428 Cobra Jet Cougar Eliminator vs Chevelle SS396 - 1/4 mile Drag Race Video - Road Test TV ®

www.RoadTestTV.com 1/4 mile drag race between a rare 1970 Cougar Eliminator powered by the legendary 428 Cobra Jet big block and a 1969 Chevelle SS 396 powered by the high winding solid lifter L78 396 rated at 375 horsepower. The Cobra Jet Cougar is 1 of only 182 428 CJ 4 speeds produced in 1970. The L78 Chevelle is also rare as it is 1 of only 1487 turbo 400 L78 Chevelle's built in 1969.
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[@save16thave]

The Cougar is a beautiful, unique car that you don't see at every car show or cruise night.

[@raidersx81]

I got my eyes on one now it's a 1968 model with the 302 needs a bit of work but the body is decent

[@myxtraparts4saledon502]

Hell yes to that!

[@kylemortensen407]

Especially a Cougar Eliminator with a 428 Cobra Jet

[@toddm9501]

Or a Firebird

[@randallgreen6746]

Those 428 Cobra Jets were underated.

[@roadtesttv]

Agree. Thanks for watching !!

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

So were those 396s {actually a 402}

[@ellerskillzis]

Would love to see it again with a 4.10 rear in the Mercury.

[@buckshot4428]

What difference is their between a 3:91 and a 4:10? Peanuts.

[@johnpacman9547]

Sure then does that mean the Chevelle can have a 427 to even out the engine size? 🤔🤔

[@ellerskillzis]

@@buckshot4428 I'm just thinking for picking up .3 with a steeper, yet streetable gear. That 4.56 in the Chevelle is quite limiting for cruising..jmo.

[@buckshot4428]

@@ellerskillzis With 4:56 gears you will get there quick, but it will cost you a fortune in gas plus wear and tear on your engine. For cruising a 3:31, 3:42 or even a 2:73 will get you there for a lot less green.

[@Mike583]

@@johnpacman9547 That 396 put out more HP than the 428 did!

[@dougboys5863]

Excellent race and great to see these being driven instead of sitting under cover somewhere

[@jameshorton7496]

I had a 69 SS396 L78 back in 69, so that's where my heart lies.But that Cougar Eliminator is very sweet looking.

[@skcharger440]

That race was closer than I thought it would be. The Chevelle had the gears but the Cougar still got down the track nicely.

[@gordonipock9385]

Agreed. 3.91 for the Cougar vs. 4.56 for the Chevelle. If they had the same gearing you have to think the outcome would favor the Cougar.

[@SealofPerfection]

@@gordonipock9385 Not really. It's only .55 a turn from 3.91 to 4.56. That's not going to make up an over .3 second differential, and the fact is, the Chevelle still ran more MPH, so it was pulling away at the end. That doesn't change with gearing. Plus, with the power range of the 428, it really doesn't need 4.56 gears. The 396 is a higher revving, smaller motor, which naturally needs more gear than a bigger motor with more torque. Gearing isn't a magic potion where "more is always better". The Cougar was pretty close to the optimum gear, and when you're close, changing it a little doesn't make as much difference as if it had say, 3.08's.

[@twasbrillig33]

@@SealofPerfection what would be the magic potion? why did the cougar lose with a bigger engine?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@twasbrillig33 It's pretty simple. The Chevelle had a better power to weight ratio. Now whether that means that the Chevelle is lighter or the 396 makes more horsepower, I don't know. I suspect the weights are pretty close, so my guess is the 396 is making more power. Could possibly be a combo of the two. There's no doubt the 396 has better heads so it may well be making more power despite being smaller. But clearly the power-to-weight ratio favors the Chevelle, as evidenced by the higher mph Edit: The 396 is simply making more power. BBC heads are much better than FE heads. So it can give up some cubes and still be making more power. You just can't make an FE run with a BBC, not if you put the same effort into both motors. You'd be better off with a 429/460, as their head were copied from the BBC and are a better design.

[@timmebruer5205]

@@SealofPerfection or maybe the chevelle isn't stock and the cougar is. Pure stock racing isn't pure stock

[@jeremythompson9122]

Mopar guy here but I love both of these cars...especially that 428 CJ Cougar. First gen Cougars are beautiful cars. Truly an "executive muscle car" like the Buick GS/GSX and Oldsmobile 442/Hurst Olds. And it's really cool to see an L78 in a base Chevelle 300 post coupe. That's a super rare car. They were basically Chevy's equivalent to the Plymouth Roadrunner/Dodge Super Bee and the Ford Fairlane Cobra/Mercury Cyclone CJ...a stripped down 2 door hardtop/coupe with a high performance driveline and little else as far as options. They didn't even have carpet...just rubber floors and a bench seat

[@HITEKSTRANGER]

Your opening sentence, was very good. You wrote what i would have said. Mopar all the way , but give credit when credit is due. There are so many absolutely incredible cars produced by teams of brilliant engineers and design artists, that make automotive history so fascinating. The way things, came together, time after time, once the outline rules were made. They all must've had so much fun and lead such satisfying lives from a career aspect once the 50s came especially, I'd say. 👍😎🇨🇦 Cheers Buddy!

