There is so much to say about the automotive industry of the 1950s, through the 60s and early 1970s. It was a season when federal regulations in the United States were reshaping the industry, and safety enhancements were getting more highlights. More significantly, there was also increased creativity from automakers, and stiff competition ensured a steady supply of breathtaking and history-changing ideas.
Many observers agree that the 1960s was a monumental moment in the automotive industry as Chrysler Mopar cars went head-to-head with Ford in the supremacy battle. Most of the influences of this period are still persistent in modern automobiles.
Looking back at what automakers such as Dodge did with the Challenger, Ford with the Ford Mustang, Chrysler with the Plymouth, and several more, you have can’t help but love the endeavors and the accomplishments of men and women that put their best foot forward to shape the industry. These effects went on to the early '70s when vehicles became more powerful, more important, and influential. Changing emission regulations and the 1973 oil embargo dealt a blow to the industry. It would be a long time before stability could be restored.
Muscle cars perplex us with their thunderous sounds, curvy designs, low-lying demeanor, and aggressive desire to compete at every available opportunity. In a sense, they feel entitled to more respect than others and try to demand it from all and sundry. But even in a class of champions, there are better performers. Several cars of the 1970s are considered the rare gems, the Holy Grail. The exorbitant prices of cars such as Carol Shelby’s 5.5-million Cobra Super Snake muscle car emphasize this observation.
In this post, we reflect on some muscle cars of the 1970s that actually pack immense power.
10 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express (225 HP)
The Dodge Lil’ Red Express did what no pickup truck had done before and not many have done the same to this day. Not only was this truck beautiful from the outside, but equally gifted at performance. It’s not surprising that Car and Driver acknowledged it as the fastest American-made vehicle to rise from 0 to 100mph in 1978.
At a time when emission regulations had become more stringent, engineers at Dodge took an upgraded 360-cubic-inch V8 engine and carved an amazingly outstanding truck. It was only availed in a bright red color with about 7,000 examples built-in 1978 to 1979. In those days, a pickup truck carrying an engine generating 225mph was a rare achievement. That’s how the Dodge Lil' Red Express found itself in the annals of history.
9 1970 Oldsmobile 442 (365 HP)
A vehicle managing 365hp in the '70s became unforgettable. The designation 442( or four-four-two) refers to the four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust. It was built just when General Motors had scrapped its rules on engine capacity in 1970.
The Oldsmobile 442(4-4-2) took advantage of the Rocket 455 produced earlier in 1968. It helped the Oldsmobile 422 to achieve the admirable 365hp and 500pounds-feet of torque. Still, there was a package known as the W-30, which was available and gifted in performance.
Related: 1965-70 Oldsmobile 4-4-2: Profile Of A Muscle Car
8 1970 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS (450 HP)
The Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport(SS) marked the company’s debut into the muscle cars building completion. In 1969, the Chevelles gained fame and brought fortune to the company. It was generally acknowledged as “America’s most popular mid-size car.” The 1970 version was restyled with redesigned interiors and the wide-ranging "coke bottle styling."
Several engine options were available, but the most potent of all was a 7.5L V8 454 cubic inch that delivered a claimed 450bhp and 500lb-ft of torque. Some enthusiasts argue that this was possibly the last one of its kind. In reference to this car, The Hot Rod Magazine issue of May 1970 proclaimed that “The past is gone. The future may never see a car like this.”
7 1971 AMC HORNET SC/360 (285 HP)
The first season of muscle cars was now declining fast, and companies such as AMC had to quickly think of ways to remain afloat amid fading fortunes. The company’s 360 and 401 V-8 engines became incredibly sensible for such a competitive season.
When this engine landed on the Hornet SC/360, it was dispatching 245hp from the two-barrel V-8. A four-barrel option producing 285 horsepower was also available. The Hornet X package built in 1972 took advantage of most discarded parts brought around in 1971. It was an affordable car that ticked all the right performance boxes.
6 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (290 HP)
Ford’s initial intentions with the Boss 302 and the Boss 429 Mustang was to homologate their racing engines. However, they went beyond this calling to become legends within the Mustang-loving fraternity and the muscle car enthusiasts. The other reason why the Boss 302 was built was to tackle the perceived prominence of the Chevrolet Camaro Z28.
The Boss 302 carried a 302-CID(cubic-inch displacement) V-8 engine that generated 290hp.To meet homologation requirements, about 6,500 Boss 302s were built and the project proved quite a success with higher sales being recorded.
5 1970 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Boss 429 (370 HP)
The Mercury Cyclone was offered in different versions in its bubbling days. The first one was the 1964 Mercury Comet with a more sporty look and an engine giving 210hp. Then there was the Spoiler I and Spoiler II.
It is the 1970 Cyclone Spoiler that projected a more excellent performance orientation. You could have it in either the black or white racing stripes. Front and rear spoilers were also available. The standard engine was the 429 CID V-8 Cobra Jet engine producing 370-bhp. Some have poised it as the company’s best muscle car ever.
4 1971Pontiac Firebird Trans AM 455 (335 HP)
This car was made with lots of specialty package gifts and became a darling of muscle car enthusiasts. As soon as it came around in the spring of 1970, it captured public attention as General Motors continued with the “Coke Bottle Styling.”
The standard engine was the 335-hp 455 High Output. The alternative option was a 325-hp version of the 455 offered in the ’71 Firebird Formula upgraded car. It was mated to a four-speed gearbox as standard and automatic were also available at an extra cost.
3 1971Dodge Charger Super Bee (425 HP)
Although the Dodge Super Bee ceased production in 1971, the nameplate came back variedly between 2007 and 2013. This is possibly a good way to underscore this muscle car’s importance in the golden era.
The Super Bee was offered in several 8-cylinder engine options which included the 340, 383, 426, 440. 1971 was the first and only year when this car carried a 4-barrel 340 Small-Block V8 engine that generated 275hp. In this year, only 22 of the Super Bee were made and they carried the more lethal 425 hp, 426 Hemi V8 engine. That gives you a good idea of just how worthwhile this muscle car was.
2 1971-1974Plymouth Roadrunner (375 HP)
There is a certain particular aspect that propelled the Plymouth Roadrunner to fame, and that was its relatively lower cost. In the period it was under production, the market had gratefully accepted muscle cars as part of the '70s culture, and this popularity made them pricey. The Plymouth Roadrunner sought to rewrite this narrative.
The Plymouth Road Runner was posing a serious threat to the Chevrolet and Ford alternatives. One review humorously opines that it “ was so inexpensive and powerful, it was popular with moonshiners of the era as it could outrun the police.”
From its 6.2 L 440-cubic-inch V8 engine, the Plymouth Roadrunner managed 335 ponies. Other options included a four-barrel CID engine that gave out 385hp and the enigmatic 7.0-liter HEMI V8 that wasn’t afraid to give out 425-horsepower.
1 1971 Ford Torino Cobra (375 HP)
The city of Turin, Italy, is the epicenter of automotive magic, more like Detroit in the United States. It’s in this spirit that Ford picked the Torina nameplate for its upscale muscle car. The Ford Torino came in 1971, a year when Ford repackaged and relegated at least 17 models, so much that it’s hard to establish which car gained or lost various attributes.
But the Ford Torino was outstanding and conspicuous, particularly because of its GT and Cobra models. That the Torino garnered Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award in 1970 is a true testament to these efforts. Out of more than 400,000 variants Torinos, Fairlanes and Falcons made that year, only slightly more than 7,000 of them were Ford Torino Cobras. Lots of engine options are available for the Ford Torino, such as the Ram Air 370 hp as well as the 429 SCJ producing 375 hp.