Are sleepers still a thing?

[SCOTI]

This Iroc-Z is a sleeper. Very unassuming as far as speed/mph potential upon initial glance. Sounds like many SBC's w/a cam. It was a money maker....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmtkfm-qhMo

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

A couple from another website I frequent:


This one was recently on ebay. Twin Turbo 6.0L LS motor under the hood.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Chevro...UAAOSwqb1f3~mz


K

This is a sleeper....

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Of course they are . My next one is this one. 1962 Studebaker Lark going to put a supercharged slightly worked Studebaker V8 in it . It's a V8 now but I have a R3 Avanti motor minus the blower hooked to a super T10 that I picked up 20 years or so ago. It's already dual exhaust with turbo style mufflers . It gets up and goes now but with an added 180 hp its should really go .

Just need to add some stickey rear tires as it tends to brake loose if I dont feather the gas crappy picture but only ones on my tablet

That car brings back memories. I had a '61 Lark VIII convertible with the 259 in it. It was coral. It was not fast.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

That car brings back memories. I had a '61 Lark VIII convertible with the 259 in it. It was coral. It was not fast.

This started as a 259 I rebuilt it to the 304 ci Avanti R3 specs . Except high compression pistons and larger valves and a 650cfm 4bbl Carter. The Supercharged engine I have has 9.5 to 1 to handle the 6 to 8 psi the blower puts our. Mine has 12:1

[68Gold/white]

The Farm Truck is NOT a sleeper???? I'm not understanding that vision...
So every ratted out old Chevy pickup can run a 10 second quarter mile time???

I've seen the Farm Truck run, some, been a while. It's best 1/4 mile E.T. back then was 10.13 This was all before they became movie stars. A that time it had a .030 over 502 in it. THe owner has his engines built by someone in Kansas. Supposedly a few years back the 502 came out, in favor of a 632...and all this performance is attained with NOTHING done to reduce weight in the vehicle...

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

The Farm Truck is NOT a sleeper???? I'm not understanding that vision...
So every ratted out old Chevy pickup can run a 10 second quarter mile time???

I've seen the Farm Truck run, some, been a while. It's best 1/4 mile E.T. back then was 10.13 This was all before they became movie stars. A that time it had a .030 over 502 in it. THe owner has his engines built by someone in Kansas. Supposedly a few years back the 502 came out, in favor of a 632...and all this performance is attained with NOTHING done to reduce weight in the vehicle...

Just the sound of the truck and idle would make someone aware of it's high performance . Also the rear tires . A sleeper is a car or truck that looks and sounds stock. Giving the person your racing no clue that they will be seeing the rear bumper shortly

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

This is a sleeper....

I realize he's not fully sorted out, but as they sit right now this car:




...is 0.7 sec quicker in the quarter mile than this car:

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I realize he's not fully sorted out, but as they sit right now this car:




...is 0.7 sec quicker in the quarter mile than this car:

Don't get me wrong, a little more camouflage & one would not suspect yours either.

My definition of a sleeper seems to differ from others on here. The idle clip of that 70 Malibu does not suggest it's capable of within .7 sec of your ride. With no cage & A/C.

Same w/Farm Truck. Too obnoxious to consider it a 'sleeper'. One sees/hears that hardware & would hope it's got some balls (even as rotund as it is).

That Iroc-Z I posted the link to.... You wouldn't think it could keep up w/Farm Truck. It could.

[mongocanfly]

A local sleeper here is this z71 4x4 twin turbo LS.....with optional ladder rack..!!!..
He changes the turbo setup around so much, I cant keep up with how its currently setup...very fast none the less..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bu7mkIS3ChQ

[Boog]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Have you ever experienced Farm Truck in person? It's loud. Obnoxiously loud. Large x huge rear tires. Large diameter exhaust tubing easily visible beneath the chassis. That all screams I'm not stock. While that doesn't automatically mean it will be 'Fastest Street Car' fast territory, most wouldn't assume it's slow.

A sleeper is just that. A very unassuming vehicle that will put the number down & then usually be asked to leave said track because it's lacking in safety equipment for its ability.

Exactly. My long time understanding of the term "sleeper" on the street is an unassuming, all stock looking low option vehicle not exhibiting performance enhancements or performance level hood scoops, badges or markings. Such vehicles could be 2 or 4 door sedans or trucks with near stock size wheels and tires and reasonably quiet exhaust.
Farm Junk is no sleeper with steam roller tires and loud exhaust, not to mention it's world wide reputation.

[Tom]

Never understood the pull of sleepers. They make faster version cars look cooler, why wouldn't you want to look better?

I guess if you race for money it would be a thing. Otherwise, I'll take the hood scoops and red valve covers and noisy cam.

[Boog]

My idea of a modern day sleeper would be something with all wheel drive and stock sized tires with maybe a turbo or two under the hood. With today's hp traction is an issue. Wide tires are a giveaway.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I used to do a fair bit of street racing.

