streetable or not streetable?

[rumblefish360]

What he said. And yeah, it's not all about the horsepower either. Many can't tolerate 3.91 gears for a long time. I can, my husband can't.

Girl after my own heart! :love8:

If my wife can drive the car without complaining, it's streetable!

LOL, here here as well!

Does it overheat?

can it hold an idle?

Does it have exhaust?

Does it start and run every time you turn the key?

Is the engine holding up?

Does all the safety equipment work?


If this all looks good, then it's streetable.

Does it use gasoline available at the pumps in your state?
Is it DOT compliant for your state?
If so, and its something you want to drive on the street, then its streetable
my .02
Andrew

Theres 2 excellent lists.

Also, how much are you driving it?

Is it a daily driver?

Use it for work?

My Ol' '73 Cuda 4spd (380hp) was used as a daily driver for about 2 years. I drove 40+ min.'s to work during NYC rush. The 4.10's out back were tiresome. So I did swap them and the can & intake out for a dual plane, smallish cam and 3.23's. It added 4 mpg's and a quiter cabin.

Todays muscle cars are a bit different in there ways and offer the nicer things in life that were not available 20 years ago when I ran that Cuda to work daily. Take note of them and use/copy what ya can, if ya can.

Owning and driving a rip snortin gut buster big block destoying small block is absoultely great fun. I love crushing the comp and chevy/Mustand guys. But for driving the kids to school, shopping, work, Sunday church and then Mom's....naaaaa.

 

[toolmanmike]

Lot's of good points guys. Will it live on the street? Can it be driven in trafic or is it more of a drag car? (had a friend years ago that had a 69 Camaro with radical 427 4 speed and it was barely streetable. Another friend had a 68 Roadrunner with a dual quad hemi.4 speed which was barely streetable. Both cars were a chore to drive on the street. Both were a blast to drive though.
Camshaft duration, torque convertor, and rear gears play a big part in a streetable combination. Too much cam, not enough convertor, and the wrong gears for the combo can be a un-streetable pain in the azz to drive. Combine that with manual steering and 4 wheel manual drum brakes and you've got your hands full. Mike

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I always kind of looked at it this way. If you don't have to run race gas and you enjoy the ride, "It's Streetable".
Case in point, my 360. 425hp, 412tq, 3500 stall, manual reverse 727, 4:10's out back. It runs on 89 or 91 octane and is a blast to drive. Next year it will have a 340 with a blower sticking out of the hood and will still be streetable.

Jack

Nothing like a roots stickin' out the big hole:tongue10:

Does it overheat?

can it hold an idle? Answer>>>>>YES

Does it have exhaust? Answer>>>YES,with tailpipes

Does it start and run every time you turn the key?> Answer>>YES,except when I blow it up:evil4:

Is the engine holding up? Answer>>YES,for a whole 3 years

Does all the safety equipment work?>>>YES,NHRA certified to 8.50 1/4 mile ET


If this all looks good, then it's streetable.

>>>>AGREEEEED:roll:

 

[DRENO]

Well,there are a lot of good replies,some do contradict others. I guess i will feel my way along and just get out there and enjoy my car the way it's supposed to be enjoyed.HEMI-ITIS,do you drive that beast on the street? Much? That's the kind of car I would like to be seen in.:burnout:

 

[Rob R]

It's all in the getting the right parts and the set up...
There is a bit of maintenance that you have to stay on top of.You will not be able to go 4 years on a set of spark plugs like you do now.
425 hp from a 346 ci in engine can run better than your car does now...you will be able to just reach in the window and turn the key and it will start and run...
You really should talk to Vic...because he's been there and done that...He drove is 500 plus hp Dart every day and every where. All it takes is some spark plugs when it gets lazy..carb cleaner for the air bleeds..and keep the oil clean and you'll be able to beat the lips off of it and drive it anywhere you do now...:thumleft:

 

[DRENO]

We need to talk Rob.I talked to Bill and I would like to discuss things with you.

 

[fourspeed]

Streetable?

A car that doesn't overheat - I hate dealing with overheaters
Pump gas. If it's a real street car, you need to be able to fill up somewhere.

Beyond that... it's all about what you're willing to live with. I run DOT slicks, no heater, no windshield wipers, and currently 4.30 gears. I love it, but it ain't for everyone.

 

[moper]

Like Joe said "so really its all about what you want from the car and what does and does not annoy you."

Streetable for me when I was 18 was a license plate. I used to street race with open cutouts, race fuel, 10.5x29.5 slicks, 4:30s, glass nose, one seat, no sound deadener, stock manual 10" drum brakes... It was hot, noisey, lumpy to ride in, hard to stop, and generally illegal as hell.
I'm 40 now. Now streetable for me is high test pump gas, the ability to carry people/person, able to have a conversation when cruising, and some sort of mileage. I never minded driving with slicks and no heater...lol. But passengers will. I still rarely use a radio either. I like the sounds the cars make. Plus, if I have a problem that causes other's harm or damage, I have a lot more to lose.

