QUOTE=Broadkill1;1106472]I was wondering if maybe a higher gear ratio would allow more stick or if a strong 9" rear would be necessary if I could acheive more stick to the road.[/quote]
As I read this thread, it appears to me that the issue is how to best use the available torque....which might be a huge challenge given the high torque figure and the low weight of the car.
A well set up 8.8" Ford will MOST LIKELY stand the torque b/c, as others have mentioned, the rear tires will most likely break loose before the breaking point of the 8.8 is reached. Sure, you could just leave the car as-is and "enjoy" the smell of burning rubber (smells a lot like burning money, to me, though).
IMHO, a change to a "higher" (almost an oxymoron, as the number will be "lower") rear gear ratio would yield benefit in at least two areas....first, IMHO the point at which the tires will break loose will be shifted to a higher ground speed, as the car will have gained more speed before the RPM's are reached at which the engine's torque will overpower the tires (this is assuming the clutch was used carefully so as not to break the tires loose as the car started from standing)....second, when the tires do break loose, the car will be easier to bring back under control than with the lower gear ratio.
An added benefit will be greater gas mileage....which with all the cubes, HP and torque this engine is producing might well be a great benefit.
I've said it before, will say it now, and will probably say it again in the future.....more torque=more tire smoke, not greater acceleration in one of these lightweight beasts
. My small block is a great example....as long as the "challenge" isn't greater than 1/4 mile, I can leave a big-block car in their own tire smoke. Sure, they'll blow by me when they do finally get traction, but most of the time I'm already applying the brakes (don't really care for high speeds in these aerodynamically unstable cars
).
The Ford 9" would definitely be advisable if you plan on sidestepping the clutch at high RPM's.....even a well-built 8.8" can only withstand a certain amount of abuse.
Cheers from Dugly
