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what do you consider a "fast" street car?

9K views 38 replies 35 participants last post by  Xplantdad 
#1 ·
What 1/4 mile ET would impress you for a street car? Ok, before we begin, just because Shawn on Street Outlaws drove his son to school once in his Murder Nova that's not a street car. That's a race car driven on the street. I'm talking about something that any regular guy or gal could build in their garage on a decent budget and be able to drive it locally to cruise-ins, car shows, the burger joint ... We're not talking Hot Rod Power Tour 6-second $250K cars although those are impressive.

I'll get us started. If I see a car running mid to low 11s NA, especially with mufflers, DOT tires, full weight, inspection, plates, etc. that is impressive to me. With a power adder anything low 10s to high 9s would impress me as well.

Scott
 
#3 ·
If you take a look at a couple guys, for example there is a stock 2014 Mustang with just a supercharger that can run 9's (although he mainly runs 10s so he doesn't grenade his lower end). Of course that's just a bit much, so if you ask me I'd say low 11's high 10's for a car not specific to race.
 
#4 ·
I have a 600 hp 69 Chevelle, and that is plenty of hp for stock suspension. Upper 10's is realistic for a street car with stock/nearly stock suspension.
 
#5 ·
Mid-12'a is fast for a pure street car. I ran every Wednesday night and weekend in the street class from 2002-2012 and can tell you there are more than a few supposed 500-600 horsepower muscle cars that won't even run in the 13's. Very few cars will run close to what the owner expects the first time out, even less will ever return to dial in their car. There are too many variables to expect a home built car to perform to its potential without some tweaking. Even a trip to a dyno won't address anything beyond the engine, not the suspension, converter, tire pressure and driver ability, there is no substitute for track time.

Steve R
 
#28 ·
Mid-12'a is fast for a pure street car. I ran every Wednesday night and weekend in the street class from 2002-2012 and can tell you there are more than a few supposed 500-600 horsepower muscle cars that won't even run in the 13's. Very few cars will run close to what the owner expects the first time out, even less will ever return to dial in their car.
Steve R
Back in the mid 90's, there was a guy who had a really nice '68 Chevelle SS that was sporting a monster cam'd BBC in my town and it was a "nut and bolt" car with lots of customer touches. He ran it at the local 1/8th mile track during a test and tune and got his feelings hurt pretty bad. Some due to lack of driver experience but a lot due to his suspension setup. The car had 10" Cragers all around.

To answer the OP question, I think anything N/A running 12's is very impressive. With technology where it is and the availability of power adders, a 9 second car with boost is not that big of a deal anymore.........but I really like the "Honk if parts fall off" Chevelle. That is a fun car that I'd love to have!!

 
#6 ·
I realize I am living in the past, but I call anything in the 12s @ 105+ mph a "fast street car".

When I think "street car", my opinion of a TRUE street car is something that can be driven anywhere with good manners, reasonable mpg, no overheating, etc. Something you can drive daily and/or take on a 300 mile road trip without worry.
 
#15 ·
:thumbsup:

IMO (that's MY opinion), it really depends on the car... To me, "impressive" is going to be when compared to others in the same "segment." It can still be the quickest car out there, but its only impressive if its making due with the same equipment as "slower" cars...

A late model (HellCat, SRT, ZL1 or Mustang GT)) running fast off the showroom floor or maybe with a few bolt-ons or computer tuning may be fast and may spank most "musclecars" out there, but its not a big deal if everyone (with a checkbook) can do it...

An older muscle car, with a modern LS, or 540+++ engine, twin turbos or a supercharger running 10s or 9s also seems very fast, but not comparable to other car segments.

A basically "stock" looking musclecar running low 12's or high 11's, that's impressive for what it is...

A true "Pro Touring" car won't be as quick as many others due to suspension setup and tires, but still can be quick, and probably better all around "street" car...

I think those Drag Week cars are pretty quick, but not really that impressive (IMO) for the amount of time/money/engineering that goes into them (the top classes anyway)... Sure, they drive hundreds of miles and pull trailers, but its really only for that event, and many need to run specific race fuel, etc...

IMO, beyond the hood and maybe the bumpers, if the body has any composite replacement panels (where original panels were steel), altered profiles (beyond the stance) and some jungle-gym of roll cage/chassis bars, an engine that costs more than $6000-$7000 (complete), then it really should be running very quick...


I think it comes down more to being a street-car that is also raced compared to a race car that's also driven on the street...



