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1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins

I had a very short drag racing phase growing up. Sure, it was fun watching the action scenes in The Fast and the Furious, but by the time I was in high-school drifting had already gotten a hold of me. Still, as soon as I had my license, I experienced some quarter-mile racing and then attended some cool international events. And I'd probably return to the sport one day given the right context.
1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins 20 photos
Photo: Hoonigan
1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins1,000-HP Nissan Hardbody Challenges 800-HP Ford Mustang to a Race, Junkyard Build Wins
Whereas with drifting I feel a strong urge of going out on the track and doing some serious tire shredding, I'm content with watching drag racing challenges from afar for now. The things I like about Hoonigan's format are the format flexibility and pre-start negotiations. In a normal competition, you wouldn't get that, and the faster car would just outright win the race from the first run. But that's not the case here, as the slower car can get an advantage at the start line and turn the tables in the process.

This drag race video was uploaded a couple of days ago, and it was shot at the Santa Margarita Ranch in California. For safety purposes, the finish line is set just 1,000 feet (304 meters) away, so that competitors can still have enough room to stop their cars before the road comes to an end. In recent years we've seen all kinds of cars appearing on the "This vs That" challenge, ranging from low-budget builds to record-breaking drag-ready machines.

If there's one thing that we've learned again and again is that the faster car doesn't always win here in California. Also, even scrappy-looking vehicles can be phenomenally fast, probably at the expense of reliability. You know, when you're building a project car you have to deal with the "Fast, Reliable, Cheap" triangle and you can only choose a maximum of two attributes for the same vehicle. Because if it's fast and reliable, it's not going to be cheap.

And the Nissan Hardbody pickup that showed up for this event was quite cheap, as the owner describes it. You could easily label it as a junkyard build, but this is no garage queen or SEMA contender, to begin with. It's running a turbocharged LS V8 engine that's capable of delivering about 1,000 horsepower to the rear wheels, via an automatic 3-speed TH400 gearbox and a set of Hoosier tires. As you'd expect, the folks at Nissan never thought someone would use this chassis for racing duty. So it weighs around 3,400 lbs (1,542 kg), and its drag coefficient is probably close to that of a brick wall.

At first glance, you'd be tempted to bet on the Ford Mustang. It's powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that's rated for about 800 hp or even more if it makes use of the nitrous shot. It only weighs 2,900 lbs (1,315 kg), and it drives the rear wheels via an automatic 2-speed Powerglide transmission. Given the relatively short racing distance, we'd be tempted to go with the Foxbody on this one. It's lighter, power should come on sooner considering the supercharger, and it's facing less drag going down the line.

On the first run, it becomes clear that the Fox Body is a force to be reckoned with. The Nissan was no slouch, but it just couldn't close the gap by the time they reached the finish line. So guess what was going to happen next? That's right, the Mustang would get a small handicap for the starting procedure to even the playing field. In an unexpected twist of events, the junkyard pickup manages to stay ahead of its competitor throughout the entire run.

This is what happens when you bend the rules of the game. With the Fox Body struggling to get a good launch, the drivers decided on a rematch using the same format. But it's all déjà vu on the third run of the day, as the slower of the two cars takes the win. The Mustang would have been on top if not for the starting procedure adjustments. But you also have to admit that the old Nissan is quite capable too. And it goes to show that you don't need a huge budget to build a fun car.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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