Shut Down King: Ronnie Sox Tests the Mopar Hemi vs. GTO vs.Chevelle vs. Fairlane 1966!

In 1966, a group of 4 amateur Drag racers and one expert by the name of Ronnie Sox drag test Detroit's hottest new iron. Each driver gets a chance at each car, and the E.T.'s and MPH's are averaged. All 4 cars were equipped with the manufacturers hottest big block and 4 speed transmissions.
1966 Ford Fairlane 390
1966 Pontiac GTO 389
1966 Chevrolet Chevelle 396
1966 Plymouth Sattelite 426 Hemi

[@Adam-lj7et]

Take me back to those days. No computers, just a car with raw horsepower and a driver with quick reactions.

[@markg7030]

The street hemi ruled from 1966-1971. By 1970 everybody had a competitor (429 boss mustang,455 hurst olds, 454 chevelle and 455 buick GS. In 1971 everybody dropped compression and lost a few horsepower except for Chrysler's hemi.

[@chrisnizer1885]

Love the video of Shirley Shahan teasing her hair in a Dodge A990 Ramcharger. The glory days of the NHRA.

[@embassyhotel]

Thanks for posting this WOW> Pure Mopar Power off the show room floor. Nothing beats the Mopar's man,especially the mighty HEMI. Best engine ever made.

[@05cr125rider]

Yeah,best engine ever made.If you want to spend half your weekend adjusting valves and tuning the POS

[@gregorytimmons4777]

It's not an objective test. Even the Street Hemi should be up against a 427 Fairlane GT,360+hp 396 Malibu SS, 421 S.D. GTO. That's a more representative set of cars to have duke it out. Probably sponsored by Chrysler.

[@BigBlockMopar]

Awesome! Thanks for putting this on KZbin!

[@HemiJoel]

Except that this test took place in 1966, and the public could not buy an Rcode 427 Fairlane until 1967 and nobody could buy a 427 chevelle because copo 427 chevelles did not exist in 1966. GTO XS? at least 100 horse down from the Hemi... This shows what a game changer the Hemi belvedere was, because it shows the truth about who it's competition was at the time that it was introduced. The others spent the next 4 years trying to catch up. By then the Hemi was a legend in its own time.

[@cobracharmer6178]

HemiJoel; Wow, I know this is 5yrs after posting this comparison "test" from 1966 and the film is in pretty decent shape. BUT...There definitely was a production 427 Fairlane in 66. The 65 Cobra was available with the 427. But this comparison "test" is pretty moot. 99% of Mopar fans couldn't even afford to smell the exhaust of a Hemi let alone buy one. Nice try though.

[@JayandCompany95]

That final race between all four cars was epic. The Mopar may have won, but that GTO was right on its tail. PONTIAC POWER!!!

[@onesecureone]

I'm 100% Mopar always was but lf I had to pic another brand it would be Pontiac

[@mrbizmarky1]

it was the hottest cars from each manufacturer at the time, so what ever the hottest package was for each of the cars. the hemi won period! all the cars would have been faster if Ronnie drove them all.

[@schlongtip]

Watching Ronnie shift that 4 speed was awesome! Great video

[@bobd9999]

This is very cool, thanks for posting.

[@o8thman812]

Great ol footage. I'm a Mopar nut from downπnder. We never had true pony cars like these beauties. But at least we built the mightiest Valiants...

[@michaelsinclair5191]

The 66 st. hemi was so detuned.....just a year before the stock A-990 dodges and plymouths were running low elevens and eventually 10.90's. Cobra 427 ? forget it ! 425 h.p. Vette ? No chance ! The first legal Super Stock car to run a sub 12 was in 62, the Melrose Missle 62 Plymouth running a 3 speed stick 413 max wedge at a blistering 11.93 @117 mph on 7 inch slicks and no posi/sure grip ! That old max wedge car would clean house on all 4 of these. They don't allow the Race Hemi cars at the Musclecar shootouts, it would be too embarrasing. You will see 427 Ford T-Bolts,L-88 Chevys,SD 421 Ponchos...you get the picture...the best they had to offer ! Ha !

[@7072wedgehead]

almost broke into the 12,s with that stock Plymouth, don't let anybody tell you cars weren't quick back then

[@davemontanbeau2883]

+7072wedgehead Not with street tires. What specs? In 69 with a sponsored 69 RR 440 6 pak with cam headers and different intake with 3.91 3820 lbs 12.33 @112 with 7" slicks. I don't think so.

