j-c-c-62
Well-Known Member
He mentioned he is already out running another driver's Hellcat with his current set-up, weight advantage and HP disadvantage.
69 Charger on the autocross
- Thread starter Rusty knuckles
- Start date
ckessel
Well-Known Member
Aaah. Missed that. Anyway, thumping the Cat with old tech is cool.
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
Already done. That's what I'm saying. Less than $1000 in bolt on parts to a 69 charger (and maybe or maybe not tires) and you will outrun a hellcat at least on the autocross. I'd love to run both my cars at the same event but I don't think it's possible.
and you're still running the automatic 727? How's it holding up overall?
And what size tires front and rear again?
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
Yep and it seems to be holding fine. Front and rear are both 275/50-15 nitto 555r2's.
275/50/15 or 275/60/15? Just confirming the 50-series is not a typo since 275/60/15's are so common with our cars.
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
Yep 50's. I wanted the shorter sidewall. These are basically the same diameter of my previous 245/60-14.
glrestomod
Well-Known Member
This thread is fantastic, as I'm wanting to autocross my General Lee after I make some mods/upgrades! I appreciate everyone's feedback!
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
You absolutely should! It's ridiculously fun and it's not terribly expensive or hard to get your car set up pretty well. Not that it matters what others think but there is a certain appreciation for someone going out and slinging around an old car that "doesn't handle."
glrestomod
Well-Known Member
I can’t wait! I unfortunately have to wait until I can get the resources to press forward on it, but I’m studying suspensions now: aftermarket, factory, full frame chassis,’ etc. Lots of fun studying the options now available! I lean now in the direction of modifying/upgrading the factory setup, after initially wanting QA1 or some other aftermarket option (those still may be a legit option for me, but I lean toward the factory setup). I’ll definitely do a full cafe and chassis stiffening from US Car Tools as well. Also looking at some not so common setups and approaches from people who road races Chargers back in the day. Great topic!
340runner
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- 12:39 AM
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2024
- Messages
- 294
- Reaction score
- 225
- Location
- Naperville, Illinois
How do they hook in a straight line? I've been told by many people both in person and online that the small block 71 B bodies were one of the best handling and driving cars of the era they've been in. I'm right now struggling on if I should lean into that more, and go upgrade suspension for cornering or straight- line performance. I know I can't get the best of both worlds on some things, like torsion bars just aren't one of those things where a handling set will be the best for drag racing, so I'll have to compromise. With adjustable shocks like the Viking or QA1s, I should have a decent setup for both of those performance scenes though. The one thing i'd like to know though, is how 17 or 18 inch wheels and thinner sidewall tires go in straight line? I like the look of large wheels personally, I know many don't but its also performance, I just don't want to throw away all my ability to hook.
sorry if i'm hijacking the thread by the way, don't really know of a better place to ask
Last edited:
- Local time
- 10:39 PM
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2012
- Messages
- 41,392
- Reaction score
- 156,464
- Location
- Granite Bay CA
In many respects, a car set up for handling can still be a decent performer at the drag strip but a car set up for the strip is not fun on the street when you want to turn corners at or above posted speed limits..,
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
So autocross season has come again. I really haven't done and new modifications. But after the first event of the season I decided to pull the lower control arm on the driver's side because that side seemed to have different alignment than the right side. Found the lca pivot pin sleeve in the k member had broken off and been beating around for some time. I didn't know if I'd get it repaired before today's autocross (I did) so I registered my hellcat challenger today. I put new 200tw tires on the hellcat this spring so I thought it'd be fun to compare them again.
As a reminder there has been a redeye challenger and a procharged challenger consistently showing up and I've been consistently beating them in my charger but did not beat them in my hellcat (with summer tires 400tw).