[@jayslick4059]

I'd love to have that Cougar in my garage!

[@theirongriffin4567]

I got a orange 68 its nice!

[@save16thave]

@@theirongriffin4567 Cool, 67 and 68 are the best looking ones. I have a 66 Comet. Love the old Mercs!

[@theirongriffin4567]

@@save16thave I personally like 70 the most looks wise and ya comets are pretty nice

[@robertrobinson5861]

Me too

[@damlynch1535]

@@theirongriffin4567the 70 cougar is the best body I had one it had a 351 Windsor burgundy and of course automatic it was a head Turner I found a 69 recently went to buy it 6 months Later and actually saw it on a trailer on the highway someone bought it the day before so I wound up with a gold 71 torino GT shell rolling from the same guy building a 351c edelbrock aluminum heads hope to have it running by the end of the summer have a 72 comet GT with a built 302 if anyone is interested 69 4v heads balanced edelbrock intake and carb about 10,000 on new motor

[@mikemorrison1689]

Back when you tell one from the other..!

[@Guide1089]

As a kid in the 60s, we knew all the new car models every year after they would be on sale in September or October. These are two beautiful cars no matter if you are Chevy or Cougar fanatic. Now all the cars blend into the same looking shape. Do we really need a "cross-over" vehicle, as I've heard some new models called? Everything has been diluted down to point of nothing being distinct looking in it's own right.

[@dougjustdoug6391]

@@Guide1089 I can't even figure out the maker of the cars half the time when I'm looking at the emblems!

[@Guide1089]

@@dougjustdoug6391 I grew up in Detroit, we could (as elementary school kids ) name every brand and model of the new cars that came out in September of the years. Now, they're all looking the same. They are DULL, in general.

[@dougjustdoug6391]

@@Guide1089 Agreed!...and we knew the engine options for each model! Now it seems like they are all made from the same amorphous wind tunnel testing buck with different trim being the only difference. Ahh...thinking back to the era of factory muscle cars where cubic inches ruled and each had its own distinctive styling.

[@Guide1089]

@@dougjustdoug6391 You must be as old or even older than I am! Yeah, I have to check the badge to see what company makes these cars. We could spot a GTO coming at at you, even from a long way off. Today I have trouble with the Mustang and Camaro looking very similar in their shapes. I know it might be partly due to age, but newer cars have no cool designs for the most part.

[@Ballenxj]

Mixed emotions here. I'm a GM guy, but older brother had a Mach 1 with the 428 CJ that was wicked fast.

[@patrickmd4667]

That Merk was most likely about 300 lbs heavier than your brothers Mach.

[@dustyhedger380]

Gobs of torque and horsepower WITHOUT A COMPUTER . Love it .

[@1969mach111]

Good match, but I was rooting for the Cougar.

[@thetigerstripes]

Too heavy.

[@Clingerman93]

Yeah so was I, maybe with a quicker reaction times an faster shifting it could maybe take it.

[@tdozzy991]

@Andrew beavers factory specs Isnt accurate either

[@tendervittlesdoobiestein2145]

To have a race that good you need two great cars and two great drivers, this had it all.

[@hellcatredeye-g6582]

Wow brings back memories I had a cougar XR-7 With a 351 Cleveland great car

[@luciddreaming999]

Im a Chevy guy, but that Cougar is a bad ass car!! Awsome race!!

[@gary9426]

I have to believe gearing has a lot to do with the outcome of a lot of these races...awesome cars both!

[@myxtraparts4saledon502]

The only way the SS won was gearing. End of story.

[@gordonipock9385]

Wonder if 4.56 was an available stock option for the street?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@myxtraparts4saledon502 The SS ran more MPH, which means it has a better power-to-weight ratio. So it SHOULD be the faster car. When you already have 3.91 gears, going to 4.11, 4.30 or 4.56 doesn't really change a lot. It's certainly not going to make up over 3 tenths.

[@grntitan1]

@@myxtraparts4saledon502 Cougar weighs slightly more. Has less HP and just slightly more torque. So your “only way” statement screams of ignorance. End of story.

[@Dannyriv12341]

i love my 69 cougar .... but he's right ...... very heavy cars compared to some of the other muscle cars with track potential

[@GT-fi4sk]

My cousin had a 70 Eliminator auto, he had it down to 4 mpg before he sold it with dual quads and 4.56 gears

[@gordonipock9385]

I once had a 66 GT-350. All fiberglass front fenders, hood and grill; four-point roll bar; full-race 289 with LeMans cam, GT-40 valves, two 460 Holley 4-barrels on a medium high-rise; Ford toploader 4-speed and 9-inch rear end. It was geared for the highway and top end and actually got pretty good gas mileage, probably because it was so light, probably about 2700 pounds.

