1/4 mile acceleration : Old school vs New School

Don't know how many of you guys hit the drags, but this is just a comment.
I've had quite a few '60's & 70's musclecars - mopars, chevys and a few pontiacs - and a few street rods, some faster than others, fastest was a '70 roadrunner - 440cid, rollercam big holly carb...all the proper go fast, make noise stuff, best track time was 10.85@ 131mph.
Now the point i'm slowly getting to, is that these "new school" ricers- no offence intended - are doing similar e.t.'s, better fuel economy, way more reliability, 600lbs of stereo, and they don't shake the crap outta you when your sitting at a stoplight.
I'm between hot cars right now - wife giving me the "not practical with the kids" speech;) - but I really do see a rice burner in my future, especially when I consider the insane prices of older cars lately.
Any comments are welcome.

Well, that certainly depends on your definition of "Ricer". A true Ricer doesn't goes fast at all... his only mods are visual, except for possible a fart cannon exhaust and a chromed intake. Other than that, it's all spoilers, stickers, paint, and bodykit.

Anyway, ricemobiles aren't great drag racers. The best of the best drag racers have always been (and likely always will be) are the v8 American Muscle cars. Of course, this isn't stock. I'm talking about the best of the heap, street legal or not. I've seen Mustangs, Firebirds, and Camaros that run mid 7s to low 8s with horsepower in the high 900s. The fastest I've ever seen an import do with a similar power levels is high 9s with 1060 horses. Anyway...

However, imports in general can be totally awesome :). I'm a huge fan of all the new-age Japanese Sports cars, as long as they're not tastelessly overdone without even touching the engine. Stock looks best to me, and money is well spent on power gainers. Definately a better choice for the street, and for a daily driver in general.

Good points, but around here there are as many "ricers" that run quick as there are the ones just looking the part. I've seen more than a few running mid 11's to bottom 12's with vortec superchargers, ECM, head and exhaust work.


I'm genuinely impressed and after having a few rides i'm also really surprised with these cars, they don't have that initial off the line torque like a big block musclecar.... but they accelerate like mad after that.


It's almost like its achieving the similar results thru finesse instead of just raw power..... and the best part is you don't shit your pants if you see a corner rapidly approaching :p .


I know what you are talking about with the 7, 8, 9 second cars.... but i'm a firm believer that real cars don't ride on trailers, they strut thru the gates on their own rubber.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by NoOne [/i]
[B]i'm a firm believer that real cars don't ride on trailers, they strut thru the gates on their own rubber. [/B][/QUOTE]

I love that line. :) I'm totally going to quote you on that someday :)

Egg Nog, you summed it up right there. to many of these ricers (no offense, the I-6 Japanesse cars are awesome) are all show and no go. i hate the huge front spoilers that are on some, you don't get that on muscle cars. What is this front downforce of which you speak? the car should be trick on the track, not when it's parked, who needs neon, a stereo, or a dvd player when you have a car that can do a wheelie?

btw NoOne, what all has been modified on your Roadrunner?

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Prowl [/i]
[B]...the car should be trick on the track, not when it's parked, who needs neon, a stereo, or a dvd player when you have a car that can do a wheelie? [/B][/QUOTE]

Totally :)

A 600hp stereo ;)

[quote][b] btw NoOne, what all has been modified on your Roadrunner?[/b][/quote]

Sadly I don't own this car anymore, had to sell it :(

It is a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, factory 440cid, Holley 850 cfm double pump carb, NOS 125hp powershot nitrous system , 2 Holley "blue" fuel pumps 1 dedicated for nitrous runs to avoid detonation, weiand team G aluminum intake, Isky .620 lift camshaft, heads were ported, polished, 5 angle valve job, battleship valve springs. Hedman headers leading to 2 1/2" exhaust.

It ran 9.4 to 1 compression, factory 727 tranny, out to 4.10's in a Dana 60. Frame was tied, 6 cylinder torsion bar suspension out front ( for weight transfer) and Mopar performance super stock springs outback with "B" body adapters. Wheel wells were "boxed" to allow a 13 1/2 inch slick.

Best E.T. without nitrous was 10.85@131mph
Best E.T. with nitrous was 10.22@144mph, problem was the engine would be sinning at 7200 rpm going thru the traps.

