MUSCLE CARS

1964 Dodge 426 Hemi

1968 Hurst Super Stock Hemi Dart/Barracuda

There are only a few muscle cars that are legendary. The earn that status, the cars needed to have broken new ground, changing the way people from all parties looked at them. The ’68 Hurst HEMI Dodge Dart – code L023 – is said to be the fastest muscle car of all time. Differing greatly from the base Dodge Dart produced for 1968, bare Dart bodies were shipped to the Madison Heights, Michigan, Hurst Performance facility for further outfitting.

Arriving void of an engine or transmission, the LO23 models were also missing their exhaust, shifters, and driveshafts. Also missing were a battery, cables, trays, or stock front bars or fuel lines. Inside, the Darts (and Plymouth sibling Barracudas) came without seats, brackets and tracks. The window regulators, consoles, carpeting, jutes, and all but the drivers’ lap belts were left out too, not to mention radios and heaters. All sound-deadening, armrests, and all but one of the horns were gone too.

Slated for the venerable 426 HEMI, Hurst literally sledgehammered the right shock towers for valve cover clearance and trimmed the rear wheel openings to accommodate for big slicks. Shipped from Chrysler’s Marine and Industrial Division, the unique 426 HEMI motors had been built offline by hand-picked technicians. The HEMI blocks were iron with a 4.250-inch bore and a 3.750-inch stroke, with a mild street cam, 12.5:1 compression, aluminum heads and a cross-ram eight-barrel intake.

Laughably, the cross-ram HEMI was rated at 425hp, but were more likely closer to 535hp. Hurst equipped the elephants with Hooker headers and either a TorqueFlite automatic or A-833 four-speed manual. To hack even more weight out of the Dart, Hurst installed fiberglass fenders, hoods and acid-dipped doors and thin-gauge front bumpers. Chemcor side windows were also added, secured by seatbelt straps replacing the heavier manual cranks. A pair of fixed A-100 van seats replaced the OE buckets and industrial-grade batteries were placed in the trunk.

When handed over to Dodge’s factory-sponsored racers, such as “Dandy” Dick Landy, the Darts immediately burst into the low-10 second range. It took very little time and tuning to push the A-Bodies into the 9-second range, unearthing a whole new level of Super Stock racing. In fact, these machines have become so iconic that more Darts and Barracudas have been cloned in their likeness than had been originally produced.

Today, Mopar enthusiasts enthusiastically praise this short-lived racing program as the final salvo in the factory drag racing wars. Since 1968, all factory-built race cars have been measured to the Hurst Darts and Barracudas, and understandably so. Even Dodge’s Super Stock ’70 Challengers were bested by racers still campaigning the ’68 L023 cars.

As a final nod towards the audacity of these machines, Chrysler placed a sticker on the L023 cars that stated, “This vehicle was not manufactured for use on Public Streets, Roads or Highways, and does not conform to Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.” While is car was not a “street car” there where still a few that drove them on the street and took them to the track on the weekends. In 1968, this HEMI sold for $4,500; what do you think it’s worth today?

At the center of Chrysler’s contribution to American high performance is a storied engine of remarkable archievement: the Hami. The company’s original run of Hami V-8s ended in 1958, with a 390-bhp 392-cid edition. The desing was sound-large, hemispherical combustion chambers are highly efficient, but Hemis were complex, heavy and expensive. Let’s take a closer look to the 1964 Dodge 426 Hemi, one of the faster cars from 1964.

By the early 1960s, stakes were high enought for Chrysles to try again. To win on NASCAR’S super speedways, and dominate at the cutting edge of drag racing, Mopar engineers devoloped a Hemi based on the 413/426 wedge head engines. It still was costly and complicated, but the new mill weighed just 67 pounds more than the wedges. Maximum advertised horsepower for the 426 cid Hemi was 425. Rumor had dyno needles breaking at 600 bhp.

These engines were reserved for the racing,and their impact was inmediate. Debuting at the Daytona 500 in Febrary 1964, they prompty swept the first three places in NASCAR’s premier eventl. Stock car racing Hemis had a single Holley four-barrel atop a dual plane high rise intake manifold and were used with a four speed manual gearbox. Drag-racing versions had a ram-tuned aluminum induction system with Carter AFB dual quads.

Available only in special order intermediate size Dodge and Plymouth models, they ran the four speed or the TorqueFlite automatic, which was in last year with pusbuttons.

