Sleeper – ever owned one?

[jphanna]

The word ‘hoon’ didn’t exist in legislation a few decades ago, so if you were tempted by a quick traffic light ‘performance comparison’ not too long ago you may have been irresponsible…but you wernt classified a hoon.

Anyway I had a wedge celica with an imported twin solex , twincam motor which I replaced the orig 56kw slug. That car was more pose than go even with the twin cam, but one night in a remote suburb (Lonsdale was then!) A guy was tempting me and he had an early seventies escort panel van of all things. He was egging me on and there was no other cars in sight, and it was late. It didn’t have big wheels/tyres, it looked like a tradesmans van with dings and scratches and nothing to really make it sound like it was worked.

He left me so far behind that he was waiting at the next set of lights to just to ‘give it to me’. I see WRX and turbo Nissans launch like that regularly these days, but I suspect he had a 2 litre turbo (what else was available then?) at least, with a quite exhaust.

Got a sleeper story to tell?

[Road_Warrior]

I had an ex pursuit VT Commodore 5.7 some years ago, kept it stock looking (stock bumpers, stock ride height no spoiler kit crap and stock pursuit rims and tyres) but did the usual exhaust and intake mods. Sure was fun hosing young drivers in manual SS utes at the drags, but 260-270-odd FWKW was a little bit hairy with those 15in stockies.

Needless to say the car was practically impossible in the wet.

[XR6_661]

^^^ Reminds me of my dads old ex pursuit AU Forte. Kept it stock on the outside but had a bit done internally. Used to suprise some people!

I remember once I gave some crapply looking 98 (?) Civic a 60kph squirt. This thing looked terrible, mismatched bodykit, some in primer, black faded peeling bonnet, peeling paint. Like it was bad! Driven by some asian dude.

I've had less of a gap between me and modified XR6 turbos then that bloody civic. I was owned big time.

[INSERT VTECH JOKE HERE]

[Cappy_Hamper]

A long time ago in a galaxy far away a mate of mine squeezed a 911 motor into a 67 VW bug. He used to leave XA GT's in his dust....

[jcxr]

Built a FJ panel van back 35 years ago with 208 redmotor, triple webers, big cam, 3 speed all synchro, with Zephyr rear end, 13 second 1/4s, on 6:40:13 recaps.

[Bmobile]

Never owned one, but helped build one. Was back in the late 80's at a mates place one night and we were talking crap and thought that pulling the fully worked over 383 out of the HG wagon and slotting it into the stock as, poo brown LJ torana would be a good idea. We got to work and by 11:30pm the sleeper poo brown Torry was built and ready for a run. Was a fun night with a lot of the guys at the local haunt saying WTF have you got in that thing.

Another one around at the time was a bright yellow escort van with fluro green wheels and bumpers all painted with a pressure pack. It was an Aussie Auto Trend owner hence the colour scheme. Had a cogsworth race engine on the bottle and it bleww quite a few into the weeds.

[jphanna]

Originally Posted by B mobile

Never owned one, but helped build one. Was back in the late 80's at a mates place one night and we were talking crap and thought that pulling the fully worked over 383 out of the HG wagon and slotting it into the stock as, poo brown LJ torana would be a good idea. We got to work and by 11:30pm the sleeper poo brown Torry was built and ready for a run. Was a fun night with a lot of the guys at the local haunt saying WTF have you got in that thing.

Another one around at the time was a bright yellow escort van with fluro green wheels and bumpers all painted with a pressure pack. It was an Aussie Auto Trend owner hence the colour scheme. Had a cogsworth race engine on the bottle and it bleww quite a few into the weeds.

that must be the one that blasted me...i dont remember fluro wheels though.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by B mobile

Never owned one, but helped build one. Was back in the late 80's at a mates place one night and we were talking crap and thought that pulling the fully worked over 383 out of the HG wagon and slotting it into the stock as, poo brown LJ torana would be a good idea. We got to work and by 11:30pm the sleeper poo brown Torry was built and ready for a run. Was a fun night with a lot of the guys at the local haunt saying WTF have you got in that thing.

Another one around at the time was a bright yellow escort van with fluro green wheels and bumpers all painted with a pressure pack. It was an Aussie Auto Trend owner hence the colour scheme. Had a cogsworth race engine on the bottle and it bleww quite a few into the weeds.

I had one of those orange escort vans a few decades back and did up the engine, but the gearbag kept dropping the ball.

Once you have experienced the look of shock and awe on the victim's face, it's hard to get away from building sleepers and beaters. And the beauty is you don't have to have a faster car than the rival, just much faster than it would be from the showroom.

[Cooper69S]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

^^^ Reminds me of my dads old ex pursuit AU Forte. Kept it stock on the outside but had a bit done internally. Used to suprise some people!

I sold my AU2 ex-police Forte a few weeks ago. externally stock except for tickford 17's, and the lpg sticker on the number plate. it was dedicated lpg, stroked (347) with a heap of other engine mods, stallie and 3.7 gears. i did a few runs at 13.3 @ 105mph before I sold it. the bloke that bought it off me did a couple of 13.0's (on street tyres) but apparently the engine's going into his xr8 (check the build thread in the AU section) so sleeper-no-more

[Auslandau]

Never owned a sleeper as such. I was part of the "Got it, Flaunt it" sect ...... even if it hadn't "Got it" i liked to pretend I did



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[blueoval]

Im not sure if my current car could be regarded as a sleeper of sorts but I pretty much call it one. Apart from the wheels and stance it looks like a forte.

Ive had a few traffic light duels, nothing serious but have raised a few eyebrows. Some dude in his Alfa thought I was toast. I not only proved him wrong once, but twice. He turned off at the nearest intersection after the second time.

I really havent had many want to give me a real go to tell you the truth.

[v8capri8]

a bloke i went to tech with had a centura, factory brown with factory rims but a off its head 265 with triples under the bonnet it used to fly. i remember being in the passenger seat a few times and seeing the bottom lip of the other cars occupants hit the dash . He even had a dummy stock pee shooter exhaust tip with the real exhaust dumping just after the diff

[TUF_302]

My brothers R31 skyline actually started life as a Pintara, the bodys of the line and pinny where the same thing back then apart from headlights and tail lights, so when my brothers pinny got the skyline motor fitted and officially became a skyline, it was fun messing with people who assuemed it was still the 4cly powered thing!, those days are over tho, it now has skyline headlights and GT turbo rear in it, so it now looks as fast as it goes lol

[PimpMyHubcap]

Bought an `83 Landcruiser with a 302w/4 speed inside. Some of the guys with their brand new (`89) petrol cruisers had their jaws gaping after a little "run" on the dirt up Weipa way.

Cheers
Mick

[big_landau]

Originally Posted by v8capri8

a bloke i went to tech with had a centura, factory brown with factory rims but a off its head 265 with triples under the bonnet it used to fly. i remember being in the passenger seat a few times and seeing the bottom lip of the other cars occupants hit the dash . He even had a dummy stock pee shooter exhaust tip with the real exhaust dumping just after the diff

yeah i know a bloke with a stock looking centura,worked hemi 6 and has pulled a high 13 at willowbank.that car has stunned a lot of people including the occasional new chev commodore owner

[dogwatch2]

Originally Posted by v8capri8

a bloke i went to tech with had a centura, factory brown with factory rims but a off its head 265 with triples under the bonnet it used to fly. i remember being in the passenger seat a few times and seeing the bottom lip of the other cars occupants hit the dash . He even had a dummy stock pee shooter exhaust tip with the real exhaust dumping just after the diff

Hey, that's similar to what I had, a red centura with a 265, second hand factory triple webers and new E49 cam, with a heavily modded head - good for 300 plus HP in a 1100kg car with a 4 speed manual. I used to love blowing off SLR 5000's, falcon GT's etc, oh plus my brother's XB 351. Those were the days!! The only problem I had was keeping up with the clutches and getting 14 mpg driving easy. Ahh the sound of triple webers at full flight - they were noisier than my exhaust.

[XRSIKS]

does a TF-250 Cortina with a I6 Falcon engine in it count?

[3VSleeper]

Originally Posted by SNBXR

does a TF-250 Cortina with a I6 Falcon engine in it count?

Do you mean inline 6 or injected 6?

[XRSIKS]

Originally Posted by 3VSleeper

Do you mean inline 6 or injected 6?

