You guys from Florida and the southwestern part of the United States are spoiled rotten! You can enjoy the car hobby 12 months out of the year while the rest of us from the Rust Belt are not as fortunate. However, the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals makes up for that. Held in the Chicagoland hamlet of Rosemont, Illinois, it just could be the best muscle car show ever.
How can you argue with a show that displays 16 ZL1 Camaros, four 1971 HEMI ‘Cuda convertibles, and a reunion of the Class of 1971? The Beach Boys couldn’t sing a song as great as this.
The MCACN show is run by Bob Ashton, a Detroit-area muscle car enthusiast. When I lived in Detroit, I knew Bob as the proprietor of Auto Know, a place to find old magazines and other car-related items. After closing his shop to focus on eBay, he cut his teeth promoting shows around the country for the likes of Ford Motorsports and others.
This experience gave him the know-how and connections to pull off MACACN. After word got around about last year’s stellar show, I knew I had to travel to the Land of Lincoln and see for myself.
American Motors Corporation
American Motors had perhaps the best display at MCACN. The local club pulled out all the stops to show Brand Xers that no one waves the red/white/blue as much as AMC. With a selection of Big Bad-hued Mark Donahue Javelins, Super Stock AMXs, and even a lowly Gremlin, they gave new meaning to the 1971 tagline, “If you had to compete with GM, Ford and Chrysler, what would you do?”
AMC nixed the Rebel Machine for 1971 (although a Machine package was available on the rechristened Matador) and brought out the Hornet SC/360 as a way to beat insurance rates and Plymouth Duster 340s. While the right car for the times, less than 800 were built, most with the 285-horsepower 360.
Buick
Buick has always had a performance persona. From the Centurys from another era to dual-quad Electra Deuce and a Quarters, Buicks have always been swift. By 1961, when performance reached Middle-Class America, Buick had lost its performance edge but was loaded with style.
However, it is the Gran Sport series that grabs muscle car fans’ interest. First available in 1965 as a package on the Skylark and Riviera, the Gran Sport went through an engine upgrade in 1967 as the “Nailhead” 401 was replaced by a new 400 and became the “GS 400.”
By 1970, when GM got rid of its cubic inch edict, a new 455 became available for the GS. The top engine was the GS Stage 1, an option introduced the year before. In 1970, Motor Trend magazine tested no four-seater faster than the GS Stage 1.
The Gran Sport series experienced some shuffling for 1971. The 350 and 455 models were now grouped under one Gran Sport model instead of separate GS 350 and GS 455 models. Horsepower for the Stage 1 tumbled from 360 to 345 due to lowered compression.
Chevrolet
Over at the Chevrolet camp, they were celebrating the arrival of 16 ZL1 Camaros. Considering only 69 of the aluminum 427 cars were built, that was a very impressive gathering.
Chevrolet’s performance banner wasn’t carried only by Camaros, Novas, and Chevelles. Despite the disappearing popularity of full-size performance cars, Chevrolet introduced the SS 427 package for the Impala in 1967 with a standard 427/385 and louvered hood. It reappeared in 1968 with a new hood and fender louvers.
COPO Chevelles tend to be more enigmatic than Camaros. It is believed only 323 were built, all with the 427/425. Theyt look like Super Sports without the SS badges.
When the Chevelle was introduced in 1964, top motor was the 327/300, although Chevrolet almost went with the 327/365 from the Corvette. But with the introduction of the Mark IV motor, Chevrolet built 201 “Z16” Chevelle Super Sports with the 396. The L37 motor put out 375 horsepower, and was a portent of things to come the next year when the SS 396 was released in three states of tune.
Nineteen-seventy was the year that the Chevelle SS 454 was introduced. The big news was the advent of the LS6 454, which put out 450 horsepower. This motor effectively replaced the L78 396/375 before the end of the 1969 calendar year, making it the rarest motor for the Super Sport. In addition, only 18 were ordered with L89 aluminum heads like this example.
Mid-year 1970, the second-generation Camaro was introduced. With an organic shape and influenced by trends across the Atlantic, it certainly is a more advanced car. However, the hobby has determined that the first-gen cars are the people’s faves. The 1970-72 Super Sports have gotten lost in the shuffle, but that you wouldn’t have ever known judging by the six L78 SSs present.
By 1971, the Chevelle SS was expanded to include 350s, no doubt a nod to keep sales afloat without getting annihilated by insurance premiums.
The LS6 454 was down to 425 horsepower, but none have been documented to have been installed in the Chevelle, leaving the LS5 454 as the Chevelle’s best hope.
It was the only 1971 motor to be rated higher than in 1970 – 365 horses vs. 360. Of special note was the new Heavy Chevy, a Chevelle that was targeted at the segment pioneered by the Plymouth Road Runner. Top motor was the 402/300, which this car has.
But if this section is for Chevrolets, where is the Corvette coverage? Considering this event originally had a focus on Corvettes, they indeed made their presence felt.
A part of the Class of 1971 display were these LS6 Corvettes. Only 188 were built in 1971, which make for an extremely desirable car in Corvette circles despite the low compression. The six that appeared at MCACN included one ordered by a European who felt a Ferrari or Monteverdi wasn’t good enough.
Ford, Mercury, and Shelby
In a Chevrolet world, there are Mustangs to counter the status quo. But Ford isn’t just about Mustangs. Their first GTO-fighter was a Fairlane. Their NASCAR winner was a Torino. And sister brand Mercury also had some nifty Cyclones, Cougars, and Marauders.
Certainly Ford’s “Total Performance” racing exploits, most notably beating Ferrari in LeMans, bear some mention. Here are a few cars from Fords related to their factory racing exploits.
Of course, how can we forget Shelby. Whether it’s Mustangs or Cobras (or anything else that he touches), his creations have a fervent following with a club that has been documenting his cars for 35 years.
