1961 Biscayne project in Fargo ND

DonSSDD

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Judging by your avatar, your 62 launches high too. Did you use the same setup front and rear suspension wise?
Don
 

BSL409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
Went back for some test& tune last night so I made some changes to the chassis witch seemed to help the front end coming off the ground in second & third gears but still wheelies pretty high in first gear and that is causing the engine to stumble / bog when she comes down so it’s very hard to get a full run when this all happen at the start, Not sure why this engine wants to bog like this when the 62 will launch about the same way and never had a bog like this in it? So not sure what to do next to try and fix this stumble/ bog problem any thoughts where to start
 

1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Thought about jet extensions, but your Holleys are mounted sideways I think.....so I'm not sure what they do in that situation.
What do you have for a fuel system? It could be that the pump isn't enough to overcome the G-forces in the fuel lines of your mighty 409.....or the fuel is just sloshing too much on launch in the tank. You have it plumbed out so nice under the hood, but a large fuel line at the carbs would add some volume right up there. I've heard many old timers say that a fuel log would hold enough fuel that even if your pump was a little on the small side...or other fueling issues were present....it would still keep it from being starved for a few moments. :dunno
The following would be a crutch to avoid the problem and not fix it, but if you have a way to pull timing and kill some power on the launch it would stay down. I know several of the small tire cars do that to keep from blowing them away on launch.....then it ramps back up to full timing very quickly. Again, that is merely a bandaid and not how I think you should sort it out.
 

yellow wagon

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Big wheelies aren't fast unfortunately as you are finding out. There are 8 second street cars now with NO wheelie bars that launch nice and low, might carry the fronts off the ground for a bit and set down nice and easy. PLUS, big wheelies break shit!
 

Mr. Chev

Well Known Member
I would think to keep the car down, the magic would be in the clutch, it must slip the right amount at the right time, less base maybe, Im not a manual trans racer, but I know that this is where the answer lies, Aronson motorsports I believe could help you with adjustments and proper clutch type,
I know this is my first post, but this link was given to me because I race a 61 bel air, it runs mid tens and I really enjoyed your car and build, I know Aubry from when he lived in my hometown and I think he may remember me, I had the 60 camino with the 348 with a 409 top end and predator carb.
My car 60.s in the 1.47 range with only a small wheelie, It does need chassis work and I plan to add antiroll bar in the rear and limiters in the front and better QA one shocks.
You car has brutal power, you need to get the brick its in working its best, I cant even imagine how hard your car is going to go once you sort the chassis out!!!
Excellent Excellent car!!!!!!!
 
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1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Welcome Mr. Chev
I use an automatic as well, but I think you may be on to something about the clutch needing to slip just a little more being part of it. Perhaps it is grabbing so hard and hooking so well that it is like a light switch. Instant on....and up goes the front. :scratch

Please start a thread and tell us more about your '61 you race......and I've got to ask: when you said '61 El Camino, did you have a phantom custom built 1961 El Camino or did you mean to type 1960? As a lifelong 61 fan, I've always felt kinda cheated that we didn't get El Caminos, Sedan Delivery, or even 2 door wagons. :(
 

Mr. Chev

Well Known Member
Im so sorry I did mean 60, it was a california special and came with a factory four speed and 348 3 two barrel, it had factory chrome tailgate arms and latches I belive and some god awful boat racky thing around the box top!!!
 

BSL409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
61 update I have the chassis set pretty good now leaves with only a small wheelie and no more bounce I have too much gear in her right now though car goes through all the gears and I keep hitting the rev limiter at 7600RPM:eek and through the traps red lined:eek at 7600RPM sputtering and so only 9.70@139.5 :grumble
 

jim_ss409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Way to go! :beer
That rev limiter needs an adjustment:brow. Awesome ET & MPH Brian:beer.

Yeah, that engine is built to take a lot of rpm. Maybe setting the limiter at 7,800 would be enough.
I'll bet those shift points come up quick on that car. I'm guessing you'd have to just go by the sound of the engine on the first shift or two. The rpm would be climbing so fast that it would be hard to go by the shift light. It must make for a fun ride. :beer
 

409fanatic

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Always interesting to see one of these come up for sale. They made the Fleetmaster in 1946 to 1948 & only one more time in 1961 and they made 3,000 of these out of the 201,000. Biscaynes. I know of two. Could be many more but that is all I know of. They came in 6 cyl's, V-8's (small and big blocks) and 2 doors and 4 doors. Bodies are the same but a few differences in options which all could be altered over the years.All had back seats as far as I know. Only way of really telling is with the style number on the firewall. For a 6cyl 2 door the style number is 1-1311, the 6 cyl 4 door is 1-1369 and as far as the V-8 Fleetmasters the style numbers are as follows the 2 door is 1-1411 and the 4 door is 1-1469. The 3,00o Fleetmasters are all divided up into these 4 categories not counting small and big block combo's and then into colors, transmissions and so forth. Be interesting to see how many is still out there. This could be one of them. I am always looking.. PS. Great buy by the way. Super buy in fact I would say. Congrads..Butch
 
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