Street Car vs Race Car

**travj31** · 07-22-2008, 10:03 AM

Just want to hear your definitions on both... I was reading the thread about the Waynesburg FLD's and I just had to laugh about some people complaining about some of the cars that were racing. Is it because they just got beat and it is an easy excuse or were these cars truly race cars? I wasn't there so don't jump on me but I'm just curious to what everyone thinks seperates the two...

I personally know three guys very well who have extremely fast "street cars" IMO, but some of you may not think so...

1. Fox Body Stang, 10.5 tire, supercharged @ 18-22 lbs, full cage, driven probably 2-3 times a month, last time at the track ran high 9's, low 10's,

2. 1968 Hemi Lightweight Dart, full cage, original drag car since the late 60's. When my friend bough it, it was a 10.0 car and all he had to do to make it street legal was add DOT tires. Before race gas was outrageous, this car was driven just about every weekend

3. 34 Ford- NASCAR spec'd motor IF not better... guy has atleast 25k+ in the motor alone and is making around 850+ HP. car is lightweight, tubbed out, parachute, willy bars, etc... Car is/was driven often to local cruises etc... car runs high 8's

All of these cars are street legal by the books and I also consider them street cars. However, by no means would I want to make any kind of considerable length of trip in any of them - say no more than 100 miles one way. Does that make them race cars??? I also know a few guys on here have some pretty bad rides that are driven on the street occasionaly. What does everyone think...

**John4cam** · 07-22-2008, 10:18 AM

If you can drive the car without overheating problems at anytime on any extended trip. Inspected, emisioned, I dont think mufflers are a big deal, unless the car is to loud during regular driving. Im sure everybody has diff. opinions on this though.

**Rodeheaver's** · 07-22-2008, 10:25 AM

well...... this is a touchy subject, i consider my car a pro street car... it is tubbed, not because it needs to be but because i wanted it to be, I drove it to waynesburg both times this summer and i have only ran it on pump gas (93), and it rained on sunday so i had to drive it home in the pooring rain(very scary), the car has crash bars it the doors, all lights, tilt wheel, stock dash, power windows, dot skins, full factory glass, and it cruises around at 160 degrees, so i would say its a street car thats very fast...

**travj31** · 07-22-2008, 10:29 AM

Tim, glad you responded... I was hoping you would throw in your .02, because I know your car/s are definetly some of the fastest street legal cars in the area...

**gmkillr** · 07-22-2008, 10:54 AM

It's all in the eye of the beholder.

IMO, if you can jump in the car right now and drive it to Florida non-stop without working on it then it's a street car. If you drive it to and from the track it's a street car ( unless you live only a few miles away).

**MBH** · 07-22-2008, 11:17 AM

race gas = race car. If you only run race gas on the street, its a race car.

If you build a car with the specific purpose of just being the fastest, on the track or on the street, then its more of a race car. If you're well beyond basic bolt ons... race car. If it has suspension that you've dialed in at the track.... race car.

You might think that I have a pretty skewed sense of what a 'race car' is. I just say thats all the more reason I drive a terminator :)

**Rodeheaver's** · 07-22-2008, 11:24 AM

here is how i feel, i f i took all the street crap off of my carIE: headlights, power windows, tilt wheel, glass, it would be alot faster, my car weighs like 3300-3400lbs, if i lost all that street gear, i could get it down to 26-2800lbs, then the car would be instantly faster, but i keep that stuff so i can drive it on the street, i think it is cool to have to shut your car off in the burger king drive through so the people can hear what you are saying...lol

**MBH** · 07-22-2008, 11:44 AM

LOL, you're crazy driving that on the street!

This isn't a black and white, all or nothing topic either. So there so most of our cars are 'race cars' to some degree, as I think the absolute definition for a 'street car' would start with how it came from the factory, everything after that is just a step towards a race car.

**Wolfpack Speed** · 07-22-2008, 12:11 PM

my yellow cobra ripped off 9 second quarter mile blasts all day long. it had power windows, power brakes, power steering, power locks, power mirrors, headlights, turn signals, oem glass, emissions, inspection, insurance etc...and a 100% OEM LONG BLOCK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR!!!

i could have put et streets on it, ran pump gas and drove it to the track, ripped off a 9 second blast and drove it home....BUT I DIDN'T BECAUSE IT WAS A DAMN RACE CAR!!! and i definitely wouldn't have taken it to, or even worse, TRAILERED it to the flash light drags.

everyone is entitled to their opinion and i respect everyones as well as their cars, I just think the definition of a true street car has been twisted up so bad it's not even funny!!!

**SonofaBish** · 07-22-2008, 12:11 PM

its simple... just look at the back of the car...

street car =

or ..

Race Car =

**travj31** · 07-22-2008, 12:14 PM

I know everyone would have their own opinion, but I just don't know why some were complaining about who was in the "Top Dog" class at the FLD's. If those cars all pass inspections and have all the required info/documents and are driven to the airport... who cares??? I haven't been to any of the FLD's this year, but I know from the past that they picked the fastest street legal cars to run? They didn't pick the fastest cars who could run on 93 pump gas, drive 200 miles without overheating, didn't have roll cages, etc...

