So a few months back on the 100 mile cruise home from an autox event, my coworker with a stock SRT8 Charger (425 hp, 420 ft-lbs torque, 4200 lbs) was consitently faster than me from 70mph-130mph (safe, empty, straight two lane country roads). Ever since then, he's been pretty cocky about how much faster his car was than mine. I figured from a stop, we should be about even, with him beating me by a few tenths in the quarter mile, but he wouldn't believe it and talks about going to a drag strip never materialized.

So last weekend, we found a nice stretch of road (empty, being about 6am on saturday morning) and I challanged him to a safe 0-60mph. I launched at about 2.5k rpm and eased out the clutch to maintain traction and was instantly about 1 car length ahead (Charger's only come in automatic so his launch wasn't as great). I crept away further, slowly from 0-40mph, and then he matched me (behind me of course) 40-60mph. At 60mph-ish, I was still in front when I shifted and he was still running through his second gear (his 2nd goes up to 70-something) and he resumed owning me by 70-80mph. I already knew what happens after 80mph, and we weren't on a highway, so I let off.

He was surprised and a little annoyed though, and now is looking into aftermarket intakes for his Charger.. haha.

All I have is a C&L Racer + 93 Tillmanspeed tune..

So yeah, while I do not condone street racing in traffic, I'm not worried enough about my image to make a long disclaimer, and I think it's perfectly fine if you're smart and safe about it.

But the moral of the story is.. if you're mostly stock, with just the typical CAI/tune, you have nothing to fear from a revving SRT8 Charger at a stop-light (RT Charger would almost not even be worth your time). A revving SRT8 already in motion (40mph+), however, is a completely different beast.

 

Yeah man! But the old saying goes: Those cubic inches go to work down the stretch, but that's nice to know being that all I have is a CAI/tune.

 

I have a supercharger so all of the SRT-8s just make me yawn. It doesn't matter if it is a 300C, A Charger, a Magnum or whatever....yawn...yawn....yawn...to the SRT-8s

 

Dodge sucks. Pure and simple.

... except for the viper.

 

Yes indeed, the Viper.

Got to autocross one once at Skip Barber School. Completely insane amazing wonderful car.

 

...I'm already sleeping

 

Cool Nice to know we don't need much to take on an SRT8. This make me wonder of something that has recently popped up:

A friend of mine is about to receive an R/T from his brother. He has not stopped talking about how he can leave me in the dust and blah blah blah. Must be a Dodge thing I finally bite and agree to a trip to the strip once he finally gets it. I wonder how an R/T with long tubes, cai+tune, and catback would match up with my Cs? Only thing I'm running is an o/r h. I'm sure those mods must be very well received from all that displacement. A tune+cai is in the works for me right now. Will it be enough?

Sorry. Didn't mean to thread jack, I was just reminded of my wont-shut-up friend

 

The best I ever pulled in my mother's Charger R/T was a 14.8 with a K&N intake only. This is in 4,000 elevation, too. The car can move, but the Mustang is faster. They work well with an intake and a tune, but not sure how well long tubes go with them.

One thing i've noticed is Charger owners are so cocky. The guys with R/T's over at ChargerForums are constantly bragging about their "Mustang kill". SRT-8's LOVE to pick on GT's, but considering how well the S197's are reacting to performance mods, even as simple as intake/tune, it wouldn't take TOO much to keep up with the SRT8. I like both cars and am lucky to drive both whenever I please. Let's give them some slack, many of them have families and aren't able to have a Mustang for space-issues so having a HEMI is the next best thing, just about.

 

Just wait until the 09s with the Track Pack or whatever they're calling it start showing up on the streets. Jumping from an open 2.91 or 3.06 rear to a 3.96 (i think that's the ratio thats going in them) LSD is going to make a world of difference.

 

I can tell you that your story, while interesting, is not typical with respect to the two cars you match up. I've seen SRT-8's running high 12's at the track "BONE-STOCK". Seriously doubt any Mustang GT with only a CAI and tune would come close to that. Glad you pissed off your buddy though.

 

Go to the link below and see what I am putting on next! I have the supercharger now but soon I will have Ram air/Supercharger power! I am on the waiting list already! I am dozing off on the SRT-8s now...Big YAAAAAAWNNNNNNN!

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...=en&sitesearch=#

 

I guess you keep saying the word "safe" to justify it but I think you know as well as everyone else, there is no such thing as a "safe" street race.

 

guess you havn't had a chance to take one of these on then...

 

Hey, you race on the street, you take a chance, just like any other similar endeavor. The problem is too often, you're forcing a lot of others on or near the road to also take a chance. That said, I too, am guilty of the occasional street race.

 

Yeah, I'm not saying the SRT8 Charger is slow at all - it's pretty fast. Just saying that there is a small window where we can be competative with an SRT8 Charger.


And yeah, I agree, it's never "safe." I retract all the mentions of safe: I raced my coworkers charger. On a road. Period.

But then again, it wasn't any more dangerous than every time I stomp on the accellerator, because I accellerate to redline at WOT at about half of the red lights I encounter.. (one reason why I'm not upgrading my exhaust.. stock is loud enough at WOT from 4k-6k)

 

The stock Challenger SRT8 posts times in the low 13s to upper 12s (info from their forum...I was peaking). So, an S197 GT with CAI, UDPs, Control Arms, Springs, Short-throw 5-spd, sticky tires and possibly a single-piece shaft runs 12.5s all day.

When Dodge figures out the 13 city 18 Hwy is already a joke, they'll put in the 4.11 gears, get an open element air filter, bigger throttle body, 6-spd manual, and a 100HP NOS kit. At that point a GT500 needs help. Fortunately Jim Bell owns just that company!

I love the "I can go faster" wars. It's all about time and money. Plus when you're done, you won't be able to drive the thing to work.

I say keep it simple, fun, and just enjoy the thing. (also running stock exhaust from 4K-6500!)