[@MyBenjamin66]

This was a pretty good historical film. I am glad that I watched it. The film quality was not the best and that is not the fault of whoever posted it. But this let you know how these cars really ran off of the showroom floor for the average customer who probably just liked the look of one of these cars before he bought it.

[@zxtenn]

MyBenjamin66 Yup, that was it, 100 mph and 14's but 100 mph compared to say a 318 turning 85 mph was a big improvement- Like honest people said back in the day a true 13 second car was impressive.

[@MyBenjamin66]

I agree.

[@earlyetman2258]

A 13.2 at over 107 mph in a bone stock car...That was a hell of a run! Did you hear the way Ronnie revved that motor, probably took her well over 6,000 rpm.

[@zxtenn]

I am sure it was thoroughly 'tuned' though. Dont forget the HEMI was top of the line MOPAR engine, something like a 383 or 440 would be mid to high 14's with non 1/4 mile gears. I had a buddy who had a 70 396 chevelle with 331 gears and a 4 speed, barely got into the 14's at about 94 mph, in 70 350 hp version was stock, plenty of old Road and Track shows showing a Shelby 500 running 14.5, etc.

[@vikingrobot4179]

Oh yeah he was getting a listen for what he knew that baby could do. Noticed he revved that thing between shifts much more than those boys did. Man It’s midnight and I just wanna fire up my barracuda and go slam some gears right now….haha. If you’re gonna build a muscle car from the 60’s you gotta make sure it’s a stick. 4:11 gears don’t hurt either.

[@christianaboody3839]

That was the coolest thank you

[@jameshardin1100]

Mopar has a camshaft advantage in that the lifter bore diameter is .094 inches. BBC and Ford are smaller. I think Chevy is .0875??? Anyway, the larger lifter bore enables the cam to open faster and stay open longer. Of course each of the big 3 had their own different advantages. I prefer Mopar, but would love to have a 66 Fairlane or an early 60s Impala SS.

[@RecklessDezire]

+jim jam The advantage is HEMI.

[@jameshardin1100]

That too!

[@RacerRickxx]

I have had owned all four of the cars in this video. There are a few differences - my Plymouth Belvedere only has a 383, and all the others had automatic. They all had minor work done, like intake and exhaust. The plymouth is the fastest of the bunch, but has 4.10 gears (I still own it). The Chevelle was right on its tail with its 325hp 396 and TH400 and 3.55 gears. The Ford was pretty quick with its 390 GT motor but not near the plymouth or Chevy. The 66' GTO I had was dog. It did have a 389 Tripower with a cam, but was in a convertable and weighed a lot more. The plymouth is a high 13 second car, the Chevelle is a low 14 second car, the ford was a high 14 second car, and the GTO was a 15 second car. All on street tires...all but the GTO would destroy the tires if launched hard. They really needed slicks. These were the common ones too, not the super high HP models.

[@05cr125rider]

No way that goat was that slow if it was right. Must have been an automatic or a pos and you can't drive. Anyone who can't see that this mopar doesn't have drag slicks on it is an idiot. "only modification is no hubcaps " my ass.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Should have been an open chamber rectangle port 4 bolt main 396. The 360-375 horse version.

[@RacerRickxx]

It says in the original post it was an automatic. They had 2 speeds that year, making the automatic cars absolute turds.

[@matrox]

I bet Ronnie got that stock Hemi into the 12s. Probably got the other cars deep into the 13s.

[@thesurveyor2235]

I've been a Mopar guy my whole life but the cards were stacked in the Hemi's favor. It had 35 cubic inches on all of the other three. Even if they had comparable CID the Hemi would have stomped them! It didn't sould to me like any of them were letting the Hemi rev.

[@karlkamphefner8529]

+Randall Price That's because the head design of the HEMI is far superior then the rest!

[@05cr125rider]

Weren't letting it REV?!! Are you kidding me? I had to back away from my computer when Ronnie wound out 3rd for fear of the screen exploding!

[@Kina1981]

13.29??? that's damn impressive for those days especeially on a stock car...must've been the lack of hubcaps hahaha...

[@strattuner]

TWO BEST WEIGHT TRANFER STOCK BODIED CARS MADE 1963-65 B BODIES,AND 1955-57 CHEVY,ADD 4.56 REAR END 11.5 TO 13.5 COMPRESSION, REAL VALVE SPRINGS, SOMEBODY WHO CAN SHIFT,YOU'RE GONE

[@UDT216970]

This shows just how far behind the 390 cid Fords were. In 67 or 68 Car&Driver tested the big-block pony cars and the 390 Mustang ran even witha 375 hp Camaro!!! turn out it was a 428 with 427 heads, cam, blueprinted/balanced, ported and flowed and 'dyno-tuned'. Of course, it caused all those ford guys to bet tons of money thinking they could keep up with a B-B chevy.