[@peterlogan2105]

I had a 70 Cougar with the 351C. When I came back from 05-06 deployment in Iraq, the boys and I rebuilt that engine like new at the hobby shop on Pendleton. We cloned the body out as an Eliminator. Only I painted it OD Green w black stripes. I loved my car

[@roadtesttv]

Thank you for your service and thank you for watching !!

[@scdevon]

Two fantastic big block cars.

[@hallmanlabs5968]

This makes me regret not buying that 428 Cobra Jet Comet Cyclone back when I was turning 16... haha

[@keithdmaust1854]

Was passenger in 1969 396 Chevelle one night in Somerset, PA - year 1969. Street race against 1969 428 CJ Mustang. Chevelle just driven off sales lot 2 days before with zero mods, Mustang owned by speed shop owner with mild work. Race took place on mountain straightaway near old mental hospital. Details to prove not some bullshit story. Chevelle burgundy 4-speed - Mustang teal green automatic. Chevelle by half a car. Mustang owner declined to go again.

[@captainbuttnuggets4786]

That’s a race 👍🏼

[@xXcashXx3]

That 396 chevelle aint no joke dont even need the 427 or the 454

[@jamessharp9790]

xXcashXx3 both cars ran way quicker than I expected

[@roxiebeagle]

@@jamessharp9790 I was thinking the same thing. I expected low 13's. Both of them are awesome!

[@joshuadavis862]

A 4.56 rear vs a 3.91 it better win.

[@milojanis4901]

I knew a guy in high school who had a 1968 Chevelle with the same setup. Totally stock it didnt quite get to mid 13s. This car, and probably the Mustang, are NOT STOCK......

[@jeremythompson9122]

The L78 was a beast. The 375 peak horsepower factory rating was laughable. I saw a bone stock L78 on an engine dyno and it peaked at 425 horsepower at 6000 rpm. Chevy gave it an honest rating in the 1965 Corvette and the 1965 full size lineup when they rated it at 425 horses but they only rated it at 375 horses in the 1966-69 Chevelle's, 67-69 Camaro's, and the 68-69 Nova's even though the engine was identical to the L78 found in the Corvette and full size cars. They had solid lifters so they didn't have the best street manners but there were also 325 and 350 horse 396's available that had hydraulic lifters for better streetability and lower maintenance. I think the L78 was marketed more towards drag racers. You had to have some mechanical skills to even own any of those high compression solid lifter big blocks

[@jrg7951]

I would love to come across a Cougar eliminator for sale and I am a Mopar guy.

[@jeffschwartz5199]

I started with a Cougar when I was sixteen . We had fun in a Plymouth Roadrunner too . Ford and the Mopar guys got along . Don't know what happened to the other guys 😕 . Lol , it's all good 👍! Fun times .

[@stefanovichmichael9686]

@@jeffschwartz5199 Because chevies held most of the records. Research it.

[@jeffschwartz5199]

@@stefanovichmichael9686 Thanks for the advice vich

[@Rick-zh4ir]

An article in Car Craft magazine then, between the 429 Boss Torino and the 396/375 hp Chevelle, conclusion was that, any stock 396/ 375 HP Chevelle, would certainly blow the doors of any stock 429 Torino

[@chadhaire1711]

325 net horsepower

[@willthetrill4849]

The Merc had him at first but that fucking Chevy got him at the end!

[@davebarron5939]

Now that I watched it again, it looks like the Cougar was faster on the start.

[@nathanmcdonald610]

@@Future-Preps35 That 335hp number was bogus anyway though for insurance reasons, those 428 CJ's are dyno proven to make around 410hp in good stock running condition.

[@markgerega6507]

That’s a good name for the cougar it just got eleminated.

[@tommywaggoner5338]

Hahaha!! 🤣🤣

[@DONDIVA1969]

According to Bill Barr one of the powerplant engineers responsible for the development of the 428CJ engine it produced 335 to 340 horsepower on what Ford called the "B" Curve back then. It is equivalent to SAE net ratings.

[@patrickmichaeldempsey6801]

Love that Cobra Jet Merc. But those L 78s could fist fight and punch above their cube class!

[@randycoursey7230]

4.56 gears in the rear barely got this Chevelle to victory Lane as this race was super close. If the Eliminator had the same gearing it would have won. Both cars got down the track very well however.

[@USSTOLEDOSSN769]

Nothing beats a Chevelle. Nothing.

[@mikemartinez7433]

My brothers 65 Skylark did, also took down a couple Mustangs, got to the point nobody wanted their prize beauty beat by an old beat-up looking Buick. That 445 Foot pounds of torque made those Buicks boogie down the road.

