Event Coverage Official 2016 Meltdown Drags Thread - What are you doing to get ready?

You looking for something like this? On Craigslist Janesville... Took couple pics, Jimbo...
One in Richmond in add has 58 Pontiac with 4.88! That be up your alley

 

Thanks, if that's a chevy though it's not as strong as a 9 or Pontiac rear

 

Put a Dana in it and forget about it...they were available in the mid 50's and were standard issue in HEMI four speed cars in the mid 60's

 

And for the guys who think a Dana is too heavy...the weight you save by running a 9" is lost to the Dana by its inefficient design.

 

Yep, what he said. You can buy a complete ready to roll Dana from Strange for the price of a trick 9" or 9.3" center section.

 

And a Ford ain't much good unless you get all the Ford out of it.
But how about the Pont rear where do they stand?

 

Pontiac/Olds is the 9.3, they are really cool, but pretty expensive today, and I don't think anyone makes 9310 (high nickel) gears, which are much longer lived in a stick, or trans brake car.

 

Any read end can be improved on, I just think that with a Dana, you get more for your money in our type of cars, while trying to keep costs down.

 

There is a really good article in the January Hot Rod Deluxe on the Olds/Pontiac 9.3... Worth the read

 

The best thing you you can do for a dana is put steel caps on it. If weight is a issue chromolly tubes can save over ten pounds. The only thing ford on a tricked out nine inch is the nut holding the yoke on. Make sure the dana is a mopar dana. Ford used one also and moved the pinion location slightly. Regular dana gears wont fit it.

 

Some GMC half tons in the mid 60s used the Dana 60. Six lug, not floating axle...would be a neat rear to see in an old race car.

 

The pic is of a Chevy, but there's a 58 Pontiac rear axel mentioned in the ad. However, a 58 axel would only have 29 spline axels, if it still has the stock axel shafts. 1959 was the first year for 31 splines.

 

I can get a complete 57 9.3 locally but know they have their limits , and I have a 9" housing . I don't have to worry about swapping gears back and forth either so the dana would work... i'll see if something pops up or probably just get the Strange s60. I didn't read thru the add all the way but see it now...

 

One thing I did not think about is that your racing a 55 Pontiac, so the 9.3 would be cool. If you will always be running and automatic, and better yet, foot braking, the Pontiac should be fine, but is probably still more expensive to update, than buying a new S60 from Strange. If you use the Pontiac, re weld the spring mounts, and strap them, (ask Jeff Koopbustedasssrearend about this), use bigger U-bolts, fab and weld a plate on each side of the interior where the axle tube mates to the center, with a hole in middle big enough for the axle to go through. Then weld two braces (round tube works good, just make sure you can get the third member back in) equally spaced across the interior roof, and floor of the center of the housing, front to back, between the back flange and pumpkin mounting flange. This will greatly reduce the axle tube, and pumpkin mounting flange flexing/deflection when you drop the hammer, with out having to put a back brace on it.

 

look around for a 61-64 pontiac that's being parted out? I gave one away 20 years ago, pretty stupid on my part.

 

I'll be there with my Dad's '41 Plymouth. It might even be painted by then. Just consider it an early gasser. If it runs 15's I'll be thrilled!

 

Welcome to the thread Blacktop Graffiti, we look forward to seeing the Plymouth making the Meltdown! Have you attended in the past?

 

Would a newer one out of a dodge truck work? I didn't realize they would be different than one in a ford.

 

I scored a pont rear with summers brothers axles and spool with 4.88 gears that is 56 1/2 flange to flange.
Looks like it make its way under some old chevy.

 

The dodge truck will have large axle tubes and be extra heavy.

 

I'd love to run one, the deal with the local one is it has an old 3:90 gearset and with a spool would require a spacer and kinda leary about that. Spool needs at least a 4:10 gear for no spacer according to Fabcrafts site.

 

Yep I went to my first this year. Greatest car event I've ever been to! Can't freaking wait! Hope the 305 is up to the task. Hell I don't care how fast it goes as long as it goes!

 

Words of wisdom right there...Get it running and driving before you worry too much about the ET's.
Lots of guys set lofty goals,then never meet them.
But if you build a pretty basic car,then pick away at improving it year after year,you'll be a happy guy

Scott

 

This is my Dad's car so its just a fun car. Hopefully 2017 I'll be bringing my '39 Chevy sedan. I'm hoping for 10's or 11's out of it.

 

Any opportunity to make a pass down the 1320 at the Meltdown Drags has to be on everybody's bucket list.
And if you don't have a car to run down the track you need to be in the stands to cheer on your favorite car or driver.

 

I think you'll like North Carolina........A lot!

 

Beware. Some of the newer Dana 60's (like mid-1990's Dodge Rams) have a crush sleeve on the pinion... There is also a Dana 61 axle that looks almost identical, yet is quite different internally. There's a 6-digit (Bill Of Material) number stamped into one of the tubes, as well as the ID tag, which can help identify what the axle came out of and exactly what parts are inside it. PM me if you need more Dana info or help. Its a really good axle, and was used by just about every domestic pickup truck mfgr, spanning over 50 years, for a reason.

 

ha ha ha

Kip said the H-word

 

I'm not even there yet and I like it a lot.

 

Hey shouldn't you be looking for a cam or something to trade?