Fastest 70 model car?

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Small Block

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In the 1/4 mile, what was the American car with the fastest 1/4 mile time straight from the factory with no mods. Give us some facts. Not your opinion. Some dealers advertised of theirs being the fastest, but lets get real with facts. We know there were the 426 hemis along with the 440 six packs and there were the 454 chevys and the 396's along with the 455 olds and the pontiacs. Whats the real deal? We have a discussion going on and we're trusting you guys to be fair and unbiased. Let's hear what ya got to say....FACTS.
Small Block
 
heres the top 10 fastest muscle ever made

] 1966 427 cobra 12.21 ET / 118mph 427 8v 4spd 3.54 gears 2529lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

2] 1966 427 corvette 12.80 ET /112mph 427 4v 4spd 3.36 gears 3160lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

3] 1970 buick GS stage 113.38 ET /105.5mph 455 4v auto 3.64 gears 3810lbs motor trend magazine jan 1970

4] 1968 427 corvette 13.41 ET / 109.5mph 427 6v * 4spd 3.55 gears 3285lbs car life magazine june 1966

5] 1968 hemi charger 13.50 ET / 105mph 426 8v auto 3.23 gears 4035lbs
car & driver magazine nov 1967

6] 1969 hemi road runner 13.54 ET / 105.1mph 426 8v auto 3.55 gears 3938lbs car& driver magazine january 1969

7] 1969 hemi charger 500 13.68 ET / 104.8mph 426 8v 4spd 3.55 gears 4025lbs car life magazine april 1969

8] 1971 hemi super bee 13.73 ET / 104mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears 4083lbs motor trend magazine december 1970

9] 1970 hemi cuda 13.70 ET / 101.2mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears weight n/a motor trend magazine september 1969

10] 1965 catalina 2+2 13.80 ET / 106mph 421 6v 4spd 3.42 gears 4155lbs car & driver magazine march 1965
 
and heres the top 50 overall fastest

1] 1966 427 cobra 12.21 ET / 118mph 427 8v 4spd 3.54 gears 2529lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

2] 1966 427 corvette 12.80 ET /112mph 427 4v 4spd 3.36 gears 3160lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

3] 1970 buick GS stage 113.38 ET /105.5mph 455 4v auto 3.64 gears 3810lbs motor trend magazine jan 1970

4] 1968 427 corvette 13.41 ET / 109.5mph 427 6v * 4spd 3.55 gears 3285lbs car life magazine june 1966

5] 1968 hemi charger 13.50 ET / 105mph 426 8v auto 3.23 gears 4035lbs
car & driver magazine nov 1967

6] 1969 hemi road runner 13.54 ET / 105.1mph 426 8v auto 3.55 gears 3938lbs car& driver magazine january 1969

7] 1969 hemi charger 500 13.68 ET / 104.8mph 426 8v 4spd 3.55 gears 4025lbs car life magazine april 1969

8] 1971 hemi super bee 13.73 ET / 104mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears 4083lbs motor trend magazine december 1970

9] 1970 hemi cuda 13.70 ET / 101.2mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears weight n/a motor trend magazine september 1969

10] 1965 catalina 2+2 13.80 ET / 106mph 421 6v 4spd 3.42 gears 4155lbs car & driver magazine march 1965

11] 1969 super bee six pack 13.80 ET / 104.2mph 440 6v auto 4.10 gears 3845lbs car life magazine july 1969

12] 1971 boss 351 mustang 13.80 ET / 104mph 351 4v 4spd 3.91 gears 3452lbs motor trend magazine january 1971

13] 1968 royal bobcat GTO 13.80 ET / 104mph 428 4v auto 3.55 gears 3784lbs car & driver magazine febuary 1968

14] 1966 hemi satellite 13.80 ET / 104mph 426 8v 4spd 3.55 gears 3954lbs car & driver magazine april 1966

15] 1970 chevelle 454 ss 13.81 ET/103.8mph 454 4v auto 3.70 gears 3885lbs car & driver magazine febuary 1970

