<VV> Modern car times vs Corvair and Muscle cars

[Eric S. Eberhard]

Cars in the 13s

Ford or Toyata pickup (Lightning/TRD)
A 2004 Ford Focus (really)
60s/70s Mustangs (by the 2000s the Mustangs are in the 12s)
Stock Mustang GT is 13 flat
Ford Taurus SHO
Ford Tempo
Grand Torino
Escort
Trailblazer (SUV)
Caddy CTS-V
Caddy  2006 STS-V
Bentley Continental GT (new) easy 13 flat without getting any of the 
hotrod versions which hit high11s
Bentley 1998 Continental R California Edition #6, 13.2
The green -- Infiniti Hybrid at 13.9 (2012)

In the 12s

Mustang Shelby GT is 12.2
And in the green all electric category we have the Tesla Roadster at 12.6
Camaro
Aston Martin Vanquish
V8 Vantage S, DB9
Caddy CTS-V Sedan 12.0
Caddy CTS-V station wagon!  12.5
BMW M3

Insane

Corvettes in the 10s to 12s (2011 ZR1 = 11.1)
Lingenfelter Corvette, 9.1
Viper Hennessey Venom, 9.4
Buggati Veryon 10.7
The GIANT Rolls Royce Ghost 12.5
Nissan GTR 11.1

All the top 10s are 11 second cars.

Some guys have turbo mini-vans doing 12 (89 Dodge Caravan with the 
turbo pumped up).

Easy to go on and on but basically 13s is quick, not fast, you can 
sometimes keep up with min-vans, pickups, SUVs, big luxury cars, 
green hybrids and all electrics  ... and be blown away by any 
remotely modern sports car from Vette to Shelby to Porsche.

My modified Ford Powerstroke (99 7.3) should be in the 13s with 4x4 on.

This topic strayed a lot.  The initial question was just a guy who 
had a Corvair and was told he should remove the lower shrouds.  I get 
that a lot from new Corvair owners, someone telling them to remove 
the shrouds.  This is a hassle to take them on/off by season and for 
a normal Corvair driven normally, not only is it not required or 
desired -- it can be harmful.  People have made cases about street 
cars modified or driven hard.  Any time you massively modify for huge 
increases in power, the changes never end.  As to driven hard, I went 
back to one of my old books which stated that the turbo cars in 
adverse (hot ambient air) overwhelm the cooling system with 30 
seconds WOT.  OK ... 10.5 seconds gets you to 60.  Another 5 seconds 
and you have exceeded every speed limit in the country.  In 20 
seconds you start to reach the top speed of 105.  Now you have to 
hold it running at 105 for 10 more seconds to overwhelm that cooling 
system.  Only if it is hot out.  OK, but if you are doing that on the 
street ... please consider who you might kill other than 
yourself.  Racing, like modifications, is another matter.  I just 
don't think we should be telling the average person who toodles 
around in his cool old Corvair that he has to rip the shrouds off, 
when attention to making the stock cooling work properly, good oils 
and ignition, etc. are a much better way to go.  I exclude racing, 
heavily modified, and crazy people.

So sorry for straying so far.  Although it is interesting ... 
comparing the old muscle cars.  Today a hugely heavy Caddy or Mustang 
with airbags, traction control, silence, neat stereo, navigation, 
traction control, stability control, ABS, vastly superior brakes, air 
bags, vastly superior safety will easily out perform any 60s car even 
with new tires.  Just ABS does this.  My car will do 100 to zero in 
4.9 seconds (I think you'd need to surgically remove your face from 
the windshield when stopped).  Easily and perfectly straight.

And what I meant by new cars being dull -- despite being so fast -- 
is that they go too fast to easily.  You cannot explore the limits of 
a new Vette or Mustang on the street -- it is criminal.  And the 
computers!  We have a newer Land Cruiser.  Go down a graded dirt road 
too fast, come to a corner, and FLOOR it.  No drama, no skidding, no 
tail slide, it just goes around the corner way to fast to be even 
remotely sane (the computer braking individual wheels, changing the 
balance front/rear of the 4x4, and managing engine power).  I, and 
most people, don't have the skills to go 75% that fast in the same 
conditions in a Corvair.  Not even 50% as fast I bet for most.  And 
don't talk expense -- a 2010 low mileage used Mustang GT with 
warranty and 13 second 1/4 can be had for under 25k.   Same general 
vintage low mileage Shelby, 35k.

And I am done with this topic under any title :-)

E