Hemi What?
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Lead Footed
Joined: May 2001
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From: Plano - Texas
I took Ruf's first post as "hey, all of us TL owners have nothing to sweat against RT's, I beat them all the time". Nowhere did he say, that he knew that it's typically a quicker AND faster car and he simply beat the driver. Every R/T I've come up against at the strip has beaten me, some by a large margin. RUF's TL has only gone 97mph in the 1/4. Every stock or lightly modded R/T I've come up against has done at least 101mph.
I've probably got more experience drag at the strip than 99.9% of the TL owners on this site. I've got hundred of passes under my belt and in about 5 different cars ranging from 12s to 14s. I've beaten quicker cars at the strip more times than I ever could remember, but I'll never fool myself into believing my car is actually the quicker one. Hell, I've beaten a rookie driving a 2nd gen Viper to the finish. I simply beat the driver or some other factor that held the car back. It's always fun to beat the quicker car, but it's kind like beating a one legged guy in a 100m sprint.
I've probably got more experience drag at the strip than 99.9% of the TL owners on this site. I've got hundred of passes under my belt and in about 5 different cars ranging from 12s to 14s. I've beaten quicker cars at the strip more times than I ever could remember, but I'll never fool myself into believing my car is actually the quicker one. Hell, I've beaten a rookie driving a 2nd gen Viper to the finish. I simply beat the driver or some other factor that held the car back. It's always fun to beat the quicker car, but it's kind like beating a one legged guy in a 100m sprint.
That said, don't fall for my trap speeds. Depending on mods and launches trap speeds will vary. Case in point.
This first time I ever took my Type-S to the track all I had was light weight wheels and tires. There was about 7 other Type-Ses out there with either cold-air, headers, or both. Looking just at the time slips, I consistently had the fastest times, but the slowest trap speeds. What really boggled their minds was the 14.6 @ 93mph run I laid down. Say what, you've run times 2ths quicker than guys trapping 97 and 98mph. There are a lot of reasons for this and too much to type, but will be happy to call you sometime to discuss. There is a science to all this madness, increasing the power out of an engine is one way. Shoot, in 1980 I put over $4k in machine work alone in to my 327 . . but there was a lot to the design of that particular model of 327 that allowed me to run 8,000 rpm in 1st and 2nd gear. Just check and see how many American V8s turn those types of rpm. So, increasing engine and overall efficiencies is another. Guys used to joke and call me Mr. Lightweight Wheels, but there was more to my mods.
Anyway, sounds like we've come closed this battle and we can move on. And I'll be ready to post the kill of another top predator. And more and more it will be faster cars as I push mine to faster times. I suspect I'm now sitting at 14.0 or quite possibly 13.9s, which is my goal for an all N/A setup
Ruf
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From: Plano - Texas
That's the whole point. On the street or on the strip if you are driving a car a second or so faster then the other car you can granny launch & drive around them; I just don’t see how it’s a drivers race. On the street most of the time I will just roll out with a slower car & keep them off my rear quarter panel. There is no point in being ticket bait or break something for no reason. Can just imagine the posts on some sites from guys who hung in there with a faster car.
As for panicking when the other car is well out in front its a good plan that a panicky driver never tries bracket racing.
As for panicking when the other car is well out in front its a good plan that a panicky driver never tries bracket racing.
By the way, out of 10 runs I usually get in at the track, 7-8 will always be within a 10th of each other, so I've learned to be very consistent.
Ruf
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Plano - Texas
People go to see good races between closely matched cars, that’s why there are classes. They also go to see how their car really performs maybe as compared to the magazine articles they read or YouTube vids they see. Most who go for that reason tend to go home disappointed. Do a search in the 3G section & I believe some of those posts will turn up.
I don’t think a whole lot of people go to see a stream of Corvettes, Camaros & Mustangs eat up 14 second TL’s hoping for one of them to blow-up so the TL can “win”.
Also with most of the cars running autos, driver skill is highly overrated quality on a street driven car, especially by those guys who think they are skilled drivers.
