Best Muscle Cars
New Muscle Cars Will Always Be Faster
By Mark Weisseg
It’s an old tag line. My car is faster than yours. When I was a young guy the Road Runners, Mustangs, and Chevelles ruled the horsepower Road. At the time we thought no car would ever be as fast as what we were driving.
Fast forward forty plus years. Now, I own one of those fast muscle cars from back in the day. That mean Road Runner with the 383 engine pumps out only 335 hp.
So, the other day myself and a passenger pulled up to a light and next to me was one of the new Hemi Challengers. I was in my 725 hp 2013 Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500. I look over and the driver in the Challenger gives me the nod to go. We all know what that means.
I tell my passenger to hold on as I am going to launch. My passenger reminds me that in this area the police hide and more than likely are about a quarter mile ahead of me. I tell my passenger I have not seen the inside of a local jail in years so here we go. The light drops to green and I dump the clutch and roar through my gears getting rubber between second and third. When I get to fifth gear I look in my side mirror and the mighty Dodge is about five car lengths behind me. I roar past the spot the police normally hide in and to my pleasure see no police car. I slowed at the next light and waited for my Challenger and he just waves and backed off to make a turn. I marvel at the amazing power of this Trinity engine. So fast, so quick, and yet not even near its limits. Is that the end of the story? No.
Last Friday night after a car show I get to a light and a Pontiac Firebird with a 455 Super Duty engine rolls up next to me. I am thinking now about this car back in the day being oh so fast. So, I look at the young driver and point forward. He gets the idea and gets ready for the light to go green. He is revving his engine and we are both creeping forward with our clutch pedals barely engaged. He’s ready, I am ready, so when the light turns green it’s go time. Finally after what seemed like hours the light goes green and we are off.
I am plastered to my seat and tearing through the gears. The Trinity engine is alive and screaming power. I get to fourth gear and look in my right side mirror. Gadzooks, the Super Duty is way back there. So, I let off and coast to the next red light. My Super Duty friend rolls up to me and yells out that I must have a thousand horsepower. I don’t. I have 725. Needless to say I drove home slower actually getting caught up with a parade of other older hot rods heading my way. It made me think. My gosh. I remember when my Road Runner was one of the kings of the Road. Now, it’s nothing.
Now, my Mustang is one of the kings some forty years later. Then, it struck me. This Mustang is going to be the next Road Runner. With the OEM’s now making Challengers, Camaro, and Mustangs so darn fast from the factory. Geesh, what a massive turn of events. Even the average consumer can buy a luxury car right off the lot with 500 plus hp. Boy oh boy my Mustang will be dated very fast. And my beautiful 69 Road Runner that at one time was the king of the Road is now a boat anchor compared to the new breed of hot rods. I felt old. I felt time went too fast and. As soon as I caught up it roared ahead again.
So, fast muscle cars are just relative to the time in which you desire. Whether it is a 69 Road Runner, a 69 Copo Camaro, or a Mustang Mach I. My gut is telling me the new round of hot rods may very well be electric. If you do not believe me go and drive a Tesla or even an electric go cart. The torque is unbelievable. Embrace your current muscle car and cherish it but stay open minded about its replacement because it WILL come.
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