Available from the factory were a series of sub-12 second supercars that used aluminum for the hood, front fenders, doors, and some body panels. A lightened front bumper and magnesium front wheels were standard. The car had not radio, no heater, no back seat or carpet, no sound deadening material. Fatherweight Dodge van bucket seats were used, the side windows were plastic, and the battery rode in the trunk.

Street version of the Hemi engine wouldn’t be available for a couple of years. But King Kong had arrived.

Ford transferred the Fairlane nameplate to its new "senior compact” line for 1962. The downsized Fairlane was 11.7" shorter than regular Fords, but 16.5" longer than the Falcon. A Ford six or new 221-cid OHV V8 powered the new cars. The mid-year Fairlane 500 (pillared) Sport Coupe came with buckets and console. A 260-cid V8 and four-speed manual transmission were optional. For 1963, the nicely restyled Fairlane Sport Coupe became a true hardtop. New Fairlane wagons included a faux-wood paneled Squire. Late in 1963, Ford introduced its hot 271-hp 289 V8 in Fairlane. Substantially upgraded styling kept 1964 Fairlanes competitive with Chevy's new Chevelle—and a Ford 427-cid V8 made that year's limited run of Fairlane-based Thunderbolt drag cars more than competitive. A new Fairlane look appeared for 1965, as the car shared heavily sculpted sheetmetal with that year's Mercury Comet. Rectangular tail lamps replaced formerly round units. The pleasingly styled 1962-65 Fairlane 500s are scarce, but generally quite affordable today—Thunderbolts excluded! An authentic Hi-Po V8/4-speed Fairlane can be a super Ford bargain.

The 1963 Dodge 426 Ramcharger was Chrysler’s knee-jerk response to the escalation of the cubic-inch war. Known as the Ramcharger and immodestly billed as the “hottest performing power plant to come off a production line,” this Max Wedge design was the next step up from the 413 V-8 of 1962.

The superpowered 1963 Dodge 426 Ramcharger was
a tough contender among muscle cars.

Chrysler’s quest for brute horsepower brought more changes than just a displacement boost, however. In essence, Dodge’s 426 Ramcharger was a 413 V-8, bored from 4.19 to 4.25 inches, though the former 3.75-inch stroke was retained. And except for a color change from Turquoise paint on the 413 to Race Hemi Orange on the 426, the two engines looked identical.

But there were many serious changes beneath the surface, including large-port cylinder heads, a forged-steel crankshaft, double shot-peened connecting rods with high-strength bolts, and forged-aluminum high-compression pistons.

Each rod was magnaflux-inspected to detect any hairline cracks or imperfections. Mechanical (solid) lifters were used and a heavy-duty valve train held stiffer springs and retainers to prevent high-speed valve “float.” Chrysler said the valve train was stable to 6500 rpm.

To ease airflow, Ramchargers used 2.08-inch intake valves and had exhaust valves that were 1/4-inch larger than standard. Port areas of each cylinder head were about 25-percent larger than in the standard 413 to boost volumetric efficiency. An oversized exhaust system used streamlined cast-iron, long-branch exhaust manifolds with three-inch outlet cutouts and two-inch tailpipes. The dual-point distributor offered full centrifugal advance.

In its initial form, two Carter AFB-3447SA four-barrel carburetors rode atop a short-ram intake manifold. A solid-lifter camshaft with 300-degree duration and .509-inch lift pushed valves toward 81-cc (minimum) chamber heads. Mid-year improvements included larger Carter AFB-3705SA carburetors, higher (.520-inch) valve lift, longer (308-degree) exhaust valve duration, and larger combustion chamber volume. Also added in the modified edition were Tri-Y exhaust headers.

Dodge rated the Ramcharger V-8 at 415 horsepower with standard 11.0:1 compression or 425 horsepower with the optional 13.5:1 compression ratio. Most observers believed the true outputs were much higher.

Sending all this horsepower to the back wheels was a special three-speed manual gearbox with floor shift and closely spaced ratios (2.10,1.44 and 1.0 to 1). A heavy-duty TorqueFlite automatic with pushbutton gear selection also was available and was set to upshift at up to 5600 rpm. A “Sure-Grip” rear axle carried a standard 3.91:1 ratio, but the option lists spanned ratios from 2.93:1 to 4.89:1.