But the very best part was it always drove to the track and back home without any problem. It rode a trailer only once, down to the Mopar Nationals down in Columbus Ohio several yrs ago, only out of practicality. :D

Anything else that I missed out please just ask :cool:

Later

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by NoOne [/i]
[B]Sadly I don't own this car anymore, had to sell it :(

It is a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, factory 440cid, Holley 850 cfm double pump carb, NOS 125hp powershot nitrous system , 2 Holley "blue" fuel pumps 1 dedicated for nitrous runs to avoid detonation, tranny, out to 4.10's in a Dana 60. Frame was tied, 6 cylinder torsion bar suspension out front ( for weight transfer) and Mopar performance super stock springs outback with "B" body adapters. Wheel wells were "boxed" to allow a 13 1/2 inch slick.

Best E.T. without nitrous was 10.85@131mph
Best E.T. with nitrous was 10.22@144mph, problem was the engine would be sinning at 7200 rpm going thru the traps.

But the very best part was it always drove to the track and back home without any problem. It rode a trailer only once, down to the Mopar Nationals down in Columbus Ohio several yrs ago, only out of practicality. :D

Anything else that I missed out please just ask :cool:

Later [/B][/QUOTE]

F...k me - that's one hell of a sexy car.

Make very sure that your kids don't forget their automotive roots.

Thanx, what usually doesn't get mentioned with older cars is that no matter how cool or sexy people think they look.... they got a ton of hidden problems, that 'runner for example had squeeks and rattles I never could track down, the windows would leak when I washed it if I had the hose at the wrong angle, exterior trim was lifting due to the body twisting from heavy launches down the track.... and if all that wasn't enough ... it had that electrical burning smell, its hard to describe but once you smell it you won't forget it :D

Later.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by NoOne [/i]
[B]Thanx, what usually doesn't get mentioned with older cars is that no matter how cool or sexy people think they look.... they got a ton of hidden problems, that 'runner for example had squeeks and rattles I never could track down, the windows would leak when I washed it if I had the hose at the wrong angle, exterior trim was lifting due to the body twisting from heavy launches down the track.... and if all that wasn't enough ... it had that electrical burning smell, its hard to describe but once you smell it you won't forget it :D

Later. [/B][/QUOTE]

I agree,
but - there's always a but -
As a car fanatic I have developed a herd mentality and tend to associate with others of my kind.
My neighbour is a Landrover freak and has owned nothing else in the 11 years I've known him.
Everyone of the problems you mentioned have been duplicated in the 3 Discovery's he's owned. -
A rattle in the passenger side sill that could not be traced within the two year warranty - it drove him mad.
Headlights that would fog whenever he washed the car.
A split along the (plastic?) trim under the window within 6 months of picking up his 2nd Disco and in one of his earliest Landrovers he was unable to trace a headlight fault (turned out to be 2 faults).
Problems like these in cars manufactured 30 years ago, you can live with, it's part of their charm.:).
With the absence of ABS, PBS, ESP, HDC, DOHC's, traction control and fuel injection (Holley's rule) most people can work on an early model car - and at least get it running -
most of the time.

Ain't that the truth .... I've got squeeks and rattles in the wife's Windstar minivan that I can't find .... I think they build them into the cars to make you a frequent visitor to the dealership. :D

This is the only pic I have on my 'puter of the Roadrunner , its a poor pic , but until I get a scanner it'll have to do

Its charicter thats why i like them older cars as well! and your right while lacking a lot of technology their quite simple to work on yourself though DOHC can be worked on it just not nice (damn english cars) and fuel injection is easy when you have the right gear (somthning im lacking) and i dont quite agree on the holley rule statement i quite firmly stand by webbers and DeLortos as my choice.
Like in my old mans studebaker its got a draft in it we cant fix the quad honda motor bike carbie set up (custom) is great! but the modern fuel corrodes the rubber and platic internals. The bolt hat holds down the passenger side Buckle for the seat belt is too close to the exaust and ive brunt mself on it once but its all character is a fantasic car!
And why get a modern rice rocket? why not get an older one? they have charicter also and you can tune them up so they fair move and you can still get decent fuel eccomeny around town eg my old mans 69 datsun 1000 41.5 mpg! and it can move like a dog shot in the arse when you floor it!

hahaha, i forgot where i read this but u just reminded me of it. its great.




it has a 1000ci engine with 8 superchargers, 4 turbos, and a 500 shot of NOS. It does the quarter in 2.6 sec @ 600mph.

by the way, im not a dumbass, i no its a joke