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View Full Version : What do you consider a "street car" ?



K-ville
12-05-2011, 03:46 PM
Just for fun id like to hear what people would say a car has to have to be called a street car..

Ill go first.

Should be street legal tagged insured.
Able to run on the street without over heating, and i dont mean it should be able to sit in traffic at 110 in the summer for 2 hours but it should be able to cruise with no issues.
Should be able to run on pump gas but doesnt have to do it all the time.
Interior should have at least two seats and a radio no heat or a/c is needed.
DOT tires radials cheater slicks or whatever.
Glass windows.
Capable of cruising 55mph at least to make it from town to town and what not.

Thats about all it takes in my eyes. What do you guys think?

black88gt
12-05-2011, 03:51 PM
Did you really make a thread about this?

K-ville
12-05-2011, 03:58 PM
nope its a illusion!



err wait not its not i did. Whats wrong with that?

AutoMods
12-05-2011, 04:25 PM
windows that work. mirrors. radio. some sound deadening. decent exhaust. probably wipers. probably heat in iowa. ac/pc not needed. should be able to sustain 70mph down the interstate without revving to the moon.

not sure what I think about cars with a spool. I would have to drive a rwd one. I've driven awd cars with spool and imho not good street cars.

AutoMods
12-05-2011, 04:33 PM
this comment might piss people off but never enjoyed nitrous on the street as a permanent source of power. its feels too temporary, limited, expensive and artificial. your street car is only as powerful as it is without its nitrous. I can't really go on a long cruise and feel good about casually hitting the nitrous. I only reserved it for serious straight line pulls, tuning and races. However making the turbo spool up leaves no feelings of guilt or waste.

K-ville
12-05-2011, 04:34 PM
mirrors exhaust and wipers are good points! i had those tied into the street legal comment. I guess i think 55 is enough since you can get about anywhere running 55 but yeah makes sense. Mine has a spool now but ive yet to drive it. my camaro had one and you dont notice unless you take a hard right and hear them chirp.. or if you have to push it turning then they really suck haha

FiFdYnUtZ
12-05-2011, 04:41 PM
Good god.. I'm not getting involved

K-ville
12-05-2011, 04:46 PM
Good god.. I'm not getting involved

Just say what you think man there is no wrong answer its all a matter of opinion.

K-ville
12-05-2011, 04:53 PM
im not gunna argue anyones opinion either just curious to get others input on it

Clinical
12-05-2011, 09:17 PM
Some things like no radio or full interior would disqualify some cars that are really driven on the street a lot.
My buddy's civic which was 475whp this year and will be more next year doesn't have a radio and removed the carpeting/rear seats.
Yet he drives it to work sometimes and 75% of the nights people are out he drives his car out. The only thing by first glance on the car that would make you think it isn't a street car is the hood exhaust.
Cruises on the highway without really any stutter at all.

FiFdYnUtZ
12-05-2011, 09:28 PM
lol i know brent used to have no radio and would listen to his ipod on his way to cr, doesnt make it any less of a street car imo...

as for the spool, i ran one for half the summer and its not really that much different than my old diff, only at lower speed corners do you really notice it...i still hit the on/off ramps at 70+ with a spool, big stall, and skinnies...not really all that noticeable, or maybe im used to it idk

DustinsDuster
12-05-2011, 09:32 PM
this comment might piss people off but never enjoyed nitrous on the street as a permanent source of power. its feels too temporary, limited, expensive and artificial. your street car is only as powerful as it is without its nitrous. I can't really go on a long cruise and feel good about casually hitting the nitrous. I only reserved it for serious straight line pulls, tuning and races. However making the turbo spool up leaves no feelings of guilt or waste.


nice thing about nitrous is there isnt the constant strain on an engine that forced induction can produce. this idea could be argued a lot, but when i initially build my Duster, it's just gonna have an old fashioned carbureted nitrous engine because it's probably the cheapest and easiest way i'll be able to build it and make it live for a bit(knock on wood).

