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They were loud, boisterous beasts that represented an era. They were heavy, lacked handling and touted engines sometimes too powerful for their own good, but we have loved them all along for it. We’re talking about American muscle cars of course, and no matter what era you grew up in, these powerful cars have made their mark somehow in your life. Check out MSN Autos’ list of the 10 maddest muscle machines that truly represent what being an American muscle car is all about below.
1970 Buick GSX
Made to create more showroom traffic on Buick lots, the 1970 GSX was a high-performance version of the GS455. This of course meant that it carried a 455cui engine that was most notable for its vast size increase from the previous GM-limited 400cui engines. The 455cui big block came in two forms, the 350hp standard 455 and the Stage 1 engine, which was slightly tweaked with bigger valves, revised carburetor and a hotter camshaft to produce 360hp, although both engines were highly underrated. Both engines produced a massive 510 ft.-lbs. of torque.
For the 1970 model year, the GSX was only available in Apollo White and Saturn Yellow. These two colors were set off nicely with the distinct full-body length black stripe. A standard equipment rear spoiler, black hood section, black front spoiler and hood-mounted tachometer also set the GSX apart from its lesser counterpart. In total, only 678 GSX models were made, 278 of which came with the standard 455cui V8 while the other 400 were produced with the revised Stage 1 engine.
1968 Pontiac Firebird
In the late 60s, everyone wanted a piece of the muscle car action. For Pontiac, their new in 1967 Firebird model was the ticket they were looking for.
Related to the Chevrolet Camaro, as well as one of its closest competitors, the ‘68 Firebird won people over with its top-of-the-line F-body features.
Not only did the Firebird give consumers integrated bumpers and GTO-inspired tail lights, unlike its Camaro cousin, the iconic bird also brought a plethora of engine options to the table.
If you wanted tame, you could get your Firebird with the base inline-six engine capable of up to 215hp with a four-barrel carburetor. Fortunately, most people opted for a V8 variety. In that category, you could choose from a 350cui V8, High Output 350cui V8, 400cui V8 and a High Output 400cui V8, all of which ranged from about 320hp to 330hp.
Pontiac also released a 400cui Ram Air engine capable of 335hp for the ‘68 Firebird and replaced it later in the model year with the Ram Air II engine, capable of 340hp. These power options started it all for the following generations of V6 and V8 Firebirds, including the Formula and Trans Am models.
1969 Dodge Charger
The ‘69 Charger is one of the most iconic Mopars around. Featured in the TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard,” the Charger and The General Lee became one of the most recognized muscle cars of the era.
The Charger didn’t need a TV show to make it great, however. Produced with a standard 318cui V8 with an available slant-six option, the Charger also appealed to performance junkies with its powerful engine options. For the performance-minded individual, the ‘69 Charger could also be bought with a 34cui V8, two different 383cui V8s, a 440cui Magnum V8 (standard in the R/T), a 440cui SixPack V8 and the iconic 426cui HEMI V8. The HEMI was of course the most potent of the bunch, pushing out an impressive 425hp and 490ft.-lbs. of torque.
Dodge also created the Charger Daytona in 1969, which went on to make history on racetracks across the country along with its winged sister, the Plymouth Superbird. The Daytona came standard with the 44cui Magnum V8 but could also be matched with the powerful HEMI.
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Designed by Larry Shinoda, a former employee of General Motors, the Boss 302 had one goal in mind and that was to be a potent competitor in Trans-Am racing. This car sported a very unique engine, the Boss 302 V8 which made use of the “tunnel port” Windsor block matted to Cleveland heads with large valves. The engine was capable of 290hp, making it a viable competitor on the track.
In order to race with this engine in the Trans-Am series, Ford had to also produce it for public purchase. The production Boss 302s emerged in 1969 and the 1970 model can be distinguished by the highly-recognizable “hockey stripes” along the top of the hood as well as the two-headlight grill.
1965 Pontiac GTO
The GTO is one of the cars that started the whole muscle car craze. With its standard 335hp 389cui V8 engine for the 1965 model year, the “Goat” had plenty to offer in the way of power. You could also get the ‘65 with an optional Tri Power V8, good for 360hp.
Unfortunately, just like many of the other muscle cars, the GTO lacked in the handling department, although it did come standard with a front anti-sway bar and heavy duty shocks.
Available in a hardtop coupe and convertible configuration, the GTO didn’t lack anything when it came to straight-driving performance. It was capable of accelerating from zero to 60 in just 5.8 seconds and could run the quarter mile in 14.5 seconds.
1970 Plymouth Barracuda
Although we’ve seen many muscle cars return with modern generations, we have yet to see a Barracuda remake.
However, that doesn’t mean that the Plymouth was inferior to other models. It was actually one of the top dogs of its day.
For 1970, the Barracuda was offered in three forms: the base Barracuda, the Gran Coupe and the high-performance ‘Cuda. Power for the series came from a choice of two slant-six engines, a 318cui V8 and two different 383cui varieties.
For those looking for a bit more power, the ‘Cuda came standard with a 335hp 383cui V8, but could also be bought with a 440cui Super Commando, 440cui Super Commando Six Pack or a 426cui HEMI engine.
The 440 and HEMI-equipped cars also came with structural reinforcements and upgraded suspensions. This helped the ‘Cuda put down quarter-mile times in the low 13 seconds.
1970 Chevelle 454 SS
When you talk about powerful muscle cars, the ’70 Chevelle 454 SS should be on the top of your list. This bad boy not only came with a potent 360hp engine, but also gave performance enthusiasts the option of an underrated 450hp LS6 under the hood.
The Chevelle’s iconic styling and reputation for bringing Chevrolet into the muscle car war also helps to make this model one of the maddest muscle cars out there. Sure there was plenty of competition but the ‘70 Chevelle 454 SS brought the power limit of the muscle car wars to a new level and has maintained its title as one of the highest output production cars to date.
1969 Camaro Z28
No one can look back at the muscle car era and forget about the Camaro. As one of the longest-running muscle car models, the Camaro stole hearts and were in the dreams of many young automotive enthusiasts.
The ‘69 Z28 holds true to that reputation, giving buyers a 302cui V8 that featured an 11 to 1 compression ratio, a Holley carburetor, forged crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons, as well as a Muncie four-speed transmission and 3.73 rear end gears. The engine was only rated at 290hp although the actual power reached 350 ponies.
1966 Shelby Cobra 427
The name Shelby is interchangeable with greatness and nothing proved that more than the ‘66 Shelby Cobra 427.
Equipped with a 427cui V8, the car could fly down race tracks to the tune of 410hp. With a body weight of just 2,500 pounds, this resulted in a zero to 60 acceleration capability of just 4.2 seconds, launching to 100mph in just 10.3 seconds.
The 480 ft.-lbs of torque also helped the Cobra hit quarter-mile times of just 12.7 seconds.
Even by today’s standards, those performance numbers are impressive, but think about what they meant in 1966. No wonder the Cobra 427 was so successful on race courses nation wide.
1967 Shelby Mustang GT500
They called her Eleanor in the 2000 film “Gone in 60 Seconds” but many of you knew her long before her iconic big-screen debut. The ‘67 Shelby Mustang GT500 is one of the most well-known Mustangs and muscle cars ever produced.
The GT500 was all about performance, just like the other creations of Carroll Shelby. With its police-interceptor 428cui V8 engine, it was capable of an underrated 355hp and 420 ft.-lbs. of torque. This helped the Mustang launch to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds and through a quarter mile in 13.6 seconds. A more road-friendly sister to the race-ready GT350, the GT500 was an instant hit for just $200 more than its less powerful predecessor.
