Agree or disagree (Burnouts)...

[Fleet 500]

One of those car magazines back in the mid-to-late 1980s said "Burnouts don't tell a thing about how fast your car is." Or something similar, not those exact words.

Anyway, I've always wondered about that. Do you think that if a car can do a burnout it's fast and if it can't, it's not? I think it's at least partly true that you can't judge a car by how it can burn rubber. Because some engines (especially highly-modified ones) make most of their torque and power at the higher rpms and don't come off the line as fast as when they are moving at 40 or 50 mph.

[diyhemi.com]

RWhat you, sir, are describing is the epic and age old discussion about horsepower vs torque. There are many opinions about which makes a faster or quicker car, and yes there is a difference between being fast and being quick.
Fast refers to a maximum rate of speed such as top MPH. Think of salt flat, land speed record breaking cars. They are geared for mph and may have 1,000's of HP  and still cannot do a burnout. This distance/time unit of measure is increased with horsepower.

Burnouts are a good indicator of low end torque and gearing, which is great for hole shots and 1/4 mile racing.   Quick refers to a time unit of measure.

It's all relative to the task at hand and what the car was built to do.  For a weekend racer/ cruiser, a burnout may be a good indication of what they are working with, but then again it could be like the old school Chevy big blocks that put out 350 ft/lbs of torque with 150hp. They could spin tires like the dickens, but watch em fall on their faces after the 60ft.

[Cooter]

"If your hooking, your cooking.....If your spinning, you ain't winning"...

I learned A long time ago back in HS that spinning tires is for silly kids. Yanking the left front wheel off the ground is for the grown ups.

Burnouts on the street, are a waste of tires and surely do nothing to "Show the power" output of your ride.

There's only ONE TIME when burnouts are needed. On your way to a wheels up launch at the drag strip.

[Cooter]

but then again it could be like the old school Chevy big blocks that put out 350 ft/lbs of torque with 150hp. They could spin tires like the dickens, but watch em fall on their faces after the 60ft.

I don't know what kind of Rat motors you been watching, but most every one of the old skool BBC's I've seen make about 6 times the HP you mention cheaper than a Mopar ever will.

[Oldschool]

I don't know what kind of Rat motors you been watching, but most every one of the old skool BBC's I've seen make about 6 times the HP you mention cheaper than a Mopar ever will.

900 HP by "most every one"?            C'mon man ....           

[72cudamaan]

900 HP by "most every one"?            C'mon man ....           

Remember, this is Cooter. He does tend to exaggerate a bit from time to time.    

[ViperMan]

Remember, this is Cooter. He does tend to exaggerate a bit from time to time.    

Yeah...  nah never mind - I'm not touchin' this with a sixty-foot pole... 

[diyhemi.com]

I don't know what kind of Rat motors you been watching, but most every one of the old skool BBC's I've seen make about 6 times the HP you mention cheaper than a Mopar ever will.

I was referring to the  high school rat rods of the day when kids would swap 454 work truck big blocks into their cars without so much as an aftermarket intake150-200 to the wheels wasn't all  that uncommon on budget builds. Dunno about you, but not many people I know could afford true HP block cars..

[ChallengerHK]

One of those car magazines back in the mid-to-late 1980s said "Burnouts don't tell a thing about how fast your car is." Or something similar, not those exact words.

You can make that sentence true by adding one word: "Burnouts ALONE don't tell a thing about how fast your car is."

[Rare_T_A]

I don't care what they are a show of................They are just plain fun!

[MOPAR FANATIC]

Yeah...  nah never mind - I'm not touchin' this with a sixty-foot pole... 

Jeff,Me neither..................  

[Super Blue 72]

900 HP by "most every one"?            C'mon man ....           

We know the Beast can make that much HP!!!! 

I dunno, yeah, torque will let you spin the tires.  If it's for kids, I'm still a kid at heart! 

I still remember seeing a '72 Torino when I was a kid, creeping from a stop then rolling at like 15mph or so lighting up the tires and I remember seeing flames where the tires met the road.  It still impresses me now.  (I'm easily impressed I guess.  )

[torredcuda]

I don't care what they are a show of................They are just plain fun!

    

Low hp cars can do good burnouts and I`ve seen some very fast cars that couldn`t=means nothing as far as proving how fast or how much hp you have.

[hpe600rt]

burnouts are cool but not with my 800 drag tires to costley

[Cooter]

900 HP by "most every one"?            C'mon man ....           

So by me saying "Most every one I"VE SEEN" you imply i either one haven't seen 'em or they are ALL i've seen correct?


Sonny Leonard. Anytime you wish to try him out, lemme know....