FiFdYnUtZ
12-05-2011, 09:40 PM
i would love to go boosted, but for now nitrous is perfectly practical to me, i will generally spray it anywhere any time if i feel like it (if its warm enough to have decent bottle pressure, although i have an automatic warmer i never use) so i dont see it making it, or any car any less of a street car

oif_2005
12-05-2011, 09:52 PM
i think 55 is good enough cuz i do have a street truck that floats valves at 95 i wont take it above 65 unless in on the strip or down town next to someone. i also think that the radio thing is a little out there too there dont have to be one to pass a vehicle inspection.

Blinkers, brake lights and tail light
D/S mirror w/ P/S mirror or rear view
exaust that is complete to the rear of the passenger compartment
DOT approved windows
horn
can be drivin on roadways with out any concerns (overheating...etc)
DOT approved tires
atleast 2 seats
Pump gas but that can be arguable i know i could get 120 race fuel at the pump in NC.

MILRACN
12-05-2011, 10:05 PM
I guess I have a street car. It has all of these things. But it does run 70mph down the road at 4500rpm on pump gas....all day at 180 degrees even on the hottest days: ) Who needs OD when its reliable and runs cool? ..Nitrous or turbo, who cares?! Cuz 600 plus all motor RWH is more than enough on the street.

Scott
12-05-2011, 10:41 PM
If its legal to go down the road, and you CAN drive it long distances I would have to say its a street car. Just because some people arent willing to give up creature comforts for speed doesnt mean others arent. I would like to see someone tell Larry Larson his car isnt a street car after he has driven it 1500 miles in 5 days and beat the snot out of it every day, if you want to see extreme legit street cars you all know drag week is where its at!!!

Domestic Disturbance
12-05-2011, 10:51 PM
Only one thought after read the title...
http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/27536_366037806594_595_n.jpg

bizzle
12-06-2011, 01:03 AM
honestly i think a street car is what you make it, if it runs on pump gas (e85 included) is registered, and your willing to drive it places... and you make it to those places, its a street car

Domestic Disturbance
12-06-2011, 03:15 AM
One of my biggest things for what I always considered I would want on my car to justify it would be wipers. Its the single biggest thing I think would suck to not have when you need them. You can baby a car in the rain with any street legal tire, but without wipers you are SOL. Radio, ac, and heat are all pretty novelty I think. Its cool to have them in a wicked car, but in the same right a G body with all that ripped out I would still consider a poster car for 'street car'.

I've always contended that pump gas was a must, but now that I have race fuel I'm pissed at myself. I guess I can still run it pump on the street/to the track, or at least I hope. Not a subject I'm real familiar with.

Clinical
12-06-2011, 03:22 AM
One of my biggest things for what I always considered I would want on my car to justify it would be wipers. Its the single biggest thing I think would suck to not have when you need them. You can baby a car in the rain with any street legal tire, but without wipers you are SOL. Radio, ac, and heat are all pretty novelty I think. Its cool to have them in a wicked car, but in the same right a G body with all that ripped out I would still consider a poster car for 'street car'.

I've always contended that pump gas was a must, but now that I have race fuel I'm pissed at myself. I guess I can still run it pump on the street/to the track, or at least I hope. Not a subject I'm real familiar with.
My other friend took out his wipers on his civic back when it was at 300whp saying he never drove it in rain anyway, and of course we ended up in decently heavy rain MULTIPLE times, he drove that thing all the time.

If it was on the highway it wasnt bad at all, in town it was annoying.
I think he got tired of me constantly calling him a ricer and it helped make him put them back in haha

Domestic Disturbance
12-06-2011, 03:44 AM
Wipers are on the to do list for my car too. Although it doesn't have a windshield yet.

