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What kind of power will it take to run 11's in a LWB 82 with stock suspension?!

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To the wheels I mean.... Not flywheel...

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No jokes but your gonna have a hard time hittin 11's with a stock rear. About 420 to 450 at the wheels will dip into the 11's with a decent rear suspension. If you wanna have fun at the track concentrate on 60ft times. Its all shiftin after that. A good 60fter will always post good et's in a good state of tune.

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K, so without going 4 link, what would you recommend? I'm having a 650hp 496 built right now, and also need to beat a 2011 Smelby Rustang!

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His best on stock tires is 12.4...

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I dont know what your abilities are but I'd say box as much of the frame as you can. Shoot a pic of the rear suspension so I can see the condition. Being leaf spring I'd say add slappers and tune them so that you can slide two quarters between the pad and spring eye. DOT track tires, replace rubber, shift kit set on kill, adequate trans cooler, adequate fuel supply, adequate BRAKES!!! You can build a junker to run an 11 but don't plan on it making too many passes. Get it to hook and leave and make improvements from there. Get outta the hole then get down the track. Don't break it untill you hit 11.99. Know when to lift to save money. AND REMEMBER!!! Drag Cars are not remote control!! It takes more than desire to drive to the end!!

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Detune that thumper and tune up as the truck catches up!

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Well the stock suspension is old... Never hauled anything, but 120000 miles on it.... I know I gotta do something, just looking for the budget route on a vehicle that will be daily driven, but will be abused too...
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And what kinda diff would u recommend? The stock pos has to go... Want something that will eventually hold up to traction... Will a 12 bolt do, or should I look at a 9" or something?
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Freshen up the rear suspension (may need new springs!?) wherever possible. Plan on big sticky tires and keep the motor one step above the rear suspension. Get some timeslips and ask more questions.

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Leafs, traction bars, tubbed, and a bada$$ tire... Gotcha!!
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A 9'" is the poor mans quick change but its not neccessary. What housing do you have? It should have the potential to hold the power.

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I think its an 8.5???? 3.08 open rear end...
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I think these trucks can handle a 305 or 315 DOT so you shouldn't need more and more costs more. Remember 9" tires can carry the front wheels on a stock style suspension.

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Was a cheapo truck off the lot in 82... Only option was the 350 I think!!!
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Verify that and if you prove what you thought find a bigger housing and put in it only what you need. Don't forget the rest. Protect the trans and make sure you can stop it. Again stiffen the frame and I'm sure someone with Dragtruck experience would have something to say about ballast. Your better starting off with a LWB too!

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But the look is so much more appealing!!! And my buddy will weld the tubs in for a bottle!! Priced out 15x12 or 15x14 rally's at 240 a piece... Not too shabby!
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I just know the diff is the most neglected art of a high hp vehicle, and want to have something that lasts...
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Two ther things: Lower it to help transfer and always build to be safe. Google "instant center" and read it to se if that will help you.

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I always say speed before money but everyone gets a closer look on the return road and in the pits. In my mind I like to be the one who doesn't look like it could go that fast! Sleeper?

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I am trying to stay as stock appearing as possible. As much as I likenpeoplea customization, I prefer things to look "as sold"... I hope to have the drivetrain done by late september, so I'll be on here lits in the coming weeks!! Thank you for your help/advice!
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Ive ran 12.19s with a mild 406
On leafs. Cal tracs and drag radial. The motor is the easy part.
making it hook is the trick
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@BMRDOC, why do u say starting with a LWB is the best route?
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Its all about weight transfer. How long is a Top Fuel car? Plus the smaller wheelbase and track width the more unstable it is at speed, all else being equal.

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Never thought about the speed/length thing!! Good call!
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a decent 8.5 will hold what you are building. if you're really serious about goin fast and don't mind doing the work. i'd go 9" if you're gonna change. lotta good advice so far here. follow it and you'll easily be past your goal

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If I stay with the 8.5, what else besides the non posi guts should be changed? Should the original axles be tossed for something better?
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a 28 spline set-up with good posi would be right on the edge
a 30 spline combo will actually hold good power with a good posi. many people with heavy cars/trucks in the tens on stock 8.5 spline axles. just DO NOT use a gov-lock posi unit. they are junk and will grenade for certain.

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Just had a friend at work tell me he hit 12.0 at 116-118mph in a STi Scooby this weekend on all seasons. He dynoed at 375hp to the wheels. AWD doesn't count but the hp/et/mph is a close yardstick.

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No need to box the frame, it is added weight. Look around and you will find the majority of the 12.99 second and faster trucks run a non-boxed frame. This includes most of the 8-11.99 second trucks on this board.



Caltracs are the better option in my humble opinion. Much more adjustability and better control of the spring.