For all their popularity, Shelby Mustangs don’t always overshadow “regular” Mustangs. If you know anything about the original Ponycar, you know there’s enough variations to keep things interesting and unique.
As part of the Class of 1971 display, this Torino Cobra was Ford’s representative. Whereas the ’70 had standard 429/360 power (known as the Thunder Jet), the ’71 now can standard with the 351 Cleveland putting out 285 horsepower.
Also new were redesigned decals on the rear fenders, tailpanel blackout, and the availability of the Torino GT’s Laser stripes. This one’s packing a J-code 429 CJ Ram Air rated at 370 horsepower. Unlike 1970, the Drag Pack was not produced for the Torino.
Along with the new Mustang, the Mercury Cougar was also redesigned. The emphasis on luxury was more evident than before, so the the likes of the Eliminator were but a distant memory. Like the Mustang, the 385-series 429 Cobra Jet replaced the FE-series 429 CJ. Installed in the Cougar convertible, this one is 1 of 18 built with Ram Air and four-speed.
Mopar
Mopars had the biggest presence out of all brands for the Class of 1971 display. And why not? A redesigned Plymouth Satellite lineup was cause for celebration at Highland Park that year. Interestingly, the coupe was given a distinct body style from the four-door sedan’s, giving the cars even more distinction than the usual stripes and spoilers.
The Road Runner and GTX returned as Plymouth’s performance entries; however, sales for both fell drastically even though the Road Runner was now insurance-friendly with a standard 383/300 and optional 340/275 introduced midyear.
The 1971 Plymouth Barracuda was given a big facelift with two extra headlights and a cheese-grater grille that was considered clumsy when it was introduced.
However, today it is thought to be the ultimate muscle car in the hobby. Options were similar to before but the ‘Cuda’s optional “Hockey Stick” stripe was replaced by the over-the-top “Billboard” stripe.
The Dodge Challenger also experienced a second-year facelift, with the R/T receiving new stripes that were available in black, white, and fluorescent green or orange. Also new for the R/T were mock brake scoops in front of the rear wheels.
Like the Plymouth Satellite, the Dodge Charger was redesigned for 1971. The R/T returned but was now joined by the Charger Super Bee. The Wellborn MuscleCar Museum brought a few HEMI Chargers from their collection. Only 85 HEMI Chargers (both Super Bee and R/T) were built for the States plus a few more for Canada and export markets.
Another great display for the Class of 1971 was an amazing assortment of HEMI ‘Cuda convertibles. With seven domestic cars produced plus two Canadian spec cars and two known exports, it’s the most desirable – and expensive – muscle car in the hobby. Four were on hand: Lemon Twist, two Rallye Reds, and Gunmetal Gray, plus a Curious Yellow 440-6.
The 1970 Challenger T/A was built to make the Challenger legal for the Trans-Am racing series, hence the “T/A” name (since Pontiac had the rights to the full name). Special equipment included 340 Six Pak motor with N94 hood, spoiler, side exhausts, and different size tired back and front. They were available in all the typical Challenger colors, but some are rarer than others.
While Challenger T/As are nifty, Chrysler’s performance history is based on the HEMI, here in 426 form. After being introduced in 1964 and winning 1-2-3 at Daytona, its legend was ensured. When the Street HEMI came out in 1966, it became a whole new ball game on Main Street, USA.
Oldsmobile
Rocket Division fans were treated to a number of W-Machines and more. The 4-4-2 debuted in 1964, and the W-30 was introduced in 1966. In 1969, the W-30 package consisted of a “Ram Rod” 400 putting out 360 horsepower; at MCACN, there were two 1969 4-4-2 W-30 convertibles out of the 121 built. However, everyone’s favorite, a 1970, may have stolen the show for Oldsmodudes.
For 1971, Dr. Oldsmobile did his best to keep his prescription for performance (and bad puns) on par with 1970. However, due to GM’s corporate-wide lowering of compression, the standard 455 for the 4-4-2 was down 25 horsepower to 340; the W-30 tumbled 20 to 350.
The grille, parking lights, and taillights were changed, but just about everything else was familiar to Olds fans. A new exclusive (shared with the Corvette) was the dual-disc clutch. The small block W-31 350 was discontinued for F-85 and Cutlass models.
Pontiac
Ya can’t talk about American performance without mentioning Pontiac. The brand that knocked off traditional #3 Plymouth to become America’s favorite brand after Ford. The company that created the GTO. The car that Burt Reynolds drove to immense popularity in the 1970s, the brand that is no more.
Before the GTO, you’d find cars Ponchos like this ’61 Catalina “bubbletop” with the 425A motor, which translates to the top 389 either with four-barrel or Tri-Power and up to 348 horsepower. If you wanted more, you could always go with the Super Duty.
Out of all the GM brands, Pontiac may have endured the low-compression transition the best. By adding the Ram Air IV’s round port heads to the 455, Pontiac created the 455 HO. Putting out 335 gross horsepower, it was down 35 horses from 1970’s RAIV but was more streetable and flexible.
The face-lifted front end was not as smooth as 1970’s, but some Pontiac people claim the 455 HO was faster. Over time, these cars have shed their also-ran status.
Motion Performance
Another aggregation of horsepower was the Baldwin-Motion display. As you may know, Motion Performance in Long Island, NY teamed up with Baldwin Chevrolet to build cars that Chevrolet could not. In fact, in Phase III guise, Rosen guaranteed the car would run 11.50s. He also branched into other automotive pursuits besides straight-line racing.
Among all the dealer-prepped cars from the era, Rosen’s creations were the most outrageous. He was on hand along with Marty Schorr, who not only was publishing Hi-Performance Cars magazine at the time, but also handled the PR for Motion Performance.
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