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I want to be able to lift the front of my 70 Charger 500 off the line - need your advice -thnx

Linden Johnson

Linden Johnson

old man driving a "wild n crazy" car
FBBO Gold Member
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Ashern MB Canada
Im 70 and need some advice fro you experienced race guys. My 70 Charger 500 has a 493/440 efi w/3500 stall and worked 727 trans. 3:54 gears. 275/65 BFG rear tires. It has 580HP and has run high 11's by previous owner. While I dont intend to race it, I would love to impress the young guys in my rural town by lifting the ft when I hammer it. Currently it just roasts the tires. It has traction bars. Im assuming big slicks/tubbed and gear change? Cant wait to hear your constructive advice. Thanks

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Get ahold of the guys on the Fast and the Furious, they'll tell you how it's done.:rofl:
 
What type/brand of traction bars? Stiffer gears will help but slicks and wheel well tubbing may not be necessary. Look what the small tire racers do on their launches.
Mike
 
Sub-frame connectors,Caltrac bars and monoleafs,biggest stickiest tires you can fit,loose front shocks,4.10 or more gears,battery in trunk,full tank of fuel,possibly higher stall.
Good luck.
 
That's a nice car, the less you have to change the better. Forget tubbing for now, you can fit a good sized tire in those stock wells. But you definitely want a street slick or a full slick for bite. The bite will bog the motor if it doesn't have enough torque but start with the tire swap. The 3.54 gears aren't ideal BUT if the motor has enough torque you should still be able to pull the front wheels. If the car ran high 11's it should have the balls to pull the front wheels.

My 383 (not stock) Road Runner would only run mid 13's but it was able to pull the front end a couple inches with 8" slicks and 4.56 gears. When I built my new stroker I built it to have the same rear wheel torque with 3.54's as the 383 had with 4.56's.
 
looks like some good advice here , i’d start w 90/10 shocks on front and some more gear ! if your frying your tires your not getting a good launch …. slicks ….
 
You need to plant those rear tires, and have tires that will hold it . A radial or slick whatever you decide. Then start on the suspension once you see what the car is doing when it starts to hook. The drive train as it sits should handle the job.

There is a Facebook Group Called leaf spring racers with some incrediabley knowledge people.
 
Here are a couple things to consider:
In your quest for showmanship you're going to sacrifice ride quality and driveability.
People like to spend other people's money.
 
Linden Johnson said:
Im 70 and need some advice fro you experienced race guys. My 70 Charger 500 has a 493/440 efi w/3500 stall and worked 727 trans. 3:54 gears. 275/65 BFG rear tires. It has 680HP and has run high 11's by previous owner. While I dont intend to race it, I would love to impress the young guys in my rural town by lifting the ft when I hammer it. Currently it just roasts the tires. It has traction bars. Im assuming big slicks/tubbed and gear change? Cant wait to hear your constructive advice. Thanks

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That's a nice looking car! 680 is a big number for those parts but, it probably has enough power to do what you want. Like has been mentioned it'll have to have some suspension changes. GOOD rear shocks, tires and likely more gear. Free-up any bind in the front suspension too. How good is the posi? locker? Then if it's an 8 3/4 ...lol Sometimes it's better to be happy with what it is.
 
There isn't enough traction in the street fo 99.5 % of the hot rods out there to pull the wheels. No front shocks and 400lbs in the trunk, maybe. My racecar wheelies on for 40-60 feet out nearly every pass. But there are days when the track prep isnt the best. It'll leave flat as a pancake. And this is with fully scienced out shocks, suspension, 6200 rpm converter, 4.10, 10.5x31 slicks, in a car that has been 8.96@150. I doubt it would pull the wheels on the street without loosening the front shocks and trunk ballast.
Doug

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HardcoreB said:
That's a nice looking car! 680 is a big number for those parts but, it probably has enough power to do what you want. Like has been mentioned it'll have to have some suspension changes. GOOD rear shocks, tires and likely more gear. Free-up any bind in the front suspension too. How good is the posi? locker? Then if it's an 8 3/4 ...lol Sometimes it's better to be happy with what it is.
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sorry, misprint 580 HP
 
Nice car, Great answers. If all else fails, you could do what Dick Landy did and put 300 pounds of sand bags in your trunk.
It always seemed to work for him!! :D

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You have to watch those landings though!! :p

dick landy hard landing.jpg

Don't forget, wheelies can become habit forming!
Just ask the fellow below. Good Luck, you wild and crazy guy! :)

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