Funny cars have quite hilarious looks with unconventional designs and it’s just impossible to resist laughter if you see one. One of the things that give these drag racing vehicles an amusingly odd look is their tilt-up chassis and body. It’s unlike normal cars with a leveled chassis and body.
Besides looking “funny”, they are also quite fascinating with features and technical specifications very distinctive from that of ordinary cars.
For example, unlike the latter whose chassis and bodies are made from steel and aluminum, theirs are built from carbon fiber or fiberglass.
They also have horsepower levels that can be many times higher than that of your favorite sports car. So, how much horsepower do funny cars have?
Well, these hilarious automobiles have very very high engine power with thousands of horsepower. Here are more fascinating facts about them:
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What Engines Do Funny Cars Use?
Funny cars feature very powerful fuel-injected 426 to 500-cubic-inch Chrysler Hemi or Ford Big-Bore Semi-Hemi engines. These are supercharged, nitromethane fuel-injected engines capable of achieving speeds of up to 330mph or 531km/h in just 7 seconds. This is more than half the average speed of a commercial jet!
How much horsepower do funny cars have? Well, these engines can generate up to 11.000 horsepower. It’s many times more powerful with more output than an ordinary car. Last but not least, they burn about 16 and 20 gallons of gas per mile, on average.
How Much Does a Funny Car Engine Cost?
Thinking of building a funny car? Well, of all the components you’ll need to acquire, the engine is the most expensive. Wonder how much it cost?
In as much as the answer varies, be ready to part with between $50, 000 and $100,000, depending on options. If you have no problem affording that, and the body, you can easily assemble your funny car.
The body can cost up to $70,000, depending on the material out of which it’s made. Keep in mind that carbon fiber is more expensive than fiberglass because it’s 20% more expensive than the latter.
How Much Horsepower Does a Top Fuel Funny Car make?
Now, funny cars come in different makes and models just like ordinary cars. These makes and models vary in horsepower with the most powerful engine producing an entire 11.000 horsepower.
It’s very fascinating how this will complete the drag strip in under 3 seconds! Most engines are approximately 7000 horsepower though. These will finish the strip in around 7 seconds.
What Is the Fastest Funny Car?
Del Worsham’s funny car is currently the fastest funny car after setting a new 3.19-second record with a trap speed of 275.57 mph or 443.48 km/h at the Funny Car Chaos.
This car racing event took place at the Texas Motorplex, recently. The car resembles the Toyota Camry and of course, it’s not a real Toyota, but it’s only the graphics on it that mimic the sedan’s large front grille and sleek headlamps.
There are also some beautiful “Toyota” badges on the blower that sits on top of the all-powerful, aluminum, Hemi racing engine.
The car roars like nothing you’ve ever seen and spews massive flames up to seven-feet high through the side-exiting pipes. The loud noise it makes while going in reverse can scare you to the bone if you’ve never been close to a funny car before. So watch out for that.
How Fast Do Funny Cars Go 0-60?
While these hilariously looking automobiles would make you unable to resist laughter when you one for the first time, don’t be fooled by their engines’ powers.
Forget about your favorite sports cars like Bugatti or Lamborghini, these are real speed monsters with engines that can go from 0-60mph or 0-100km/h in under 3 seconds!
Conclusion
Funny cars look utterly funny just as their name suggests and it’s difficult to avoid laughter when you see one. But there’s more to them than just the laughable, ugly, weird, looks.
These cars come with very powerful engines that produce thousands of horsepower. It’s surprising how some cars can achieve top speeds more than half the average speed of a commercial jet. The engines are justifiably very expensive, going for between $50,000 and $100, 000, depending on options and customizations.
