My first car was a Vauxhall Cresta 6 cylinders and a 3 on the tree for a tranny. Beautiful silver brocade cloth seats. Being an English car in Canada it was rare. These are the exact colours. It had drum brakes and a tiny carburetor. It would get you wherever you wanted to go but not very quickly. It was hard to get into too much trouble.
It is always interesting to put things in perspective and note how much things have changed.
One of the top ten fastest cars of the era, the 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 426 Hemi ran a 5.1 second 0-60 - the same as a modern BMW 335i entry level luxury sedan.
Pretty.
Modern metals, lubes, and computer controlled injection systems have forever transformed automobiles among lots of other things in our lives.
One of the problems with the early muscle cars was the severe lack of traction from the tires of the time. A car with an automatic trans could usually outrun the 4 speed version mainly due to the easier application of power.
In drag race trim with a set of slicks the Hemi road runner would go in the 9âs at around 140 mph. In contrast our corvettes will almost get there in stock trim with a set of drag radials on.
My 68 charger had an auto 727 tranny, black interior and solid orange body, I think it had either F-70 or G70 polyglas 14 in tires and would just spin them on take off. It would lumber till it got around 50mph and then hold on, sad part there wasnât enough of a straight road here in upper east tn to wind it outâŚ
I canât believe my parents let me buy this car when I was 16, as I had save up the money for it. Used, but less than 18k miles for 2k bucks in the summer of 1970.
I was a regular drag racer in the 60âs, with a 396 Chevelle and then a Hemi Challenger.
I can tell you that in stock form, the Hemi, with torqueflight, 3.90 gear would run high 13âs with âcheaterâ slicks. And that would be a happy outcome.
Getting into the 9âs was very doable, but the car would not be street-able.
@tmcqueen A 4:10, 4:30, or 4:56 gear would have helped that beast especially in your 'hood.
Correct. I was referring to drag race trim. Like the super stocks of the day. I remember watching the Hemi Challenger super stockers have a wheelie fest.
Traction remains the limiting factor in both cars and bikes.
The new base C8 Corvette runs 0-60 in 2.8 seconds in independent testing due to its weight distribution, it has traction. But I would still prefer a McLaren Senna, even if runs only 2.9 seconds.
My 2003 Porsche 996 (140K miles) would annoy any of my 60âs muscle cars.
And in my regular drives to Philadelphia, I average 28 mpg. My Hemi would make me âhappyâ at 12 mpg highway.
I much prefer new cars.
This is why I mentioned a BMW 335i as just as fast. A modern boring, conservatively styled sedan would easily take on the fastest muscle cars, as well as stop and corner.
But it has been 50 years. One would expect there to be improvements.
I had a 335i. I didnât think it was boring. I thought it was a fun car to drive.
I have a 335i currently. I like it as a pleasant sedan.
But is is hardly a performance machine, and does not even vaguely resemble the fun to drive BMWs of yore.
The only winter tires available for my 996 were Pirelli Sotozero. I was really impressed with how good they were last season.
1968 Ford Custom. My father as a township official had access to the lot where the Illinois State Police turned in their cars. It had a throttle lock, a spotlight and a certificate stating the speedometer had been calibrated by the ISP. That certificate saved me from a ticket when an overzealous Statie stopped me when he didnât like that I passed him.
Anecdotes âŚyes !!!..beware of the thought police!!! 
The 225 cu. in. slant six featured 145 hpâŚa lot of pop for its day.
They sure didâŚsaw a few give an Impala 283 ss a matchâŚ
The Viper sounds like two slant six engines parked next to each other.
Wish the slant 6 had double overhead cams and fuel injection!!