Subtitles section Play video
-
Top 10 Classic Muscle Cars
-
10.
-
1965 Pontiac GTO
-
Possibly the one to start the American muscle car craze, the Goat or 1965 Pontiac Tempest
-
GTO option featured racing car options that remained inspirational long after it was out
-
driven in speed and power.
-
From 0-60 in 6.1 seconds was not shabby, but not awe-inspiring considering the next 10
-
years of muscle cars.
-
Regardless, this muscle car has the chops to make this list just by starting the phenom
-
that has turned car enthusiasts into weekend warriors under the hood.
-
9.
-
1970 Buick 'GSX' Stage 1
-
A beefy Buick, the Stage 1 'GSX' performance package boasted 360 bhp though testers said
-
it came in at closer to 400 for the bigger valved, better headed and hotter camshafted
-
car.
-
This supercar did the quarter mile in 13.38 seconds and came in only two colors -- Apollo
-
White or Saturn Yellow.
-
8.
-
1969 Ford Mustang 'Boss 429'
-
The 'Boss 429' 1969 Ford Mustang was the costliest non-Shelby Mustang Ford offered at the time.
-
The reason came down to the semi-hemi 429 engine that Ford wanted to get into NASCAR.
-
While the car was not built for its screaming starts, it was known for long-haul racing
-
capabilities and smooth handling.
-
7.
-
1970 Plymouth Hemi-Cuda
-
The baddest of the 1970 Plymouth Barracudas or Hemi Cudas featured a 425 bhp 426 hemi
-
engine.
-
This muscle car boasted a 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and was known for burning rubber without
-
much prompting.
-
A brute on the road, the Hemi Cuda was made for muscle lovers.
-
The Hemi Cuda came in one engine size, 426, while the other four engine options for the
-
'Cuda did not have hemispherical heads.
-
6.
-
1969 Z28 Camaro
-
Not the most powerful, the 1969 Z28 Camaro was built for the excitement of road racing
-
and loved for its sense of style and handling capabilities.
-
Perhaps one of the most stylish muscle cars, this Camaro could do a quarter-mile in 14.8
-
seconds though only at a speed of a little more than 100 mph.
-
Despite that obvious lack of raw power, it was noted for its great handling with four-disc
-
brakes, positraction and power steering.
-
5.
-
1966 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C
-
Thought to have too much power for its chassis, the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C featured an
-
impressive 480 bhp.
-
This sporty little number looked like a European sports car, yet had the muscle to prove it
-
was American.
-
Two twin turbocharged versions of this super car were made -- one for Bill Cosby and one
-
for Shelby.
-
Cosby sold his because it had too much power and the next owner put it in a lake; Shelby's
-
Super Snake was sold in 2007 for $5.5 million US.
-
4.
-
1968 L88 Corvette
-
Boasting a top speed of about 170 mph with a special order package, the 1968 L88 Corvette
-
is thought to be the end-all, be-all in the Corvette world.
-
The 550 bhp motor was designed specifically for racing and GM didn't want the L88 on the
-
open road due to its power.
-
More standard features of everyday cars such as air conditioning and a radio weren't even
-
offered to make this powerful car less attractive to the common man.
-
3.
-
1970 454 Chevelle SS
-
The 1970 Super Sport package Chevelle featuring the LS6 package came in at a whopping 454
-
horse.
-
The option was standard for the average car buyer of the day making it one of the most
-
powerful stock cars anyone could purchase.
-
With racing stripes and a smooth interior, this muscle monger was the average muscle
-
lover's dream.
-
2.
-
1969 427 COPO Chevelle
-
A special order by dealers designated Central Office Production Order, the 1969 427 COPO
-
Chevelle had a limited run of about 320 cars.
-
This 450 bhp muscle car was fitted with a L72 427-cid V-8 due to demand from muscle
-
loving Chevy dealers.
-
Interestingly enough, Chevy didn't want their mid-sizes at the time to have more than 400
-
cid.
-
But the COPO Chevelles were made and distributed to some very happy dealers.
-
1.
-
1969 ZL1 Camaro
-
Perhaps one of the rarest of muscle cars, the 1969 ZL1 Camaro featured a jaw-dropping
-
500 horses under the hood in an aluminum V-8 engine.
-
This bad boy American beast could go from 0-60 in about 5.3 seconds, which was why some
-
of the 69 models made found their way into drag-racing.
-
Over time, the full complement of cars was sold; however, the package option was never
-
offered again.