16] 1969 cyclone CJ 13.86 / 101.7mph 428 4v auto 4.11 gears 3880lbs motor trend magazine january 1969

17] 1962 catalina 13.90 ET / 107mph 421 4v 4spd 4.30gears 4070lbs motor trend magazinemay 1962

18] 1969 mach 1 cobrajet mustang 13.90 ET / 103.3mph 428 4v auto 3.50 gears 3420lbs car life magazine march 1969

19] 1970 torino cobra 13.99 ET / 101mph 429 4v 4spd 3.91 gears 3586lbs motor trend magazine febuary 1970

20] 1970 hemi challenger 14.00 ET / 104mph 426 8v auto 3.23 gears 3880lbs road & track magazine june 1970

21] 1969 shelby GT-350S 14.00 ET/ 102mph 289 4v ** auto 3.89 gears 2950lbs motor trend magazine august 1966

22] 1962 corvette 14.00 ET / 100mph 327 4v 4spd 4.11 gears 3080lbs car life magazine may 1962

23] 1964 289 cobra 14.00 ET / 98mph 289 4v 4spd 3.77 gears 2206lbs car life magazine august 1964

24] 1968 hemi GTX 14.00 ET / 96.5mph 426 8v auto 3.23 gears 3950lbs car life magazine febuary 1968

25] 1968 plymouth cuda 440 14.01ET / 103.8 440 4v auto 3.55 gears 3405lbs car life magazine june 1969

26] 1961 impala ss 14.02 ET / 98.1mph 409 4v 4spd 4.56 gears 3736lbs motor trend magazine

27] 1969 torino cobra 14.04 ET / 100.6mph 428 4v auto 3.50 gears 3890lbs car & driver magazine january 1969

28] 1969 super bee 14.04 ET / 99.5mph 383 4v auto 3.55 gears 3765lbs car & driver magazine january 1969

29]1966 GTO 14.05 ET / 105.1mph 389 6v 4spd 3.55 gears 3620lbs car & driver magazine march 1966

30] 1969 boss 429 mustang 14.09 ET / 102.9mph 429 4v 4spd 3.91 gears 3560lbs car life magazine june 1969

31]1967 GTO 14.09 ET / 101mph 400 4v 4spd 3.90 gears 3445lbs motor trend magazine january 1967

32] 1965 corvette 14.10 ET / 104mph 396 4v 4spd 3.70 gears 3260lbs car life magazine august 1965

33] 1969 grand prix SJ 14.10 ET/ 95.3mph 428 4v auto 3.55 gears 4180lbs car life magazine febuary 1969

34] 1972 454 corvette 14.10 ET / 93mph 454 4v auto 3.08 gears 3725lbs motor trend magazine january 1972

35] 1969 SC/rambler 14.14 ET / 100.9mph 390 4v 4spd 3.54 gears 3160lbs road & track magazine 1969

36] 1970 LT-1 corvette 14.17 ET / 102.2mph 350 4v 4spd 4.11 gears 3710lbs car life magazine august 1970

37] 1970 4-4-2 14.20 ET/ 102.1mph 455 4v 4spd 3.91 gears 3887lbs road & track magazine march 1970

38] 1967 dana camaro 14.20 ET / 102mph 427 4v 4spd 3.55 gears 3368lbs car life magazine april 1967

39] 1970 Z/28 camaro 14.20 ET 100.3mph 3504v auto 4.10 gears 3640lbs car & driver magazine may 1970

40] 1968 firebird 400 HO 14.20 ET / 100.3 400 4v auto 3.55 gears 3550lbs car & driver magazine march 1968

41] 1964 corvette 14.20 ET / 100mph 327FI *** 4spd 4.11 gears 3180lbs motor trend september 1964

42] 1962 corvette 14.20 ET / 99mph 283 4v 4spd 4.11 gears 3040lbs car life magazine september 1961

43] 1970 superbird 14.26 ET / 103.7mph 440 4v N/A N/A 3841lbs road & track magazine april 1970

44] 1967 fairlane GTA 14.26 ET / 99mph 390 4v auto 3.89 gears 3640lbs car & driver magazine march 1966

