Indeed. I agree. If you would drive one of those older cars that we think of so fondly, you would find them pretty disappointing. Suspensions and brakes were so bad.
I agree a full blown restored would be ideal. An old Jaguar E-type body on a new frame, suspension, brakes, engine and some of the modern with a nicely done panel of old style gauges.
Electric is the future, so that might be the thing to go with on a restomod.
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Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
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#4512491 - 03/24/2012:00 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
If I were to buy a classic muscle car, I would restore it to original condition, because to me, the only reason to have it would be for nostalgia. My current Mustang is a nice-driving car, so I don't really see the point in buying an old car and upgrading it to be almost as good as the car I already own.
And it has a digital instrument cluster and a 10-speed auto I like that I think would be difficult to duplicate in a resto-mod.
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.
Yes, but restomodding is about getting the styling of the old car. I look at new cars and would rather have a Jag E-Type for style. That is why restomod is appealing. A good looking car with all the new mechanicals.
Almost all new cars are ... the same. Jellybeans with wheels.
And let’s face it; when we assess a car, we first look at it. If it looks good we will get into looking at all the particulars. If it doesn’t look good we almost always care no more.
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4512501 - 03/24/2001:23 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
I agree that looks have a lot to do with the appeal of a car, but I think for the older stuff, for me, it's more about the nostalgia I guess. A guy I work with has a '69 Camaro with LED lights, new engine, completely revised suspension, etc., and for some reason, that is just not appealing to me. I'm sure it drives a lot better, but it just loses the connection to that car for me.
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.
The thing with driving a vintage car is that you're not really in control of your vehicle, but only somewhat influencing it. Between the vague steering, bouncing, rocking suspension and brakes that are only effective at parking lot speeds, you're at the mercy of other drivers.
The idea with a restomod isn't so much to get it on par with a modern car, but at least improve those areas to the point where you're not just a spectator.
#4512506 - 03/24/2002:11 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
If you're going to own and operate a Model T, you're not looking to upgrade it, you're looking to have the original.
Now, taking a 60's muscle car and modernizing it like crazy - I'm not against that concept, but it just seems a bit dumb unless you really have the time and money to blow, and a major passion for a certain model of car. There's far better equipment out there for driving nowadays, even in muscle car flavor...
Far as I'm concerned those old muscle cars were good for one thing only - acceleration in a straight line, and they weren't even all that good for that!
They're antiques now. But I have nothing against restoring antiques, hell I just put in about 3 weeks of work restoring some seriously vintage cast iron skillets... (except THOSE work as good or better than a lot of modern kitchen gear!)
#4512511 - 03/24/2002:34 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 11,944Crane Hunter
Veteran
The idea for most when it comes to restomodding is not to try to turn a vintage car into a Koenigsegg, but to improve the basic qualities of the vehicle, while also reducing the amount of scrounging for typically rare and expensive vintage parts that you'd have to do if you were restoring it to stock condition.
#4512512 - 03/24/2002:39 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
I'd probably be OK with just tweaking the brakes and maybe the suspension, but I've seen it where people basically have the original body as a shell on a whole new car, and I'm sure the cost was crazy, and I just don't see the need for that. For me, when I see an old Mustang or Camaro, I just remember being a kid and thinking how cool they were, and I'd like to have that connection.
I think that during the '80s and most of the '90s, the '60s cars took on an almost mythical status because the newer cars performed so much worse than those that came before. During those years, only people who had the '60s cars really owned performance cars. I've looked up some of the retro-Motorweek videos on YouTube, and they talk about cars of the '80s being quick with an 8- or 9-second 0-60 time, clearly adjusted for the times.
For a modern car that looks like a '60s muscle car, the current Challenger is the ticket:
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.
Electric is the future, so that might be the thing to go with on a restomod.
As much as I LOVE hot exhausts, I have to agree.
0-60 in <3.0 anything seconds is scary fast.
Hmmmm...solar carports...
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#4512562 - 03/24/2011:46 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: oldgrognard]
Yes, but restomodding is about getting the styling of the old car. I look at new cars and would rather have a Jag E-Type for style. That is why restomod is appealing. A good looking car with all the new mechanicals.
Almost all new cars are ... the same. Jellybeans with wheels.
And let’s face it; when we assess a car, we first look at it. If it looks good we will get into looking at all the particulars. If it doesn’t look good we almost always care no more.
Currently we are getting Gas Monkey on TV here, they have just taken delivery of a test mule 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T and are in the process of stripping out the engine etc. and installing it in a '71 428 Challenger
We had part one last night and part two should be tonight
Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil Sons of the hound come here and get flesh Clan Cameron
#4512591 - 03/24/2002:14 PMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
I owned a 67 Cougar with the 289 4bbl high perf engine. It could go like a bat out of hell but you couldn't turn it or stop it. The most fun car I ever had was 71 Austin Cooper S with all the mods I could do it and still make it drive able on the street. There was no dyno available so I have no idea of the hp ( maybe 90 or 95 ) but it weighed about 1300lb. I could smoke most V8s off traffic lights up to about 50-60 mph and If I could make it to a sharp turn they could never catch me.....but the little thing ate tires and needed oil rings and valve stem oil seals about every 20K miles. I loved that little monster.
Now my "toy" is a 2004 Jag XK8. It looks almost as good as an E-type but is much more comfortable and is reliable. I did not go for the XKr ( supercharged ) version so I would not have the extra moving parts to maintain. It's about 300 hp and is set up as a GT. At 70mph it's turning at about 17-1800 rpm in 6th gear. I love the thing
Archie Smythe
carpe diem
#4512605 - 03/24/2003:59 PMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 24,029oldgrognard Administrator
This is what my son is working on, he has repaired the tin rot in the bodywork, made new panels and put them on, done some work on the engine, got it through the tough vehicle tests here in Belgium and driven it sparingly over the winter. Now that the weather is improving it is time to give the car a full respray and to that end we are removing the engine following weekend so the painter can get full access to the engine bay for the respray. He is also planning on getting the engine detailed too while it's out.
