What makes a "street" car?

[GT40FIED]

Ok....this has my brain turning. I know many of you aren't exactly familar with the magazine 5.0 And Super Fords , but the last issue had a contest contemplating the "King of the Street". This has baffled me. Here's the mods of the winner:

Ford A4 block (racing block...not street oriented) punched to a 347
Ported Trick Flow heads w/ 2.05" intake valves and 1.60 exhaust
Renegade class cam specs
All forged/billet internals
Ported intake w/ huge throttle body
Twin fuel pumps w/ 83lb/hr. injectors
Aftermarket FMU
F.A.S.T programmable DFI system
Full aftermarket ignition
1 7/8" Kooks headers
Paxton Novi 2000 blower @ 20lbs of boost
Super Comp C4 w/ manual valve body and 4,500rpm stall converter
8.8" rear end w/ Moser spool
Stricktly drag racing front and rear suspension and brakes including skinny wheels and tires up front.

Now...I didn't get nearly as detailed as the magazine, but I would think a car with a 10 point roll cage and fat ass rear slicks that runs a 9.48 @145mph is certainly not a street car. Sadly, the car makes less power than my car (just barely at 645hp) but my car is probably about a full second slower because mine is a dedicated street car. I could race it at the track I suppose if there were someone who'd let me run it. My point is that this is obviously a bracket racer that is a "street" car by name only. Any car could be street legal here since there's no emmisions regulations. Hell...there's a 60-something Corvette that runs 7s and could technically be street driven by this standard. So my question is, when does a car stop being a street car and become a track queen?

[cashizslick]

I hear where you are coming from, a "street car" should be a real street car.

I dont even think its cool when people bring their "street car" to the track and take out the system, the rear seats, and put on slicks instead of their street radials just to get a time that is 2 tenths of a second faster.

Do you have any pics of your car GT40FIED?

[oc civic]

the balls to run it on the street.....

[ebpda9]

u mean a street racing car ? i would say something that runs ridiculous low times in the 1/4 and still is smog legal

[GT40FIED]

I don't know...I guess to me a true street car is one that's powerful but has the manners to take your date out on the weekends. It doesn't have a skull-rattling suspension, an awkward transmission, or a really grumpy cam (or cams for you modular motored guys). Somehow a spool, a manual valve body, and a dedicated drag suspension don't cut it as a true street car for me. I've sacrificed a great deal of raceability in favor of streetability and I'm happy to have done so. I guess I think of a street car that's as comfortable on cruise night as it is on a strip.

[ford50forlife]

hands down the fastest street car i know of is the BLACK LX of HOWIE AUTOMOTIVE !!



get this

302!! with single turbo fully worked motor dynoed 1720hp <---- not typo


FULL INTERIOR, STREET LEGAL, DRIVEN 30 MILES TO THE TRACK, COMPLETELY stock exterior albeit the 2' cowel hood to fit the intake manifold, still has a system and accessories, and clips off 8.20's@165mph....

every time he goes to tech inspection and people ask how quick the car is they politely inform him its a 1/4 mile track and not an 1/8th mile


a street car to me is everyday usuable with all accessories, smog legal, still being able to be registered, and insured legally.