 

[Rob R]

Streetable for me when I was 18 was a license plate. I used to street race with open cutouts, race fuel, 10.5x29.5 slicks, 4:30s, glass nose, one seat, no sound deadener, stock manual 10" drum brakes... It was hot, noisey, lumpy to ride in, hard to stop, and generally illegal as hell.

Ah....the good old days :iconbigg:

But it did get old in a hurry..
For me by 1980 all my cars were pretty refined...I liked the stock sleeper look...car all orignal with a 515 hp small block and a 250 shot.
1978 Dart drive it anywhere but it was like driving around in an empty 45 gal drum.

1980 Dart with working heater and lots of sound dedener drive it anywhere.

 

[67DartGT340]

Oh that was a sweet car Rob!!!

 

[/6 Matt]

What he said. And yeah, it's not all about the horsepower either. Many can't tolerate 3.91 gears for a long time. I can, my husband can't.

I can't tolerate my 2.76 gears for than an hour at 70-75mph (2500-2700rpm) hahaha...

 

[moper]

Your's is way too shiney Rob...lol. I really never cared much about a body. Primer red, primer grey, red laquer... They were all on it..lol.

 

[bad440]

more power=more fun on the street streetable is what you can handle,or you better learn to drive it!

 

[bad440]

Like Joe said "so really its all about what you want from the car and what does and does not annoy you."

Streetable for me when I was 18 was a license plate. I used to street race with open cutouts, race fuel, 10.5x29.5 slicks, 4:30s, glass nose, one seat, no sound deadener, stock manual 10" drum brakes... It was hot, noisey, lumpy to ride in, hard to stop, and generally illegal as hell.
I'm 40 now. Now streetable for me is high test pump gas, the ability to carry people/person, able to have a conversation when cruising, and some sort of mileage. I never minded driving with slicks and no heater...lol. But passengers will. I still rarely use a radio either. I like the sounds the cars make. Plus, if I have a problem that causes other's harm or damage, I have a lot more to lose.

x2 no radio,too busy listening to that radical mechanical cam!

 

[67autocross]

If you want to check out a local car a friend here has a 70 Duster with a iron head 360 that make 400hp on the dyno. We drove it to Gimli last fall with 3:55 gears and it ran low 13's, it runs just like a stock engine but sounds a bit meaner.

 

[Rob R]

Your's is way too shiney Rob...lol. I really never cared much about a body. Primer red, primer grey, red laquer... They were all on it..lol.

moper...
Something more like this Charger in 78...I wish I had a picture of the other side it was red primer..red lacquer and bird ****...WE had SOOOOO much fun in that car..!! it ran 13.00@117 just like that.

 

[67DartGT340]

Hey Rob that 69 Dart in the picture, is it an earlier pic of your car in your avatar picture?

 

[Rob R]

Mark...yep..that's the Hemi Dart before it got a Hemi..

 

[67DartGT340]

Mark...yep..that's the Hemi Dart before it got a Hemi..

Judging from the hood was it a 340 Dart before the Hemi? I love the old pics you have of these cars.

 

[Rob R]

I bought that car in 76...69 Swinger..340/4speed and a 4.11...that car had over 25 different small block camshafts in it...no BS

 

[67DARTGTCONV]

Rob,

Can you remember which cam you felt was best for power but also was streetable. In other words it would not shake your teeth out while idling in gear at a stop lite

 

[Rob R]

They all were very driveable...it's mostly in the set up...but you do need to have some of the correct hardware to start with. A 250@50 cam is not going to be any fun to drive in a car with a stock converter and stock ign with stock manifolds.
For the most part it's in the tune and set up...IMO

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Well,there are a lot of good replies,some do contradict others. I guess i will feel my way along and just get out there and enjoy my car the way it's supposed to be enjoyed.HEMI-ITIS,do you drive that beast on the street? Much? That's the kind of car I would like to be seen in.:burnout:

Sure do DRENO,put about 2500 miles a year and maybe 40/50 1/4 mile passes.It's not a huge cam,mid 600 lift and we can actually carry on a conversation while driving down the hi-way at 60 MPH.The tailpipes & "X" pipe make a BIG difference8)

 

[DRENO]

^^^ Well,I think that gives new meaning to the word streetable.Glad to see you are getting the most out of it HEMI-ITIS.

 

[Revhendo]

It's kinda funny what our definition of streetable is. When I was 18, it was all motor suspension and brakes. As I got older, items got added to the list and some things got adjusted. Heater delete is now heater repleat. I like the defroster function, and my knuckles don't hurt as much when it's cold out. The 40 inch Mitchell glasspacks gave way to a full three inch exhaust and sound deadener. (Apparently the ringing in my ears is a result of my misspent youth and IS permanent). I still like my cars with a healthy motor and a lot of pull. They just don't have to idle like a box of rocks and need a tune up every other week. Face it, compression motors sound better than angels singing, but you can't get gas for them at just any corner station. I still like to row my own gears, but the O/D options out there got me thinking about adding range to my entertainment. I've also come to realize that my driver with the auto allows me the extra range on my morning coffee. Oh crap, am I adding cupholders to my list?