80's sleeper, rare other otherwise unknown rockets

[Initial DSM]

The following are not sleepers and need to be off this list:

Any Mustang
944 Porsche
Nissan 300ZX (only fools don't know the potential of these cars)
Nissan 280ZX (only a sleeper if you throw in the 350 small block, ie "350Z" heh)
Any Camaro
Any Trans am
Any Corvette
Grand National GNX

 

[dirk3]

When discussing "sleeper's" hind sight is 20/20.. But these cars of the day when they came out were indeed sleepers.. Granted we caught on real quick the potential of them, however in the early stages of seeing them we knew little.. I can remember a friend of mine telling me about a stock buick regal six cylinder beating the corvette.. I didn't believe it till I started to research the GNX, and it potential.. Wow was I suprised, at the time the vette was king of the road, and in some ways still was. But to have this v6 sedan dethrown the mighty vette in the 1/4 mi. Ummm classic sleeper....

A sleeper is not a sleeper anymore once it's potential has been revealed...

 

[huafist]

isuzu impulse turbo

I'm with this guy. A buddy of mine used to have one of those, and it was awesome! In the market for one right now, as a matter of fact...

 

[huafist]

Triumph TR-8

I found a Triumph TR-6 for sale here locally, but it's in rough condition and the guy wants too much for it.

 

[Ken]

Chrysler Laser (mid 80s) had the Chrysler 2.2L Turbo engine. My bosses husband had one and I used to have a picture of my Laser next to his.

 

[dirk3]

Wern't there also some mini trucks that were turbo'd. I think it was Toyota. I heard they could be made fast. But the limited weight in the rear caused major traction problems..

 

[Ken]

Well, if you want to start looking at trucks then the Carol Shelby tuned Dodge Dakota and the Dakota Convertible would be pretty good sleepers.

 

[Initial DSM]

Ok maybe in hindsight back in the day an unsuspecting fool not in the know, would get owned by a GNX, but in the 80's , you heard the words "Porsche, Camaro, Trans Am, Mustang or Corvette", then you know they are fast already. And a respectable loss at that too if they beat you. But dare you lose to a Dodge Caravan....

 

[ITSME4G63]

that one mitsubishi that jackie chan drove in one of his movies, i forgot what its called/

 

[SoilentGreen98]

that one mitsubishi that jackie chan drove in one of his movies, i forgot what its called/

Are you thinking of that 1983 Starion from one of those Cannonball Run movies? It was all super high tech, right? Hahaha.

 

[Ken]

An Evo III? not really a sleeper since the first two generations plus the GVR4 gave people a hint of what was to come.

 

[saw wave analog]

turbo daytona
turbo aries
turbo 600
turbo caravan
turbo reliant
turbo omni
turbo charger
turbo shadow
turbo laser
turbo lebaron
turbo spirit
shelby variants of the daytona (shelby z), omni(86 glhs), charger(87 glhs) shadow(csx)
spirit r/t


and im sure im missing a few. everything chrysler made in the 80s had a turbo variant, and the only ones that looked fast are the daytonas. my omni is faster than most of the dsms around here, and i could build 4 of them for the cost of one dsm



my omni

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2200 lbs, ~230 whp ~260 wtq 8 valve single cam 2.2

and my setup now is very mild compared to what i am building...

 

[92awddsm]

I am surprised that noone has posted a callawat tt vette yet. Those were a real responsive sleeper for their time. And I have to agree with Defiant, the fuego was a fun car with excellent handling carachteristics.

 

[Initial DSM]

I am surprised that noone has posted a callawat tt vette yet. Those were a real responsive sleeper for their time. And I have to agree with Defiant, the fuego was a fun car with excellent handling carachteristics.

Callaway TT Vette is not a sleeper

 

[Initial DSM]

Are you thinking of that 1983 Starion from one of those Cannonball Run movies? It was all super high tech, right? Hahaha.

Yeah Mitsubishi Starion.
Chan's had a contract with Mitsu to exclusively drive their cars in his movies.

Jackie also drove a Mitsubishi GTO in "Thunderbolt".

 

[saw wave analog]

I am surprised that noone has posted a callawat tt vette yet. Those were a real responsive sleeper for their time. And I have to agree with Defiant, the fuego was a fun car with excellent handling carachteristics.

im not, considering the fact that one of the most famous sports cars of all time bears no resemblance whatsoever to a sleeper. that crappy looking omni up there? sleeper. worlds fastest car built in extremely recognizable sports car body and *widely* known as being the fastest car out there in its time... what in the hell are you talking about?

 

[Ken]

I didn't know that, I thought he just had good taste in vehicles.

 

[90AWDTalon]

Olds Calais, I don't know what year they were made. They come with a high output version of the GM quad four, and look like any normal boring Oldsmobile. There was a guy autoXing one in street class last year. He was by far the most dominant car in the class. To look at it you think what the hell is that doing out here, and then you see it hall ass. Very surprising the first time I saw it.

 

[Quasimondo]

Suzuki Swift GTi/GT (They had to drop the i after a trademark infringement lawsuit from Volkswagen)

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It wasn't blazing fast, but for a pocket rocket, it'll put a smile on your face like nobody's business.

 

[92awddsm]

im not, considering the fact that one of the most famous sports cars of all time bears no resemblance whatsoever to a sleeper. that crappy looking omni up there? sleeper. worlds fastest car built in extremely recognizable sports car body and *widely* known as being the fastest car out there in its time... what in the hell are you talking about?

I have a friend that has one that is debadged and no visible signs of being what it is. Looks like a garden variety vette of the era and is a real sleeper. Its the only early 90's vette Ive raced that handed me my ass.

 

[Initial DSM]

It's still a Vette. So anyone familiar with fast cars with any common sense, would be wary to it's potential instead of just jumping into a race with it.

but a Dodge Caravan??

 

[SoilentGreen98]

I am surprised that noone has posted a callawat tt vette yet. Those were a real responsive sleeper for their time. And I have to agree with Defiant, the fuego was a fun car with excellent handling carachteristics.

A Callaway, let alone a Vette in general is not a sleeper. I remember from some mag I had back in about 89 or so, they tested the Callaway against a Porsche 959 and a Ferarri F40. Any car that's in the ring with those cars is no sleeper!

 

[92awddsm]

It's still a Vette. So anyone familiar with fast cars with any common sense, would be wary to it's potential instead of just jumping into a race with it.

but a Dodge Caravan??

In my area, most stock sounding 90's vettes, run no faster than 13.50's so why should I be leary of racing one?

 

[sho-off]

not sure if the 89-90 pontiac sunbird gt has been mentioned, i believe they were like 190-195 hp. correct me if im wrong...

 

[L2RTSiAWD]

In my area, most stock sounding 90's vettes, run no faster than 13.50's so why should I be leary of racing one?

You may not be, but in general a vette is known as a faster car with alot of potential.