I will argue that starting with a long bed will not aid in weight transfer. The added length is in between the front/rear tires, not behind the rear. If you want to talk about the ballast, it moves more weight over the front tires than the rear with the added length.

Top fuel and a street/strip truck are way different. For one, they weigh a lot less and the majority of their weight is on the rear. A top fuel is the length it is to help keep it straight among other reasons. I can name a recent long bed owner on this board running mid 9's naturally asperated that recently decided to turn his truck in to a shortbed. Any guesses as to why?

BTW, here is a quick list of sub 10 second trucks from this board. I tried to find out if they are long/short for you.

Regan - SB (8.93)
Kevin - SB (9.168)
BigJim - SB (9.45) Used to be a long bed
BadGMC - LB (10.11)
Paul1969 - SB (10.37)
71Dragtruck - ? (10.61)
Super - SB (10.73)
Ratpowered72 - SB (10.87)
Drag80 - LB (10.94)
Marv - SB (11.0x)

These 1/8 mile times tell me they would run 10's all day long. You need roughly a 6.95 or faster in the 1/8 to go 10's.

Raddracintrk - ? (6.81 eigth)
KPEZtrk - SB (5.50 eigth)
MSMisserey - SB (4.77 eigth)






Sorry, but lowering it does not help transfer weight to the rear tires. Well, it can if done right, but most people lower a truck the wrong way for drag racing.

To add to this, raising your center of gravity actually makes it easier to transfer the weight backwards. The higher it is, the easier it is. One reason guys will jack their motors up as high as they can in their chassis.

Setting instant center should not be done by lowering a vehicle. It should be done by design in the chassis. One of the areas a Caltracs out performs a slapper bar.




I am sorry if you feel I am picking on you by only quoting you. That is not my intention. I am only trying to provide a little better info.

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I don't feel picked on, I'm glad you stepped in. I haven't played with American cars in a while and certainly not leaf springs.
I looked up the Caltracs and can't argue at all with them. They look better too. When I said "lower" I meant "correctly with drag racing in mind". When I said "ballast" I woulda hoped someone would have said something about adding weight in the rear for traction. I would argue that instant center can be manipulated through suspension tweaks. I'm stopping there because I feel like I'm either defending myself or may be taken as making excuses. Again, I don't feel like you were picking on me just making some corrections. It is apparent that you have more experience in Drag Trucks than I do but I stand by most of these tips.

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Thank you ALL for your input.. The best way to learn is from the people who have done or are doing it!!! We can all learn more from each others help on here! I talked with the engine builder today, and he says to push 650 out of the 496 will require too much compression for a 90% street/10% strip motor... He guesstimates 580-600 at the crank for what I'll use it for... I have a TCI T400 lined up, but am still undecided as to what to use for a rear end... The 454 block is coming out of a suburban... I wonder if it has a more desireable diff than what I have now... Also, priced out the cal tracks without a flipped spring... $400 and change... Would flipping the springs be benificial?? ALSO, as I've been a spectator many times at the track, but never raced... THe engine builder said that if I run 11.99, I'll get booted for not having a cage... Is this true? I thought it was 10's... As far as boxing the frame, what exactly does that mean?

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I'm glad you don't. A lot of people would take that the wrong way.

Lowering the front and having it work right is not all that easy. There are few to no off the shelf springs for our trucks that work well for drag racing. You have to ask lost of questions and figure things out. Most lowering springs are waaayyyy too stiff for a drag racing application. Check out the suspension 101 thread I started some time ago for more info.

Moving weight around is always better than adding weight. But in some cases you need to add weight. I ran a tailgate that I added 100lbs to for a few years. But that was after moving the batterey to the back, putting a cell in the rear, ect.

I completely agree ICG can be adjusted through suspension tweaks, but not just by lowering. Moving Shackle height, front mount height, the hole on the caltrac's ect. The point I was trying to make was that simply lowering a vehicle to adjust ICG can do more harm than help. But adjusting the suspension geometry itself, well, that puts you light years ahead.




Learning is what this site is for.

Talk to your local track for cage requirements. NHRA is 11.49 for a 6 point. If they run a different sanction, there could be different requirements.

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I am gonna be swapping my son's 70 leaf truck to trailing arms and coilovers so it won't be real low. I am gonna try to lower the front with just springs when I get the front where I can weigh it.

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My engine builder/ driveline installer is telling me upwards of $3000 for a darn good rear diff/axle setup. Does that sound extreme?
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Sounds a little high to me.

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if by darn good he means "last you'll ever need to buy" then that is spot on. :lol:

that is top-o-the-line nine inch money there ;)

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Thats 12 bolt building price... I was thinking 2200 max...
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That's about what I paid for a brand new Strange 9" with 35 spline axles, Detroit Locker, nodular iron center section, 1350 yoke and Wilwood disc brakes including shipping to California.

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Where did you buy from? Sounds like a KILLER setup!
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