Top 10 QUICKEST MUSCLE CARS Of The 1970s -->kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oL91krWUttbHpYE.html

I'm 70 and lived and breathed muscle cars in the 60's and the times/trap speeds in many of the posts below just weren't the case. Maybe a finely tuned factory stock Hemi with no air cleaner, open headers and slicks would get into the mid to low 12's WITH THE RIGHT DRIVER and that was one of the quickest of the era. I had a 67 Buick GS400 that I rebuilt with a Kenne-Bell street cam, headers, 3.90 rear and mods to the Super Turbine 400 trans. I rarely lost a street race with that car and I had many and nearly totaled it after taking a 440 6 Barrel Road Runner from a roll. That GS, with G70-14 Polyglas tires and open headers ran a 14.05 @101.5 at the Union Grove strip South of Milwaukee. Out of the showroom stock muscle cars of that era with air cleaners, stock exhaust and factory tires were running in the 14's at the local strip with many in the 15's and some even in the 16's. I had friends with stock 383 Road Runners with both 4-speeds and TorqueFlytes, that never saw a 14 second ET. Someone getting a 13 second ET at Union Grove with a factory stock car was rare. Just trying to keep it real.

If you’re going to include Yenko’s then factory specialty cars should be allowed. R-code fairlanes ran 12’s and the Thunderbolts ran 11’s.

The 68 Hurst/Olds had the 455. The 68 W30 had a 400. The Hurst was a workaround to GM's 400ci limit on mid size cars.

People always forget the first cars to break 12s and 11s . 1962-1964 Max Wedge.

I grew up in that era as a teenager and an avid competitor. It was a grand time to be an American. Dandahermit

Very surprised the 1970 GS Stage 1 didn’t make this list. It should have made 3rd or 4th for this list.

You forgot the AMC AMX. In January 1968, AMC AMX set 106 world speed and endurance records at Goodyear's track in Texas.

Way back in the 80s Hot Rod magazine did a story on the rare Dodge Dart that had the Hemi from the factory and crowned it the quickest muscle car of the 60s. If I remember correctly it ran a 10.76 in the 1/4 mile at sea-level.

A little disappointing. top 10 fastest, and no 454 ss Chevelle, 455 Buicks, 455 SD Pontiac Transam, and missed a ton of fords, 428 CJ, 429 CJ, and all of the R code 427 cars like the Fairlane. Includes Yenkos, but no Boss 429, Boss 351, 289 Cobra, or road going GT 40s. if you include a Vette that only 2 were made, what about Hemi darts, Thunderbolts?? Not really hating, just saying there was some really cool stuff you may have over looked.

Guess we’ll hear about the 1970 454 Chevelle SS in the next video

NO, the 440 six pack wasn't called that because it was like a six pack of beer. It was called that because it had 3 two barrel carburetors, instead of 1 two barrel, or a single 4 barrel carburetor. 🤦

When I was a younger man my Dodge friends were pulling the Hemi out of their street cars for the 440 because it was "hard to keep in tune and needed constant attention."

@PD Evolution - 07:45 - For the 1969 Yenko Camaro, Don Yenko Chevrolet never added a fiberglass hood. The, "interior details", were limited to an under-dash gauge package and with the early 1969 Yenko Camaro's they had a Stewart Warner tachometer installed as there was not a factory one available from Chevrolet. A small handful of these cars had the mag wheels and headers, as these were expensive options with an already very expensive car. I know, as I owned a 1969 Yenko Camaro for over twenty years.

A 1963 R code Galaxie 427 lightweight could do the 1/4 mile in 12.1 @ 118 mph. Comparable to the zl1 vette on this list.

Had a 69' Charger RT with 440 4 barrel, wish I had kept it. Sold it for $1400, value went way up years later.

In 1968, the Phase III Camaro from Baldwin Motion on Long Island was guaranteed to turn 11.50 1/4 miles times at over 120 mph with a M/P (Modified Production) licensed driver on an NHRA or AHRA sanctioned track. This car was "reliable & streetable" and was able to run these times shortly after being driven off the showroom floor. The warranty on the SS-427 Camaro was 90 days or 4000 miles on the powertrain and 24 months/24000 miles on the rest of the car - excluding all speed options. There was no warranty on any engine that was fitted with "internal engine modifications", such as a camshaft and high rev-kit.

