Have high powered factory cars ruined hotrodding???

[Qdub24]

I rather have a 1996 Imapala SS with an LS swap than any car domestic car that is made now (well except a Vette). That doesn't mean the car is better, I just like it more. It's true, you may see 100 of them in the streets around here, but you'll see 100,000 new gen Hemis.

I've had one of those; the 9C1s are better built for actual performance.

 

[L67ss]

I think the new factory high horsepower cars are just part of the cycle of change I have seen since riding in or driving cars since the late 60's and early 70's.

In the early 80's the fastest car I owned was my 74 Nova. It had a 350 and 4 speed with roughly 400 horses. It had plenty of power and was quick. With the gearing it was a steady 13-14 second car at the strip. This was on open car nights, stock street tires, just some fun times with friends and trying different tune ups to see how it affected speed. Nowadays if I still had this car my Sister's Camry would give me a run for my money and out corner me without much effort with the ac on! But back then with the available technology and cars available, the Nova I had was competitive and equal to many other performance cars on the street.

Back in 85 200 hp or close to it was becoming the norm as far as performance cars were. 10 years ago 300-400 hp seemed to be the norm. Now anything with 500 hp is looked at as "oh thats all" kind of mentality thanks to ZL 1's Hellcats, Demons, etc.

Unless something catastrophic happens to the economy I see the factory performance market growing still. There is always room for improvements and is there any true ceiling for hp when it comes to the true car nut?

My favorite shake my head moment is how some Hellcat owners are all bummed out because of the Demon. My goodness you think the world was coming to end. All of a sudden words like inadequate, not good enough, just not the same anymore, were being said about a 707 hp factory car! I never in my life thought I would see the day a 700 hp car was inadequate! This just begs to ask if many of these Hellcat owners are true car guys or just spoiled brats that have to have newest and best of everything and are never happy or satisfied? The cars themselves are not ruining the hobby, it is the type of owner getting these cars and by their stupidity on the road making all of the true enthusiasts look bad.

Most of the above is just my opinion based on seeing cars change since the late 60's until now and just like many other trends in society today, we can see the good in most of it, but there will always be something or someone to give it a negative turn. I am just waiting for the day I can put a 600 hp electric motor in my SS that weighs 100 pounds total with batteries and charges the battery packs in 5 minutes. Sounds crazy now, but 10 years ago I never thought I would see a factory built type car like a Hellcat or Tesla that can go sub 3 second 0-60 mph times with a full warranty and high tech systems. And with cup holders!!! lol

Actually have a friend that works at O'Reilly that drives a challenger who is currently watching insurance auctions waiting to snap up a total led demon lol

 

[L67ss]

Situations like these always remind me of this::

My favorite line of the whole movie....and one I've used myself lol

 

[L67ss]

This response is rife with dated information... about 1 to 2 decades old. Ignore it.

FWIW, I put 30psi (logged) into my stock 3.8 with the factory original head gaskets from a TE63e turbo. Simple oiling mods are available to deal with the minor issues. And I never owned a Scan Master (junk) - I spent my money on actual datalogging software like TurboLink, DirectScan, and the PowerLogger - cheaper and easier than re&reing the heads.

Amazingly the late-model stuff is just as susceptible to blowing up from stupid-*ss irresponsible tuning blunders. Don't treat your head gaskets like a fuse, kids.

For example on my last 3800 in my dd Monte I managed to crack the wires to both knock sensors while I was changing out the trans. Couple 100+ mph wot blasts later a piston disappeared lol

 

[L67ss]

Do you know what new performance cars are good for?

Parts.

When my wife's LS1 Camaro had reached the end of its serviceable life (didn't meet our needs any longer) and didn't sell as a whole car - we parted it out. Then used all of the speed and technology to refresh a car (the wagon) that did meet our immediate needs (granted it has taken over 3 years to build it). What do you think we have to show for it? A hotrod in the purest sense.

Hot Rodders have been pulling the go-fast goodies out of crashed factory performance cars for nearly a century (slight exaggeration for effect) and sticking those parts into older (and usually lighter) and more interesting platforms. This is the basis of everything we should be aiming to do.

