[kettbo]

2" exhaust is a problem. If you were closer we could work a deal on my 2.5" set-up
stock converter is a problem (race days). You would be amazed by a 3000 stall converter swap. A hard launch makes for those good ETs. Stock converter will not help one bit. Drag radials and suspension tuning too. One thing leads to another so think how fast will float your boat. My pal is really happy with the streetability of his 66 Chevelle with zz350 SBC. With a few changes he could be 12.9x but he likes what he likes and runs bottom 13s like clockwork.


Around 13.95 sec would be a match for that 95mph pass

 

[kettbo]

MJ 468 next week, 4000 stall too, I can smell it!

 

[kettbo]

good plan, easy to do but NOT with a mild 396. Probably not going to happen. A mild 454 can do it with street gears. My POS 454 no budget went 12.7s and probably could have 12.5'd in time, 3000 stall and 3.42 gears

save the 850 for another day

Converter and DRs a must, street tires just do not cut it.
I see some warmed-up 396s doing low 13s and high 12s, just not your air-on cruisers

 

[kettbo]

But remember, back in the day, period road tests gave bottom 14s and high 13s to cars like these. IIRC, if you wanted a 12 sec car something like a stripped model 66 Vette 427/425 with 4.10 gears might run a high 12. Of course at the track, racers then removed a lotta wt from their track cars, added period mods so the numbers vary. Pal Mattie with his 70 Chevelle 402 and typical mods was running 13.4s IIRC 2 years back without a good launch

 

[kettbo]

2.5s got my 461 street car to 11.7s at 113.5
I believe they are now hurting me, any more stuff to the inlet side must now be balanced by stuff to the outlet side (bigger pipes)

cut the sock/strainer off the fuel inlet in the tank
small pulley on the crankshaft
K&N or similar low restriction air filter
set timing to 36 or 38 deg total at 3000 with 2 medium adv springs
borrow some DRs

let the fun commence

 

[kettbo]

Levon is touching on something, top half power

the engine is an air pump, air needs in and exhaust needs out
Good air cleaner as I mentioned and bigger exhaust

You are 19 mph and change on the top half of the track. I got out of this rut with the small crank pulley, cutting the fuel tank sock, timing, etc. Over 20 is 'good,' 22 is really good for this kind of car, and a 25 mph gain would be awesome NA

my previous torque converter sucked. got a better converter that slipped less, mph jumped a lot.

 

[kettbo]

it should run 13.95-ish using his current 95mph with traction, technique, and time.
Assuming he finds some horsepower along the way, he could pick up some mph. 98 mph could yield around a 13.50 ET

My heap, I worked on 60 foot from the get-go
I forgot, another tip....most people THINK less fuel and the car will go faster.
My tank loves the extra fuel wt to launch harder, 2/3 tank at the start of racing day.

 

[kettbo]

novadude

here is the top 50 period drag tests. I do not see 68 Chevelle 396 on here and the cut-off is 13.99/101. http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/general/musclecars-50fast.shtml
Plain and simple, they were NOT especially fast stock back then. Oh sure, they FELT fast.

The car has carb too big, no converter, street tires, very small exhaust, and a tune-up 9 years back. Hardly cutting edge here! Plus it appears the OP is not your go-to-the-track-guy. It it is a correct 360 horse engine, he is still disadvantaged. The perf hyd cam was plenty shy on performance but gave nice low street torque.
Specs were actually 214/218 deg dur @.05,.461"/.480" gross lift,on i believe a 114 or was it 115 deg LSA.
The engines were DESIGNED to run out of poop to prevent WARRANTY problems. Imagine if you cut loose widespread use with something like a 226-230 or even a 235* cam on the general testosterone-heavy male population of the late 1960s and 6500 rpm pulls. The low end stock rotating assemble could not take it. So cam them small for torque and prevent warranty issues. I believe even the perf hyd cam nosed over at 4700.

the Summit 1301 cam, TINY by most everyone's opinion is a serious step up from the GM hyd perf cam
218/228* .500/.500" on a 114 LSA
this is a nice GRUNT cam for a 454, nice grocery-getter cam in a 396.

FWIW, back in the day, a sorted out 327 4-spd in a Chevy II would clock a near stock 396 auto car every day of the week. Neighbor's 66 Chevy II SS had 4.10s and 4-spd, with a dead stock 72 Monte 350 it was deadly. I could not imagine a warmed up 327/350 horse in this car as it was factory delivered

I too would like to know the head casting numbers used here. (edit, posted while I typed this) If open chamber and builder pistons, yes, very bad combo
(edit...215 heads so ignore this).

 

[kettbo]

Jerry,

Rancho Cucamonga IS a short drive from Fontana. I grew up down in Carson in the 1970s--mid 80s.

I am glad that you are taking your car out! I am after ALL my friends to get their cars out and enjoy them. A am very much after PERRY with a 66 SS Chevelle, old LIONs Dragstrip car, to get his car out. Last outing early 1980s, 13.4s at 114 out at OCIR. This is with a fairly serious 396, 3.73, no posi, M-22. He finally added 4.10 and POSI. He is out by Lake Perris.


COOL VID of car show and laps at the big oval!

 

[kettbo]

nothing better then helping someone make the most of their combo

air filter, timing, and do not rev the engine against the brake. Let her idle, nail it as the last yellow starts to come on (let off the brake same time)
loosen the suspension
beg, borrow or otherwise acquire race tires

awesome the wife and kids are aboard
boats and dirt bikes are evil

 

[kettbo]

Jerry

a big NO to the headers you mentioned that you wanted.
with 540 horse you want 1 7/8" tube and possibly 2" tube

1 3/4" tube is for budget/street-cruiser stuff

 

[kettbo]

Jerry, nope, no longer budget street cruiser....you've moved up from HS ball to college ball level

 

[kettbo]

Awesome!