9th Sep 2011, 06:40
I am trying to identify the year my VH Charger was produced, it was exported to the UK without a build date stamped on the VIN plate, the body number is 993, please could you tell me where the build numbers you have stated can be found, I need an official source if possible. Any help you can provide would be much appreciated, Kevin :)
26th Oct 2011, 21:06
I currently race a E49 replica Charger, and have done so since 1996. I have raced the venerable 265 with hydraulic and solid camshafts, and have had great success with both engines. The hydraulic cam hits the wall at 5800 - 6000 RPM, depending on air temperature, whereas the solid will happily go to 6800 - 7000 RPM.
The class I race in is called Production Muscle Cars, and we operate out of Auckland and predominantly on NZ's fastest track, Pukekohe. Our rules state that you must run the original engine block and heads, and also the brake calipers must be standard, and rotors of original manufacturer's dimensions.
The Charger, although only putting out 290 rear wheel horse power, is more than capable of matching most of the V8 Mustangs, Falcons, Holdens etc that are around the 350 - 400 rear wheel horse power - even in a straight line.
The reason for this is the way an inline six lays down its torque evenly - even with a big cam it comes on smoothly and is in abundance (especially in the 265 version), and the throttle can be applied more rapidly - a feat which most V8's don't do nearly as well.
Most people aren't aware, that even back in the day, all of those teams were cheating the rules to some degree, and what happened on the race track is not necessarily related to the road cars. Ford and Holden were both running wet/dry sumps with auxiliary oil pumps and such like in their V8's, to get on top of oil surge.
In pure road going guise, I can honestly say (I have driven all of them) neither Holden nor Ford produced a product in the era of the E49 (4 speed) to match it in performance or handling, and its acceleration was especially blinding for the day.
19th Jan 2012, 06:39
Chrysler Australia never planned on putting the 340 into a Charger. That was the Americans telling them. They had tested built and dynoed a 300ci version of the hemi with a wild cam that was said by Leo Geoghegan "would barely idle but proved unreal". The hemi six was always meant for 300ci in American trucks, but big V8's took over. If you ask me, the hemi six is at the top tier of engine design and build.
25th Apr 2012, 03:26
Actual figures for the Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3.
0-62 mph (100 km/h): 6.3 seconds
Standing 1/4 mile (~400 m): 14.2 seconds
Top speed: 229 km/h (142.3 mph)
25th Apr 2012, 03:50
The V8 R/T was conceived by Chrysler Australia. The first option was the 360, but the 340 was considered the more advanced motor at the time, and developed more power. The 340 was suggested thus by Chrysler in the US. A V8 sports model was on the cards from the outset of the Charger development. As the performance was considered adequate, the 340 came strangled with a 180CFM carby and a poor exhaust manifold design when released. The potential was there, and Chrysler Australia again rushed a Charger into production, and then made plans for the upgrades to follow on the next model with a manual gearbox. Alas this never occurred.
Better breathing and a manual box shows cuts of well over a second on the 400m time in otherwise stock cars.
3rd May 2012, 04:09
G day mate, just replying on what you said about the Charger beating the Phase III, mid 13 seconds. But true to the fact, is the ultimate machine was the Phase 4 GTHO; it ran at 12.25 in the quarter mile in its fourth gear. Now you're wondering how do I know this? Well my mate had one and smashed it, but I have the figures of the run he did. Go mighty Fords.
1st Oct 2012, 09:23
Dream on mate. No Falcon ever did a 12.25 in the quarter. No Falcon even got into the 13's. You're misguided fella. I also think your mate didn't have one, as only four were made, and only one is still around. Admit it, you can't handle it that a Valiant is the fastest Australian muscle car from the seventies. Origins in the US. Go Australian Chryslers.
17th Apr 2011, 03:37
E49 RT Charger was faster than the GTHO Falcon in a straight line and around the track buddy. Good on you. They only made 1 black and 1 white car. Hemi orange was around 35-40 cars from memory. Start saving now. They aren't cheap!