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Been gone a while- update

cu440da

cu440da

Active Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
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Location
Cottage Grove, MN
Its been a while since I poked my head in here. Figured I would give an update on the truck.

For those that dont know- its a '78 Warlock with a 5.7 VVT Hemi and Viper 6 speed swap.

Rebuilt the suspension and lowered it this spring. Also added nitrous to it and had it dyno tuned so it wouldnt blow up. NA dyno'd same as last year, but with nitrous the numbers jumped quite a bit. 600hp at crank, 520hp at the wheels. Torque went crazy- 675 lb/ft at crank, 590 lb/ft at the wheels.

I also added CalTracs in an effort to bring my 60 times down. They cured my horrendous wheel hop, but I wasnt able to play with them much before the truck suffered major breakage. Clutch was completely shot trying to hold power it wasnt meant to handle, and I sheared the splines clean off one of the axles. Best time at the track was 12.4@114 with a 2+ sec 60 ft. If I can ever get the suspension to respond, it should be well into the 11 sec range.

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woaw nice just nice youv'e got best of both world and old desirable truck with a new hemi engine....
 
cu440da said:
My garage page here is as close to a build thread as I have.

'78 Warlock 5.7/t56
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I just asked you this in your garage post but then I just found this thread , so I figured I'd just ask you here . With the CalTrac's , Did you go for the system or did you keep your stock springs and shocks ? Maybe you could include some pictures if you have them of the set up .
 
I just went with the traction bars for now. I want to set the GoPro up to catch the suspension action so I can see if there is a need to upgrade the shocks and springs. They definitely cured the wheelhop, but I wasnt able to get wheelspin under control before I snapped an axle. Just got the clutch and axle repaired in time to watch the snow fly so I think any testing will have to wait for spring.
 
It's interesting racing one of these trucks isn't it . ;) I've been considering the CalTracs myself and giving up on my traction bar design I've been drawing up . I just haven't had the time to do any fab work . I'd have to talk to CalTracs though because I'd like to keep mine spring over . I'm assuming you did an axle flip in the rear when you dropped yours .
 
I did, but you can get them made for either spring under or spring over.

Yeah, the truck frames were designed to flex. Not so good for drag racing. I am tempted to cage it, but I think I would have to trash my exhaust to do it. Not too thrilled about that.
 
If you get rid of your exhaust let me know as I am very interested, and I live sort of close. For your sake though, I hope you don't have to.
 
cu440da said:
I did, but you can get them made for either spring under or spring over.
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I have yet to find an off the shelf set for a spring over . I'd like to see how there mounted since the shock plate wraps around the axle ( kind of ) and keeps the axle housing in place as well as a mounting point for the shock . Every one that I've found has a flat mounting surface . I've figured out ways around the flat surface , but I'd like to see a "bolt in" kit . There yah go , You've got my mind a go'in again ! lol
 
cu440da said:
Yeah, the truck frames were designed to flex. Not so good for drag racing. I am tempted to cage it, but I think I would have to trash my exhaust to do it. Not too thrilled about that.
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Yeah , they do like to flex don't they . On mine , I've got a kind of gusset mounted on the front left corner and I've got the cross braces for the bed floor welded to the frame to help with the flexing and stiffen it up . It's been doing good so far , but when I really get it to stick better , that might change . As far as the roll cage idea . That's something I'm going to have to think about as well in the future , just because I know my truck is dancing right around the quarter times were it's going to be mandatory for me to have one if I want to run at the track . Have you checked out boosted lil red's cage ? They did a dam good job on it . Although , for what I would want , me personally , I'm not going to go with a halo style cage . But you might get some ideas for when and if that time comes for you .
 
LocuMob said:
If you get rid of your exhaust let me know as I am very interested, and I live sort of close. For your sake though, I hope you don't have to.
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You've always got your ears open , don't you Mob . lol
 
bear said:
You've always got your ears open , don't you Mob . lol
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You have to when you're thrifty. I'm a fan of recycling!

cu440da, it's good to hear your truck has an abundance of power, and a bummer that parts are breaking. It sounds like you knew the trans would eventually kick the bucket, so that probably wasn't too shocking. What axle do you have, 9 & 1/4 or Dana 60?
 
LocuMob said:
You have to when you're thrifty. I'm a fan of recycling!
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I hear yah Mob ;) , and I don't mean to rain on your hopes . But I don't see any reason why he would have to get rid of his stack's If he needed to install a roll bar . The main hoop would be "in" the cab and the rear upright bars would either come thru the rear window or ( like I plan on doing when the time comes ) just above it . Sorry :(
 
Dream crusher! I wouldn't expect cu440da to get rid of them either. Just putting it out there. When I saw his truck at the big show up here, I gotta say, you wouldn't expect it to be as quick as it is. It looks great, but you just don't think those old Dodges were that fast. I'm sure plenty of people have and will be taken by surprise. I didn't hear it so I don't know how much the exhaust gives it away.
 
LocuMob said:
Dream crusher! I wouldn't expect cu440da to get rid of them either. Just putting it out there.
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Yeah I know Mob . You gotta try ! ;) How many times have I been after you for one of your tunnel rams ? lol I just didn't want him to think there was no way around the stacks . Who knows , He might still take them off . :)
 
LocuMob said:
When I saw his truck at the big show up here, I gotta say, you wouldn't expect it to be as quick as it is. It looks great, but you just don't think those old Dodges were that fast. I'm sure plenty of people have and will be taken by surprise. I didn't hear it so I don't know how much the exhaust gives it away.
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"That's" why I like having a real hot rod truck ! You know how many people have just walked by mine not realizing what's under the hood ? People think it's just some ole Dodge truck with mag's on it . I've lined mine up to a few back half cars and so called "fast" cars and left them holding there ...... ( well you know ) . lol :)
 
My exhaust is fairly quiet at idle and cruise, so it does surprise people when they see it running 114 in the quarter. The motor is still 100% stock , so that throws people as well.

The problem with my exhaust is that its under the rockers right where I imagine the frame outriggers would need to be to connect the cage to the frame. It might work out though, I am planning on swapping the saddle tank out for a rear mounted tank. That would open up some space inside the frame for the mufflers. Just have to get creative on how to get it out to the stacks.

If the truck ever lives up to its trap speed I should be close to needing a roll bar. Now I have my sights set on a supercharger i just found. That, along with the nitrous will put it over the top. I should just leave well enough alone- its getting expensive putting down this much power.
 
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