If the regular heavy-duty rear springs weren’t sufficient, an optional stiffer right-spring setup delivered even more traction to the standard 7.50 × 14 Tyrex-cord tires. Those who wanted bigger grabbers out back could ask the dealer for 9.00´14 skins.

It’s important to remember that this engine was available in any Dodge except the compact Dart. Its most potent application was in the mid-size Polara range. Stretched three-inches from ’62, the 119-inch wheelbase Polara came in coupe, sedan, hardtop and convertible, though serious racers might prefer an innocuous wrapper for their Max Wedge, maybe a nice, base two-door sedan.

The Polara had taken on a new shape for ’63, with elongated front fenders, twin-set headlamps, and sculptured rear quarter panels. It was similar to the new, smaller compact Dart. Like the former (1962) Dart mid-size, the ’63 Polara had a rounded dashboard with pod-style “George Jetson” instrumentation, which appeared as a separate unit. Interior styling was futuristic overall, in fact, like all Chrysler products of the era, with tapered door handles, window cranks, and armrests.

Dodge performance fans had four 383-cubic-inch V-8s from which to choose in ’63, including the 383 B-Wedge High Performance V-8 that churned out 330 horsepower via a single Carter AFB or 390 horses with two. Known as the 383 “Polara” in Dodge installations, this smaller-displacement V-8 had good road manners and reliability well ahead of the 426 Ramchargers. The 340-horsepower 413 was the largest engine most buyers considered for the street.

With the 426’s brute horsepower came reliability and streetability problems that made it tough to manage for daily use. Even the sales brochure warned that the Ramcharger engine warmed up slowly because it put no heat on the intake manifold.

Dodge, in fact, issued a clear warning that the power-packed 426 Ramcharger was “not a street machine.” Instead, the brochure added, it had been “designed to be run in supervised, sanctioned drag-strip competition by those qualified....Yet, it is stock in every sense of the word.”

Dodge Chief Engineer George Gibson said development lessons learned on the Ramcharger trickled down to other Dodges. A “maximum-performance engine explores new ideas,” he said. “It subjects engines, transmissions, and other power-train components to stresses and strains far greater than will ever be encountered in normal driving. And as a result, we learn how to improve lubrication, ignition, carburetion, cooling and heat transfer -- just to name a few examples.”

On the track, the super-powered Dodge earned instant respect. The potent 425-horse, dual-quad 426 Ramcharger blistered the NHRA record books with quarter-mile times in the 12-second range. In factory lightweight form, wearing an aluminum front-end, the 1963 Dodge tipped the scales at 3200 pounds -- not bad for a mid-size with a big block under the hood.

With the available aluminum front fenders, hood and front bumpers, and two big air scoops feeding the twin ram-inducted four-barrel carbs, the 1963-64 Ramcharger was the toughest of contenders. The aluminum-component Dodges cleaned up in a special “Limited Production” category.

“When a Dodge loses these days,” boasted one MoPar ad, “it’s to another Dodge.”

During 1964, fans of street muscle could order a detuned version of the Ramcharger with 10.3:1 compression, a milder cam, and no ram-induction setup. That one idled a lot smoother, making it more practical on the street. The revived Hemi V-8 was also waiting in the wings for a early-’64 debut.

Still, the all-out 1963 Ramcharger Dodges (and equivalent Super Stock Plymouths) hold special meaning for MoParphiles as key players in the history of early muscle.

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt 427

1963 Dodge Ramcharger 426 Factory Racer

Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." A large V8 engine is fitted in a 2-door,rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended for mainly street use and occasionaldrag racing. They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing. Developed simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged from manufacturers in Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

1966 Shelby Cobra

The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake made history on January 21, 2007, fetching $5.5 million at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, a world record price for an American car, auction organizers said.

The 800-horsepower sports car was one of just two produced and was used as personal transportation by famed racer and performance-car builder Carroll Shelby himself. The buyer was car collector Ron Pratt of Chandler, Arizona.

Shelby, 84, was present at the annual auction, which is held inScottsdale, Arizona, and brings together hundreds of collectors who bid millions for rare muscle cars,sports cars, and other vintage vehicles.

"When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road," Shelby said on the Barrett-Jackson Web site. "Forty years later, it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world. It's the fastest street legal Cobra I've ever owned." Shelby pegged the car's 0-60-mph time at just over three seconds.

