Fastest Cars Of The 1980s: Do You Remember Them?
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- Опубликовано: 18 авг 2023
- he 1980s was a decade that witnessed Michael Jackson's Thriller, the Berlin Wall fall, the IBM Personal Computer, and more importantly the emergence of high-performance cars. Uh if you want to call them that. No they weren't your fathers Muscle Car!
It was not just Germans and Italians who were trying to make history on the track. American brands like Chevrolet and Aston Martin were also persistent to share the glory with European counterparts. And even to date, the craze for vintage cars in 2023 is constantly going high for shoppers having collector value. The 1980s saw the birth of some of the fastest and most iconic cars in automotive history. 
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You failed to mention the GNX had a computer shutoff at 124mph. They did it on purpose because of how fast that car really was. It should be remembered as THE fastest/quickest of all the 80's. Even over Europe's best. At 32°, (intercooler) it was capable of 0-60 in under 5sec. If you were a true driver, 4.5sec. Plus, a lounge chair to sit on while making 'Vette owner cry.
Agree. The GNX was a McLaren prepped machine.
I just woke up my wife yelling about this lol
And the transmission in it was originally designed for the Chevy Chevette. Typical GM, cheap drive line.
Lol, no they did it because the tires were trash.
They also originally optioned a 3.73 rear gear & then went soley to a 3.42.
They would have been lucky to crack 135 with that gearing, the 3.73 gears were pretty much maxed at 124.
That's where the quick 0 - 60 & 1/4 mile times came into effect.
I swapped from 3.08 to 3.55 in a '91 Mustang GT and lost over 5 mph on the top side.
2004R is not exactly known for failing.@@drippinglass
I can say that I not only owned one, but I still own an '88 IROC since new. It's still fun to drive, is very "torquey," and hugs curves incredibly well.
Love my 87 5.7
First car was an 87 5.7 w/T-tops. in dark Red Metallic
@@drogynturalyon9914 mine's the same color, but i call it maroon.
@@kimnach Its maroon! LOL
I had as well I loved that car
You missed the1986 Shelby Omni GLHS, a 4-door hatchback that weighed 1,900lbs and did 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. It also got about 30MPG.
that GLHS stood for "Goes Like Hell Shelby"
@@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman Goes Like Hell Somemore. They made the GLH with the Turbo 2.2 146 HP engine. The GLH-S had the intercooled Turbo II with 175 HP hence the "Somemore". My dad had an 86 Shelby Charger with the standard 2.2 Turbo. It would run with, if not beat quite a few of the cars on this guys "list".
@@JrGoonior I know, I bought a new one in '86! Goes Like Hell Shelby is what it goes by with everyone I know thats had one, never heard the "some more" so thats a new one on me
@@JrGoonior Also had an '89 Shelby Dakota
Your scales are a tad off, lmao.
They were over 2,500 lbs & would run damn near 130. 😉
The 87/88 thunderbird was (imo) an absolutely beautiful car, inside/out
They sure were and this report/video got it wrong. Top speed, according to Car and Driver magazine, was 142 MPH. I have the mag on my computer room desk to this day. I believe they also got the Buick GNX top speed wrong too!!!
It was junk, unfortunately.
@@user-wo5zi3kp8y How so??? Did you EVER own one? I sure did and drove that 88 Turbo Coupe for 163,000 miles and the only thing I did was replace the timing belt at 100,000 miles (did the water pump at the same time since it was right there). I know several people that owned them and didn't have problems.
My cousin had one he bought pretty much brand new in the early 90's dark blue with dark blue velour interior,power everything with sunroof,the car rode so nice and it was pretty quick for a 4 banger.
I rode in that car as a child,it was one of the best sports cars every made,with just the right amount of luxury and performance.
Had a 87 in highschool
Have an '89 Turbo TA and '87 GN in my garage. Dad bought them both new. They are both fast...now. 😁
you have a great retirement for the prices they go for at auction now, wish I had kept all 6 of my T/As {1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1998} but always wanted the TT/A & GNX
Both will get beat by a 4 -banger WRX
@@danielfair4675 An 80's WRX?
@@danielfair4675But at the end of the day, it's still a Subaru.
U mean ragged out now. Nothing is better then factory just bc u put a carburetor on a 350 doesn't make it fast. Those tuned ports had tons of torque
Nice video, have to give some love to the 1989 Taurus SHO, top speed 143 if Google, but many will tell you they could get past 150 mph
Thanks for the info
I can't believe the SHO didn't make it!
The SHO was a miss for sure, even the 1989 Thunderbird Super Couple could break 140 if memory serves.@@RyanRyanHayes
@bobbybrannon3438 I miss old cars so much. I had a 91 SC Tbird that was a 6 speed manual. Good times back then ✌️
The 89 SHO surprised EVERY pony car owner even into the 90’s
I had an 89 SHO. Beat a LOT of Camaros and mustangs.
Drove across the entire state of Iowa in the middle of the night in 3 hours flat. 120 mph was EASY for that car.
Shame it’s not on the list.
Can you do a follow up of the quickest 80s cars 0-60? Top speed is bragging rights but 0-60 is where it's at.
Lol, nobody races to 60 for bragging rights.
@@danielfair4675 Lol, nobody races cars to their absolute top speed.
