The Right way to "Restify"!!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was a little peturbed at the way some enthusiast magazines are building their Musclecar based project cars. Hot Rod just had one called "Project Disco" based on a 1979 Z/28 Camaro. If they wanted to make it '70's style cool-they should have built a snarling small or big block and maybe added a Richmond 5-speed, and flared the fenders to clear monster tires on Center Line or Minilite wheels. What did they do? Put a 2010 LS3 fuel-injected Corvette motor in it! How is that "Disco" or late '70's chic?  Popular Hot Rodding has one called Project Olds, which is based on a 1965 Cutlass. They've already got 40 grand invested in it, and their not finished. And like I said earlier, it has a Baer 4-wheel disc brake system worthy of a NASCAR Nextel Cup champion, a Hotchkiss air ride suspension and sway bars, special front upper and lower control arms, special rear trailing arms, 18 inch wheels and tires, Recaro-type bucket seats, a beefed up 700R4 tranny, and an aluminum headed-roller-cammed 455 Olds engine. The pricetag and option list is identical for their "Project Talledega" a Nascar-themed 1975 Chevelle Laguna, the only difference being the 408 inch solid-roller small-block Chevy for power. Same for a 1965 Mustang called "Project Streetfighter". Wildwood 4-wheel discs, aftermarket rack and pinion steering, suspension,  subframe connectors, recaro seats, and a roller cammed 427 inch stroker motor backed by a Tremec five speed.. Doubtless these cars are wicked fast and fun to drive, but big deal!! Anyone can buy a car for $5,000 bucks, put another 35 or 40 grand into it and make it badass. I'm not impressed. What did impress me was a 1965 Pontiac Catalina and a 1964 Olds 442 that I saw at Hot August Nights last year. The Catalina had American Racing Torq-Thrust mags on it, and at first glance, just looked like a well-maintained or restored '60's Pontiac.  It was a wicked sleeper, however. Closer inspection and a conversation with the owner revealed that it had power front disc brakes pirated from a 1971 Catalina. It also had wrist-thick front and rear sway bars that came off a 1966 Pontiac Ambulance. The Torq-thrust mags looked period correct, but they were 16 inch, and shod with 255/50/VR16 Goodyear Eagles. The engine looked stock, but instead of a garden-variety 389, it was 400 out of a the same 71 Cat that suppled the disc brakes, with a stroker crank to make it 461 inches. It had ported 6X heads, the long-branch exhaust manifolds had been ported and extrude-honed, the cam was an Eddelbrock Torker grind, and it had an Edelbrock Performer intake painted Pontiac blue, topped by a 750 Carter AFB. His dyno sheet showed that even with iron exhaust manifolds, the motor pumped out 429 hp and a Godzilla-like 544 lbs ft of torque. This big car would literally spin its tires as long as you wanted to stay on the throttle, handled like a slot car, and looked bone-stock! And the guy had $18,000 in it, including the $3,500 purchase price of the car!  The 1964 442 was similar. It looked stock, right down to the wheels. But the engine wasn't a 330, it was a 350 out of a 75 Cutlass. But it had 1968-72 350 heads on it, which raised the compression from 8:1 to about 9.5:1. It had a W31 cam which gave it a badass lope, but stable idle. It had an Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold painted the factory color, and a Petronix electronic ignition under the point-type cap. It had a 4-speed, but it wasn't a Muncie. It was a T10 with a 3.44 low gear and 2.28 second. It also had 75 Firebird front spindles and disc brakes, and Trans-Am front and rear sway bars. It also had a 1984 T/A steering box with the ultra-fast 12.7:1 ratio. The stock-looking wheels had 225/60VR15 BFG Comp T/A tires on them. It handled like a Trans-Am, and ran like a Z06 Corvette, and looked like any other 64 Cutlass. And the guy had less than 25 grand in it.  The point I'm making is, both of these cars had incredibly improved acceleration, braking, and handling, without ruining the essence of the cars and without spending 50 or  100 grand. People may say I'm splitting hairs, but in my mind a 65 Malibu that someone swapped the 283/ Powerglide setup for a 350 / Turbo 350 like they might have done in say-1969 is cool. A 65 Malibu with a modern LS motor and an electronic six-speed auto is not.  Like I said before, you wouldn't buy a 1965 Harley-Davidson Sportster and put a Fuel-injected Twin-Cam and six-speed tranny out of a 2009 Softail would you?  If you bought a WWII vintage .45, it might have an enlarged ejection port or oversize target sights, installed by a gunsmith in the '50's, but you wouldn't put a laser beam and a compensator on it would you?  You buy something old because it's different from what's new, good and bad. Mastermind                    