[@MrDriftonin]

Great race, look at those times, anyone's seconds pedal delay. Great race.

[@roadtesttv]

Thanks Richard. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@solice8844]

I remember those days of the early 70s when all the automakers had their muscle cars. We took much pride in the speed and power of our machines.

[@rf9061]

Good old fashion drag race right on

[@erveybarragan1140]

Alot of people hating on the Chevelle but its the one that one the race.Doesn't matter by how much .So keep some dust masks handy because those old chevys are going to leave you in the dust.Heavy Chevy all the way.

[@rickkowalske4116]

Garbage

[@McFly-guitars-n-stuff]

Awesome Cougar. In 1985 my 83 Kawasaki KZ750L3 ran 12.53 lol.It had 20,000 miles and I had cleaned the plugs the 3rd time.

[@savagetilley2782]

I'm a die hard fan Of General Motors. I'm all about Oldsmobile all of them from the big cars to the 442 and cutlass. But there is a speical place in my heart for Cougar Eliminators. I just find them special.

[@joecarreon4824]

A 12 second street car back in the day was Fast!!!

[@will7its]

The only cars in the 12's had nitrous back then...

[@SealofPerfection]

@@will7its Nobody had nitrous back then, lol

[@will7its]

@@SealofPerfection You could buy it at any speed shop and refill at bottled gas companies or dentist supply . Or PAW mail order, it was in all the magazines.

[@SealofPerfection]

@@will7its Not in the late 60's/early 70's. In the late 80's, sure. That's when nitrous started to be a thing.

[@scottyellis3442]

I'm a Ford guy but both are sweet cars. Glad to see them out & being enjoyed & not just sitting around being looked at.

[@SuperSnallygaster]

Impressive times for both. Good race!

[@kennethrisher1122]

Cool race... Here are the drag test times from 1969-1970 Magazines Pretty cool....the addition of the 4.56 gears did make a difference... Couldn't find any times for the Cougar with the 4 speed...or the 70 model? 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator (SS) 428ci/335hp, auto, 3.90, 1/4 mile - 13.91@ 103.92mph 1969 Chevelle SS396 (HC) 396ci/375hp, 4spd, 4.10, 0-60 - n/a, 1/4 mile - 14.70 @ 101mph 1969 Chevelle SS396 (CC) 396ci/375hp, 3spd auto, 4.11, 0-60 - n/a, 1/4 mile - 14.06 @ 101.91mph

[@sillenHDsportster]

+Kenneth Risher A friend of mine had a -69 cougar cab with 428CJ 4 speed manual transmission and dragpack option! Drum brakes all around! 1/10 manufactured R-coded.

[@kennethrobinson11231]

+Kenneth Risher Some people can't drive then. I ran a 66 Chevelle with a 360 HP 396 and it had 3:73 gears It ran low 13's every sunday. With 7in. slicks and the 375 hp 396 cam, it ran high 12's. It was a 4 speed and I came out of the hold at 6000 when I ran the slicks. Had 8 pounds of air in the left side and 10 on the right. After a while doing this I pulled the top control arms out of the frame.

[@Satellite-ov8xk]

Yea and back then there was a popular song by the Everly Brothers called "All I Have To Do is Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream....."

[@mr.bluzhound2875]

I’ve seen dyno reports that said the l78 made more like 425hp gross. The exact same motor but with a bigger bore (aka, 427) really did make 450hp gross. Stout street engines.

[@chadhaire1711]

gross means nothing on the street more like 350 net

[@SealofPerfection]

To all those claiming these cars "aren't stock": They are. They've been blueprinted and tuned, but they have stock heads, intake, exhaust manifolds, cam, internals. I'm sure they have shift kits for the auto transmissions. They've been fine tuned, and they have modern rubber and are running on modern track prep, but that's it. Proof is easy: For the Chevelle: It ran 113 mph. 113 mph in a 3400lb car = 378 hp. It was "rated" at 375, and it's well known the factory ratings for most muscle cars were deliberately low. For the Cougar: 110 mph at 3600lbs = 369 hp. They were rated at 335. They are stock, with great tuning.

[@SealofPerfection]

Here's a bone stock, original SS396/375 Chevelle running 13.40@103. Bone stock except headers, all original. 4 speed, and he's launching it slow. Compare that to the car in the video here...a bit more gear and an automatic, and it's been blueprinted and tuned. About .9 quicker. Pretty much what you'd expect. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKGTep-bo7N9ntE

[@billstovall3813]

Pacfanweb, bades on your information here, I'm curious as to what you think a blueprinted 4speed LS6 would run? Bone stock they were running 13.8 (autos) and about 13.18 (4-sp). I suspect with slicks and headers maybe 11's? What do you think?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@billstovall3813 Here's one that ran 12.44@110. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXy8XqSAgr2Jopo Think that was an automatic, though. Here's a 4 speed that runs low 12's kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaeXZqtjgpxpr5o

[@SealofPerfection]

@@billstovall3813 I'd say low 12's is an easy mark. Maybe high 11's if it's perfect and you drive it like you stole it.