Well to be fair, there's street racing....which these days...is it even a thing?! That's 0-60 or maybe a block or so before you get stupid. Then there's 1/4 mile drag racing. Which really is the benchmark. And then we have highway roll races which eliminate traction issues and let some cars really shine. Finally, top speed/balls out runs, which I think most will agree nobody should attempt on this side. That's for the autobahn...or I suppose a cordoned off test site. There's many ways to deem a car fast
The 1987 to 1989 Mustang GT's were best looking and the most fun of all the 80s cars in my opinion. 5.0 5 speed was just a blast to drive.
They were the same from 87-93 and the LX 5.0 was the one to have if you wanted to drag race
"Crusin' in my 5.0..."
~Vanilla Ice
Great time to be young and into muscle cars, during this 'second coming' of performance vehicles. I had several, two GT mustangs, a Monte SS, and the best one of all, an '87 Grand National. Had so much fun with all of them, but the GN really stood out as the stop-light drag winner. So much low end torque as the turbo spooled up. Can still remember the unique feeling of being pushed back in the seat, as it seemed to endlessly accelerate. Those cars all pale in comparison to today's performance models - but it was such a great time to be a (young) performance car enthusiast. Wonderful memories.
As fun as the 80s cars were, the real "second coming" for performance vehicles was the 1990s. We got the GM LT and LS engines that broke 300HP, the LT5 in the ZR-1 Corvette that pushed 405HP, and even the family wagon and sedan could be had with the 350 LT1 in the Chevy Caprice (Impala SS) and the Buick Roadmaster.
And now we have stupid-fast cars that I'm shocked the insurance industry hasn't killed the way it did in the early 1970s.
Yeah, I was around for the '90s comeback of the muscle car. Loved that time.
The 80s weren’t all that good of a time for "muscle cars" though…
The GNX wasn’t even one.
It had a V6 Turbo…
An engine you would usually find in a German or Japanese car.
I mean, yes the 5.0 fox body Mustang was a powerful V8 muscle, so was the IROC-Z Camaro, but that was about it as far as American "muscle cars" goes generally speaking.
Also don’t forget about the 4 cylinder Turbo Mustang SVO…
Only by 1990 did American car manufacturers put back V8 engines in their high performance models overall. That’s when US muscle cars came back for real! 😉
@@Shadow_Banned_ConservativeExactly!
The 90s were the real comeback of American V8 muscle!
Supercharged Pontiac T/A with a ram air hood scoop. Beautiful! Loved it when it made the ground rumble.
We had a 1987 IROC Z TPI 5.7L when I was 16 yrs old. I drove it many times and at that time was a blast to drive. Fast forward, today I have a 2011 Dodge Viper pushing 700 hp compared to the IROC Z 225 hp
Had a Mustang GT. Was fast for it’s time, however it’s amazing how far they have come over the years since
Me too. I bought a new 1989 Mustang GT and loved that car. Kept if for 9 years and only changed the plugs, wires and water pump. Still ran great with 160,000 miles on it when I sold it. That was one of 11 Mustangs I have owned and have loved them all. the 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe I owned was a blast to drive too and got GREAT MPG on the road!!!
They were the kings of the street. An old Fox body with a 5-speed and some flowmasters. It wasn't the fastest but it was an Everyman car AC good gas mileage for a V8 and they could take a hell of a beating everyday.
@@Mustgtcs07a friend of mine had a Fox body convertible back in the mid 90’s, it was a 5 SP, 5.0 but not a GT, I think it was an LX, either way, I’ve loved mustangs ever since. Finally, I bought my first Mustang ever, it’s a ‘22 GT, I love it, but I’ll never forget that Foxbody!
@@johnsheetz6639 1985 GT w/ the obligatory Flowmasters as well. Fun car! Had a '13 Shelby GT500 10 years ago which was cool, but not as much fun as my '85.
I had an 1989 LX Convertible 5.0 automatic. I loved that car
I had a pre-SVO turbo Mustang ( very troublesome turbo system ) in 1986 and a buddy of mine had a brand new 86 SVO that was loaded - it was a blast to drive !
Another buddy had an 85 IROC-Z L-69 5-spd with a 3.73 gear and was also damn fun to drive around town.
I got to drive an 89 FORMULA LB9 5-spd with the dual cat exhaust system and 3.42 gear and it was a really fun car as far as 80’s performance went.
I miss that era…
Monte Carlo SS, umm...............no. That thing was gutless! It looked good, loads of room. The average transit bus could beat it off the line! The cancelled 1989 SS with the 6.2L SB was the one GM should have started with.
I still have my 89 IROC since new. The clear coat faded off and it looks matte blue. It's in my garage next to my 04 Intimidator SS Monte Carlo. They Noth have 72k miles on rhen. Thanks for all of the great videos.
I miss my 88 IROC, even if it was the slower version. If I had kept it, I would have souped that thing up and had some fun.
The early 2000s Monte Carlo SS was a neat car as well, and I liked the way the car felt around me when I drove it. I had an LT trimmed Monte Carlo, a 2005 I think it was as a rental for a month on a long work assignment. I liked it enough that I occasionally still search the car ads for a supercharged SS. If I can find a clean one that hasn't been in the salt I might buy one one day. I was on a several month work assignment and hated it when they called me to bring it in and trade it for another car when it was due for service. They offered me an LT trim Impala which I didn't want. I even offered to wait around if they could service the MC and give it back to me, but they couldn't. They didn't service them on site.
