Dick,
My engine was a stock '55 block, '54 crank (eventually cut and fitted
for the full floating Ford flat head rod bearings), stock rockers, 12:1
Jahns cast pistons, Isky flat tappet Cam, heads ported by me, adjustable
push rods, a Crower log manifold kit, 6 Stromberg 97s, W&H DuCoil
ignition, a 38 lb. steel flywheel, and eventually Don's boxed rods. I
had lots of trouble breaking the stock rods, and it took a two or three
years for me to scrape together the price of good rods. We had milled
.060 off the heads and .040 off the block. I often think that it would
be interesting to build a DeSoto again for the "D" class. We were
whipping the Chevys bad at the drags in those days, but the Chevy guys
hadn't learned how to run them yet. We were running in the low 120s at
the drags and the Chevys were turning in the middle teens. Their ETs
were usually better though. Often, I would get beat in eliminations and
claim the top time record.
When I first ran the Chevy engine, Dale Allen, who owned the engine, had
been running around 116 MPH in the quarter in their roadster. We went to
the Fontana Drags on Saturday night and ran 116 the first time out. The
next weekend, I convinced him to gear it for the mid 7000 RPM range and
we went 129 MPH. I have been running the Chevy from that day forward.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/GCC
Dick J wrote:
>
> Tom,
> 7 grand sounds great. I assume that was with a
> stock Desoto crank. Were you using aluminum
> rods? What kind of pistons. Solid or roller
> cam? Modified rockers, adjustable push rods, or
> after market rockers?
>
> Thanks
> Dick J
>
> --- "Thomas E. Bryant" <saltracer@awwwsome.com>
> wrote:
> > in the late fifties and early sixties, I ran a
> > 300 cu. in. Desoto, we
> > were running in the low to middle 7000 RPM
> > range with reasonable
> > success.
> > Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/GCC
> > Dick J wrote:
> > >
> > > Hey list,
> > > Would any of you guys who have ever run an
> > early
> > > (Dodge, Desoto, or Chrysler Firepower) hemi
> > give
> > > me an idea what kind of RPM you redlined at.
> > My
> > > hands-on experience is limited to a stock
> > > roller-cammed Chrysler 300C which shifted
> > best at
> > > 5500, would wind to 6,000, but without any
> > > noticeable improvement in performance. I
> > > realize, of course, that the red line will be
> > > very dependent on how you built your motor
> > and
> > > what was in it, but I'd like to get some
> > ideas on
> > > what kind of RPM spread can be considered.
> > If
> > > you were winding more than 6000, give me an
> > idea
> > > what was in it to make that RPM difference.
> > I've
> > > got a 241 Dodge, 276 Desoto, and 354
> > Chrysler.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > =====
> > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> > > * Dick J *
> > > * (In East Texas) *
> > > * # 729 *
> > > * C/GRS C/FRS D/STR *
> > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> > >
> > >
> >
> __________________________________________________
> > > Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get
> > 15 Free!
> > > http://photos.yahoo.com/
>
> __________________________________________________
> Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free!
> http://photos.yahoo.com/
|