Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge......again!!!!!!

moparmad

Engineers talking about trucks,have you ever driven one? Sorry couldn't resist...Bad Moparmad...bad.
Seriously...A few tenths in a drag race is a butt wuppin'. Maybe someone could get out their slide rule and calculate how many car lengths a few tenths is at about 120 m.p.h.. Lets see according to driving classes it takes approx. 1/2 a second to apply the brakes and at 50 m.p.h. the instructor said that was about 70 feet,but we are talking less time by a few tenths but over double the speed...hmmm,thats why I'm a carpenter not an engineer I don't know,but it's substantial.
Now don't get me wrong the Lightning is a neat little gimmick but lets not get it out of perspective. Also the 2002 Lightning I saw on Car and Driver TV only went somewhere in the high 13's,13.8 sticks in my mind...maybe they used a different slide rule. Yes that's still impressive.
Last comment...if you by a truck to pull,haul,or tow with,why do you care how quick it is in the quarter,I saw an 84 Ram with a built 360 that ran an 8.90 quarter on alcohol,but I don't think you would want to tow your boat with it.

obyone

don't run alcohol...rather nitro methane. Imagine using that to tow a boat...

amorales

re "LAST COMMENT" Keeland, it is a matter of personal desires. I have driven trucks since 15 1/2 years of age (1961). Used them for everything, ie watching submarine races, hauling friends, cement bags for Dad, helping people move, hauled manure, rocks, wood, blown engines (Not mopar engines) trash and an occasional trip to drive-in movie with a hot date. Of course pick-up trucks had to park at rear of drive-in theatre. I have driven trucks with straight six-single barrel carbs, 4 bangers, V8's, some heavily hot rodded. I current use my 3/4 ton for daily 78 mi commute one way, because i refuse to drive cars (Sissies drive cars) just kidding. I happen to love trucks, been loving them before the masses started buying exteded cab pick-ups. When the pick-up truck craze is over and a few people return to their Beemers and rice burners, i will still be driving a pick-up, maybe i will finally be a mopar opps sorry a
German Dodge power driver. I like all trucks regardless of who makes them. There are some out there i will never buy again due to lemonaide factor. Regarding stopping distances and reaction times, i would never want to be in a 1952 Chevy pick-up in a panic stop behind a current century truck with ABS brakes. The driver in front of you will hit his head on the backrest while you proceed to bring your Chevy to recycle status. My compliments on you as a carpenter. They use math too. My boss is a Jewish carpenter.

Regards to all truck loving people, cars too

PS remember reading in Sport Truck mag about a youg kid with a souped up 88-89 Dakota with 318 that did it in 12 secs. Shellby did a special on a Dakota, before Dodge did the magnum treatment raising the horsepower to 235.
Andy

txyank1

have it in perspective. I thought I would not state the obvious, but yes a few 10ths of a second is a whole lot in a drag race. On the subject of darg racing....back when my '57 Cevy still had the 6 in it I could "spank" most of the V8's around. (All stock) Only because mine was stick and they were automatics, which weren't very efficient back in the early '60s.

amorales

My '55 BelAire 2 dr hartop had the 210 option, ie 265-4V, powerglide and it did the 1/4 in 16sec at 85 mph in K-STOCK auto class in 1963 at Lyons Drag strip. Hey, now i remember, in 1955, the 265 had no oil filter. Using straight 30 Bardahl oil. Had to pull valve covers and pan every 10 mos. to scrape off the sludge with mom's butter knife. I kept adding a qt. of oil every 5 mos. The '56 265 engines had the oil filter.

Ryan: zero HP calculators? WOW! Maybe the math and Physics classes were small huh? Mechanical engineering is awesome. I studied Aeronautical engineering. Would have preferred to be a model airplane designer. SHUCKS!! OPPS back to topic. '03 Dodge German Ram 2500 pick-ups w/OHC HEMIS may outdo the BIG 2. Hope they use US designed engines instead of Mercedes Benz engines. Hey Ryan, that would be an awesome graduation present!!!

ryanbab

small classes? NAH math classes had about 40-50 people and the same with physics. My engineering classes are getting small however people droppingout/changing majors.

