[SD455DJ]

Thanks Roger! That’s the weight the previous owner showed me on one of the time slips he had from Mason Dixon Dragway (Hagerstown, ND) which has certified NHRA scales. It actually weighed 3680 lbs. with a (claimed) half tank with the 225 lb. driver. Remove the driver weight difference of 75 lbs. and power steering setup (30 lbs.) and I come up with 3575 lbs., then add in 60 lbs. for a full tank of gas and you’re at 3635 lbs. OK, I’ll round it up to 3650 lbs. in case I have a couple of cheeseburgers before the race (haha). I think the AMA weights are on the heavy side and include full fluids including gas. The car weighs pretty much the same as Dan’s 455HO T-37 with the TH400 and basically the same options, except the power steering (30 lbs.) and power brake (drum) booster (8 lbs.). It is certainly going to be weighed again to confirm the actual weight and I will report back in 10 months.

The 462 motor that came in it is a .030 over 400 block with the 4.25” stroke crank, 6X-8 heads with the SD Performance CNC 260/200 cfm port job done to them, Holley 850 on a RPM intake, RAIV clone cam (from Bullet) with 1.50 rockers & regular hyd. lifters, std. RA manifolds (2.25” outlets), 2.5” mandrel bent Pypes X-system with 24” body (huge & heavy) Magnaflow (truck) mufflers, 3.42 posi 12-bolt rearend, TH400 with a Continental Jim Hand tight 10” convertor, std. drum brakes with iron brake drums, all vinyl interior (with the wrong ’70 Chevelle pattern upholstery), AM radio, factory in-dash tach (added) and carpeting which is lighter than the rubber floor mat (Dan’s T-37 came equipped that way too as the original owner knew it was lighter by 10 lbs., or so). The OO didn’t dyno it, but thought 425 – 450 hp to the rear wheels.

The one and only time the OO took it to the dragstrip (Mason Dixon), he drove it from Ashland, VA about 160 miles there and 160 miles back, made 3 passes, two on drag radials he brought in the trunk and rear seat, 1st pass 11.929 at 113.45 mph, 2nd pass 12.082 at 114.85 mph, 3rd pass (on G70 Wide Ovals) 12.301 at 114.65 mph, then drove home. All runs were with the air cleaner on and thru the exhaust. That motor now resides in the ’70 4 door M-20 4-spd LeMans, except with the factory iron intake and Q-jet. That combo ran great down and back to Norwalk (500 mile round trip) and got almost 18 mpg (3.08 gears at 55-65 mph on the back roads driving for economy).

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

….Hagerstown, Maryland...not ND (North Dakota)!

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Thanks Roger! That’s the weight the previous owner showed me on one of the time slips he had from Mason Dixon Dragway (Hagerstown, ND) which has certified NHRA scales. It actually weighed 3680 lbs. with a (claimed) half tank with the 225 lb. driver. Remove the driver weight difference of 75 lbs. and power steering setup (30 lbs.) and I come up with 3575 lbs., then add in 60 lbs. for a full tank of gas and you’re at 3635 lbs. OK, I’ll round it up to 3650 lbs. in case I have a couple of cheeseburgers before the race (haha). I think the AMA weights are on the heavy side and include full fluids including gas. The car weighs pretty much the same as Dan’s 455HO T-37 with the TH400 and basically the same options, except the power steering (30 lbs.) and power brake (drum) booster (8 lbs.). It is certainly going to be weighed again to confirm the actual weight and I will report back in 10 months.

The 462 motor that came in it is a .030 over 400 block with the 4.25” stroke crank, 6X-8 heads with the SD Performance CNC 260/200 cfm port job done to them, Holley 850 on a RPM intake, RAIV clone cam (from Bullet) with 1.50 rockers & regular hyd. lifters, std. RA manifolds (2.25” outlets), 2.5” mandrel bent Pypes X-system with 24” body (huge & heavy) Magnaflow (truck) mufflers, 3.42 posi 12-bolt rearend, TH400 with a Continental Jim Hand tight 10” convertor, std. drum brakes with iron brake drums, all vinyl interior (with the wrong ’70 Chevelle pattern upholstery), AM radio, factory in-dash tach (added) and carpeting which is lighter than the rubber floor mat (Dan’s T-37 came equipped that way too as the original owner knew it was lighter by 10 lbs., or so). The OO didn’t dyno it, but thought 425 – 450 hp to the rear wheels.

The one and only time the OO took it to the dragstrip (Mason Dixon), he drove it from Ashland, VA about 160 miles there and 160 miles back, made 3 passes, two on drag radials he brought in the trunk and rear seat, 1st pass 11.929 at 113.45 mph, 2nd pass 12.082 at 114.85 mph, 3rd pass (on G70 Wide Ovals) 12.301 at 114.65 mph, then drove home. All runs were with the air cleaner on and thru the exhaust. That motor now resides in the ’70 4 door M-20 4-spd LeMans, except with the factory iron intake and Q-jet. That combo ran great down and back to Norwalk (500 mile round trip) and got almost 18 mpg (3.08 gears at 55-65 mph on the back roads driving for economy).

Dennis

Thanks Greg for the compliments! I forgot to mention that the static compression is 9.5 to 1 (even verified that with the Whistler) and the block is zero decked with Felpro 1016 head gaskets (.039" crushed).

