Thread: Muscle Car Comeback

Originally Posted by Bruno

There is really nothing for which you can use 450 hp if you are not towing a large trailer or a big u-haul.

Bruno, I have to disagree with your first statement here.

Some of us enjoy sanctioned motorsports where 450 hp is just a starting point.

Originally Posted by Bruno

So imo, muscle cars are as useless to the general public as hummers.

This I can completely agree with.

It is also important to consider that the "general public" doesn't drive muscle cars these days anyway.




I may come off as some sort of muscle car fanboy. I'm not.

However, I do enjoy seeing them on the road and appreciate the care that most of them receive as a part of motorsports history.

I also do appreciate the engineering that has gone into modern V8's, which has resulted in powerplants that are both powerful and remarkably efficient for their output and displacement.


The fact that they are so ubiquitous here in the states is a boon to those of us who enjoy stuffing them into smaller packages. As the gas crunch hits harder over the next decades, I'm sure there'll be plenty of V8's around to snap up.

Say what you will, a well-tuned modern turbo V8 in a lightweight chassis gives you reasonable gas mileage and disgusting power in the same package. Just make sure to stay out of boost.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

Part of the advantage that the aforementioned 4 cylinders have, however, is a turbo. If they didn't have that, they would be far more tame.

That's a complete non-argument though. I mean, if we were all still using push rods engines would be more tame - but we're not.

Muscle cars are cool and every one would have one in a dream garage, but I really fail to see the point of all that power hooked up to poor breaks and suspension - any idiot can floor it in a straight line.

I do love V8s though.

Originally Posted by slipangle

Bruno, I have to disagree with your first statement here. Some of us enjoy sanctioned motorsports where 450 hp is just a starting point.

Of course. But outside of sporting events, 450 hp is just wasted unless pulling big and heavy things. I drive a 4 cil 110 hp turbo diesel.
I can pull 1500 lbs in my uhaul and still have more than enough power to go along in traffic without a problem. Even packed for holiday and with 2 adults and 2 kids, it reaches 110 miles per hour on the German autobahn with moderate effort, and still has about 10 - 20 mph to spare.

So for all practical purposes it is safe to say that 110 hp is more than enough.

EDIT: to preempt people thinking it is insane to drive 110 mph in a loaded car: did you ever drive on the autobahn? It was deisgned for -safe- speeding, in excellent condition, and there are places without speed limit. At several places, 110 mph is the speed you need for just going along with the left lane traffic. Drive any slower on the left lane, and you get mercs, beamers and porsches flashing their lights to tell you to move and make way.

Originally Posted by slipangle

This I can completely agree with.
It is also important to consider that the "general public" doesn't drive muscle cars these days anyway.

exactly, so if ford and whoever wants to get back in black, they will needs something to sell that the general public will buy.

Originally Posted by slipangle

Say what you will, a well-tuned modern turbo V8 in a lightweight chassis gives you reasonable gas mileage and disgusting power in the same package. Just make sure to stay out of boost.

They are neat cars, but not for general use, which was my point.
Btw, 30 mpg is considered hugely wasteful in Europe. 45 mgp is on or slightly above average, and modern cars get over 50.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Btw, 30 mpg is considered hugely wasteful in Europe. 45 mgp is on or slightly above average, and modern cars get over 50.

Remember that's 30mpg with a dry gallon.

And weight has no effect on top speed, only acceleration and braking.

Fuel consumption should not be a problem with these cars, just shove it on L.P.G, with a 5.7 litre V8 you won,t even notice the 5% drop in power. L.P.G is also alot friendlier to the enviroment than petrol.
In OZ petrol $1.50 litre, L.P.G 35 cents litre, so they end up being cheaper to run than a 1.8 litre four cylinder. (the government here even gives you a $2000 rebate for fitting L.P.G )

I miss my dear top trimmed '87 Ford 4x4. That I had as a student on the West Coast.
Norwegian duties ans taxes makes a car like that just too expensive over here. not to even mention the price of gas...

on the usefulness of hotrods

one day we were waiting to make a right turn and a Ford Duece rode by

wife's head follows the car as it goes by "WTF kinda car is THAT?"

my wife is from a country where the average guy has no concept of disposable income, and I'm always trying to point out uniquely American things to her.

So I pull out, and follow the car.

24 inch wide polyglass tires
narrowed 9 inch

I'm telling her stuff about the cars, production numbers, flatheads, and the glorious hotrodding history of these cars

the guy finally stops at a local car show and we pull up to look
wife asks about the car and he tells her

Ford 400 M block with the 4v heads
weiand 8-71 blower
chrome everything
custom everything
interior was immaculate and done in ivory leather
gorgeous gorgeous car

and it went down like this

wife " So how much does this cost?"
guy " To buy or how much did I spend doin it myself?"
wife " You did it yourself? wow ! how much?"
guy " About 90."
wife " 90? dollars?"
guy " Thousand"
wife " dollars? 0_o on this?"
guy " yup about $90k"
wife (walks around the car again)
" SO what does it ............DO?"

he looks at it a second and thinks....

guy " Wheelies"

Originally Posted by slipangle

Really? Have you been any drag races lately? If not, head down then come back and tell me which cars are the ones to beat.

Depends on where the drag strip is. There are lots Japanese imports putting out some sick numbers. I wasn't actually talking about dragging on strips though.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Depends on where the drag strip is. There are lots Japanese imports putting out some sick numbers. I wasn't actually talking about dragging on strips though.

I would agree that there are a good number of fast imports. However, the preponderance of fast cars (9-10's) are domestic V8 powered. They are also usually "muscle cars".

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

EDIT: I left the Charger out because I honestly think it's a half-assed attempt that only gets good in the SRT range. My Caliber looks the same as a Charger on the inside and can almost keep up with one. Great for my Caliber, not so great for Charger.

I can give you the interior...
but the caliber is a POS and slow as hell...

A v8 charger will own any caliber you choose...
no questions asked...



as for me...i love muscle cars or anything with a v8 inside...

Loking fwd to buy a new camaro or new mustang or a used G8 GXP...