1970 is widely considered to be the final year of the golden muscle car era. Some 1971 vehicles still had the power, but things were already going downhill for most muscle cars in terms of output and compression ratio. So while post-1971 American muscle cars might look as mean as their predecessors, they wouldn't stand a chance in a drag race. On paper at least.
This Factory Stock class drag race brings together two such vehicles. In one lane we have a very hot-looking 1969 Plymouth Road Runner with the A12 package, while the second lane sees a 1972 Buick Grand Sport Stage 1 join the fight.
The 1969 Road Runner is a fine example of what Plymouth was capable to deliver at the time. Sure, there's no 426 Hemi under the hood, but the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) mill is no slouch at 390 horsepower and 490 pound-feet (664 Nm) of twist. The A12 package added all sorts of goodies, including Holley two-barrel carbs and heavy-duty everything.
The Buick Grand Sport was still a hot muscle car in 1972, but the revised compression ratio lowered the output of the massive 7.5-liter V8 to 270 net horsepower and 390 pound-feet (529 Nm) of torque. A quick comparo reveals a notable 120 horsepower deficit, but that's mostly because carmakers had switched to net power ratings by 1972.
It's difficult to estimate the actual horsepower difference between these cars, especially since pre-1971 muscle cars were underrated for insurance purposes, but it's definitely smaller than 100 horsepower.
And not only the Road Runner boasts the more powerful engine, it also benefits from a better compression ratio and it's around 300 pounds lighter than the Buick GS. On paper, it should win this drag race easily.
The duel kicks off rather predictably with the Road Runner taking the win with a 12.53-second pass. The GS crosses the line in 12.74 seconds, but it had the lead early in the race. The Buick gets the better start in the second drag race and hangs on to the lead to win with a 12.18-click sprint. The Road Runner remains consistent at 12.40 seconds.
The third race, and the one that decides the winner, proves that the Buick's previous win wasn't an accident. The GS driver runs his best quarter-mile yet and stops the clock at 12.15 seconds, leaving the Road Runner behind with a 12.46-second sprint. With two wins out of three races, the GS moves onto the next round.
Needless to say, this is yet another lesson that drag racing isn't always about horsepower and power-to-weight ratings.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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