The Super Snake stood out even among the Cobras Shelby built from 1962-1968. Cobras combined Ford V-8 engines and lightweight British AC Ace bodies to create some of the wildest and most sought-after American cars ever.

To the Cobra's top-line 427-cubic-inch V-8 Shelby added two Paxton superchargers, giving the Super Snake virtually double the horsepower of a production 427 Cobra. The $5.5-million car started life as one of 23 Cobra competition roadsters and was made legal for the street with the addition ofmufflers, bumpers, and other necessities.

Shelby actually created two Super Snakes. The other was originally sold to comedian Bill Cosby. Cosby returned the car after just one drive, using the fright-inducing experience as material on his comedy album, "200 M.P.H.," said Harley E. Cluxton, a collector who owned the Super Snake sold at Saturday's auction. Writing on the Barrett-Jackson site, Cluxton said Cosby's Super Snake was later wrecked in a road accident in which its driver was killed.

Cluxton said the sole surviving Super Snake still has many of its original components, including its engine block, exhaust system brake calipers, and oil coolers.

The car "speaks volumes about the genius in Carroll Shelby," Cluxton wrote. "His Cobra is the benchmark that defines the American muscle car. His baby does it all, and without the help of ASR, ESP, ABS, engine management ECUs, carbon fiber, titanium, or the United Nations. How cool is that."

Indeed, the AC/Shelby Cobra is the epitome of high-performance cool. The man responsible for it is pretty cool, too. Texas charm, a promoter's guile, and real talent made Shelby a world-famous race driver by 1959, when he won LeMans for Aston Martin.

A heart condition soon ended his track career, so Shelby turned to his dream of building the world's quickest sports car. The result was a stark terror that ate up the tracks and could bite you on the streets.

The Cobra began in 1961 as Carroll's cleverly brokered marriage between the aging-but-light British A.C. Ace roadster and Ford's lively new 260-cid V-8. A stronger 289 quickly followed, giving race-tuned Cobras up to 380 horsepower and overall 1963 crowns in SCCA A-production and the U.S. Road Racing Championship.

Shelby built 655 small-block Cobras by 1965, when he introduced an even harrier "sport car" (as he termed the breed). Because A.C.'s old transverse-leaf spring suspension was never up to Cobra power, the steel multi-tube frame was widened and strengthened for a modern all-coil setup (still with double wishbones) and for Ford big-block V-8s: either the high-strung racing 427 or the cheaper but equally torquey 428-cid passenger-car unit. The roadster's aluminum body was suitably altered, gaining macho flared fenders stretched over gumball tires.

1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 RA II

Pontiac may have broken late from the gate in the pony-car derby, but it quickly made up ground. Carefully considered alterations made the 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 perhaps the best compactmuscle car of the year.

Styling was unchanged save for deletion of side vent windows and addition of federally-mandated fender marker lights. Beneath the skin, Pontiac engineers continued to refine the Camaro-specsuspension forced on them by GM. Performance versions of both makes got new multiple-leaf rear springs with shock absorbers staggered fore and aft of the axle, so axle tramp in hard takeoffs was diminished.

Pontiac went further to improve overall road manners with new options such as adjustable Koni shock absorbers ($42). Front disc brakes remained a $63 extra, but some 400s reportedly were equipped with new variable-assist power steering, which provided a quicker ratio yet firmer control at high speeds.

Horsepower on the standard 400-cid V-8 increased by five, to 330. Ram Air continued as the rarest and strongest engine option at about $600 over the regular 400. It again had a hotter cam, stronger valve springs, and exclusive use of functional hood scoops. At midyear, the 335-bhp Ram Air mill was replaced by the 340-bhp Ram Air II.

A third 400 engine variation bowed for '68 and was the best blend of machismo and manners. The 400 HO, or High Output, cost about $350 over the base 400 and used free-flow exhausts and, when hooked to a four-speed, its own revised cam. It too was rated at 335 bhp, but redlined higher than the base engine and below the Ram Air. All 400s used a single four-barrel carb and came with either a three- or four-speedmanual or optional three-speedautomatic. The four-speed was standard on Ram Air cars.

In a 1968 Car and Drivercomparison test, a Firebird 400 HO bested a 390-cid Javelin, a 390 Mustang and 390 Cougar, aCamaro SS 396, and a 340 Barracuda. Not only was the Poncho quickest of the bunch, but its engine was the smoothest and its handling the friendliest.

