The Dodge Challenger Message Board

RedRaven wrote:Dave what that actually says is loads of French stuff!!!

I suspected that's what it was.
When in France I let my wife do the talking. I just talk louder and point.

dave-r wrote: I just talk louder and point.

So just normal for you then............NO PUT THAT GASKET ON THERE AND TIGHNTEN THAT NUT THERE.....TOP UP THE LEVEL ON THAT AND NO ITS NOT A GEAR BOX ITS A BLOODY TRANSMISSION YOU DAFT TWAT!!

Another one!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtINCCIi9cY

This is a look around the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mma6NVbvkns

well that leaves me speech less dave wow what a clean ,tidy car,i hope you dont laugh when you see mine, but yours is insanely clean, and the look with the chin spoilers and the rear deck spoiler its a real looker

Shame about the big thumb print on the camera lens.

Don't worry Drew. My car looks clean but you should see the state of my house.

Hes lying his house is really nice..............his garage is a mess though


Wish I had a garage that I could mess!!

I like this shot of the rear end with the Hoosiers ready to burn!!!

Hey Dave. Congrats on the awards!, you've worked hard on that car and deserve it. Well done!!

Thanks Dave. Shame it wouldn't perform on the track on the day but that's Drag Racing for you.

A couple of camera phone photos taken by Andy Robinson who owns that plymouth in the photo with my car as well as the RV I am parked at.

This is the same guy that just bought the 572 inch 1968 Coronet in another thread.

Me being interviewed.

Sorry but there are no subtitles available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1-yuwIKe4s

Glad to see you had a good time Dave

Man I love this shot...........

Looks mean and ready for lighting to strike........

Yes. We were a little worried about that and took shelter under a steel roof once the rain did hit us just a few minuites later.

dave-r wrote:Me being interviewed.

Sorry but there are no subtitles available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1-yuwIKe4s

wow i actually understood you, nice interview,and again congrats,

i noticed in the vid you do have a rear sway bar, how stiff is the rear end around a hard corner?

Great interview Dave, you came across very well.

drewcrane wrote: i noticed in the vid you do have a rear sway bar, how stiff is the rear end around a hard corner?

Every woman likes a guy with a firm rear end.

The car is very flat even on hard corners. I did my best to make sure that the rear spring rate (springs + sway bar) was correct for the front rates and weight bias in order to get the car to handle as neutral as possible.

In the end I got a very slight understeer with a little oversteer on the throttle. As perfect for my driving as i could get. But it took a LOT of working out. I think I spent weeks refining my calculations and even realised that there was a mistake in the reference book I was using.

Dodge quicky realised that the Challenger needed a rear sway bar and later models came with one as standard.

dave-r wrote:

drewcrane wrote: i noticed in the vid you do have a rear sway bar, how stiff is the rear end around a hard corner?

Every woman likes a guy with a firm rear end.

The car is very flat even on hard corners. I did my best to make sure that the rear spring rate (springs + sway bar) was correct for the front rates and weight bias in order to get the car to handle as neutral as possible.

In the end I got a very slight understeer with a little oversteer on the throttle. As perfect for my driving as i could get. But it took a LOT of working out. I think I spent weeks refining my calculations and even realised that there was a mistake in the reference book I was using.

Dodge quicky realised that the Challenger needed a rear sway bar and later models came with one as standard.

well thats better than a stiffie in the rear ,

good info to know, i figured it would take some time to fine tune it i might put mine back on and try some things

If your front spring rate is not high enough you will get oversteer with a rear bar.
Otherwise it will limit body roll more and corner faster as a result.

dave-r wrote:If your front spring rate is not high enough you will get oversteer with a rear bar.
Otherwise it will limit body roll more and corner faster as a result.

ahh i have the origonal 383 torsion bars, wonder if thats a problem cause i had severe over steer when i had the rear bar on

That will be the case. You either need to increase your front suspension rates (which are not great for the track anyway) or loose more weight from the front.

If the weight of your car is, say 60% on the front and 40% on the rear, then as a rule of thumb you will want that same difference in the wheel suspension rates to get neutral handling when cornering hard.

Working out what the actual suspension rate at each wheel is the tricky bit. It is easy to find out what the spring rates are but at the front the wheel is mounted on a lever (the LCA) so the rate at the wheel is lower depending on the length of the LCA.
The rear axle is slightly more complicated. Then you have to take into account the effect of the sway bars on wheel rate.

Like I said. It took me a while to work it all out right. I used "How to Build the Ultimate Super Street Mopar" by Mike Martin as my reference. But i remember I found there was a mistake in one of the diagrams or methods. i can't remember what it was now though but I think it was in the calculating of front wheel rate or the measurements used.

humm well since you drove my car would you do anything to it? because it handles pretty good considering it has no rear sway bar,if i increase the front susp. rate i will have alot stiffer road manners but a harsher ride,i guess im trying to figure out a way to use the rear sway bar i have or leave it alone

It is down to how well you want it to work on a track.

Real track cars all have VERY stiff suspension for a reason.

But if you are happy with the way it is just leave well alone.

I only drove it really gently on a public road remember.