Excellent presentation, gentlemen !
I was a senior in 1982 and am 59 years of age now, so I remember all of these cars very well - most of them were owned by friends of mine at church or school.
My own personal high performance car was in 1972 Datsun 510 two-door that was set up somewhat like the BRE racing transam winner from 1971 or two.
It was very light around 2, 100# and back then the hot setup was to transplant the 2.0 liter four cylinder from the Datsun truck put a lightweight fly wheel on it and dual SU carbs and a performance exhaust.
+ lower it and install front + rear sway bars and run 60 series BF Goodrich comp T/As.
As I recall and put out about 160 horsepower and would easily hit 120 plus and 0 to 60 in about 5.5 seconds so it was a ton of fun.
It's a miracle it didn't kill myself I'll get put in jail from tickets.
But I was careful and mainly raced it at autocross at the San Diego stadium the sports car club of America chapter would sponsor a weekend of racing monthly and that was a fun safe way to get out your racing impulse.
One fun memory was when a real actual Baja 1,000 race driver who went to our church and had seen my car offered to come to the stadium races and drive it I was thrilled and watched his technique as he shaved three seconds and then two seconds more off my best time in my own car !
it was a real lesson I'll never forget in performance driving.
Thanks for the memories guys
David in East Texas, subbed !
What's funny now is if you say Datsun to a kid today they look at you funny. "What's that?" My father had a Datsun 510, he loved that thing. 5spd, no AC, no power options, not even power steering if I remember correctly.
@@Shadow_Banned_Conservative
Exactly right.
Some had a cigarette lighter & am/fm radio lol.
I "THINK" A/C was a dealer installed option, seldom seen.
I bought brand new in 1990 a 5.0 mustang Coupe. 5 speed manual . I had it up to 137 mph on Interstate 95 back in my stupid years. That car was so responsive at the time and so quick off the line. Loved it and owned it for 12 years . I put 124000 miles on it when sold it for larger vehicle, due to pressure from my wife as we were starting a family.
Good list. Great footage as well. You really have been coming up with some great videos as well. Please keep them coming and keep putting in the work. Thank you.
Very cool. Dang, I loved the '80s!!
Although I owned a ‘91 Mustang GT convertible, those IROC-Z’s will forever take me back to my high school years. I’d grab one today if I could. Thanks for this video. 🇨🇦👍🏼
Great vid, loved the Turbo Thunderbird back in the day!!👍👍
What about the Taurus SHO? If we're going Top Speed, an '89 hit 142mph.
The GNX was definitely a sleeper!!
Great video! The title should have been Fastest American Cars of The 1980's.
Also 1989 Taurus SHO and Thunderbird Super Coupe had a top speed of 143mph, Dodge Charger Shelby 4cyl turbo had a top speed of 132mph.
I was also disappointed by the non mention of the Tbird SC
Yeah, they could've mentioned the Mercury Cougar XR-7 (which was pretty much the cousin of the T-Bird SC)
The 1984 Datsun 300ZX turbo should have made your list. It was governed at 137mph.
The Mark 3 Toyota Supra turbo should have made the list too...
My friends dad had an 87’ Buick Regal turbo V6(not the GNX). It was a quarter mile killer, walking Vettes by half a second or better. I never got the chance to drive it but, I got a banana in my pants every time he hammered down and you heard that turbo spool up. Instant ear to ear grin 😁
Those T-Types were definitely under the radar. Comfortable seats as well.
I just wish they had put that engine in the Fiero. Or the DMC-12.
@@nucleargrizzly1776 yes sir, had an '83 Ttype in the late '80s
@@stoneylonesome4062 Had an '86 Fiero GT & it was quick, like driving a go kart! I would have been happy if they had just put a supercharger on that V6
Yep, that was a fast car.
I heard no mention of the Nissan Z. Those were fast cars and fun to drive
True!
Also no mention of the mark 3 Toyota Supra Turbo
@@gregpavitt309 definitely a fast car
Great list!!! Thank you!
Love the 80s nostalgia! New sub, here 👏🏻🔥👏🏻
an important point to remember is that these cars were not that expensive. I bought a 1982 5.0 mustang with recaro seats and the trx wheels, it was around 8 grand with a rebate offered at the time. i ordered the car the way i wanted it, the factory built it and shipped it in 4 weeks. the prices today are out of reach. the new cars are incredible, but priced out of most peoples range.
That 82 Mustang GT started the muscle era all over again. I still own the Motor Trend Magazine my dad had delivered in the mail. On the front cover it says the boss is back! 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds quarter mile in 16.1 I didn't pull the magazine out but I believe it was a September issue of 1981. They mentioned it was a pre-production car and the production car will not be quite as fast. Later magazines clocked it at 7.6 seconds from 0 to 60 16.3 quarter mile. MotorWeek retro has it racing a Z28 and it one. It's still on their RUclips channel today.
Prices have outpaced inflation, but $8k was pretty expensive in 1982 dollars. I think sometimes we forget that inflation made the dollar much weaker over the decades.