You might've mentioned the great Ken Miles' involvement in convincing Shelby that the big block 427 was necessary if the Cobra was to win against the big block Corvettes. Also, the points made by Robert Baron about real world 1/4 mile racing are spot on-I'm 68, raced foreign stock in the late 70's. Finding a stock muscle car that would actually dip into the 13's in the real world with polyglass tires, without slam shifting and beating the holy crap out of the drivetrain? Good luck with that.

My car was fast. Very fast. Are you sitting down? I owned and regularly drove, a 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero with a straight, in-line six (banger). Three speed, on the column. A clutch on the floor and full drum brakes on all 4. It was one very rare and highly special machine. An absolutely amazing powerhouse. It topped out at over 80 MPH!

The 66 Chevy 2 with the 327 / 350 HP option was a giant killer. Bill Jenkins won with one of these verus 426 Hemi powered cars in the A/stock catagory. Somehow you miss this.

You forgot the 1966 Chev Impala SS with a 427/425 hp. Dinoed at 462 HP with Bill Thomas headers. I bought it new in 66 raced and beat a lot of the cars you reported on at the local drag strip. Can't locate the original sticker but believe it was about a $600 option for the engine and close ratio 4 speed. Had the opportunity to ride in a 427 Cobra. Now that was fast.

I had a 1966 Plymouth Satellite with a 383 and a 4 speed that was very quick. Probably not by today's standard but back in the late 80s when I got it there wasn't but a few cars around that could even give me and challenge light to light. I ran a 13:04 109 mph at the local drag strip running all season radial tires.

I built 71 440 six pack Challenger, for my wife. Other then the headers, it appears stock, and uses stock heads, six pack forged pistons, stock block. Runs 12s on the street tires, and 11s on the drag radials.

I was lucky back in the late 90s to be passenger in a 64 GTO with a Tri power swap 455 swap it was a beast

The SC Cobra is the one for me. I've not had the pleasure yet. Two quickest rips for me were in a 1967 427 Corvette and a 1970 1/2 Camaro Z-28 👀

The 1968 Ram Air 2 Firebird was a 13.3 second car right off the showroom floor. The Buick GSX was too.

Back in the day I was tooling around in a '62 Chevy (Bubbletop) (327/375) - My street bros owned the following: '69 AMX (390) '68 Chevy Camaro (396) '69 Roadrunner (383) '68 Charger (440) (road shotgun at 150 mph) '68 Mercury Cyclone (390) I thought these were fast - couldn't imagine those 10 beasts. "power shift here we go" ........................................

You for got the 1964 Plumber sports fury with the 426 max wedge. O and the 1968 or 69 Dodge Dart with the hemi.😊

The narrator lists the 68 442 W-30 as having a 455.....it didn't; they all came with 400 cubic inch engines. You could only get the 455 in the Hurst Olds in 1968.

All of these cars are awesome. True...modern cars are quicker, and faster...but with 60 yeats of development, the should be. What they cannot, and will never replicate, is the "Soul", of the original muscle cars. Current Camaros, Challengers, Mustangs, etc. are fine, but I don't even notice them, on the street. All of the older muscle cars, in the day, were noticed by... literally everyone!! Even Mom's and Granny's. Not just car guys. They just exuded thier presence, without looking excessive.

The Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 would have been my favorite. It was comfortable and reliable something most of those muscle cars weren't!

Cars of my childhood. My dad had a Pontiac GTO back in the 60's I enjoyed in that car❤❤❤

The 68 442 never came with a 455. It was a 400.

As for me I like older cars especially the good older antiques .Ford . Chrysler . Chevrolet . DeSoto . Plymouth .Dodge .cars and trucks

The 427 Cobra was not built by AC Cars in England. It was built by Shelby American in California.

We used to go to NY state drinking when the age limit was 18, I was 16 at the time but no one checked this was 1970. We always drove by a Plymouth Dealer in Westfield NY, a very small town, one time we noticed 3 Plymouth Superbirds on the lot for sale. Those 3 cars sat there for at least 2 years before they finally one day just disappeared. Don't know if they sold or Plymouth sent em someplace else. I wish I would have known at the time how rare they would be.

