Posted on 12/27/2008 12:35:32 PM PST by GunsAndBibles
You're behind the wheel of a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger in a Vintage Grand Prix race. You're chasing a Ferrari, hitting speeds up to 160mph. This is NOT a video game! Ten minutes of outstanding arm chair racing. My first vanity, I apologize, but this video was Sofa King cool, I just had to post it! So who do you think wins?
Just sold my 69 Roadrunner last year.Started life as a 383 car,I installed a 440 bracket engine and other enhancements.Force a downshift at 70 MPH and it would burn the tires.Speedo went to 120 at 5400 RPM,we used to run it out to 6500.
I lusted after that car in high school. Almost as much as the prom queen. I attracted her eventually, but suspected afterward that the GTO would have been a better investment and a smoother ride.
BUMP
Oh, yeah. That thing was consistently cornering inside the Ferrari. There are a lot of American muscle cars that can dance with Dino on the straights but very few that can do what we saw on the film.
Now I gotta go drive my car. Dang it.
When I was growing up a friend of mine had a Satellite station wagon with a 426 hemi, quads and a few other things. He took off the identifying emblems on this brown wagon and then went looking for unsuspecting cars. He was especially fond of Corvettes. They got a big surprise when he left them standing still.
The prom queen or the GTO? ;-)
Never got the GTO, but I do have some fond memories...
Oh my favorite.....I will have one....in this lifetime!
Not to bust anybody’s bubble but that is not a 426 Hemi. This car is an old Trans Am car. One of the greatest racing series of all time with pony cars. Rules allowed a maximum of 305 cubic inches, and if offered by the factory two four barrels and disc brakes all the way around. The Big 3 offered some factory support and the major cars were the Trans Am 302 Mustang, 302 Z28 Camaro, and the Barracuda. Mopar did not offer an engine of the correct size so the SCCA allowed them to either bore the 273 or destroke the 340, I can’t remember which.
The Trans Am series is the reason the 302 Mustang and Z28 Camaro came into existence as the rules required a certain number of production cars in order to qualify.
I always liked watching Parnelli Jones race because his cars rarely had a straight panel afterwards. He was very, very aggressive.
The race teams took several liberties when trying to stay within the rules such as all body panels had to be stock sheet metal but they would acid dip them in order to save weight.
The SCCA eventually ruined the series by allowing fat add on fender wells and bigger tires and the cars no longer looked like what could be bought off the showroom. The 73 gasoline/fuel imbargo/OPEC situation also helped kill it.
68 302 Z28 could go 140+
Sofa King cool indeed. Takes me back to my wonderful high school years. A friend of mine had a Challenger. The Dodge Challenger with the 426 Hemi was the best muscle car - ever. And one of the sweetest looking as well. I loved that car.
Hmm, I saw 140 in my '70 Formula 400 (no hills in Indy), had a friend with a '67 Camaro 327 that did quite well in the triple digits; with a 273 rear end, it did about 90 in 1st gear.
“This has got to be a joke. American cars of that day topped out at 130mph going downhill.”
How on earth do you figger a 440 Dart is gonna have trouble getting up to 130?
“150...on sunrise highway”
27 in New York? If so where, what town?
there was one night comming home I flow past 3 cop cars parked on the median at about 90mph...all I remember was saying Oh SH@#!!! looked in my review and saw them scrambling to get on the highway ....I nailed it and pined the needle...only one was starting to catch up, I hit the entrance ramp (yep missed the exit)to William Floyd about 90 to 100....cop wouldn't follow...made it home parked the car in the garage and keep peeking out the window....
I was in the front of a 64 GTO with trips on a 389 bored out to 401 when my cousin missed a shift at around 110 and snapped his rear axle. I was still safer than you.
I'll never forget the night we were blown off the line by an AMC AMX. Still have no idea what was done to that car.
I'm reminded of the story where Bill Cosby talks about his Shelby Cobra on Jay Leno.
I really have to question your credibility. The 413 was a wedge motor, originally installed in truck, but tricked out as a muscle engine in '62. It was not available in '69.
I have a '69 Charger 500, original owner, and it's Hemi is 426 inches. 440's had 375 HP w/4bbl, 390 w/six pack, hemi at 425 advertised, but close to 700 actual, according to an engine shootout on "American Muscle" TV series. Closest thing to it was Ford 427 cammer at 520.
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