what ever happended to the prowler anyway?

 

Chrysler revolutionized drag racing in the early 60s with the 727 automatic. It was the first three speed auto with enough strength to handle the kind of power put out by the Max Wedges and Hemis. That began the domination of automatic cars at the drag strip. There were only ever a few drivers good enough with a 4 spd. to run with the autos. Ronnie Sox and Billy Glidden come to mind. But for us mere mortals, the autos have it. My Belvedere has a 727 (street/strip tune, very hard shifts), a 3200 rpm stall converter and a Hurst Quarter Stick shifter. There is no way I could ever go as fast with a manual as I can with my auto. Sure, I change the gears manually but you can do that on just about any auto trans out there today. It's also much more difficult to launch a manual car. Tire spin is good for showing off but bad for racing. My SRT-10 is very difficult to get good, consistent launches in. Too many variables and opportunity for human error. So, at the drag strip my options are to pound my chest and tell everyone who will listen that a real man will only drive a stick or I can win the race. It's really that simple.

As to the auto stick, I have one in my 300C. The trans and shifter are great and with a little practice you can get pretty good with it. The problem lies in the lazy shifts caused by the torque control system. Even with it, you can anticipate the shift points and drive fairly agressively if you want to. From what a 300C SRT-8 owner told me, the SRTs' torque control systems are much more transparent and provide for much firmer shifts.

On a road course or autocross, give me a manual every time. One the street, a manual is much more fun but may or may not be faster (my SRT-10 6 spd. is a blast on the streets and twisties). On the drag strip, autos have dominated for 40+ years.



[IMG]local://upfiles/9946/3F1A5D0AE5094AAEB4F2CA98B0921076.jpg[/IMG]

 

Didn't sell enough I'm assuming, plus didn't the automaker company shutdown?



-Matt-

 

Plymouth died, but they made it as the Chrysler prowler for a while.

 

hmm..thats awsome!!!! it looks like SRT is become wat SS is chevy. sweet. power and looks for the regular person that also uses there car as a daily driver.

 

We have always had the R/T's though...

 

How has the automatics dominated in racing? All racing cars are paddle shifted anymore, And dragsters use hand shifters in top fuel. THrow a good torquey racing clutch in your and you can do a lot w/ it. My ACT xtreme clutch adds 300% boost in torque as well w/ pressure plate. I rarely see full on automatics used in racing anymore cuz they are more expensive and not as RESONSIVE as the manuals. They may do okay on a dragstrip but they take a lot of buildups to get there. I will give props to the old muscle car barracudas w/ their 10 and 11 second 1/4 miles right outta the showroom. But ill take a racing clutch and high torque and HP cv axles/or built rear-end over the stock autos. A lot of muscle also weighed 6000 lbs back then VS. 4000 lbs and lower cars today.