Old cars, new traffic

[lloyd3]

Took my car out to a function yesterday. It drove and worked perfectly but...it was darn warm here.  If you spend any time on an interstate you quickly figure out that you're not fast enough to keep up with what is now normal traffic speeds. Everybody goes 80-85 everywhere anymore and in a stock big block slash 4-speed set-up, you're howling at that speed. You can certainly go faster, but long term, your revs are arguably unsustainable. Not hard to see why so-many folks opt for the Tremec 5-speeds with the overdrive function. Anyway, I settled in at 65-70 (I think, need to confirm that) and enjoyed the ride up to my destination (about a 45-minute drive north and then east of me). When people go by you in the passing lanes, if they look at you many then start to drift-over towards you (a bit unsettling) but we made it fine (it was far-better when we were off of the interstate, out on the empty great plains east of C-470). The drum brake thing is also on your mind about then as well (I use the stick [i.e., the jake-brake!] and give myself lots of room to stop). I was especially mindful of this in the 90-plus degree temperatures.  And...the heat coming back through the firewall was something else (!). Roll down your windows and turn on your vents all you want, it's like driving in a convection oven.  After being spoiled by modern stuff for all these years now (w/modern AC & well-insulated) that almost seems like an unnatural-effect,  but growing up in Nowhere, Pennsylvania in the 60s & 70s prepared me for this reality. We never had AC then and I never did either until sometime in the mid to late 1980s (90s?). No wonder most of these cars are now primarily driven in the Spring and Fall.

[armor64]

I hear you on that one! i went to the St Thomas Dragway on Fathers Day weekend again this year, which is mostly backroads at 80km/h and it was a delight driving in the cooler morning weather, no issues at that speed. But a recent trip to Barrie on the 400's roads at 100km+ were not enjoyable at all. Same things were in my mind, Braking distance, people swerving over to take a look going by, heat from the engine rotating way higher than i am usually comfortable with. It definitely makes looking into a Gear-vendors or a41 swap in the future something to keep in mind, if i wanted to start longer-haul drives at speed. Its also why i give other classics a wide berth on the highways, for instance passing a 65 GTO going 100 on the dot, i could hear the engine singing.

[John_Kunkel]

We never had AC then and I never did either until sometime in the mid to late 1980s

When I was a kid, I traveled cross country on Route 66 with my folks in a '40 Buick coupe. About half-way across New Mexico my dad couldn't stand the heat any more so we stopped and he bought a window-mounted swamp cooler. We refilled it with water from a Desert water bag hung from the front bumper. It was an extra treat when we'd stop somewhere that had ice to add to the water in the cooler.

I always sat shotgun right next to the cooler, it's wonder I never got mildew ear. 

[Mike DC]

       
Yep, modern cruising speeds are 75+. 

You can usually still cruise at 65 without getting killed.  But get ready to be holding up traffic. 


To be comfy on modern highways, IMO it takes at least front disc brakes + 2.94 axle, or else an overdrive. 

(No, an overdrive won't allow you to get away with a 4.10 diff.  It will allow you to start getting away with the 3.55 diff that's already in there.)

[Mike DC]

When I was a kid, I traveled cross country on Route 66 with my folks in a '40 Buick coupe. About half-way across New Mexico my dad couldn't stand the heat any more so we stopped and he bought a window-mounted swamp cooler. We refilled it with water from a Desert water bag hung from the front bumper. It was an extra treat when we'd stop somewhere that had ice to add to the water in the cooler.

I always sat shotgun right next to the cooler, it's wonder I never got mildew ear. 

Those things do work pretty well in the desert with low humidity.  They don't help much in the Bayou.       

   

[Kern Dog]

(No, an overdrive won't allow you to get away with a 4.10 diff.  It will allow you to start getting away with the 3.55 diff that's already in there.)

4.10 with an overdrive is fine if the overdrive is tall enough. The Tremec TKO in my car has a .64 6th gear. That takes a 4.10 to a 2.62, better than your 2.94 gear.

[Mike DC]

4.10 with an overdrive is fine if the overdrive is tall enough. The Tremec TKO in my car has a .64 6th gear. That takes a 4.10 to a 2.62, better than your 2.94 gear.

I bet your rear tires are taller than average, though.  Many 2nd-gens are still running something around the factory 26" height.     

And a 0.64 overdrive is a helluva drop between 4th and 5th.  IIRC the newer Tremec 5spds are built with 0.72 overdrives.   

[metallicareload99]

For whatever reason I've never had a tire shorter than 27" on the rear of my Charger. And I've wanted overdrive since day one.