Yep. The good ole 'Vette was crushed to pieces. The GNX is far and away my favorite muscle car ever. The point of change for high tech/small displacement power. ...and what a great result. I am only 52. I got hurt at work and will never be able to afford one. But I'm sure feeling good when I get to see one.
The GNX isn’t a "muscle car".
It doesn’t have a V8.
That car had a V6 Turbo…
An engine you would usually find in a German or Japanese car.
I have a 96 C4 Corvette and they got better in the 90's. Nice to see the C4 hit number one. 1988 was the racing years and when it set world records. 🤟
Agreed, I've had two 96s, the later being the LT4/M6 that I still own. One difference I noticed between both my 96s is they felt like garbage with the roof panel removed. I ended up getting an aftermarket X-Brace to fix that. My friend had an 87 C4 and her car didn't feel any different to me with the top off. I was always torn between the early and late C4s. I loved the low end torque of the L98 and the weird first attempt at a computerized instrument panel with all the switches and LCD displays, very 80s. It's hard to argue though with that hard pulling LT4 though.
I'm 49 years old. I have owned two 1987 Trans Am GTA's over the years. Both red with the tan interior. The first was in 1993 and it was a 5 speed with the 305 and T-Tops. That car got me a few girls in my teens. Then in 2015 I bought another 1987 GTA. This one was an automatic, 350 and no T-Tops. (Pontiac didn't offer the 350 with a manual trans or T-Tops). The last one was a project car and I had it looking very close to new. Kept it for a few years. I redid the entire interior, new exhaust, tires, brakes, engine clean up, headers. It was such a nice car but I hated that it was not a 5 speed so I put it on eBay for what I had into it and it sold the first day. It's now being driven though the countryside in France. LOL. When I'm ready for my next 80's project, I'm aiming for a Buick GN or a GNX. Hopefully there will still be some around.
Having grown up in the 80s I can tell you #10 absolutely destroyed the other 9 vehicles on this list
That #10 had a V6 Turbo and wasn’t even considered a "muscle car".
If I wanted a V6 Turbo, I would get a German or Japanese car!
@@Kev27RS The Grand National was the Mk4 Supra of its day.
It was the quickest (though most say the T/A turbo was a tick quicker with much the same engine) - but with the cut off and brick like aerodynamics, they absolutely weren't the fastest/top end. And so many people (under 30) seem to think the regular GN and GNX are synonymous. Like comparing a standard vette to zr-1!
@@Kev27RS There were no "muscle cars" at all in the 80's. And he is right. The Grand Nationals smokes every single car in this list. Everyone knows this. Its a matter of record.
@@ckmoore101 It definitely was a fast car for its time!
There’s nothing appealing about an American sports car with a V6 though…
Never will… especially nowadays.
The GNX only had a V6 because of emissions and fuel economy related to the "malaise era"…
The GN and GNX were a product related to that specific era.
Buick stopped production of their V8 back in the 70s and were pretty much left with the V6.
They basically did the best they could with the engine they had available at that time.
If I wanted a V6, I would get a German or Japanese car!
*The V8 will always be associated with muscle cars and vice versa.*
*Big V8s are part of American car culture!*
😊
What about the 89 Taurus SHO?
I owned one. It would beat ANY of these cars, because I raced all of them. I'm stunned it's not at the top of this list!
The SHO had a Yamaha Built V-6 engine that redlined at 7,000 RPM
I raced one with an Eagle Talon tsi awd and smoked it. No way you were beating a GNX.@@jaypeterson7637
I laughed at "Mine was a piece of crap, but that's another story." I wasn't expecting that. LOL
Now we have pickups that can out perform these cars.
They definitely left one great car off this list that should've taken the spot of the thunderbird. The 1989 mercury cougar XR7. Mine was a supercharged 3.8l with a 5 speed manual. Limited edition only approx 2000 were manufactured. It put out 215 hp and was a blast to drive with the 5 speed.
I agree with number 2 completely, the anniversary GTA was very fast. The 5.0 mustang would out run most of this list, I had 2 of them and street raced ALOT. The grand nationalshould’ve been much higher in the list. The Iroc would be bottom tier on speed, I never lost a race to a Camaro, period. The vettes of that era weren’t much better, I beat on several of them as well. SVOs and turbo coupes were also bottom tier. The 5.0 mustang rules the streets of the late 80s plain and simple.
I owned 84 1/2 mustang gt and owned 86 monte ss, monte would smoke that pos mustang with h.o. 302 5 speed borg-warren bukled to 373 running gear, monte stock no chip just 305 4l60e tranny don't remember running gear but ford failed
I had a friend that had one of those stupid fast
I ordered and owned BOTH an '87 5.7 IROC & a '91 GT 5.0 manual. I had them both for 7 years, sold the GT in 1998 & the IROC in 2005.
They ran virtually identical 1/4 miles in both e.t. & speed. AND both topped out right at 145 mph.
I can let you text a buddy and ask him if he ever lost to an IROC, lol.
He own a '90 LX ..... and I guarantee you he'd tell you he did multiple times.
We use to run at Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia, OH.
Yeah, the 5.0 Mustang was and still is a badass car!
The SVO and GNX were simply performance cars that didn’t even have a V8 and therefore weren’t muscle cars.
