"Muscle Car Confidential: Confessions of a Muscle Car Test Driver" + other road tests

[RetiredFirefighter]

Back in the late 60's/early 70's, Joe Oldham was tasked with testing some of the best muscle cars of the day at the drag strip.

In 2007, he wrote a book detailing some of the cars he tested:

I purchased the online version some time ago and here's some of the faster one's:

• 1969 Baldwin Camaro SS 427 ..... 12.74
• 1969 Judge GTO 400 HO ............ 13.88
• 1969 Mustang Boss 429 .............. 13.60
• 1969 Mustang Mach 1 428 .......... 13.74
• 1969 Plymouth GTX 440 .............. 13.98
• 1969 Plymouth RR 440 6 Pack .... 13.79
• 1969 Roadrunner 426 Hemi ........ 13.66
• 1971 Torino Cobra 429 SCJ ........ 13.70
• 1973 Camaro Z28 350 ................... 14.69

 

[Prange]

I have that book somewhere in my house. It would be interesting to re-test using today's tires.

 

[1971demon]

Back in the late 60's/early 70's, Joe Oldham was tasked with testing some of the best muscle cars of the day at the drag strip.

In 2007, he wrote a book detailing some of the cars he tested:

I purchased the online version some time ago and here's some of the faster one's:

• 1969 Baldwin Camaro SS 427 ..... 12.74
• 1969 Judge GTO 400 HO ............ 13.88
• 1969 Mustang Boss 429 .............. 13.60
• 1969 Mustang Mach 1 428 .......... 13.74
• 1969 Plymouth GTX 440 .............. 13.98
• 1969 Plymouth RR 440 6 Pack .... 13.79
• 1969 Roadrunner 426 Hemi ........ 13.66
• 1971 Torino Cobra 429 SCJ ........ 13.70
• 1973 Camaro Z28 350 ................... 14.69

Even my mother could beat those times today in my cars....

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

I also have a few hundred pdf automotive road tests I've accumulated over the years, many of them from the 60's/70's.

Maybe I'll post some when I get a chance if anyone's interested ...

• 1956 Corvette
• 1961 Impala SS 409
• 1962 Corvette
• 1963 Pontiac 421 HO
• 1963 Shelby Cobra 289
• 1963 Triumph Spitfire
• 1964 1/2 Mustang
• 1965 Corvette
• 1965 Mustang
• 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra
• 1965 Shelby GT 350
• 1966 Mustang Shelby GT350-H
• 1967 Camaro SS 350
• 1967 Corvette 427 alum heads
• 1967 Firebird 400
• 1967 Mustang GT automatic
• 1967 Shelby GT 500
• 1968 Corvette 427 iron heads
• 1968 Dodge Charger Hemi
• 1968 GTO 428 Royal Bobcat
• 1968 6-Car Comparo
• 1968 Pontiac GTO
• 1968 Royal Pontiac Firebird 400
• 1968 Six Sporty Cars
• 1968 Tunnel Port Mustang vs. Camaro Z28
• 1968 6 Car Comparo
• 1969 Chevelle-Cobra-Cyclone-RR-Superbee-Judge
• 1969 Mustang Boss 302
• 1969 Mustang Mach 1
• 1969 Mustang Shelby GT350 convertible
• 1969 Three For The Road
• 1970 Boss 302-Duster 340-Cobra 289-Chev 454
• 1970 Camaro Z-28
• 1970 Chevelle LS6
• 1970 Corvette 427 iron heads
• 1970 Datsun 240Z
• 1970 GTO
• 1970 Pontiac Firebird
• 1971 Charger SE
• 1971 Corvette
• 1971 Mustang Boss 351
• 1973 TransAm SD455
• 1974 Mustang II Mach 1
• 1975 Chevrolet Monza vs. Ford Mustang II
• 1975 Corvette Stingray vs Bricklin SV-1
• 1975 Firebird TA
• 1976 Corvette-Dart-TA-Silverado-Must II
• 1976 Dodge Colt GT
• 1977 Camaro Z28 vs Firebird trans am
• 1978 Magnum XE
• 1978 Porsche 911 SC
• 1979 Corvette

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

I have that book somewhere in my house. It would be interesting to re-test using today's tires.

