hoo@teldata.UUCP (02/20/85)
A few months ago, I posted an article that listed the "50 FASTEST MUSCLECARS" based on road tests that were done by various hot rod magazines over the years. This article was published in CAR REVIEW magazine whose editorial interests are in reviving and renewing 60's and 70's Detroit iron. I thought that the following would be of interest to all of us old muscle car enthusiats out there... CAR REVIEW received many letters after they published that article and typically, one letter from a MOPAR owner stated emphatically "...that Buicks run like they're tied to at tree...and I've got a stock Hemi GTX that will prove it...". This comment was based on the article's table which listed the Buick GS as the 3rd fastest(13.38 sec), and the Hemi in 5th place (13.7 sec). Well, CAR REVIEW thought rather than continue with bench racing among its readership, instead to setup a real race between a couple of these old musclecars. The following information is taken from the text of that article. The cars: 1970 Buick GS Stage1 1970 Hemi GTX Engine Type 455 STAGE 1 426 Hemi Factory Horsepower Rating 360 @ 4600 rpm 425 @ 5000 Factory Torque Rating 510 lbs @ 2800rpm 490 lbs @ 4000rpm Bore & Stroke 4.3125x3.9000 in 4.25x3.75 in Compression Ratio 10.0:1 10.25:1 Carburetion 700 CFM Holley* Dual Carter AFBs Intake Manifold Edelbrock B4B aluminum* Stock Distributor Stock Stock Camshaft Stock Blueprint Stock Blueprint Exhaust Headers* Headers* Transmission Turbo Hydramatic 400 4 speed Final Drive Ratio 3.42 4.10 *NOT STOCK. THE DRAG RACE RESULTS.[Both cars ran on slicks and thru stock exhaust.] Quarter Mile Results. 1970 Buick GS Stage1 1970 GTX Hemi Run #1 12.59sec @108.56mph 13.34sec @106.63mph Run #2 12.30sec @110.97mph 13.03sec @107.14mph Note: A 30 minute cool-down period occured between runs #1 & #2. Final Comment...If you're goin to race a GS, make sure you tie it to a BIG TREE? Jim Hoo !uw-beaver!teltone!hoo Teltone Corporation Kirkland, Washington
shelby@rtech.ARPA (Shelby Thornton) (03/09/85)
> THE DRAG RACE RESULTS.[Both cars ran on slicks and thru stock exhaust.] > > Quarter Mile Results. 1970 Buick GS Stage1 1970 GTX Hemi > > Run #1 12.59sec @108.56mph 13.34sec @106.63mph > Run #2 12.30sec @110.97mph 13.03sec @107.14mph I find these results very interesting. Even though the quarter mile times differed by approx .70sec, the trap speeds differed only by about 2mph. This suggests that the hemi went up in smoke off the the line and was coming on hard (to say the least) top end. Pound for pound, the 455 can't compare to the 426. I suspect that if these cars had been a little more equal (suspension, weight, transmission, gear ratios), the hemi would have been about .40secs ahead of the 455, and would have been pulling away even harder top end. The 426 was one of the torquiest motors ever produced so 3.55 gear ratio would have been much more to it's advantage (either that or a much bigger slick). The 455 is a great street motor and can definitely hold it's own with the best, but the hemis were a breed apart ("the $400 option that voids the warranty"). Shelby Thornton Relational Technology