The Last of the Mohicans

It's funny how public opinion is. The first of something, is always considered cool, while the last of something is often treated like Rodney Dangerfield- "No Respect." However, some of these "Last" models can be steals for the musclecar enthusiast, especially if he wants a driver and not a trailer queen. I'll list them in no particular order. # 1 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1. In 1974 the Mustang II was introduced. Based on the Pinto, it was a disaster. A V8 wasn't even an option. However in 1973 you could still get a "Real" Mustang. The top engine option was a 351C with a 4-barrel rated at 266 hp. However, quite a few were built with 351C 2-barrel engines that were rated at 177 hp. The 2V heads are actually better for street use. And Edelbrock makes a 4V Performer manifold that works with the 2V heads. For some reason, even Ford collectors snub this car, which makes them great buys for the rest of us. # 2 1976 Pontiac Trans-Am. I know that 400 cube T/A's were built until 1979, but 76 was the last year you could get a 455 with a 4-speed.  No their not as fast as the 1971-72 455HO models or the 1973-74 455SD models. But they can be bought for a fraction of the price of the older more sought after ones, and with minor work-intake, exhaust and maybe a cam change, can easily equal or surpass the performance of them as well. # 3 1974 Dodge Charger. Richard Petty won a ton of races in this bodystyle. The last "Real" Charger. The 1975-77 models were based on the ( Ugh! ) Chrysler Cordoba. The 400 and 440 V8s were still available, and 360 versions can be real bargains. # 4 1982 Chevrolet Corvette. The last C3 "Stingray" bodied model, as there technically is no 1983 Corvette-the C4 was introduced in March 1983 as a 1984 model. These are unique because it was the first year the 700R4 4-speed automatic was offered, and the first year "Cross-Fire Injection" was offered. The base powertrain that year was a carburated 350 and a three-speed Turbo 350 automatic. They weren't bad performers, and they make nice weekend cruisers, and they can be hopped up easily. And one of the few times you'll hear the words "Cheap" and "Corvette" in the same sentence. Even Vette collectors snub these cars in favor of the 1980 and earlier L82 models or the 1984 and later ones. But that keeps the prices low for bargain-hunters. # 5 1977 Olds 442. The last "Real" 442. By "Real" I mean based on the A-body Cutlass with an engine over 400 cubes. Olds tried to revive the nameplate in the '80's but those models were based on the downsized G-body, and had anemic 307 inch Olds motors that wheezed out about 140 hp. In 77 you got a 403 which moved them along briskly, and the handling was excellent. Because they were used in so many Pontiac Firebirds, there's actually a good amount of speed equipment available for these engines.  These cars may not be rockets in stock trim, but they are very nice drivers, and with a little work can be great sleepers. Mastermind    

New tricks for old dogs!

I mentioned in an earlier post that a lot of musclecar owners like to have stock-looking sleepers. A lot of them like to, or because of necessity, build them on a tight budget with inexpensive, but power-producing new or used parts. Especially if you don't have a numbers-matching engine anyway, you can build a real stormer for very little money. A couple of good examples-if your Chevy has a 327 or 350 small-block in it, upgrading to "Vortec" heads can give you an easy bolt-on 40 hp boost. They can be found in junkyards, but don't waste your time. A brand-new pair from Scoggin-Dickey or Summit is about $650! You'd spend that much buying used ones and having them redone at a machine shop, and they won't be able to do the trick valve job that GMPP does. You'll have to buy a Vortec-style intake manifold, but Edelbrock sells Vortec bolt-pattern Performer RPM manifolds for about 200 bucks, that will add another 20-25 hp. Stock the heads are good with cams up to .480 lift, but for a few extra bucks Scoggin-dickey sells them machined to handle cams up to .550 lift. This is a screaming bargain, as they breathe better than any factory iron heads, and as good as some aftermarket aluminum ones for a fraction of the price. The same is true for small-block Mopars. 1992 and later "Magnum" heads are plentiful in junkyards because besides Dodge Trucks, the 318 and 360 Magnum motors were also used in millions of Jeep Cherokees. Like the Chevys, the magnum heads will bolt up to earlier 318,340 and 360 blocks, but you will need a "Magnum" style intake. Again, Edelbrock to the rescue. This combo breathes better than any factory 340 or 360 heads and are way cheaper than aftermarket aluminum ones. Or, just buy the whole "Magnum" engine out of a wrecked truck or jeep and build that for your musclecar!  The same goes for Ford guys. 302 "Explorer" heads breathe better than any factory iron 289, 302 or 351W head, and are plentiful in junkyards. Or Ford Racing sells their GT-40 heads for 302s and 351Ws that really rock. And they use a "regular" 302 or 351W intake. Have a small-block, stick-shift Camaro, Nova or Chevelle and want a huge acceleration boost without changing rear end gears? 1975-77 Vegas had Saginaw four-speeds with 3.11 low gears and 2.02 second gear ratios. With 3.08 rear gears, it'll come out of the hole like having 4.11s with a muncie 4-speed, and still get good highway mileage. Also look for 4-speeds out of a 1980-82 Z/28 or Trans-Am. These were Borg-warner T10s with a 3.44 low, and a 2,28 second gear! In both cases you'll have to spring for a decent Hurst or Mr Gasket shifter, but that's a small price to pay for the performance boost your getting.  Mastermind    

