[Liste]Les Muscle Cars les plus "marquants"

Driver Weekly a écrit:
As muscle cars gained prestige and a corresponding increase in price, Plymouth decided to launch a new base model that could complement the more upscale Plymouth GTX. The result was the unusual Plymouth Road Runner: a bare-bones muscle car festooned with iconography from “The Looney Tunes.” Plymouth had wanted a new car that was as cheap, fast, and durable as the original muscle cars. The automaker started with the B-Body Belvedere and stripped out any amenities, from the carpet to the chrome. Next they upgraded the suspension and fit two big engines under the hood.

When they needed a name, Plymoutn licensed Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner from Warner Bros. for $50,000 and developed an exclusive horn that sounded “Beep-beep!” Firing up on the starting line was the modified 383ci "Roadrunner" V8 with 335 horsepower or, for dedicated racers, the 426ci Hemi. With 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque, the Hemi put the “run” in Road Runner. Plymouth expected to sell 20,000 units but more than doubled their sales to 45,000. The cars gained a loyal following due to their pricing, durability, and raw speed—and, we’re sure, an appreciation for the cheeky cartoon character.

Drivers Weekly a écrit:While not as powerful as contemporary heavyweights, the AMC Javelin deserves an honorable mention as an upstart that managed to scoop victories on the track and the strip. The only pony car offered by American Motors, the Javelin represented new life for the stolid automaker under ambitious new owner Robert “Bob” Evans. AMC had been struggling to sell their thrifty and conservative vehicles in the face of faster and more attractive competitors. Evans gave designers and engineers the latitude they needed to build a new performance car based on the Rambler American that could attract younger buyers.

Sculpted by Richard “Dick” Teague, the AMC Javelin was a distinctive semi-fastback with a lean appearance, rakish windshield, and aggressive grille. (While it looked sleek the Javelin was larger than the Ford Mustang on a 109-inch wheelbase with a total length of 189.2 inches.) Street drivers could equip the 390ci AMX V8 “Go Package” rated at 315 horsepower and “Group 19” options that included dual four-barrel cross-ram air intake manifolds. While it was never as popular as the competition, the Javelin won the Trans-Am in 1971, 1972, and 1976 and it broke records on the street with acceleration from 0-60 in less than seven seconds.

Driver Weekly a écrit:The Pontiac GTO inaugurated a new age of horsepower, and The Judge presided over its golden age. By 1969 the Plymouth GTO had slipped in sales behind the Chevelle SS396 and the Plymouth Road Runner. That year, Pontiac offered a stripped-down GTO to make it more competitive with the barebones Road Runner. Originally called the “ET” for Elapsed Time, John DeLorean changed the name to the more impressive “Judge” after the popular comedy routine “Here Comes the Judge.” Ads proclaimed that, at last, “The Judge could be bought.” In 1969, the Judge had wider tires, Hurst shifter, rear spoiler, and a blacked out grille.

Under the hood was a base 400ci V8 with 350 horsepower or the optional Ram Air III and Ram Air IV that could squeeze out twenty more horses. As if that wasn’t enough, in the last quarter of 1970 the Judge received the 455ci HO and an upgraded suspension. While ridiculously underrated at 360 horsepower, this massive mill churned out 500 pound-feet of torque, and we don’t doubt that the Judge had more grunt than advertised. There’s a reason it was also called “The Humbler.” Slathered in Carousel Red or Orbit Orange, the Judge is a quintessential 1970 muscle car: brash appearance, distinguished lineage, massive displacement, and more horsepower than common sense.

Driver Weekly a écrit:Mercury had been clamoring for a pony car since 1965 and finally launched the Mercury Cougar (based on the Mustang) in 1967. Saddled-up for the division’s more affluent buyers, the Cat offered a more luxurious interior, more features, and a longer wheelbase for more leg room. But it was the 1969 Cougar Eliminator that offered drivers a cougar with real claws. While the division had been reluctant to face off against other muscle cars at first, the 1969 Eliminator offered high horsepower and tons of torque in bold colors.

