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?
My Brother has a 32 Ford 5 Window Deuce Coupe.
He built it by himself when he was 16. Started out as a bare rolling chassis. He built a Chevy 283, put in a close ratio four speed and a 456 rear end.
It could pop a wheelie if he wanted to.
He’s 62 now and he still has the car.
I was sure it was a Charger.
Only 437 built, Wish I still had it.
I went through this a couple of years ago.
1969 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible 440 CI, Automatic
My most beloved auto ever...you're very fortunate.
The Challenger TA was offered again in '71, but with a 340 4bbl.
In the interest of fact checking, one old Mopar guy to another, are you sure about this? I remember Dodge had ads in late 1970 car magazines for a '71 Challenger TA, but then dropped out of Trans Am and never produced any.
BTW, did you happen to see the vintage Trans Am race at Laguna Seca on the Speed Channel? Lots of Moore Mustangs and Penske Camaros and Javelins and one Challenger TA, Sam Poseys old car. The lone Dodge kicked the crap out of the rest of 'em, it was great!
Hey pal, this was supposed to be a fun thread, not antagonistic at all. Now, I’m going back to my BBQ and sucking up some vodka cocktails. Why don’t you take a moment to pull the twig out of your posterior.
‘71 Challenger T/A...Yup, I checked a reference book on it. It was offered, but book does not give production numbers by variant.
Thanks for the story on the Bullitt Mustang vs. Charger, very enlightening.
Steve's assistant told my Brother a whole bunch of stories about the filming of Bullitt. BTW - The Charger lost FIVE Hubcaps during the chase scene.
I met Steve and his son Chad when I was out riding Motocross in Valencia, CA in 1972. Small world...
Thanx for the ‘Bullit’ read a lot of good stuff in there.
I did see that; however, the Challenger becomes the only car on the track after just one more passed car.
When I've experienced that, it's usually because I've missed the checkered flag that indicates the end of the session, and I've missed the cool-down lap!
Incidentally, go to that link where he built the car. He's one dedicated gearhead, though full-sized (and wrinkled) Challenger-types shouldn't be mixing it up with smaller cars on a road course. (IMHO).
I had some good "times" back then, too. (Back when you had to wind the stem on the clocks!) Actually, your "times" could have been even faster: those old tires would "grow" on the rim, and would indicate a slower speed on your speedometer.
New tire technology has made "citizen racing" much safer.
Great video! Now, I want to see a match race from work to home during rush hour.........
I was referring to cars strickly from from the factory with ZERO mods. My 1970 Firebird 350 struggled to get to get past 110 and vibrated like crazy doing it.
My Dad was a car dealer. I drove whatever was available when I was a teenager, and we had a Gremlin-X without the "X" trim for awhile. I surprised a few people with that on a couple of Friday and Saturday nights.
In the mid to late 60s, US automakers began detuning their engines, and under-reporting the power and torque output due to pressure from insurance companies and congress, and to a lesser extent, due to environmental issues (that really took a lead in the mid-70s). European sports cars didn't need to worry about it, because they were marketed AS high performance sports cars, and were willing to pay higher insurance premiums, but Detroit feared that labeling their cars, even "muscle cars" like the Camero, Firebird, and Mustang as high performance sports cars by the insurance companies would hurt their sales.
Mark
Hey pal, you don't know what you are talking about, now go back to watching those movies, they are true you know, wink, wink,
When I was in college (1962), I was riding in a friend’s car with the speedometer pegged out at over 120 mph. He said it would run over 140 and I believed him. I was very, very disturbed (scared). Never rode with him after that.
“My 1970 Firebird 350 struggled to get to get past 110 and vibrated like crazy doing it.”
My stepdad wrecked a brand new 1954 chrysler imperial just outside of Childress Texas. He was doing 137mph. He survived.
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