can't melt the tires with my 69-383. Wassup???

[CB]

My car looks mean and fast but it doesn't melt the tires. I thought you could easily fry the tires with a 383. Just standing still, floor it and get the wheels spinning. Mine gets launched but doesn't melt the 275's. Do I run wrong gears, would the exhaust (now: headers to rear with flow master and alsoa  rebuild trans) take away low end power? 

Or what else should be necessary to improve torque?

[moparguy01]

Whats wrong with having a good solid launch?? I guess I just dont understand you guys that just want to melt tires.

[CB]

Whats wrong with having a good solid launch?? I guess I just dont understand you guys that just want to melt tires.

it just gives me something like: you don't mess around with brute power thing.
I felt a little dissapointed getting her back and not doing even a tiny bit of spinning

[moparguy01]

well your trans could be the problem, you might have some real tall gears (like a 2.76) stuff like that affects being able to spin the tires, also tires can make a difference as well.

[74Charger]

What gears and stall are you running?  My 440 was a dog off the line with a stock stall and 2:73 rearend. 

I changed the stall to a 2600 and installed a 3:91 suregrip unit.  It really woke the car up.  Like night and day!!!

Like going from a 318 car to a 440 car!  I can fry the tires at will now!!!

[CB]

I might say that my engine will be tired, she sat for 12 years, that could have opened the fence and let some ponies escape

Stall=unknown
gear will be 3.54 (sure grip)
trans = rebuild

[John_Kunkel]

Two words for the underpowered, Neutral Drop.

Explosion risk? Sure, but in the quest of tire smoke...........

[max]

Two words for the underpowered, Neutral Drop.

Explosion risk? Sure, but in the quest of tire smoke...........

John, i thought you would've atleast suggested water under the tires. you caught me off guard on that reply.

[bordin34]

my 74 318 727 will smoke the tires a little bit from a slow rolling start, about 5 mph. It will smoke them for 15 feet from a standstil without standing on the brake.

[resq302]

My 383 4 bbl had a problem with the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's not being able to smoke them I guess cause of the tread design or what not but with the repro bias plys on there..... look out.  That thing breaks loose all the time now.

[Ghoste]

I think of all the money I've wasted trying to get my tires NOT to spin. 

[LargerCharger383]

well your trans could be the problem, you might have some real tall gears (like a 2.76) stuff like that affects being able to spin the tires, also tires can make a difference as well.

I had an open 2.76 rearend with my car that has a 69 383, and i could BARELY turn over my 12" wide tire.  The biggest problem for me now that i changed out the rearend is the front brakes slipping and the back ones catching too early, I'd take a look at your brakes and make sure everything is copesetic back there before launching into the tranny or heavy engine modifications. my 

[tommymac]

Tires,my TA,S wont spin either but the old firestone Super Sports Burn whenever you want! unless I power brake like hell.

[71ChallengeHer]

Years ago, I had a 383 Barracuda. This car would not break loose. I took it to the garage I was working at. This guy was a Mopar man. He rebuilt my distributer with racing springs , not sure what else he did. He had the distibuter cranking 8500 rpm's on the dist. machine. Put it back in the car. That Barracuda could break loose and just fry the tires after that. And that's all he did to it.

[ck1]

I don't get it, when I first got my car 1968 charger 383 4bll 727 and 140,000 tired miles on it, and the first time I stopped on it, "and only time" with a one wheel drive rear end 323 gears, I laid a patch about 90 feet and blew a motor mount.  But I know after I put a suregrip in it afterwards and a friend helped with the motor mount it hooked really good and was harder to smoke the wheels which i just felt it was better not ot do. when I get my car done I might cherp the tires but smoke shows to me are just to hard on my car.........

[John_Kunkel]

I think of all the money I've wasted trying to get my tires NOT to spin.

  I've gone on record as stating that spinning tires is a useless gesture and proves nothing but I'm obviously in the minority.

[74Charger]

I am not so sure that everyone who says that they would like to be able to fry their tires.  Goes around everywhere lighting them up.  

To me its about owning a muscle car as fine as a Charger.  And knowing if I wanted to.  I can fry them at the drop of the pedal.

Not to mention its always fun to chirp the tires, when a little ricer car pulls next to you and wants to mess with you.   

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Tires & Smoke are like beer & pretzels. They go great together.

[68MoparCharger]

I am not so sure that everyone who says that they would like to be able to fry their tires.  Goes around everywhere lighting them up.  

To me its about owning a muscle car as fine as a Charger.  And knowing if I wanted to.  I can fry them at the drop of the pedal.

Not to mention its always fun to chirp the tires, when a little ricer car pulls next to you and wants to mess with you.   

