Ten Classic Muscle Cars
by Roger Theron Platinum Quality Author
With the popularity of movies like The Fast and The
Furious, Gone in Sixty Seconds and The last Ride, there has been some
reference to the good old muscle cars which were immortalized in movies like
Bullit, Vanishing Point and of course The Dukes of Hazzard series. This top
ten list has a look at some of the muscle car icons born from the late 60’s
and early 70’s.
The main measure of these cars is power, with Brake Horse Power (bhp) being
the term flung around most commonly. What this refers to is the power
released by the engine before the gearbox, generator, differential, water
pump, and other components sap its power. If you are used to Kilowatts, then
take into consideration that 250kw translates to 335.26bhp.
The 1969 Pontiac GTO
Conceptualised to gain appeal to the younger market, Pontiac put a 6.3 litre
V8 engine into the midsized Tempest shell, making for a cheap fast car. To
the surprise of Pontiac’s marketing team the GTO became massively popular
and in 1969 they fitted it with a 6.5 litre V8 which could kick out 366bhp.
The Judge was born.
The 1970 Buick GSX
Again the idea here was to squash a beast of an engine into a midsized body,
in this case the Buick Skylark. In 1967 the Buick GS became recognised as a
standalone model available as a sedan and convertible.
The 1970 model was given a monstrous 7.5 litre engine capable of producing
400bhp. The GSX body came in yellow or white only, adding to the image which
made this car a distinct classic.
The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro
There were various options available to those purchasing a first generation
Camaro, the Z28 package being the most exciting. With a 4.9 litre engine,
power steering, disc brakes on the front and a four speed manual gearbox,
the Z28 was made for racing – producing up to 400bhp.
The Plymouth Roadrunner
Built to beat 14 seconds over a quarter mile, the Plymouth Roadrunner was
stripped down to the bare essentials, sacrificing even the carpets in order
to make this into a beast of a machine. It featured a beefed up steering,
brake and suspension systems and a 6.3 litre engine which pushed 335bhp. An
optional boost came from the 7.0 litre version’s 425bhp.
The Dodge Challenger
Hitting the market in 1970, the Dodge Challenger was a hit from the get go,
selling more than 80,000 in the first year. Although various options were
made available, the R/T is the model which attracts the most attention with
its 7.0 litre Hemi engine kicking out 425bhp. Later models lost the plot,
with the ’72 model dropping to a measly 240bhp. See the Challenger in the
cult classic movie, Vanishing Point.
The 1966 Ford Fairlane GT
Launched in ’62 with a 3.6 litre V8, the Ford Fairlane was given a makeover
in 1966, complete with a 6.4 litre engine capable of 335bhp. As if this were
not enough they decided to upgrade to a 7.0 litre NASCAR engine with 435bhp.
Rigid front suspension and disc brakes gave the car better handling, and the
brute power kicked the dial over 60mph (100km/h) in six seconds.
Oldsmobile 442
The Cutlass model was equipped with a police specification engine capable of
310bhp. The 442 refers to the four barrel carburettor, four speed manual
gear box and the twin exhausts. The 442 had a reputation for its handling
when compared to other muscle cars, thanks to its improved springs, shocks
and the comforting safety of an anti-roll bar.
The 1968 edition was redesigned as a shapely coupe, with a 7.5 litre block
blasting 390bhp.
Plymouth Barracuda
Although the Barracuda was launched in 1964, just a couple of weeks before
the Ford Mustang, it was not until 1970 that Plymouth gained wider
popularity with sexy lines and some serious growl under the hood in the form
of a 7.2 litre 390bhp. The other choice was a smaller 7.0 litre Hemi block
which knocked out some extra power at 425bhp!
Even with a revamped suspension the power was so much that the ‘Cuda gained
a reputation for difficult handling.
The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
The 1965 Chevelle SS sported a 6.5 litre block pushing 375bhp, which was all
too much for the front end of the car, making for some pretty horrible
handling. Luckily this was addressed with the revamping of the suspension
and the addition of disk brakes on the front.
1969 saw the introduction of the top engine spec, which was featured in the
El Camio pick-up as well. The 1970 SS was powered by a 7.4 litre V8 with
450bhp pulling the Chevell to 100km/h in just six seconds. Later models were
adjusted for unleaded fuel and the power output suffered considerably.
Dodge Charger
Bo and Duke’s ride of choice, the Charger was launched in 1966 and some
37,000 cars were sold in the first year. A 7.0 litre Hemi reputedly kicked
out around 500bhp, though it was officially rated at 425bhp. This monster
reached 100km/h in just five and a half seconds. The Hemi engine option was
available until 1972.
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