They had engines you would usually find in a German or Japanese car.
All those cars needed wrenched on and built.then they were more fun
I’m so glad you didn’t list the 1/4 mile times, because that would have depressed us.
I had a 1986 Red Trans Am, and my buddy had an IROC Z. Those cars were so much fun. They are weak by today’s standards, but we sure enjoyed them back then.
Fast is a relative term and it seems like people only want to use ¼ mile times as a measuring metric for the term fast.
I was a mechanic in a garage through the 80's starting in 81 so I'm pretty well versed with the narrative about performance being down in that decade but it's not really true, in the late 80's a customer of our's who had a business with fleet vehicles we did all the work on walked into the garage one day, he'd just picked up a brand new IROC he ordered with the Corvette motor, he took it straight to a shop in Pittsburgh that only put a cam in it and the appropriate chip in the computer, when I ask him how it ran he tossed the keys at me and said "Go find out".
When I got back my mind was completely changed about the new computer controlled cars, not only did that thing pull like a bear but it'd easily beat any of the late 60's cars in cornering, if "fast" is measured by how quickly a car could get around a road course then that thing was faster than any of the 60's cars.
@@dukecraig2402Good stuff. Great story. Relative, indeed. Any car that puts you back in seat is pretty fast. It’s been fun seeing the evolution. From my Dad’s 67 p/u with 3 on the tree, (and a pop riveted metal sign for a passenger side floorboard), to my buddy’s Hellcat. Still basically the same parts and pieces. Just so dialed in now. Problem with these these aging computer wonders is…they’re not so easy for us old BY Mechs to work on. I’ve been chasing a C5 Trx-M gremlin since I got it, a few years ago. Mechanically, runs like a champ. Electronically….🤯
Hey RIT. That had to be a lot of fun nights. Love to see those two beauties at a car show today…
@@jimmyBside
I was forced to learn the computer end of EFI systems because of the line of work I'm in, every time I talk to someone of our generation that's building a project car and I recommend for them to either put a modern LS type engine (best case scenario) in their project with an aftermarket EFI system to run it or at least get one of those Sniper type set up's that goes on the old engine's instead of a carb and mechanical advance points type distributor on it a look of horror always comes across their face, it's like I explain to them "If you're smart enough to master a carburetor and points set up you're certainly smart enough to plug a laptop into something and push some buttons".
I tell people all the time not only will you get more power and consistent power out of systems like that but when it comes time to tune one you can be back from your test drive before someone else can have the bowls back on their carb and get the timing set, not to mention having to clean up all the spilled gas that dissolves the paint job you've put on your freshly machined and rebuilt engine.
For the life of me I don't understand why people are so afraid of those systems, as I said if you're smart enough to master the old way you're certainly smart enough to work with the new stuff, they're actually easier.
I think what it is was the first generation of computer controlled stuff, those horrible systems that still had carburetors on them in the early 80's, they were nightmares but what came along afterwards was so much better and easier to work with, but by then the damage was done with some people and they're just gun shy about it now.
Knowing what I know now I'd never build a project with a carburetor and the old ignition system, never, I want every bit of power out of all that work I can get.
I loved the 80s Firebirds and Camaros. My 83 T/A was only a 305 with a Quadra-bog. It sounded good and would do a short burn out, but not very fast. Same as my 87 Camaro . But they were both a lot of fun!
The Buick GNX top speed was 150+ mph, after the Buick fuel injection was reprogrammed. And high speed tires, replaced the stock tires.
I enjoyed the Monte Carlo SS and my uncle had a white one.
I had a 1985 300zx Turbo modified with a K&N filter, Jim Wolf ECU with Performance Upgrade Package, 3" Turbo back exhaust and MBC set to 12psi running 93 octane. I was eating Mustang GT's for breakfast. Also had a 1986 300zx Turbo stock which I got up to 130 mph. They're governed to 137 mph but will do 153 without the limiter. Damn, I miss my Z's.
Mine intercooled, specd turbo, 93 plus hyper fuel additive.
88 trans with 3.5 rear went 162 at 5500
I have owned several Fox body Mustangs in different trims from GT, LX, and Cobra... I wish I still had the Cobra! I definitely pushed upwards of 170mph guesstimation since the speedometer only went to 145 at the 5 o'clock position, but I had mine buried on the trip reset, which is in the 7 o'clock position... and I was still pulling with RPM left! It was modified, stock block, balanced internals, bored over .030 so it was a 306ci, Victor Jr, heads, Anderson high Rev cam, 24 lb injectors, 90mm, mass air, gt40 upper and lower intake, BBS Equal shorties, into 2.5 X-pipe, into 3" Two chambered Flows, MSD 6AL ignition with 7500 limiter, 1.6 roller rockers, 190 lph fuel pump, aero fuel line and regulator... full suspension kit from maximum motor sports, pamhard bar... it was a monster!