I was waiting for dodge dart

Brother-in-law put a Ford V8 into an Austin Healy 3000. Tight fit. Corvette killer. Had to change the spark plugs thru the wheel wells.

My brother bought a new 68 Camaro 396 SS RS with the aluminum head option. It had all the options except auto trans.

What about the hemi darts and barracudas, true they were factory built drag cars, but if you're going to include the cobra, then why not them? There were much faster

kinda optimistic performance numbers. Car and Driver put Ken Miles behind the wheel and the 427 Cobra did 12.2 sec. Most of the other cars were 14-ish seconds. Went to Fremont Drags and a few 427 Vettes were there, c.1985, None broke 14 Sec!!

This video only scratches the surface when it comes to 70's muscle cars.

I love these cars. That '69 Camaro SS with a 396 and a 4-speed is amazing! That '69 Yenko 427 Camaro Super Car is legendary.

The Hurst 69 Hemi Dart and Hemi Barracuda with 833 4 speed and Dana 60 rear was the fastest period.

Interesting but forgot to include one car that beat almost all mentioned except last 3. That was the 1964 Studebaker super Lark R3. Ran 12.6-12.9 at 114 mph and could top 150+ mph or faster than a 63-64-65 Vette by 12 mph. In the Avanti it ran 178.5 mph top end or 40 MPH faster than those vettes

I used to run a Hemi horse cart to the Amish market. It was easily in the twelves. Around twelve minutes and 30 seconds to be exact 😁 🐴

First car a 67 Olds 442. Fast enough but 5 to8 mpg. After 2 weeks returned it to dealer for a loss and got a 70 VW Square Back. Electronic Fuel Injection, automatic trans 25 -32 mpg at top cruising speed of 81 mph, with up to 6 aboard. Backseat folded into 6 ft bed.. Rack on top carried rafts, tents ski equipment for high school ditch days,weekend river trips. Didn't frighten girls parents,300 miler to Nevada to Horse Ranch. Did consistent 23.4 second 1/4 mile at the Friday night drag race handicaps. Was passed a few times at the finish line by hotrods doing 150 mph. That car died in Fairbanks Alaska winter of 76. #3 sparkplug hole blew out at 155000 mi.

As a college student in 1969, I bought a '64 GTO, tri-power, 348 hp, 4-spd, posi-traction. I was in heaven. It was definitely fast. However, I had the chance to ride in a '65 Chevelle, 396, 375 hp, 4-spd a few years earlier while in high school. It was hands down faster, and there were even faster cars than that to be had especially late '60s Chrysler hemis. The 425 hp hemi was underrated and was the true beast. Did someone else have something faster? Yeah, there were faster cars out there but they were typically specialty cars. ANYBODY could buy a hemi without having to special order something. Another thing to remember, engines built in factories nowadays are the equivalent of having a blueprinted engine back then. A few guys had blueprinted engines but again those were specialty built. Back then carburetors mixed the fuel with air, and they were crude in comparison with today's direct fuel injection controlled by an ECU and multiple valves per cylinder not to mention those '60s cars had points and condensor ignition systems. Let's not even talk about drum brakes.

I think a lot of cars were left off here I have personally seen a bone stock 73 SD455 trans am consistently run 13.2 1/4 miles times

Great video on some great cars 👍

* I was around in those days. Those cars looked and felt so fast ! But now the lady next to you at the light with a kid in a car seat smokes you off the line in her 2.0L 4 Banger not even realizing she's in a race !!! 😳

Many of the times they are referring to were mags like Motor trend and Road & Track of the time. Remember these cars came with 70 series bias ply tires that basically had no traction for these torque monsters.

How many Ford models were absent.. like a variety of Mustang Models alone lol

Love this!!!

No 69 COPO Camaro or 68 Hemi Dart? Somebody needs to do some research on muscle cars.

Sorry but you guys missed the 1970 Chevelle SS. An iconic muscle car that should have been included

I wouldn't consider the Yenko Camaro's as a factory stock car that you could order from your local dealer, you had to have some "pull" to order these cars

How in the hell do you not have the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 on here ?

Great video, great cars,

Even some family cars had 400 horses or more. What a great era !!

My 1962 fuelie with 4.56 gear and 7inch cheater slick, went 12.48,@ 110mph

Whoever produces this channel should know that the automated narration is an instant notice that all information is highly suspect.

