Bench mark

[mikedevore]

How did the ET of 14:99 or quicker become the benchmark by which we judge a performace car. I mean, if you run a 15.01, it is not looked at the same way as the 14:99. Any thoughts or opinions?

 

[64dartwagon]

That leaves me out. My car ran a 15.50 last time. Man now I feel so bad. But did I mention that I laid a nice black smoking strip of tire the whole length? Does that help with my non performance grocery getter?

 

[340mopar]

What or were is this benchmark from? Is it from a magazine or track or something else?


Chuck

 

[mikedevore]

What or were is this benchmark from? Is it from a magazine or track or something else?


Chuck

I don't think it is written in stone anywhere. It just seems to me, that most people don't consider it fast unless it runs 14:99 or quicker. From my personal experience, when my 1987 Fifth Avenue ran low 16's, knowbody gave it a second look. When I started running 14:80's, everybody would come over to talk & ask questions. Whats everybodys opinion about so-called benchmarks? Lets hear them.

 

[340mopar]

It all depends on the car or truck I guess. I have always run different cars because I like the strange looks and the attention.

My first car in '76 was a '63 Buick Riviera that ran 15.20's and got looks. In '77 my mom bought a new Ford 3/4 van with a 460 that was pitiful slow and always at the dealer because it ran like crap. They tryed just about everything under warranty to make it run better. Like the 4th or 5th time at the dealer when we went to pick it up the service writer said the mechanic wanted to talk to us. The mechanic took us outside away from everyone else and told us not to say anything but the problem with the 460 was that Ford in an effort to pass emissions retarded the cam so much it killed the power and mileage. He said to purchase a timing gear set for a 70 429 CJ and put it in to advance the cam so it will run right. So the next weekend that exactly what my dad and I did and now that thing ran. It now ran 15.90's and got about 12 mpg. When you show up at the track with a 3/4 passenger van and can lay waste to a new Z28 or T/A it draws attention. I sold my Riv and bought a lowrider stepside Chev in '80 and pulled the 305 and put a 396 and slick shifted A833 in it. It ran 13.60's and also drew a crowd. I could go on for ever on the different stuff I ran because I went back to running Buick's and got them down to low 12's in the early '80s.

Short story long, to me it just depends on what you run if it is to draw my attention. There is always someone faster and someone slower. It all depends on the era also. In the late '70s and early '80s a 15 second car was pretty fast compared to the new cars. I look at my Stage 1 Buick that ran low 12's which was fast for a daily driver in '82. Then I look at my 340 in my Valiant that runs low 11's and I read about the cars on this site and it just amazes me how far we have come in performance and mileage.


Chuck

 

[ramcharger]

The mechanic took us outside away from everyone else and told us not to say anything but the problem with the 460 was that Ford in an effort to pass emissions retarded the cam so much it killed the power and mileage.

Ford did this on the the 400M motors too. :cussing:

 

[1966 dart wagon]

It all depends on the car or truck I guess. I have always run different cars because I like the strange looks and the attention.

My first car in '76 was a '63 Buick Riviera that ran 15.20's and got looks. In '77 my mom bought a new Ford 3/4 van with a 460 that was pitiful slow and always at the dealer because it ran like crap. They tryed just about everything under warranty to make it run better. Like the 4th or 5th time at the dealer when we went to pick it up the service writer said the mechanic wanted to talk to us. The mechanic took us outside away from everyone else and told us not to say anything but the problem with the 460 was that Ford in an effort to pass emissions retarded the cam so much it killed the power and mileage. He said to purchase a timing gear set for a 70 429 CJ and put it in to advance the cam so it will run right. So the next weekend that exactly what my dad and I did and now that thing ran. It now ran 15.90's and got about 12 mpg. When you show up at the track with a 3/4 passenger van and can lay waste to a new Z28 or T/A it draws attention. I sold my Riv and bought a lowrider stepside Chev in '80 and pulled the 305 and put a 396 and slick shifted A833 in it. It ran 13.60's and also drew a crowd. I could go on for ever on the different stuff I ran because I went back to running Buick's and got them down to low 12's in the early '80s.

Short story long, to me it just depends on what you run if it is to draw my attention. There is always someone faster and someone slower. It all depends on the era also. In the late '70s and early '80s a 15 second car was pretty fast compared to the new cars. I look at my Stage 1 Buick that ran low 12's which was fast for a daily driver in '82. Then I look at my 340 in my Valiant that runs low 11's and I read about the cars on this site and it just amazes me how far we have come in performance and mileage.


Chuck

cool story, i didnt know about the ford retarded thing hahaha :thumbup:
14.99 i dont think it is quick, but thats just me, low 14's to 13's is what i would call fast. and it all depends on the engine config and such.