E49 Chargers

[flooded one]

I was just thinking with all the talk of " Ford should bring out a GTHO" does anyone else feel that in the talking of Australian muscle cars that the E49 Charger is often left out?? I mean usually you hear about the GTR-XU1 vs the GTHO phase 3 where Peter Brock won his first of many Bathurst victories in 1972, Its seems only when you mention the subject about the Charger is the only time it is brought up, It could be because of the Holden vs Ford thing?? I don't know, I think its pretty impressive the fact a 6 cylinder at the time could give the big henry a run for its money when it came to acceleration and how long it held the title of Australia's fastest accelerating car for!!

[93EB_SXR6]

Valiants are never left out during automotive discussion at my house.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Im same with 93EB SXR6. E-49 & all VH & VH 770 Chargers are up there as my all time favorites together with the GTHO phase 3. Having owned a Charger 770 265, all i have is awesome memories even though it always broke down due to constant thrashings. Fine muscle era cars indeed.

If i ever had the chance to own one again, id be a very, very happy man indeed.

[aussiblue]

I also love chargers and have owned a few Valiant in my past. Great engines but fighting body rust (especially around front and rear windows) was an ongoing battle.

[XW-BAXR6T]

And the beauty is that you could swap mags from valiant to ford, same stud pattern. I still got my mags 7 inch front & 10 inch rear from old charger 770 i gave to wreckers for my XW fairmont.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by wildrider

that in the talking of Australian muscle cars that the E49 Charger is often left out??

probably because it missed out on an outright win at bathurst. if they'd continued their V8 program full steam, it may have achieved the dream.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

probably because it missed out on an outright win at bathurst. if they'd continued their V8 program full steam, it may have achieved the dream.

Spot on! Chrysler never achieved any race domination in the 70's. If the E49 had achieved an outright win and then 4 or 5 scattered amongst the top ten there would be much more demand.

That is why XR GTs, Phase 2 and Phase 3s, A9X, XU1s, 327 Monaros have such a fan base. Racing success!

[HO 3]

They certainly had the aging XY GTHOs measure on the shorter NZ race tracks and are remembered there very fondly...........a bit more race track success here would of no doubt helped there collectability.

Cheers Mick

[DJR-351]

I still miss my E49 even though I sold it back in 83', the sound it made under heavy acceleration was fantastic.......

[PepeLePew]

Certainly not forgotten by enthusiasts given the price genuine E38 or E49's can pull.

The F6 of their era

[G6T]

does anybody else here no doug chivers ran 161 laps at bathurst in 72 with same wheels & tires on because when they came in 2 change tires they took rims off put cold 1s on wheel nuts wouldn't go on because of heat so they had 2 put old wheels & tires back on long delay in pits thats the only reason they didn't win.

[G6T]

oh & only reason brock 1 in xu1 because gthos & tirer issue with e49 thats how it came 1st rain on the day traction problems 4 gtho.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by G6T

does anybody else here no doug chivers ran 161 laps at bathurst in 72 with same wheels & tires on because when they came in 2 change tires they took rims off put cold 1s on wheel nuts wouldn't go on because of heat so they had 2 put old wheels & tires back on long delay in pits thats the only reason they didn't win.

Seems like a bs story, why woUld the wheel nut go on with the cold wheels but they did with the hot wheels?? Same wheel nuts, and studs so no difference, just use the hot wheel nuts with the cold wheels then.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by G6T

oh & only reason brock 1 in xu1 because gthos & tirer issue with e49 thats how it came 1st rain on the day traction problems 4 gtho.

What ever issues, the first car across the finish line wins. I think the only reason I lost my last drag race was because of tyre issues and slow gear changes, so really I won

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

PS loved the e49's back in the day.

Never owned one but would have been a cool car.

[G6T]

hot wheel nuts & studs hot wheel nuts in cold rims didnt want 2 happen so they put hot wheel & nuts back on,i was told this inlate 80s by a friend who at time owned gagens e49 a84 track pack special seat 4 leo gagen this car didn't race in 72 but was sold 2 private buyer years later.oops i think it was late 70s.

[G6T]

i have driven many e38 & e49 over the years & love them.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Seems like a bs story, why woUld the wheel nut go on with the cold wheels but they did with the hot wheels?? Same wheel nuts, and studs so no difference, just use the hot wheel nuts with the cold wheels then.

Not totally bs but often the actual story gets blurred......

The car was running up front most of the day, and at a late pitstop for tyres the crew decided to fit new wheelnuts, when they tried to put the new cold nuts on the hot studs they jammed solid and it took some time to remove them whereupon the old nuts where fitted with new wheels/tyres

It's was believed that the long pit stop cost them the race......

