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A Stock Drag Race Between Two Unlikely Muscle Cars Ends With David Beating Goliath
This classic muscle drag race between a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS and a 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible proves even the base muscle cars were fast enough
by Dim Angelov, onClassic car drag races never get old as we are always curious to see how different versions of 1960s and 1970s muscle cars perform on the drag strip 50 years after their production. This Cars and Zebras drag race is between two unlikely cars. We say that because both the 1967 Dodge Coronet and 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS are relatively base versions so, naturally, we were curious how they would perform over a quarter-mile.
1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Super Sport
In 1965, the SS moniker did not mean much as even a base, 120-horsepower inline-six Chevelle could have the Super Sport appearance package. This one, however, has a 327 cubic-inch L74 V-8. This means a 10.5:1 compression ratio, 300 horsepower at 5,000 RPM, and 360 pound-feet (488 Nm) at 3,200 RPM.
Power is sent to the rear through a two-speed PowerGlide automatic with 3.55 gears. According to the narrator, the PowerGlide may have only two forward gears, but needs only 25 horsepower to spin, meaning very little powertrain loss.
1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible
Factory R/T badging always spells big engine and when it comes to factory MOPARs, it doesn’t get much bigger than the 440 cubic-inch Magnum V-8. With a 10.1:1 compression ratio, the mighty pushrod was conservatively rated at 375 horsepower at 4,600 RPM and 480 pound-feet (651 Nm) at 3,200 RPM.
Power hits the road through a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic, which needs 45 horsepower to spin. The Coronet features a not very drag-race-friendly 2.96 gearing. Being a convertible, it’s also a bit heavier – 4,012 pounds (1,820 kg).
The drag race
As always, it’s best out of three, quarter-mile drag races from a standing start. The first run clearly shows how important gearing is. The long-legged Dodge Coronet may be a relaxing drive on the highway, but that doesn’t win drag races. The less powerful Chevelle Malibu SS wins, crossing the line in 14.18 seconds at 97.42 mph (156.78 km/h) versus the Coronet R/T’s 14.80-second time at 94.31 mph (151.77 km/h).
Race two was a bit closer, but it confirmed what was already obvious. The Malibu’s shorter gearing helped it reach the quarter-mile first, with a time of 14.30 seconds at 97.03 mph (156.15 km/h) versus the Dodge Coronet’s 14.61 seconds at 94.70 mph (152.40 km/h).
In the end, these are two very different setups that excel in completely different aspects. This drag battle, however, is won by the car with the smaller engine, but shorter gearing.