[@strattuner]

RONNIE SOX==GENIUS DRIVER

[@erniestevenson3705]

It was really nice to hear him say Terry Cheryl from Klamath Falls Oregon that kind of funny I'm from Klamath Falls Oregon and I'm still going I used to race super stock stock and a modified production and I used to run a altered comp Eliminator those were the good old days rest in peace Terry

[@ashqelon7267]

Love it! Stock volume oil pan. Stock oil pump. Stock Factory rocker arm assembly. Stock Factory clutch. Where the formula for a disaster.

[@marcturk4410]

My favorites have always been dodges and buicks, old's, and pontiacs

[@10susan10]

I WAS there in 66..... 66 - 68 I ran Mopar. 413 & 426 max wedges... Learned a lot and the switched to the Cobra Jets. There is NO NO NO way that a Hemi can be compared to the cars in the test. Top dog from Ford would have been an R code 427 Chevy also 427, Pontiac XS package.... better learn your history. Tested cars were the low horsepower big block intermediates not the comparable engines to the Hemi. And most old timers know about the supposed GM limit - all you needed was COPO #.

[@loyalamerican8776]

You better learn your history!... R & F E code Fords and GM's Copo we're race engines and these are street cars they are testing... let's put the race Hemi up against the badass Fords and badass Gm's

[@onesecureone]

No matter what they tested the outcome was the same mopars won and once they settled that at the drags they set there sights on nascar and won that battle also Lost in the 80s then comes the hellcat and demon 1 thing for sure dodge was always the underdog that's why I love them

[@kevinfetner7983]

Sox was the best of the best in a drag race. Nobody ever worked a 4spd like he did.

[@acemaster1001]

not the case for a L-88 or ZL1. They were rated at 430hp. Which they did make at about 5800rpm. Keep going to 6800rpm you ll make 485-515.

[@UDT216970]

The 396 was in fact the 325 h/p model. It was just a tad quicker than the GTO and had it been the 375, which was at that time a left-over 1965 396-425 Corvette engine with the thick wall casting that could be bored to a 427. A '375' would most likely run very close to if not beat the Hemi. The 396/425 made closer to 525.

[@rharley5652]

Best Video on youtube !!!!

[@chadshepard3449]

No contest lol the hemi was going to win. I would have liked to see what a 427 chevelle would have done in the early chevelles.

[@UDT216970]

That is because he was never afraid to twist an engine. I remember his 2 1962 409's the he shifted at 8500 rpm. You just KNEW that thing was going to grenade but they never did.

[@DONDIVA1969]

All horsepower ratings including muscle car were inflated not under rated. They were gross measurements. No accessories, tweaked timing, dyno exhaust and corrected for humidity and temp. Horsepower as installed in the cars was lower than advertised. In the old racing bulletins, Chrysler factory engineers said the original factory rating of 375for the 440 Magnum was too high. The "Bracket Racer Science" bulletin lists the power of the stock 440 four barrels at a more conservative 330 hp.

[@7072wedgehead]

did the announcer call the sox&martin car "bakaruda" car on purpose? lol

[@kevinpatrick8788]

the sox and martin team nicknamed it the baccaruda . announcer was correct

[@HemiJoel]

Sorry, but you don't seem to understanding at all of what was going on in 1966. If you did, you would know that this was a fair camparison. These were the top dog muscle cars from each manufacturer, at that time. Suggesting that Mopar bring it's smallest muscle engine, to square off against the others top muscle cars is rediculous. Is it mopars fault that Fords top production engine in the 66 Fairlane was a 390? Or that GM brass had a self imposed 400 CID limit on their intermdiates. Hemi WINS!

[@sonandsanford4963]

Agree 100%.... but the 413 Max wedge or that regular 426 would have been right there. Long live the Hemi!

[@EnlightenmeMs]

In 1966 Ford Fairlane had and R code 427 425hp maybe that would have been more fair vs 390 Fairlane

[@fallguy72]

+Debbie Kaser no kidding!

[@HemiJoel]

+Debbie Kaser The 1966 R code Fairlane, while an awesome car, was not available to the general public. Only 57 were built, and you had to be a well known racer to get one. This test is fair, because it featured the top muscle cars of each brand that were available to the public at that time.