Go reread it, I recall he tried using slicks on some of the cars to see if it made a difference.

Amazingly, on some of them it did not.

 

[1971demon]

I also have a few hundred pdf automotive road tests I've accumulated over the years, many of them from the 60's/70's.

Maybe I'll post some when I get a chance if anyone's interested ...

• 1956 Corvette
• 1961 Impala SS 409
• 1962 Corvette
• 1963 Pontiac 421 HO
• 1963 Shelby Cobra 289
• 1963 Triumph Spitfire
• 1964 1/2 Mustang
• 1965 Corvette
• 1965 Mustang
• 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra
• 1965 Shelby GT 350
• 1966 Mustang Shelby GT350-H
• 1967 Camaro SS 350
• 1967 Corvette 427 alum heads
• 1967 Firebird 400
• 1967 Mustang GT automatic
• 1967 Shelby GT 500
• 1968 Corvette 427 iron heads
• 1968 Dodge Charger Hemi
• 1968 GTO 428 Royal Bobcat
• 1968 6-Car Comparo
• 1968 Pontiac GTO 428 Royal Bobcat
• 1968 Pontiac GTO
• 1968 Royal Pontiac Firebird 400
• 1968 Six Sporty Cars
• 1968 Tunnel Port Mustang vs. Camaro Z28
• 1969 6 Car Comparo
• 1969 Chevelle-Cobra-Cyclone-RR-Superbee-Judge
• 1969 Mustang Boss 302
• 1969 Mustang Mach 1
• 1969 Mustang Shelby GT350 convertible
• 1969 Three For The Road
• 1970 Boss 302-Duster 340-Cobra 289-Chev 454
• 1970 Camaro Z-28
• 1970 Chevelle LS6
• 1970 Corvette 427 iron heads
• 1970 Datsun 240Z
• 1970 GTO
• 1970 Pontiac Firebird
• 1971 Charger SE
• 1971 Corvette
• 1971 Mustang Boss 351
• 1973 TransAm SD455
• 1974 Mustang II Mach 1
• 1975 Chevrolet Monza vs. Ford Mustang II
• 1975 Corvette Stingray vs Bricklin SV-1
• 1975 Firebird TA
• 1976 Corvette-Dart-TA-Silverado-Must II
• 1976 Dodge Colt GT
• 1977 Camaro Z28 vs Firebird trans am
• 1978 Magnum XE
• 1978 Porsche 911 SC
• 1979 Corvette

Please don't print the Dodge Colt

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

LESSON #1: If you don't want a Firefighter to do something ... then don't tell him not to do it.

1976 Dodge Colt GT

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1968 6 Car Comparo

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1968 Royal Bobcat GTO

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1970 Boss 302 - Duster 340 - AC Cobra 289 - Chevelle SS 454

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

And without further ado, the mighty ...

1968 Dodge Charger 426 Hemi

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

The 426 Hemi's 9-12 mpg on Premium and resulting cruising range of 171-228 miles matches today's EV's for "range anxiety".

Except you can still get gasoline just about anywhere. Lol

 

[Prange]

Go reread it, I recall he tried using slicks on some of the cars to see if it made a difference.

Amazingly, on some of them it did not.

I'll bet today's UHP street tires have more traction than slicks from 60 years ago. No way to test that, just a gut feeling.

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

I'll bet today's UHP street tires have more traction than slicks from 60 years ago. No way to test that, just a gut feeling.

Good point.

 

[1971demon]

LESSON #1: If you don't want a Firefighter to do something ... then don't tell him not to do it.

1976 Dodge Colt GT
View attachment 154067

Yer gonna make somebody a nice wife

 

[drag racer]

that's a cool book I've never seen before - gotta look for a copy...

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

Wait, there's more!

1965 427 Cobra
(note: $7k in 1965 = $71k in 2024)

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1966 Mustang Shelby GT-350H

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1967 Firebird 400

 

[RetiredFirefighter]

1969 428 Mach 1