I graduated high school in 1985 and remember the first time I saw an IROC Camaro. It was while I was cruising Main Street and it was first in line across from me at a red light. OMG. I had a 6.6 liter 78 Trans Am as my first car, and then a used 1982 Trans Am. In 1986, 1 year out of high school I bought a brand new 1986 black Trans Am with the 5.0 Tuned Port Injection engine and T Tops. Gorgeous car. I spent the next 7 year getting beat by every 5.0 Mustang, 350 IROC, and Grand National on Earth. I sold it and bought a 1994 LT1 6 speed Z28 brand new, then a 1996 Dodge Viper GTS (blue and white) which I still own today. The 80s muscle cars were so exciting because cars in the 1970s were SO slow and SO boring (outside of the Super Duty Trans Am) that we thought cool cars would never happen again. Now....OMG, cars are SO powerful now, SO fast now, you have to be in the 9s to be fast.
I worked for Christopher Pontiac in the late 80s early 90s and we had 2 of the 20th anniversary Trans Am's. I got both of them over 150 on several occasions. One of the fastest production cars I've ever driven. Sad thing was they both sat on the lot for over 2 years and ended up being sold back to GM. I would love to know what became of them. They will always be a great memory of my early 20s
Great employee.
That shows you how important they were back then that there just wasnt enough guys that cared for them and today its a different story,they have become expensive and rare cars!!
Well Joe Christopher didn't promote them and the dealership just wasn't interested in performance. I was the biggest gearhead there. Got to meet Rusty Wallace when he first got the Miller sponsorship. I'm the only one who knew how to build up the boost on the T/A's by powerbraking them. Shame my financing fell through because I was trying to buy a Formula Firebird 350 ws6.
I lived outside of San Luis Obispo, CA in the 1990s. I remember the Pontiac dealer there had a black 78 Trans Am and a red 88 Fiero GT 5spd on the showroom floor, never registered and still considered new cars. I wonder whatever happened to those cars.
Always liked the body style of the .monte ss in the 80s . Unfortunately it only had the 305 motor rated at 180hp. But .. cars were lighter than .2987lbs for a 200” length car
I have an 87 SS. They were light cars, but so easy to make lighter. Swapping out the all-steel parts dropped weight quick. Fiberglass hood and aluminum trunk lid. All aluminum engine. Move the battery to the trunk and the car is light enough up front you no longer need power steering. Steel r get swapped for aluminum. I got mine down to 2800 after mods (with just under 600 HP). I try not to laugh when some kid with a stock Mustang throws shade.
great episode!
Seeing that Mustang convertible, reminded me of mine. It too was white with a white top and red interior. It was a GT , 5.0L (302 CID) with a 5 spd manual transmission.
I love convertibles. I’ve had a few over my lifetime.
My wife is a redhead and burns easily, so sadly my convertible days are over 😢
I owned a 1987 GN. They had a top speed limiter in the chip. You change the chip and you go much faster. This video is just telling which has the highest top speed which is ridiculous. Could take a day to reach it! That GNX would most likely smoke all these cars in the 1/4.
The GN's were pretty much topped out at 124. That "chip" made virtually no difference, lol.
They had 3.73 gearing, some did go to 3.42 later in the production run.
With a good downwind 130 might have been possible.
But the guy isn't lying. Fastest is top speed. Quickest is when you start talking 0-60 and 1/4 mile times.
Notoriety a bit less than the bowtie and oval, Chrysler contributed to the American performance car a true contender to the 1980's automobile dance. Their turbo charging with front wheel drive designs were fantastic. I had a brand new1986 Chrysler Laser XE with 2.2 turbo and all the luxury bells n whistles. Many a time it was a good stop light or toll booth race with a Camaro Z28 where I took the lead - and left the Vette's of the time behind me in cornering abilities - all in daily drives of course (!), but the point is, wherever your devotions point at, it was a great time of American automotive re-entry into the performance car arena. Still have that Laser in storage after parking it at 312k miles in 2006.
My best friend had an 88 Shelby-Z, it was quick but unfortunately suffered from Chrysler quality of the day. I think he got rid of it with around 20k miles and went back to GM cars.
I had an '86 Laser XT and walked all over friends with Mustangs (SVO and 5.0), SS Monte Carlos, and IROC Camaros. All a matter of getting traction and launching it. Lay rubber hitting second gear and chirp hitting third. Grab fourth and hang on! It would bury the 125 MPH speedometer. Not sure how there isn't a Turbo Dodge on this list.
My 68 Tempest custom with 400 69 Judge in it was eating those cars alive in the mid 80s. I was getting too fast with it and something told me to sell it. I think it was the fact that it took a mile to stop it with drum brakes once you get over 150 MPH. I dont know how fast it would top out but it had a high gear ratio like a 2.73 or something.
I still own an 80’s icon.
‘86 Mustang GT.
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Those IROC-Zs were beautiful. The GNX while top speed limited would beat all those other cars 0-60. I had magazines and books back in the day that reported over 160mph top speed for the '89 Turbo Trans Am GTA (164 I believe).
The 80s started out weak for performance cars but thankfully we got the H.O. L69 5-speed Z28 in '83 before everyone figured out how to make power with fuel injection and efficiency so we ended up having some fast and fun cars as the video shows.
162
Yep, on the street the 86-87 Turbo Buicks were hard to beat. Ask me how I know.......;)
GNX was fast but had a V6 Turbo…
An engine you would usually find in a German or Japanese car.
It wasn’t even a "muscle car".
@@Kev27RS Don't care what it's classified as, simply put it was "THE' car to beat back then. And they're values today tell you just how valued they are to collectors.