45] 1969 road runner 14.35 ET / 101.6mph 383 4v 4 spd 4.10 gears 3630lbs motor trend magazine febuary 1969

46] 1970 duster 340 14.39 ET / 97.2mph 340 4v 4spd 3.91 gears 3368lbs car & driver magazine febuary 1970

47] 1962 dodge ramcharger 14.40 ET / 101mph 413 8v auto 3.91 gears 3368lbs car & driver magazine august 1962

48] 1970 cuda 6-pack 14.40 ET / 100mph 440 6v 4spd 3.55 gears 3720lbs motor trend magazine may 1970

49] 1967 firebird 400 14.40 ET / 100mph 400 4v 4spd 3.90 gears 3598lbs car & driver magazine march 1967

50] 1971 GTX 14.40 ET / 98.7mph 440 4v auto 3.23 gears 3852lbs road & track magazine december 1970
 
right here :p
3] 1970 buick GS stage 13.38 ET /105.5mph 455 4v auto 3.64 gears 3810lbs motor trend magazine jan 1970
 
Feb 1970 Car and Driver in my hand right now......2 years before I was born...thanks Uncle! A couple of the best of the day vs. 1965 289 Cobra

289 Cobra 3.77:1 gear 13.73 @ 101.58 mph
Boss 320 3.91:1 gear 14.93 @ 93.45 mph
LS6 Chevelle 3.70:1 gear 13.81 @ 103.80mph
Valiant Duster 340 3.91:1 gear 14.39 @ 97.2mph (said the shifter held it back)

Doesn't show the fastest but pretty cool article with Sam Posey and the car and driver staff doing the testing.

The Duster was picked because they tried to pick a car from every catagory available at the time. Plymouth said something along the lines of "Let us bring a Hemi Cuda. That'll show those bastids" (quote from the article)

January 1971 Car Craft (yah they were around then!)

1971 440 six pack Road Runner vs, LS5 Chevelle both in the 14.30's stock...they go on to minor mods headers, slicks etc. Best the Chevy could do with open headers 13.70. Road runner got to 13.26.

Another fun article!
 
mopardart72 said:
heres the top 10 fastest muscle ever made

] 1966 427 cobra 12.21 ET / 118mph 427 8v 4spd 3.54 gears 2529lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

2] 1966 427 corvette 12.80 ET /112mph 427 4v 4spd 3.36 gears 3160lbs car & driver magazine nov 1965

3] 1970 buick GS stage 113.38 ET /105.5mph 455 4v auto 3.64 gears 3810lbs motor trend magazine jan 1970

4] 1968 427 corvette 13.41 ET / 109.5mph 427 6v * 4spd 3.55 gears 3285lbs car life magazine june 1966

5] 1968 hemi charger 13.50 ET / 105mph 426 8v auto 3.23 gears 4035lbs
car & driver magazine nov 1967

6] 1969 hemi road runner 13.54 ET / 105.1mph 426 8v auto 3.55 gears 3938lbs car& driver magazine january 1969

7] 1969 hemi charger 500 13.68 ET / 104.8mph 426 8v 4spd 3.55 gears 4025lbs car life magazine april 1969

8] 1971 hemi super bee 13.73 ET / 104mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears 4083lbs motor trend magazine december 1970

9] 1970 hemi cuda 13.70 ET / 101.2mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears weight n/a motor trend magazine september 1969

10] 1965 catalina 2+2 13.80 ET / 106mph 421 6v 4spd 3.42 gears 4155lbs car & driver magazine march 1965
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I have seen this list many times, and not argueing with you or the list, but why oh why was a 70 cuda that weighs less and running at least 3.91s never tested on the list?

Instead we get a heavy Charger with only 3.23 gears.

I know the factory tires were one on the main issues to for slow 1/4 times since polys dont hook either.

But outside of the ss 383 cudas, hemi darts etc I know that a E body with a stiff gear can do much better than a B body with a 3.23 :)

Sounds rigged to me...
 