[@iggyfritz7150]

Either way both great muscle cars runing hi 12 sec on street tires is impresive.

[@lewisshepard9239]

They’ve both been doctored up a little,because neither car could run 12s in the day.

[@mjb12141963]

If you guys wanted to know who was the best driver then it should be done on a simulator. You could input the specs on a computer to see what car would be faster and nobody would have to die.

[@TheChrismsanchez1]

3.91 vs 4.56 in the 1/4... I'm surprised the cougar only lost by 3 tenths. Cougar had a great reaction time!

[@SealofPerfection]

Love how you "ignore" those extra 32 cubes the Cougar has and mention the gears the Chevelle has. That wasn't the difference in this race. The Cougar likely had pretty close to the optimum gear already. Chevelle had the gear to put its motor in the RPM range it made power in. So did the Cougar. Adding more gear doesn't just keep knocking huge chunks of time off...the returns are very much diminishing after you get up in the 3.50+ range. Another gear might have taken a tenth off the Cougar, no more.

[@stefanovichmichael9686]

It has always been difficult for the competition to beat Chevy

[@tommywaggoner5338]

High five to ya brother man!! I agree with ya 100%!!

[@stefanovichmichael9686]

@@tommywaggoner5338 You da man Tommy.

[@fangcheck9141]

them were the days ?

[@toddm9501]

That chevelle has a great color. And sound

[@robturner110]

I'd like to see that race again, with the Cougar running 4.56 gears too.

[@SealofPerfection]

If we're going down that road of evening things out, how about let's see the race where the Chevelle has 32 more cubic inches? And having a 4.56 wouldn't have won the race for the Cougar.

[@johnsheetz6639]

Less gear in the stick shift. And that was a damn good launched from the clutch popper.

[@Mr.X---47]

Love all muscle cars!!

[@markwilliams5606]

Love these Cougars. Chevelle SS to. I'll pick the Chevrolet 🇺🇸

[@razortreadway]

Damn good race, damn good

[@donjennings9034]

Nice race by two great cars and engines.

[@BuckI2Bdad]

What did the chevelle do against the '69 440-6 Super Bee?

[@thomasdaum1927]

Two great cars , I wish the gear ratio was the same or a lot closer !

[@duncanidaho2097]

The 428 has real torque right off the line but gets overtaken. The Wheeler Dealers bought an older Ford Mustang with the 4.6l v8. They fixed it up with a few external mods and raced it against a ‘68 Mustang 428. Same result.

[@B1Springfield]

I love the 69 Cougar. If I found a roller, I think I’d build a nice 400 Ford for it. I wish Ford had offered some different level packages on the 390. The 390 cars could hold their own against the comparable basic 396, but without the solid lifter cam versions and better heads they got eaten up by the higher level 396s. Guess Ford figured if people wanted to go faster they’d get the 428.

[@chrisbewes1330]

When I see classics I don’t think about which one is faster anymore. It’s like comparing which old soldier is better based on the number of kills he had. My 69 cougar is an ex drag car. She’s earned the right to just cruise and look sexy now.

[@basinger158]

That cougar was awesome! Whether it won or not was a bad ass car, cooler than all those dime a dozen Chevy's you see at the track.

[@ike780]

+basinger158 True

[@327gtr]

ya dime a dozen lol they're only 50k now

[@basinger158]

D Taylor obviously I was talking about the overabundance of them not the value moron

[@327gtr]

Oh gotcha,a buddy used to use the phrase all the time but he meant they were cheap

[@351charlie7]

basinger158 You appreciate a Cougar more, because the Chevy's are so common (and cheap to restore)

[@smokeskull]

My friend had a few 428cj back in the day and he talked about racing 396 chevelles and he always won. Not a 454 though

[@MrColdwatercanyon]

Thanks for sharing I like ur vids it's like cars from Barrett Jackson ..... go racing !

[@DyslexicDonkey]

Life sucks. But stuff like this makes me smile again

[@ITRIEDEL]

Road testTV, any reason why you don't record the other cars? For instance, the roadrunner that was staging with the chevelle?

[@strattuner]

the 428 was a torque monster,only thing that could stay door to door with my 6 pack challenger was a 428 ford and 455 olds w30.otherwise go get me a coke and a hot link,gonna be a long day at the track

[@Spiked502]

Ya sure stupid.I guess there were no Stage I Buicks in your town.The Buick would walk them all.