I normally don't say too much on here, but I just didn't get what the issue was with how they were picking the Top Dogs. Maybe my opinion is a little different since I actually don't run my car at the FLD's, but when I think back to my old notch that I used to run a little, I don't see how/why I would be upset if I didn't get picked if the other cars were faster as long as they qualified with the proper requirements.

**MBH** · 07-22-2008, 12:18 PM

Trav, street car or race car... when you go to race, all bets are off. I used to be a member of some vw/audi forums, and when I couldn't help but laugh my ass off when they'd say "Yeah, he beat me... but my car has a nicer interior." (cause jettas have such sick interiors as you may very well know LOL)

If you race, you race. Run what ya brung, and hope its enough.

**gmkillr** · 07-22-2008, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by MBH

This isn't a black and white, all or nothing topic either.

As I stated earlier...

Originally Posted by gmkillr

It's all in the eye of the beholder.

Originally Posted by Wolfpack Speed

TRAILERED it to the flash light drags.

Cough......... Rio...... Billy......... cough does.............................. this..........at every..................cough....................ev ent..........

**Wolfpack Speed** · 07-22-2008, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by gmkillr

As I stated earlier...

Cough......... Rio...... Billy......... cough does.............................. this..........at every..................cough....................ev ent..........

**Rodeheaver's** · 07-22-2008, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by gmkillr

As I stated earlier...

Cough......... Rio...... Billy......... cough does.............................. this..........at every..................cough....................ev ent..........

oowww, your just mean

i think it is how serious oyu are about it, i wanna go fast and still be able to cruise the car, I have had 9-10-11-12-13sec cars and they were all street cars(IMO) but i really think it is how bad you want it, i do prefer to trailor my car places becuase its loud and hot and it gets 4 miles to the gallon but i choose to drive it to the local flgs because people were busting my balls about trailoring it last year, maybe because i used a 3 car hauler and brought 3 9sec cars at once and then parked the huge trailor right next to the airport????? LOL, but last year i wasnt a big dog and this year i was.. I do plan on getting full interior in my car soon, i have already spent alot on the thermotech stuff for the inside to keep out the heat and noise.. but i am building the car for me, how i want my car to be... not to fit in someones elses box of how they want there car to be or how they want the car they are racing against to be...

**Stangman701** · 07-22-2008, 01:30 PM

Definitely a very blurry line here, but I would say anything that you could use as a DD(given proper tires) would be a street car IMO. If it can't sit in rush hour traffic on a hot summer day without over heating or take you to the beach and back then it's probably more of a race car. I like the idea of the flashlight drags making you drive your car there(even though some really don't). People are always going to bend the rules as much as possible though.

Personally I would never want a car solely intended for the track. Just seems like a waste IMO. Not as bad as having a trailored show car, but similar. One of the benefits of having more than one vehicle is having a backup. I like the fact that if I need to work on my truck for some reason I can just take my car if I need to go somewhere. Oh well, I'm sure everyone's opinion differs slightly on this, but that's why everyone's cars are different.

**John4cam** · 07-22-2008, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by travj31

I know everyone would have their own opinion, but I just don't know why some were complaining about who was in the "Top Dog" class at the FLD's. If those cars all pass inspections and have all the required info/documents and are driven to the airport... who cares??? I haven't been to any of the FLD's this year, but I know from the past that they picked the fastest street legal cars to run? They didn't pick the fastest cars who could run on 93 pump gas, drive 200 miles without overheating, didn't have roll cages, etc...

I normally don't say too much on here, but I just didn't get what the issue was with how they were picking the Top Dogs. Maybe my opinion is a little different since I actually don't run my car at the FLD's, but when I think back to my old notch that I used to run a little, I don't see how/why I would be upset if I didn't get picked if the other cars were faster as long as they qualified with the proper requirements.

I do agree with you on this, if the car meets the standards of the event, it should be able to run, an 11 second car will not get you anywhere @ the fld's if your trying to be competitive, and some just cant understand that, or get pissed, and wine.

**Sonic03snake** · 07-22-2008, 03:55 PM

A True street car= Get in it and be able to drive it to California with out a support vehicle.

There are way too many cars that go to the Flashlight drags that couldn't drive 100 miles if they had to. Don't get me wrong, im not bitching cause I couldn't give a shit. Just don't try to call something like that a street car, it makes you look stupid IMO.

**Rodeheaver's** · 07-22-2008, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Sonic03snake

A True street car= Get in it and be able to drive it to California with out a support vehicle.

There are way too many cars that go to the Flashlight drags that couldn't drive 100 miles if they had to. Don't get me wrong, im not bitching cause I couldn't give a shit. Just don't try to call something like that a street car, it makes you look stupid IMO.

I am not sure if there are many new cars on the market today i would trust jumping in and driving to cali...LOL, there was a 7-sec car at the flgs on sunday and he had plates and stuff , it was pretty much a chassis car..

**travj31** · 07-22-2008, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Rodeheaver's

I am not sure if there are many new cars on the market today i would trust jumping in and driving to cali...LOL, there was a 7-sec car at the flgs on sunday and he had plates and stuff , it was pretty much a chassis car..

what car was that? is the yellow 69 camaro still running fld's this yr? i was out at columbus last yr and i saw him beat a hayabusa 2 out of 3 times that supposedly ran 8.70's