Decided it was time to beat on the GTX some (What old guys do for a thrill Part Deux)

[moparedtn]

UPDATE:
I got brave with the old girl yesterday and figured it was time to take her over 5000rpms. I did so in 1st, 2nd and 3rd whilst holding to a self-imposed 5200rpm redline and got a chuckle out of how she was barking the tires on gear shifts.

Experiment was apparently a success. The mystery motor held together, displayed really good oil pressure, didn't blow a bunch of smoke (of any color) and promptly ate an indicated quarter tank of gas (exaggeration - probably a little less).
Zero fuel starvation felt and she didn't miss a lick.

She saw her first grazing of 100mph on this pass.
Not bad at all for such a bunch of mis-matched junk and the Centerforce DualFriction clutch continues to mystify me. How the heck does it DO that on so little pedal pressure?

When I arrived at a traffic signal shortly thereafter, I expected a big surge in temperature and the sound of rattling of various reciprocating parts accompanied by a drop in oil pressure.
Instead, the car acted like everything was copasetic.
Color me shocked.
After all the pure hell the car (and myself) have been through, I don't hardly know how to accept the thing simply working....but I'll try.

 

[Speedbird]

UPDATE:
I got brave with the old girl yesterday and figured it was time to take her over 5000rpms. I did so in 1st, 2nd and 3rd whilst holding to a self-imposed 5200rpm redline and got a chuckle out of how she was barking the tires on gear shifts.

Experiment was apparently a success. The mystery motor held together, displayed really good oil pressure, didn't blow a bunch of smoke (of any color) and promptly ate an indicated quarter tank of gas (exaggeration - probably a little less).
Zero fuel starvation felt and she didn't miss a lick.

She saw her first grazing of 100mph on this pass.
Not bad at all for such a bunch of mis-matched junk and the Centerforce DualFriction clutch continues to mystify me. How the heck does it DO that on so little pedal pressure?

When I arrived at a traffic signal shortly thereafter, I expected a big surge in temperature and the sound of rattling of various reciprocating parts accompanied by a drop in oil pressure.
Instead, the car acted like everything was copasetic.
Color me shocked.
After all the pure hell the car (and myself) have been through, I don't hardly know how to accept the thing simply working....but I'll try.

Do not look a gift horse power in the hood.

 

[moparnation74]

Glad, to hear you have gotten things smoothed out thus far! I know from reading your previous posts you have come a long way and congrats on popping that cherry....

No enjoy it....

 

[69 GTX]

Now you need to sidestep the clutch @ about 4500rpm and let her go!

 

[oldbee]

Now you need to sidestep the clutch @ about 4500rpm and let her go!

AND really let go & power shift it!(?)

 

[GetX'd]

Nothing like 440 GTX power. Congrats on the run. I need to do that with mine.

 

[moparedtn]

Now you need to sidestep the clutch @ about 4500rpm and let her go!

Maybe after another 500 miles or so....

AND really let go & power shift it!(?)

Ain't none of this built for any of that.

Nothing like 440 GTX power. Congrats on the run. I need to do that with mine.

I don't know that I'd call that a need....

 

[eldubb440]

congrats, you earned it and deserve it..... if there were FBBO awards, you would get one......... maybe "The Persistence Pays" award for 2017

 

[oldbee]

Ed the last thing I powershifted was a Kenworth, Detroit Diesel 6V92 with a 10-speed. Driver was showing me how to downshift on a hill so as not to loose RPM's, it was almost as much fun as upshifting a car. 30yr ago.

 

[moparedtn]

congrats, you earned it and deserve it..... if there were FBBO awards, you would get one......... maybe "The Persistence Pays" award for 2017

Maybe the "Too Damn Stupid to Know When to Quit" award.
Thanks, e.d. I appreciate the kind words.

 

[moparedtn]

Ed the last thing I powershifted was a Kenworth, Detroit Diesel 6V92 with a 10-speed. Driver was showing me how to downshift on a hill so as not to loose RPM's, it was almost as much fun as upshifting a car. 30yr ago.

That's apparently the big debate in the newer performance cars these days - so many of them aren't being offered with a manual at all anymore.
The argument is the automatics have become faster anyways, they say.