The car is a 1992 BMW 325iX touring all wheel drive, quite a rare car and even rarer to find one with a still working 4x4 system, usually the centre coupling slips and does not drive the front wheels.
Not quite a muscle car but still a nice one to drive.
Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil Sons of the hound come here and get flesh Clan Cameron
#4512640 - 03/24/2006:39 PMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: oldgrognard]
Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 19,581Raw Kryptonite
Beat the Kobayashi Maru
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Posts: 19,581
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Originally Posted by oldgrognard
Indeed. I agree. If you would drive one of those older cars that we think of so fondly, you would find them pretty disappointing. Suspensions and brakes were so bad.
I agree a full blown restored would be ideal. An old Jaguar E-type body on a new frame, suspension, brakes, engine and some of the modern with a nicely done panel of old style gauges.
Electric is the future, so that might be the thing to go with on a restomod.
Nah, not disappointing. Just different! Don't forget, a car that didn't come with power steering and power brakes isn't the same as a car that has them but they don't work. You can still palm steer a car from a stop if it doesn't have power steering, but it does take getting used to. LOL I do remember the lean in these cars turning, but you can get used to a lot.
A couple of my barges from back in the day. '66, just a 289 though and my '78 Firebird that had an engine swap for a 455. Air shocks (leaky of course) and traction bars in the back baby!
Don't forget, a car that didn't come with power steering and power brakes isn't the same as a car that has them but they don't work. You can still palm steer a car from a stop if it doesn't have power steering, but it does take getting used to. LOL
Oh man, I'd driven cars without power steering before (and they have a lower "gear ratio" on the steering wheel), then I had this Ford E-350 van suddenly lose power steering once.
It was so hard. I thought (obviously incorrectly) I was going to break the steering wheel, and that was at like 30mph. When I came to a stop it was exponentially harder.
I still had to get home, and adapted, but at anything less than 10mph it was #%&*$# near impossible to steer. I was VERY thankful I'd had experience with true manual steered cars when it came time to park...
#4512662 - 03/25/2012:10 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Zamzow]
Don't forget, a car that didn't come with power steering and power brakes isn't the same as a car that has them but they don't work. You can still palm steer a car from a stop if it doesn't have power steering, but it does take getting used to. LOL
Oh man, I'd driven cars without power steering before (and they have a lower "gear ratio" on the steering wheel), then I had this Ford E-350 van suddenly lose power steering once.
It was so hard. I thought (obviously incorrectly) I was going to break the steering wheel, and that was at like 30mph. When I came to a stop it was exponentially harder.
I still had to get home, and adapted, but at anything less than 10mph it was #%&*$# near impossible to steer. I was VERY thankful I'd had experience with true manual steered cars when it came time to park...
My '84 Mustang had power steering, when you put your foot on the brake it would dump the vacuum and if the engine was still cold it could stall the engine if you were at low speed, coming up to a 90 degree right turn between two walls on a single track Scottish road and suddenly no power steering, really gave me a fright the steering went from finger tip light to trying to move the world hard, it was only about 1 turn from lock to lock.
Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil Sons of the hound come here and get flesh Clan Cameron
#4512663 - 03/25/2012:14 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: Crane Hunter]
Don't forget, a car that didn't come with power steering and power brakes isn't the same as a car that has them but they don't work. You can still palm steer a car from a stop if it doesn't have power steering, but it does take getting used to. LOL
Oh man, I'd driven cars without power steering before (and they have a lower "gear ratio" on the steering wheel), then I had this Ford E-350 van suddenly lose power steering once.
It was so hard. I thought (obviously incorrectly) I was going to break the steering wheel, and that was at like 30mph. When I came to a stop it was exponentially harder.
I still had to get home, and adapted, but at anything less than 10mph it was #%&*$# near impossible to steer. I was VERY thankful I'd had experience with true manual steered cars when it came time to park...
My '84 Mustang had power steering, when you put your foot on the brake it would dump the vacuum and if the engine was still cold it could stall the engine if you were at low speed, coming up to a 90 degree right turn between two walls on a single track Scottish road and suddenly no power steering, really gave me a fright the steering went from finger tip light to trying to move the world hard, it was only about 1 turn from lock to lock.
That Ford E-350 van did something even worse later - the master cylinder sprung a leak so I'd have to add brake fluid almost every day. Then one day the THROTTLE started sticking WHILE I ran low on brake fluid!
And that thing had a 460! And I was running it with no cargo, so it was remarkably fast for a van! After that I shut it down for good and sold it!
#4512668 - 03/25/2001:04 AMRe: True HP of the 8 most powerful classic era muscle cars
[Re: No105_Archie]
I can never seem to get photos to appear in posts. Can somebody give me a step by step please ?
I
There are a couple of ways to get photos to appear.
1. If you click on the Full Editor button, there is an attachment manager - using that, you can upload a photo that is saved on your PC into your post, and you'll need to add some text in the normal post window. That will make it appear as Raw Kryptonite's post shows the photos.
2. Find a photo on a website, and determine the direct link to it. That can vary from website to website, and if there is a photo, I think in most browsers you can right-click on the photo and you'll see a menu option that might be something like Copy Image Link (it varies by browser). Do that, then here, you can either use the menu button in the full editor, or just put [img] before the link and [/img] after the link, like this: [img]ImageLink[/img]
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.