Quarter-mile performance and...
Quarter-mile performance and good handling can go hand-in-hand, thanks to the supply of parts from the aftermarket. Why rely on a 30-year-old suspension if you don't have to?
We had this game plan-strip-test the Nitto 555 drag radials against a pair of bias-ply racing slicks. Then, one thing led to another, we snapped an axleshaft testing the aforementioned tires. While our R/T was up on jackstands awaiting axles, we decided to rebuild the front suspension with a kit we acquired from Just Suspension. Since we were this far into it, we thought, We'll ditch the drum brakes for a set of disc brakes. Why don't we also change to some of the latest suspension components, and do a swap of wheels/tires. Summing together all those upgrades, the Coronet should be able do everything well-accelerate, corner, and stop.
Rubber Is Rubber, Right?
Most drag radials offer a 000 tread wear rating to go along with their shallow tread depth. We became interested in Nitto's 555R Extreme Drag Radial, noticing their 100 tread wear rating and deeper tread depth (same as most passenger car tires). Nitto claims under normal use, their 555R Extreme is good for 15,000 miles. Past experience has shown us to be lucky to get over 1,000 miles from a set of drag radials (with the zero tread wear rating and shallow tread depth). In past testing, using a 12-second E-Body, drag radials were capable of coming within a tenth of racing slicks. We knew that wouldn't be an easy feat to accomplish with our low-11-second B-Body.
We drove the R/T to Englishtown, New Jersey. The six-year-old Coker Classic Redlines we drove there on had worn tread and would soon need rplacements. For the baseline, we bolted on a pair of one-year-old Hoosier slicks (28x9-15). Our best of three passes netted us an 11.20 at 120.34 mph with a consistent 1.60 sixty-foot e.t. Next, we removed the heavy stock front wheels and Redline tires for a set of 26-inch Hoosier front-runners mounted on 15x3-1/2-inch Weld Draglites. The lighter and narrower front skinnies resulted in less rolling resistance, and brought the e.t. down to an 11.11 at a higher 121.17 mph. The 60-foot time remained unchanged at 1.60.
The rear (shown) and front...
The rear (shown) and front QA1 12-way adjustable shocks were set with a 0 setting on the fronts, and 8 on the rears. The front sway bar is always disconnected before any strip testing. The front QA1 R-Series (PN RC1538P) feature 90-10 valving when set at zero, and the rear QA1's (PN TC1539P) are 50/50 type shocks, which become firmer as the dial is turned up.
We started with the Hoosier...
We started with the Hoosier slicks to establish a baseline. The 28x9 Hoosiers were mounted on 15x8 Center Line Auto Drags, while the 275/60R (same width and diameter as the slicks) Nitto 555 Drag Radials sat on 15x8 Weld Draglites. The wheels were equal weight; the street/strip radials were a few pounds heavier apiece. Out on the road, the street radials are safe for wet or dry drivability.
Switching from the stock 14x5.5...
Switching from the stock 14x5.5 road wheels (AKA Magnum 500's) with 215/75-14 Coker Classic Radial Redlines to the 15x311/42 Weld Draglites with 26-inch Hoosier Front Runners saved us 58 pounds from the nose of the car. We added 8 gallons of gas to equal out the weight reduction. This swap didn't surprise us when we gained a tenth in e.t.