Awesome grad present would be a 2500HD CC 4wd with an 8.1

(hey it could happen and possibly might in 2-3 yrs)

amorales

40-50 people in class, hmm that is small, Berkeley had 500 sometimes in auditorium (lectures) great gifts are
for BSME: a 2500HD CC 4x4 with 8.1
MSME: a new '04-'05 Dodge RAMBO 4x4 w/OHC Hemi
for PE license: a free lease for three years of mini truck of your choice
for PHD ME: $50,000 gift certificate towards purchase of GM product

moparmad

Obviously my engineer comment was not taken as a joke by some,I apologize I was just kidding.
Andrew(see I can spell your name at least),Seeing the "mods" you have done to your truck I can't help asking wouldn't a 1/2 ton been much quicker than a 3/4 ton set up similarly? I also don't understand the bragging about beating other trucks with a highly modified NO2 equipped truck. Unless you are suggesting that they had similar modifications. My 70 Cuda will spank a Cavalier but I don't brag about it because what is the point,I would be embarrassed if it didn't.

FYI... The 318 in a 57 Plymouth would be the 318 Poly,a great engine in its own right,but worlds removed from a 318 Magnum. The 440 six pack(or six barrel if in a Plymouth)was not just a 440 Magnum with six two barrels,it had a more aggressive cam and different pistons and rods giving it a 10.5 compression ratio instead of the Magnums 9.7. The Magnum was originally used by Dodge only,an identical Plymouth engine was called a Super Commando,an identical Chrysler engine was called a TNT. Just a little trivia for you there.

amorales

Keelan, Iam aware of the 318's over the years, just being unruly is all. Re: 1/2 VS 3/4 tons, let me say that 3/4 ton HD trucks come with heavy duty trannys, aux coolers for radiator, beefier suspensions, rear axels ratios are in the range of 3:73 - 4:11 for heavy duty use and can stand up to severe duty, abuse over the lighter 1/2 tons and their numerically lower axel ratios ie 3:08, 3:23. i enjoy modifying and achieving maximum performance out of any truck i have, from my 2.3L 4 popper '95 Ranger ext. cab to my then '64 3/4 Ton Chevy step side with 327 FI
vette. Am a babyboomer hotrodder and love to tinker. Regarding your mopar vehicles, am aware of spectacular performance. I hung out at the local drag strips in the 60's and saw and enjoyed the Big 4 duke it out on the strip. My favorite being the super stock cars, cars that you went to work in during the week and received trophies on the weekend. I love to boast of my acceleration contests, have won some and lost some. Have been humilated by the bumblebee imports, you know the 10 sec Honda civics with their 1.6L engines and dinky front wheel drive and tires. Slap on a set of racing heads, exhaust, chip and you have a Honda, Acura, ie
that will spank the big boys and their muscle cars.

This is from experience also truck manufacturer's specifications. Have owned light duty Ford pick-ups, an '83 long bed with 5.0 and a '94 F150 long bed with 5.0. All highly modified. Am proud when after investing time, effort, grease, blood, sweat and money to add substantial performance. As i said earlier, I would choose a Ram 2500 long bed with the beefier components and would know what mopar add-ons to do on a 360 to make it thunder and scream.

Please don't take affront, i do not mean to insult you. I enjoy these forums and love to read all the imput from various people. Especially young people that bring new excitement to vehicle motor sports. I have surfed the other topics and enjoy reading them. There is great information out there. I enjoy the sound of V8 engines, deep rumble, dual exhaust, four barrel carbs sucking in air without air cleaners. These sounds bring excitement, joy and a sensation all over. Screaming four and six cylinder motors will also bring joy to those that revel in these powerplants. I would love to hear and see you open up your '70 Cuda. A close friend had a '70 AAR Cuda 340 six pack with the mega pipes out the side that tore up Irwindale raceway in the
early '70s.