I miss 80's cars
I would take any car on this list. Especially the GM models
wrecked , smashed in movies , trashed and sent to the junk yard. lot say this is the foregoten car decade
Still own a 1989 Iroc-Z convertible and 1989 Turbo Trans Am. Great cars. Have a 91 zr1 too. Love all cars you showed. Thanks.
The 89 TTA was the first Indy pace car that didn’t need engine mods to pace the field. It had better flowing heads than the GNX, though GM rated it 240hp to not overshadow the Corvette with 245.
False I know the 86 Vette was bone stock also other than the lights to pace the race. Chuck Yeager drove the pace car that year and had it up to 154 during his practice for pacing the race
Lots of very nice old cars. I remeber them all. Even though the top end on some of these cars was by todays standards pretty fast, the 0-100 times are very slow by todays standards
I’m a motorhead and absolutely love cars and worked on tons of them and I remember all those cars from my childhood and when I could drive. Great selection of cars and one not on the list was the dodge Daytona turbo were fast little cars great video thanks guys love it will be watching more 💯
I fancy myself a mustang guy but imo the iroc z is the sexiest muscle car of the 80s! No contest!
Both great looking muscle cars with their respective V8s!
I had an new 87 Monte SS and it was fairly quick for that time period, but that was a seriously slow era. A 305 was not very intimidating! My buddy's Grand National was faster but had annoying turbo lag. At least My Monte had a nice exhaust note...
They should have put the L98 350 in the Monte Carlo SS and the Grand Prix 2+2.
Annoying turbo lag and a V6.
An engine you would usually find in a German or Japanese car.
Not very American like…
The GMX wasn’t even a "muscle car".
Sorry the grand national was the fastest car in 80s in the quarter mile so how did it come in at number ten when it was number....wow
fast and quick are two different measures.
Unbelievable Buick GN is #10. I owned bunch Buicks GN back in the day and had 88 Vett 4+3 in college.
Stock Buick w cool air temps was a beast. My Dad's Porsche 930 & 72 Pantera would only out run it. My 88 vett only out run it above 90 degrees. Best 80s bang for $ was a Ford 5.0 Mustang LX notch back, absolutely a sleeper.
He's going with top speeds of the cars. But you are correct, in the quarter mile, the GN was the fastest.
I think the list was based on published top speeds, not 1/4 mile times.
@@rickintexas1584
Yes. The published top speed of the GN was 124MPH, but I have read that Buick intentionally limited the GN to that speed because the stock tires at the time couldn't handle anything faster.
I bought a brand new 1986 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and that thing had power, beauty, and could really fly! It had a 455 with a top speed of 160.
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Great video, I had a 84 Blue Monte Carlos SS and I had a Black 86 IROC Z.
You mean fastest American cars cuz the 1987 Porsche 928S4. Top speed at the salt flat was 171 mph. Search youtube to watch video.
By the time this example was launched in 1985, the 5000s QV, the Countach had become much more powerful, with a 5.2 liter V-12 that produced nearly 450 horsepower, shooting the car to 60 in less than 5 seconds, hitting a top speed of 185.
I had an 89 Firebird Formula 350. Completely stock, I could beat any Mustang up to the 96 model year.
I can vouch for that. Still have mine.
Yes also they only made 1500 350 firebirds in 87 but dont forget it didnt have ground effect like the IROC or GTA so it was much lighter.
You could order a 5 speed but only with a 5.0 in the Formula and it could run with the mustang!
The only car that better in handling and acceleration was the Corvette for that year,period!!
As a teen/early 20’s kid of the eighties, either my parents or friends parents had one or more of these cars. GNX has definitely stood the test of time. My friends dad has the anniversary t/a, it was awesome. Great memories
The mid 80's started the return of true performance cars and are the reason we have the awesome performance we have today! The 85 mustang came with tubed headers, true dual exhaust (2 cats) internal goodies with good handling stuff not seen since 1971, 72!
I always thought the 88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe looked really cool. Esp in a 5 speed in Navy Blue.
You guys and this channel rock .... I know I keep asking but is there a way you could do a show on the Plymouth satellite
86 Z28,88 mustang Gt, 84 300Zx. All were fun!
Had a black 1987 Formula 350 and loved it. Later had a 1990 IROC-Z with the 350 V8.
Nice to see some American automobile 80's history. I remember them all and many of these models were popular even in my corner on the other side of the world.
No '89 taurus sho? that thing topped out at 140.
I had an 86 IROC-Z in yellow and an 84 C-4 in gold. Both were fun, but when tuned right that Cross-Fire 350 in the Vette was pretty fast! I also had an 88 Mustang GT Convt that was a factory "lightweight". No A/C, pwr windows and it had dlx cloth seats and chrome pony wheels. Highly modified 5.0 and no highway driving gears. It was FAST!!
My husband also had the 86 IROC-Z in yellow with t-tops. I loved that car, wish we still had it.
Owned a 85 GT, 87 IROCZ 5.0, and 87 Corvette. Missed the opportunity to own a GN by 1 day. The mustang was a full size go-kart, easy to upgrade and fairly priced with it being the last carburetor version. The IROCZ could lay rubber like no other car, and it never missed a gas station. Almost as bad as my dad’s crew cab 454 dually. The vette was a refined car, handling was better than most drivers, mpg was amazing compared to the IROCZ, people either loved it or hated it.