I agree.  It's just the fact that you can do it.  I remember that I couldn't smoke the tires when I had a 2bbl on my 383, I threw on some performance parts and the smoke came poorin out of the wheel wells a few times.  Then my hunger for smoke was satisfied  , and I don't smoke 'em now because I don't like having to buy new tires more what is necessary.

[CB]

I agree.  It's just the fact that you can do it.  I remember that I couldn't smoke the tires when I had a 2bbl on my 383, I threw on some performance parts and the smoke came poorin out of the wheel wells a few times.  Then my hunger for smoke was satisfied  , and I don't smoke 'em now because I don't like having to buy new tires more what is necessary.

yep, the fact you can't do it, gives me frustration.
fry them on the drop of the pedal, that's what I am looking for. Not a burn-out by using 2 feet.

[Ghoste]

I'm being somewhat tongue in cheek.  I'd be a liar if I said I've never tried to make a little tire smoke, or that I get a big grin when the car leaves a couple of Charger tracks on the pavement.  But still, I have spent a lot of money and time over the years trying to make my cars not be able to spin the tires.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Man my 318 Satellite would smoke the piss outta' the tire with the stock skinny's, I put on some wider TA' and now I have to mash the pedal to the floor to get some smoke !

[BlueSS454]

My 383 4 bbl had a problem with the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's not being able to smoke them I guess cause of the tread design or what not but with the repro bias plys on there..... look out.  That thing breaks loose all the time now.

That kind of suprises me Brian.  I had BFG Radial T/A's on my Olds a few years ago and even with the stock 307 the car used to have would boil them off the rims with little effort.  Wonder if they updated the compounds in those tires.

Back to the 383, something isn't right there.  Have you dialed in the timing on the engine yet?  It sounds like it may be a bit too retarded.

[68chrgrwife]

maybe just operator error???  I had that problem with the chally, but we fixed that easy enough..just 2 min. in the car with hubby to show how it's done....LOL

[resq302]

My 383 4 bbl had a problem with the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's not being able to smoke them I guess cause of the tread design or what not but with the repro bias plys on there..... look out.  That thing breaks loose all the time now.

That kind of suprises me Brian.  I had BFG Radial T/A's on my Olds a few years ago and even with the stock 307 the car used to have would boil them off the rims with little effort.  Wonder if they updated the compounds in those tires.

Back to the 383, something isn't right there.  Have you dialed in the timing on the engine yet?  It sounds like it may be a bit too retarded.

Tom,

Maybe one day you can come up and help me "fine tune" the charger and you can get some details for yours off of my car.

[Rack]

I'm being somewhat tongue in cheek.  I'd be a liar if I said I've never tried to make a little tire smoke, or that I get a big grin when the car leaves a couple of Charger tracks on the pavement.  But still, I have spent a lot of money and time over the years trying to make my cars not be able to spin the tires.

You spent money so you wouldn't be able to smoke the tires? You know... all you had to do was, ummm... not give it too much gas.


j/k Ghoste.

[Ghoste]

I tried that but man, you just cannot believe how ugly those Ford and Chevy taillights are until you see them. 

[CB]

fixed the brakes and burn rubber when applying the brakes but not the way it should.
front tires dont hold it

[Paul G]

You see it's like this. Your out on cruise night and people are lined up on the streets and sidewalks. Your in a muscle car, people are giving you the circular hand motion to spin the tires. Your in a muscle car! You should be able to light them up, even if it's only for a few feet due to safety reasons or whatever. It is more for the show than anything else. If the car will only do a little squeak you might as well not even try.  Now if you can make them tires scream. You got something. Thats what people want to see a muscle car do. You don't have to get crazy with it. It's kinda like the intro to the Bull Run series on Spike TV where  Mikes 68 lights em up. It looks awesome. Thats what you expect a muscle car to do. It's just a show of power. No speed involved. All power.

[CB]

You see it's like this. Your out on cruise night and people are lined up on the streets and sidewalks. Your in a muscle car, people are giving you the circular hand motion to spin the tires. Your in a muscle car! You should be able to light them up, even if it's only for a few feet due to safety reasons or whatever. It is more for the show than anything else. If the car will only do a little squeak you might as well not even try.  Now if you can make them tires scream. You got something. Thats what people want to see a muscle car do. You don't have to get crazy with it. It's kinda like the intro to the Bull Run series on Spike TV where  Mikes 68 lights em up. It looks awesome. Thats what you expect a muscle car to do. It's just a show of power. No speed involved. All power.

amen to that! 

[Big Lebowski]

You have a broken motor mount. I'm 110% sure.

[Mean 318]

You can burn rubber with a broken motor mount... trust me

[Nacho-RT74]

I never have tried to smoke tires with my 400 4bbls... how do you do ? press brake pedal slightly enough to block front brakes and then just open throtles ?

