Retro Roadster Raceoff

[the Teuton]

They shouldda been out on the market at the same time, but they weren't.  Still, which one would you bring to Woodward?

[Onslaught]

I hate the looks of the Chevy. I can't fit in the Bird and I'm not 70 years old. So it would have to be the bath tub with wheels.

[CJ]

Prowler hands down.  I LOVE the Prowler.

[JYODER240]

I'd settle for the Prowler, although it really isn't my cup of tea either.

[giant_mtb]

Prowler...just 'cause.  They're all ugly/crappy cars, IMO, so I just picked the one I thought might be least crappy.

[ro51092]

Prowler...just 'cause.  They're all ugly/crappy cars, IMO, so I just picked the one I thought might be least crappy.

Exactly.

[93JC]

Thunderbird, by a long shot. I love them, I think they look fantastic.

[Raghavan]

SSR. RWD + 6 speed manual + 390 hp.

[giant_mtb]

SSR. RWD + 6 speed manual + 390 hp.

+ 69374903 pounds.

[Raghavan]

+ 69374903 pounds.

+ 3 pedals.

[Rich]

SSR. RWD + 6 speed manual + 390 hp.

What he said...

I'm surprized the Mustang 'vert isn't on here....

[giant_mtb]

What he said...

I'm surprized the Mustang 'vert isn't on here....

That would undoubtedly skew the results so much that the Mustang might as well have just had its own poll asking "which one would you want?".

[the Teuton]

...And all of these started right around 40 grand, too.  The Mustang has an unfair price advantage. 

[heelntoe]

i chose the SSR for reasons mentioned above, thunder bird is second though.

[the Teuton]

While realistically I'd probably take a 986 over any of these three, I went with the Prowler, at least in the red color with the 253 hp engine.  The 218 hp version was gutless by comparison.  It also looks much cooler than the other two cars.

[heelntoe]

were the prowler and the t-bird on sale around the same time?

[the Teuton]

were the prowler and the t-bird on sale around the same time?

The Prowler began in 1997 and ended in 2002.  The T-Bird was 2002-05.  The SSR was 03-06.  They're all kinda close.

[heelntoe]

ah, thanks.

[giant_mtb]

The SSR had that sweet gauge that told you how much horsepower you were getting while you drove. 

[TheIntrepid]

Oh yeah? Well the Camry Hybrid has a sweet guage which tells you what kind of fuel mileage you're getting.

[ifcar]

SSR. Though it's a truck, the Thunderbird doesn't actually handle any better, and the powertrain just kills it. Plus, you have the practicality of a massive trunk and retractable roof.

[CMan]

SSR.

Maybe it was heavy, but it still pulled off 0-60 in 5.3, and actually retained some utility. I could haul a little bit of music equipment in the back.

[Onslaught]

Don't know how many of you have ever been in that last T.Bird but they are the most uncomfortable car I've ever been in. No leg room and absolutely no head room at all with the top up. I had to have a short guy at work pull them in for me because I couldn't drive the things. Perhaps Ford made them for all the hunched over old people seeing they are the only ones I've ever seen in one.

[Raza]

Well, the SSR is the only one here with a stickshift.  But it's a truck.  The Thunderbird makes me want to claw my eyes out every time I see one, so that's out.  The Prowler, gorgeous it may be, is begging for a third pedal to make it a real sports car. 

Had I one, I would search high and low and far and wide to get it its stickshift.  Prowler for me. 

[ChrisV]

I chose teh Prowler due to the customizing potential, especially when the bumpers are removed (and interestingly, they were designed to be removed...)



Mildly modded ones are running in the 12s in the quarter, while some like the one this engine is in are running low 11s. With the V6...

[CMan]

Yeah, that's another thing. The Prowler looks like it should have the biggest V8 you can find, and you open the hood and there's a fucking V6?!??!

[Raza]

Yeah, that's another thing. The Prowler looks like it should have the biggest V8 you can find, and you open the hood and there's a fucking V6?!??!

That doesn't matter.  It made good power (though unimpressive for an engine that size), but it was mated to a lazy 4 speed auto. 

[ChrisV]

Like most of the street rods it was patterned after, which used low power crate 350s and 4 speed automatics.

[Raza]

Like most of the street rods it was patterned after, which used low power crate 350s and 4 speed automatics.

Just because it has old looks doesn't mean it needs old technology. 

[ChrisV]

Just because it has old looks doesn't mean it needs old technology. 

That's just it, it used modern computer controlled engine management tech to make it as quick as those older 350 powered street rods, along with factory engineered suspension that worked vastly better than any street rod would, plus a warranty, and easy customizeability. Tom Gale is an avid street rodder, with an award wining custom '33 Ford street rod of his own, so it's no surprise that the Prowler took a lot from his own personal car.