G-body drag racing video from 1987

Status
Not open for further replies.

87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
679
93
eastern SD
Pretty much all of the 80's domestic performance cars are represented.....as you would expect, the turbo buicks clean house (although the 13.6 cars would not have been stock). The other g-bodies did not fare too well (2 442's and 1 monte SS).

 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
12,612
113
Michigan
Man those cars look slow, he says Olds Trans Am @ 2:48
 

motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
27,522
113
Saskatchewan, Truckistan
I was excited to watch that... and then I fell asleep a few races in.

 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 2 users

69hurstolds

Geezer
Supporting Member
Jan 2, 2006
8,088
17,308
113
All stock cars look slow at the drag strip. Your mind keeps thinking they'll see a top fuel run, but then when you see it in 1/3 speed, it just looks like it's in slow motion. It's the same at the H/OCA meets at the dragstrips. The 68 H/Os appear slow AF running down the 1/4 mile. But they're impressive at the streetlight when they get on it. Could you imagine the monsters they could have made if they had the computer aided engineering platforms they have today where they can get 400 HP out of an engine the size of an ice cube? 1000 HP Chevelles, 200 mph Mustangs...most of us old f**ks would be dead by now most likely.

That white 442 did dig the hole shot, so 3.73s are worth something pushing a 2 ton pig with a 307. But that was about it. It's nice to see stuff like this. And it also puts a point on the fact that the 80s were a sad state of affairs for performance, regardless of the make. Keeping price points in check, they did the best with what they had.

A historical slice in time. Those were the days nobody was thinking about having to cut the rear of their frame off to replace the rusty hulk that lives under there. Or spend THOUSANDS on sticking an LS up front. All the cars looked so shiny and new...how stock some of those cars actually were in the video is anyone's guess, though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
27,522
113
Saskatchewan, Truckistan
All stock cars look slow at the drag strip. Your mind keeps thinking they'll see a top fuel run, but then when you see it in 1/3 speed, it just looks like it's in slow motion. It's the same at the H/OCA meets at the dragstrips. The 68 H/Os appear slow AF running down the 1/4 mile. But they're impressive at the streetlight when they get on it. Could you imagine the monsters they could have made if they had the computer aided engineering platforms they have today where they can get 400 HP out of an engine the size of an ice cube? 1000 HP Chevelles, 200 mph Mustangs...most of us old f**ks would be dead by now most likely.

That white 442 did dig the hole shot, so 3.73s are worth something pushing a 2 ton pig with a 307. But that was about it. It's nice to see stuff like this. And it also puts a point on the fact that the 80s were a sad state of affairs for performance, regardless of the make. Keeping price points in check, they did the best with what they had.

A historical slice in time. Those were the days nobody was thinking about having to cut the rear of their frame off to replace the rusty hulk that lives under there. Or spend THOUSANDS on sticking an LS up front. All the cars looked so shiny and new...how stock some of those cars actually were in the video is anyone's guess, though.

The mid-80s marked a turning point for performance. By the early 90s people had really figured things out with Turbo Buicks. I have images of BBCs stuffed into 80s Monte's and Camaros burned into my mind. These efforts became the stuff of legend.

Case in point:

The sensation and appreciation of speed is relative to personal experience. But, stock for stock the 80s cars were definitely a force to be reckoned with for the original muscle cars.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
12,612
113
Michigan
I have images of BBCs stuffed into 80s Monte's and Camaros burned into my mind.
My first BBC install in a Gbody was around 1989-90 and it was in my Monte where the current 565 BBC sits.
I know around here I was probably one of the first ones to do it and the Hooker Super Comp engine swap headers had not been out very long at that time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,660
1
12,060
113
Upstate NY
Wow, anyone that thinks BB swaps, turbo's, blowers and nitrous is bad ought to watch that. There isn't much there that's 'running' imo other than those Regal's.

Now imagine, if mother GM let Buick build a V8 turbo Regal in '88...................hmmm. Nah, we got slow Vette's instead and stopped the line that made the Vette less valuable.

The only thing positive from that debacle of GM politics was when someone came up with the LS in the mid 90's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
27,522
113
Saskatchewan, Truckistan
Wow, anyone that thinks BB swaps, turbo's, blowers and nitrous is bad ought to watch that. There isn't much there that's 'running' imo other than those Regal's.

Now imagine, if mother GM let Buick build a V8 turbo Regal in '88...................hmmm. Nah, we got slow Vette's instead and stopped the line that made the Vette less valuable.

The only thing positive from that debacle of GM politics was when someone came up with the LS in the mid 90's.

I mean... the Turbo TA, Sy/Ty and ZR1 didn't exactly suck.
 
  • Agree
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor