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.

[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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[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.

[3VSleeper]

Seen some ownage by the way of a paddock bashing 120y, original pale blue all fadded with stock steel wheels. Had some bent 250 crossflow with a c4 behind it. Was the first car I'd ever seen power skid past skylines and the like. Another was a 2JZ powered 4wd Hilux. 32inch mud tyres which it spun up all the way to third. It did have a pro stock style bonnet but still you dont quite expect it.

Sleepers are the bomb, spend the money making em fast b4 you make em look fast!

[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

[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?

[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.

[XRSIKS]

Originally Posted by 3VSleeper

Do you mean inline 6 or injected 6?

Inline

[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!

[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.

[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!

[LowEL2XR8]

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

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

[onfire]

My old VR Commodore.

Nothing all that crazy in terms of performance. A 3.8l V6 Auto.

Dropped it a few inches, but not too much. Had a set of slick looking ROH 16" ZS Rims on it, in a dark silver colour with chrome lip. Exhaust, Extractors, CAI Upgrade, etc. Went quite well, and surprised a large number of VS-VX V6 Kiddies trying to impress themselves. Gave a couple of 5.0 Commo's a wake up a couple of times.

Never really had all that much trouble from the Police. I'd get pulled over, usually thanks to exhaust note, if and when there was an echo that made it louder. A look over, and nothing really stood out.

[reds89]

tc 6 cyl cortina,looked stock,took the 250 out, put in a 221[3.6]made my own sump,had the head modified by lynx and put triple webers on,mcgee
solid cam,3.5 lsd rear end out of a xr ute,twin point dizzy.
It had the top loader 4spd and i ran 100 mph top ends at the old castlreagh strip but wheel spin and lots of it put paid to any good et,s and what a in the wet,but it was a sleeper and i had a ball.

[Psi-Pop]

Well I consider my ED to be a sleeper, Widened rear wheels with supercheap hubcaps, Front and rear sunshades the nasty looking ones, nanna spec seat covers and them horrid door reflector protector devices. Though the crowning jewel is the two pieces of vacuum cleaner tube hanging out as a exhaust pipe.

Most people think Im stuck driving my Nan's car and feel sorry for me before they realise its turbo'd.

Theres some pictures in this thread. http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11250954

[xbgs351]

My old HT was a bit of a sleeper. It looked like a grandpas car, but it had a 308, 5 speed gear box and LSD. I had also taken time to sort out the suspension which included items such as koni shocks a custom made swaybar and Yokohama A509s. I think what used to really throw people was the 186S badge.

[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.

[Ross-b]

these days i just assume the stock looking cars are the modified ones

i mean most of the ones with all the 'go fast look at me bits' are normally stock as a rock (mainly lancers and non turbo lines)