Horsepower and 1/4 mile times for Old Muscle Cars

Discussion in 'Drag Racing' started by DaMadman, Aug 24, 2009.

  1. DaMadman

    DaMadman 3 pedals & 8cylinders=FUN

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    I don't know why I have never paid attention to this before? I guess because I never really took any of my cars to the drag strip before I got these mavericks.

    Anyway while watching some of these HorsePower TV and Muscle car shows on Saturday and Sunday Morning I have noticed a lot lately that when they give the horsepower and 1/4 mile times for a lot of these old muscle cars, most of them (when stock) were only running the 1/4 mile in the 15's.

    I was really suprised they were sayign that the 454 Chevelle back in it's hayday stock from the dealer was a low 15 second car in the 1/4, of course they added that with VERY little tuning and a tweek hear and a tweek there they would run into the 13's pretty easily.

    But even the top of the line GTO they were saying was a stock low-mid 14 second 1/4 mile car. which with the tweaks and tuning would easily shoot down into the 12's but still I guess I just never paid much attention but I always thought that those 60's and ealry 70's muscle cars were always faster than that in the 1/4 when they were stock.

    Made me feel a little bit better about my Maverick only running in the very low 15's for a little while anyway. At least until the memories of the new 6 cyl stang running next to me in the high 14's and the 4 cyl. rice rockets runnign in the low 14's and high 13's came back to the fore front of my mind :rofl:

    [FONT=arial,helvetica][SIZE=+1]The 1967 Pontiac GTO[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Specifications
    Wheelbase, inches: 115.0
    Weight, lbs: 3,425
    Number built: 81,722
    Base price: $2,871

    Top Available Engine
    Type: ohv V-8
    Displacement, cid: 400
    Fuel system: 1 x 4 bbl.
    Compression ratio: 10.75:1
    Horsepower @ rpm: 360 @ 5400
    Torque @ rpm: 438 @ 3800

    Representative Performance
    0-60 mph, sec: 6.6
    1/4 mile, sec @ mph: 14.66 @ 99[/SIZE][/FONT]
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2009
  2. don graham

    don graham MCG State Rep

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    I think about that every once in a while. My 308 has turned an 11.81 in the 1/4. Back then that was a fast super stocker. But you got to remember the advances made in the tires, and especially in the heads allowing engines to breath more. :)
     
  3. DaMadman

    DaMadman 3 pedals & 8cylinders=FUN

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    yeah I mean can you imagine back then a GTO being the hottest thing on the street. going up against a slightly modified 302 maverick and the Maverick whoopin the GTO's arse. how embarrising would that be to race your GTO against Fords litle bastard child econobox and get your $h1t stomped in the ground
     
  4. MNTony

    MNTony aka Godzirra

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    Bone stock muscle cars back in the day were very limited by carb size, exhaust and tires. Fifteen second times were very respectable and common for the higher horsepower machines. For instance my 70 Cyclone Spoiler with the 429cj in stock trim in 1980 ran 15's. Some tuning, good carb, headers and slicks (with old school slapper bars) got it down into the 12's. But as it has been said, it doesn't take much to unleash the extra hp and get it to the ground. That's what the old super stock guys used to do. It was all in the tune and traction.
     
  5. Bryant

    Bryant forgot more than learned

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    there are two major reasons that the time were slow compared to what we are used to now days. first as mentioned the tires. the tires were lousy for traction so these monster torquey motors would just blow the tires off at low speeds. second the was the drivers used for most of the reported 1/4 mile times were journalists from car and driver that knew more about typing than trying to launch and dragrace a car.
     
  6. cdeal28078

    cdeal28078 Member

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    I saw an old show the other day where 2 of the Slingshot dragsters were racing. They both smoke the tires all the way down the track. I thought man they both broke loose but neither lifted. The next 2 were the same way. lol
    Tied has come a LONG way
    clint
     
  7. justin has a 74

    justin has a 74 Maverick bandit official

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    how about the 389... i have herd tones of stories of it being BAD:bowdown:
     
  8. mavdog71

    mavdog71 Member

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    My 68 Plymouth GTX ran 13.94 et at 103 mph on street tires and through the mufflers this was a 3580 lbs. car after a few mods. ( headers, gears, 4.56 tires a lot of tuning ) the best time was 11.00 at 128 mph and drove it to the track ( Orange County Raceway in Irvine Ca.)



    Jay
     
  9. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    Yeah, until the LSx engines, the quickest domestic 'muscle car' was the Boss 351 which ran very low 13s. The 68 Mustang 428cj coupe was a very close second.

    As for the LS5, LS6, L88, L89, L78... Chevys, the only reason I can think that they wouldn't run high 13s, low 14s is due to tires. These engines would have had a much stronger low end than the Boss 351. Therefore they probably just blew the tires into smoke, while the higher rpm 351c wouldn't have the torque overload problem.

    Just a guess:huh:
     
  10. PAINTANK

    PAINTANK Cometosis Obsessivus

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    ...:naughty:
    1969.5 M code Road Runner ran 12.91 at 111.9 mph.
    The only cars faster were freaking 427 Cobras and Vettes.
    Chevelles and GTOs can suck MOPAR fumes.
     
  11. darren

    darren Member

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    I drove a lot of different cars down the strip when I used to tune for cash. Traction was an absolute joke on those old cars. One of my favourites was my buddies 383 road runner. It sounded incredible but it was a struggle to run under 14. If you got lucky and didnt blow the tires loose off the line they may let go shifting to second or third. Did he ever get pissed when a 88 5 liter ran 13.90
    Besides my Mav at the time the most fun was a 70 Cyclone factory 429 drag pack car. 4 speed 4:30 locker. This thing was a death trap. We had to run McCreary's. Street tires were almost not driveable. That car went 13.40 on the stickies and you still had to ease into it off the line. 60 foot times were awful but the rest of the track, well you needed a diaper. We werent allowed to run slicks on Fri. night.
     
  12. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    :huh:
    This was according to 'the mags' of the time. Forgot which ones (it was more than one)... I have the mags, but I have WAY too many to go through and look.

    They excluded the Cobra, Vettes, and COPOs from the rankings.

    Where did you get your stat?
     
  13. Fish OutOfWater

    Fish OutOfWater Brian

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    Here is a shot of my mav next to my dads 67 GTO. He got spanked hard when I ran him. But not as hard as the Camaro. The GTO has cruising gears in it.. Like 2:42s? I could still run away from him at any speed. He wasnt embarrassed. Amazed was more like it. And that amazement is followed by a "How much did you pay for that car again?" He can totally appreciate the quick, great looking, economical combination.
    [​IMG]
     
  14. darren

    darren Member

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    That looks just like the 454 Camaro I embarrassed with my first Mav. That was one humble chubby Italian.:)
     
  15. John B

    John B Member

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    I remember reading an article on the introduction of the 396 Nova, and they made a big fuss over the fact that it squeaked out a high 13 sec. quarter mile! That seemed pretty scary for a stock street car back then. John B
     

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