Deimos
12-06-2011, 05:37 AM
One of my biggest things for what I always considered I would want on my car to justify it would be wipers. Its the single biggest thing I think would suck to not have when you need them. You can baby a car in the rain with any street legal tire, but without wipers you are SOL. Radio, ac, and heat are all pretty novelty I think. Its cool to have them in a wicked car, but in the same right a G body with all that ripped out I would still consider a poster car for 'street car'.


People dog on not having wipers. But I have driven three different beaters for three years in the winter with no wipers. The only time you really need them is freezing rain.

Sleepy
12-06-2011, 06:23 AM
I was semi hoping this would come up to see if I should have my hopes up for running at the meet next year.

I consider my car to be a full street car. It does not have ac/ps, no hvac controls, no radio, and no wipers. I am putting a full exhaust on it to run it out the back.
The car is only driven in the summer when its nice to and from work and around town. Rain x covers the no wipers, car had a dead blower motor so I yanked it verse replacing it.(Might regret not having a fan in the car) However heat and ps had been removed for years with no worry.

slow ride
12-06-2011, 06:29 AM
F all this noise. AC check, PS check, etc etc. Need it all to be a street car to me. Not crazy loud, fast in corners, stright stuff and brakes hard. Basically what a supercar is. Bring the hate:)

FiFdYnUtZ
12-06-2011, 06:35 AM
I have wipers mirrors, ac/ps, heat, cruise, abs, power windows, locks, alarm, all functioning lights, can run balls out on 91, has 100% full exhaust that's quiet on the highway, and the car gets damn near 20mpg

TbTalon94
12-06-2011, 06:46 AM
I say a street car is something you'd feel comfortable driving daily any decent distance without worrying about a failure. It would obviously also need all the things to be DOT approved. As long as you are comfortable driving it and it's capable, i say it's a street car.

Having said that...MY idea of something comfortable to DD has a/c, heat, p/s, full exhaust, etc.

Drifte
12-06-2011, 08:23 AM
A hard on enthusiast is going to say "Seats and a steering wheel." I like my comforts, but wouldnt consider any of my dsm's non street cars either. What they lacked in comforts they made up for with awd use in winter.

slo4cyl
12-06-2011, 08:41 AM
A tin can with lights, insured and registered that sees more street time than a supercar with ac, ps, wipers and all that jazz is more of a street car IMO

JacobS
12-06-2011, 09:43 AM
my car didnt come with AC from the factory...i guess i dont have a street car? i dont have a working radio either. but during the summer i drove it more then my fourdoor DD!

of course its just a little honda though ahah

FiFdYnUtZ
12-06-2011, 10:13 AM
When you going to quit crying about that honda crap? It makes it that much easier when you get so worked up

FiFdYnUtZ
12-06-2011, 11:31 AM
honestly i see a street car as a car that races on the street, and is pretty much legal...and by races i dont mean an exhibition pass every other year just to say you did it..

bizzle
12-06-2011, 11:49 AM
its not so bad with rain-x or enough wax on the windows

K-ville
12-06-2011, 02:26 PM
seems like for the most part everyonr agrees. only real differences are in how much it has to be driven or raced on the street in order to complete it to be a streetcar.

Im taking a radio off my list because even though id go crazy without one i know alot of people wouldnt care just like i dont care my car doesnt have heat or a/c.

Scott
12-06-2011, 02:35 PM
A tin can with lights, insured and registered that sees more street time than a supercar with ac, ps, wipers and all that jazz is more of a street car IMO

Kinda weird to hear a import guy say that "no offense at all" cuz I think its awesome!! Different strokes for different folks, I think what alot you guys put into the "street car" category I put into the "car show" category.. aka country club racers where the car spends its life being detailed and pampered

Drifte
12-06-2011, 02:38 PM
dune buggy doesnt have heat/ac, power steering, radio, windows, doors, or even a roof.

http://damienkatz.net/pics/buggy3.jpg

Or for another example, motorcycle doesnt have any of those things and I drove mine everyday I could (temps as low as 40 deg). And sometimes that included rain.