If you're gonna include the yenlo, you gotta let in the 64 T bolt 427 , The 64 413 max wedge . 2 engines that would wipe the floor with anything lined up in the opposite lane.

Missed the 1964 Ford Thunderbolt. A friend of my brother's had production line No. 4. (50 were produced to qualify for NASCAR) Built headers. 575 hp. Set stock records @ CDR (Continental Divide Raceway, Denver) Ended up banned by CDR. Too fast. No competition.

I've seen time slips in a 65 GTO glovebox from Detroit dragway. 1 /4 mile 15.38

How bout the 62 Impala SS 409 Dual Quad!!

Insurance was the killer in the muscle car era. I priced a 396/375 Camaro in 1969. Car payment $100/month. Insurance payment $100/month. In those days if you brought home $100 a week after taxes you had a pretty good job.

Its crazy how things have evolved. Big V8's with high HP and massive torque running 13 sec 1/4's. 60 years later we have 4 bangers like my wife's '21 Mazda 3 that can scoot a 1/4 in 14.4 secs. I know there's a lot more at play, but on the surface its just funny to think. Still love the classic muscle's though.

I was born in 1958, so you know I seen them all. My favorite is the 69 Chevelle. Can't touch that

I read an article in a Hot Rod Magazine years ago that listed the fastest 1/4 mile times of all the 60’s cars factory stock and at the top of that list was the 63 or 64 ( can’t remember which) Pontiac Catalina with the 428. Based on all the comments and conflicting data, this video, although entertaining, is not accurate.

How about a 65Chevelle -Z-16 BB - or 69 Chevelle SS - 66 Chevelle’s 427 -67-427 Impala SS ?

The good old glory days and Lion's Dragstrip and I never seen one of these cars do better than 13s (Shelby excluded) Lived it and breathed it. 😁

Excelente video un hola de la República Dominicana 🇩🇴

The 69 Ram Air 4 in either the firebird or gto is faster than the 64 gto. There is no boss 429 or 428 scj on this list. It should be.

that orange & black ‘69 Camaro SS 396ci. is beautiful.. all these cars are that pure ol’American Muscle!

The car i drove in my teen years in the 60s, was a 65 Plymouth fury 3. It came with a 383 four barrel carb, duel exhaust with a large cam, factory hurst four speed. In the floor. It looked more like a family car, but very fast. 13.8 in quarter mile. Loved that car

I hate that you show drag clips of Oldsmobiles losing! My teenage hotrod was a '68 Cutlass S. It used to eat IROCs & TAs. I bought the body for $200 and every Olds 98 & 88 with a 455 sitting in some old man's yard in my small hometown.

If the list was expanded to include muscle cars up to 1973, what would it look like? What about to 1979? The Olds 4-4-2 was faster in the early 1970s than it was in the late 1960s and the same for the Buick Grand Sport GSX torque monsters. Some of the early to mid-1970s Firebirds and Camaros were quick, too.

Graduated HS in 64, First Job, Assembly line Dodge Main in Hamtramck. Then to Chrysler HQ in Highland Park, Engine Design. Would spend many days in the Dyno labs. Worked there from 66-71. Many nice cars. Drove them all. Hemi, 440, 340, the favorite was the 426 Hemi. Chrysler had many hard years at that time. Regret leaving sometimes. But life was special back then. Spent 2 years in Nam in the middle.

Re the origins of the GTO name. Back in the day the standing joke was that the name "GTO" actually stood for "Gas, Tires and Oil"!!! 🤣🤣🤣

I really like this video PD Evolution keep up good work 😃👍

...not a great list....some of the info is wrong. Mostly 0 to 60 times. They were all around the 5 to 6 seconds....definitely no sub 5 second cars! No traction ,no tires back then.....i didnt wait till the end. The Vette and Cobra were not considered muscle cars they were exotic sports cars ...hi end for the day! ....The list forgot the Bad ass King Rat LS6 454 Chevelle!

had a 62 chevy belaire bubble top in the early 70,s. big cam,solid lifters,high rise,dual quads ,headers with a 4spd. never had no one beat me down hueneme rd. would smoke em in all 4gears when racing. what fun times that was.i was never ever beat!

Former 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner owner. Automatic, 383, B5 Blue. Loved that car.