"For sheer enjoyment and confidence behind the wheel," said Car and Driver, "the Firebird was almost in a class by itself."

The redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The all-new model, styled by John E. Herlitz, was built on a shorter, wider version of Chrysler's existing B platform, called the E-body. Sharing this platform was the newly launched Dodge Challenger; however no sheet metal interchanged between the two cars, and the Challenger, at 110 inches (2,800 mm), had a wheelbase that was 2 inches (51 mm) longer than the Barracuda.

The E-body Barracuda was now "able to shake the stigma of 'economy car'." Three versions were offered for 1970 and 1971: the base Barracuda (BH), the luxury oriented Gran Coupe (BP), and the sport model 'Cuda (BS).[citation needed] For one year (1971), there also was the Barracuda Coupe, a low-end model which (like other Coupe series Chrysler Corp. offered that year) had a fixed rear passenger window and minor B pillar instead of roll-down rear passenger windows.[citation needed] The high-performance models were marketed as 'Cudaderiving from the 1969 option. The E-body's engine bay was larger than that of the previous A-body, facilitating the release of Chrysler's 426 cu in (7.0 L)Hemi for the regular retail market.

For 1970 and 1971, the Barracuda and Barracuda Gran Coupe had two six-cylinder enginesavailable — a new 198 cu in (3.2 L) version of the slant-6, and the 225 — as well as three different V8s: the 318ci, the 383ci with two-barrel carburetor and single exhaust, and the 383ci with four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust 330 hp (250 kW) SAE gross. The Cuda had the 383ci 335 hp (250 kW) SAE gross (same as Dodge's 383 Magnum) as the standard engine. It also had the 440ci four-barrel Super Commando, the 440ci six-barrel Super Commando Six Pak, and the 426ci Hemi. The 440- and Hemi-equipped cars received upgraded suspension components and structural reinforcements to help transfer the power to the road.[citation needed]

In 1970 the big-block power options offered to the customer were:

approximately 335 hp (250 kW) SAE net in the high performance 383-4V,
approximately 375 hp (280 kW) SAE net in the 440-4V,
approximately 390 hp (290 kW) SAE net in the 440-6V, and
approximately 425 hp (317 kW) SAE net in the 426-8V.

Other Barracuda options included decal sets, hood modifications, and some unusual "high impact" colors such as "Lime Light", "Bahama Yellow", "Tor Red", "Lemon Twist", "Curious Yellow", "Vitamin C", "In-Violet", "Sassy Grass" and "Moulin Rouge".

Swede Savage and Dan Gurney raced identical factory-sponsored AAR (All American Racers) 'Cudas in the 1970 Trans-Am Series. The cars qualified for three pole positions but did not win any Trans-Am races; the highest finish was second at Road America. A street version of the AAR 'Cuda was produced, powered by the 340 cu in (5.6 L) "Six Pack" (three two-barrel carburetors) engine. Four 1970 Hemi 'Cudas were also successfully raced by Chrysler France, from 1970 until 1973. The works team director Henrí Chemin piloted the first car, and then sold it on to friend and privateer J. F. Mas who went on to race it for another two years. This Hemi 'Cuda won four French Group 1 class championships, three on track and one in hill-climbing.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda 440 six-pack

"For sheer enjoyment and confidence behind the wheel," said Car and Driver, "the Firebird was almost in a class by itself."

1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Released in February 1969, Plymouth offered their potent 440 'Six Pack' engine in the Road Runner with a package called A12. This included the potent 440 in³ engine, Edelbrock manifolds, three Holley carburetors, a distinctive fiberglass hood and bare H-Series wheels. With these simple changes, the Roadrunner was much more than its Warner Brothers roots would suggest. Motor Trend named it "Car of the Year" in 1969.

While the 440 was cheaper option compared to the HEMI Road Runner, it was no slouch. With a 'big block' 440, this Runner was rated at 390 bhp and bridged the gap between the HEMI and basic 383 in³ model. But the A19 package was much more than an engine swap. It also included upgrades to the intake system, drive line and body. For $462.80 it was a much more economical option than the much more expensive HEMI.