[@mylanmiller9656]

That is not true they were limited but not that limited. ! know of a local racer that bought one and he still has it to this day.

[@alzaidi7739]

you're making his point! smh

[@tomp1612]

They sure were not available at Winternationals time (Jan 66) when this was filmed. They were not built until months later. Even a racer could not get one in January.

[@michaelmcguire3198]

Mopar crush the chevy (& ford & goat) - in all seriousness - nice video I like them all.

[@darrinjones5951]

Let me see that Hemi go up against a 427 Chevy and see what happens. The Hemi had a hard time with just the base 396 Chevelle. not even the 375hp version

[@UDT216970]

Based on a true weight of 3800 lbs for the 71 Vette and a trap speed of 110 the car would be putting about 465-475 hp to the ground. If the car weighs less the h/p would also be down form that number.

[@sonandsanford4963]

Hemi then, hemi now, hemi forever!

[@smilsmff]

The Hemi Satellite weighed in at 4000# plus not a Fly weight 1980s GT 5.0 mustang, and oh look up 390, some of those were cammed up ! I do think they used cheatr slicks back then ,a nd they set up points for drag racing as well as carbs on all the tests then

[@mikepinder8128]

My bolt on 1996 lT1 camaro also went 13.2 107mph with street tires and 3.42 gears.. nothing like modern muscle

[@01trsmar]

These cars have a harder time getting traction than a modern radial Camaro..Even Drag Slicks 10 inch versions didn't get as much traction as a modern radial tire....Plus the Hemi gained 33 NET hp every year as it was changed every year but hp was never changed...The GM and Ford cars should be 13's all day with proper tires...Remember even tracks were not like the 90's or 80's or even today,as they didn't have compounds to make it stickier...The Plymouth didn't even hook,lowering times by 1 second with those skiny tires....that 66 version is a 11.90-12.05 car all day long...I knew a guy who had a never rebuilt 67 GTX and he had to lift to not get it into the 11's,he ran 12.05-12.10 all the time,he lifted as it would run 11.89 with a bone stock car,he ran modern 275 radials,this was back in the late 80's early 90's..He was the original owner and car never rebuilt..My Dad also ran a 440 6bbl Cuda he bought new in 1970,he ran 11.90's to 12 flat with drag slicks but he still spun 10 inch slicks of the day...Car was dead stock 440 6 barrel,727,3.23 gearing..*Drag slicks 10 inch wide didn't hook like a modern radial on track compound of today..

[@alzaidi7739]

Camaro? Don't they wipe cam lobes? Does it have a back seat for 3 adults? Please stick to the AC Cobra comparisons

[@MrBrockberg]

no im just saying stock for stock what about the 440 with the sixpack package or the 455 buicks in a gsx. the really great question is if opec never happened and they didnt banned the ford SOHC what would the others have brought to the table. i know about the dohc hemi and the 455 gm was working on

[@oliasofsunhillow4249]

cars were cars back then! and they looked like cars! not moving billboards!

[@UDT216970]

A stock 302 cid Z/28 put down about 404 at the crank when tuned properly....same with the BOSS-302. The 396-425/375 was equally underrated. if the engine is RIGHT....most on the street aren't....it should go 500+. The 71 Vette only came factory with either a 350 or a 454 so something is amiss on your buds car. I'm going to check my hp calculator for those times to see what that engine put down.

[@moparXdarren]

Mopar baby!!!

[@benbusy7295]

RIP Mr. 4 speed

[@MontrealMan1970]

14.00 @ 104mph for a street hemi prepped by the dodge boys & shifted by the best ( Sox ) is nothing short of tragic.

[@RecklessDezire]

+MontrealMan1970 he got 13.2 on his only run with it lol.

[@MontrealMan1970]

+Joshua Edward 22:09

[@RecklessDezire]

That wasn't Ronnie, that was one of the idiot drivers. 24:32 13.29.

[@MontrealMan1970]

+Joshua Edward thanks. Those kids didn't have a clue how to hook up. With Ronnie it's all on a different level.

[@01trsmar]

Bone stock on street tires..11 second car when Prepped by the Plymouth Guys..Thats dead stock just with tires that get traction..The car went down the track in 2nd gear,thus no big power band of the 1st gear as it fried the tires in 1st..

[@randywilson7399]

The Satellite is at least 300 lbs heavier than GTO, the 2nd heaviest car at about 3600 lbs.