The hellcat still isn't as much fun to drive as the charger but it's new tires helped a ton! That said i think time wise it's roughly equal to the charger now. I was back to beating those other 2 challengers by similar margins I beat them with the charger a couple weeks ago. That's of course with a lca flopping around like a wacky waving inflatable tube man. I still have a couple changes i want to make. 1 is camber shims on the lower ball joint. I asked the alignment shop for -2 but my new guage says I'm at 0. Also I'd still like a set of heavy duty rear springs.
My wife brought the kids to my first event for a bit and took a short video.
As a reminder there has been a redeye challenger and a procharged challenger consistently showing up and I've been consistently beating them in my charger but did not beat them in my hellcat (with summer tires 400tw).
The hellcat still isn't as much fun to drive as the charger but it's new tires helped a ton! That said i think time wise it's roughly equal to the charger now. I was back to beating those other 2 challengers by similar margins I beat them with the charger a couple weeks ago. That's of course with a lca flopping around like a wacky waving inflatable tube man. I still have a couple changes i want to make. 1 is camber shims on the lower ball joint. I asked the alignment shop for -2 but my new guage says I'm at 0. Also I'd still like a set of heavy duty rear springs.
My wife brought the kids to my first event for a bit and took a short video.
j-c-c-62
Well-Known Member
I would be curious what a 3 position post run tire temp reading would indicate.
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
I do need to get a temp gun and do this. Next autocross isn't until July 20th.
I would be curious what a 3 position post run tire temp reading would indicate.
Right on. What are your wheel and tire sizes again on the Charger and please remind us of the steering box you're using (Borgeson or Firm Feel)?
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
275/50-15's both front and rear and running nitto 555r2 tires. They stick like crazy but you have to get used to the delayed turn in response. My steering box is factory and it has some typical slop. It's all muscle car. Nothing real trick about it. Even has 4 wheel drum brakes which are working well enough for me. No stiffening, no special suspension additions other than sway bars. And all rubber bushings.
I'm so impressed how these cars can perform if you can learn how to drive them. They feel different than a new car but the balance is really good. A guy who runs a lotus was tech-ing me and said how he thought it was awesome how I can whip the thing around the track with it trying to throw me out the windows. That's a pretty apt description honestly. Lol
j-c-c-62
Well-Known Member
Tires are everything, and you choose wisely. Finally getting that negative camber you asked for will sharpen up that turn in observation.
yeah, I'm running 275/60/15 Nitto 555R's on the rear of my car and 215/70/15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T's on the front. I think I want to put same size tires on all 4 corners for better balance and have thought of using the Nitto 555R2's since I want to keep 15" tires.
The regular 555R have a softer sidewall even when aired up to 28psi and I can feel a little shift at the start of a hard turn before they settle.
I thought I had heard the 555R2's have a stiffer sidewall, is that correct? Do the 555R2's let you feel sidewall shift when turning or do they feel like a normal radial tire and what psi do you run them at?
I wish it was possible to have a sticky tire with sharp steering response that also holds grip in a turn that also comes in 15" diameter.
Rusty knuckles
Well-Known Member
Someday i might try a set of Hoosier TDR tires. But yes there are almost no options for a good muscle car sized tire for handling.
Yes I've read that r2's have stiffer sidewalls. And yes you definitely feel them shift in a hard turn. Comparing to my old Cooper cobra tires it feels like there is more deflection laterally with the nitto's. However, I think a lot of that is that the nittos grip so much better they will necessarily deflect more where the coopers just start to slip so don't have the same force pushing them over. It does feel funny and you have to get used to it. But the proof is in the clock and they significantly outperform regular street tires. You need to run high psi. Like 45 in the front. Rear can be lower but still 35+. You also want to drive them really close to the point they make just a little noise but don't over do it. If you make them cry kinda hard in a couple corners in a row your run is shot. I don't know if that's because they lose a little grip from too much heat briefly or because you mess the line up.
This is what happens at 35psi on the front. Darn near scuffed the nitto letters. But also a testament to just how grippy they are.
Similar threads