Somewhat unrelated, but if I go to a car show, I am more impressed by a home/owner-built car with some flaws than I am by a near-perfect car built by a shop... Of course the pro-built is going to be better most of the time...
 
#10 · (Edited)
In the late 60's early 70's I would say anything in the 12's was fast . Now I would say anything in the 10's would be fast. One of my friends had a 68 Chevelle SS that ran consistant 12.8's with slicks back in the late 60's and another had a 57 Chevy with a small block and tunnel ram with slicks that ran in the lower 12's. Then there was me the slow poke in my 70 Nova SS with a 350 and street tires that ran consistant 14.4's. It may not have been fast but it was a hell of a lot of fun. :grin2:
 
#37 ·
My picture from 1979....1980....this Nova was quick! Fastest I saw it run was high 9.90's with no "juice" on street tires and through the exhaust. Was owned by Boyd Gaebel of the "Whittier Boys" and was featured in Hot Rod...the feature I believe was titled, Silent But Deadly"...Cool guy, too!




Boyd also had a mid engined Vega...here's a picture of mine from the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals in the early 80's...wild car for sure...




Finally a guy local to me (who worked at the JC Penney Auto Center in Orange, Ca in 1979) Chevette that was also in a bunch of magazines, too. I beat him a few times with my high 12 second Nova at OCIR as he could never get the car to hook up. He was building this car when I was building my Nova :thumbsup:




 
#13 ·
My 78 Nova would out run yamaha Vmax and many other crotch rockets in the 1990's.
My V65 went 11.51 and my Nova would spank it.
I could hit 176 MPH in 3/4 of a mile.
Naturally aspirated 350 with ported and angle milled double humps and 235-245@ .050 solid flat tappet cam.

8 MPG sucked but I could still pull my boat 160 miles to my fishing spot.

That was a quick and cheap street car. 100% legal.
Yes I made it lighter and more aerodynamic.

I will say today naturally aspirated in the 11's should be considered quick.
 
#16 ·
what do I consider a "fast" street car?

My 15 sec. 1/4 mile Dodge Ram. For a 5600lb truck it accelerates and handles corners better than most street cars I've owned. :surprise:
 
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#18 ·
A mid 11 second car.......if it has a cage or roll bar in it....I don't call that a street car any more. I would stop short of being called a race car. Cars that are in between street cars and race cars are what I call pro street or street/strip cars. These cars are 11.4 to low 10 second cars, maybe even faster.
 
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#26 ·
Well, when running in the 11's or faster, track officials will require you to have a roll bar or cage along with "sfi" rated safety harness (whether it's a street driven vehicle or not) or they won't let you run, simple as that. This being said, if I use your reasoning, having a roll bar (or cage) in any street driven car running in the 11's does not make it a street car anymore?? :wacko: :sad: C'mon…we're in 2017 now and 9 sec street cars are not that uncommon nowadays.:yes:

-->Anyways, as for myself when I bought my GN back in '87, it was running like all of them in the low 14's. Over the years, I've improved it to the point that I'm now running well into the 9's and it still remains a true street car with registrations and all, and I can drive it anywhere I want….and yes it has a roll cage.:yes:

Claude. :)
 
#21 ·
With technology these days and a little patience you can have a pretty fast street car. Mine is no where near the fastest. It has a lot of time and R&D into it. It pretty much runs in the 5's every pass now in the 8th. When I do run the quarter it dips into the 8.70's. I try to keep it as factory looking as possible with as much factory interior as possible. This is my daily driver not a weekend cruiser. In my town you will see me driving this car pretty much everyday, rain or shine. To run the 1/4 mile its a 5 hour round trip drive so I do not do it very often but when I do I do not trailer it there.







 
#22 ·
Damn impressive Sinister!!
I have my hands full with my skinny redlines, 4 gear running low 13's @ 106+.
Anyways, I think for a vintage" true street " muscle car hitting the 12's is definitly a fast car!
 
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#23 ·
I was ecstatic to get my streetable Pony into the 12.90s in 05 and 06. Then I lined up next to some new stock Cobras with 10.8 dial ins and was suitable impressed. In 08 my new stock Bullitt had 315 hp, now the new base GTs are in 400 plus, and the Shelbys are over 500 with the blower and still have a warranty. Camaros and Hellcats are similar.

Agree there is a lot to setting it up and knowing how to run it.

Seems like a fast street car is in the high tens these days.
 
#30 ·
Well guys I'm rethinking my times, if I get mine to 14-13's I think I'll be happy! but I guess a fast street car will be like someone already said, put you back in the seat and a smile on your face, even if your not first at the finish, I added the last part
 
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