[@79tazman]

Ronnie Sox is a pro and that is why he drove Mopar because they are the best

[@michaelfoster8513]

I grew up in Burlington, knew and worked for Ronnie..he drove Mopar because Buddy Martin cut a better financial deal with them......they supplied personal cars for Ronnie, Buddy Crosby and Jake King. The fact remains that a 427 Chevy made more H/P and Torque than a Hemi. NHRA factored the L/88 at 640 and the Hemi at 550. Just because Chrysler spent millions supporting their cars directly just as Ford did and Chevy could only provide parts at an affordable price put the Chevy racer a a huge disadvantage and even then they won more racer i NHRA than anyone.And, as we all know, as soon a NHRA adopted the set weight/cid rule, the Chevys owned Pro-Stock.

[@michaelfoster8513]

Jack Rohde.....The problem with the first BB 396/427's was 3/8" rod bolts and weak rocker arms and in 1967 the L-88 cured all that. My 396/375 converted to 7/16" rods and 427 open chambered heads would rev 7800 all night. Never had a bottom end problem and from what I've seen the BOSS-302 and Z/28 (302) never had bottom end problems. My BOSS-302 with 5.4" Trans-Am rods would hold 8500 forever and the same block/crank/rod combo in the 305 Gurney-Weslake ran 8500 shift points for 24 hours at LeMans and won it back-to-back with the same car in 68/69..all without a block that extended past the main caps and without cross-bolting.

[@michaelfoster8513]

Jack, the fact remains that the BBC was, is and shall forever be the KING OF BIG BLOCK pushrod engines. And just so you will know....Ford pulled out of ALL racing at the end of the 1970 season....not 1974. When NHRA adopted the small block weight break in 1973 the death of the BB ANYTHING in Pro-Stock was signed, sealed and delivered. The Cleveland head Ford became THE engine to have with exhaust port plates and the likes of Glidden and Gapp-Rousch, Scott Shafiroff winning everything in sight. I don't know how well the BBC responds to blowers...isn't the ONLY engine allowed in T/F the hemi?...but I do know the only way those guys with Hemi's who were winning back in the 90's were also hiding NOX in the scoops. When they got caught the shop just happened to have a break-in and fire!!

[@michaelfoster8513]

Sorry, pal, but he was racing long before 1963. He had TWO 1962 409's...1 bubble-top 3 speed and one fake convertible top 4 speed. one was red the other black. Go back to school and learn something. I grew up in Burlnigton back then and Ronnie grew up 1 street over from my best friend.

[@duaneehr1931]

***** Thanks for the info, didn't know Sox ran Chevy's early on. As for Micheal Foster, your arrogance is not welcome here and don't think the late great Mr Ronnie Sox would appreciate it either.

[@DONDIVA1969]

Not true. back in the day Bill Porterfield dyno'd his ZL1 and the results were All accessories, production exhaust manifolds, Camaro chambered exhaust system,36 degrees timing - 375.7 HP As above with 2-1/8" headers replacing the manifolds - 418.9 HP Air cleaner, alternator, AIR pump removed - 447.2 HP Carb re-jetted, timing set to 39 degrees - 444.2 HP Chambered exhaust system removed - 523.6 HP The net horespower would have been around 375 hp

[@johnshackelford6965]

I love bean's they make me big.

[@kevincruz4045]

Smoggy days of LA. Win on Sunday selll on Monday, plenty of dragstrips.

[@k05sean]

you see Ronnie shifted later than the others

[@Moparmal]

As Joel said...you're missing the point - the competition you refer to WASN'T AVAILABLE in 1966... So it IS a fair comparison. And to say that the Hemi didn't prove itself at the track is dimply a dim-witted remark from someone who should know better.....Never heard of Sox, Ekstrand, Isaac or Petty?

[@richardcollis9729]

who plays that song?

[@UDT216970]

The 1970 454 was either a 390 h/p or a 465 h/p rating......both pessimistic by 100 or more.

[@michaelsinclair5191]

Remember this was Mopars detuned for 66 street package....the fast ones were made a year earlier. The 65 Dodge Plymouth A-990 cars....10.90's@ 125 mph in 65. They don't allow those " Race Hemis " at the Musclecar showdowns....it would be too embarrasing to the 427 vettes and Cobras.