[@claytongillaspy8847]

@@Spiked502 your right the stage 1 Buick’s ran 12’s stock high 12’s with just better tires add headers a little tuning 12.50 @ 112 mph I know because I had one wish I kept it I beat everything I came up against except a nickey 427 Camaro which was a l-88 from nickey chevy in Chicago he only beat me by a fender he couldn’t believe it was a Buick that was that fast very fun car never went to the track so don’t know the true et but it pulled like a train almost pulling the front wheels off the ground

[@jamesgeiger4795]

I see a few comments to the tune of the Cougar had a shit engine or as if the Chevelle literally blew the doors off the Cougar. Really???? It lost by less than 3 tenths of a second....I mean like a few inches. Another race, it could've gone the other way.

[@mothertree]

yeah another run may have had a different car winning ! but hey these kind of races always bring out the experts in droves lol .I wonder what they would sayi f I told them that I saw a 70 Duster 340 4spd. 3.91 rear beat a 70 torino with a 428cj 4 spd...both stock...they would come unglued lol 80,000 comments with reasons why...and yes there are always "reasons" have a good one.

[@billsouza4457]

340 was a great engine. Duster was lighter too. 80,001st comment.LOL

[@teamsterbutch]

All he needed was a different gear. Different outcome.

[@BamaShinesDistillery]

It was also a manual vs auto.....

[@BamaShinesDistillery]

Eagle Whitefeather01 your Roadrunner would not stand a chance against Ford's 427 SOHC or SO

[@daviddawson1781]

Traction.and rear gears maxing out in the 1/4 mile

[@joequillun7790]

Looked like that Chevelle really hooked up, even with 4.56s, W/O slicks. Surprised the hell outta me. And @ 12.5, 113, I don't think he was too maxed out.

[@hamslice151]

TH400w/ 4.56 vs. 4sp/w 3.91. I say the Cat came damn close.

[@SealofPerfection]

Cougar had 32 extra cubes. Let's not talk about gears, that wasn't the difference.

[@stephanM5]

Every time I watch this the damn Chevelle wins!

[@cammontreuil7509]

He lied it has 4.88's.

[@richardnott9587]

I would love to see how my 68 cougar with a 351 would do. It's fairly quick but I am scared to wreck it. It has all the original metal on it with no bondo.

[@WydGlydJim]

Everyone wanted 4 speeds back in the day, but in actuality the autos were always quicker 😊

[@richkunkiewicz9070]

Autos are quicker today. Back then STICKS WERE ALMOST ALWAYS FASTER!

[@WydGlydJim]

@@richkunkiewicz9070 I have several friends who owned autos in the muscle car era. The people they beat were always surprised the autos would beat them. Their real world experience backs me up. The four speeds made a lot of noise and commotion, roasted the tires, were a blast to drive, while the autos quietly made it to the finish line first.

[@351charlie7]

Cougar almost took it, dammit!

[@almodequindre8601]

If the Cougar had a 4:56 gear like the Chevelle, it would have taken it.

[@jeffschwartz5199]

@@almodequindre8601 Amen 🙏

[@jeremythompson9122]

I'm a Mopar guy first but these are both awesome rides. I'd take that Cougar 428 CJ over a 428 CJ Mustang any day of the week. Cougars were a way nicer car overall than a Stang. And 68-69 is my favorite Chevelle body style. A 70 LS6 is probably the baddest Chevelle ever made but I'll take a 69 Chevelle COPO 427 or a 68-69 Chevelle SS 396/375 over an LS6.

[@SealofPerfection]

What else is funny about this one is the Ford fans crying about the rear end gearing. It wouldn't make that much difference. Not the difference between these two, that's for sure. Ask anyone knowledgeable who races a lot and they'll confirm it. First off, you don't pick up that much time going from an already-steep 3.91 to 4.56. Reason why is, you're already pretty close to the optimal gear for that 428, which is the 4.30 gear that was also an option. So when you're not close to the "best" gear for the quarter, like say, a 3.08 gear, changing to that same 3.91 or 4.11 might get you a BIG jump. But when you're already pretty close, it's like any other mod you do to a modded engine....diminishing returns. You're not going to have that huge jump when you're already running 3.91's. So going from 3.91 to 4.30's likely only gets you about a tenth at most. That's not going to catch the Chevelle here. Second: You folks seem to not realize you're crying about gear ratio being the difference when your Ford already has 32 more cubic inches. So the smaller Chevy still won the race, despite being out-cubed by 32" and you guys are talking about gearing? How about we make the gearing AND the engine size the same then? What do you think will happen now?

[@SealofPerfection]

Here is proof about the gears: 429 Torino with 4.30's gets outrun by a 442 with 'only' 4.11's AND 29 less cubic inches. I guess having lower gears doesn't mean that much after all? kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYmVaoCNZ66haas

[@stewartdeerfield]

"Give the Ford a chance"? My oldest brother (R.I.P.) best friend had a '67 Fairlane with a SOHC 427 that I was in as we demolished a 454 Chevelle, 3 times in a row. I might add the ported 427's were even bigger monsters.