I wish Ma would have offered my ol' Ram with a stick (nope, not in a half ton in 2004 with the hemi) and even our '12 Charger R/T would have been so much cooler with the six speed one can get in the Challenger, but alas, not offered there either.

When I decided over 7 years ago it was time to do one last project, though, there was never a question - it had to have a 4-speed. Period.
I don't care if the automatic is actually quicker. These cars just feel right with the stick, at least to me.

 

[eldubb440]

Maybe the "Too Damn Stupid to Know When to Quit" award.
Thanks, e.d. I appreciate the kind words.

it's the same award!

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I recently got ole Brutus running like he should, with getting the ignition right. Frames are tied, 318 torsion bars, 4 speed, 3:55 rear gears, DOT drag radials, heavy duty and clamped rear springs. An engine combination that has surprising performance. This car is the most fun driving car I have ever had. It's going to be hard to resist launching and banging the gears. Not a monster by any means, but 7.9 ET in 1/8 mile, first time out , with no track tuning , and 32 PSI in the rear tires ---not to shabby.
Ed, I been watching your thread since the beginning, and really glad things have come together for you. I can relate to the fun you are having !!!...................MO

 

[moparedtn]

I recently got ole Brutus running like he should, with getting the ignition right. Frames are tied, 318 torsion bars, 4 speed, 3:55 rear gears, DOT drag radials, heavy duty and clamped rear springs. An engine combination that has surprising performance. This car is the most fun driving car I have ever had. It's going to be hard to resist launching and banging the gears. Not a monster by any means, but 7.9 ET in 1/8 mile, first time out , with no track tuning , and 32 PSI in the rear tires ---not to shabby.
Ed, I been watching your thread since the beginning, and really glad things have come together for you. I can relate to the fun you are having !!!...................MO

You sure have and I appreciate it, my friend.
You've got yours running a lot better than mine for sure. Great job!
I'd like to get this one stiffened up some one day - seems all that panel and floor replacing has cost her some rigidity, but that might just be my imagination.
I know when I had it on the alignment rack, we pulled diagonals on the chassis just for my own curiosity and the car is surprisingly "square", so that's good I guess.
I need to do something with the shocks one day since I have no idea what the former owner put on her - they're blue and unlabeled, so mystery shocks as well.

As for the timing, I know there's a lot left in mine to be had. I've just got the Mopar electronic distributor in it now and haven't fooled with it, haven't even hooked up the vacuum advance. Initial is about 13BTDC and it totals out around 35-36BTDC purely on mechanical advance around 2300RPM now, so I guess for an old street car, that's fine. No detonation at all that I can tell.
The carb that came with it, an Edelbrock "reman" 750cfm 1407, does ok now that I put the jets and rods back in it that it came with out of the box, but I'm sure there's more in that end of things to be had as well.
I'm just content at the moment that it runs ok and pulls fine for what it is. She never falls on her face or hiccups or any of the nonsense the other motors did.
Drinks like an old wino, though.
All my best to you and yours. Stay safe!
Ed

 

[HT413]

Congrats, ed. Been a long time coming, enjoy the hell out of it!

 

[moparedtn]

Congrats, ed. Been a long time coming, enjoy the hell out of it!

Thanky kindly, sir. Given that I've had her for seven years now, she still seems sort of new to me. Must be the time I lost in the middle, I dunno.
The sad part is that there actually are parts of the car I'd worked on prior to "that day", parts that you can see now and that I know I did, but I can't actually recall doing them now.
Don't remember quite a bit of the time directly before all hell broke loose health-wise, honestly. Might be a blessing that way.
Anyways, onward and upward with whatever time is left.
I just got the reproduction antenna and radio faceplate in yesterday. Reckon it's time to try and install a radio!
Take care,
Ed

 

[Car Nut]

& videos!

 

[oldbee]

Where have you been 'nut'? There's oodles of pics&& video. Still waiting for a buttocks clenching power shift though,lol. Ed did a masterful job.

 

[moparedtn]

& videos!

Plenty of videos under my name on YouTube, some of 'em recent even.

So you want a pic, eh?
Ok....

 

[Riverdawg]

Man I need to put a third peddle in the Coronet someday. Congrats on getting on that GTX.