How to Drive a 71' big block car

[Stacked440]

Anyone have tips, tricks and or knowledge on anything to watch out for on a big block 4-spd car?  Much appreciated!

[heminut]

Trees, guardrails, large trucks..................    

[Carlwalski]

 


Just take your time. Any RWD V8 in the rain or greasy road surface can be a handful, like always, drive to conditions. Make sure you get to know the car before attempting to "have fun". Being a manual you'll need more witts about you. Some find it hard enough with the slap-stik to control these cars, add shifting in "extreme" throttle conditions and things can easily, ah, get sideways through to being a "passenger". Not sure what your asking really but yeah. 

[cowboy]

-
Big-block and 4-speed, - only once in a lifetime..
I try to quit smoking...

[chevyconvert]

Despite all the talk about the extra weight over the nose...mine handles the curves with very little lean or understeer.
New front suspension, torsion bars, rear bar w/ urethane, koni shocks, and Radials.

That said...she's no roadracer and when the six pack kicks in you have to pay attention or you'll run outa or offa road quickly.

 

[Mr. 440SixPack]

Interesting topic! I am always wondering how is to drive a big block car or any muscle car... Must be a hard work but really fun Well with high muscle torque I think you have to shift from lets say second gear to third when going fast into the corner... Because when you are going to leave the corner you will hit the throttle again and with high rpm, tires will lose traction and show you some oversteer. Just my imagination...I am always driving muscle cars like that in computer simulations

[GoodysGotaCuda]

First know that it can probably spin you and cross-you up faster than you can react sending you into something much harder than the metal on the car. With that in mind, drive cautiously and build-up your confidence on what the car will and will not to in certain situations.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

BE CAREFUL, and get to know the car first before you really try to get on it. My car is built for upper RPM power, and it will try to throw you in the back seat if you punch it at 60 MPH. I almost lost it a few times. 


  Mike

[Bullitt-]

You might want to double bag yourself in DEPENDS & make sure you will be able to reach the KILL SWITCH in case the trottle sicks. 

[HemiOrange70]

Drive it like you stole it......hang on

[4Cruizn]

Drive it like you stole it......hang on

lol yeah I agree with that but still I usually say . . . "Drive it like you stole it, and they're chasing you!"    

[Oldschool]

Some days I would just cruise and chill around in it, and some days, I would put on a show for folks.  It just depends on the traffic/road conditions and the mood I was in at the time.....           

[heminut]

It just depends on the traffic/road conditions and the mood I was in at the time.....           

.....and if there's any cops around!

[Devil]

There are large parking lots by my house, I went in there and just played around to see what kinda manuverablility the car had.  I'd suggest something similar to you.  Mine's a 71 Chally R/T with 383 auto.

Ryan

[Moparal]

There are large parking lots by my house, I went in there and just played around to see what kinda manuverablility the car had.  I'd suggest something similar to you.  Mine's a 71 Chally R/T with 383 auto.

Ryan

I can agree to that. And another helpful way of learning the particular characteristics of your car is in a snow covered parking lot. This will help you understand how to handle some of the tq and steering. No fast driving needed, but you'll see what a sure grip does when it spins both wheels and how it slides to one side, then you can learn how to respond to it. I'd say dirt roads too, but gravel has a tendancy to chip paint and stuff. As a kid, I used to put the nose of my car up against a snow drifted curb and dump the clutch in fourth gear, just to see how high it would go on a 150 speedo.