Were the factory hemi darts not eligible for the list? Surely they would have made it on there!
 
djwhog said:
I have seen this list many times, and not argueing with you or the list, but why oh why was a 70 cuda that weighs less and running at least 3.91s never tested on the list?

Instead we get a heavy Charger with only 3.23 gears.

I know the factory tires were one on the main issues to for slow 1/4 times since polys dont hook either.

But outside of the ss 383 cudas, hemi darts etc I know that a E body with a stiff gear can do much better than a B body with a 3.23 :)

Sounds rigged to me...
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9] 1970 hemi cuda 13.70 ET / 101.2mph 426 8v auto 4.10 gears weight n/a motor trend magazine september 1969
 
Also they didn't test every year and every combo. I'm sure the 70 Hemi cuda would have been faster with a 4 speed rather then the auto tested. I'd also argue that a 68 Hemi Dart or Barracuda is as much of a street production car as the 427 Cobra was. Also different days, different conditions, different drivers. Some magazines adjusted times for altitude and weather and some did not. So of the timing equipment they used back then I think would be pretty subject to flaws. Also the factory was know to throw ringers to the magazines with non stock parts or pre production setups that never made it in real life. I'd like to see the times of a stock 68 Hemi Dart but it's probably a safe bet that Cobra was the fastest of the day. For 1970 I'd also point to the missing 454 Vette on those lists. If the heavy Chevelle ran a 13.81 that year then the Vette with the same motor, 500 pounds less, and a stick would destroy that Buick.

Now if you throw modern muscle in there you see how we are again living in muscle car years. Look at the 2011 GT mustang which Motortrend just ran to 12.8sec at 110.8 mph. That's tied for 2nd place on that list and you are just talking a $31,000 car not much more then the average price car of today. Granted, putting the GT's rubber on those 60's cars and they would go quicker, but then again in a straight line those performance bias tires of the day would hold their own to the ultra low profile 19's on the Mustang designed for corners not drag racing. Also try running the cobra on todays pump gas and throw some silenced air cleaners and cats on there too while your at it.

Bench racing... can be fun but thats why you run what you brung and see who crosses the line first.
 
Cobra was a regular production car (although very limited).

2 Were sold right here in Portland at the Ron Tonkin dealership. You didn't need anything special, just a fist full of cash. You licensed it just like you would a Ford Galaxy 4 Door.

How do I know all this….. In 1966 a Dr. here in Portland asked his son what kind of car he wanted for college. His son's reply….. A 427 Cobra. He got the White one, brand new from Ron Tonkin. This guy was the Father of my high school girlfriend with pictures and paperwork to prove everything.

He raced the car in the Pacific NW until 1969 when his second daughter was born (my old girlfriend). His wife could not hold 2 small girls in the front of a Cobra so the car, his balls, and his manhood were sold. lol


But like was said above…… The cars tested were media test cars. You got what you got and you tested it.


It's the same way today. The media can request specific cars or packages but that doesn't mean the manufacture will deliver.
 
1.Buick GS 455
2.69 1/2 Road Runner 440 6bbl

I saw this years ago top ten fastestmucles cars.They said the Buick was faster because it was lighter and it also had a 455 aluminum block...
 
DRENO said:
Thought I would see the Buick Grand National in there somewhere.Nice car!8)
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The title is 70, but I was thinking the same thing, but different:
Car & Driver June 1989: 1989 TT/A
Our test car scorched the drag strip with a 0-60-mph blast of 4.6 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 13.4 seconds at 101 mph. That means, as we go to press that the turbocharged Trans Am is the quickest 0-60 sprinter available in any US production-car showroom – at any price.
 
matthon said:
The title is 70, but I was thinking the same thing, but different:
Car & Driver June 1989: 1989 TT/A
Our test car scorched the drag strip with a 0-60-mph blast of 4.6 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 13.4 seconds at 101 mph. That means, as we go to press that the turbocharged Trans Am is the quickest 0-60 sprinter available in any US production-car showroom – at any price.
Click to expand...


Bill did say 70 model.

