Technically intimate cars. ?

[Jim Ratto]

Thinking about how raw and brutal a fast high horsepower VW is, what can compare? Much of the thrill and fear of a very fast VW is all about the sensation. Last time my dad was in town, we took my '67 on a 60 mile round trip out to Ventura for the Porsche event out there @ the fairgrounds. Just for him, I drove safe and sane, as he is 62 and nervous. Despite my soft foot, he still cried like a baby as we merged on the 101 freeway, went through a twisty canyon two-laner, and even going stoplight to stoplight. Later I asked him why he got so tense and he said it was all the sensations of the car.

I was trying to think of other cars like this. Raw, visceral, brutal cars that make a lot of noise, and shock its occupants with sensation.

One that definitely came to mind is the Lamborghini Miura. Four 3-throat Weber carbs directly behind your head, almost un-muffled exhaust, 8000rpm redline.

An A/C or Shelby Cobra too.

I rode around in a friend's Morris Cooper autocross/street car, tuned to give 9000rpm, and with a 48DCOE poking through firewall into the interior, that was pretty raw.

A Lotus Super 7 would fit here too.


What else?

[Black Sheep]

Your Dad sounds like my wife , she wont drive in the 49 any more as she say's it makes her sick , something about too fast ,noisy , harsh ride , all the things I love about it .
As for comparable cars My mates old Lancia had a similar effect on his Mrs.

[louisb]

While not blistering fast, but still a lot of fun. (When you can get them to run.) Early '60s MGs & Triumphs.

Try riding in a full tilt t-roadster or A roadster. Basically the formula your looking for is small light car, fairly primitive in build, i.e. no ac, little sound deadner, no power everything, big motor.

--louis

[Fastbrit]

The 426 Hemi Challenger with a four-speed, dual four-barrels, Super Stock cam (rumpity, rumpity, rump...), 5.13 rear end, locker and Cherry Bomb exhaust. Driving that into my old office in Central London was pretty intense.

[Jim Ratto]

I would think any of the pedestrian versions of the Group B rally cars of the 80's

Peugeot 20516V

Audi Sport Quattro (swb version)

Renault R5 Turbo

[javabug]

I am definetly looking forward to having my own HOT street Bug.  But I agree, there are a few cars that are truly full of stimulation for almost all the senses.

It probably on the surface sounds hokey, but I would put my dad's 70 SS 396/375 Nova in that category.  Solid lifter big-block, small and light (for the time) car...you can just about steer it with your right foot.  I don't have much experience with truly exotic stuff, so this has to do it for me.

[Black Sheep]

just remembered , one of my old pals cars definitely fitted the bill , a rally spec striped out Integrale , You knew you were driving a beast in that 

[Jim Ratto]

just remembered , one of my old pals cars definitely fitted the bill , a rally spec striped out Integrale , You knew you were driving a beast in that 

I am green with envy.   

[Bruce]

I was lucky enough to get a ride in this car a few years ago:

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/192258,8963,0,0/photo.aspx

It was the 1947 Mille Miglia winner.  Here is what the engine looks like:

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/pic.php?imagenum=6&carnum=1727

It is a 2.9 liter straight 8.  Twin gear driven cams, Twin gear driven Roots superchargers, and a gear driven generator.  If you like the sound of straight cut gears in a VW, you would faint at the sound this car makes.  The gear noise overwhelms the intake and exhaust.

[stealth67vw]

Dodge Omni is pretty intimate 

[Lee.C]

Well I would have to say my Manx is pretty " Technically intimate" BUT I was lucky enough a few years ago to have a ride in this around the local streets 1962 250 pontoon nose Testarossa  2.5 litres V12 with 6 twin choke downdraught webers and completly open headers  Now that sounded GOOD at about 8 grand 

[Jim Ratto]

Well I would have to say my Manx is pretty " Technically intimate" BUT I was lucky enough a few years ago to have a ride in this around the local streets 1962 250 pontoon nose Testarossa  2.5 litres V12 with 6 twin choke downdraught webers and completly open headers  Now that sounded GOOD at about 8 grand 

are you KIDDING me??    Man I am REALLY jealous now!