The A12 engine was typical of the other 440 Six Packs found on other Mopars and included a sweet set of upgrades. Aside from the three dual-throat Holey carburetors, the 440 included an aluminum Edelbrock intake manifold, chromed valve stems, magnafluxed connecting rods and heavy duty valve springs. As an option customers could order different pushrods with a more agressive camshaft. Unfortunately, this engine was only produced in 1969 over a three month period. NHRA rated the engine at 410 bhp. The fitted Edelbrock intake manifold was the first production OEM manifold produced by by Edelbrock.

All A12 440s received a signature lift-off fiberglass hood which was fastened by hood pins. It was the only Mopar to receive such a treatment from the factory. Other goodies included rare G70-15 Goodyear Polyglas tires with red stripes, 15x6 H-Series wheels with chrome lug nuts, a Dana 4.11:1 differential and 11-inch drum brakes.

Speed and Supercar magazine tested an 1969 A12 Road runner and got a 1/4 mile time of 13.88 seconds at 106.13 mph.

Sold as a $462.80 option on the base $2,945.00 Road Runner, the A12 was a popular choice. Production of the A12 Road Runner finished after 615 were built, 227 with automatics and 388 with 4-speed manuals. Color options for the Road Runner included Performance Red, Bahama Yellow, Rallye Green and Vitamin C Orange. Later in production all the Dodge colors became available and some were finished in White, Limelight and Sunfire Yellow. Interior was restricted to just black or white with an option vinyl top.

1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440

1970 Dodge Challenger 426 Hemi

The Dodge Challenger is the name of three different generations of American automobiles marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler. The Dodge Silver Challenger was produced from 1958 to 1959. From 1969 to 1974, the first generation Dodge Challenger pony car was built using the Chrysler E platform, sharing major components with thePlymouth Barracuda. The second generation, from 1978 to 1983, was a badge engineered Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. The third, and current generation, was introduced in early 2008 as a rival to the evolvedfifth generation Ford Mustang and the fifth generation Chevrolet Camaro.

The Challenger was described in a book about 1960s American cars as Dodge's "answer to theMustang and Camaro." Introduced in fall 1969 for the 1970 model year, it was one of two Chrysler E-body cars, the other being the slightly smallerPlymouth Barracuda. "Both the Challenger and Barracuda were available in a staggering number of trim and option levels" and were intended "to compete against cars like the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, and to do it while offering virtually every engine in Chrysler's inventory." However, the 1970 Challenger was "a rather late response to theponycar wave the Ford Mustang had started" with its introduction in April 1964. In his book Hemi Muscle Cars, Robert Genat wrote that the Challenger was conceived in the late 1960s as Dodge's equivalent of the Plymouth Barracuda, and that the Barracuda was designed to compete against the Mustang. The 1964 Barracuda was actually the first car in this sporty car segment by a few months, but was quickly overshadowed by the release of the segment defining Mustang (the segment being referred to as "Pony Car"). He added that Chrysler intended the new 1970 Dodge as "the most potent ponycar ever," and positioned it "to compete against the Mercury Cougar and Pontiac Firebird." Genat also noted that the "Barracuda was intended to compete in the marketplace with the Mustang and Camaro/Firebird, while the Dodge was to be positioned against the Cougar" and other more luxury-type musclecars.

The Challenger's longer wheelbase, larger dimensions and more luxurious interior were prompted by the launch of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, likewise a bigger, more luxurious and more expensive pony car aimed at affluent young American buyers. The wheelbase, at 110 inches (2,794 mm), was two inches longer than the Barracuda, and the Dodge differed substantially from the Plymouth in its outer sheetmetal, much as the Cougar differed from the shorter-wheelbase Ford Mustang. Air conditioning and a rear window defogger were optional.

Exterior design was done by Carl Cameron, who also did the exterior for the 1966 Dodge Charger. Cameron based the 1970 Challenger grille off an older sketch of his 1966 Charger prototype that was to have a turbine engine. The Charger never got the turbine, but the Challenger featured that car's grille. Although the Challenger was well received by the public (with 76,935 produced for the 1970 model year), it was criticized by the press, and the pony car segment was already declining by the time the Challenger arrived. Sales fell dramatically after 1970, and though sales rose for the 1973 model year with over 27,800 cars being sold, Challenger production ceased midway through the 1974 model year. A total of 165,437 Challengers were sold over this generation's lifespan.

