Just because this Camaro can pull the front wheels when it launches, does that mean it can’t be called a street car?

If there is one question that we frequently see asked on the Internet, it’s one trying to pin down exactly what makes a car a “street car.” The television show Street Outlaws is filled with cars and trucks that are referred to as street cars, but what makes the claim legit? How can a fire-breathing, 2,000 horsepower Nova, pickup truck, or Camaro that runs the ¼-mile in 8 seconds or less be legal for use on this great nation’s highways? That my friend is determined by your perception of what denotes street legal.

For the purpose of this editorial, we’ll define street legal as “having whatever it takes to pass your state of residence’s vehicle requirements.” Yes, that is a very vague statement, but can you think of a better way to define the words street legal?  When any vehicle passes a state-sanctioned inspection that proves the vehicle complies with all state guideline, that makes it legal to operate on any public road or highway without restrictions for time or place — hence, it is street legal.

The first problem with developing a list of widely-accepted street legal features is that each state is allowed to control the standards for vehicles that operate on any public road in its jurisdiction. As an example, California has some of the strictest emissions standards in the U.S., and a vehicle that may be perfectly acceptable to drive in Florida, might not be acceptable to operate in California.

Just because a car is street legal, does that necessarily make it what many consider to be a “street car”? This is where the controversy ensues, since everyone has an opinion about what it takes for a car to be a called a “street car.” Some will say that it needs to frequently be used on the street, as in driven to work or the grocery store. If anyone can pin down and actual amount that defines “frequently,” we might be closer to an answer. Take for instance, the Street Outlaws’ Murder Nova. The car is powered by a big-block Chevy with two turbos, and makes roughly 3,400 horsepower. It has an interior-encompassing rollcage, and not many of the original interior accouterments are in place anymore. Some people might say it is not a street car, because it doesn’t get driven all the time, or frequently. But, there are pictures of the car driving to the local elementary school to drop off the owner’s son.

Let’s present this counterpoint to the discussion. What if you have a 1970 Chevelle SS with an LS6 engine under the hood. We can all agree that the value of the car is astronomical, and in the minds of some, that makes the car too valuable to drive “frequently.” If we are regulating the title “street car” by usage, the Chevelle must not be a street car, because it doesn’t get driven frequently? That argument might be stretching things a bit, but you get the point.

The value and conductibility of a true LS6 Chevelle makes it a car that doesn’t see much driving duty. Does that mean it is not a street car?

More often than not, the argument actually comes down to how a car is equipped. When a car is back-halved, has a rollcage installed, and an over-the-top horsepower rating, that is when most people cry foul. But why? Just because one person feels that a car must have a complete interior, run on regular pump gas, and possibly have air conditioning, doesn’t mean another person can’t live without those items. Let’s take a look at a little cross-country series of drag races that take place at multiple venues, where the cars must be driven to each track.

The cars of Drag Week have evolved to not only stretch the perceptions of a “street car,” but completely obliterate them. The fastest cars that compete in this challenge are serious race cars that have adapted to street duty. In 2015, the fasted cars included Pro-Mod style cars with all of the necessary equipment to make them street legal. This included all safety equipment, lights, insurance, and a legitimate license issued by the state DMV office. While the presence of these cars in a challenge designed for street cars provoked an enormous amount of controversy, they were ultimately allowed to participate, because the state in which they were licensed, deemed them street legal. If they can legally be driven on the street, maybe they are “street cars.”

Tom Bailey’s 2015 elapsed time average at Drag Week was 6.78 seconds over the course of the five-day event. He also drove the car more then 1,000 miles across the country. Is it a street car?

There is no doubt that opinions vary, and this argument might never get a cut-and-dried definition, but that only allows the controversy to grow. So in an attempt to foster such a discussion, we want to hear from you guys, we want to hear what you think truly defines a car as a “street car”.