The first annual AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Numbers Don’t Lie Dyno Showdown was a big hit at the Mopar Nationals, as twenty of our readers made dyno pulls with their Mopars attempting to win prizes. This month we’ll feature six of the competitors in random order and show you what combinations they used to make big Mopar Power.
Its one thing to dyno your...
Its one thing to dyno your car at a shop, but it can be intimidating to dyno your car in front of the biggest crowd of Mopar enthusiasts in the world like that at the Mopar Nationals. During the weekend we kept a board listing all the competitors and the power they made, and also posted the daily results on Facebook and Twitter.
Those of you who regularly read Mopar Muscle have likely realized that we've replaced our annual engine dyno competition with a new contest, the AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Numbers Don't Lie Dyno Showdown. And while we really enjoyed challenging engine builders to make big power on the dyno at Comp Cam's research facility, watching Mopar owners back up their horsepower claims on a chassis dyno at the Mopar Nationals has proven to be fun as well. This was the first year of our contest and it already proved to be a big hit, attracting plenty of fans to the manufacturer's midway to watch these powerful Mopars run.
Rockett Brand Racing Fuel...
Rockett Brand Racing Fuel was an additional sponsor of this year’s contest, and provided five gallons of their 100-octane unleaded gasoline to each of our competitors. Rockett Brand also supplies racing fuels with octane ratings up to 118, and can even supply E-85 for your Mopar
This year we had twenty competitors enter their street cars in one of two classes in the competition, one for cars with power adders such as nitrous-oxide, turbochargers, or superchargers, and one for normally aspirated Mopars. This month we'll feature six of the competitors in random order, and show you what combination of parts they used to make their power on the dyno. If you were at this year's Nats you likely already know who won each class of our contest, and we also posted the final results on our website, Facebook, and Twitter. Be sure to watch future issues of Mopar Muscle to see full feature articles on the winners of the power-adder and normally aspirated classes of the AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Numbers Don't Lie Dyno Showdown.
Terry Brown
1966 Plymouth Belvedere
Terry Brown of Canton, Georgia, has been a Mopar enthusiast for some time, but her real job involves only one horse[power] at a time as an equine professional, show jumper, and horse trainer. For this year's contest, however, she knew that it was going to take significantly more than a single horsepower to have a chance at winning our dyno shootout, so she brought her '66 Belvedere, powered by a 500-inch Hemi built by Prism Racing. Equipped with a Comp roller camshaft, ported aluminum heads, MSD ignition, and a single Holley Dominator, Terry's Belvedere is a beautiful blend of power and performance, with the look of a classic Super Stock race car blended with modern components such as the cowl induction hood and stylish wheels. Putting the power through a 727 with an 8-inch converter, and Dana 60 rear end, this Belvedere laid down an impressive 578 rear-wheel horsepower for the contest lead until Saturday afternoon. Placing second in the normally aspirated class, we congratulate Terry and thank her for bringing her beautiful Belvedere to the AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Numbers Don't Lie Dyno Shootout.
Terry Brown’s stunning ’66 Belvedere was finished up just in time for the Mopar Nationals, and at 578 horsepower to the rear wheels has the power to back up its intimidating looks. This car will be driven on the street, but Terry also plans passes down the quarter mile in her Belvedere. This author can attest that just like her horses, this will be one fun ride.
Brian Akers
2001 Dodge Dakota R/T
Entering our class for power-adder vehicles, Brian Akers of Jacksonville, Florida, brought his unique, nitrous-oxide equipped '01 Dodge Dakota to our competition. Brian is a senior welding instructor at the Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville, and his prowess with a welder shows in much of the fabrication featured on his Dakota. Brian's truck is powered by a 408-inch small-block featuring a forged crankshaft, Eagle H-beam rods, and Diamond forged pistons for a compression ratio of 10.0:1. A .544-inch lift Comp cam is utilized, and Mopar Performance cylinder heads with stainless steel 2.08-inch intake valves and Harland Sharp roller rocker arms combined with an M-1 intake top this potent small-block. With a 2,800 rpm stall converter and B&M shift kit, Brian's Dakota has run a best time of 12.60 seconds in the quarter mile with 3.92 ratio rear gears. Running a single stage, 150 horsepower nitrous kit Brian's Dakota made a respectable 417 horsepower at the rear wheels even with the disadvantage of low bottle pressure.
Brian Akers' Dakota owners showed up in force for our first annual Dyno Shootout, and this ’01 model owned by welding instructor Brian Akers made a stout 417 rear-wheel horsepower. With plenty of modifications to the exterior, suspension, and engine, this Dakota looks just as good as it runs.
Tom Herrington
1968 Dodge Coronet R/T
Tom Herrington brought his 500-inch Wedge equipped '68 Coronet R/T from Fairview, Pennsylvania, to enter the normally aspirated class of the showdown, and works as a paint and body tech, which explains the slick black paint on his B-Body. Tom's stroked 400 now displaces 500-inches, and contains forged steel rods, pistons, and 4.15-inch stroke crankshaft from 440 Source. Combined with 440 Source Stealth aluminum cylinder heads, Tom's big block features just over 10.5:1 compression with a solid flat-tappet camshaft, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, and Proform 950 cfm four-barrel carburetor. With 4.10 gears and a manually shifted 727 transmission, Tom's Coronet has run a best elapsed time of 11.70 seconds in the quarter mile. On the dyno, this potent B-Body made a best dyno pull of 400 horsepower at the rear wheels.
Tom Herrington chose Mopar Wedge power for his good-looking ’68 Coronet R/T, and then added a stroker kit and Stealth aluminum cylinder heads from 440 Source. Making 400 horsepower at the rear wheels this street driven Coronet is good for 11-second elapsed times in the quarter-mile.