Mercury distinguished the facelifted model from its plebeian underpinnings with a well-optioned interior, new grille, and attractive character line. Buyers could settle for the four-barrel 351 Windsor or aim higher with the Boss 302 and, at the top of the heap, aspire to the 428 Cobra Jet rated at 335 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. Power and torque with stylistic flair and fancy seats—no wonder that Mercury was known by “the sign of the Cat.”

Driver weekly a écrit:
The Plymouth Barracuda beat the Ford Mustang to market by two weeks in 1964. First known as the Valiant Barracuda, the first generation was saddled with an outdated sense of style and ill-considered marketing despite its powerful mill. Originally marketed as a sporty compact rather than a performance car, the first model featured fastback styling and an enormous wraparound rear window that was overshadowed by the new look pioneered by the Mustang. While it was redesigned in 1967, it wasn’t until the second generation in 1970 that the Barracuda reemerged as a muscle car and a performance icon.

The new model removed the last vestiges of the compact Valiant and replaced it with the Chrysler E-Body shared with the Dodge Challenger. The Barracuda received fresh new sheetmetal and embraced raw performance with an optional 426 Hemi. While Plymouth had built a small number of professional drag racers in 1968, regular drivers could only get their hands on a “Cuda” with 425 horsepower, structural reinforcement, functional shaker scoop, and improved suspension in 1970.

Driver Weekly a écrit:The Z/28 was a popular Special Performance Package for the Chevrolet Camaro designed to defeat the Ford Mustang at the SCCA Trans-Am. At the time the race had a 305 cubic-inch displacement limit for V8 engines. The 1968 Camaro was equipped with the 327, and the next smallest engine was the underwhelming 283. The man responsible for the Z28, Vincent W. Piggins, knew that the 283 wasn’t going to be enough to win the race. Instead, he combined both engines using the three-inch stroke crankshaft from the 283 in the 327, resulting in the 302.4ci Z/28.

Chevrolet rated the new mill at 290 horsepower, but it hit 350 on a dynamometer and an estimated 450 horsepower when it was tuned for the racetrack. In 1969, it won the Trans-Am Championship and received aggressive new sheetmetal with a raised hood scoop, wider tires, and fresh badging. Best of all the public could option these muscle cars due to the homologation requirements. No wonder the Z28 became one of the most well-known production codes in history.

Driver Weekly a écrit:Plymouth introduced the GTX  in 1967 as the Belvedere GTX, the “gentleman’s hot rod.” Putting aside the automotive innuendo, the GTX was a stylish two-door hardtop or convertible that offered performance features in one stately package. It was Plymouth’s first muscle car that came ready for drag races right out of the factory, with a special grille and tail panel, simulated hood scoops, chrome gas cap, and optional racing stripes. Plymouth made sure to offer a leaf-spring suspension and superb handling to emphasize their hot rod’s superior road manners.

After the stripped-down Road Runner started to steal sales from the GTX in 1968, and Plymouth facelifted their premier muscle car 1970 with smoother lines and an unmistakable road presence secured with Rallye wheels, power bulge hood, and (fake) rear brake scoops. Under the hood was the Super Commando 440 with 375 horsepower, the upgraded 440+6 that squeezed out 390 horsepower, or the rare 426 Hemi. The Hemi was rated at 425 horsepower and was the king of the drag strip at high speeds. The 1970 Plymouth GTX had the power and the looks for any streetlight showdown.

Driver Weekly a écrit:The 1968 Dodge Charger R/T was a menacing muscle car and an undeniable sales success, but it had been bested by the Ford Torino and Mercury Cyclone on the tracks. Dodge was disappointed when the Charger Road/Track could only triumph on the road and went back to the drawing board. Wind tunnel tests revealed that the inset rear window increased lift as air was swept under the car and flowed over the trunk; at the same time, the sinister recessed grille caused a significant increase in drag. In response, Dodge raised the rear window flush with the roof and replaced the grille with the front of the 1968 Coronet.