A 1970 Challenger R/T 440 Magnum was featured in the existentialist 1971 film Vanishing Point.

Then, on April 1, came the 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet. It was based on the staid 428-cid big-carengine, but had larger valve heads and the race-brewed 427's intake manifold. It also had ram-air induction and a functional hood scoop. The scoop mated to a special air cleaner with a vacuum-actuated butterfly valve that funneled air directly into the 735-cfm Holley four-barrel carburetor. Output was around 410 horsepower, but Ford rated it at 335 horsepower in an effort to calm insurance agents and con dragstrip rules-makers.

The 428 CJ was offered in Mustang fastbacks and coupes (and in Ford Torino and Mercury Cougar andCyclone models) with a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic. All 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jets had beefed-up front shock towers and Polyglas F70X14 tires. Four-speed cars got staggered rear shocks. Standard were 3.50:1 gears, with 3.91:1 and 4.30:1 ratios available.

All 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jets came with GT-level touches, such as front fog lamps and a side "C" stripe, but the only other external clue to the armament within was the black scoop and hood stripe. The entire package cost about $500, including front disc brakes. The Equa-Loc differential ($79) and Competition Handling Package ($62) were wise extras.

With 11.5-second ETs at 120 mph, the factory team of eight specially prepared 1968 Ford Mustang 428 CJs obliterated everything in their Super Stock class at the '68 NHRA Winternationals. The impact was no less forceful on the street. "The entire world will come to recognize this engine -- the 428 Cobra Jet -- at the pop of a hood," declared Motor Trend. Finally, thanks to the 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet, the competition was chasing Mustang's tail.

Return to Classic Muscle Cars Library.

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These muscle car profiles include photos and specifications for each model:

Cougar pulled out of Mustang's shadow with the striped and spoilered 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator.
Beep, beep! Make way for one of the baddest muscle cars of all time, the 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi.
The 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am combined sports-car handling and muscle car power.
An all-aluminum, race-proven V-8 defined the rare and wicked 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

For even more on fantastic Fords and magnificent Mustangs, check out:

Saddle up for the complete story of America's best-loved sporty car. How the Ford Mustang Works chronicles the legend from its inception in the early 1960s to today's all-new Mustang.
The 1967, 1968 Ford Mustang had a fresh look, and the power to match.
Learn the history of the Ford Explorer, the world's best-selling SUV. Included are profiles of every model year.

1968 Ford Mustang 428 CobraJet

First. Most powerful. Quickest. Only one Chevy combines it all: the 1969 Chevrolet ZL1 Camaro. It went a step beyond the 427 Yenko and even the mighty L88 Corvette, to where few production muscle carstread.

Drawing a bead on NHRA Super Stock drag classes, Chevy performance guru Vince Piggins authorized the factory to fit a batch of '69 Camaros with a version of the 427-cid V-8 used by the all-conquering Can-Am Chaparral. This actually was another of Piggins' Central Office Production Order projects, and like the COPO Chevelles and Camaros being built for '69, the ZL1 was technically a Camaro option package.

The cars began as 396-cid/375-bhp Super Sports with the F4lsuspension. Engine and SS trim were deleted, and the cars were equipped essentially as other 427 COPO Camaros, with cowl-induction hood, front disc brakes, a choice of heavy-duty four-speeds or Turbo Hydra-matic, and a 4:10.1 Posi in the strongest axle Chevy could muster. But instead of the iron-block and head L72 427, these Camaros got a 427 called the ZL1.

It was similar in design to the most-potent iteration of the aluminum-head L88, but it was the first production Chevy engine to also have an aluminum block. It shared the L88's 430-bhp factory rating, but actually had over 500 bhp -- making it likely the most powerful engine Chevy ever offered to the public. And it weighed just 500 pounds -- about the same as Chevy's 327-cid V-8.

The entire car carried the full 5-year/50,000-mile warranty and was fully street-legal. With the factory's stock dual exhausts and tires, it turned low 13s; headers, slicks, and tuning got it into the 11.6s at 122 mph. Chevy never built a quicker production car.

