strut bar. For sure put good front disks on it. I’m happy to share the details of my build - feel free to PM me anytime.

Sounds like a fun build - keep us posted!

Digby's data is surely important/valuable but need more of it- grin.
Lot of chassis work done on that car- not sure how they are getting the IC needed, no doubt they are though!!

thanks, Humpty- will pm so we can communicate.
You're a blessing.

Mount the motor as far back as possible, make sure the valve cover will come off okay on the passenger side. I elongated the trans mount enough to slide my motor back right at a little over a full inch on my 1971 Duster, it was 50.7% weight on the front wheels, 49.3 % on the rear, with me in it full of fuel in the stock gas tank
I also slid the rear end forward right at one inch also, along with stretching the rear wheel wells five inches, two inch to the rear and three inches forward
I use a set of ladder bars and coil overs with a diagonal link for street use, Strange double adjustable 15.5 inches extended with a set of 150 Lbs. springs, a 130 LB set might have worked as well or better but I started of with 175 Lbs. springs do to the car being street and weighing 3450Lbs. with me in it full of fuel and like the 150 lbs enough to not experiment any more. It had a set of Comp Engr. 90-10 shocks on the front to start with and I ended up switching to a set of Koni SPA to make the car faster in the 60 fts.
I ran M/T ET Street 315x60x15 Radials(10 inch wide wheels) on the good tracks and 13x30x15 ET Street bias ply(12 inch wide whels) on the street and slippery tracks and later a used set of M/T 31x10.5x15 W slicks on the 10 inch wide wheels, they wouldn't fit my car on the 12 inch wide wheels which worked very well at the track also
Have fun, enjoy the torque and HP of the BB Stroker

Thanks, Cab.

I'm sure we will enjoy engine.
Its a trick flow headed build based on Andy's work and Dwayne's cam choices.
we actually built it for a 72 charger street car/pro touring deal but- decided we might as well run it this year as Charger build is getting into some extended time - doing "pretty stuff" type things.

Was wondering how far back we might get using Andy's motor plate set up.

The AR Engr. motor plate doesn't limit the rear movement, the firewall, headers and tranny mounts do

Well let's see...

ATI has some new stuff out, they and Coan are doing some Mopar stuff now that the class guys are using. Their technology is current. I would look at them.

Given the choice between a ladder bar and 4-link, given the combination and if this thing is going to be backhalfed and/or Super Stock legal, I would put a good 4-link in it with an anti-roll bar. I would also put a good cage in it with plenty of support, good frame connectors and also bars out to the motor plate. These cars are flimsy at the firewall. A full cage will allow you to use 1.625 tubing and I would do it in Moly. You will never outgrow it done this way, unless you go quicker than 8.50. If you're ever going there, then it's 25.5. I would fudge the rear axle forward some while doing all of this.

Front suspension depends on class and budget. If you can put a tubular deal with a rack in it, I say go for it. The coilovers should be supported by the front cage structure. Otherwise, a legal Super Stock type set up with fresh parts.

Use the best shocks you can afford on all 4 corners. Penskes and Santuffs are top shelf. JRi has really nice stuff with a variety of levels of sophistication and price. We've had good luck with AFCOs Big Guns on some really harsh applications and Strange are also good. I would have whoever is making the shock set them up for your combination or have Menscer or someone like that set them up.

Do everything with an eye towards cutting weight.

I have been 5.46 at 130.79 mph .
Stock front segment on the cals.
Menscer did my rear shocks .
Tires are a 28x10.5 stiff side wall slick .
Front suspension is stock with afco DAs
This year with some changes we made we should be in the 20s if not faster

hahaha- well duh!
I know that Cab.
I'm not worth a flip at writing!
Grin

thanks CM.

Any pictures of the car

No pics yet , will post a few next week.

Thanks

Was going to put in my 2 cents but CMcAllister covered what I had to say. Do what he says and you can't go wrong.

Cm: If you were going to go tubular up front, who would you suggest?

Since a decision was made to race this year instead of just supporting the locals, Time is a real factor for me in counting costs .

Secondly : do you or anyone here have a suggestion on complete front end rebuild kits for this car, with good parts/ bushings should we decide to go that west.

Thirdly : I have an opportunity to pick up a built Dana with Wilwoods / Strange axles/ Strange billet cover/ 4:56 spool that’s set up for 4 link - 2200 bucks.
Came out of a tube chassis 8:50 duster that took a bad turn.
Advantage Other than being a Dana is it’s set up and I don’t think I can build an 8.75 with cal’s / monoleaf / spool / gear / brakes any cheaper really .

Thoughts?

Car isn’t too bad- cutting trunk out Thursday as I’m at engine dyno tomorrow .
Danger if she isn’t ugly though- originally yellow, repainted brown with remnants of an old snakeskin half top- whew!
Thankfully getting the ugly off is easy and the least of my concerns.
Car will see frame machine early Thursday just to make sure it’s not twisted somewhere we aren’t aware of- then we start pulling her down.

Thanks for your help - just trying to get a decent parts list in place and things ordered and on the way.


Again- many thanks to you and everyone that’s been helping.

Will post some pics as soon as we can- just hammered and- I have to figure out how to post pics on here.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2410575/1.html

^^^As for the picture posting part read this very helpful.^^^