I found this handy 1/4 mile calculator. All you have to do is to input your car's weight and horsepower. It actually provides a good approximation of your 1/4 times. See:


http://www.web-cars.com/math/qtr_mile.html

 

I tried it out... cool. Now I have to take the Challenger out and try it out. Find out how close it is.

 

hmm...interesting. ive not used that one before...im not sure how accurate it is. im making round 490bhp, with round 360whp...running 12.40s with 3700lb car...most calculators put me right in the ballpark, but this one says "engine horsepower". when i used 490, which is around my bhp or engine horsepower, it was WAY too fast...like mid 11s...so i put in my whp, and it was much closer.

i used the lower option which asks for the desired time and the car weight, and it gives you the power needed in perfect conditions...for a 3700 lb car runnin 12.4, it told me that im making about 384hp...thats running 87 octane...

just as a teaser...the demon engine is being built very close to the build of the mirada engine...in a car around 800lbs lighter...

i should point out that on a real track there are WAY too many variables for any computer to calculate...even the ones that ask for altitude, temp, barometric pressure, etc...they cannot account for gearing, traction, wind, etc.
another good one is the list at www.race-cars.net

 

Nice find, but as Patrick said too many excluded variables. Futhermore, the quality of the tires, airdynamics, consistency of the horsepower throughout the powerband, let alone the torque, etc. These tend to provide answers in a theoritical world, which often times are found to be false and way off. But oh well, its fun to compare different outputs anyways. Plus anyother thing to remember is the fact that many of these engines are underrated, the question then is do you use the real hp or the rating to compare one car that is overrated to a car that is underrated.

 

youd be surprised, that aerodynamics doesnt play much of a part in normal street-car drag racing...until youre into the much faster times than i am, the biggest concerns are only power and weight...unless youre racing with a huge head wind, in which case the aero of the car comes into play, but the biggest factors that the calculators dont account for are elevation, temp, and traction..they assume basically perfect conditions, and perfect traction.