The mid-1950s saw a merger between Hudson Motor Company and Nash-Kelvinator to create American Motors Corporation. AMC's lot in life was to compete against the big three automakers, those being Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford.

Unfortunately, young ambition lacked the resources to mount a sustainable challenge, and eventually folded into Chrysler in the late 1980s. It was not all lost, as AMC created some impressive muscle cars in the 1960s during what can be called the Horsepower Wars, where each American automaker was trying to best one another with sheer numbers. AMC was right in the thick of it, with its humble lineup against titans like Plymouth.

10 1969 Hurst AMC Super Stock AMX: 4.9 Seconds

1969-amc-amx-super-stock
Via: Pinterest

One of the most powerful cars to ever come out of the late 1960s was AMC's AMC Super Stock AMX, modified by Hurst, a performance parts manufacturer. Hurst's SS AMX was equipped with the factory 390 engine and a four-speed transmission.

1969-amc-amx-super-stock
Via: Wikimedia

It was modified with an Edelbrock aluminum intake for dual four-barrel carburetors and produced 12.3:1 compression. While Hurst determined the horsepower to be somewhere around 340, the National Hot Rod Association apparently disagreed and figured the horsepower closer to 420.

9 1969 AMC AMX 390: 5.7 Seconds

AMC AMX
Via Mecum

For 1969 AMC made two different versions of the 390, each equipped with a four-barrel carburetor. One was tuned for the Super Stock AMX, which was to compete in the NHRA Super Stock Drag Race, and the other was the standard 390, which made just 315 horsepower.

1969-amc-amx
Via: Mecum

However, that was enough to get the car to 60 mph in an estimated 5.7 seconds, which is faster than a 1970 Chevelle SS 454. An AMX equipped with the "Go Pack" came with dual exhaust, power front disc brakes, positraction, and performance suspension.

RELATED: 10 Times AMC Built Awesome, Yet Underrated Cars

8 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler: 6.3 Seconds

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Via: Mecum

With the help of Hurst, AMC took a page from the newly published Muscle Car anatomy reference book and shoved a small block 390 into the Rambler, which was AMC's entry-level car. The Hurst S/C (Super Car) Rambler was designed to compete against the GTO.

1969-amc-sc-rambler
Via: Napaonline

In addition to the 390 mated to a four-speed manual transmission, the S/C was also equipped with beefy suspension, front disc brakes, a limited-slip differential, and a quick ratio steering rack. AMC also decided to equip the Rambler S/C with an Edelbrock high-rise aluminum intake, a Holley three-barrel carburetor, and a performance camshaft.

7 1969 AMC Javelin 390 V8: 6.6 Seconds

1969-amc-javelin
Via: Mecum

The Javelin was AMC's entry into the Pony Car category, against cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Optioned with the "Go Package" meant the car came with the same 390 producing 315 horsepower, and all the usual refinements like power front disc brakes, dual exhaust, and positraction.

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Via: Wikimedia

SST was a trim package that offered reclining front buckets seats, a wood steering wheel, and door panels. The car's estimated 0-60mph time is 6.6 seconds in this configuration, though testimony varies between 5.9 and 7.6 seconds.

6 1967 AMC Marlin 343: 7.0 Seconds

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Via: Flickr

The Marlin started as a variant of the Rambler but was dubbed simply "Marlin" from 1967 onwards. The car came with a 290 V8 but had two 343 options, one with a two-barrel carburetor and the other with a four-barrel. The latter produced 280 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque, with high compression of 10.2:1.

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Via: Pinterest

The 1967 Marlin shares a likeness with the same year Dodge Charger, which could have inspired this comparison from Motor Trend. Frankly, the biggest-engine Charger decimates the 343-equipped Marlin, but AMC made a better handling package.

RELATED: Check Out These Jaw-Dropping Photos Of Modified AMC Muscle Cars

5 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 426 Hemi: 5.1 Seconds

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hemmings.com

Sporting Chrysler's nearly unstoppable Hemi V8, Plymouth's Road Runner flexed and scorched its way to 60 mph in a rabid fury of just five seconds. Equipping the 426 with dual four-barrel carburetors, pumping out 425 horsepower, and mated to a four-speed transmission certainly helped.

1969-plymouth-road-runner
Via hemmings.com

It had almost 500 lb-ft of torque chugging it along as well.   AMC's only answer came in the race-ready Hurst Super Stock AMX. Unfortunately, Plymouth only produced about 780 of the 426 Hemi-equipped Road Runner.

4 1966 Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi: 5.3 seconds

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via mecum

Chrysler's race-ready 426 Hemi was deemed too extreme for street usage, with a performance tune and over 500 horsepower, so a different version was necessary to implement. In 1966 Chrysler made a detuned 426, with 425 horsepower, and instead of 12:1 compression, it used 10.25:1 with a less aggressive camshaft.

1966 Plymouth Satellite
via hemmings.com

If a 1966 Satellite came with a Hemi engine, it also had stronger suspension and the same drum brakes found on a police cruiser. Though it had the same Hemi as the Road Runner, the Satellite took a fraction longer to reach 60 mph, most likely due to its full-size weight.

3 1969 Plymouth Cuda 440: 5.5 seconds

1969 Plymouth Barracuda 440
commons.wikimedia.org

Crowding the Cuda's engine bay with a 440 might have taken more of a toll than on other, larger cars. The massive engine left no space for the booster that would power the front brakes, and power-assisted steering was also sacrificed for the massive Chrysler big block.

If Carroll Shelby had modified a Barracuda it might have looked a lot like this 1969 Savage GT
Via: Brad Barrie

Nevertheless, despite making significantly less power than the smaller, higher compression 426 Hemi at 375 horsepower, the 440 helped the Satellite to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, ever so slightly slower than the Satellite or Road Runner.

RELATED: 15 Memorable Mopar Muscle Cars You Wanna See

2 1969 Plymouth GTX 440: 5.7 seconds

1969 Plymouth GTX 1
via Hemmings

With an automatic transmission, the 440-equipped Plymouth GTX took 6.8 seconds to reach 60 mph. However, a 4.10 final drive chopped the time down to 5.7.  The GTX and Cuda used the same 440 "Super Commando" V8, which had a steel crankshaft, performance rods, high flow "906" cylinder heads, and a single four-barrel carburetor.

1969 Plymouth GTX 2
via Hemmings

There was a less powerful 440 with just 350 horsepower, thanks to restricted exhaust manifolds and a different camshaft. It'll take some extra detective work, but the 375 horsepower version is worth the extra effort.

1 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury Commando 426 4-speed: 6.2 seconds

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Via: Wikimedia

The Fury from 1965 with the Commando 426 Hemi came with an aggressive camshaft, performance valves, pistons, and spark plugs, 10.3:1 compression, and sat on heavy suspension. The Commando 426 made 365 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque.

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Via: Wikimedia

Tuned for street driving, the Commando 426 was perfect for a large sedan like the Fury. Despite its presence in the Plymouth lineup as a full-size car, the Sport Fury was quick for its class, reaching 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds. The Sport Fury Commando is one of the most iconic and rare cars Plymouth ever made.

NEXT: 10 Coolest Classic Plymouths That Are Unreasonably Cheap