Inline

[3VSleeper]

Originally Posted by SNBXR

does a TF-250 Cortina with a I6 Falcon engine in it count?

Originally Posted by 3VSleeper

Do you mean inline 6 or injected 6?

Originally Posted by SNBXR

Inline

You would have to be more specific about the engine for anyone to answer your question about the cortina as you've indicated all 6cyl engines ever to occupy the space between the suspension towers of a factory falcon from the 144 to the current twin cam barra.

If it were the barra six then yeah that would count.

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by 3VSleeper

You would have to be more specific about the engine for anyone to answer your question about the cortina as you've indicated all 6cyl engines ever to occupy the space between the suspension towers of a factory falcon from the 144 to the current twin cam barra.

If it were the barra six then yeah that would count.

Ask a stupid question get a stupid answer.

[XRSIKS]

Originally Posted by 3VSleeper

You would have to be more specific about the engine for anyone to answer your question about the cortina as you've indicated all 6cyl engines ever to occupy the space between the suspension towers of a factory falcon from the 144 to the current twin cam barra.

If it were the barra six then yeah that would count.

not sure, the thing would cruise at 100km/h, hit the juice, and spin the wheels... it was powerful, i think it actually had to have a few mods done to it to stop the engine twisting free.. was a fast beast... took a guard rail to kill it

got it all sitting up at my parent's property if someone wants it :P numberplates are TF-250 as well lol

[CAMS290]

VK ex police interceptor, 4 bolt 304 VL Group A block, twin throttle body set up, super T10, nine inch locker........stock steel wheels, no spoilers etc.

7000rpm of screaming Holden V8......I loved that car

[jphanna]

a lot of your examples are slightly or heavily worked cars. they are sleepers in the true sence of the word for sure. there is ONE car that came out of the factory that at the time, would have caught most off guard...even SOME of the local hotted up ford, holden and chrysler 'specials'.

if in 1970, you saw a mazda R100 parked in front of a retirement village, or in front of the local lawn bowls establishment, you wouldnt have given it a moments thought. for some reason, mazda back then made a shitty 4cyl version of its cars...and offered the same cars with a rotary. same body, same colours, same wheels, just double the power! that tissue Box shaped mazda R100 would surly have the be the ultimate sleeper ever made.

[robjh80]

Mid 1980's, Auckland, my best mate's older brother had a Mk.1 Mini, looked totally stock, sort of thing you would expect to see Grandma driving to church every Sunday Morning.

He also happens to work at a Specialist Mini Parts and Tuning Company in NZ, they import and supply race parts and engines for Mini's to professional drivers and enthusiasts alike.

Needless to say his own little Mini got all the jeers and laughs from the Monaro and GT Falcon guys at the traffic lights .... until the lights turned green that is!

Under that stock rather dorky looking exterior hid a beast! ... it was extremely modified and was basically a road going race car, it used to absolutely go like nothing I've personally ever experienced since!

Used to leave those big V8's of the day sitting back at the lights wondering what the hell just happened!! .... how did that just happen!! ... what the hell was that thing!!

Problem was it was so highly strung it used to only run well for a few hours before he needed to spend the rest of the day under the bonnet tweaking and re-tuning the damn thing ... I remember how as young fella's my mate and I used to laugh at him tinkering away under the bonnet all the time.

Unbelievable car though!

[InTrail]

'76 RA23 Celica with a 1G-GTE engine swap.
2litre, 24 valve, 6cyl, twin turbo, fuel injected with water/air intercooler.

Put out about 150rwkw, and weighed less than 1100kg.
Surprised many an unsuspecting motorist :evil_laug

[ADSXR8]

I drive one every day. G6ET!

[JutroXR8]

Originally Posted by ADSG6ET

I drive one every day. G6ET!

I also drive one everyday. I remember the 1st few months I had one and the sprised look on the VZ HSV owners when they got blown away. Or this one Porche driver who thought that just because he has a late model (post 2006) Porche it will be quicker than a G6ET. :evil_laug

[J_Tank]

I took the Turbo badge off my previous BA XR6T. While I realise that in no way compares to many of the afore mentioned stories, more than a few people worked out what had happened.

[LowEL2XR8]

I would consider this to be an ultimate sleeper. The Grizwald family truckster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A203ShFM854