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Modernize 1957 Dodge

From: Daven Anderson
Email: l96lfury@springmail.com
Date: April 15, 2002

Comments

No matter HOW modern the running gear is,a '57 Dodge weighs more than a Viper and has a higher center of gravity. (so it will never be QUITE that good in handling and stopping). My '60 Ply. wagon uses cost-effective upgrades like 60-series tires,C/E body swaybars,gas shocks and polyurethane upper control-arm bushings. (and front discs,of course!) With these upgrades and stock torsion bars I have had NO problem leaving any and all fullsize SUV's eating my dust on winding mountain roads. (one poor joker in a Expedition slid off onto the shoulder trying in vain to keep up with me!) So what I'm saying is that you'll never have QUITE a Viper-dynamic no matter how much money you spend,basic upgrades will give you a much-improved handling vehicle, and the cost-improvement ratio of making a 57-61 car handle better than my wagon would be WAY out of whack. Street-setup stock torsion bar Mopars similar to mine have generated high .7-G readings in skidpad tests,the "totally modernized" Dodge you describe would likely do .85 to .9 G's (still not Viper territory,it IS a bigger car!) but it would cost HOW much more than one that can do .7 G's? A question worth asking.....

 


Last changed: March 03, 2024