[1970440RT]

CB,

     Make sure you have enough initial timing.  A proper timing curve will change the off idle response like night and day.

[CB]

Big Lebowski , sorry bro but she got 4 new mounts, the trorque side is the reinforced mount they put on it.

1970440RT if that would do the trick, I 'll buy you a beer

[CB]

and yes, Nacho, as you said, block the front and with enough torque you spin the back tires by opening throttle
... if you got good brakes

[Harlow]

CB, I agree that you should mess around with your initial timing. I have to run 22* initial.

[Big Lebowski]

CB, I agree that you should mess around with your initial timing. I have to run 22* initial.

   Well, if it's not the motor mounts, then I'd go with a timing problem. A good running 383 should be able to do a power brake a burnout untill the tires pop. I did it once. 

[my73charger]

Definitely your gears. 

[1970440RT]

Nacho,

     Easiest way to do burn out:

Stab the throttle to pick up the front end, then quickly press the brake pedal about half way.  As you are coming down on the brake, mash the gas pedal.  The front end of the car should nose dive, consequently unloading the rear end and allowing the rear tires to spin.  If your are going to do an extended burn out, go to 2nd gear and roll out of it when done to save your tranny.

WATCH YOUR RPM's!!!!!!

[1970440RT]

CB,

     Your initial timing needs to be around 18 deg.  If your total timing is 36 deg now ( where it should be ) and your initial is below 10 deg., you need to shorten the advance curve.  It needs to be around 18 at idle and 36 total.  If you have a new Mopar performance electronic distributor, the curve is adjustable inside the distributor.  My MP distributor when new was factory set at its longest curve position, which when set correctly for total timing, was way low at idle ( about 6 deg ) and caused me overheating and off idle performance issues.

[CB]

CB,

     Your initial timing needs to be around 18 deg.  If your total timing is 36 deg now ( where it should be ) and your initial is below 10 deg., you need to shorten the advance curve.  It needs to be around 18 at idle and 36 total.  If you have a new Mopar performance electronic distributor, the curve is adjustable inside the distributor.  My MP distributor when new was factory set at its longest curve position, which when set correctly for total timing, was way low at idle ( about 6 deg ) and caused me overheating and off idle performance issues.

this is all new to me, only thing I know it is a stock distributor.
looks like I need this:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=DCC%2D3690427&N=700+400172+300992+115&autoview=sku

[Big Lebowski]

There ya go. Always keep a stock dist. in the trunk, but up front you need a (pick a brand) MSD Ignition. From fatter plug wires, more spark, they deliver way more power. 

[Nacho-RT74]

thanks!!! dunno If I would try. I have known the BIG burn outs are made with kinda switch or device to only block the front brakes and keep free rears, right ? So then with regular brakes can be made with little more care.

and yes I have good brakes, everything almost "new", rebuilt or refreshed.

[1970440RT]

Nacho, the "device " you speak of is a Line Lock.  It is not necessary to do a burn out.  If your brakes are good and proportioned correctly, it shouldn't be any problem.

CB, if your distributor is original, then the plates are not adjustable.  There are slots in the plates that can be welded up to shorten the curve.  This is hit or miss and you may be better off getting the electronic ignition kit.  This kit also has an advantage that the breaker-points are eliminated.

[T16]

Got the same "problem".. Got a 383, Crower 271 cam, Holley DC intake..

unfortunately a stock 400 converter.. open 2.76 rearend. So guess this combo is "holding back" my 383.. right?
This winter I´ll be looking for at least a 3.23 rearend and try to find me another torque converter

[gordo1968charger]

You see it's like this. Your out on cruise night and people are lined up on the streets and sidewalks. Your in a muscle car, people are giving you the circular hand motion to spin the tires. Your in a muscle car! You should be able to light them up, even if it's only for a few feet due to safety reasons or whatever. It is more for the show than anything else. If the car will only do a little squeak you might as well not even try.  Now if you can make them tires scream. You got something. Thats what people want to see a muscle car do. You don't have to get crazy with it. It's kinda like the intro to the Bull Run series on Spike TV where  Mikes 68 lights em up. It looks awesome. Thats what you expect a muscle car to do. It's just a show of power. No speed involved. All power.

i totally agree

[Todd Wilson]

Two words for the underpowered, Neutral Drop.

Explosion risk? Sure, but in the quest of tire smoke...........

My buddy had a 4 door Chevy Impala that he used to do that too. It would smoke em pretty good. One nite a decision was made to go in reverse hit neutral/floor it and then forward. ABout 3 times of that and the drive shaft went clunk clunk clunk under the car. We had ripped the pinion gear and stuff clear out of the rear end housing. But it smoked em like a top fuel car!       


Todd