This guy must hate all the badest muscles car’s ever made in this period , which were FORD’S, just for example the NHRA winners 428SCJ mustangs!!!!🐍

Having been there...magazines and dynos aside, on the street, from me own eyes: The 1966 Chevy 2 350 hp 327 was a gisnt slayer. In the world of big blocks, 375 hp (aka 425hp) 396 in any bodystyle with low rear gears (your choice) would hangwith Any other ride. Then the unabtainable Z-11 motor... NO I am NOt a Chevy fan, just reporting the way I saw the era.

Had a 68 RR 383, put headers on it straight pipes with GTO resonators at the end of the exhaust, Installed 430 gears and a short Hurst shifter. Rebuilt carb, Installed a Mallory distributor and all associated parts. Installed 12" ripple Walls in the rear. Had it dynoed and was putting out 410 hp at the wheels. There wasn't a 440 around that could touch me and I beat most auto hemi's! Track times were in the low 12's.

1962 Chevy Impala 409/409, maroon and 1965 Pontiac GTO ( 3 two barrel carburetors stock ) Green with black vinyl roof.

No Chevy SS Nova? Another bad list.

El camino 0-60 5.5s quater mile 13.0s???? You forger

Had a 68 Cutlass S coupe back in the 90's. Man I miss that car. So different from anything I have had since. Big curvy body and roomy, rode like a caddy compared to the newer stuff, and had that classic car feel to it. One of the best out of GM imho. Hope to have one again.

My stock little 65 Corvette 327/365 four speed with 4:10 rear end would/did embarrass these big blocks at low 13s and even sometimes high 12s in the quarter mile back in the day. Seriously a beast unacknowledged and should be included as a 'quick' muscle car. I've had a Chevelle 396/375 and an enjoyable car but the Vette was a great little small block. I enjoyed beating big blocks-enjoyed it very much, very much..

I thought that the fastest street legal muscle was the upgraded version of the Charger R/T 500, the Dodge Charger R/T 500 Daytona equipped with 426 hemi with the stage 5 scat package that made 550hp, and was aerodynamic thanks to the Jonh Pointer's design. If i recall correctly it's top speed was 190mph, the NASCAR racing version had the 426 super stock hemi with over 700hp and had a top speed of about 215mph...

No 1964 Fairlane Thunderbolt?

I had a 69 1/2? Javelin that did 12.9 in the 1/4. I think 340 Cubic, 280 HP? 4bble carb. Automatic transmission classified as H stock automatic! Never lost in my class (not a bunch of H stock automatics around) Made it to top stock 2 times! Lost to 426 hemis both times. I can't recall how much time I I was spotted but it was lots! Both times he pulled me close to finish line. At any rate 12.9 is faster than all but 3 cars on your list. Thanks, JB

~~The '64 Tempest (GTO) tri-power 389, 1/4 mile:13.1 is stock tires but w/slicks it ran 12.8 There were only 2 cars quicker 0-60 than the Tempest's 4.6 sec in the 60's. '63 Cobra 4.5 sec & '61 Cobra 4.3 sec however, again, w/slicks the Tempest nearly cracks 4 sec mark. Pretty damn impressive for straight off the production line mid 1963. ~~THIS GUY DESERVES PROPS FOR INCLUDING IT. I'VE SEEN DOZEN/MORE OF THESE LISTS COMPRISED OF WHAT LOOKS MORE LIKE BY POPULARITY THAN PERFORMANCE. EVEN ABSENT ON THE 0-60 LISTS IS THE NORM,POSERS,

3 cars that were missed that should have been on this list: 1963 Z11 Impala SS with the 427 W-Block Low 12s in the 1/4 @ 117 mph 57 produced 1969 Dodge Dart GTS 440 Low 12s in the 1/4 and between 115 and 120 in the 1/4 640 produced by Chrysler and 52 by Mr. Norm 1968 Dodge HEMI Dart 10.2 in the 1/4 @ 130 MPH 80 produced

The 67 GTO with a 400 and a single four barrel had more power than a '64 389 with Tri-power.

1964 ford Fairlane Thunderbolt 11.61 seconds at 124.8 mph

427 SC , 0 to 100 and back to 0 in under 14 seconds. Not bad for an old car. Heard that once , hope it's true for the Legend.