Regards and enjoy the holiday

Andy

moparmad

I was not criticizing your choice in the 3/4 ton just curious. I must admit to having a certain amount of hot rod pride in my Ram,thats why I ordered it with a 5 speed and 3.92 limited slip.
I do like a little friendly banter. I never really race my Ram too much just a few stoplight to stoplight blast on occasion and I can honestly say that no one has ever left me. Funny but in my area my Cuda has only been challenged one time at a stoplight and that was by a kid in a Cavalier. I just cruised along beside him for a minute until my wife started laughing and remarked about this punk trying to race. A quick blip on the throttle and that head slapping lunge was all he needed to witness from the Cuda and he changed his mind. Or maybe it was the 440 badges on the hood.
That is one way Ford could improve the Lightning now that I think about it. Make it look just exactly like any other F150 on the road. Be just like a 67 Hemi Belvedere,S-L-E-E-P-E-R.

amorales

Don't forget the '63 413 Dodges with ram-induction, of course the Beach Boys had a great song about a fuel injected stingray shutting down a 413 Dodge. It would not happen at the strip, different classes. of course a hot running '63 Chevy 409 with dual quads or a '62 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 421 would be a fabulous drag contest, also the '62 Ford Galaxie 500 with the 406 and 3x2 setup. In 1963 all hell broke loose, 427 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolts were first F/X class to hit 134 in 1/4. My flashbacks make me shake all over. LOL regarding the cavilier. He was greatly spooked with your rumble. Slap on a few mopar goodies to a Dodge Ram 5.2 and your stop light to stop light hits will be rewarding. Watch out for the SS YUGO with the LADA Blower engine....

Regards

moparmad

Probably won't do too much with the Ram for awhile,all my money is being poured into a killer 440 for the Barracuda. Then I need to do some surgery on my true work truck a 1976 Powerwagon club cab. That truck with its tired old 400 NV435 four speed and 200 pound NP203 has already seen some action and I haven't even put it on the road yet. I got it from my cousin because he was tired of the gas bill,but he told me that on his way home from work one day he was being tailgated by a guy in a fairly new Firebird. He said the guy was weaving back and forth behind him so as they started up the on-ramp to the highway he said he stood on that old big block and though the Firebird didn't get left it couldn't pass him until he let up. He said the rear quarters on the truck were flapping so hard he thought they would fall off. He also said the guy slowed down and drove beside the truck for a minute just looking at it,then waved and sped off.

BTW...The Cuda does sound sweet rumbling through its dual glasspacks.

txyank1

sitting out front the other day when I went by. Sorry "Dodgers"......UGLEEEE! ' Course that's only my opinion. IMHO... GM still has the best looking trucks. Now if only they were built better!

oldharry

My son is a mechanical engineer, and he has a TI that he had to buy for one course he took in school. He also has a HP that he uses occassionaly in the field, but in the office MathCad and Mechanica do most of the calculation on the work station.

I ought to learn to use that TI he has laying around.

Harry

ryanbab

A new program our school is using is MATLAB. Havent used it yet but supposedly its a good program. Ill find out soon as i will need it in my dynamic physical systems (free body diagrams/diff eqs) class

Ryan

moparmad

From what I've seen of pictures I can't disagree,thats why I bought a '01 Ram. I haven't seent the real trucks yet,my local Dodge dealer says we won't have any around here until late fall. I was hoping they would look better in person. Well,the heavy duty version is supposed to follow the Powerwagon concept so hopefully they will get that right.

quadrunner500

I still have my TI-59, with PRINTER and magnetic cards!!!
Still works. The most dependable, longest lasting calculator 1976-2001 JD Powers Survey

ryanbab

my TI89 got best initial quality in the jd powers survey in late 99. better watch out itll be obsolete soon