The result was a slicker and more aerodynamic muscle car. Dodge needed to sell 500 models to qualify for homologation and offered two versions with the 426 Hemi or the 440 Magnum. Somehow, Dodge only sold 392 models and still managed to get the Charger 500 on the racetrack. Unfortunately, Charger 500 still couldn’t compete with the aerocars driven by the competition. At least we were left with a rare and powerful collector’s car that embodies speed and ambition.

Buick68 a écrit:


Y a t-il des modèles que vous verriez dans cette liste qui ne sont pas encore sorties ??

Babineau a écrit:
J'imagine qu'il va y avoir les wing car, Daytona et Superbird !

Driver Weekly a écrit:Dodge had already suffered two defeats on the superspeedway with the Charger R/T and the Charger 500. But most enthusiasts forgot about the 500 when faced with the unmistakable Daytona. Frustrated by the failure of the 500 in the face of increasingly aerodynamic rivals, Dodge pulled out all the stops to build their next challenger. After months of testing and development, the automaker unveiled the Charger Daytona. While it was based on the R/T with the same heavy-duty suspension and 440 Magnum and optional 426 Hemi, this track-ready aerocar was equipped with a 23-inch-tall stabilizer wing, nose cone, flush windows, brake cooling scoops, and sculpted hood.

Dodge finally had their Aero Warrior with a 0.28 drag coefficient. It was the first car to break the 200mph mark on March 24th, 1970 at the Talladega Superspeedway. Private buyers could hit an estimated 180mph in a production model. The Daytona won six races in 1970 in the Aero Wars against the Ford Torino Talladega, Mercury Cyclone, and Plymouth Superbird until NASCAR banned the aerocars. But by that point, 503 units were already loose on the streets.

Driver Weekly a écrit:
Despite its emphasis on luxury in addition to performance, the Mercury Cougar still managed to make its mark on the street. Out of the gate there was a GT performance option with a 390ci V while the XR7 offered an upgraded interior and leather trimmings. While not as ferocious as the well-armed Cougar Eliminator offered the next year, 1968 revealed the true potential of the upscale ‘Stang. Buyers could select a 427ci V8 with 390 horsepower, SelectShift Merc-O-Matic, and performance handling package with power disc brakes, power dome, and a (fake) hood scoop.

While it was replaced with a 428ci V8 rated at just 335 horsepower later in the same year, experts estimated that the new powerplant offered the same grunt as the old one on the street. Most importantly, the XR7G celebrated racing legend Dan Gurney who drove for Mercury for just one year in the SCCA Trans-Am. This limited trim added a fiberglass hood scoop, road lamps, racing mirror, and four exhaust tips. This cat was stretching its muscles and getting ready for the bulked-up Cougar Eliminator.

Driver Weekly a écrit:The AMC Javelin and AMX had demonstrated that American Motors could build high-performance vehicles and not just frumpy economy cars. But their first mid-sized car with a big motor that fit the image of a bulky muscle car rather than a sleek pony car was the AMC Rebel in 1970 when automaker added the new 390ci “AMX” V8 that churned out 340 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. For the first half of the year, the American Machine was decked out in red, white, and blue: a white body with red stripes and a blue hood that highlighted the functional hood scoop.

AMC worked with Hurst Performance Research and did their best with what they had in the parts bin. The engine was the most powerful the company had ever built. They upgraded the suspension with rear coil springs from a station wagon and front and rear anti-roll bars. The Machine was an unexpected muscle car that lasted just one year before AMC discontinued the Rebel and replaced it with the Matador—and it could have been a genuine contender if had arrived in 1966 or 1967. While they were too small to compete with Ford, Chevrolet, or Chrysler, AMC had guts, determination, and an unmatched capacity for unique and well-built vehicles.

