Street AND strip? Possible?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
Street AND strip? Possible?
OK guys. Fixing to buy a 383 with 500 HP/500tq. From skip white performance. Been doing lots of research. My question is can I build this car so I can have fun around town, but have a rear end capable of holding up if I decide to put slicks on it and drag it. And is there like a plug and play rear end that's not extremely expensive.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
OK guys. Fixing to buy a 383 with 500 HP/500tq. From skip white performance. Been doing lots of research. My question is can I build this car so I can have fun around town, but have a rear end capable of holding up if I decide to put slicks on it and drag it. And is there like a plug and play rear end that's not extremely expensive.
What year of C3 are you running?
A Rebuilt/hopped-up/BLUEPRINTED differential should tolerate 500hp depending on year. That includes the drive shaft, half-shafts (possibly carbon fiber), and all of the parts that are IN the diff PLUS the bearing assemblies and rear suspension.
What is your budget for 'not extremely expensive'? You are going to break things...
I have a Dana 44 in my 1980 L48 that was setup by a reputable shop in FL back around 2002. This diff should have no issue behind 450hp on the street with street tires. However, with slicks on the track/street and strip... I would not expect my Dana 44 to last very long.
Last edited by TedH; Jun 4, 2015 at 06:38 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
OK guys. Fixing to buy a 383 with 500 HP/500tq. From skip white performance. Been doing lots of research. My question is can I build this car so I can have fun around town, but have a rear end capable of holding up if I decide to put slicks on it and drag it. And is there like a plug and play rear end that's not extremely expensive.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
Question:
What year of C3 are you running?
A Rebuilt/hopped-up/BLUEPRINTED differential should tolerate 500hp depending on year. That includes the drive shaft, half-shafts (possibly carbon fiber), and all of the parts that are IN the diff PLUS the bearing assemblies and rear suspension.
What is your budget for 'not extremely expensive'? You are going to break things...
I have a Dana 44 in my 1980 L48 that was setup by a reputable shop in FL back around 2002. This diff should have no issue behind 450hp on the street with street tires. However, with slicks on the track/street and strip... I would not expect my Dana 44 to last very long.
What year of C3 are you running?
A Rebuilt/hopped-up/BLUEPRINTED differential should tolerate 500hp depending on year. That includes the drive shaft, half-shafts (possibly carbon fiber), and all of the parts that are IN the diff PLUS the bearing assemblies and rear suspension.
What is your budget for 'not extremely expensive'? You are going to break things...
I have a Dana 44 in my 1980 L48 that was setup by a reputable shop in FL back around 2002. This diff should have no issue behind 450hp on the street with street tires. However, with slicks on the track/street and strip... I would not expect my Dana 44 to last very long.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
$2,000 spent responsibly should enable your '77's DIFFERENTIAL to survive behind 500hp on slicks/street-strip.
This is for balanced/blueprinted driveshaft, rebuilt/blueprinted differential(and gears), and HD half-shafts.
I'd call Dan at Van Steel (Clearwater, FL) and tell him what you have and goals/objectives.
The rest of the car may require attention aft of that 500hp engine (cooling system, front/rear suspension, TH400/converter, frame) to live with regular 11-second passes with slicks... add $$$
This is for balanced/blueprinted driveshaft, rebuilt/blueprinted differential(and gears), and HD half-shafts.
I'd call Dan at Van Steel (Clearwater, FL) and tell him what you have and goals/objectives.
The rest of the car may require attention aft of that 500hp engine (cooling system, front/rear suspension, TH400/converter, frame) to live with regular 11-second passes with slicks... add $$$
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
$2,000 spent responsibly should enable your '77's DIFFERENTIAL to survive behind 500hp on slicks/street-strip.
This is for balanced/blueprinted driveshaft, rebuilt/blueprinted differential(and gears), and HD half-shafts.
I'd call Dan at Van Steel (Clearwater, FL) and tell him what you have and goals/objectives.
The rest of the car may require attention aft of that 500hp engine (cooling system, front/rear suspension, TH400/converter, frame) to live with regular 11-second passes with slicks... add $$$
This is for balanced/blueprinted driveshaft, rebuilt/blueprinted differential(and gears), and HD half-shafts.
I'd call Dan at Van Steel (Clearwater, FL) and tell him what you have and goals/objectives.
