Actual Horsepower Of '60s/'70s Muscle Cars

[jediali]

I am a mechanical engineer who DESIGNS ENGINES FOR A LIVING.

great job...see what you think of my stuff

oh..and don't be cocky, good mechanical engineers are never cocky.

[Fleet 500]

This BASE MODEL (not a Z06), 378 cubic inch Corvette does ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY MPH - BONE STOCK!

And it runs the quarter in 12.4 seconds at 116 MPH - fully loaded with luxury options and capable of getting 26 MPG.

Stop living in the past. The old stuff is fine for what it was. 40 years of progress have made it OBSOLETE. This is almost like arguing that an 8 track tape sounds better than a CD player. It's just plain STUPID!

Full Test: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette - Road Tests - Car and Driver September 2007

http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/d..._z51_08_ss.pdf

The 12-second 1/4 mile bracket was broken way back in the early '60s with the Max Wedge Mopars and the Ford Thunderbolt.

"Stop living in the past?" Somehow, I don't think those (including myself) who own vintage '60s cars are going to turn them in for something newer.
It seems they are very desirable, too, because good examples of '60s/early '70s muscle cars are selling for $30,000, $40,000, and $50,000+.

[Fleet 500]

harddrivin1le,

Thanks once again Sir for taking up your time to cut through the cheese and share your knowledge, experience and quality postings

My only regret is you weren't around earlier!

Actually, Bobby said, "Anyone can go and hit 180 mph straight out of the showroom."

Did I make an error? Did he not say that?

[Fleet 500]

I'll accept the 144 MPH speed when you post the FULL ARTICLE proving it. My guess is that it was MODIFIED.

Here is the article, in full. The 144 mph top speed is in the 4th scan.

And I hope you (for a change) accept what I posted here because it took me about a half-hour to scan all of those pages. I hope it wasn't for nothing.

[Fleet 500]

Here is the last page of the article.

And a scan of a 1966 Dodge Hemi Coronet Convertible with 3.23 gears (Mechanix Illustrated, Dec., 1965).
Top speed is 149.73 mph and is estimated to be up to 5 mph with a hardtop body style.
The reason the author (Tom McCahill) got that high top speed is because he used a track with a longer straight section compared to the tracks other car mags. used. Car Life and Motor Trend would often say that the top speed of their test car would be a little higher if they had a longer straightaway to wind it out more.

[harddrivin1le]

The 12-second 1/4 mile bracket was broken way back in the early '60s with the Max Wedge Mopars and the Ford Thunderbolt.

THOSE WERE STRIPPED DOWN, PURPOSE-BUILT FACTORY PREPARED DRAG CARS THAT WERE NOT STREETABLE AND NOT SOLD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. The ones that ran in the twelves were MODIFIED beyond that (open long tube headers, big slicks, blueprinted engines, etc.).

(The "S" (Street) versions of the "Max Wedge" had a hard time getting out of the mid 14s.) THOSE are the cars that were sold to the public for street use. The Thunderbolt was never sold to the public for street use.)

Do you understand the difference between a PURPOSE BUILT, FACTORY DRAG CAR and a STREET CAR?

HOT ROD magazine does:

[Fleet 500]

THOSE WERE STRIPPED DOWN, FACTORY PREPARED DRAG CARS THAT WERE NOT STREETABLE.

(The "S" versions of the "Max Wedge" had a hard time getting out of the mid 14s.) THOSE are the cars that were sold to the public for street use.

The Thunderbolt was never sold to the public for street use.

Do you understand the difference between a PURPOSE BUILT, FACTORY DRAG CAR and a STREET CAR?

They were production cars and were streetable. Not very streetable, many some brave souls (drag racing fanatics) did buy them.

Do you understand that in the '60s, there were 12-second cars available? You had to look for them, but they did exist.

[harddrivin1le]

They were production cars and were streetable. Not very streetable, many some brave souls (drag racing fanatics) did buy them.