I'm not a chevy guy but the 70 LS6 454 Chevelle had the fastest production street car 1/4 mile time in 1970, there is more than one source out there that has accurate info on the subject and backs it up. And if memory serves me correctly the 440 6pk had a faster time than the 426 hemi, the 426 just wasn't that fast out of the box.

I have seen that list from Horspower TV before and it is not that accurate, I think they got that list from viewers email or something. They left out a lot of cars and times, there were several tests run, Car & Driver was not the only ones who test cars performance, and I think some of the others like Car Craft actually got more accurate results with 1/4 mile times.


Don't be confused, LS6 454 and the LS5 454 were two different motors. The LS6 was the 450 hp 500 ft pound bad boy in 1970, it ran a 13.12 @ 107 mph in the 70 SS Chevelle
 
69stroker said:
Were the factory hemi darts not eligible for the list? Surely they would have made it on there!
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Not likely to have faired very well straight off the truck. The came with very skinny tires and a corked up exhaust. Heck they didn't even come with a proper paint job, the fiberglass front end was not the same color as the rest of the car.
 
Small Block said:
In the 1/4 mile, what was the American car with the fastest 1/4 mile time straight from the factory with no mods. Give us some facts. Not your opinion. Some dealers advertised of theirs being the fastest, but lets get real with facts. We know there were the 426 hemis along with the 440 six packs and there were the 454 chevys and the 396's along with the 455 olds and the pontiacs. Whats the real deal? We have a discussion going on and we're trusting you guys to be fair and unbiased. Let's hear what ya got to say....FACTS.
Small Block
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The fact of the matter is that very few, if any of the people who raced muscle cars back in the 60's, or 70's, ran them 100% the way they came from the factory. As delivered from the dealership, many modifications could have been performed, ranging from a serious performance tune up, all the way up to having a larger "factory" high performance engine installed. Many dealerships specialized in this, and if you research it, you will find that every manufacturer had at least one dealership that sold brand new muscle cars that were modified for optimum high performance. These cars were all capable of high 12 second quarter mile times, as delivered.

The way a vehicle was ordered made a huge difference on how fast it really was. If you were serious about racing your vehicle, you would order it with a good rear end gear ratio, the highest horsepower engine/transmission combo available from the factory, and the fewest extras. It is no secret that the lighter a vehicle was, the faster it would go. Headers were available from the "factory" for just about every serious muscle car.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that some people are better drivers than others with stick shifts. Many of the magazine test drivers back in the day were not that good. Also, the types of tires that were available from the dealership could make a huge difference in acceleration. Last but not least, don"t under estimate the importance of good, clean, high octane leaded gasoline.
 
as stated in other threads, "its not the car but the drivers that make the cars work". you can take one car , and put 5 different people behind the wheel and get 5 different time slips. it also depends on ever changing track and temp conditions. just for the sake of arguement, i smoked a 70 chevelle ss 396 with a 71 charger super bee running a low compression 383.
 
Hersbird said:
For 1970 I'd also point to the missing 454 Vette on those lists. If the heavy Chevelle ran a 13.81 that year then the Vette with the same motor, 500 pounds less, and a stick would destroy that Buick.

In 1970 the LS6 454 was not available in the vette, only the LS5 with oval ports, hyd. cam, Q-jet 10.25 to 1 and rated at 390 hp. The LS6 was avail. in 1971 with the big ports, soilds and holley, but was 9.1 comp. and rated at 425 hp instead of the 11 to 1, 450 hp 70 eng.

To many variables with these old road tests. I tend to look at the mph as a truer gauge of which car had the most potential.
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I would have to add. In 1970 if you knew how to tune a car you would blow the doors off a factory tune car,no matter the brand.
 
Valiant Rebel said:
I would have to add. In 1970 if you knew how to tune a car you would blow the doors off a factory tune car,no matter the brand.
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I 100% agree Cliff.

Just another thought from my previous post, i know smallblock asked the question of the fastest, but if you combine braking, handling and power the 70' 350/370 LT1 Vette was the best package of any of the 1970 american performance cars.....jmo.
 
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