Top speed with a small block chevy?

[brute4c]

The change to 4.56 axle gears is the key to that kind of speed....

Changing the axle ratio to 4.56 gives the same RPM at 60 as if one left the stock 5.87 gears in place and mounted up 44.5 inch tires....big change there!!

[IAN_M715]

why ruin a good thing? there is nothing wrong with cruising along at 35mph and commanding respect from others who are driving behind you while in a 45 mph zone. i see it as community service by controling the speed at which people drive in my town.

[cnewman425]

That is pretty much what I am thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any way, "SPEED KILLS"

[bump_r]

Thanks, Jon, for correcting the stock gear ratio in this thread. Someone earlier stated 5.83, which I believe is correct for M38 M38A! and M37s, but not the M715. (or isit 5.38:1? I think 5.38, not 5.83...

Secondly - since noone mentioned yet - always remember that getting up to speed isn't always the end of the quest. Controlling the truck (cornering, wheel wobble, yadda yadda yadda) also come into play, as does the normal desire to whoa it back down. Sans trailer or load, the stock drum/drum brakes are quite adequate when properly maintained and adjusted (remember these are NOT self-adjusting!), and are generally sufficient with a rated load. Add "extra" loading, wet roads, steep grades, or other factors, and you'll soon learn why radial tires, disc brakes, and ABS were developed!

Happy motoring, and welcome aboard!

[ColHart]

I feel the need.... the need for speed!
But I do like coming home to my good ole rusty, I mean trusty barn (as someone so nicely put it)

[brute4c]

Yep....all good points.

One thing that seems to escape the younger foks I talk to is something that was stressed on me many years back...

Your brakes and your front end are your life.

The motor can blow, trans fail, tcase go out....lots of stuff can happen and you can still get safely off the road or trail....but your brakes or your steering go....I hope your prayers are up to date...

[dave]

driving slow is cool as you can see the looks on peoples faces as you drive by and no one can or will try to run you off the road. LOL!
these trucks are made out of real steel and unlike cars of today they will survive and probably out live us. As soon as it warms up here, Im going to start building up the 715's, one for me and one for betty. hers will be mild and mine will be wild.

[jeepfan93]

After looking all over my 715 now my wife wants me to build her one. She is epileptic and had a siezure and totalled my 97 Suburban a while back. She normally drive an Explorer and everyone from the crash site said that if she wasn't in the 'Burb, she would not have walked away. Fortunalty she only ran off into woods and nobody else got hurt. First thing I said to her about a 715 was NO, God forbid she hits another car. I would rather her in something that crumples a bit.

driving slow is cool as you can see the looks on peoples faces as you drive by and no one can or will try to run you off the road. LOL!
these trucks are made out of real steel and unlike cars of today they will survive and probably out live us. As soon as it warms up here, Im going to start building up the 715's, one for me and one for betty. hers will be mild and mine will be wild.

[MarknessMonster]

...there is nothing wrong with cruising along at 35mph and commanding respect from others who are driving behind you while in a 45 mph zone.

I'd see it as being a rude driver and can't imagine that it would command respect from anyone. I usually pull off and let them pass, as some folks actually have important objectives to accomplish in their lives and time is precious.

Of course with a 350/4500/205 and 39" tires, I generally don't have to drive 10 miles under the speed limit. Nor do I need to command respect from anyone by the type of vehicle I drive.

[IAN_M715]

....yeah. so there is a sports talk radio show in boston that has this thing called the "whiner line" where callers can leave messages and complain, give opinions or just whine. each day at 1700 they broadcast the whines of the day- the radio station even has whiney awards that is a sponsored event every year for the best whiner. i think the zone needs a whiner line thread under the BS board. this would be perfect! could even give out whiney awards too! same but different.