[@tamapalagi]

always a ford apologist available when one is needed. duh my cousin's best friend's dad worked with a dude who had a straight six maverick that killed L88 vettes in the 1/4 mile. it got 72 mpg and pulled over a g on the skid pad. it also towed a 30ft camper trailer with a bad spark plug.

[@raleighprater1662]

tamapalagi I sure have seen a 292 three on the tree Nova that kinda fit that bill..

[@stewartdeerfield]

tamapalagi Apology? That wasn't an apology, it was an in your face kicked butt 3 x over spanking!

[@fart_cannon]

Just thought I should point out that the 427 is a OHV not a SOHC, it was a pushrod engine, SOHC and DOHC are modular motors 1990s and newer

[@timhammett2302]

Matt, though the likelyhood of of finding a 67 Fairlane with a 427 SOHC on the street is remote, Ford did indeed build a 427 SOHC and debuted it in 1963. It was rated at 650HP in single four barrel form. I still have the Hot Rod magazine issue from 63. It was on the cover. It was never put in a production car, but Holman and Moody built a couple 67 Fairlanes. www.dragzine.com/news/original-ford-427-sohc-crate-engine-on-ebay-for-65000/

[@Northstar4653]

I have to give my opinion. Growing up and driving Chrysler product through the 60's and early 70's. The one car that had to me a superior engine was the 1971 Mercury 429. I had one in a big Mercury Marquis. That 429 2 bbl was equivalent of any 440 I had in a comparable New Yorker. Think it was like 320 hp. Thing about that 429 was the 50 mph to unlimited, power or pull it gave. My buddy made the mistake of buying a 72, same motor. With the emissions and lower compression, it turned to shit, was like a dog. Fun cars up to 1972.

[@professorpatpending8731]

I'll take the Cougar over the Chevy

[@guadalahonky4002]

Me too, because you simply never see them as they are so rare. Mercury only produced 2,267 Cougar Eliminators in 1970. I had never seen one in person until I purchased my Competition Yellow Eliminator with 351-4V in 2014.

[@CaptainFALKEN]

I seen one, not sure if it was a custom, but in my "super duper mega extreme car show" video in my "car related" playlist, has an orange one. Looks like a custom car.

[@boostjunkie2320]

So you don't mind being in the rear view mirror....

[@boostjunkie2320]

@@guadalahonky4002 Well that particular model of Chevelle is actually more rare then the Eliminator

[@GH-el9ch]

Good then you'll lose in looks and power

[@Youralwayswhining4367]

Every time 396 beats 429

[@joesmith6886]

Two awesome, great looking muscle cars, who cares about a time difference in the 1/4 of less than a second, I would drive either of these beauties any day!!

[@bobg.9585]

Both cars are great , but the Chevelle had a set of headers lower gears and more cam. The Cougar driver cut a better light and had the chevelle to about the 1000ft. mark but the Chevelle had more top end for the win .I have raced Div. 1 stock eliminator for 32 years and I can honestly tell you that ether one of the two cars can win in a match up on any given day. And a side note a 428 cj car WILL carry more weight than a 396 car because of NHRA rules....

[@CarsAndZebras]

This is a Pure Stock drag race in Stanton, Michigan. Headers aren’t allowed, nor is a non-stock cam. Any rear gear change is allowed.

[@BrianDFugate]

I absolutely love seeing these videos but why does everyone sound like it’s through a pipe

[@jeffschwartz5199]

Oh yeah 😎! Can I drive ?

[@jamesfarina5764]

That was a good race, and a fair one overall. I thought the Ford would have taken the light but it was still reasonably close. The MPH tell more of the tale. Unsure what gears the chevelle had but neither of them make enough power to pull a 3.91 gear in the quarter. It takes about 600hp to pull a 4.10 gear though the trap in the quarter.

[@patrickmd4667]

Chevy had 456s and a turbo 400

[@SealofPerfection]

@@patrickmd4667 Cougar had 32 more cubic inches and 4-speeds were quicker than autos back then. And it didn't need 4.56's anyway, it's a lower RPM motor.

[@patrickmd4667]

He said he didn't know what the final drive rating was on the Chevy so I answered him. And an auto is easier to launch on the Polyglas/ bias ply tires of the day.

[@loilt5091]

Sweet street repeat!!! That Chevelle is the exact colour and year of my first car...1969 Chevelle SS396, except mine was a 4spd. My father had a big, dark green, '69 Montcalm, 390 2brl, C6...it could really pull! Styling-wise, the Chevelle's overall lines and especially the nasty slant of it's front grill, kill that funky, aquired taste, look, of the Ford. Regardless, those Cougar's had the coolest tail lights, going...nuthin' like a sexy feline's backend!

[@rogerbeutler5671]

Great race. The 4:56 gears that the Chevelle had helped it get off the line quicker. With equal gearing it might have gone the other way.

