There is still a debate going on about which the proper first muscle car was, but it is evident of the fact that the 1960s were when these high-performance machines came into the scene. The formula of a muscle car was quite simple - a front-engined RWD layout and a big block, preferably a rumbling V8. Having a V8 that sounded sinister was the main criteria to turn heads and flaunt your muscle back then.
Well, till now, the formula hasn't gone out of fashion and still makes youngsters dreamy of owning one. And from the 1960s, automakers in America were hell-bent on surpassing the competition with better builds. This was very rewarding for consumers, as the muscle car segment provided us with better and more powerful cars year after year. If you take the 1970s, a ripe age for the muscle car scene, every manufacturer was in full swing, but Chevrolet and Plymouth dominated the scene.
The 1971 Plymouth Hemi'Cuda Convertible was a limited piece of muscle art. It could have been the best muscle car from the 1970s, if not for its exclusivity, which was only 11 units. The Chevrolet Chevelle SS happens to be the best muscle car from the 1970s, as it packed a fine balance of outrageous performance and accessibility for the masses. And it makes the mark, especially because of its meaty 454 cu in big-block option. The Chevelle was the OG muscle car that defined Chevrolet, way before Camaro entered and transformed the muscle scene
The 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454 also happens to be the most powerful muscle car of the time with 500 lb-ft of tire-shredding torque.
It Was In 1970 That The Chevelle Made The Competition Sweat With The SS
When we think of muscle cars from Chevy, Camaro is the first name that comes to mind. But well before that, the Chevy Chevelle ruled the muscle world. Chevy introduced the Chevelle in 1964 and it stayed along till 1977. The first few years were bland and it barely even stood up to the competition.
But with the onset of 'SS', things changed, quite rapidly. And the most influential of them all is the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, specifically the one with the 454 big-block V8, that smoked the likes of Pontiac GTO which stood at the peak of muscle car performance of the time.
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS With the 454 Big-Block V8 Is What Muscle-Dreams Are Made Of
The reason why the 1970 Chevelle SS cuts out to be the best muscle car of its time is largely due to its engine, more precisely the LS6 version of the 454. It was in 1970 that Chevy finally decided to relax its rule of capping the engine sized to under 400 cu in and it was the best decision they took.
Well, it also bought in an awkward situation that made the mid-sized Chevelle SS more powerful than the Corvette. The 454 big-block V8 pumped out a meaty 450 HP and 500 lb-ft, which was also supposedly understated by Chevy to keep insurance companies at bay! Experts estimate that the LS6 version with the 454 pumped out about 500 HP from the factory!
Along With Mental Performance, The Chevelle SS Also Got Cool Handling Upgrades With The LS6
To provide this meaty engine with all the air in the world, Chevy slapped on an indigenous cowl induction system on the hood. It was offered with the ZL2 package and used a flapper on the inner side of the hood to surge in more air during full throttle. This helped feed cold air to the 454's four-barrel holly carburetor.
The LS6 also came with a revamped heavy-duty suspension setup with IFS and a live rear axle with a 4-link setup. It also came with bitier front brakes to ease this monster. All of this was set up on a new A-frame platform that was more rigid and susceptible to the insane amount of forces at play.
This Tire-Shredding Monster Did 0-60 MPH In 6.1 Seconds While Looking Sober
Muscle cars are synonymous with creating tire smoke! Well, it is safe to say that the 1970 Chevelle SS was a pro at it. The Chevy Chevelle SS could do 0-60 MPH in just 6.1 seconds and crossed the quarter-mile in under 14 seconds. But to make it visually dramatic, the LS6 option also came with dual chrome exhaust tips, a blacked-out front grille, chrome rear bumper, and wheel arch moldings.
Other than those, it also came with SS standard bits like squared-off headlight bezels, rectangular taillights, and the iconic 2-part grille design with 'SS' carved in chrome. Its white dual-body stripes added a lot more character as well. Good luck finding a muscle car with such charisma now.
The Chevelle SS Had The Makings Of A Muscle Prodigy Inside-Out
The interior was also given a thorough update with standard bench seats and column shifter. The SS was unique with an SS badged steering wheel and an optional instrument cluster setup that included a 6,500 rpm tachometer, but came in as optional features. Interestingly, despite its intimidating performance levels, most consumers who bought it were intrigued because of its sheer comfort of transporting five occupants with ease.
It also had all of the comfort and convenience features including power steering, air condition, stereo radio, and could also be optioned with Strato bucket seats for added sportiness. Imagine finding a comfy muscle car with 500 horses of pure unadulterated power! The late 1970s were a golden era for muscles. The 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS was a catalyst in the muscle car world and helped define the drool-worthy car culture that we have today.
Sources: Wikipedia.org, Chevyhardcore.com, Horsepowermemories.com, Musclecars.howstuffworks.com, Topspeed.com