Mopars can be cool!

[Salvatore]

YES, both race cars from the factory. BUT if you saw a SS/AH cuda or dart or Kenny Montgomery's car you would not recognize them as you have 40 years ago. Yes, factory race cars like the Zl-1 camaro but nothing like the day you brought it home. Go to Cecil Couny this weekend to the NHRA DIV-1 race and give us a report on Monday what the Hemi cars or any other "factory" racecars look today compared to new. Check out the SS/C, 4 speed AMX with the dual quads that runs in the 9 teens. Aris Asdorian from Bethlehem, pa. Not like the showroom in these days.

[olredalert]

----If I can throw a bit of fuel on the fire, a "street stock" Hemi wasnt generally that fast a ride. I whipped more than a few of them, and have owned more than a few of them. That part was relatively easy as weight was the difference. The guys that dug into them a bit (not just posers with an idle and an emblem) found that they needed about two more points of compression and a bit wilder cam. Any sort of good internals didnt hurt either. That plus good exhaust and a gear and any hemi around Akron Ohio would spank just about anybody who was willing to come out to play. Just the same as many here, I know as I was there!!! I used to get drilled on a regular basis when the serious Hemi guys came out as my 66 427/425 Vette only had a 3:70. No matter how much tuning we did we would not get the job done when they showed up unless they broke. I couldnt afford much more. All I had was welded on, spin off plumbing pipe dumps like most every one else. It was all still more fun than I can even explain weather I won or lost. Where I was it wasnt all about the benjamins (although that helped) but the bragging rights.......Bill S

[Ziggysdad]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: olredalert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">----If I can throw a bit of fuel on the fire, a &quot;street stock&quot; Hemi wasnt generally that fast a ride. I whipped more than a few of them, and have owned more than a few of them. That part was relatively easy as weight was the difference. The guys that dug into them a bit (not just posers with an idle and an emblem) found that they needed about two more points of compression and a bit wilder cam. Any sort of good internals didnt hurt either. That plus good exhaust and a gear and any hemi around Akron Ohio would spank just about anybody who was willing to come out to play. Just the same as many here, I know as I was there!!! I used to get drilled on a regular basis when the serious Hemi guys came out as my 66 427/425 Vette only had a 3:70. No matter how much tuning we did we would not get the job done when they showed up unless they broke. I couldnt afford much more. All I had was welded on, spin off plumbing pipe dumps like most every one else. It was all still more fun than I can even explain weather I won or lost. Where I was it wasnt all about the benjamins (although that helped) but the bragging rights.......Bill S </div></div>

Exactly Bill. That is what I meant if I did not state it correctly. A stock street hemi needed help to match it's image. The two cars I referred to in the day were bone stock and they just did not run. They were 13.4 times at best. I still stand by my assertion that Mopar was the only brand that offered a real race motor ordered from the dealer whether it was a hemi or a max wedge. I will admit I never saw one on the street in the day. They really were not for daily driving and Mopar made that very clear. A modified street hemi with cam, headers and headwork would beat me more often then not, but my L78 motor was bone stock with the addition of tires and headers, and neither car touched me. Remember, the L78 in the Chevelle was the exact same motor that was in the 1965 396 Corvette. Chevy did not want to show up the Corvette so they &quot;downrated&quot; the same motor in the Chevelle. It wwas really 425hp or better not 375. You are also completely spot on, it was all bragging rights, money never entered into it in my circles. In 1966 it was all I could do to pay my car payment and insurance.

[Ziggysdad]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: [email protected]</div><div class="ubbcode-body">YES, both race cars from the factory. BUT if you saw a SS/AH cuda or dart or Kenny Montgomery's car you would not recognize them as you have 40 years ago. Yes, factory race cars like the Zl-1 camaro but nothing like the day you brought it home. Go to Cecil Couny this weekend to the NHRA DIV-1 race and give us a report on Monday what the Hemi cars or any other &quot;factory&quot; racecars look today compared to new. Check out the SS/C, 4 speed AMX with the dual quads that runs in the 9 teens. Aris Asdorian from Bethlehem, pa. Not like the showroom in these days. </div></div>

Sam
I did not throw in the ZL1 because that is comparing apples and oranges. Only 69 ZL1 cars were built, Stock out of the box they were a low 13's car. With tuning,tires and headers they turned mid 11's. At $7200.00 they were out of reach for just about anyone but the rich or sponsored teams, which in fact bought 20 of them. As a matter of fact 12 of the 69 cars actually had the motors removed and the motors were sold. As far as I remember, Mopar was the only car capapble of 12's off the showroom floor with no modifications. Everything that ran against them were built just for that reason. The Ford thunderbolt was not street legal and was not even built by Ford, the Pontiac SD's were not street legal and not available to the genral public. Chevy did not have a competitive platform in the day.(62,63,64,65)All these cars are great stuff and make the 60's a very special time. Enjoy.