[@rickkowalske4116]

Would have

[@SealofPerfection]

Nope, once you're as low as a 3.91 gear, going to a 4.56 isn't going to make that much difference. Look at the MPH, that tells you the horsepower. Chevelle has more. It's going to win no matter what the gears are. I believe the Cougar was available with a 4.30 gear. Wouldn't have mattered.

[@rickkowalske4116]

You are dealing with idiots.yes the cougar with more gear probably would have won Pac if an and moon pie are Chevy zealots and refuse to give the cougar its due.hell I believe the cougar with more carb and more gear would smoke the chevelle l89 xxx whatever.

[@rickkowalske4116]

@@SealofPerfection makes all kind of difference.you are proving yourself an idiot

[@SealofPerfection]

@@rickkowalske4116 Dude, I've tried to be nice to you here, but you have yet to post anything that was right, while hurling insults and displaying your complete lack of knowledge. You've been wrong about every single point you've made, and you're so biased towards Ford that you just change to topic to another engine or something else to deflect the fact that you're wrong. Gearing would NOT have made the Cougar win. Look at the MPH. The Chevelle was over 3 mph faster and .3 quicker. The MPH shows who has the most power. Changing the gear ratio won't give you a better engine. And going from an already-steep 3.91 to 4.56 isn't going to get you .3 gain. If you knew anything about racing you'd know this, but I think it's clear to everyone that's read your posts that you do not.

[@firebirdjone]

Not sure what you are seeing Trev, this is heads up racing, the chevelle won and clearly crossed the line first.

[@SealofPerfection]

@Jack Fessler Except it wasn't. The Chevelle walked the Cougar down and got to the finish line first. Watch it again...Chevy turns on the win light, plain as day. Won the race, ran the faster time. That's how it was able to have a slower reaction time and still get to the finish line first.

[@vincewilliams5219]

I've loved Mustangs/ Ford and Drag racing my whole life but they just didn't have it like Mopar did. To busy fighting it out on the track against corvettes I guess, Shelby and Duntov.

[@Honeyflower132]

Does this video have copyright?

[@scottharris8308]

Love both cars. But Chevelle is my favorite muscle car. Love the cougar eliminator better then mustang anyday

[@victormontano7148]

Winning is winning!, it doesn't mater if it is by an inch or a by mile, praise to the Chevelle SS.

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

Good Race...Cougar coulda used a lil more gear to even things out tho.

[@SealofPerfection]

Maybe give the Chevelle 32 more cubes to "even things out" as well, huh?

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

@@SealofPerfection if you give the Coug 40 more horsepower...

[@SealofPerfection]

@@Imnotyourdoormat Kind of tells the story, doesn't it? 32 less cubes, but has more power.

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

@@SealofPerfection then why did the base, CJ, and SCJ 428s carry the same 335 horse rating as the GT 390s?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@Imnotyourdoormat I don't even know what that question is supposed to mean. It makes no sense in the context of what we were talking about. The 396 Big Block had more power than a Ford motor with 32 more cubic inches. Rated HP is irrelevant, especially back then.

[@ghostman3344]

beautiful

[@fast03vette4me]

Not a Ford guy but loved those cougars, had it all.

[@dannychavera5065]

Bigger motor with a 4speed.. Still lost to a smaller motor.. Cant mess with a turbo 400😄

[@cammontreuil7509]

? Let's change gears.

[@SealofPerfection]

@@cammontreuil7509 Okay, let's change the gears, and while we're making things even, let's make the Chevelle a 427. What now? (other than another Chevy win, that is)

[@cammontreuil7509]

@@SealofPerfection that's a great idea. Same gears same transmission and same cubes. Ford gets a 427 too. We already know the Chevy was junk in nascar back in the day.

[@SealofPerfection]

@@cammontreuil7509 Actually we don't know that. GM was dominating Nascar before they killed all their racing programs. From the mid-60's to the early 70's, GM wasn't even in Nascar or anything else, other than a bit of back door stuff. Ford and Mopar only had "their day in the sun" because the biggest dog on the scene decided not to play anymore. And I'll put a Chevy 427 up against a Ford 427 all day long and win every time.

[@fastted3504]

Chevrolet - the American way ! ! !

[@longshot5738]

It was all about the gears!

[@789pokey]

Long, how about the 32 more cubes the Merc had?

[@paulrockhopper_hiking]

The Cougar CJ Exhaust manifolds were real corks with heat risers always sticking in the flow.Put a pair of FPA's or Hooker headers on them and the pick up another 50 hp. EASY!

[@stuka52]

Both damn good runs, I agree the gears on the Chevelle made the difference.

[@ronrichardson4805]

Had a buddy back in 1970,with a chevelle 396 SS . One bada$$ car .

[@clinteastwood9115]

Still would take the cougar!