Dennis

[OCMDGTO]

Looks fantastic!

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by OCMDGTO

Looks fantastic!

Thanks OCMDGTO!

[SD455DJ]

I'm replacing the current HUGE Magnaflows (22"x11"x6") with more stock size Magnaflows (#11266 - straight-through design like Dynomax Ultra Flo's) that are 18"x8"x4" mufflers. The smaller ones are 10 lbs lighter each! Currently we are finishing the exhaust then will focus on the fuel and cooling systems next.
Almost done...I can feel it!

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Exhaust is finally done. From the factory exhaust logs to the Pypes 2.5" mandrel head pipes into 2.5" kink-bent lazy-'S' pipes to get close to the DS tunnel, into the 2.5 inlet/outlet Magnaflows, then into the old 2.5 mandrel bent Torq-Tech A-body tailpipes. I didn't put an 'X' or an 'H' pipe this time to keep with a more factory look. It should flow pretty well despite the kink-bent pipes.

The only complaint we had about the Magnaflows is that the inlet/outlet pipes are actually a little larger than the 2.5" I.D. listed, so wouldn't crush over the 2.5 O.D. exhaust pipes...so we had to cut 1/8" wide slots 180 degrees apart at 3 & 9 o'clock positions so that they would compress/crush around the pipes with the muffler clamps. The inlet/outlet pipes in the muffler are stainless steel and very hard.

Fuel connections and radiator next on the to-do list for next week.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Here are 'before and after' views of the exhaust system/mufflers from the rear. The previous 'huge' Magnaflows really hung low. You'll barely see the new smaller mufflers!

Dennis

[Mike Kasparian,Sr.]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Thanks Roger! That’s the weight the previous owner showed me on one of the time slips he had from Mason Dixon Dragway (Hagerstown, ND) which has certified NHRA scales. It actually weighed 3680 lbs. with a (claimed) half tank with the 225 lb. driver. Remove the driver weight difference of 75 lbs. and power steering setup (30 lbs.) and I come up with 3575 lbs., then add in 60 lbs. for a full tank of gas and you’re at 3635 lbs. OK, I’ll round it up to 3650 lbs. in case I have a couple of cheeseburgers before the race (haha). I think the AMA weights are on the heavy side and include full fluids including gas. The car weighs pretty much the same as Dan’s 455HO T-37 with the TH400 and basically the same options, except the power steering (30 lbs.) and power brake (drum) booster (8 lbs.). It is certainly going to be weighed again to confirm the actual weight and I will report back in 10 months.

The 462 motor that came in it is a .030 over 400 block with the 4.25” stroke crank, 6X-8 heads with the SD Performance CNC 260/200 cfm port job done to them, Holley 850 on a RPM intake, RAIV clone cam (from Bullet) with 1.50 rockers & regular hyd. lifters, std. RA manifolds (2.25” outlets), 2.5” mandrel bent Pypes X-system with 24” body (huge & heavy) Magnaflow (truck) mufflers, 3.42 posi 12-bolt rearend, TH400 with a Continental Jim Hand tight 10” convertor, std. drum brakes with iron brake drums, all vinyl interior (with the wrong ’70 Chevelle pattern upholstery), AM radio, factory in-dash tach (added) and carpeting which is lighter than the rubber floor mat (Dan’s T-37 came equipped that way too as the original owner knew it was lighter by 10 lbs., or so). The OO didn’t dyno it, but thought 425 – 450 hp to the rear wheels.

The one and only time the OO took it to the dragstrip (Mason Dixon), he drove it from Ashland, VA about 160 miles there and 160 miles back, made 3 passes, two on drag radials he brought in the trunk and rear seat, 1st pass 11.929 at 113.45 mph, 2nd pass 12.082 at 114.85 mph, 3rd pass (on G70 Wide Ovals) 12.301 at 114.65 mph, then drove home. All runs were with the air cleaner on and thru the exhaust. That motor now resides in the ’70 4 door M-20 4-spd LeMans, except with the factory iron intake and Q-jet. That combo ran great down and back to Norwalk (500 mile round trip) and got almost 18 mpg (3.08 gears at 55-65 mph on the back roads driving for economy).

Dennis

Dennis , impressive performance and cars , enjoying this thread . I have almost the same motor combo (455/6x heads) in my 71 T37 with similar performance results . Weighed it at Norwalk and was surprised that it was 3890 with me in it . Pwr steering , pwr brakes ac car , just leave it in drive and go , fun to drive .

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Mike Kasparian,Sr.

Dennis , impressive performance and cars , enjoying this thread . I have almost the same motor combo (455/6x heads) in my 71 T37 with similar performance results . Weighed it at Norwalk and was surprised that it was 3890 with me in it . Pwr steering , pwr brakes ac car , just leave it in drive and go , fun to drive .

I love your T-37 Mike. What does it run and what's the running gear?

Dennis

[Mike Kasparian,Sr.]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

I love your T-37 Mike. What does it run and what's the running gear?

Dennis

I only made a few runs at Norwalk , my daughter drives/races it also . It went 12.04@113 mph with full exhaust , ra exh manifolds , 3.55 gear , turbo 400 and steel wheels with drag/ street radials . Just has a tci 10 " street converter and just leave it in drive . I have the engine out for some changes , new ring set and going to do a little .more work on heads . Can't just leave things alone , lol .