Good lord, cars are fast now!

[GTOreturns]

If I remember correctly the H.O was also flywheel dynoed without accessories too. I could be wrong on that. The early HP numbers were so fudged all over the place high and low.
Kevin

Im not sure if the 80's 5.0's were tested by todays standards. They were 225 flywheel HP.

Yes 60's & 70's were tested with no accessarys on them but on that same note alot of the big HP cars lied about there HP out put to avoid high insurance rates.
Just an example was the 67-69 L-88 in the vettes. The factory rated it at 435hp but in actuality it made 560hp. And there were "quite a few" motors that did this.

 

[5spd GT]

Im not sure if the 80's 5.0's were tested by todays standards. They were 225 flywheel HP.

Yes 60's & 70's were tested with no accessarys on them but on that same note alot of the big HP cars lied about there HP out put to avoid high insurance rates.
Just an example was the 67-69 L-88 in the vettes. The factory rated it at 435hp but in actuality it made 560hp. And there were "quite a few" motors that did this.

Yeah, I know about the L88, I got a video on the car actually...nice

The 87+ 5.0L's I know are correctly 'standardized' from what I have seen. They dyno in the 190-195rwhp range, add 15% for drivetrain loss, and you get 225 (roughly). I believe the numbers are just accessories and engine, no drivetrain.

The engines were carb engines then (peakier numbers), with no accessories or drivetrain attached.

The Boss 429 was trapping 104mph, but it was rated at 370-375hp right? The mph isn't conflicted about suspension. That means virtually nothing, but only shows the power to the wheels.

Put that 'standard' in a newer car, and you get 110-113mph...

I imagine there are many factors, mainly the actual HP output, drivetrain efficiency, cam design, overall tune, etc.

Weights were all very similar to today's cars as well.

Today, we use lighter parts, but we have more amenities which negate the lighter parts.

 

[LAZERREDGT]

Today a co-worker lent me her 2003 Nissan Altima v6, and it is pretty quick of the line and at a roll. Nice comfortable sporty daily driver with some balls.

 

[GTOreturns]

Yeah, I know about the L88, I got a video on the car actually...nice

The 87+ 5.0L's I know are correctly 'standardized' from what I have seen. They dyno in the 190-195rwhp range, add 15% for drivetrain loss, and you get 225 (roughly). I believe the numbers are just accessories and engine, no drivetrain.

The engines were carb engines then (peakier numbers), with no accessories or drivetrain attached.

The Boss 429 was trapping 104mph, but it was rated at 370-375hp right? The mph isn't conflicted about suspension. That means virtually nothing, but only shows the power to the wheels.

Put that 'standard' in a newer car, and you get 110-113mph...

I imagine there are many factors, mainly the actual HP output, drivetrain efficiency, cam design, overall tune, etc.

Weights were all very similar to today's cars as well.

Today, we use lighter parts, but we have more amenities which negate the lighter parts.

You cant do that,,suspension and tires make a huge difference! And theres cars today that have chit power to weight ratio's. The 400HP GTO is a mid 13 second car, WTF is that? Hell I beat a 350HP GTO at the track with my 5.0!!

An LT-1 in a 70 Nova was a low to mid 13 second car ALL day long!!! (LT-1 = 360FWHP)

 

[GTOreturns]

Today a co-worker lent me her 2003 Nissan Altima v6, and it is pretty quick of the line and at a roll. Nice comfortable sporty daily driver with some balls.

The Alima's have come a long way,, its a really sharp car these days!!

 

[Strippt88]

Today a co-worker lent me her 2003 Nissan Altima v6, and it is pretty quick of the line and at a roll. Nice comfortable sporty daily driver with some balls.

New Altima at 265 horses. Watched Nissans at Road America back in the late 80's/ early 90's chew up everything Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar and the allegedly vaunted Corvette threw at them. Wife and I goin to test drive next week!And why the hell would you want your 5.0 to act like a modern car, it ain't one. See guys with 66 GTO's revamping their whole platform cuz some new buzztoy goes faster, is more comfy, and gets better milage? Our old cars don't do those things, aren't going to, and don't have to.

 

[GTOreturns]

New Altima at 265 horses. Watched Nissans at Road America back in the late 80's/ early 90's chew up everything Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar and the allegedly vaunted Corvette threw at them. Wife and I goin to test drive next week!

My friend has a brand new silver one! Looks like a top of the line 4 door sedan!!

 

[Strippt88]

My friend has a brand new silver one! Looks like a top of the line 4 door sedan!!

Yeah, first time in a while the same car commercial got both our attention at the same time!

 

[5spd GT]

Today a co-worker lent me her 2003 Nissan Altima v6, and it is pretty quick of the line and at a roll. Nice comfortable sporty daily driver with some balls.

2.5L or 3.5L?

Those 260hp version 3.5Ls are nice...

I believe they have bumped up the power since the model I drove...

 

[5spd GT]

You cant do that,,suspension and tires make a huge difference! And theres cars today that have chit power to weight ratio's. The 400HP GTO is a mid 13 second car, WTF is that? Hell I beat a 350HP GTO at the track with my 5.0!!

An LT-1 in a 70 Nova was a low to mid 13 second car ALL day long!!! (LT-1 = 360FWHP)

Much of the older cars and those who grew up around them LOVE the elapsed time...

