The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hi,
I am going to rebuild my 383 engine and I have a question if I should use a carburator spacer or not.
engine 383 .030 oversize
Comp cams extrem energy 274/286 .488 .491 lift
flat top piston 9.5:1
516 heads 2.08 1.74 valves
Edelbrock Torker intake
Holley 750 DP 4779
Hedders
2.5" exhaust system
Converter stall 2500 rpm
rear axel 3.23 ratio

the car will be used as a street and strip car

my question is:
should I use a (4 hole 1" spacer) or a
(1 hole 1" spacer) or should I go without any spacer at all.

//Roland

Use a four hole.

The reason?

You don't want a large plenum volume in the intake on a street car. It will kill throttle response and might cause a bog.

An insulating carb spacer is a good thing as it keeps the carb cooler. A cooler carb is a good thing.

Make sure you got the clearance required before you go 1 inch thick. You can also find 3/4 and 1/2 inch spacers.
The easiest way is to put nuts on the carb studs up to 1 inch and just lay the carb and filter on top of that and see if you can lower the hood without contact. Then check for clearance (some putty on the filter housing will do the trick.

You may also need a drop-down filter base.

A 1/2 " spacer would be more than enough on a street car, and the added clearance might be better spent on a taller air filter assembly.

Oh and you might want to check that you have enough stall speed in the converter. And those "gay" 3.23:1 rear gears will have to go. You want 3.54:1 at least with a hotter cam.

thanks for you answer.

I will check the hood clearens before I mount the spacer.

yes I know that 3.23 in the rear is not good I will change it as soon as possible but I had to built my engine first and then when that is ready I will change the rear to maybe 3.91:1

//Roland

thanks for you answer.

I will check the hood clearens before I mount the spacer.

yes I know that 3.23 in the rear is not good I will change it as soon as possible but I had to built my engine first and then when that is ready I will change the rear to maybe 3.91:1

//Roland

dave-r wrote:And those "gay" 3.23:1 rear gears will have to go.

Gay rear gears?
That's adequate for a street car (unless one has an overdrive unit ).
I hate streets and gas pumps with the 4.10 rears!

I guess in France you need those tall gears to outrun the mobs with petrol bombs at the moment?

Hope you don't leave your car parked outside at night.

dave-r wrote:I guess in France you need those tall gears to outrun the mobs with petrol bombs at the moment?

No, I just kill them with the fumes when I floor it, the six-pack is way out of tune!

Hope you don't leave your car parked outside at night.

It's not at bad as the media make it sound abroad (some US channels make it look like the Rodney King riots in LA in 1991), and I don't live in any dangerous area.
Plus, the convertible is locked in the 4th sub-level in a collector car parking lot, and the RT/SE is at a friend's place, locked in a hangar hundreds of yards from the nearest street.

I know what you are saying mate. We had riots in our town a few years ago and looking at the news you would have thought the whole city was burning instead of just the parts that needed burning anyway.