starting 2 new project cars...need help!!

[dcoates18481]

i'm finally starting the work on 2 monzas i bought 2 years ago,
one was being gutted for a full out drag car, one is a street car.
1975, 1980.

need some input from ya'll about the challenges i will be facing, parts, tips and tricks.
both are v8 cars.
so far the only obvious problems so far os the diff/trans swap.
will the stock diff hold up? how much abuse etc.
also the torque arm(?) between the diff and trans.
will i need to keep that? is there a way around it.
any and all help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated
thanks
dave

[stage169]

Dave, welcome! Sounds like a couple great projects. If you haven't seen this site then I suggest you check it out. http://h-body.org/library/hbodyfaq/index.html Lots of info no doubt. You will find lots of parts, tips and tricks here these guys are H body experts!

Still you will get some different opinions but it might help if you tell us your plans for both so we can get to work. If you are going with one drag and the other street things like how much horsepower, are you going to use slicks? What parts you might need stuff like that.

When you have time check out the garage here. There is just about every example you can think of in there. Brian

[dcoates18481]

the 1980 is strictly a resto project with a little tweaking of the driveline planned.
the 75 was backhalved and gutted for drag racing.
i have a 350 a 327 and a 383 ...havent decided which to put in it yet.
are there any horsepower limitations to this body style.
the resto looks pretty straightforward...just needing parts help and such.
the drag recer is something different altogether...the back half looks homemade so i am looking for replacements for that.
i am a pretty good wrench having built a 75 trans am.
i also have a glide and a th350 as wellwhich would be better.
Dave

[stage169]

Look here and you will see many examples. http://forums.h-body.org/garage.php?mode=quartermile

Horsepower limitations to this body style? Yes but you will get some different opinions. I don't have any track experience my drag car is just half built. What I have learned here is that as soon as you get some decent power and you use slicks the 7.5" rear will not last and you could bend your H body in the process. A six or eight point bar and a rear that can handle your power with slicks and you are good to 10 flat. Past that you need a cage. Sometimes people bring up the rear lower control arm mounting points as being weak but that won't be an issue with your car. Still there are some very quick cars that haven't modified those points. Lots of variables. Brian

[stage169]

Figure your ¼ mile time.

Estimated Time-----------Weight of Your Car in pounds

----------------2600 2800 3000 3200 3400 3600 3800


sec.
15.0-----------167 180 193 205 218 232 246

14.5-----------186 200 213 228 242 256 270

14.0-----------206 222 237 253 270 285 301

13.5-----------230 248 265 283 300 318 335

13.0-----------257 277 297 317 337 357 377

12.5-----------289 311 334 356 378 400 423

12.0-----------327 352 377 402 428 453 479

11.5-----------372 400 429 458 486 515 543

11.0-----------425 458 490 523 556 589 620

10.5 -----------488 526 563 600 638 677 714

10.0 -----------565 608 652 695 739 783 826

This chart shows how much horsepower is needed at the flywheel to run an Elapsed Time in the ¼ mile. This chart is under optimal conditions. The entire car must be set up perfectly to run these times. Very few cars run 100% of their optimum. Wheelspin, slow shifting, clutch slippage, and other factors reduce the amount of usable horsepower.