Honestly, I really respect everyone's perspective on this topic - because if we all saw and did things the same way the world would be pretty boring.

And recycling parts like that has always been the truest form of hotrodding to me

 

[Opie Knievel]

I've had one of those; the 9C1s are better built for actual performance.

I'm gonna have to disagree on this one. I've had a lot of seat time in a '96 SS and owned a Caprice. What's the difference between an SS and a 9C1? Trim and looks basically. They both have the LT1, 4L60E, limited slip rear end, extra coolers for oil and transmission and I think power steering fluid, really good brakes and a good handling suspension. For a 4200lbs car it will surprise you how good it handles. If there's something I'm missing, fill me in.

 

[gbodytoys]

I've had one of those; the 9C1s are better built for actual performance.

WX3 > 9C1. Just because...SS. Based on what I've read, you're right. I'm not sure when those differences would matter, unless you did several runs on a track or autocross. I'm only interested in straight line performance with that one...it's a boat lol.

I'm gonna have to disagree on this one. I've had a lot of seat time in a '96 SS and owned a Caprice. What's the difference between an SS and a 9C1? Trim and looks basically. They both have the LT1, 4L60E, limited slip rear end, extra coolers for oil and transmission and I think power steering fluid, really good brakes and a good handling suspension. For a 4200lbs car it will surprise you how good it handles. If there's something I'm missing, fill me in.

I think you might be wrong about the extra coolers.

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/10-caprice/264152-impala-vs-9c1-pros-vs-cons.html

OP here is my .02 cents on the difference.

1. 9C1's have the taller suspension, where SS's are lowered from the factory
2. SS's carry 17 inch wheels, where as a 9C1 or Civi didn't
3. 9C1's have all the the body bushings, and SS's don't
4. As LT stated above, both OIL and Trans coolers on the 9C1's, SS's got just the trans cooler (I could be wrong on this one I can never remember)
5. Later year 95 9C1's had the larger lower ball joints installed, where as SS's never got this option
6. 9C1's had the crappy interior, where SS's didn't
7. The biggest difference, RESALE VALUE

 

[Opie Knievel]

WX3 > 9C1. Just because...SS. Based on what I've read, you're right. I'm not sure when those differences would matter, unless you did several runs on a track or autocross. I'm only interested in straight line performance with that one...it's a boat lol.


I think you might be wrong about the extra coolers.

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/10-caprice/264152-impala-vs-9c1-pros-vs-cons.html

Either way, they handle so much better than you would ever expect a car that size to be able to. Maybe I need to find a Caprice for a daily driver so I can finally do some work to the Monte Carlo.

 

[Qdub24]

9C1 > WX8 > WX3

 

[UNGN]

Actually have a friend that works at O'Reilly that drives a challenger who is currently watching insurance auctions waiting to snap up a total led demon lol

A totaled Demon is still going to be about $35-40K...for a wrecked, non running car. i didn't realized Oreilly's paid that well.

My dad went to the Chrysler dealer in west Omaha, today. They had 2 Demons and a 2011 V10 Drag Pack Challenger with 600 NA HP (one of 70 built) on the showroom. One of the Demons was seat delete AND door mirror delete.

What kind of idiot deletes the rear view mirrors? what does a mirror weigh? 1 lb? Has the dumbass who checked the mirror delete box ever tried to back out of an enclosed trailer in a wide *ss car without door mirrors? is he going to use the force? Have two people on each side of the car help him back out and then not run over one of them because he doesn't have door mirrors?

Like I say about people paying $1 million for convertible Hemi Cuda's: "have you EVER driven a convertible cuda?" If you had, you'd wouldn't be paying a MILLION DOLLARS for one. I put 20K miles on a '71 convertible 'Cuda as my daily driver and I don't think I would ever want to do that again. The worst 1980's car you can think of: Yugo? - it drives better than a convertible 'cuda. Honestly.

The best thing about a '71 'Cuda 340 convert was actually the gas mileage. 21 mpg with high compression and dime side primaries on the 850 CFM Thermoquad. The handling, brakes, steering, driving position, ride, NVH, all sucked balls. An autocross between stock cuda convert (any motor) vs a stock '83 Yugo would be fun to watch. My money is on the Yugo.