Proposed change-out of 383 to 440 in 69 Polara convertible

[BLUPORT]

OK, now here is something that just cracks me up. I go to a car show, and on the way home, while driving 70-75 as the car was designed to do, I'm passing up all the guys driving 55. What's up with that?? Do people actually think their car will be hurt by driving faster?

I was driving a Buddy's '69 GTX. It was a 4-speed car with a built 440 that had a 6-pac added. (The thing had 13-1 pistons!!!) I hammered it on a straight and opened up all 6 barrels; he starts having a cow! I asked what the problem was and he says, "Easy man, this is an old car!!" I said, "Yes, and with those pistons in that motor it was built to do what I just did! Old car or not, if it breaks, we can fix it. But, I gotta tell you, it isn't going to break doing what it was designed to do."

Come on people, hit the gas!

I never break 60 in my Newport... mainly because I'm paranoid the steering will come disconnected, or some suspension part will fall off.

 

[1978 NYB]

I have a very safe and at certain times of the day no traffic on I-95 I use for a test track.

I hammered my 78 NYB for about a 1/2 mile and the GPS said 122 mph and I still had plenty of gas pedal left.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Sell the parade float, buy a car with a roof. Then this is all moot.

 

[Factorial]

I have a very safe and at certain times of the day no traffic on I-95 I use for a test track.

I hammered my 78 NYB for about a 1/2 mile and the GPS said 122 mph and I still had plenty of gas pedal left.

View attachment 277556

I-95? Did you get pulled over for driving too slow?

 

[Ripinator]

I got over 16 in my New Yorker driving from West Palm Beach to Iowa in '87 with a 440. This was just after the speed limit went back to 65. Gas was $0.87/gal at the time. The good old days...

Sounds about right. But you were most likely running non-ethanol gas. I got about 15 mpg in my 440 Parts Car on a trip to NY state bout a year ago running premium 10% ethanol gas.

 

[Big_John]

the original 383 runs fine

Then just go out and drive it and have some fun with the top down.

 

[steveh]

I store my car at my moms house about 6 hr away. Its a quiet highway with little traffic, that along with a newer motor and tuning the TBI i had some fun. Slow down to 45, full throttle kick down to 2nd, up to 85-90 then a shift in to third, then off the gas. Did that about 3 times on the open a straight highway. Kinda fun but does not help my gas mileage.

 

[mr. fix it]

Well since you asked, I dropped in a rebuilt Poly 318 setup with my Polara convertible because I consider it a cruising machine & not a HP beast that could handle any excessive twisting torque from a BB.

But it is your car and you can do whatever you wish.
I would have thought a 383 would be plenty of HP

 

[Snotty]

I never break 60 in my Newport... mainly because I'm paranoid the steering will come disconnected, or some suspension part will fall off.

Seriously? Is your car in that bad of shape? If I was worried about such a possibility in my car I would be rebuilding the front end - which I did when I bought it.

 

[Ripinator]

Seriously? Is your car in that bad of shape? If I was worried about such a possibility in my car I would be rebuilding the front end - which I did when I bought it.

The car is not that bad. He is just a nervous nellie. . .

 

[BLUPORT]

Seriously? Is your car in that bad of shape? If I was worried about such a possibility in my car I would be rebuilding the front end - which I did when I bought it.

I'm just an over-thinker... "What if the steering linkage fails? What if some critical part of the suspension snaps?"

If it weren't for crazy life experiences, I probably wouldn't be like this. I remember back in 2002, I was driving a 1980 Ford Bronco that was so rusted out, driving it from NC to Florida was not only foolish, but flirting with disaster. The fact that I kept driving it was worse. It had stupidly oversized tires on it, as well as a suspension lift on it, but it was only $700 and ran decent, so I bought it.

I was rolling down I-95 in West Palm to pick up my girlfriend from the train station, and the front driveshaft just decided to obliterate itself around 70mph, and it fell at the perfect time that it caught a nasty pothole... It felt like I hit a brick wall. My bench seat bolts ripped out of the rusty floorpan as the rear axle came off the ground, and I ended up plowing down at least a dozen sawhorses in the construction zone before I got the beast to stop.

I had a leg through the floor, dangling under the truck, one foot on the brake pedal, one hand on the wheel, other hand holding the 4WD lever, just trying to figure out if I was missing any body parts... A Florida Highway Patrol cruiser pulled up and asked if I was okay... I said "I think so.." and he just left.