Honestly what ended being my favorite "sleeper" was built on accident. I had a 73 brand f 3/4 ton camper special rclb. I got it knowing it needed a motor for $400, and built the 460 it had like a recent Car-Craft article at the time. The engine was in the 450hp/500tq range, and sure ran like it. I originally used the headers, and turbo muffler it had when I got it. Man did it drone me out for what ever reason. I never had a engine do that to me before or even close. I found 4 magnaflow mufflers cheap somehow. These were the type that looked like over grown glass packs, but 2" in diameter. So I modified the header so the collector was longer, then into a 3" to 2" Y, and then a muffler on each leg with a turn down.

Most people thought it was a well built 302, and occasionally the others said 351. That is till I floored it, and it made some real noise.

After getting feed back on what engine I had from people. I redid the engines paint to make it look more stock. Especially the intake manifold which was new aluminum. On a pick a part trip I found some large factory air cleaner that I cleaned up, and put a factory 302 sticker on.

On a very good run it could hustle 12.8 in the quarter, but it usually was in the 13-13.2 range. If I remembered the times right. This was 20 years ago.

My favorite line alot people used to say was man that is a big 302.

[truckster]

My favorite sleeper was an 82 Buick Estate Wagon that had originally had a diesel engine. I pulled the diesel and built an Olds 455 for it, topped it off with an 850 CFM Quadrajet, and put dual exhaust and a 3.23 posi under it. The pony cars of the day didn't stand a chance. I left the diesel badges on it and put big stock mufflers on it. Occasionally someone would notice that it didn't sound like a diesel, but for the most part no one knew until I punched it.

My favorite story about it came from a buddy who was in the Highway Patrol. Apparently he had been behind me in the next lane at a red light when I took on a Mustang. When I saw him a week later he mentioned that he had noticed my little exhibition, but he didn't give me any crap. He just said, "I don't know what you've got in there, but I know it's not a diesel."

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Boog

My idea of a modern day sleeper would be something with all wheel drive and stock sized tires with maybe a turbo or two under the hood. With today's hp traction is an issue. Wide tires are a giveaway.

I think they make a Grand Cherokee with something like 500 hp

Seems like Eric Peters test drove one.

[4u2nv]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

I think they make a Grand Cherokee with something like 500 hp

Seems like Eric Peters test drove one.

Yes they did 475 hp

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by Boog

My idea of a modern day sleeper would be something with all wheel drive and stock sized tires with maybe a turbo or two under the hood. With today's hp traction is an issue. Wide tires are a giveaway.

Do you mean like this Boog? It wouldn't let me load a picture.
https://www.ramtrucks.com/trx.html

[Boog]

Now, that's a dern monster truck! 702 hp and LAUNCH CONTROL?

[ChevyRacefan]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Have you ever experienced Farm Truck in person? It's loud. Obnoxiously loud. Large x huge rear tires. Large diameter exhaust tubing easily visible beneath the chassis. That all screams I'm not stock. While that doesn't automatically mean it will be 'Fastest Street Car' fast territory, most wouldn't assume it's slow.

A sleeper is just that. A very unassuming vehicle that will put the number down & then usually be asked to leave said track because it's lacking in safety equipment for its ability.

Sorry it is a sleeper. The level it runs, most would never think of it being that quick. Ya, sure it isn't grandpa looking /sounding but it looks like it run 12's maybe 11's. When I was in school a kid had a bbc in a truck with loud exhaust and wide tires, it was a high 13 sec truck. Farm truck does not look like it should be able to run the #'s it does.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I wish I had a sleeper. I have a 65 Mustang with a stockish 289, but it does have a killer sounding exhaust, and everyone (ok a few people) in a camaro/mustang whatever wants to race at a red light.

IT'S SLOWER THAN YOUR MOM'S MODERN MINIVAN PEOPLE. Leave me alone

[Just call me Sean]

A Chevelle (or Malibu) is not a sleeper. Nobody looks at a Chevelle and thinks "I'll bet that car is slow."

[mongocanfly]

("IT'S SLOWER THAN YOUR MOM'S MODERN MINIVAN PEOPLE. Leave me alone ")

hahahahahahahaha

[ChevyRacefan]

There is a guy at a shop not to far from me, putting a wrecked 2019 camaro 4 cyl turbo and automatic drivetrain into a Pontiac 1000. No one will see that coming.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

A Chevelle (or Malibu) is not a sleeper. Nobody looks at a Chevelle and thinks "I'll bet that car is slow."

I'll bet that car is slow.

K

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ChevyRacefan

Sorry it is a sleeper. The level it runs, most would never think of it being that quick. Ya, sure it isn't grandpa looking /sounding but it looks like it run 12's maybe 11's. When I was in school a kid had a bbc in a truck with loud exhaust and wide tires, it was a high 13 sec truck. Farm truck does not look like it should be able to run the #'s it does.

The average Joe didn't coin the term 'sleeper'. People in the automotive hobby w/knowledge of capable combinations labeled them. Anything w/huge exhaust pipes & tires you can see just don't fall into the category. I agree, Farm Truck is faster than it looks but the sound of the motor & visual details suggest it will (and should) run.

Put Farm Truck against that Iroc-Z & which is the sleeper?