Nice cars other than x-fire
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- #1,202
The history of funny cars dates back to the 1960s, and while it's not possible to pinpoint exactly who coined the phrase and why, many experts in the drag racing field agree the name originates from the "funny" aesthetics of these dragsters. Altered wheelbases and GRP body panels certainly ensured they looked odd, and the name just stuck.
But while they may be called "funny," there really is nothing funny about them at all, especially when you peel back the skin and see what powers these monsters. It's not unheard of to see funny cars and Top Fuel dragsters kicking out 11,000 horsepower, which equates to a frankly insane 1,375 horsepower per cylinder. Naturally, then, the stresses on these engines are pretty incredible, which is why they can often only last a single run down the strip before needing a rebuild or replacement. Funny cars are capable of completing said run in just four seconds, so that's an engine rebuild after just four seconds of use. Some can last up to around five runs, but that still only makes for a total running time of less than half a minute, so these engines are far from durable.
Funny cars burn through as much as 15 gallons of fuel with each run, with engine capacities capped at 500 CI. The supercharged and fuel-injected engines are actually the same as those used in Top Fuel dragsters, although funny cars have carbon-fiber bodyshells that resemble regular production models. Another difference between Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars is that the latter sports a shorter wheelbase.
The fastest funny car so far is Bob Tasca III's Mustang-esque model, which managed to reach 341.68 mph in 2024. Speeds like this have been achieved before, but not since the NHRA shortened drag strips to 1,000 feet for top classes — including funny cars — following a tragic accident in 2008. This makes reaching such speeds more of a challenge, but Tasca managed the feat regardless.
But while they may be called "funny," there really is nothing funny about them at all, especially when you peel back the skin and see what powers these monsters. It's not unheard of to see funny cars and Top Fuel dragsters kicking out 11,000 horsepower, which equates to a frankly insane 1,375 horsepower per cylinder. Naturally, then, the stresses on these engines are pretty incredible, which is why they can often only last a single run down the strip before needing a rebuild or replacement. Funny cars are capable of completing said run in just four seconds, so that's an engine rebuild after just four seconds of use. Some can last up to around five runs, but that still only makes for a total running time of less than half a minute, so these engines are far from durable.
Funny cars burn through as much as 15 gallons of fuel with each run, with engine capacities capped at 500 CI. The supercharged and fuel-injected engines are actually the same as those used in Top Fuel dragsters, although funny cars have carbon-fiber bodyshells that resemble regular production models. Another difference between Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars is that the latter sports a shorter wheelbase.
The fastest funny car so far is Bob Tasca III's Mustang-esque model, which managed to reach 341.68 mph in 2024. Speeds like this have been achieved before, but not since the NHRA shortened drag strips to 1,000 feet for top classes — including funny cars — following a tragic accident in 2008. This makes reaching such speeds more of a challenge, but Tasca managed the feat regardless.
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- #1,203
1939 Pontiac Plexiglas Deluxe 6
Many of us will recognize Pontiac due to its legendary 1960s models, but the first Pontiac to make our list came out a few decades before well-known nameplates such as the Grand Prix or GTO. Pontiac's history stretches back to the 1920s, and it's one of those earlier Pontiacs that kicks off our list.
The Pontiac 6 debuted in 1926, introduced to complement the offerings from its sister GM brand, Oakland. It was the first Pontiac ever made and helped Pontiac displace the Oakland brand, which GM discontinued in 1931. This particular Deluxe 6 came out more than a decade after the nameplate's debut, at the tail end of the interwar period. In 1939, the Great Depression was coming to an end, and New York was set to host the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. Fittingly, the 1939 World's Fair was a true showcase of a nation (and a world) getting back on its feet and looking toward the future.
General Motors took part, with the corporation's 'Futurama' display imagining a city of the future, complete with a surprisingly prescient network of national highways criss-crossing the United States. Part of that display was also this striking Deluxe 6 , which swapped its original sheet metal panels for see-through plexiglass. GM and Rohm & Haas, which had brought plexiglass to market in 1933, also painted the structure copper, chromed the trim and hardware, and painted the rubber components white. GM allegedly spent $25,000 on this unique 1930s sedan. It eventually sold for $308,000 at a 2011 auction.
Many of us will recognize Pontiac due to its legendary 1960s models, but the first Pontiac to make our list came out a few decades before well-known nameplates such as the Grand Prix or GTO. Pontiac's history stretches back to the 1920s, and it's one of those earlier Pontiacs that kicks off our list.
The Pontiac 6 debuted in 1926, introduced to complement the offerings from its sister GM brand, Oakland. It was the first Pontiac ever made and helped Pontiac displace the Oakland brand, which GM discontinued in 1931. This particular Deluxe 6 came out more than a decade after the nameplate's debut, at the tail end of the interwar period. In 1939, the Great Depression was coming to an end, and New York was set to host the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. Fittingly, the 1939 World's Fair was a true showcase of a nation (and a world) getting back on its feet and looking toward the future.