Way too many people are knocking down low 13nd runs their first time at the strip to support how much rocket science street car drag racing is.
Do a poll & see how many rate themselves as a very good driver.
I don’t think a whole lot of people go to see a stream of Corvettes, Camaros & Mustangs eat up 14 second TL’s hoping for one of them to blow-up so the TL can “win”.
Also with most of the cars running autos, driver skill is highly overrated quality on a street driven car, especially by those guys who think they are skilled drivers.
Way too many people are knocking down low 13nd runs their first time at the strip to support how much rocket science street car drag racing is.
Do a poll & see how many rate themselves as a very good driver.
Sometimes you do get matched up with faster cars and the challenge is to hole shot them and hope to make a race of it. I don't enjoy seeing the tail lights of a Z06 15 lengths or so ahead of me. But I do enjoy racing guys with cars that are around 1 second or so faster. As was the case with the super charged G35C, no one even looked at me while I was lining up. But when we got back to the pits several of his buddies met me and wanted to know what I had in it because I was like whoosh and gone off the line, and I put .75 on him right out of the hole. Similar was the case with the 2011 MGT that ran me down, but guys were giving him grief that some 6cyl 4dr Acura stuck it to him off the line and launch.
Anyway, I don't think we are too different on the views, but we all do like to see some things differently than others and there's nothing wrong with that.
Ruf
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78,249
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Ruf, you've got a great attitude...no matter what car you drive.
I agree about one thing...I do hate snobby people and when a particular car attracts that sort of person, I could see it being super gratifying to wipe your ass with them!
I agree about one thing...I do hate snobby people and when a particular car attracts that sort of person, I could see it being super gratifying to wipe your ass with them!
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78,249
Likes: 20,202
BEAR...I'd stay right where you are...69, baby.
You're only 7 years older than my dad. Bless you for being "with the times" and following a car forum online. My Dad can do amazon, but that's about it.
You're only 7 years older than my dad. Bless you for being "with the times" and following a car forum online. My Dad can do amazon, but that's about it.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,283
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A TL runs an Evo from a stop, the Evo is going to have a large advantage. If they run from a 40-50 roll, the odds can change easily. But again, you wouldn't know this bc you only focus on QTR mile times.
This is beating a dead horse bc again, this isn't the first time you've been given examples. So, you keep on studying those magazine times, so you can keep telling us what cars shouldn't be beating other cars.
16GS FSprt,03Max,12 335is
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 976
Likes: 7
From: Manhattan Beach, Ca / Dallas, Tx
Go back and read the first post and my other post correctly. Not with your personal bias and opinion.
First of all, where does SRT8 come in to play here? We're talking about a base Hemi that is offered in RT and Dayton trim. These are at best 13.5 sec cars, times that will vary from car to car, location, track surface, driver skill, etc. So at best they are .5 secs faster, and that makes it a drivers race.
If you still don't get it, stop replying as you never will. It's why I love racing all these no-it-alls. They look as specs and assume that the car with the best time or more HP will win evertime . . . both street and strip racing is far more complicated than that. It's why I like to take on guys with technically faster cars and beat them way more often than I lose.
Ruf
First of all, where does SRT8 come in to play here? We're talking about a base Hemi that is offered in RT and Dayton trim. These are at best 13.5 sec cars, times that will vary from car to car, location, track surface, driver skill, etc. So at best they are .5 secs faster, and that makes it a drivers race.
If you still don't get it, stop replying as you never will. It's why I love racing all these no-it-alls. They look as specs and assume that the car with the best time or more HP will win evertime . . . both street and strip racing is far more complicated than that. It's why I like to take on guys with technically faster cars and beat them way more often than I lose.
Ruf
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Plano - Texas
Damn I wish I had kept that car, but I still have the engine and some day it may run again. Man there was nothing like it on the street at that time, and the sound of the engine as it got to 7k and beyond, was almost as good as sex. 
Ruf
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,415
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From: Plano - Texas
I can be as hard headed as anyone, but I'm pretty forgiving and will apologize if I'm wrong. Which seems to happen more and more as I'm getting older.
Ruf
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