dwhitt
Viper Owner
I am an average driver at best but have run 500 plus passes in various cars over the years. My accountant/CPA logic follows with some real life examples to bridge my '08 to 10.90's this fall at MIR in Maryland.
My 2001 LS1 camaro SS with stock F1 goodyears, aftermarket muffler, K&N and Hypertech tune ran 13.29 at 107 mph at MIR. Stock HP was 310 I believe. I assume the mods gave me 30 HP at most for 340 HP +/-. I believe my 60 ft was 2.0 +/-.
My 2002 GTS with stock Pilots, no muffler, smooth tubes and K&N's ran 12.30 at 116 mph at MIR. Car had severe wheel hop and 60 fts were 2.0 at the very best from what I recall. Stock HP was 450 and I assume the mods gave me 20 HP at most for 470 HP +/-.
My 1995 RT/10 with stock Michelins and K&N's ran 12.57 at 113 mph at MIR. Car had good traction (wife actually got this best time - hey, she is lighter than me by 70 lbs. - my excuse anyway) and 60 fts were in the low 1.90 range from what I recall (she did burnouts that made me cringe but it seemed to work for her 60 fts). Stock HP was 400 and I assume the K&N gave me 10 HP at most for 410 HP +/-.
My 2003 Mustang Cobra with drag radials and 415 RWHP (motor must have been just under 500HP) ran 11.95's at 122mph on 3 or 4 runs at VMP (NHRA track near Richmond) and Richmond Dragway. 60 fts were only low 1.80's due to severe wheel hop with those "junk" IRS rears. I actually sheared the stock halfshafts on my very first pass with the car at MIR in MD. Car went about 3 feet at launch and the IRS snapped on one side. Not good. Thank goodness we trailered the car from Richmond that day.
All of the above runs were made in cool spring or fall weather. I never waste my time running in hot weather since I am all about low ET and high MPH. I don't powershift, I often miss gears and am generally an average driver at best at the track.
Here is my logic based on the above. I believe the above cars in general have similar curb weights of at least 3,400 lbs plus me at 200 lbs (except my wife was probably 130 lbs at the time she ran the '95 RT/10). Given efficient 60 ft traction applying your power, I had always heard that 100 engine HP (not RWHP) would net you 1 full second in the 1/4 mile in a car around 3,200 lbs +/-. My '02 GTS ran 1 second quicker than my camaro with similar 60 ft times and roughly 130 HP extra. A bone stock '03 cobra was to run 12.90's according to magazines with 390 engine HP. My modified cobra had roughly 490 engine HP based on my dynojet RWHP of 415. My cobra ran roughly 1 second quicker than stock with a decent 60 ft time but not great 60 ft time and about 100 extra engine HP over a stock cobra. Seems like my '08 coupe with decent or great 60 ft times should run 1 second quicker than the 11.95's my cobra ran with 110 less HP than my viper.
Just my 2 cents. I'll give it a shot this fall when the weather is crisp and cool. If I get close, I may spring for Hoosiers or the like if I am real close but need a better 60 ft to make the difference.
My 2001 LS1 camaro SS with stock F1 goodyears, aftermarket muffler, K&N and Hypertech tune ran 13.29 at 107 mph at MIR. Stock HP was 310 I believe. I assume the mods gave me 30 HP at most for 340 HP +/-. I believe my 60 ft was 2.0 +/-.
My 2002 GTS with stock Pilots, no muffler, smooth tubes and K&N's ran 12.30 at 116 mph at MIR. Car had severe wheel hop and 60 fts were 2.0 at the very best from what I recall. Stock HP was 450 and I assume the mods gave me 20 HP at most for 470 HP +/-.
My 1995 RT/10 with stock Michelins and K&N's ran 12.57 at 113 mph at MIR. Car had good traction (wife actually got this best time - hey, she is lighter than me by 70 lbs. - my excuse anyway) and 60 fts were in the low 1.90 range from what I recall (she did burnouts that made me cringe but it seemed to work for her 60 fts). Stock HP was 400 and I assume the K&N gave me 10 HP at most for 410 HP +/-.
My 2003 Mustang Cobra with drag radials and 415 RWHP (motor must have been just under 500HP) ran 11.95's at 122mph on 3 or 4 runs at VMP (NHRA track near Richmond) and Richmond Dragway. 60 fts were only low 1.80's due to severe wheel hop with those "junk" IRS rears. I actually sheared the stock halfshafts on my very first pass with the car at MIR in MD. Car went about 3 feet at launch and the IRS snapped on one side. Not good. Thank goodness we trailered the car from Richmond that day.
All of the above runs were made in cool spring or fall weather. I never waste my time running in hot weather since I am all about low ET and high MPH. I don't powershift, I often miss gears and am generally an average driver at best at the track.
Here is my logic based on the above. I believe the above cars in general have similar curb weights of at least 3,400 lbs plus me at 200 lbs (except my wife was probably 130 lbs at the time she ran the '95 RT/10). Given efficient 60 ft traction applying your power, I had always heard that 100 engine HP (not RWHP) would net you 1 full second in the 1/4 mile in a car around 3,200 lbs +/-. My '02 GTS ran 1 second quicker than my camaro with similar 60 ft times and roughly 130 HP extra. A bone stock '03 cobra was to run 12.90's according to magazines with 390 engine HP. My modified cobra had roughly 490 engine HP based on my dynojet RWHP of 415. My cobra ran roughly 1 second quicker than stock with a decent 60 ft time but not great 60 ft time and about 100 extra engine HP over a stock cobra. Seems like my '08 coupe with decent or great 60 ft times should run 1 second quicker than the 11.95's my cobra ran with 110 less HP than my viper.
Just my 2 cents. I'll give it a shot this fall when the weather is crisp and cool. If I get close, I may spring for Hoosiers or the like if I am real close but need a better 60 ft to make the difference.