Drag Races for the ’74 Corvette – ’76 Pontiac Firebird in a Slow V8 Showdown

Although the Pontiac is heavier than the Corvette, it produces more torque in this contest.

By the mid-1970s, the hey-day of American muscle cars was over. As governments and automakers tried to reduce oil consumption, a severe oil crisis and a flood of regulations would endanger big V8s in America. Their legacy lives on, however, as a new video highlights from Cars And Zebras YouTube channel. In a vintage drag race, a 1974 Chevy Corvette meets a 1976 Pontiac Firebird.

The Corvette has a 350-cubic inch V8 that produces 250 horsepower (186 Kilowatts) as well as 285 pound-feet (386 Newton meters) of torque. Although the Pontiac’s V8 is 400 cubic inches larger, it only produces 185 horsepower (137 kW). It produces 310 lbft (420 Nm) more torque than the Chevy. Pontiac requires more power because it is heavier, weighing in at 4,000 pounds (1,814-kilogram).
Drag Races for the '74 Corvette - '76 Pontiac Firebird in a Slow V8 Showdown

Both cars are slow due to their low outputs and heavy curb weights. Both cars competed in two races. The Pontiac won two victories over Corvette. The Firebird ran 17.19 seconds quarter-miles at 72.52 mph (116.70 km/h). Although the Corvette finished the race more than one second behind it, it finished it in 18.28 seconds at 72.52 miles per hour (116.70 kilometers per hour).

Both the Pontiac and the Pontiac achieved faster times in the second race, which had two switch lanes. The Pontiac won the race, finishing the race in 16.63 seconds, at 83.79 MPH (134.84 Kph). The Corvette finished the quarter-mile in 17.26 seconds, at 85.13 MPH (153.09 KPH). This is a notable improvement, but it’s still far from the sub-11 second time that the 2023 Corvette Z06 may deliver.

Many people believe that life was slower in the past. But maybe that was due to the cars. The majority of mainstream sedans today offer more power that the Firebird and Corvette, which shows how far cars have come, despite nostalgia and rose-tinted glasses.