Thanks for the input! I hope more people will speak up, that IS why I started this post after all... The weight difference and traction index is the thing. As long as it doesn't get too much traction I think it'll work. I am really leaning toward an altered(old school, late 50s-early 60s style) over a rail for a few reasons, mostly the fact that it could actually see street use. The direct drive box wouldn't be very street friendly I don't suppose, but what the hell right?...lol! The zoomies wouldn't be either!

If you want to do those crowd pleasing half track burnouts, you probably should not use a modern slick  They are made to and do hook, esp on a light car. A really small tire that would spin, would look goofy on an altered so you need decent size rubber..  I think the Pie Crust repo slicks have a hard compound and should burn pretty good.. But at 500 a pop you hate to burn them up too quick

I have a mildly built 40 over 292 that is running a McCulloch supercharger. The rear end is original 56 Ford with a posi and 3:80 gears. Now the bad part, with standard 15" radial's it will not spin the tires. I get a little chirp sometimes but it doesn't come on until about 40mph and then pulls hard. Everything is right to be making horsepower but I don't think it runs like it should. I have a 4:10 gear I'm going to try. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Cool projects! Great input! Thank you... The repop slicks may be an option. May just find a pair of slicks that the shelflife has about run out on so the compound is hard, or boil off a pair of street tires...lol. Let's keep this baby rolling! Need more input!

Chuck, it must have something to do with the way your car is lowered or you have to go on a diet. My 55 customline ant 58 truck both with 272's will bake the tires off with the loadOmatics and 3 bolt carbs.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

Dead punch, 3:55 Detroit locker and 265 /60/16's

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

That's an impressive dead punch for a heavy car!! This baby with some headwork and a big cam in a light vehicle should haul!

Babor.  The amount of power being made will relate directly back to any port work done to the heads and the compression ratio.  As a general rule of thumb, 1HP per cubic inch is a good target for G or 113 iron heads assuming not much work is being done on them.  And this is with the compression ratio being at a level that's still suitable for pump gasoline.  With port work, increased camming, and getting the compression ratio up by milling the decks and heads, then 1.25-1.3 HP per cubic inch is easier to achieve.  As has already been brought up, the Y engines are noted for their torque and a couple of reasons for that would include the stacked intake ports and the intake manifold design where the plenum floor is at the same height under both sides of the carburetor.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thank you Ted! My cylinder head guy will do extensive work to the heads. His mentality is "If we're already in there cutting on them, let's put the biggest valves we can fit into them and port from there!" Rob's exact words. We will mill them to get around 10:1 compression and I was going to run an Isky race cam. Probably around a 5.14:1 gear with the direct drive trans or likely a 4.56:1 with a gearbox. Still deciding what the vehicle will be, which will make the decision on which transmission to run. Likely to be either a manual grinder or the in and out box. Whadd'ya think??

ISKYPart Number Application RPM Range Description/Special requirements Valve Lash Hot(INT/EXH) AdvertisedDuration(INT/EXH) Durationat .050"(INT/EXH) Valve liftw/ 1.5:1 rocker ratio(INT/EXH) Lobe center 301505 505-T SOLIDMechanical 1955-62 Ford 272ci-292ci-312ci Y-block V-8 engines 3500-7000 Bracket racing. Rough idle. 2800 stall. 4.11-4.56 axle ratio. 650-750 CFM Carb. 10:1 compr. .028"/.028" 290°/290° 254°/254°   .505"/.505"   108°

 

The 505-T is a tried and true combo that is used by several of our faster guys..  .I have found that going too big on the intake valve actually hurts the heads by making a too big and lazy port.. Mummert uses a 1.94 valve to get up in the 600 range with his heads... To get the low end torque you need to light them up, a port with a lot of velocity works really well.