Engine Build for a '68 Charger

[SDRDR838]

My family has been going to the drag strip quite often this summer with our 2018 Demon and our 1968 L023 Dart and have been having a blast. However, I took my '68 Charger there a couple of weeks ago and was only in the low 14s (Its an original 383 2-barrel car). My dad mentioned it on the forum before, here:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=122129.0

After running in the low 10s with the Demon and low 9s with the Dart, this seems incredibly slow and I would like to take it to the next level. My goals are as follows; I want to keep a "B engine" in the car so that it looks more or less like the original engine, but I am wondering if it is possible to get my 3600 pound Charger deep into the 11s and still have a streetable and durable street engine. My dad thinks we should start with a 400 block and build a stroker engine, and set the 383 aside for now. I would like it to be able to run on 93 octane. I would consider putting in a gear vendors overdrive to keep my final drive ratio adequate for both street and strip goals. I am hoping to be able to reuse my Holley 780 carb, the Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, Performer RPM intake, and my TTI ceramic 1 7/8 headers (which I am aware are currently hurting my performance a little). Does this seem like a realistic goal or do I need to decide if this needs to be more for street or strip?

[c00nhunterjoe]

Your dad has good advice. The 400 block stroker will give you the best of both worlds. You can build it on a 383 block as well but the 400 has a bigger bore to start with. Set the oriognal engien aside and save it. Look up bsb67s engine on here. Runs low 11s, looks bone stock, very very mild considering. Even runs stock exhaust manifolds.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Also, what was your mph on those passes and weather data such as density altitude, temp and humidity?

[SDRDR838]

Best time was a 14.1 at 98 mph. The DA was around 4000, so far from ideal conditions.

[PRH]

I assume you're targeting 11.50+ to avoid the roll bar requirement.

It's a piece of cake to get there really.
Low deck 511 with decent heads and a solid cam.

[SDRDR838]

Yes, mid 11s at the strip are the goal, but it still needs to be streetable for any evening cruise. Does this seem feasible?

[c00nhunterjoe]

Yes, mid 11s at the strip are the goal, but it still needs to be streetable for any evening cruise. Does this seem feasible?

Check out russ's (bsb67) engine on here. Look through the proven engine combos. He is low 11s at 120 mph on a very tame idled, stock torque converter, 3.23 gears HEAVY car. Oh, and its running stock exhaust manifolds...

[Q5XX29]

Thanks for the helpful tips for my son, guys. Yes, I've always been impressed by the information on Russ's car in his signature, as well as the information that he gives. You too, Joe- thanks. As for the 11.50 goal, no specific reason other than we figured that might be a reasonable goal for the quarter-mile and still have some engine longevity. The track we run at (Thunder Valley in Marion, SD) is IHRA, and we don't need a cage unless we go faster than 9.99. Hoping that they kick me off someday in my Demon, but so far, I've only been able to muster a 10.2! 

[c00nhunterjoe]

What was the weather conditions for the 10.20?

[Q5XX29]

For the Demon, the DA was 2500- a far cry from the -1500 DA or whatever it was when Dodge set the 9.65. I'm in the top 20 Demons in the country for E.T., probably top 5-6 when you factor in the DA I had to work with. Plus, Thunder Valley is a known "slow track". What is amazing to me is that this car can get beat on and beat on, and it keeps getting faster and faster. People have made hundreds and hundreds of passes in their Demons, with extremely few issues of breakage, and even in bad heat/humidity, runs consistent times, again and again with no heat soak issues. And with warranty intact. I am definitely having more fun with the Demon that I really even expected to. But the Hemi Dart. omg, that's a whole 'nother level of fast. 2 foot high wheelies past the 60' mark, and is a mid to high 8-second ride.  If any of you want to know more about my car shenanigans, check out my Instagram page at dakota_gt

[c00nhunterjoe]

Not bad at all. Temp humidity and vapor pressure also play a huge role.

[Q5XX29]

Not bad at all. Temp humidity and vapor pressure also play a huge role.

Thanks. Yes, correct, which is why I gave you the DA (which corrects for temp, humidity, and vapor pressure). My buddy has a drag racing weather station, and I trust the numbers from that far more than what I've found from the online sources for "current density altitude".

[c00nhunterjoe]

Yes, but again, those other numbers from the weather station are important. While most dont think much of vapor pressure, i see it play a huge role in et given the DA calculation being the same between seperate runs.
- From one drag racer to another. 

[Q5XX29]

Yes, but again, those other numbers from the weather station are important. While most dont think much of vapor pressure, i see it play a huge role in et given the DA calculation being the same between seperate runs.
- From one drag racer to another. 

Yes, totally agree- especially for alcohol-fueled cars! Thx. 

[c00nhunterjoe]

I play with c12, alcohol is for drinking.