FORD vs CHEVY !! 69 428 Cobra Jet Mustang vs 69 L78 Chevelle SS396 - Drag Race - RoadTestTV

WHICH WINS? - 69 428 Cobra Jet Mustang or 69 Chevelle SS 396 L78 ??

@roadtesttv

A 1969 Mustang Cobra Jet Coupe and a 1969 Camaro SS396 go head to head in a quarter mile drag race. Ford vs Chevrolet, so who wins?

Both cars are competing in the Pure Stock Drags, so modifications are very limited. The only modifications permitted are minor porting, blue printing and minor weight reduction without altering the stock appearance. Camshafts and compression ratio have to be within a small percentage of stock specs. That means stock intake manifold, stock exhaust manifolds and street tires.

The 1969 Mustang Coupe in the video is powered by Ford's potent 428 Cobra Jet (7.0L) which was rated at 335 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. This particular Mustang is super rare as only 243 were built in 1969. The 428 Cobra Jet was produced as a result of a collaboration between Ford corporate and high performance Ford dealer Tasca Ford. Tasca and Ford were both tired of Ford's big blocks getting slapped around by Chevy and Dodge, so the Cobra Jet was the solution which was released in the middle of 1968. Despite the reduced horsepower rating of 335 the 428 Cobra Jet was one of the strongest motors to come out of Ford Motor Company.

The 1969 Chevelle SS 396 in the other lane is rare as less than 9,000 L78 Chevelles were built in 1969. The SS396 Chevelle in the video is powered by Chevy's potent, solid lifter, high winding big block 396 cubic inch (6.5 L) RPO L78 which was rated at 375 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The L78 is a legend with Chevy Big Block fans.

335 and 375 horsepower doesn't sound like much today; however, in the late 60's and early 70's, these cars with minor mods were menaces on the street.

The SS396 is equipped with a Muncie 4 speed transmission whereas the 428 Cobra Jet Mustang is backed by a C6 Automatic transmission. So WHO WINs?

Watch the video and see what happens.

Comment below - Tell us what you think and which car you'd rather own after watching the video...

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[geoffmcnew]

428s are very light, thin wall castings. The longer 3.98" stroke vs. the 427's 3.78" gives it great low end and middle range torque.
With Edelbrock aluminum heads and intake, my 428 is actually lighter than an iron 302/351 small block.
I have a '69 Mach 1 with 428-SCJ - lost the headers (& at least 40 HP), but now it sits as low as a racing Boss 302 and still makes 100 ft-lbs. more torque.
12:1 custom 4.135" pistons, solid roller Comp Cam, 750 cfm 4150-HP carb, it dyno'd 455HP and 488ft-lbs from 4, 400-5, 900 thru iron CJ exhaust manifolds!
...gotta run a little racing gas mix, but it works....runs like a pick-up truck below 3...never have to buzz it to 6.

[deweybrock]

Difference in weight and driver had a little problem shifting.

[smid]

I always liked my Chevys ( didn't hate Fords ), but I've seen it go either way many times -

[samholcombe]

I’m a Chevy guy, and I used to have a 69 Chevelle, one of my favorite cars, but think while all engines were underrated back then, the Cobra Jet 429 has to be one of the most underrated from the factory.

[badgerbait]

What the...? Who's grandmother was shifting the Chevelle?! That was horrible!

[derrinpickett]

Dang that Mustang took off like it was 500 pounds lighter than the Shevelle..

[modernmuscle]

Hopefully they open drag strip up soon

[richardwynkoop]

OK If Nothing Else I Hope This Makes Interesting Reading Back In The Early 70s I Had A Stock Equipped 1966 Ford 7 Litter (428 ci) C6 Trans. Posi At The Same Time My Brother Had A 1966 Galaxie 500 6cyl 3 On The Tree Open Rear End Both Were 2dr Ht My Brother Swapped Out The 6cyl With A 428 SCJ 4spd Top Loader With A Set Of Long Headers He Keept His 6cyl Rear-end WE Would Take Them To The Local Drag Strip And Run Them Side By Side He Could Take Advantage Of The SCJ Low End Torque And Didn't Need The Posi Can't Remember The ETs But They Were Probably In The Mid To Lower 14s (Those ETs Keep Going Down With Age LOL) I Would Have Him For Maybe The First 100' Then He Would Blow Me Away My HP With The 7 Litter I Think Were a True 335 His Had To Be 425+ At The Strip The Hemi's Were The Only Ones That Gave The SCJ Problems Then It Came Down To Driver And Weight Great Time Of My Life (By The Way That 428 SCJ Is Still Running To This Day In A 1957 Show Car) Thanks For Reading

[davidfultz]

The guy in the Chevelle kinda slow shifted from 1st to 2nd. Also of note. 428s were mild compared to the L78 396. 428, cast iron everything and hydraulic cam, L78 had aluminum intake and solid cam and canted valve more modern heads. More cubes for Ford and less weight. It was a close race.

[Treudyomal]

That Chevelle is a Beauty #TeamChevy #ChevyGuy Fun Fact: In Reality The Founders of these 2 Legendary Automotive Brands went up against each other in a race, which Louis Chevrolet got The Victory over Henry Ford. 🏁🚘🔧

[johntempest]

L78 is legendary.
428? I'd rather have a 427 or a 429 if I'm going with Ford.
That Mustang was quick tho.

[raystarky]

Impressive times for both cars. I know of Many big block cars of the same years and models that ran slower times

[douglassopa]

yahh" that stock muncie shifter coast me some events to.

[pontiacgrandprix]

The Chevelle, just because I hated Fords steering boxes back the 75 turns each way

[taylormach]

Their was never any dought. 428 Cobra Jet. THE GOING THING.

[savethave]

Fear the FE... doesn't that Chevelle guy know that FE stands for Freakin' Evil!

[gurneyforpresident]

Heck we used to best up 396s with a 69 Mach 1 with a 351 Winsor 4V

[peteragersea]

Oh I was wrong let me tweak it and not sleeping at the line

[fastvetteme]

If that stang is stock that is about the most awesome stang I have seen since I can remember, totally fine ride. And I`m not a Ford guy. The Chevelle failed to impress on this go. Can only drool wishing I owned either one. In my fading dreams.

[wrongwaywillie]

anyone notice the video starts with the the chevelle in the right lane then switches to the chevelle in the left. editing the story ???