Performance Statistics From Muscle Car Magazines 


 

The quarter mile is the measuring stick for muscle cars. This list will provide engine size, axle ratio, horsepower, torque, times, and the source. You can see that times varied greatly depending on rear axle ratios and who was doing the testing. Axle ratios made a big difference in the hemi's performance. Also, most of these cars were specially prepared by specialty dealers anointed by the manufacturers and given to the magazines for testing. Cars coming off the assembly line and delivered to average customers did not receive this special attention, and performed accordingly. Notice the 1966 Coronet hemi that got a 13.8 quarter mile, then the 1967 Coronet R/T that couldn't break out of the 15 second bracket. I guess they didn't throw a tune up on that one. The fastest hemi cars tested were the later better cammed lightweight Barracudas and Challengers, which got down to 13.1 with 4.10 gears, a time we were expecting from the Satellites and Coronets. The comparable 1969 Camaro ZL-1 427 cracked 12.7. You be the judge.

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