Best Muscle Car real world performance and on the strip

[MRGTX]

So ignoring the super freaks of nature with many tens of thousands invested, tube chassis, etc, which Muscle Car era platform was the best performing in the real world?

I suspect that A-Bodies, especially the 108" wheelbase cars, fare extremely well in this measure....but I'm not sure.

How do they compare to the early Camaros and Novas? IIRC a 340 Demon/Duster would walk away from a Nova 350SS...but does this apply to all trim levels?

What do you remember from back in the day?

Does the relative scarcity of Mopar components factor in in 2013?

 

[67redcudavert]

The 340 cars were good performers on the street back then, could hold their own even against base model engine big block cars.

The 62-67 Novas were very light cars, much like the early A-bodies. There was a 350HP 327 option in 66 only. They weighed under 3000 lb. Bill Jenkins ran one in A/S heads up against Jere Stahl and his 66 Belvedere 1 Hemi. They were pretty evenly matched, neither one dominating over the other.

I've heard that when Chrysler was developing the 340 cars that they used the 66 Nova 327 as their benchmark.

I had a 69 340 4sp. Dart Swinger in the early 70s. It was a fun to drive, quick car. I really enjoyed the time I had with it until it got rear-ended and totaled.

Gary

 

[DartIan]

It all comes down to the hemi dart and fairlane thunderbolt....factory racers.

 

[1970Duster]

The 340 cars were good performers on the street back then, could hold their own even against base model engine big block cars.

The 62-67 Novas were very light cars, much like the early A-bodies. There was a 350HP 327 option in 66 only. They weighed under 3000 lb. Bill Jenkins ran one in A/S heads up against Jere Stahl and his 66 Belvedere 1 Hemi. They were pretty evenly matched, neither one dominating over the other.

I've heard that when Chrysler was developing the 340 cars that they used the 66 Nova 327 as their benchmark.

I had a 69 340 4sp. Dart Swinger in the early 70s. It was a fun to drive, quick car. I really enjoyed the time I had with it until it got rear-ended and totaled.

Gary

66 and 67. It is known as the L-79 option code. It is a 327c.i. Pumping out 350hp. That is about the fastest small block I've ever driven (in pure stock form). The motor and car combo is a factory big block killer :twisted:

 

[younggun2.0]

only car that was completely stock that surprised me was a mercury cougar xr-7. i think they had the 351 in them. rode in one a few years back and it got up pretty good.

 

[69 Cuda 440]

I guess when you say Musclecar, it must be a 'streetable' performance car, and
not a factory Super Stocker.

Mopar

The 1962 Dodge '413 Ramchager' 413/415 HP (11.0-1 Compression) Dual-Quad
with 3.91 Gears and Automatic was 'pretty potent' and damn near unbeatable with
a few tweaks, while still being able to drive it on the street.

* Dealer-installed 4.56 Gears, Headers and a few 'Valve-Body' adjustments, and
they were 'unbeatable'.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chevrolet

1962 Cherolet Impala SS 409/409 HP 'Dual-Quad' 4-Speed, scared everybody.
The only problem, the rear-ends would blow-apart if they left the line too hard.

From a 'rolling-start', tough to beat.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ford

The 1962 Ford 406/405 HP "3 x 2-Barrels" never caught on with the 'Street/Strip
Crowd', and usually got 'blown' away during the Bowling Alley Saturday Night
Races.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pontiac

The 1962 Pontiac 421/405 HP 'Dual-Carbed' was 'too expensive', and didn't lend
itself as an easy 'Streetable Musclecar'
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------