[@soxfunny98]

@@05cr125rider Yea ok. Go look at like every 3 race stage1 buick vs HEMI BACK WHEN THE ONE STAGE ONE CHEATED BAD AND WAS EVENTUALLY BUSTED. THEY EVENTUALLY LINED UP FOR I BELIEVE CAR CRAFT? 2.... 3 RACE WINNERS TAKE IT ALL WENT DOWN. THE CARS WERE CHECKED FOR BEING STOCK. THE HEMI I BELIEVE DAVE DUDEK BEAT THE HECK OUT OF THE STAGE 1 3 OUT OF 3 RACES. THEN ANOTHER STAGE1 AND ANOTHER HEMI. SAME OUTCOME HEMI 3 WINS STAGE 1 ZERO! THERE WAS A 2 RACE VETTE L88 AGAINST A HEMI ROAD RUNNER. THE HEMI BEAT IT BOTH TIMES. THEY DID AN INTERVIEW WITH THE VETTE DRIVER ( BUICK DRIVERS JUST LEFT) THEY ASKED THE VETTE DRIVER WHAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY DRIVING" HE SAID NOTHING. THEY ASKED ANYTHING??? HE SAID, SHOULD HAVE RAN A HEMI IN THE VETTE. LOOK IT UP. ITS ON YOU TUBE SOMEWHERE STILL IM SURE.

[@mikepinder8128]

Not a fair fight the Hemi has much more cubes and two 4,s

[@HemiJoel]

That's the point. The Hemi was better than the competition. More cubes, more carbs, more power. It's fair because it was each manufacturers top muscle car. You wouldn't expect Plymouth to send a 383 car just to be "fair" would you?

[@mylanmiller9656]

Were is the 427 ford fairlane if these are supposed to be the best When Chrysler does the test we can be sure the Chrysler will win! The Hemi is not that much better than the Chevy 396!

[@01trsmar]

Street tires cars don't hook.. Hemi was a 11 second ride...396 was 13 second ride when it had better traction..I know I drove these stock..

[@walterbrob]

Come on now, the mighty Hemi barely edged out an SS Chevelle with the mild hydraulic liftered 396/325? They didn't have a 396/375 solid lifter car available? Is this a Mopar commercial?

[@05cr125rider]

yeah and it didn't have any slicks on it either

[@JayandCompany95]

I still think Pontiac was a little cooler though,... then again I love GM cars... oh well. Mopars are awesome too. :)

[@mark9531]

Narrated by Bud Linderman

[@789pokey]

No surprise the 390 was the slowest, ET and trap speed.

[@angieholmquist2372]

They were not missiles, But I drove a 66 Fairlane 100% stock 390 auto 3.25 open differential to 14.85, so the one they had was a bit of a slug !

[@mikepinder8128]

68-69 l88 would run circles on that Hemi

[@HemiJoel]

Except for the fact that it did not exist in 1966 when this film was made...

[@01trsmar]

The 426 Hemi gained 33 net hp every year as in 67 they changed it a bit,68 was changed ,69 again..70 & 71 were the 550 hp versions...The tires on the Plymouth 9others too0 were worse than a Wal Mart radial tire of today..The 426 Hemi cars were all 11 second cars bone stock...If they had drag radials they would run 11's or even todays radials..

[@jameshardin1100]

How many L88s won the Daytona 500?

[@patrickwlorentz3439]

In what year did Ford release the 1966 Galaxie 7 litre?

[@Brianscoronet]

1966

[@mylanmiller9656]

My 1985 Mustang GT ran 14.01 at 96 mph with mufflers and 13.7 at 103 with open pipes! and I only had a 302. and if these are supposed to be the best Why are they using a 390 Fairlane and not a 427.

[@231mac]

If you're saying it was all stock running a 14.01, you're lying.

[@01trsmar]

These cars have a harder time getting traction than a modern radial Mustang GT..Even Drag Slicks 10 inch versions didn't get as much traction as a modern radial tire....Plus the Hemi gained 33 NET hp every year as it was changed every year but hp was never changed...The GM and Ford cars should be 13's all day with proper tires...Remember even tracks were not like the 80's or even today,as they didn't have compounds to make it stickier...The Plymouth didn't even hook,lowering times by 1 second with those skiny tires....I knew a guy who had a never rebuilt 67 GTX and he had to lift to not get it into the 11's,he ran 12.05-12.10 all the time,he lifted as it would run 11.89 with a bone stock car,he ran modern 275 radials,this was back in the late 80's early 90's..He was the original owner and car never rebuilt..My Dad also ran a 440 6bbl Cuda he bought new in 1970,he ran 11.90's to 12 flat with drag slicks but he still spun 10 inch slicks of the day...Car was dead stock 440 6 barrel,727,3.23 gearing.*Drag slicks 10 inch wide didn't hook like a modern radial on track compound of today..