I don't know how anyone manages with gears less than 4.10 with overdrive Even with 26" tires and a broomstick for a cam, 4:10s is kinda lugging the engine below 65 mph?

Any of you guys with bigger cams feel like the car runs better the faster you go?

[Kern Dog]

4.10 with an overdrive is fine if the overdrive is tall enough. The Tremec TKO in my car has a .64 6th gear. That takes a 4.10 to a 2.62, better than your 2.94 gear.

I bet your rear tires are taller than average, though.  Many 2nd-gens are still running something around the factory 26" height.     

And a 0.64 overdrive is a helluva drop between 4th and 5th.  IIRC the newer Tremec 5spds are built with 0.72 overdrives.   

Nah...
The TKX has a .68 overdrive, not much different than my .64 in the TKO. These are aftermarket transmissions. I don't know of any OEM Tremec ratio to compare to.
My rear tires were 28", the ones I have now are right at 26". I'm revving at 2100-2200 at 70-75. That is about what I am spinning in my 2007 Dodge truck with a 3.92 axle and 32" 305-40-22 tires.
Under 2500 rpms at freeway speeds is fine by me.
With the 28" tires, I was right around 1950-2000 rpms.
The wife's 2015 Challenger practically idles at 70 mph. It has a 3.06 axle gear and a double overdrive 8 speed automatic. Of course, VVT allows for a wider power band.

[Old Moparz]

I actually don't remember the last time I went on a decent, longer, drive in one of my cars.    It was probably my Satellite Convertible going to a car cruise that would have been a 30 minute drive with some of it on the interstate. It's not a performance car, just a 318 & drum brakes all around. I never did more then 75 or 80 in it when it was my daily driver but it felt fine.

It has a 727 automatic & I don't know what gears are in the rear. I do know it's an open rear & in all likelihood nothing bigger than 3.23's & probably less. I am definitely going to keep the same drive train in it & only add a mild cam & a 4V set up. Disc brakes & sway bars are another couple of things I will add to it. All I want out of this car is a good cruiser with a bit more pep.

[Kern Dog]

2800 rpms at 60.
3000 rpms at 65.
3200 rpms at 70.

The above was the rpms with the automatic in drive, 3rd gear at speed. 3.55 gear, 28" tall tire.

After I swapped in the Tremec, I went out a bit further and measured the rpms again but in 5th, a .64 overdrive. This takes the 3.55 to a 2.27 final drive. The rpms are approximate but pretty close.
1650 rpms @60.
1800 rpms @65.
1975-2000 rpms @ 70.
Yeah....what a HUGE change!

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Took my car out to a function yesterday. It drove and worked perfectly but...it was darn warm here.  If you spend any time on an interstate you quickly figure out that you're not fast enough to keep up with what is now normal traffic speeds. Everybody goes 80-85 everywhere anymore and in a stock big block slash 4-speed set-up, you're howling at that speed. You can certainly go faster, but long term, your revs are arguably unsustainable. Not hard to see why so-many folks opt for the Tremec 5-speeds with the overdrive function. Anyway, I settled in at 65-70 (I think, need to confirm that) and enjoyed the ride up to my destination (about a 45-minute drive north and then east of me). When people go by you in the passing lanes, if they look at you many then start to drift-over towards you (a bit unsettling) but we made it fine (it was far-better when we were off of the interstate, out on the empty great plains east of C-470). The drum brake thing is also on your mind about then as well (I use the stick [i.e., the jake-brake!] and give myself lots of room to stop). I was especially mindful of this in the 90-plus degree temperatures.  And...the heat coming back through the firewall was something else (!). Roll down your windows and turn on your vents all you want, it's like driving in a convection oven.  After being spoiled by modern stuff for all these years now (w/modern AC & well-insulated) that almost seems like an unnatural-effect,  but growing up in Nowhere, Pennsylvania in the 60s & 70s prepared me for this reality. We never had AC then and I never did either until sometime in the mid to late 1980s (90s?). No wonder most of these cars are now primarily driven in the Spring and Fall.

Modern cars certainly have spoiled us. A/C, creature comfprts, good stereos, less wind noise makes cruising 75 mph at 1,500-1,800 rpm very nice.

[b5blue]

My 70 has 440/727 with 3.23. Outfitted with R/T grade suspension an Addco rear swaybar and Borgson steering it rides nice. A/C and a supertuner make trips a breeze. 

[lloyd3]

It's pretty hard to keep them "stock" and then live with them, so it's not surprising to me that many don't.  I've had many opportunities to change mine (for the better, from a driveability perspective) but I haven't (not counting my Magnum 500 clones) and probably won't now.  I want to drive something so-familiar that it acts like a time-machine for me and this one still does.