Thread: Muscle cars are back!!!

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Here's an interesting read from Hot Rod on their test of a Camaro, Mustang, and the Challenger.....

2014 Chevy Camaro ZL1 Vs. Challenger SRT8 Vs. Mustang Shelby GT500

I guess so, Dave, but personally, I'm just not too "whelmed". Since it has been a long time since this type of car really existed, the motor companies are selling them to a whole different generation of enthusiasts. Sure, there are similarities, but in my estimation, they are comparing apples to oranges, which also share a few similarities: they are the same basic shape, the same general size, and even share a lot of older styling cues. But beyond that, there is little that ties them together. The engineering has come so far from the sixties and early seventies that there is little to compare; they are getting more power out of similar sized engines, there are more slots in the transmission to stick the revs into and keep them in the right range, and the chassis design is a marvel. But, then they put them on the drag strip, and try to make it seem that these cars are miles and years advanced from their predecessors, and in a sense, they are; but again, in my opinion, it is only hype. Forty or fifty years ago, we ran on quarter mile strips, and a good runner in street garb could lay out fifteens all day, and many, like my '68 SS 396 - bigger car, but similar weight, were pretty consistent twelve/ thirteen second runners. Compare that to today's eighth mile times in these "HOT" machines: eight or nine second "eighths" is probably comparable to a fifteen or sixteen second quarter; not so much difference, if you ask me. I know I'm opening myself up to a good flame storm, but, I'm too busted up and tired to be impressed any more.

Compare the new cars with the old cars using the old pounds per cubic inch factoring! The new 'Maro's are 3800+ pounds! In the 70's for most, quarter mile time was all anyone looked at....the new one's handle light years ahead of the plowing front end big block cars, will out run them on top end, and double the fuel mileage while doing it!!!! If you want to see the good quarter mile times for today's cars then look at the Supercharged Mustang's, the Z-28's, and the Supercharged Challengers (brand new) that are starting to show up! You are right, not fair to compare one era to the other.

I love to see this trend of more power!

Unfortunatly I see the regulations once again doing away with them.....the price sticker has the 1000-1200 dollar gas guzzler price added in already....I look for this number to sky rocket soon.

While I would proudly drive one of the new ponies and they are a modern marvel of techology and reliability.

It is just not the same as a original one...the feel, the sounds etc and at a 61,000 dollar price tag you could do a nice clone version based off a base model original.

I like the new ones and would have one in the stable......it just does not scratch my itch for muscle.

Having said that, they are nice and I like them for what they are...they are reliable,comfortable,nice looking and full of power......But I do believe also it is a apples to oranges comparison of the old and new......the newer ones give a techology futuristic feel to them, which is great if you are into that, will set you back in the seat and with some exaust work even sound outstanding.

But definatly not a sustitue or replacement for that old iron.

Thanks for posting as I would have missed that article and I enjoyed it !

The Camaro and Challenger are both big cars in disguise. The Challenger uses the same platform as a big Chrysler 300. IIRC, the Camaro is built on the same platform as a GTO, considered to be a "big" car. My local Ford dealer had a Shelby and they were asking $80K for it - $13K over sticker price.

Most new muscle cars will run the quarter mile 1-2 seconds faster than similar cars of years ago and get almost twice the gas mileage, with much better exhaust emissions. Adding some headers and a performance tune, will improve the quarter mile times even more. The cars aren't much lighter, but the hp ratings are net, not the inflated gross hp ratings.

My 2014 Corvette gets 20 mpg in town and is supposed to be capable of low 12's. The 455 net hp rating from 376ci is a lot more than a 1970 454ci, 450 gross hp Chevy engine. If I wanted a lot more horsepower, I could install a $5K Procharger supercharger kit, bump the power to 635 and drop the quarter mile time to the low 11's. The Corvette is significantly lighter these days, with the aluminum frame, carbon fiber hood and top. Total cost would be about $68K.

I had a '74 Z28 that only had 240 net hp. It never got better than 12 mpg on the highway and even worse in city driving. I'm sure that it would have been lucky to turn a high 15 quarter mile. The new crop of cars is a huge improvement over that.

As we got older, those old muscle cars sure do get faster!!! In 1967 I was the 17 year old "hired gun" for Schoon Motors, A B-Stock Firebird with 400 and a 4 speed, 3.90 gears....I could run right on the National index for the class, 14.01..... Arnie ran the B Super Stock Version of my car, again it would go right on index, 12.20's----in a very well built and prepped Super Stock car!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Compare the new cars with the old cars using the old pounds per cubic inch factoring! The new 'Maro's are 3800+ pounds! In the 70's for most, quarter mile time was all anyone looked at....the new one's handle light years ahead of the plowing front end big block cars, will out run them on top end, and double the fuel mileage while doing it!!!! If you want to see the good quarter mile times for today's cars then look at the Supercharged Mustang's, the Z-28's, and the Supercharged Challengers (brand new) that are starting to show up! You are right, not fair to compare one era to the other.

Exactly my thoughts......24 mpg from 600 hp plus ride and you can pull around a g in the corners, not to mention the stop distances from 65 mph.

In my old 66 truck with drum brakes I believe the stop distance is over 250, closer to 300 feet I think ........run of the mill cars now stop in the mid 100`s....that means any closer than a 150 foot behind any car on the highway and it does not matter how much attention I am paying, just can`t wheel here down to zero in that distance and surely not in a straight line....

Car and Driver, May 2014 tested the new Z-28, $75,000.00 (What's that in 1970 Dollars?)

Quarter Mile 12.7@116 mph
Top Speed 172 mph
Lateral Acceleration 1.06 G's
Est MPG 19
Curb Weight 3,862 lbs
Braking from 70 mph 155 ft.

IMO, that's a muscle car!!!!!