I've owned several of those vehicles in the list. I took each of them into low triple digits. Some handled the speed smoother than others.
1987 Trans AM GTA was the car of my youth. I miss that car.
I have one of these, or at least a closely related one, a 92 Camaro R/S. I picked it up 30 years ago when I saw it advertised on a bulletin board for $8,500. It was basically a stripper model with the nice stereo and a 5.0 fuel injected V8 with a 5 speed stick. The motor GM used was actually the same one they used in Suburbans and full sized pickups. Boat hauling torque in a lightweight sports car with a stick makes for unreal throttle response. I also rode lots of motorcycles back in the day and its performance was similar to a Honda Nighthawk 700 I had. That was when it was stock.
The 1989 TTA was clocked by MotorTrend magazine at 162 mph
The 89 TTA was the fastest car of the 80s in both acceleration and top speed.
@@allenteague4911No it wasn’t.
The Callaway Corvette definitely was one of them!
I had a 1986 IROC-Z. Matted to the floor it wouldn't shift into overdrive and topped out at 118mph.. At that speed on a rural road it was bottoming out over the smallest bumps. Yet you could hardly jack up a tire without lifting the whole side of the car off the ground. Which has me screaming BS on many others claiming how fast their cars have went. At the time I owned it I did an Internship with Michigan State Police. At that time the top speed of each patrol car was posted inside the car. The fastest Caprice at the post was posted as 114mph. Most were 112mph. I still loved my IROC. It was a complete piece of crap and broke down often. Yet, its looks screamed race car, and I loved it. I know one thing they haven't made many vehicles that would handle a front end collision like that car. I had personal experience with that. Also my old lady neighbor was hit in the rear by for kids in an IROC. She was in a Buick Station Wagon. They hit her at over 90mph and all survived. Worst injury was a broken leg.
You missed the 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby, it would top out at 139mph. I took one to Germany and would cruise at 138 on the autobahn.
I remember them all. A turbo 1989 trans am … the 300z twin turbo, the 1990 ish ZR 1 corvette. Who can forget the Grand National GNX! I had a 1988 5.0 mustang fastback and I thought I was the SH,!7 !!! Great times!!
Gorgeous cars! Mine in Australia was Silver VK Commodore waggon with 3.3 Black motor Twin throat carb and extractor exhaust. Great Car.
The 1989 Ford Taurus SHO topped out at 143 from the factory…
I remember all these cars and my family had a a good number of them. SS, Trans AM, 5.0 , and Corvette. They all felt so fast as a kid when my dad would try top them out on the highway
I had a 85 Monte Carlo a 88 mustang and a 89 Camaro i loved all 3of them how i would like to go back to them days
I had a black 1988 Firebird Formula. I loved that car. It was bad ass for the time.
Man the 87 and 88 Firebirds/Tans Am were awesome. I miss my 1991 Pontiac Fire Hawk. That thing was a beast.
Love the old school black driving leathers! Buick GNX was heads and tails above the others.
I had a 78 Pontiac Red Bird. It was a Limited production (only 1,500 were built).
It was a Firebird body with a Corvette power train.
I bought it in 83 when I was 18 years old.
I got a ticket in it doing 140mph in a 55mph zone. My fine was $997.
I was very lucky that I didn’t end up in jail.
If I knew that I wouldn’t go to jail now, I’d do it again.
My wife had 2 different skybirds and my sister had a yellowbird.
@@madmike2624 Yep, there was a Yellow Bird, a Bluebird and a Red Bird.
Very fast cars. I had a ton of fun with my Red Bird.
bluebird was a school bus, they were actually called skybirds by Pontiac. @@Doc1855
Love the 76 Trans Am in your logo
I love 80s GM. So much beauty in their design boy let me tell ya
WOW. This brings back memories. As the owner of most of these cars at one time or another I can say with certainty that the Turbo TA was my favorite and was the QUICKEST in the 1/4 mile just ahead of the Buicks. In the 80s I owned 3 GNs, The TA, IROC, Monte Carlo SS, Saleen Mustang. The Buick and TA (same motor) was so easily modified. My TA and GNs easily ran in the low 12s back when if your car ran quicker than 14s you were fast.
I used to have a 1988 Z4 convertible with the widest tires you could possibly put on a car without doing modifications to the car. The engine was beefed up to 500 horsepower for the 240 that it came with. It also had a B&m racing transmission, a computer chip, flowmaster exhaust and a k&n cold air filter intake. That car was nuts. But it however used $100 bill me to death with the repairs
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These cars are like the modern day classics. Iroc Z is one of the symbolic cars of the 80s.
I had a 1996 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, 5 speed fully loaded. I also had a 1989 Pontiac Formula WS6, T-tops, 5.0 TPI and 5 speed. I still love those car and if I had the room. I’d own them again.
Had a 79 Z28 brand new late 79. Loved it. At 17 fast enough for me. 😊
I had friends that had those cars. It was a good time to be a teenager.
I’m waiting for the fastest cars of the 1990s !! Really curious if the 91 Dodge Spirit RT makes the list
GNX was a beast for it's time .... labled the Corvette Killer in 1987