1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 vs 1970 Buick GS Drag Race Produces Unexpected Result

With the LS6 good for 450 horsepower and a whopping 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) of torque, it's hard to find another American car from 1970 that could outgun this beefed-up intermediate. And as cool as the Buick GS Stage 1 is, it's not quite as potent on paper.

The Stage 1 came with an equally big 455-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 in 1970, but the mill was rated at "only" 360 horsepower. Sure, its 510-pound-foot (691-Nm) rating was slightly higher than the LS6, but it missed a significant 90 horses in the power department.

What's more, this Chevelle is optioned up with the 4.10 rear gears, which are tuned for drag racing, whereas the Buick was upgraded to only 3.73. To top it all off, the Chevelle is about 60 pounds (27 kg) lighter than the GS Stage 1, so the Chevy is the better car on paper.

But this vintage muscle car drag race produces a rather surprising result. While the Chevelle covers the quarter-mile in 13.24 seconds, which is quicker than tested back in 1970, the Buick takes an undisputable win thanks to a 12.96-second sprint.

And it's not just a one-time thing. The cars line up at the Christmas tree a couple more times and the Buick wins every single time. The second race sees the Chevelle move into the 12s with a 12.88-click run, but the GS does better at 12.73 seconds. The third and final race puts the Buick first at the finish line after 12.77 seconds, while the Chevy follows behind with a 12.94-hit ET.

Am I the only one who would've bet on the Chevelle LS6 to win this drag race?