Race Cars vs. Muscle Cars

[Greenday]

Which are better? Race cars, like a Civic with a turbocharged engine, NO2, etc. Or muscle cars, like Corvettes with 500 horsepower STOCK. Hell, the Corvette SS will have ~650 horsepower. Which one is better?

Personally, I think drag racing is much better than anything else, like drifting. And if it's drag racing, a car that weighs a lil over 3,100 lbs with 500 hp is going to rip any small race car to shreds.

Adding nitrous oxide to a car may give it a huge boost, but it freaking DESTROYS the engine. Not to mention the explosion factor if things go very wrong.

Any other opinions on this? I was watching those Corvette sucks videos off of youtube and they were saying the Porsche 911 and others are a lot better. I think that has to be a joke.

[rahmota]

I think its whatever the person can afford to loose if they are doing street racing....

But really if the person enjoys going fast in a straight line then set the car up for the ultimate drag machine can be done with either car. Some cars though are going to have a weee bit of a headstart in the power department.

As to which is the best I'll have to say the old iron. 69 charger, GTO, Barracuda. The stuff from the detroit glory days while maybe not as technologically fancy or quite as polished and comfy as the modern touring cars and such but what they lack in all that they make up for in style, sheer power, and general unmitigated coolness factor. Aint no replacement for displacement son.

And I personally like a nice well balanced car. Maybe not as capable in straight up drag but push a car too far for dragging and it'll suck for anythign else including general driving. Push a car too far towards any particular racing style and it'll decrease its usalbility for anythign else.

[protege]

I still can't see the point of dumping a buttload of cash into "fixing up" something like a Civic...when a Corvette (or Mustang, or Camaro, etc.) can be had for about the same cash. But, around here, at least...it's common for "fixed up" Civics to be all noise, and no balls. I've got a '59 Radio-Flyer wagon with a higher top end than some of those fools

I think the old school drag cars are better--things like GTOs, 'Cudas, etc. But, the ultimate have to be the sleepers. You know, cars that look like they can't go fast...but do. Locally, there's a Volvo 780 coupe, that someone's dropped a Mustang 5.0 V8 into. From the outside, the car looks completely stock. What would be better, is an old 240-series Volvo with the same treatment. Keep it some boring color, like beige...but with all the mechanical goodies

[Seshat]

... whichever one will take me and my family/close friends where I need to go.

(Okay, okay. Not the point of this thread. But anyway!)

[Boozy]

Only a bunch of men would think this is a hot topic.

(Love you guys...)

[AFPheonix]

Put your hands up for station wagons!


Oh wait....not sexy enough....

[Greenday]

Put your hands up for station wagons!

Drop a supercharged V8 in that mofo and it will be the definition of a sleeper car.

[AFPheonix]

I'm happy enough with the flat 6 in mine already

[powerboy]

For me, it is muscle cars. And no, I do not drag race. It is just Muscle cars does look a lot better for me

[rahmota]

Yeah not only does the old muscle look better but they sound a lot better too. I mean there is no comparing the rumble of a big block V8 through a thrush muffler to the stupid whine of a little 4banger or the annoying fart can blarping blaps a lot fo the ricers put on their car.

[Dreamstalker]

I'd go for the original muscle cars, myself

But, around here, at least...it's common for "fixed up" Civics to be all noise, and no balls. I've got a '59 Radio-Flyer wagon with a higher top end than some of those fools

I can outwalk some of the ones I see around Cambridge.

[TennesseeWhiskey]

I'd go for the original muscle cars, myself


I can outwalk some of the ones I see around Cambridge.

Gotta love that old Detroit metal. I want to look at one of the new Camaros when they come out next year to see how they compare to the older ones.

Then too, you can have a killer engine and all the bells and whistles, but, if the person driving doesn't have the ability and testicular fortitude, hell, they might as well be on a Yugo. Skill as a driver means PLENTY. Ask the chick (me) who out ran a guy in a full-size Silverado pickup in a stock, 4-cylinder Toyota truck.

[Gawdzillers]

Actually, I think there are three types of sports cars.

1. Tuner: Usually Japanese imports that you dump NO2 and turbo into, used for drifting. Hondas, Mazdas, Nissans, Mitsubishis, etc.

2. Muscle: Any American-made muscle car, past and present: Mustangs, Challengers, Corvettes, Vipers, etc.

3. Supercars: Foreign luxury and/or sports cars, which may or may not be illegal in the US. Aston Martins, Porsches, Ferarris, Audis, BMWs, etc.

[protege]

*wonders where the MG fits into those groups* Shortly before it came home from California, it was clocked at 120mph in the desert. Keep in mind that was with a knackered engine.

I had fun with a Mustang driver while in the Tercel some years back. This fool had been on my tail for miles, until the road started to twist a bit. I dropped down a gear, put my foot down, and pulled away from him. The look on his face when I pulled away was great Turns out the Tercel's previous owner did a little work to it. It had been lowered a bit, work done to the engine, and bigger brakes from a Corolla. Other than that, it was basically stock. Just the thing for annoying Cavaliers (or 4-cylinder Mustangs) in traffic Even though it was only a 1.5-liter four-cylinder (90 horses), it pulled like a train in 3rd gear. Gotta love those light cars

[Hemily]

the ultimate have to be the sleepers. You know, cars that look like they can't go fast...but do. Locally, there's a Volvo 780 coupe, that someone's dropped a Mustang 5.0 V8 into. From the outside, the car looks completely stock. What would be better, is an old 240-series Volvo with the same treatment. Keep it some boring color, like beige...but with all the mechanical goodies

sorry to bump a thread that seems a bit older, but i felt like contributing to this thread


Sleepers are awesome! i'm building one myself.. a 1980 Buick Century Estate Wagon, with a Camaro V8 engine, only 300hp so far, but i have to do up the suspension, brakes and such, before doing more to it.

As for V8 Volvo's, they're fairly common here, usually in a 240 or a 740, even 940, but Ford engine's the first time i've heard, it's usually Chevy engines, 305, 327 and 350, i know a local 240 wagon, nicknamed Chevolvo, has a Corvette engine, and a manual transmission, it was a bit strange to be passed by it