[@HJBounell]

Most people will never really understand the joy in this. These young bastages were invited to drive this showroom muscle like they stole it. All day. Then they cried in their beer over their half second spanking by a virtuoso. Sure the hemi was quickest. Again, not the point. I didn't see any frowning, drama, or hollyweird manufactured bullshit.

[@acemaster1001]

They should have had ronnie run all the carts after. The other drivers Suck at driving. I would bet the Chevelle would have done much better,

[@DONDIVA1969]

The engineer that headed the development of the 1970 Buick Stage 1 said that it was a maximum street effort performance car. Everything from the heads, cam and transmission were meant to extract maximum perform on the street. Cars like the 442 W-30 and Chevelle 396 L78 had wilds cam that needed headers and improved exhaust to live up to their potential. Straight off the showroom floor with no tuning the 1970 GS Stage 1 would beat the Hemi, hence the name “Hemi Killer”.

[@RacerRickxx]

+DONDIVA1969 Yep. On the street, a Hemi was actually not that fast in stock form. The 440 cars, especially the 6 pack cars, were quite a bit faster for a car that could be driven every day. Probably the fasted stock street car from the era would be a toss up between a 70' Stage 1 Buick, a 440-6 Roadrunner of Super Bee, and a Super Duty Trans Am. I am leaving out factory race car packages because they were not very streetable. Anything with a solid lifter cam, that would only run on Sunoco 260 is not really a daily driver style street car.

[@HemiJoel]

+DONDIVA1969 It's your fantasy, you can have it any way you want. The Buicks were also chick magnets and could predict roulette wheel results, right?

[@RacerRickxx]

A well tuned hemi was a force to be reckoned with in the quarter but the better low end torque of the Buick, 440 cars, and Super Duty Trans Am made them faster stop light to stop light (often less than an 1/8th mile), before the hemi could really hit its stride.

[@DONDIVA1969]

+RacerRickxx You're right, back in the vintage muscle car era reputations were earned on the the street and most of that racing was done with close to stock cars in stoplight to stoplight racing. Of course the Hemi was a superior racing engine. However, on the street the lack of low end torque as compared to the Stage 1 and 440 cars made it vulnerable to them in those short burst street races. The Stage1 cars in particular were designed as street racers taking full advantage of the tremendous low and midrange torque those engines were capable of.

[@alzaidi7739]

? All 60's slant sixes and 273's had solid lifter cams. Only adjusted it once in its lifetime.

[@acemaster1001]

Their is your problem. 36 degrees and chamberd exhaust. The power is their. They just never found it. 45 degrees and different exhaust with stock manifolds on a camaro would make 480. Same with the L/88 vette. minus better manifolds your knocking on 500hp. Iv dyno 'd both engines stock.

[@johnstrickland257]

Cool vid man. You want to text?

[@robbyfranks5003]

its not the car, the driver makes up a lot when it comes to drag racing... takes years to master the power shift, launch and the control not to blow it... mopar was ready at that time for the win... before it was all chevy... if you ever drove a old 4 speed you can appreciate the talent to shift like that... i only wish to have half the talent of mr 4 speed

[@zxtenn]

Robby Franks They were looking for averages and that's what they got--100 mph trap speed and a few more for the Hemi but those were far more radical than say a smooth running GTO 14's was what they would run back in the day

[@05cr125rider]

If you can't shift near that fast you need to get an automatic

[@kennethrobinson11231]

This is a bad joke. Lets look at this. The Chevelle, what 396 was it. The 325 or 360, but I'll tell you right now it wasn't the 375. What gear was in it. 3;55, 3;73, 4;11. It sounded like a 3;55. I raced one back then. 360 hp 3:73 gears and a 375 cam on M&H 7 in. slicks. It would run 13;20. Pipes were off at the maniflow. NO headers. Came out of the hole at 7,000 and shifted at 7,000. Never got beat on the street. A 375 hp 396 would pull it 2 cars. links. The GTO, what hp was it. I'm going to say it was a 360 Tri-power. But what gear was in it. The 390 ford I'm not even going to talk about. Nobody would wind them up at all. and the shifts were way to slow. A 75 year old woman could out shift these guys. I used to run a 66 GTO with 360 hp and headers and 3;73 gears recap slicks ( weren't worth the time to put them on the car) And I still have the time cards. 13;60 best. With street tires 3;90. I have a pic of me beating a Hemi Road Runner at Bluegrass Dragway Lexington KY. Won by a car link. And with the GTO If the Chev was a 375 hp. car the Hemi would have it's hands full. I looked at the rear tires and I didn't see any tread on them ( the Hemi car) And they were bigger than the front tires, you look for yourself. The hemi should have beat these cars. This was a ringer from the start.

