Mopar B-Body Power Upgrades - Make Your B-Body Boogie

Of all the body styles produced by Mopar, the B-bodies are some of the most recognized and sought after vehicles by many enthusiasts. Of the various reasons B-bodies are so popular, one of the biggest factors is that B-bodies were the flagships of the Chrysler Corporation during the heyday of the muscle car era, and as such they were raced in many highly popular Stock Car and Drag racing classes. Chrysler definitely exploited the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" philosophy of the time and engineered some of the best designed cars of the era specifically to win races.

Since winning races meant press coverage, the Mopar B-bodies got lots of exposure which led to some of the best sales numbers of any Chrysler products. So it's really no wonder there are so many B-bodies around today since they were some of Chrysler's most popular automobiles. But while true performance cars like the Road Runner, Super Bee, GTX, and R/T models were fairly well-rounded with stiff suspension and decent brakes, many of the lower models that are being built by enthusiasts today have woefully inadequate engines, brakes, and suspensions. Given also that by today's standards the mid-size Mopars of the '60s and '70s are anything but mid-size, they present some special considerations when being turned into street/strip machines. Follow along and we'll show you some tricks to make your B-body perform its best.

Make The Right Kind Of PowerThe basic laws of physics tell us that to get a car moving off the line takes torque, and the heavier the car, the more torque your engine needs to make for quick acceleration. In the world of Mopars, most B-bodies are second only to C-bodies in terms of sheer weight, so when it comes to making power, this factor needs to be considered. Building an engine that makes torque, especially at low rpm, is paramount to getting a heavy car moving; so the right engine and the right combination of parts are both mandatory. Of course, the easiest way to make torque is to increase displacement, so if your car came with a 318 you should consider a swap to a 360 or a stroked 360. And if your B-body is powered by a small displacement big-block, consider upgrading to a 440 or even a stroked 440 for more torque. Additionally, engine upgrades to your B-body should be geared toward improving low and mid-range torque instead of peak horsepower. This means if you plan to install headers, smaller primary tubes will generally work better. And for that intake manifold swap, dual-planes generally make better torque at lower rpm than single-planes will. The same theory can be applied to camshaft selection. If your car is heavy, pick a cam that makes good low rpm and midrange power to get your heavy B-body moving more quickly.

Get The Torque To The PavementSince spinning tires are counterproductive to rapid acceleration, the B-body has an advantage to smaller, lighter cars. That's right, while our B-bodies may be a little heavier than the A- or E-body Mopars, much of that additional weight is over the rear tires. Additionally, most B-bodies can accommodate a much larger rear tire without modifications like moving leaf springs inboard, or cutting fenderwells. When we build our B-bodies we try to exploit these advantages by installing large tires and suspension parts that will enhance our car's traction.

Don't Forget The RestRemember, the laws of physics state that an object in motion tends to stay in motion, especially if it's a steel car pushing 4,000 pounds. So if your B-body isn't already equipped with disc brakes, it's probably a good idea to convert it. Fortunately, companies like Master Power Brakes have kits for most B-body Mopars. If cheap is more your style, you can still find A-body disc brakes and spindles on cars in salvage yards that will bolt onto your B-body and work way better than drum brakes. Also, don't forget the rest of the suspension. Upgrades here can lighten your car as well as improve acceleration, braking and handling, and ride quality.