"Muscle Car Confidential: Confessions of a Muscle Car Test Driver" + other road tests

[RetiredFirefighter]

and the comparison test you've been waiting for ...

1975 Monza 2+2 265 V8 vs. 1975 Mustang II Mach 1 302 V8

1975 Mustang II Mach 1


1975 Monza 2+2

 

[1971demon]

Wait, there's more!

1965 427 Cobra
(note: $7k in 1965 = $71k in 2024)
View attachment 154117

That was a TON of money back then...and now..you cant buy a new replica for 71k

 

[1971demon]

and the comparison test you've been waiting for ...

1975 Monza 2+2 265 V8 vs. 1975 Mustang II Mach 1 302 V8

1975 Mustang II Mach 1
View attachment 154123

1975 Monza 2+2
View attachment 154121

All..nothin but junk

 

[BADKAT]

LESSON #1: If you don't want a Firefighter to do something ... then don't tell him not to do it.

1976 Dodge Colt GT
View attachment 154067

I had a 1976 4 dr colt and gold in color. White interior.

 

[2ndAmend]

The fact of the matter is, those were the good old days of performance cars before they were eliminated by the gvt. Most of the best were available used for $1500-$2000 back in the day, when I had no real job and no money. I absolutely thought I had missed the muscle car era, it was just a memory of an old guy that no one listens to.

Then came the HC. Suddenly and unexpectedly everything changed. Nothing is what it was. And most average people to this day have no idea what we have.

I cannot express my thrill to have the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy and experience this last resurgence! I am at 10.0’s and hoping for 9’s in a factory config car, and so far hit 195 with 2 malfunctioning injectors. I hope to see 200 in July!

I truly believe we have the best of the best that ICE will ever be!!! F’k EV’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are VERY lucky people!!!

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

I had a 1976 4 dr colt and gold in color. White interior.

Pics?

...We are VERY lucky people!!!

I'm not busting on the old metal. For the safety and performance they provided, high 13's/mid 14's is as fast you'd probably want to go.

Yet, to think I have an SUV that beats the best of them is astonishing.

I also understand that 50 years from now, my DSRT will never be worth the outrageous money that 426 hemi cars are getting today.

 

[SilverBillet]

1970 Boss 302 - Duster 340 - AC Cobra 289 - Chevelle SS 454 View attachment 154080

View attachment 154078

Thanks for posting! The ET’s are interesting but dependent on the driver and traction. However, the mph’s in the 1/4 are a good indication of the HP difference.

 

[Prange]

You could really wake up the Boss 302 and the Z28 302 with the right tuning. And those motors had a great scream to them.

 

[Prange]

Thanks for posting all of these. It brings back great memories.

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

Thanks for posting! The ET’s are interesting but dependent on the driver and traction. However, the mph’s in the 1/4 are a good indication of the HP difference.

No problem!

I've always been a numbers guy, 0-60, quarter mile results, lateral G's, etc.

When I raced Fox body 5.0 Stangs, I always compared my stock times to the auto mags. Over and over again, C&D was on the money. MT, R&T and MW were always slower (they got better over the years and now report accurate times). Hot Rod, Car Craft and the other "speed" rags were consistently faster because they did things the others did not (lightening, adjust tire pressures, power shifted manual trans cars, etc.).

C&D still remains my go-to journal for accurate/consistent car test results.

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

Thanks for posting all of these. It brings back great memories.

Ahh, the memories!

I was mostly into 80's/90's performance, but I had some of the older stuff when they were used ('69 Nova SS 350 4 speed, '69 Mach 1 390 C6 auto, '71 240-Z).

 

[Prange]

No problem!

I've always been a numbers guy, 0-60, quarter mile results, lateral G's, etc.

When I raced Fox body 5.0 Stangs, I always compared my stock times to the auto mags. Over and over again, C&D was on the money. MT, R&T and MW were always slower (they got better over the years and now report accurate times). Hot Rod, Car Craft and the other "speed" rags were consistently faster because they did things the others did not (lightening, adjust tire pressures, power shifted manual trans cars, etc.).

C&D still remains my go-to journal for accurate/consistent car test results.

Speaking of C&D:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15141790/gto-vs-gto-road-test/

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143169/1964-pontiac-tempest-gto-road-test-review/

Where is that GTO now:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/magaz...ine/jim-wanger-1964-gto-car-and-driver-cover/

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

Speaking of C&D:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15141790/gto-vs-gto-road-test/

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143169/1964-pontiac-tempest-gto-road-test-review/

Where is that GTO now:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/magaz...ine/jim-wanger-1964-gto-car-and-driver-cover/

Nice find.✔️

A few observations ...

• GTO was $3.5k, Ferrari $23k in 1964 ($35.7k and 234.8k today)
• GTO weighed 3,660 lbs, Ferrari a super svelte 2,474 lbs
• The GTO tested in 1984 was way slower than the apparent GTO "ringer" tested in 1964
• Both cars are great looking in their own right

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

Great times for an LS6 on stock tires!

1970 Chevelle SS LS6

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

I always liked the Boss 351 ...

1971 Mustang Boss 351

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

10-13 mpg "on regular" ...

1973 TransAm SD-455

 

[SilverBillet]

Great times for an LS6 on stock tires!

1970 Chevelle SS LS6
View attachment 154232 View attachment 154233 View attachment 154234

A lot better 1/4 time and mph than the other road test you posted! 108 mph in the 1/4 is 5 mph faster than what I think was a C&D test on the 454/450 and a couple mph faster than the 426 Hemi tests I remember. The previous Hemi test was with a 3.23 rear and the ET would have been a lot better with the super track pack option and a good driver. The 454/450 was a beast and magazine road tests did not do it any justice.

 

[DavidKFla]

Please don't print the Dodge Colt

how about the Pro Stock version?

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

A lot better 1/4 time and mph than the other road test you posted! 108 mph in the 1/4 is 5 mph faster than what I think was a C&D test on the 454/450 and a couple mph faster than the 426 Hemi tests I remember. The previous Hemi test was with a 3.23 rear and the ET would have been a lot better with the super track pack option and a good driver. The 454/450 was a beast and magazine road tests did not do it any justice.

That test being from Hot Rod mag, I'm sure they power shifted the M22 Muncie.

C&D always stated they never permitted that in any of their road tests.