Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

I had a '77 Astre (Pontiac Vega) with the 2.3 and automatic. Total slug around town. You either had the gas pedal to the floor or you were on the brakes. At least it didn't have any trouble cruising at 70 - 80 mph, it just took a while to get there.
My '75 Camaro was a little better. With the anemic 350, automatic with 10" 3000 stall converter, and 3.08s in the rear it would do 17.00 in the quarter.
Never ran the Astre. Didn't want to tie up the quarter for the whole afternoon.

Ken

My Father had a hunda Civic back in the late 70's. I had to borrow it to run across the state to get some parts. I felt like Dennis Weaver in Dual. I could hardly make enough speed to stay out of the semi grills.

Second on the hornet station wagon. Raced the at the time girlfriends 88 hp 77 hornet wagon, it went 19.67, forget the mph. It was a killer bracket car. So little power you could drive it like it had a brake. Deep stage it, pin it (no chance of spin) and off the brake at the last yellow and it would come back with a .515 light (.500 tree back then) and run right on the 19.67 dial. Can't remember details but I ran it a few times when the race car was apart, and think I won 2 out of 3 races, and the best RT award.

They hated me!

Another worthwhile contender would be a late 60's CJ with the 2.2 l F-head dating from 1950. 72 hp on the old gross scale. I've never driven one, but I'll bet it is impressive.

Two words...King Midget

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Midget

Ken_Parkman wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:06 pm

Another worthwhile contender would be a late 60's CJ with the 2.2 l F-head dating from 1950. 72 hp on the old gross scale. I've never driven one, but I'll bet it is impressive.

We had a 51 Willys 4x4 truck for a number of years ... it had the 2.2 F head engine...The truck empty is about 3100 pounds, 5.38 gears....Bog slow but it didn't get any slower when loaded with 1500 pounds of firewood...

amc fan wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 12:15 pm 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass with 260 V8. I think the rear gear was 2.3 to 1. A real snail

I think all of these cars had to be faster than my 79' Olds cutlass DIESEL. That thing wouldnt go but about 60. if you stepped past a point on the accelerator, all that happened was a big cloud of black smoke . It didnt go any faster.........
My students who roll coal would have been proud.................

That Diesel engine made it 6 months (too long) after I turned 16. I boughtt a 73 delta 88 for $200 with an Olds 350 for an engine donation-
It was no longer the slowest car ever....

Ill say late 60s early 70s VW Vanagon.

Zero-60 mph took about 37 seconds and top speed remained 65 mph. VW calculated fuel consumption with the vehicle traveling at 75 percent of top speed, which worked out to 23 mpg at 53 mph. At 65 mph, where most real-world buses cruised, weather and road conditions permitting, owners saw about 19 mpg.

I drove from MA to PA for a NASCAR race in a Geo Metro with an auto trans. Turning off the A/C felt like I had a 75 shot of nitrous.

Roundybout wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:35 pm I drove from MA to PA for a NASCAR race in a Geo Metro with an auto trans. Turning off the A/C felt like I had a 75 shot of nitrous.

Now, that's funny but too true. I sure don't miss those giant AC compressors from back then.

My Moms Brother like most children of the depression
Was pretty frugalLOL!
He had a ‘58 Renault Dauphine 4 dr rear engine
About 45 hp.
We would go to the beach in Long Island ( sunken meadow Stare Park) with 4 of us . 3 of us had to bail out and walk so that pig could climb the hill to the beach!!
My dad is also a child of the depression and had all
Cheap cars, his first after the war was a ‘49 Crosley
Mechanical brakes literally no stopping power looked like the box a car came in . Amazingly it had a 750cc SOHC
Engine the first one was a COBRA. ( Copper Brazed block) which failed quickly and was replaced by the CIBA ( cast iron block assembly) They made all sorts of models including a Sports model the Hotshot (with disc brakes ) won the first Sebring 6 Hour Race 12/31/1950.
Dave B

Don't remember the year.

Vega loaner car with slipping automatic transmission.................

I had an Eagle station wagon, 258ci 6 cylinder. I took it to the track, and dialed a 19.75. Went to the final round that night. Deep stage, leave off the TOP of the last yellow and it would cut pretty good light. Stepping on the gas was like stepping on a marshmallow.

I had the privilege of driving a late 70's Chevrolet diesel truck...non turbo. Slowest thing I've ever been behind the wheel of. Felt like 0-60 in a half hour.

The King Midget had a 6 hp engine... no one else is close.

Roundybout wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:35 pm I drove from MA to PA for a NASCAR race in a Geo Metro with an auto trans. Turning off the A/C felt like I had a 75 shot of nitrous.

I will say after buying one new and driving it for 227,000 miles that a 1987 Chevy Sprint ER stripped is a real hoot! No nothing on it!! For $6,300!!

It had a 1,000 cc 3-banger, 5-speed and was a 2-dr hatch weighing like 1500 pounds! Would do 85 mph all day long and at 75 mph would get 50 mpg!

It was like driving a SK-8 Board!

I would buy a brand new one in a NYM if I could, it was that good a little corn-popper commuter car!!

pdq67