All this came at a price: $4,160 for the ZL1 engine alone, pushing the car's sticker to a stratospheric $7,200. Chevy needed to build 50 to satisfy the NHRA, and actually built 69. About 20 ZL1s went into organized drag racing, turning low 10s to set several Super Stock records. Well-heeled individuals bought others, but the high price took a toll: At least 12 engines were removed and sold separately, and about 30 unsold cars were returned to Chevy. It took until the early '70s to sell them off.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1

370 hp, 400 cu. in. V-8 with 10.75:1 comparession and 445 lb-ft of torque, four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, front discs with rear wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 112"- One of only five produced in this configuration and the only one finished in Starlight Black- The recipient of a full body-off restoration and in perfect overall condition- One of the most rare and desirable Pontiacs in existence Milt Robson’s triple-black 1969 GTO Judge is a triple-threat of collectability: it has the most powerful engine Pontiac offered to the public that year, the Ram Air IV V-8; the sportiest transmission, the four-speed manual; and the least-produced body style, the convertible. It is, without doubt, one of the rarest ’69 Judges in the world, and Robson knew the car when it was still fresh from the factory.Pontiac’s wildly successful GTO entered its second generation in 1968, as did the A-body Tempest on which it was based. Wheelbase dropped from 115 to 112 inches, and overall length shrank nearly six inches to 201.2. The new hardtop wore a roofline more in keeping with the late-1960s trend toward fastbacks. Four horizontally placed headlights looked out from the unique dent-resistant Endura plastic nose, although an extra-cost option would conceal them behind doors. Taillights became part of the bumper assembly. For the first time, windshield wipers were hidden beneath the rear of the hood when not in use.Car magazines loved the new style and range of four 400-cubic inch V-8 engines that generated from 265 horsepower (in the economical two-barrel version) to 360 (with Ram Air II induction). Hot Rod’s test of a GTO with the 350 hp standard V-8 resulted in quarter-mile times of 14.7 seconds at 97 miles per hour. Motor Trend took the testing process one step further by comparing the gamut of GTO models for ’68. A base-engine GTO with automatic transmission and 3.23:1 rear axle covered the quarter-mile in 15.93 seconds at 88.3 miles per hour. A Ram Air four-speed manual car with drag-strip-ready 4.33:1 gears reduced the trip to 14.45 seconds at 98.2 miles per hour. The magazine was impressed enough to declare the GTO its Car of the Year.

1969 Pontiac GTO Judge 400 RA IV

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a mid-sized automobileproduced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in three generations for the 1964 through 1977 model years. Part of the GM A-Body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet's most successful nameplates. Body styles include coupes, sedans, convertibles and station wagons. Super Sport versions were produced through the 1973 model year, and Lagunas from 1973 through 1976. After a three-year absence, the El Camino was reintroduced as part of the new Chevelle lineup. The Chevelle also provided the platform for the Monte Carlointroduced in 1970. The Malibu, the top of the line model through 1972, replaced the Chevelle nameplate for the redesigned, downsized 1978 models.

In 1970, sheetmetal revisions gave the bodies a more squared-up stance and interiors were redesigned, too. The 1970 Chevelle came in sport coupe, sport sedan, convertible, four-door sedan, a couple of wagons, and coupé utility (the El Camino) body styles. Only 3 of these (Malibu sport coupe, Malibu convertible and El Camino pickup) were available with a choice of one of 2 SS options; RPO Z25 with the SS 396 (402 cid) engine and RPO Z15 with the new 454 cid engine. The SS options were limited to the Malibu two-door sport coupe, Malibu convertible and El Camino pickup. The base model Chevelle was now named Chevelle (which causes confusion) in lieu of the former base 300 Deluxe and was only as a sport coupe or four-door sedan.

Station wagons were the entry level Nomad, the Chevelle level Greenbrier, the Malibu level Concours and an upscale Concours Estate. New options included power door locks and a stalk-mounted wiper control. Engine choices ranged from the standard 155 horsepower (116 kW) six-cylinder and 200-horsepower 307-cubic-inch V8, to a pair of 350 V8s and a pair of 402 engines. RPO Z25 SS equipment option included one of these 402 cid engines but was still marketed as a 396. The second 402 cid engine was available under RPO, rated at 330 hp with single exhaust, and was available in any V8 series except an SS optioned Malibu or El Camino. 1970 also saw the introduction of the 454 cid engine and was only available with the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option. The base 454 cid engine was rated at 360 hp (which was also available with cowl induction) and the optional LS6 version at 450 hp. There were 4,475 LS6 Chevelle's produced, of which 137 are currently registered on the National Chevelle LS6 Registry.

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