Top 10 Muscle Cars of All Time

1. 1970 AMC REBEL MACHINE

The Machine was a muscle car version of the AMC Rebel. The Machine featured a 390 cubic inch V8 engine with 340 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. It came with special heads, valve train, cam, as well as a redesigned intake and exhaust. This was the most powerful in any AMC vehicle while retaining features required for normal street operations, as well as components to assure outstanding performance characteristics without incurring high-unit cost penalties. The engine is fed by a 690-cfm Motorcraft 4-barrel carburetor, and pumped up a 10.0:1 compression requiring high-octane gasoline. A number of paint options were available for the Rebel Machine, but the most flamboyant option was a patriotic trim. This trim had the Machine painted white with red, white, and blue reflective strips.

2. 1970 PLYMOUTH GTX 440 SIX PACK

When introduced, the flashy GTX was the James Bond of the Plymouth line, meant to be a “gentleman’s” muscle car. It had the square-jawed looks of the Belvedere/Satellite line, but was dangerous when confronted, thanks to its standard 440 cubic inch V8 with 375 hp. Even with a minor redesign, the GTX had sales problems due to sharing many features with the Plymouth Roadrunner. Stylists made the lines smoother, and a “power bulge” hood was introduced, as well as non-functional rear brake air scoops. The convertible model was dropped in 1970. The Air Grabber hood was brought back, but instead of having two narrow openings running lengthwise as in 1969, it had one opening scoop located on the power bulge.

3. 1970 PLYMOUTH ROADRUNNER 426 HEMI

The 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner featured updated front and rear end looks compared to the 1968 model. Updates included a new grille, a cloth & vinyl bench seat, hood, front fenders, quarter panels, single-piston Kelsey-Hayes disc brakes, and even non-functional scoops in the rear quarters. The air grabber option on the front scoop featured a switch that would cause a vacuum servo to slowly raise the scoop to expose shark-like teeth on either side. Due to insurance companies adding surcharges to muscle car policies, sales for the Roadrunner dropped by more than 50 percent. A very rare version of the Roadrunner, a convertible equipped with the 426 Hemi was sold. Only three of these were sold in America and 1 in Canada.

4. 1971 FORD MUSTANG 428 SUPER COBRA JET

1971 marked the last year of the big block mustang with the 429 Super Cobra Jet. Due to ever increasing emissions control regulations and high insurance premiums, Ford began using smaller engines in their Mustang Mach 1 models. The basic strength of the Super Cobra Jet engine is in a more durable reciprocating assembly (crank, rods, pistons, wrist pins, flywheel/flexplate, and harmonic balancer) that was designed to withstand the higher RPM requirements of drag racing coupled with 780cfm Holley 4-Barrel carburetors. The total power output of the 428 Super Cobra Jet was 375 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. One of the most recognizable features of the ‘71 Mustang was the NACA hood with dual scoops. While they served no performance increase, a Ram Air option could be ordered to make them functional.

5. 1970 PLYMOUTH SUPERBIRD 426 HEMI

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird 426 Hemi was only available for one year. The Superbird was a highly modified variant of the Road Runner. The car is known for its aerodynamic nose cone and huge rear wing. The Road Runner cartoon character holding a helmet is featured on decals around the car. Only 135 Superbirds were equipped with the 426 Hemi engine. This engine produced 425 horsepower and could accelerate from zero to sixty in 5.5 seconds. The Superbird was developed specifically for NASCAR racing and was Plymouth’s follow-on design to the Charger Daytona built by sister company Dodge. In order to be accepted into racing, NASCAR rules stated that a vehicle must be sold to the public through dealerships in specific numbers. This lead to Plymouth building 1,920 Superbirds.

6. 1964 PONTIAC GTO

Originally the GTO was an options package for the Pontiac Tempest, available with either the two-door coupe, hardtop, and convertible body styles. The engine was a 389 cubic inch V8 rated at 325 horsepower. The engine featured a single Carter four-barrel carb, chromed valve covers, and seven blade clutch fan. The transmission was a floor-shifted three speed manual with a Hurst shifter. The GTO faced controversy when Car and Driver made claims that the GTO they received to review had been upgraded with the “Bobcat” kit for the quarter mile test. Pontiac denied the claim, saying their GTO’s had the 6.9 liter that was optional in full-sized GTOs. Nearly three decades later, Jim Wagner admitted to switching out the engines.

7. 1969 MERCURY COUGAR ELIMINATOR 428 COBRA JET

In an effort to raise their muscle car profile, Mercury introduced the Cougar Eliminator in 1969. The Eliminator came with two engines, a 302 cubic inch small block and the coveted 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet big block. The engine produced 335 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. Even more power could be obtained through over the counter dealer parts, such as upgraded headers and dual-quad carburetors. Like Mustang, the Eliminator offered the 428 Cobra Jet with and without Ram Air, although the Eliminator didn’t use the shaker hood, it’s standard scoop was only functional when Ram Air was ordered. A blacked-out grille, side stripe, and front and rear spoilers enhanced the muscular look, and Mercury offered the Eliminator in blue, orange, and yellow exterior colors.

8. 1969 FORD BOSS 429

The Ford Boss 429 (also known as the Boss 9) is likely one of the rarest and most valuable muscle cars to date. In total there were only 1358 Boss 429s made. The origin of the Boss 429 was the result of Ford trying to develop an engine that could compete with the Chrysler 426 Hemi. NASCAR rules required that at least 500 cars be fitted with the new motor and sold to the public before it would be allowed to race. The engine was derived from the Ford 385 Engine, using four bolt mains, a forged steel crank and connecting rods. After the engine was designed, the Mustang’s body needed to be modified to fit the motor, as the motor was too wide for the current Mustang body. While the 429 Boss was rated at 375 horsepower, actual output was well over 500 horsepower, with some claims that it made 600 or more.

9. 1970 BUICK GSX 455 STAGE 1

The Buick Gran Sport 455 (G SX 455) was a powerful muscle car built in 1970. The GSX Stage 1 was Buicks answer to the Pontiac GTO Judge. Advertised as “Another ‘light your fire’ car from buick” it came standard with a 455 cubic inch engine that produced 360 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. The 510 torque rating was the highest torque output of any American made performance car, a title it held for 33 years until being surpassed in 2003 by the series 2 V10 Dodge Viper. Only 678 GSXs were produced in the second half of the 1970 model year beginning in March 1970. Just 278 were equipped with the standard 455, making the GS X a very rare vehicle.

10. 1969 PONTIAC GTO THE JUDGE RAM AIR IV

Though originally intended as a budget machine to take on Plymouth’s Road Runner, by the time it showed up in showrooms in January 1969, it was a more expensive and visually aggressive GTO. Named after Sammy Davis Jr.’s “Here Comes The Judge” skit on TV’s Laugh-In, The Judge was a parody of the muscle car over decorated with stripes, spoiler, blacked-out grille and goofy “The Judge” fender decals. At the time, it was often derided as cartoonish, but there were a lot of cartoonish muscle cars being made back then. The Pontiac GTO The Judge Ram Air IV had a 400 cubic inch V8 engine that produced 370 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. Only 700 ‘69 GTO coupes were built with the Ram Air IV option and a rarer five Judge Convertibles were built with the option.