I crawled under the truck, had no idea where the front driveshaft was, but the truck still drove, so I used ratchet straps to hold the seat down, and carried on my way, only a lot slower.

Long story short, my girlfriend was mad that I was late picking her up, and now I have trust issues.

This is the thread on my C-Body, if you haven't been there...

Journey of my 68 Newport

 

[69_topless]

There is another 69 Polara convertible owner. I think our specification is almost identical, except I have a white interior and top, but missing AC. I have 383 2bbl and was playing with idea going to 4bbl few years back while the carb needs rebuilt. Decided to keep it original, although admit it was easier for me rather then collect parts with shipping it to Europe.

You did not mention the condition of the current engine. If its good, perhaps throw on some hot parts with TTI duals is the right combination. Whatever, do the modification what keeps you coming back on the road with the smile on your face.

 

[3C's & a D?]

I'm just an over-thinker... "What if the steering linkage fails? What if some critical part of the suspension snaps?"

If it weren't for crazy life experiences, I probably wouldn't be like this. I remember back in 2002, I was driving a 1980 Ford Bronco that was so rusted out, driving it from NC to Florida was not only foolish, but flirting with disaster. The fact that I kept driving it was worse. It had stupidly oversized tires on it, as well as a suspension lift on it, but it was only $700 and ran decent, so I bought it.

I was rolling down I-95 in West Palm to pick up my girlfriend from the train station, and the front driveshaft just decided to obliterate itself around 70mph, and it fell at the perfect time that it caught a nasty pothole... It felt like I hit a brick wall. My bench seat bolts ripped out of the rusty floorpan as the rear axle came off the ground, and I ended up plowing down at least a dozen sawhorses in the construction zone before I got the beast to stop.

I had a leg through the floor, dangling under the truck, one foot on the brake pedal, one hand on the wheel, other hand holding the 4WD lever, just trying to figure out if I was missing any body parts... A Florida Highway Patrol cruiser pulled up and asked if I was okay... I said "I think so.." and he just left.

I crawled under the truck, had no idea where the front driveshaft was, but the truck still drove, so I used ratchet straps to hold the seat down, and carried on my way, only a lot slower.

Long story short, my girlfriend was mad that I was late picking her up, and now I have trust issues.

This is the thread on my C-Body, if you haven't been there...

Journey of my 68 Newport

That's ford for you, I was driving a '71 Newport "parts car" turned temporary beater on a four hundred+ mile round trip when I decided to bring it up to 110 MPH for a couple of minutes. No steering failures. The original timing chain gears didn't take to kindly to that though, and skipped a tooth or three and left me stranded. I don't blame the car though. I was pushing it. As we should. It had no floors either.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I'm just an over-thinker... "What if the steering linkage fails? What if some critical part of the suspension snaps?"

If it weren't for crazy life experiences, I probably wouldn't be like this. I remember back in 2002, I was driving a 1980 Ford Bronco that was so rusted out, driving it from NC to Florida was not only foolish, but flirting with disaster. The fact that I kept driving it was worse. It had stupidly oversized tires on it, as well as a suspension lift on it, but it was only $700 and ran decent, so I bought it.

I was rolling down I-95 in West Palm to pick up my girlfriend from the train station, and the front driveshaft just decided to obliterate itself around 70mph, and it fell at the perfect time that it caught a nasty pothole... It felt like I hit a brick wall. My bench seat bolts ripped out of the rusty floorpan as the rear axle came off the ground, and I ended up plowing down at least a dozen sawhorses in the construction zone before I got the beast to stop.

I had a leg through the floor, dangling under the truck, one foot on the brake pedal, one hand on the wheel, other hand holding the 4WD lever, just trying to figure out if I was missing any body parts... A Florida Highway Patrol cruiser pulled up and asked if I was okay... I said "I think so.." and he just left.

I crawled under the truck, had no idea where the front driveshaft was, but the truck still drove, so I used ratchet straps to hold the seat down, and carried on my way, only a lot slower.

Long story short, my girlfriend was mad that I was late picking her up, and now I have trust issues.

This is the thread on my C-Body, if you haven't been there...

Journey of my 68 Newport

No you are paranoid, if you would have been over thinking you would have checked, checked again, and rechecked before the trip.

 

[78Brougham]

Leave the 'vert as is and buy something to wrap around that 440?