Jalopnik: Sleeper of the Day

Sleeper of the Day: 1967 Volvo Amazon

Murilee Martin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:00:06 EDT

From the Getaway In Stockholm series comes a Volvo Amazon that gets the Jalopnik Stamp-O-Approval applied with such force that we've dented the hood. It has 500 horsepower (though the video provides maddeningly little information about the engine). It has S80 brakes. It handles like a "snake on a hot summer day." It runs 11.40 in the quarter-mile. Best of all, it looks reasonably close to stock (although the rollcage and battery cutoff switch are pretty big de-sleeperizing clues to those who care about such things). Ja, ja, ja!

Sleeper of the Day: Plymouth Reliant

Murilee Martin — Mon, 07 May 2007 14:30:56 EDT

Nitpickers might quibble about the rollbar and non-stock wheels undermining the sleeperness of this '85 Reliant, and the engine sound isn't exactly what Lee Iacocca had in mind for the K-Car. But we're dealing with a ten second front-wheel-drive car here, and it has nary sticker nor wing nor scoop (unlike a lot of 14-second Civics we've seen at Test & Tune), so we say it's a sleeper, dammit! The madman behind this vehicle definitely knows his stuff, as the workmanship and attention to detail are overwhelming (we especially like the weight-reducing holesaw work in the interior and the muffler cavity inset into the trunk area). This thing's got a lotta sap, all right. Make the jump to watch a crowd-pleasing 10.53 run...

So there you have it: more proof that adding boost and removing weight truly works miracles. Hmmm... Cordoba minus Corinthian Leather plus 6-71? – Murilee Martin

The 10 second 1985 Plymouth Reliant known as Relentless [thedodgegarage.com]

Related:
Everybody Needs a 12-Second Minivan! [internal]

Sleeper of the Day: Datsun B210

Murilee Martin — Wed, 02 May 2007 10:00:08 EDT

The problem with so many seriously hot-rodded Japanese cars these days is that the owners generally feel compelled to make the things look like they're ready to compete in a rally on Mars Base, circa 2082. Sure, they've got a lot of sap (thank you, John Steinbeck, and we're going to try to use the term "sap" more), but there's nothing like a nice sleeper that's packing at least three times the number of factory horses while still looking reasonably stock. Let's face it, sleepers rule. So it's satisfying to see this Australian-based Datsun B210 (aka 120Y) with a sap-enhanced SR20DET stuffed under the hood. The faded mustard-colored paint is just perfect, although we'd prefer to see stock wheels and Datsun dog-dishes for true sleeperness; might even be worth sacrificing a dozen or so horses for a Q-shipe-esque quiet exhaust. Make the jump to see a tantalizing- yet maddeningly frustrating- video of the car demonstrating a tiny portion of its Sap Potential...– Murilee Martin

Related:
1977 Datsun B210 Reverse Customized by Aliens [internal]