Detroit built some of the fastest and most powerful muscle cars back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Big-block coupes from this era reigned supreme for many decades as muscle cars did not return to 400+ horsepower ratings until the 2000s. Come 2021 and factory muscle cars are delivering in excess of 600 horsepower and, needless to say, their classic counterparts seem slow.
However, there's at least one 1970s muscle car that has what it takes to run the quarter-mile quicker than a modern Hellcat. The 1971 Ford Torino GT you're about to see below smoked Hellcat versions of both the Dodge Charger and Challenger at the drag strip, also gapping a Cadillac CTS-V in between.
Of course, I'm not talking about a stock Torino. This classic coupe may look like a regular Ford on the outside, but it hides modified, nitrous-fed V8 under the hood. I don't know how powerful it is, but based on the fact that it runs 9s, it's safe to assume we're talking about more than 700 horsepower.
If you're not familiar with 1970s Torinos, the most powerful version from the era, powered by the 370-horsepower, 7.0-liter Cobra Jet V8, needed around 14.7 seconds to run the quarter-mile. So we're talking about upgrades that make the large coupe more than five seconds quicker.
Not only that, but the driver seems to be a real racer, as he manages to hit the green light with fantastic precision every single time. He wins the race against the Charger Hellcat by running a 9.37 sprint, whereas the four-door Mopar hits the line in 9.68 clicks.
The Torino is obviously way too fast for the Cadillac CTS-V that joins the other lane for the second race. The Ford driver manages a 9.31-second run, while the CTS-V needs 10.71 seconds to cover the distance.
The third race against the Dodge Challenger Hellcat is by far the most exciting duel. Not only the coupe is powerful enough to give the Torino a run for its money, but the driver is also comparably quick off the line. It's a really close race with the Torino taking the win with a 9.34-second ET vs the Hellcat's 9.39-click run. The Hellcat driver could have actually won this with a slightly quicker reaction.
It's also worth noting that the Torino completed all three runs with trap speed of around 150 mph (241 kph), which is far more than the range-topping, stock Torino was capable of back in the early 1970s. They were usually rated at around 135 mph (217 kph).
I'd definitely like to find out more about this build. If you have any intel, do share it with us in the comments section.
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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