15th Aug 2003, 03:07
Too many of these comments are talking about racing and holden V8's and stuff. I am certainly a Ford lover, but I do like the E49's and most Chrysler cars. The GTHO and the E49 had the same quarter mile time (14.4sec) so people saying that they Easily beat the GTHO in their Charger is a lie because if they did I can assure you it had little to do with the car, more like the driver. Both of these cars are classic muscle cars, but no matter how good or how fast a charger was the Ford will always be hailed as the greatest Aussie muscle car, and in my opinion it is.
A comment was made about how GTHO's use too much juice. How can someone make that comment when talking about a MUSCLE CAR.
9th Oct 2003, 03:17
Alright then, I am a huge Ford fan, come to think about, I don''t really like the E49 Charger. although I do not like them, I must admit they were fast. They were the fastest 2 door car, but the Falcon GT HO Phase 3 was the fastest 4 door car in Australia. The Ford Falcon will always blow the doors off a E49 Charger.
Go the Ford Falcon!
19th Oct 2003, 07:28
Charger 14.40 second quarter mile.
GT 14.45 second quarter mile.
In 1995 Holden printed around 50,000 brochures proclaiming their VS GTS-R was 'The new fastest accelerating Australian production car". After testing the VS GTS-R it pulled 14.45 quarter mile and the brochures had to be destroyed.
The Charger was marginally quicker to 160km/h than the Ford, at which speed the Ford would begin to pull past the Charger.
The Ford 351cu made 380HP (quite respectable) which equates to 1.08 HP per Cu. If the 351 was a 265, it would produce 265*1.08 = 286HP.
The Chrysler 265cu made 302 HP, which equates to 1.14 HP per cubic in, thus if the 265 was a 351 it would equate to 265*1.14 = 400 HP (flat).
The Hemi six was definitely something to be reckoned with, and it is true they have pulled high 13 passes on modern rubber in standard form. But based purely on what is written from the road tests at the time, on both the XY GT Phase III and the RT e49 Charger, the Charger is quicker down the quarter mile by 0.5 of second, and quicker to 160km/h, at which after that speed the Ford begins to pull past it. Although I have not heard of reports of XY's on modern rubber, but it would no doubt improve their quarter mile time by a similar amount.
If Ford had have had the opportunity to develop the Phase 4, things could/would have been different, and I can't help but also wonder what Chrysler's E55 Charger 340 six pack would have had in return.
What I have stated above (besides from my opinions etc), are facts taken from various motor magazines from the era.
I have no bias between either of the cars, and am actually a Holden fan.
People can argue about figures, but the tests have been done and nothing can be changed. Both cars are considered icons of Australian motoring, and both deserve equal amounts of respect. Denying a particular piece of machinery respect simply because of its badge is utter ignorance to the truth. Opinions based on the belief that a badge can change the quality of engineering and workmanship of a particular car can be considered to come from the same minds that conceive that a person is inferior because of their race.
20th Jan 2004, 19:46
I'm not a fanatic either way, but it would seem to me that all should sing the praises of the Charger, for not only the engineering required to achieve similar if not better performance results than the falcon, but to do this with its significantly less amount of cylinders & cubic inches.
4th Mar 2004, 02:31
This has been very good reading. I have a vh charger with a 440.not sure on horse power yet.
21st Apr 2004, 19:36
The charger certainly rules, that's why I want to get one. I'm getting my liscence soon and I really want an E38, E49 or E55 charger. Does anyone know where I could get one?
26th Apr 2004, 17:40
Well boys the E49 is Australia's fastest production car, and as for a Phase Three blowing off the E49; it's only a dream. And as for the Phase Four; three of them were race cars and one was a show car, and the E55 would have killed it if it wasn't killed off, so stop fighting and accept the E49 as Australia's fastest production car!!!
4th May 2004, 03:04
Good reading. It seems like all who write about the two most argued speed muscle cars really know their stuff. And that's really good to see. I also have a VH Charger; out came the 265 and in went the 440. The 265 ran really well; I just wanted that V8 sound, so I went for the 440. It has the good bit to make it happy. Looking forward to the future drive of my VH Charger.
30th Jun 2004, 00:44
Maybe the Charger was the fastest, but to end all speculation, if looks count for a deciding vote the Charger wins any argument!
4th Aug 2004, 01:09
I bought my 6pack from a family of GT owners (one black duck had the R/T). They stated that they would never sell their Fords, but the Charger ate their cars and was undeniably faster for a "Wog Box"!
As for me... I appreciate all muscle cars of the era and think both cars are amazingly equal! A true enthusiast can appreciate all the brands, but will undoubtely have a preference...I'll stick to my Charger thanks.
Now lets talk about Australian content boys! Ford imported engines... Holden imported engines...Chrysler imported carbies, but the rest of the car was Aussie designed and built! I'm an Aussie and I drive THE Aussie Musclecar.
And so did the Kiwi's :)
4th Aug 2004, 19:49
It would be nice to see the expression on the Phase 3 lovers heads after they've been for a spin in an E49.
They will push you back in the seat harder and go around corners quicker and stop sooner, full stop. Anyone who denies this hasn't had the pleasure of having ever been in one.
It was easy for the Ford people to slot in Mustang bits to make a race car. The Charger on the other hand was developed completely in Australia and won many races in Australia and New Zealand, without any factory backing. They were ALL privateers. Only the "big one" at Bathurst eluded them.
The Ford on the other hand had massive factory backing and used American muscle to make it stop and go. Hardly an "Australian" icon compared to the Charger.
Resto'd E49's will do high 13's with modern rubber, and in modified naturally aspirated form, many have done low 11's. Lets not forget this is a six cylinder we are talking about.
The next step would've been the E55 340 six pack which had admittedly been developed in the States, but in the relatively light Charger would've been very difficult to catch. These 340's were competitive with the big blocks never mind the 351, and would've had a superior top speed with its high rpm characteristics.
Today one has to spend over 60/70 grand to purchase a vehicle just as quick, and that is over 30 years later.
That's the way it is Ford lovers.
11th Aug 2003, 03:30
Firstly, the Charger was a 2 door, the GTHO was a 4 door, this means they are in two totally different classes. The Phase III GTHO was in fact the fastest 4 Door Production car in 1971, the E38's and 49's may have been faster (maybe not too), but they are in different classes. As for the Phase IV, four of the XA's were actually started to be modified for racing, before a combination of reasons halted the process. Of these four cars, only one was completed, due to be sent to Allan Moffat, but instead sold later to a private owner. The other 3 Phase IV's were sold off and finished being built, but unfortunately out of the 4 Phase IV's started, only 3 exist today, the fourth has disappeared off the planet. The Phase IV GTHO's main reason for being halted was because of public outrage, saying that they didn't want such powerful cars on the road. If not for this, I am sure that the legendary Phase IV would have eased all of your minds, if the project wasn't so unfortunately halted it would definately have been the fastest car of the time in Australia and possibly the world, blowing all the Mopars off the road.