Driver weekly a écrit:The Ford Mustang was such a successful performance icon that most people might be forgiven for forgetting the Ford Torino GT—Ford’s muscle car and the direct competitor to the Chevelle SS. Similar to the Chevelle Malibu SS, which was a trim level for a more practical vehicle, the Ford Torino started as a trim level for the Ford Fairlane. While the Mustang faced off against the Camaro starting in 1967, the Torino was up against a far more powerful beast and needed a bigger mill: eight cylinders of power that topped out at the 428 Cobra Jet V8 with an official 335 horsepower and an estimated 410 horsepower in practice.

In 1970, Ford upped the stakes with muscular styling and an even more powerful model intended for the drag strip: the Drag Pack. The Drag Pack cranked out 375 horsepower, officially, from the 429ci Super Cobra Jet V8 with optional Ram Air induction and shaker scoop. It was the perfect car for late-night showdowns. Stripped down and souped up, the Torino Cobra was all about performance.

Plymouth had pioneered the idea of a basic version of the steadily more luxurious mid-sized muscle cars with the 1968 Road Runner, and Dodge received their version of the affordable muscle car. While similar in appearance to the Road Runner, the Super Bee was based on the Dodge Coronet and was both a little heavier and a little longer. Dodge differentiated their model with aggressive “Super Bee” badging that capitalized on the success of the “Scat Pack” Bee Medallion.

They added a “bumblebee” tail-stripe, chrome ornamentation, die-cast, chrome-plated "Bee" medallions, and a Hurst Competition-Plus shifter. In 1969 there was an optional “Ramcharger” air induction system and scooped hood. While the ostentatious badging raised the price and it failed to make the same impression as the Road Runner, we have to admit that the spiffy Super Bee looked good and drove fast with a 440 Six Pack or 426 Hemi that cranked out at least 425 horsepower.

Buick68 a écrit:

Babineau a écrit:
J'imagine qu'il va y avoir les wing car, Daytona et Superbird !

Tu es tomber dans le mille !!!

20 - Dodge Charger Daytona 1969

Driver Weekly a écrit:Dodge had already suffered two defeats on the superspeedway with the Charger R/T and the Charger 500. But most enthusiasts forgot about the 500 when faced with the unmistakable Daytona. Frustrated by the failure of the 500 in the face of increasingly aerodynamic rivals, Dodge pulled out all the stops to build their next challenger. After months of testing and development, the automaker unveiled the Charger Daytona. While it was based on the R/T with the same heavy-duty suspension and 440 Magnum and optional 426 Hemi, this track-ready aerocar was equipped with a 23-inch-tall stabilizer wing, nose cone, flush windows, brake cooling scoops, and sculpted hood.

Dodge finally had their Aero Warrior with a 0.28 drag coefficient. It was the first car to break the 200mph mark on March 24th, 1970 at the Talladega Superspeedway. Private buyers could hit an estimated 180mph in a production model. The Daytona won six races in 1970 in the Aero Wars against the Ford Torino Talladega, Mercury Cyclone, and Plymouth Superbird until NASCAR banned the aerocars. But by that point, 503 units were already loose on the streets.

benlavigne a écrit:
Ce Daytona Hemi (originalement 440) restauré par Michel Poulin sera de nouveau à l'encan en janvier à Mecum Kissimee en Floride:
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0118-312986/1969-dodge-daytona/

A surveiller!
Ben

full throttle no bottle a écrit:Salut.
        Une autre a pas oublier Chevelle 1964 option Z11.
                           Full.

slingshot a écrit:

full throttle no bottle a écrit:Salut.
        Une autre a pas oublier Chevelle 1964 option Z11.
                           Full.

J'aimerais plus d'info sur ces chevelles , j'avais l'impression que les chevelle Z11 n'étais pas factory stock , mais plutôt des créations des coureurs de drag de l'époque  ?

Richard