Do you understand that in the '60s, there were 12-second cars available? You had to look for them, but they did exist.

They were NOT "production cars."

They were PURPOSE BUILT, ULTRA LOW PRODUCTION FACTORY RACE CARS that were further MODIFIED by the racers who bought them.

HOT ROD MAGAZINE agrees. They also agree that there were NO 12 second (and very few 13 second) REGULAR PRODUCTION "muscle cars" during that era:

[Fleet 500]

Speaking of spec charts...

[nota]

The Charger 500 Hemi with 3.23s below could only manage 136 MPH. The fastest car in those lists is the "435 HP" (Gross) L72 427 Corvette with a 3.08 axle; it was all done at 141 MPH. The second fastest car on that list is the "390 HP" (Gross) L36 427 Corvette; it managed 134 MPH. Corvettes were a lot lighter AND a lot more aero than any Street Hemi powered car and the L72 427 made just as much power.

Merely for your interest:

1971 Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase Three (XY model-series, 351C 2-bolt block) Homologation special, 300 built for Showroom-Stock racing

#1 Track pic


#2 pic 'Wheels' mag road-test 1971


#3 pic 'Wheels' road-test. 6150 rpm rev-limiter (tacho optimistic) = 141.5 mph as below, and reportedly 155 mph if limiter disconnected

[Fleet 500]

They were NOT "production cars.

They were PURPOSE BUILT, ULTRA LOW PRODUCTION FACTORY RACE CARS that were further MODIFIED by the racers who bought them.

There were only 7 1971 Plymouth Hemi-cuda Convertibles built. It was an ultra low production car, but it was a production car, just like the Max Wedge Mopars and Ford Thunderbolts.
Ford called the T-Bolt the first and only complete drag racer built for, and sold to, the general public.
41 4-speeds and 59 autos were built, far more than the 7 '71 Hemi-cuda Convertibles.

[harddrivin1le]

Are you retarded?

Now you're posting test results of AUSTRALIAN RACING CARS in a forum that's discussing(stock) American muscle cars?

It says "TOPS SPEED 141.5 MPH." "Reportedly" is meaningless.

My 212 CID V6, 3,700 pound Acura is faster than car. Several of today's BONE STOCK, 4 cylinder, PRODUCTION CARS are faster than that!

Merely for your interest:

1971 Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase Three (XY model-series, 351C 2-bolt block) Homologation special, 300 built for Showroom-Stock racing

#1 Track pic


#2 pic 'Wheels' mag road-test 1971


#3 pic 'Wheels' road-test. 6150 rpm rev-limiter (tacho optimistic) = 141.5 mph as below, and reportedly 155 mph if limiter disconnected

[nota]

Actually, Bobby said, "Anyone can go and hit 180 mph straight out of the showroom."

Did I make an error? Did he not say that?

Actually YOU wrote that, not him
Your direct quote not his
No attribution
No "_"

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/373334-post9.html

No further claims from you regarding those supposed regular-production 340 hp ex-factory 351 4-bbl Clevelands .. eh?

[harddrivin1le]

There were only 7 1971 Plymouth Hemi-cuda Convertibles built. It was an ultra low production car, but it was a production car, just like the Max Wedge Mopars and Ford Thunderbolts.
Ford called the T-Bolt the first and only complete drag racer built for, and sold to, the general public.
41 4-speeds and 59 autos were built, far more than the 7 '71 Hemi-cuda Convertibles.

The 1971 Hemi Cuda convertibles were STREET CARS. The fact that few bought them isn't relevant.

Seriously, are you retarded?

[clutch-monkey]

Are you retarded?

Now you're posting test results of AUSTRALIAN RACING CARS in a forum that's discussing(stock) American muscle cars?

er, this forum is not exclusively discussing american cars, or even stock ones at that

It says "TOPS SPEED 141.5 MPH." "Reportedly" is meaningless.

the HO versions reached 160mph apparently, according to the media upraor at the time

My 212 CID V6, 3,700 pound Acura is faster than car.

sure