The tires/suspension you talk about definately helps the E.T. at the track. Unfortunately it doesn't hurt your mph if you know how to drive it and shift it. It doesn't work like that...

I base the potential off of the mph they trap, not E.T. They can hit decent E.T.'s, and yet handle and ride like a caddy Try that with a 'muscle car'

 

[GTOreturns]

Much of the older cars and those who grew up around them LOVE the elapsed time...

The tires/suspension you talk about definately helps the E.T. at the track. Unfortunately it doesn't hurt your mph if you know how to drive it and shift it. It doesn't work like that...

I base the potential off of the mph they trap, not E.T. They can hit decent E.T.'s, and yet handle and ride like a caddy Try that with a 'muscle car'

Ever ride in a 455-442 or a late model GTO? Talk about a good ride! Olds/Pontiacs and Buicks never had real big horsepower to push all that weight but they had stump pulling torque!!

 

[speedytang]

I had a '70 LT1 Corvette and they rated it at 370hp and magazines always said how under rated the power was. It was all bull to win car sales because the car would handle like a slot car and was fast but it would only turn 13.80's in the 1/4 with excellent 60's and my '89 Stang with 80k miles on it was turning [email protected] mph stock(Removed silencer box and set timing at 14 degrees) on crappy Pep Boys tires. Sold the Vette only because it was worth $60k and I only paid $12.5k for it 10 years ago. Nothing like a small block revving to 7500 rpm but it sounded and felt faster than it was. Today's cars don't feel as fast or have the sound but my wife tonight got the Subie running 13.60s at 103mph. Not the same rush but still smokes new Mustangs and GTOs.

 

[GTOreturns]

I had a '70 LT1 Corvette and they rated it at 370hp and magazines always said how under rated the power was. It was all bull to win car sales because the car would handle like a slot car and was fast but it would only turn 13.80's in the 1/4 with excellent 60's and my '89 Stang with 80k miles on it was turning [email protected] mph stock(Removed silencer box and set timing at 14 degrees) on crappy Pep Boys tires. Sold the Vette only because it was worth $60k and I only paid $12.5k for it 10 years ago. Nothing like a small block revving to 7500 rpm but it sounded and felt faster than it was. Today's cars don't feel as fast or have the sound but my wife tonight got the Subie running 13.60s at 103mph. Not the same rush but still smokes new Mustangs and GTOs.

Yeah they rated it at 370hp with the Vettes, I think it was in the exhaust that made the extra 10 ponies!

New ones ARE faster but lack the crazy power band the old ones have. New ones have a much broader power band, you get power all the way across the board instead of the 3-4000 burst of HP your use to in the old ones!

IMHO the only thing that "sounds" good from the factory these days is the stang!

 

[GTOreturns]

But if you really wanna get down and dirty an SS Nova with a 396 L-78 or L-89 will smoke just about any muscle car from the 60's/70's!!!
(In the 1/4)

 

[Sicarius428]

Mach 1 equiped cobra jet still ran it.
Kevin

 

[GTOreturns]

Mach 1 equiped cobra jet still ran it.
Kevin

No they didnt! Mustangs were chit back then in the 1/4. In fact the fastest recorded time for a stang in a magizine (In stock trim) was in 1971. A 351 running in the mid 13's.

 

[Rdrcr]

Today's cars don't feel as fast or have the sound but my wife tonight got the Subie running 13.60s at 103mph. Not the same rush but still smokes new Mustangs and GTOs.

Agreed. My old '05 STi turned [email protected] with only a CF driveshaft, custom decklid (had to get rid of the stupid wing), Brakeman lightweight brake kit, Bride Zetta III racing seats, and a lightweight crank pulley. Heck, my old '03 Miata LS did 13.56@102 with a BRP MP62 supercharger and Track Dog air to air intercooler. Not too bad for a $5K investment in a car that was running 15.9's stock.

Many years ago I had a opportunity to purchase a 90% restored 69 tri-power 427 Vette back in the mid 90's, but I did not pass my interview with the owner. Your old Vette sounds like it was a nice one, but with the temptation of that much profit, I would have sold it too.

Mike

 

[LAZERREDGT]

2.5L or 3.5L?

Those 260hp version 3.5Ls are nice...

I believe they have bumped up the power since the model I drove...

Eventhough it's a 2.5L it still moves, I can only imagine the 3.5 liters powa!! My wifes daily driver is a 99 GT that I drive it a couple times a week, but now after seeing the new Altima on commericals my wife is thinking of getting one.

 

[Sicarius428]

No they didnt! Mustangs were chit back then in the 1/4. In fact the fastest recorded time for a stang in a magizine (In stock trim) was in 1971. A 351 running in the mid 13's.

Both from what I have been looking up are in the mid to high 13s. Probably can go either way... Chances I'll ever come across one is slim nor is my car stock anyways. hehe.
Kevin

 

[bentley429]

No they didnt! Mustangs were chit back then in the 1/4. In fact the fastest recorded time for a stang in a magizine (In stock trim) was in 1971. A 351 running in the mid 13's.

Yep, even 429's were junk until they were tweeked alittle along with about every other ford engine. I believe yenko's were the fastest muscle cars of the time...