K-ville
12-06-2011, 02:42 PM
dune buggy doesnt have heat/ac, power steering, radio, windows, doors, or even a roof.

http://damienkatz.net/pics/buggy3.jpg

Or for another example, motorcycle doesnt have any of those things and I drove mine everyday I could (temps as low as 40 deg). And sometimes that included rain.

dune buggy is a good point. although i think bikes are in a whole different world

Drifte
12-06-2011, 02:49 PM
Yea, I dont think I was trying to make a point anyway, just throwing out one end of the spectrum for an example.

K-ville
12-06-2011, 02:52 PM
yeah for sure it makes you think! good example to me because by discription id say thats not a street car but if i had it id rock that bitch all over haha and prolly die

Drifte
12-06-2011, 02:55 PM
They are incredibly unsafe, I have noticed that. Still enjoy them.

Caleb
12-06-2011, 03:25 PM
If it can pass your states local DOT inspection, it qualifies. /endthread

DustinsDuster
12-06-2011, 04:23 PM
i say its all in the eye of the beholder. my little pickup now has manual steering- but only because the stock steering box was leaking like hell and it was cheaper just to swap to a manual box. i did away with A/C in mine, but if i were to do it again, i'd try harder to keep it just because. difference is, i consider my truck to be a daily driver, not a "street car" or "racecar", "toy", what have you. i might prefer to have that stuff in a driver, but i'm willing to deal with no A/C and power steering in a d/d- so i say it's a street car i guess.

adversely, i have no plans at all to have power steering, power brakes, power windows, a/c, or heater in my Duster when i get to it; but then, i'm pretty much shooting for a car thats on the limits of what most would call a "street/strip car"- and i could give a damn. i'm with Trevor on this one; if you are the only limiting factor on how many street miles the car sees, i call it a street car.

bizzle
12-06-2011, 11:14 PM
my car came without power brakes, power locks, power steering, air conditioning, or even an fm radio.

sparkles
12-07-2011, 10:12 AM
I think with all the fine examples, it should be agreed that there's no 1 good answer. Just varying degrees as to it's "street car" credibility. Let me ask this? Can a street car have a cage?

Drifte
12-07-2011, 10:15 AM
I think with all the fine examples, it should be agreed that there's no 1 good answer. Just varying degrees as to it's "street car" credibility. Let me ask this? Can a street car have a cage?

If the cage isnt a safety hazard to your head I'd say yes. I always wanted a cage when I had a dsm and a crx for a short while. Just because everything else on the road was bigger.

Sleepy
12-07-2011, 12:59 PM
If the cage isnt a safety hazard to your head I'd say yes. I always wanted a cage when I had a dsm and a crx for a short while. Just because everything else on the road was bigger.

I would like to have a cage in my car just because its a flippin beer can on wheels.
However like you said, the head hazard prevents me desiring one.

FiFdYnUtZ
12-07-2011, 01:55 PM
Just get a 6pt...problem solved, and good to 10.00

AutoMods
12-07-2011, 03:45 PM
Just get a 6pt...problem solved, and good to 10.00

qft. legally 10.0 but might not get kicked out of the track until low 9's.

slow ride
12-07-2011, 05:08 PM
Well if you run 9's they might want to see a licence.

OldSkoolRCR
12-07-2011, 06:40 PM
Did you really make a thread about this?

Im with him on this one!!! do you really want all these bone heads to go there?

OldSkoolRCR
12-07-2011, 06:42 PM
honestly i see a street car as a car that races on the street, and is pretty much legal...and by races i dont mean an exhibition pass every other year just to say you did it..

Im senseing something here with that comment...lol

Drifte
12-07-2011, 07:13 PM
Im with him on this one!!! do you really want all these bone heads to go there?

No name calling edward

OldSkoolRCR
12-07-2011, 07:16 PM
Opps!