[CyberWasp]

I had a Charger that had the Motor, Gearbox and Diff from a written off RT-E48 installed into an XL back in 1988. When I bought it I was on my P's and couldn't drive a manual. I had to get a friend to drive it home. Great memories learning to drive a manual in it, talk about a baptism of fire. In the wet it would fish tail off the line.
Only had it a year and sold it because I had no where to keep it off the street. It kept getting broken into and people trying to steal it. I think I sold it for around $2500.00
Damn I wish I had of kept it.
The thought in buying my XR6T at the time, was along the lines missing the Charger. different cars but both are Aussie 6 Cylinder Performance Cars.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by G6T

oh & only reason brock 1 in xu1 because gthos & tirer issue with e49 thats how it came 1st rain on the day traction problems 4 gtho.

while no disrespect to the XU1 I like them (like most Holdens up till 1988) they where quick into and out of corners and handled well, compared to the Falcon and Charger they were pretty much out gunned when it came to straight line speed. thou for what they where they were quick thou just not as fast as the other two.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Not totally bs but often the actual story gets blurred......

The car was running up front most of the day, and at a late pitstop for tyres the crew decided to fit new wheelnuts, when they tried to put the new cold nuts on the hot studs they jammed solid and it took some time to remove them whereupon the old nuts where fitted with new wheels/tyres

It's was believed that the long pit stop cost them the race......

Now that makes more sense.

[Grippy]

The best car of its era to not win at Bathurst. Geez they sound amazing with those triple webers.

[pottery beige]

E 49 was a good nugget

[castellan]

Back in their day it's GT-HO for me any day even a HG GTS 350 over a GTR XU-1 or E49.

I like highways and crusing at high speed, cars.

XU-1 is realy just a half baked pommy rot box torana, yes sure the only time you could appreciate it was if you were fair up it all the time but not realy for high speed drives from sydney to melborn etc.

The E49 not that good for top end driving as a GT-HO is it.

If i was crusing around 120 mph to 140 mph it's the GT-HO for me. i would not take the others, would you ?

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by castellan

Back in their day it's GT-HO for me any day even a HG GTS 350 over a GTR XU-1 or E49.

I like highways and crusing at high speed, cars.

XU-1 is realy just a half baked pommy rot box torana, yes sure the only time you could appreciate it was if you were fair up it all the time but not realy for high speed drives from sydney to melborn etc.

The E49 not that good for top end driving as a GT-HO is it.

If i was crusing around 120 mph to 140 mph it's the GT-HO for me. i would not take the others, would you ?

Don't think too much cruising gets done at 120-140mph, and if it did I would not really want to be in ANY 40 year old car with drum brakes and horse cart suspension

[Grippy]

Originally Posted by castellan

Back in their day it's GT-HO for me any day even a HG GTS 350 over a GTR XU-1 or E49.

I like highways and crusing at high speed, cars.

XU-1 is realy just a half baked pommy rot box torana, yes sure the only time you could appreciate it was if you were fair up it all the time but not realy for high speed drives from sydney to melborn etc.

The E49 not that good for top end driving as a GT-HO is it.

If i was crusing around 120 mph to 140 mph it's the GT-HO for me. i would not take the others, would you ?

Have you driven an XU1 or an E49? They're sensational cars and they were built to go around corners (which they did well in their day) as well as being quick in a straight line.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Don't think too much cruising gets done at 120-140mph, and if it did I would not really want to be in ANY 40 year old car with drum brakes and horse cart suspension

lol not wrong 70mph is a good cruising speed. 130mph your really pushing the thing,

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Grippy

Have you driven an XU1 or an E49? They're sensational cars and they were built to go around corners (which they did well in their day) as well as being quick in a straight line.

Not a E49 but yes a charger i have.

High speed is not where i would want to be in a XU-1 for to long, hell my SLR5000 was rubbish to drive at 200 km/h and over. my HX sandman was much better at speed. the torana's get all floaty over 180 km/h. my charger 265 2 bbl would only do 185 km/h and they dont steer that well at that.

I have used cruse control at 210km/h at some places and i am just taking it easy for the fuel econ in my SS comodore.

So i think i would know better than most would the commodores up to the VS got a bit floaty over 180 kmh but from VT SS on they are fine up to 260 KM/H

[The Yeti]

All Val's were under rated IMHO

I have only owned one being a 69 Pacer I got off the wholesale pen from the dealer I worked at in the late 80's for a whopping $1600. The thing was fantastic

[castellan]

Originally Posted by wildrider

lol not wrong 70mph is a good cruising speed. 130mph your really pushing the thing,

Not with a GT-HO you are not pushing it, it loves it as that's what it's made for.

Hell my old man sat on 90 mph everywhere on the highway even with a trailer on the back just crusing along in his 1971 LTD Galaxie it only did 115 mph flat out but loved 90 mph. back them days.