[@matrox]

Didn't the 396 revved to 7000, I thought the redlined in the low 6s.

[@kennethrobinson11231]

7000 was about all you wanted to turn them. They would turn 7000 EZ. the 360 and the 375 HP.

[@05cr125rider]

kennethrobinson11231 You're right as rain,this was an obvious promotional film by Chrysler.And It sounds like someone sneeked in there and retarded the timing on all but the plymouth! And my mom used to shift a three on the tree faster than those guys under normal driving.

[@zxtenn]

kennethrobinson11231 Pontiac revved 5 grand and that's it same with a 360 hydraulic 396- Regardless 100 mph trap speed was all they were good for and somewhere in the 14's was what they ran

[@kennethrobinson11231]

jim dandy Well I still have my tickets where I ran in the 13's with a 360 HP 389 GTO. And I use to run in mid 13's with a 66 Chevelle 396 360 HP. Jim Dandy, you're no so Dandy with you Bull Crap.

[@1Bandit455]

Anybody heard of Jim Wanger's The Blackbird - 1968 Firebird Ram Air IV 455 > Ruled Woodward Ave. etc. in Detroit early 70's - Gave Hemi's etc. Fits

[@marcturk4410]

The 440 is the competitor to the 455 bop, Ford's fe,s and 429,460, the hemi is a hobbies engine

[@mark9531]

Good evening 1Banbdit. You said; "The Blackbird - 1968 Firebird Ram Air IV 455 > Ruled Woodward Ave" I know this is a very old comment. You may not monitor You Tube anymore. ___________________________ I think that distinction may have gone to Jimmy Addison who was called the "King of Woodward" in his silver 67 Hemi GTX named "The Silver Bullet "King of Woodward" ________________________ Officially, the Silver Bullet was only beat twice by a 69 Grand Prix an a Camaro The Silver Bullet and the Blackbird did race once. However, by then, Jim Wanger had sold the car to his driver. Soon after this race, the driver blew the engine and the Blackbird sat for several years. Jim Wanger did put a 455 Ram Air 4 into a 67 Firebird. And added a lot of "go fast" goodies. But it went through 2 more owners and a lot of years sitting before it gained notoriety

[@zxtenn]

FORD 390 WAS JUNKKKKKKKKKK, belonged in a station wagon

[@M21L35]

Bogus evaluation! This is an apples & oranges comparison!....a minimum of no less than a 65 horsepower advantage for the Hemi Belvedere!

[@SquillyMon]

Could you imagine having a 9 second Turbo Honda Civic back then ? These guys would literally have heart attacks right on the track.

[@01trsmar]

Yeah,then a Honda was a 50 second 1/4 mile...To bad americans felt bad for the Japanese after the War that's why they let them flood the market with unfair trade,the flooded the market with cheap Japanese goods..now its China and its cheap goods...Honda lol..Americans are the ones who made Honda's quicker...Even American Honda cars are quicker than they would be because of American tastes.

[@TwoBlackMarks]

My almost stock 1978 Camaro ran 14.30 @ 100mph.. Maybe a bit faster time, cannot remember exactly, but 14.30 or a bit faster. The timeslips are somewhere, it was my first timeslips. :)

[@merlyn59]

Like those rear tires on the MoPar were stock. BS! And what were the horse power ratings of the competitors? All hype...just another ad campaign.

[@RecklessDezire]

Merlyn Sk HEMI + Ronnie Sox bitch. #youreafuckhead and the other cars had slicks too

[@01trsmar]

They were they lit up like a camp fire,no traction in 1st,car went down the track in 2nd-3rd gear..

[@10susan10]

Great drag coverage BUT the MOPAR bulsh.t advertising gimmick just shows how the NHRA was bought by Chrysler in the late 60's. Comparable should have been a 383 vs 389 vs 396 vs 390 NOT a 426 Hemi. One of the most biased promotions that MOPAR tired to pull off. Didn't work on the track or where it really maters - car sales. Comparable today would be someone getting the new factory $91,000 Cobra Jet vs any $30,000 Camaro or Challenger and Ford calling the vehicles the "same".