The rest of the car may require attention aft of that 500hp engine (cooling system, front/rear suspension, TH400/converter, frame) to live with regular 11-second passes with slicks... add $$$
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Its the "shock load" that breaks rear ends. With an automatic and a "loaded" start (power braking) any of the C3 rear ends will hold up reasonably well. The 1980 thru 1982 Dana 44 aluminum rear ends won't tolerate as much torque as the earlier Eaton rear ends.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
So I have Eaton then?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 338
Likes: 4
From: Bowling Green Kentucky
That being said, the chassis/suspension is going to have to be right.
I've been that ET with what I figure is less than 500HP. My pig never been in the same zip code with a dyno, so I have no #'s on HP on the pig.
As far as the 10K figure, that is totally going to be dependent on how much work the car is going to need to get everything other than performance modifications up to par.
Last edited by HBZ_81_C3; Jun 4, 2015 at 08:37 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
500HP and a good set of DOT's with the right combination of gear, transmission and converter doesn't get in the 11's, I would be surprised.
That being said, the chassis/suspension is going to have to be right.
I've been that ET with what I figure is less than 500HP. My pig never been in the same zip code with a dyno, so I have no #'s on HP on the pig.
As far as the 10K figure, that is totally going to be dependent on how much work the car is going to need to get everything other than performance modifications up to par.
That being said, the chassis/suspension is going to have to be right.
I've been that ET with what I figure is less than 500HP. My pig never been in the same zip code with a dyno, so I have no #'s on HP on the pig.
As far as the 10K figure, that is totally going to be dependent on how much work the car is going to need to get everything other than performance modifications up to par.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 338
Likes: 4
From: Bowling Green Kentucky
I would also recommend half shaft and drive shaft safety loops.
If you wait on stuff to break it could get ugly!
Make the drive line as good as it possibly can be.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
Make sure the entire drive line is up to snuff... half shafts, u-joints, drive shaft, strut rods, spring, shocks, bushings, wheel bearings, frame mounts for all the above.
I would also recommend half shaft and drive shaft safety loops.
If you wait on stuff to break it could get ugly!
Make the drive line as good as it possibly can be.
I would also recommend half shaft and drive shaft safety loops.
If you wait on stuff to break it could get ugly!
Make the drive line as good as it possibly can be.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,086
Likes: 787
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
Check with dragvette.com.
The cheapest and easiest upgrade to do is changing all 6 u joints to Spicer solid types, 1330 and 1350 units. To get into the 11s you'll need a higher stall torque converter so while you're putting that in, get your TH350 rebuilt/upgraded. That won't be too costly. You probably have 3.08 gears. That won't help you get in the 11s. I had the rear in my 77 rebuilt and changed to 3.73 gears. My car hasn't run 11s but I've gone 12.1s on drag radials with the changes I noted here. Over 200 runs with no drivetrain problems, with 3,000 stall, TH350 and 3.73s.
The cheapest and easiest upgrade to do is changing all 6 u joints to Spicer solid types, 1330 and 1350 units. To get into the 11s you'll need a higher stall torque converter so while you're putting that in, get your TH350 rebuilt/upgraded. That won't be too costly. You probably have 3.08 gears. That won't help you get in the 11s. I had the rear in my 77 rebuilt and changed to 3.73 gears. My car hasn't run 11s but I've gone 12.1s on drag radials with the changes I noted here. Over 200 runs with no drivetrain problems, with 3,000 stall, TH350 and 3.73s.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Instead of changing out the U joints the parts and labor if nothing screwed up would have saved me 150 bucks approximately. So I had custom shafts made , the shop that made them said if I ever broke or twisted them they would replace them. I asked for it in writing as a joke. When they arrived there was a business card with it written on the back .
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia
http://www.skipwhiteperformance.com/detail.aspx?Item=2CHEVCRT
that's the link for the engine I'm going to buy. Hope fully its capable of 11s. Do you have any recommendation as to what kind and where to get the U joints
that's the link for the engine I'm going to buy. Hope fully its capable of 11s. Do you have any recommendation as to what kind and where to get the U joints
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Likely cammed pretty big W/10.5 to 1 compression. If your running a 3.08 rear gear and automatic you will be disappointed. Needs at least a 2400 stall convertor and I would go minimum 3.70 rear gear ratio.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 412
Likes: 12
From: Carrollton, Georgia