Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance A little street "race" this afternoon

Not sure where else to post this, it's just a little useless bragging....
Kind of a nice day today, so I got the old Dodge Coupe out and took it out for a drive. My wife said she needed a few things at the store, so I said I'd get them, and took the long way, out a couple of nice country roads,, and back into town completely opposite to the side we live on.
Anyway, going back through town, I stopped at a light on a two-lane one way street that became two way only two blocks up. I was in the right lane, which was the through lane, and this new looking Subaru something or other SUV pulled up next to me in the left lane.
This particular locale is notorious for impromptu stoplight drags, becuase of the lane closure. Someone always wants to shoot past a line of traffic and get ahead, although in this case there was no "line of traffic" just me in my ole Dodge!
I really expected the guy to be planning a left turn at the next block, so he caught me a little by surprise when the light changed and he took off aggerssively.
To my surprise, the old girl had no trouble reeling him in, I sloughed the shift into second, so he started to gain a little, but when I managed to get it into gear, I once again had no trouble reeling him in. By the time I shifted to 3rd, he was running out of road, and I was just pulling ahead of him.
To be honest, I had to give it all the old Dodge could put out to do that, and there was a hell of a lot of racket in the process, I think I may have scared his wife and kids a little! I'm starting to think about some quieter mufflers!
Anyway, tomorrow, I'm gonna drop by a Subaru dealer and find out the specs on that thing. It looked like a brand new car, so they should have one on the floor I can ask about.
Can't wait to drive up in that old Dodge, and tell the salesman "I just blew the doors of one of those, how much horsepower do they have, and how much do they weigh?"
BTW, my Dodge is stock internally, with Fenton headers and dual Carter B&B carbs. I might be getting 140 hp out of it, but ot much more if even that much.

What you have, Carlo, is a low (high numerical) gear ratio in that old Dodge differential, probably 4.1 or lower, that over a short distance will equalize whatever horsepower advantage the compact SUV might have. That's why the old inline was making all that racket toward the end. The Dodge in its present configuration probably produces more low-speed torque than the Subaru. With that combination, up to 45-50 mph you can stay with the later machinery, but past 60 mph it will be no contest. A well-modified Chrysler six and an overdrive could make things more interesting on the Interstates as well as in the stoplight Grands Prix.

God's Peace to you.

d

Rear end ratio of 3.92, I think.
I just bought an overdrive transmission, that will be installed after I have time to check it out for worn out bearings etc.

I have no doubt that given sufficient distance most vehicles similar to the one I took on Sunday afternoon would be able to leave the old Dodge behind, but it was still kind of fun surprising the guy, since he obviously thought he was in for a cake walk.
Back in the days when I was more ignorant of the possible harm I might be doing, I did have that car up to 100 mph (indicated) a couple of times on the interstates. I'd imagine that the overdrive setup will make that possible without abusing the thing.

One other factor; according to my owner's manual, and several other resources, my three-passenger coupe only wieghs 3045 lbs.
I dropped into a Subaru dealer yesterday (turns out whatever the SUV was, it wasn't a Subaru; too big), who told me that given my description of the vehicle, it probably wieghed in the 3500-3800 lbs region.
Just for the heck of it, I dropped by a local truck scale, and got 1880 front axle and 1600 rear axle (with me in the car, and half a tank of fuel), so my "fighting" wieght is right at 3480 lbs. Add a load of fuel and the three passengers to the SUV in question, and we're probably talking about a good 4200-4300 lbs, assuming a dry wieght of 3700 lbs.
That right there could erase any hp advantage the newer vehicle might have seemed to enjoy.
Plus like you suggested, low speed torque is way in my flattie's favor.

All-in-all an interesting topic to consider, as long as it isn't taken too seriously.

It is quite fun to blow off newer vehicles in a 6 powered full size. The best part is how pissed they look in the mirrors of my rusted out f-250 4x4, especially when they realize it is "just a 6"

Can't really say my rig is equipped to "blow -off" anyone but the weird looks are hilarious when we pass someone on the right and my wife is waving at them with both hands....And I'm driving.....
'67 landrover with chevy 6 and Right hand drive