I'm in the process of helping a local kid do some tuneup work on a mid eighties camaro that they are starting to drag race. Where can I find some info or maybe you guys can give me some pointers on the rear suspension of these cars. We are running a set of slicks on the rear of this car,motor is a very mild carbed 350 with the stock 700r4 tranny. thanks

 

i'd be afraid of the factory rear end with those slicks.

 

just search this section with the topic your wondering....it should be here.

a mild carbed 350 should be easy to setup. what 60's is it running now?

 

I don't have a clue to the 60' times. I just got to work on the car some this moring before going to work. I've got to get a starter problem fixed for it first, then work on other items. I want to try and get this thing to run low 7 - hi 6's in the eighth mile without to much money put into it. Also got some tranny problems to sort out also.

 

so high 11's?

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here but the only suspension mod that I can think of that would get a mild 350 in a mid 80's camaro into the 11's would be a another mid 80's camaro with a blown big block pushing it.

Also slicks and stock rear = disaster.

you might want to set a more reasonable goal for that car, maybe mid to low 8's?

Either way a set of frame connectors is a good place to start. Followed by a 10-bolt diff cover to strengthen that rear up a little.

 

i don't know if i'd waste the money on the cover but the rear is a good idea. however i'm on the strong belief that you should break it before you replace it....no need to spend money when it isn't needed.

 

If it were me, i'd sell it to put towards the new ford 9 inch or 12 bolt.

 

Man...who the heck is going to buy a junk 10 bolt like mine?

 

Man...who the heck is going to buy a junk 10 bolt like mine?

 

I dont see the point in spending $2000+ on a weight and power-robbing 9" or 12-bolt. Everyone talks about the factory rears being weak but how many of the people who talk trash on them have actually broken one due to drag racing and not just from what they read? Yes, they are weak but they arent THAT weak - They'll last pretty long if setup and maintained properly. Sure one day if you start cutting insane 60 foots it'll probably break but until then why replace it? If it aint broke dont fix it. I bet the peice of crap 700R4 will break 3 times before the rear does.

If you want a high 11 second car you could just do the most basic of suspension mods. Get some LCA relocation brackets, adjustable rear shocks, maybe a good torque arm... You should be set.

 

that's a few hundred off of a 2g+ setup if done right. not worth much. why not prove the power first. plenty of people running them in good condition with no problems. not saying the 12 or 9 doesn't serve it's purpose but it isn't always necessary.

 

i have a 83 firebird with a modded, carbed 350, stock 700r4, and a basiclly stock rear end (its just welded and filled with royal purple). i run mid to high 11's all day long and the only problem i have is i cant get it to hook up... so ur goals can be easily meet!!!

 

Unless you would describe your motor as a "very mild carbed 350" I doubt you are in the same situation. And its not the ET that kills the rears, its the 60'.

But to the OP, I'm putting 350 hp to the rear wheels, conservatively, and my car hooks nice with my 26 x 11.5 DOT slicks. Haven't made too many passes, but haven't broke the rear yet. 2000 rpm launch with my mild stall converter, and 3.23 gears.

I'd suggest getting it to the track and seeing what your 60' times are. You don't have to worry much about the rear until you start getting close to 1.7's or so.

One more thing tho, wheel hop will kill it just as fast as a blown big block will... Better to get it to dead hook if you try and make it hook at all.

 

Dead hooking is what will kill the rearend keep some wheel speed in it so it doesnt climb the gear.

 

When I had my 383 with a 145hp shot of nitrous, I was dead hooking, doing 1.52 -1.57 60ft's with a 10bolt. The only mods I had were the axle tubes were welded and a diff cover .

For rear suspension mods; I had drag radials, boxed stock lower control arms and lower control arm relocation brackets.

Spend the $ on welding the axle tubes. Spend the $150 on a diff cover(once the 10 bolt craps out, you'll still sell it for $75-$100.
Don't buy aftermarket axles, waste of $ IMHO.

That car will need a shot of nitrous to get to where you will want it

 

One thing that should be looked at is the transmission mount. Most of them break when you start racing these cars. I broke mine with street tires. energy suspension makes one that last.

 

i have a stack of broken 10 bolt 7.5 ring gears. from Drag Racing.
it's the gears below 4.11. and HP over 400 That pushes the 7.5 10 bolt to the limit.. and has for the power robbing 9", bolted it in..did not see any diff,in power.went faster..lol (more then 400hp..lol) and the only time my 700R4 Broke.. was when the 10 bolt let go at over 100mph at the track.. broke a spag...
from the rear end beating it to death..cant just stop it when your at speed..(set on blend/chop)
any time i would want to floor it out of the hole..(BOOM) good by 10 bolt...
car ran faster with the 9"..i could stand on it now! out of the hole, you make a 10 sec or even a good 11 sec run.. that 10 bolt will die..who knows when... but it will.. ill put money on it every time.. and i had all the bolt on goodys you could buy...the only thing left GM was the housing and axels..