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Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
Sounds like OptiSpark talking there . . .
Separated by a common language? Down here I never heard the 8.8 called anything but "8.8". Generally intended in a mildly disparaging manner at least by the drag racers for not being as strong, and consequently viewed as being a step back.“Fox Body” who came up with that? Ok I knew it was technically 8.8 but nobody up here ever called it that. That would be too anal...And actually I am sure I never heard anyone ever call it an 8.8 - never ever heard it - I must be wrong - Nope...
Norm
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Loki-GT
Well-Known Member
The 8.8 was always called the 8.8, by everybody, from magazines to shit talkers at the drag strip saying how much faster their car was than the other guy so yes, you are wrong.You know it’s kinda cool to see how terms get reinvented over the years. I left Ford land and went to GM and the shitty LT1 before coming back.
“Fox Body” who came up with that? Ok I knew it was technically 8.8 but nobody up here ever called it that. That would be too anal...
That car was constantly in the ten best cars list year after year: “The engine is a tower of power and the stick shift is magic in your hands!”
Now the T5 is some hideous fragile piece of shit and a gerbil in the exercise wheel makes more power than the 5.0.! Yup that’s how it was back then. All I did was cry and put a bag over my head when I drove the car...
Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
There's definitely more to it than that. Back in the day - and I'm talking 1960's here - refinement was code for luxury-cars and their wanna-be's among the lower-line makes. Pretty much the antithesis of "exciting", and not what traditional hotrods, sports roadsters, and shoebox Chevvies with 327's (and up) swapped in were all about. Actually, the lack of refinement was part of the appeal, and you didn't have to intentionally build a rusty, rough-looking rat-rod to have this.
I was almost 40 when we bought our first car that wasn't very close to 'base' in terms of comfort & convenience features, and that car (an '87 Maxima - our first car with A/C and FM) was bought on the basis of its V6 engine, manual transmission, and four doors since the kids were 15 and 11 at the time. No consideration at all was given to its level of refinement, or its position in Nissan's lineup.
I was 60 when we bought the '08, and to get it the way I wanted it in some respects I had to take a few things that I otherwise would not have. So in some respects this car was still more refined than what I wanted. Or want now, ten years and change later.
Norm
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Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
Too bad it'd be such a PITA to dial the 2017's refinement and feature content back to 2007 base level. Sow's ear from silk purse (refinement-wise) looks like it'd be an even more difficult task than silk purse (performance-wise) from sow's ear.
Norm
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Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
You might be interested in knowing that a 2010 Track-Pack equipped S197 ran lap times within one second of the 2010 Camaro SS at NJMP/Thunderbolt on the same day, despite being at a 105 HP disadvantage. That's with name-brand pro drivers at the wheel, too. And it's pretty easy to mod an S197 to a level beyond 2010/TP.
Norm
- Banned
- #172
I kept thinking about this but I never heard it up here. I’d own up to it if I was wrong as it’s not that big a deal. But honestly we just called it the 9” and it just rolled off my tongue without thinking about it. Actually I did keep all my old car mags and they would keep it correct. The thing is that before the internet, communities were more isolated and nomenclature could vary. Especially if you didn’t race in events that brought in outsiders. This is another reality the kids don’t get. The internet homogenized terminology. But this wasn’t always the case. It’s so common now that the kids don’t realize what a rush it was to freely talk to people all over the world.
Anyway when I heard about the 7” (I know it’s 7. something but can’t be bothered) rear end that made no sense to me so I checked and saw both rear ends and called it a nine anyway. You are more knowledgeable and a better person for it. But I was honestly more surprised at how the lingo varied on this forum when people talked about past cars. You can see variations. I called my car a black 5 litre LX. I didn’t really call it a 5.0 and I’m not sure if anyone called it a 5.0 back then.
Anyway I thought I knew every nut and bolt on that car. And the reason the hood fit was never perfect - think a guy with a big rubber mallet (not kidding either). So you win, it’s an 8.8...
Changed my mind: IT’S A NINE!!!!!
- Banned
- #173
One thing for my American friends. Did you guys ever call your car a five litre? I can’t see you calling it a five quart. What did you call your late eighties V8 cars? Old fart from before the internet needs to know?
SVT-DADDY
World's heaviest S550
I had the exact car with Convo pros and a 347 stroker and 3.73s. My wife thinks our 2015 is scary. That fox body was way scarier....the car probably made 350whp. lolMy 1993 190hp 5-speed gt felt like the quickest thing in the world. For those thirteen seconds or less, I was free.
That being said, I don't miss the pos.
Sub 100mph traps, ugly interior, terrible ride, no abs, a/c was as good as the ride, replacement interior / exterior pieces were never an oe fit, my cell phone put out more light than the headlights, the interior would rattle, I am glad the car is gone.
Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
On being picky about nomenclature, it's all you've got to work with to get the right parts once you open any of these things up to change anything inside.
GM has had 7.5" and 7.625" R&P axles . . . that despite the different nomenclature were fully interchangeable, with gearsets frequently sold as 7.5"/7.625" and even some of the differentials themselves sold that way.
Norm
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HoosierDaddy
Well-Known Member
Not quite. Still missing: the Mustang peaked with the Mustang 2 and has been going down hill since.
15pgnatsum
Well-Known Member
I refuse to believe this is an actual opinion...of anyone's.
Norm Peterson
corner barstool sitter
It was either 5-liter or 5-0 once Ford went to metric designations. Cubic inches (only) before that.
For example, the 289 was never called a "four point seven" here. Maybe in some British sports cars that borrowed it, though. The original Boss 302 Mustang's engine was never referred to in liters except in reference to its Trans-Am racing class legal displacement limit as an "under 5 liter" engine.
For another example, in production offerings the 4.6 has never been referred to in any other units of displacement that I know of. Aftermarket stroker derivatives could be a different story.
Norm