General Motors took part, with the corporation's 'Futurama' display imagining a city of the future, complete with a surprisingly prescient network of national highways criss-crossing the United States. Part of that display was also this striking Deluxe 6 , which swapped its original sheet metal panels for see-through plexiglass. GM and Rohm & Haas, which had brought plexiglass to market in 1933, also painted the structure copper, chromed the trim and hardware, and painted the rubber components white. GM allegedly spent $25,000 on this unique 1930s sedan. It eventually sold for $308,000 at a 2011 auction.
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- #1,204
The Tucker 48, often called the Tucker Torpedo, beat the Corvair to the rear-engine game by a dozen years. The engine layout was only one of the Tucker's unique features; in fact, the history of the Tucker 48 is a tale of innovations that set it far ahead of its time. Yet the company's founder, Preston Tucker, became embroiled in controversy and fraud charges, and only 51 examples of his "car of the future" were built.
After unsuccessfully trying to shoehorn a 589-cubic-inch flat-six engine into the 48's rear engine bay, Mr. Tucker settled for a water-cooled, opposed six-cylinder engine originally designed for helicopters. Yet this motor was hardly a slouch; its 166-horsepower rating was the most of any American car in 1948. With so much power and weight located so far to the rear of this long car, the 48 is prone to oversteer, although not severely so. The 48's cutting-edge "Torsilastic" suspension helped to keep the vehicle on an even keel.
The Tucker 48's list of auto-industry firsts goes far beyond its helicopter engine. It sported a third, central headlight that swiveled in the direction of steering
, along with disc brakes in an era when most other cars had drum brakes. It also offered safety features like a pop-out windshield and a padded dashboard, both of which protected passengers during crashes.
After unsuccessfully trying to shoehorn a 589-cubic-inch flat-six engine into the 48's rear engine bay, Mr. Tucker settled for a water-cooled, opposed six-cylinder engine originally designed for helicopters. Yet this motor was hardly a slouch; its 166-horsepower rating was the most of any American car in 1948. With so much power and weight located so far to the rear of this long car, the 48 is prone to oversteer, although not severely so. The 48's cutting-edge "Torsilastic" suspension helped to keep the vehicle on an even keel.
The Tucker 48's list of auto-industry firsts goes far beyond its helicopter engine. It sported a third, central headlight that swiveled in the direction of steering
theboss
Power User
My C6 ZR1 act like a turtle compare to this
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- #1,212
It also didn’t cost 2.8 million USD ….the Koenigseggs’s 1600 HP should make it quick also considering that the car is so aerodynamic. Slippery as a third term politician……
Jesko Absolut
Discover the fastest Koenigsegg ever made - the Jesko Absolut. Sleek silhouette paired with powertrain engineering aimed for top speeds never before seen.
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- #1,215
1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
Passenger cars used to be a rolling statement, something that’s extremely obvious when looking at a Chevrolet Master Deluxe. Produced between 1933 and 1942 as the automaker’s dependable passenger car offering, the Master Deluxe was the higher-trimmed version, available in either a 4-door Sport Sedan, a 2-door Coach, a 2-door Business Coupe, a 2-door Four-Passenger Coupe, or a Station Wagon in 1939 .The Series JA Master Deluxe, as it was known, featured a valve-in-head six-cylinder engine that produced 85 hp, paired with a standard synchro-meshed, floor-shifted 3-speed manual transmission. A vacuum-assisted column shift was also available as an option. This particular 1939 example is a little different than stock, but its modifications don’t detract from the overall overwhelming sense of class that the Master Deluxe exudes. Finished in a sleek shade of black with classic whitewall tires and shiny chrome center caps, as it should be, the body seems to sit much lower than usual, although the listing doesn’t mention anything about the suspension. If anything, one could say the lowered suspension gives it a more menacing look, as if it’s ready to pounce from 0 to 60 at a moment’s notice.
Dave91TM
Power User
Not real certain that with 85 HP it would "pounce from 0 to 60 at a moments notice, unless by a moment they meant a minute. Google indicates top speed was "around 60 MPH".
Dave91TM
Power User
What?
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- #1,219
It was probably considered “ quick “ when it was first sold in 1933 .
The average car performance in 1933, based on some typical examples, was modest by today’s standards but respectable in its time. For example:
• A 1933 Plymouth could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 29 seconds, which was considered very good for that era. Its top speed was around 70.87 mph according to British magazine data, although there was some variation depending on the version of the car. The car had about 70 horsepower at 3600 rpm and weighed approximately 2700 pounds.
• Other cars of the early 1930s typically had horsepower ranging from around 10 to 70 hp, with top speeds generally below 80 mph for standard passenger models. Sports and racing cars had higher performance, with some Italian and British models capable of exceeding 90 mph or more.
• The average cruising speeds for common cars like Ford Model A were around 45-50 mph, with top speeds near 65-70 mph.
• Acceleration times were slow compared to modern standards, often taking 20+ seconds to reach 50-60 mph.
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