So...back to the 361

[ir3333]

Has anybody ever raced a 361 4brl model with decent gears and a converter?
Depending on which book you read the 305 hp and 400 ft. lbs should be respectable
in a light car.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

361's are underappreciated but a good motor and respond well to all the upgrades you would do to a 383 / 440.
I know there is no replacement for displacement but hey sometimes just work with what you got.
I see you can get 600hp out of a poly 318 now if you want to.

 

[ir3333]

Well...i'm an older member and very happy with my stock 340 Dart.
So if the 361 with a gear and a converter in an early B body ( 63 or 64) would break the tires loose easily, run hi 14's and cruise nicely i'd probably stop right there! I think the key would be a short duration moderate lift cam.

 

[Darter6]

Back in the 60's my buddy ran a 59 Plymouth with a 361 AFB and headers,4.56 gears and stock converter. Didn't have the converters we have now-a-days.
It was a solid mid 14 second car. I have a 361 on the engine stand right now slated to go in a 63 Belvedere drag car. Planning on Nostalgia S/S F or G..Just a have fun 12.50 something car.

 

[PRHeads]

14’s with gears, converter, & a few hot rod parts seems doable.
Well, maybe not so much if you’re racing in Denver.

 

[Darter6]

I think the key would be a short duration moderate lift cam.

I like that. Because I have a old General Kinetics that I bought 20+ years ago It has .425 lift and I think 204@.050 maybe 214.New in the box. I'll have to dig out the cam card.As I said earlier a just for fun car. Plan to use stock rockers the swap to 1.6 to see if it makes a difference.mainly because I have 'um. Low budget, if I ever get it done.

 

[FU64RY]

Back in the 60's my buddy ran a 59 Plymouth with a 361 AFB and headers,4.56 gears and stock converter. Didn't have the converters we have now-a-days.
It was a solid mid 14 second car. I have a 361 on the engine stand right now slated to go in a 63 Belvedere drag car. Planning on Nostalgia S/S F or G..Just a have fun 12.50 something car.

I have a 59 361 totally rebuilt for sale. Had plans to put it in my 64 Savoy, never happened.

 

[Darter6]

Dang, all the good deals are on the wrong coast.