Drag racing supercars and muscle cars is fun and intense, but things somehow get better when a pickup truck shows up at the starting line; especially if it's an old hauler with a hood delete that reveals a V8 strapped to a pair of turbochargers.
Yes, things aren't as traditional as they used to be. Back in the day, most drag cars were powered by naturally aspirated or supercharged engines. But we're living in the turbo era now, so it's only natural to hear turbines spool up as the lights go green. And turbocharged racers will almost always win against an all-motor build.
This 1977 Ford F-150 isn't your regular FoMoCo hauler. There's no sign of the inline-six or V8 that Ford used to offer in these trucks. And it hasn't been replaced with a Coyote either. This stepside truck packs a Chevy LS V8 engine. Sure, complain all you want that a Chevy mill in a Ford is top-tier blasphemy, but that LS heart helps this truck run sub-11-second quarter-miles, so it's all cool in my book.
What's more, it's quick and powerful enough to outrun a modern, 2017 Ford Mustang GT. And that's not even a regular GT. A King Edition model by Petty's Garage, it packs a bit of extra oomph over the regular Mustang GT. I have no idea how powerful this specific 'Stang is, but a quick look at the tuner's spec sheet reveals that the custom calibration adds almost 30 horsepower. Given that this is a 2017 model, we're looking at a grand total of around 465 horsepower.
No word on how powerful the truck is either, but based on its quarter-mile run, we're probably looking at well more than 600 horsepower. Speaking of that, the F-150 runs the quarter-mile in 10.98 seconds, with a trap speed of 117.74 mph. That's almost a second quicker than the Mustang, which crosses the finish line in 11.9 seconds. The coupe also had a bit of a head start, so the gap is actually bigger.
The really cool thing about this truck is that it's road legal, just like the Mustang GT it races against. It comes complete with side-view mirrors, folded flat onto the doors for better aero. It sounds menacing, too, something you'll find out more about by playing the video below.
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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