[Lee.C]

Nope No kidding - it was AWSOME 

[Jim Ratto]

as far as modern cars go....

just spent about 10 minutes next-to and behind a black Ferrari F430...

My goodness does that engine sound pissed off. 

[Donny B.]

One of my best friends in high school later got a '57 Corvette.  That doesn't sound special, but it had a built 327 a stick hydro and a 5.13 rear end.  Top speed wasn't much, but boy would it get there!  With the stick hydro all you did was pull the lever 200 rpm before you wanted to shift.  Damn that was a fun car.

[louisb]

One of my best friends in high school later got a '57 Corvette.  That doesn't sound special, but it had a built 327 a stick hydro and a 5.13 rear end.  Top speed wasn't much, but boy would it get there!  With the stick hydro all you did was pull the lever 200 rpm before you wanted to shift.  Damn that was a fun car.

Too bad he doesn't still have it. That car is worth some money today.

--louis

[Rocket-Racing]

My vote goes to the Shelby AC Cobra.
I got to ride in one a couple of years ago and it sure made a lasting impression.
This was a replica, but built very close to orig spec. It had a 427 sideoiler with dual fours, 4-speed Toploader and 9" rear with Detroit locker.
The sound coming out of those short sidepipes (that your hand touches if you dont keep it inside the car) is just awesome. The whole thing is so raw and basic. Your sitting in a car about the same size as an MGB with (in this case) 560 hp making your feet HOT. The rear wheels have no chance of sticking to the ground no matter what gear you put in, kinda scary to drive but unforgettable.
I know this is an overpowered beast, the 289 Cobras were far better at the track, but who cares?

This picture was taken at the race track. After one 1/4 mile run on streetires, sideways most of the time, the owner was scared stiff and had to borrow some slicks off a Mustang..

[Rocket-Racing]

Another thing came to mind..

Most modern supercars that are really fast dont give the same sensation as an old muscle car or hot VW.
A new Corvette is faster than an old Hemi Cuda, but it doesn't give you that same feeling of raw brutal power.
I'd take cubic inches and wheelspin over EFI and traction control any day..

[alfie the monster]

You say that, but I've driven a few Porsche 996 GT3 and GT3 RS. They're very much in the smae mould, albiet with far better brakes! But hot, noisey and a sensation that no other modern car I've driven gives. Very much an old school kinda car to drive.

[fastfred]

modern cars, once had a drive in a 348 as a pasenger, got me hooked on the 'real' ferraris, had passenger drive around spa-francorchamps in GT2, was scary, had a quick tryout as passenger in a GT3RS that was frikken fast, but not so scary as twin turbo GT2... but the car i still love the most as modern car that i owned was a volvo estate 850 turbo (855) 2.3L turbo intercooler 20V. ask kobus. the best thing i remember was hauling parts to and from a swapmeet, and racing a ferrari 308GTb at a speed of about 230km/hr. mind you, fully loaded with swapmeet stuff, body panels clearly visible stakked to the roof ! hahahaha. there also is a story about the C70 and being stopped by the police driving an anonimous audi A6 3.8L quattro or something like that at a speed of more than 200KM/hr ... oooh and i almost forgot i recently drove an aston martin DB9 paddle shifted that really "howled" too ...

[Rick Meredith]

I would think any of the pedestrian versions of the Group B rally cars of the 80's

Peugeot 20516V

Audi Sport Quattro (swb version)

Renault R5 Turbo

Don't forget my favorite Killer B; the Ford RS200

[Neil Davies]

I would think any of the pedestrian versions of the Group B rally cars of the 80's

Peugeot 20516V

Audi Sport Quattro (swb version)

Renault R5 Turbo

Don't forget my favorite Killer B; the Ford RS200

Slightly off topic, but when I was at primary school (up to age 11) in the mid 1980's my Dad used to take me out of school for the Lombard RAC rally in November. We'd go out into Wales on the Tuesday or Wednesday, really early in the morning and watch a couple of stages, sat up a hillside waiting for the Group B cars. I always loved the Lancia 037, the 205 T16 and the Metro 6R4, but the RS200 was my favourite.