"Hidden" modifications that can make your "stock" Musclecar faster

A lot of musclecar enthusiasts want to keep theirs stock, or at least looking stock, but still want to improve the car's performance or get faster e.t.'s at the drags. Here's some tips that will work on any make or model, and be invisible to onlookers, or even tech inspectors. ( Unless they tore the engine apart ). # 1 Ignition. Nothing is more irritating than your car not running or even starting because the points are closing up. And, you may get point bounce above 4,500 rpm.  Replace your point-type distributor with an electronic one. MSD, Accel, and Mallory all sell factory-style rebuilt HEI distributors for GM, Ford and Mopar applications. These units have a more performance oriented advance curve than a generic stock replacement like you find at Autozone, and will improve starting, driveability, and fuel economy. If you want to be really stealthy Petronix offers kits that convert a point-type distributor to electronic, and fit under the stock point-type cap!  #2 Carburation. Although they had great throttle response and all-around performance, the Carter AVS four-barrels that came on most 340, 383, and 440 Mopars from 1965-71 only flowed about 585 cfm. Put the original in a box, for show day or in case you want to sell the car to a "just as it left the factory" type. For a noticeable power increase, buy an Edelbrock Thunder AVS carb. They are available in 650 cfm ( perfect for a 340 ) or 800 cfm ratings. The 800 cfm carbs will really "wake up" a 383 or 440, with no decrease in driveability or fuel economy. They can also be used on hotter 340 or 360 applications. For GM guys, Summit Racing, Jet, and other companies sell performance-jetted Q-jets in 750, 800 and 850 cfm ratings. Use the 750s on engines under 400 cubes. The larger ones work better on the bigger motors-454 or 455 inches.  Fords need improvement here too. The Autolite 4-barrel on most 289 Mustangs only flows about 470 cfm.  A 600 cfm Edelbrock Performer or 600 cfm Holley with Vacuum secondaries would give you a vast improvement. On larger engines, 351 on up, I'd use the 750 cfm Edelbrock or a 780 cfm vacuum-secondary Holley, in place of the horrible Autolite 4300.  # 3 In the early '60's Chrysler found more performance not in the engine, but the transmission with the Torqueflite which was a quantum-leap up from the old hydra-matics. Even if your musclecar has a Torqueflite, Turbo 350 / 400, or C4 / C6, you can improve the performance. B&M, TransGo and other companies offer shift kits and adjustable modulators that are easy to install. These will allow you to precisely tailor full-throttle shift points to any rpm you desire, and improve-part-throttle operation as well. Another hidden modification you can do is a slightly higher stall-speed converter. Unless your running a super-radical cam, a 2000 rpm converter will give you about 500-600 more rpm on takeoff than a stock converter, which will cut 0-60 times noticeably, and won't hurt fuel economy or driveability, even if you have mild 3.23 gears.  # 4 Camshaft. Most musclecar engines, especially big-blocks, can use a little more cam to build mid-range and top-end power without adversely affecting Idle quality or low-end torque. Check with the cam manufacturers on what's right for your engine/transmission/axle ratio. The right cam can add as much as 50 horsepower without affecting anything else, and no one will ever know. # 5 Cylinder heads. Good flowing heads can add 50 or more hp stealthily, and more if paired with intake, cam and exhaust upgrades. Ford Racing, GMPP and Dart offer performance Iron heads for small-block Fords and Chevys, and big-block Chevys. Unless someone checked the casting numbers, no one would know. Edelbrock offers high-performance Aluminum heads for just about anything. You could paint them the stock color, and none but the most discerning eyes would ever be able to tell. # 6 Cubic inches. If your rebuilding the engine anyway, you might as well increase the displacement. More cubes always mean more power and torque, even if all the other factors ( i.e.-cam, carb / intake, exhaust, etc ) are identical. There are crank and piston kits available to turn a 350 Chevy into a 383, or a 396 into a 427, or a 427 into a 454. There are kits to turn a 302 Ford into a 347, a 351W into a 392 or 427, or a 460 into a 514. There are kits to turn a 360 Chrysler into a 410, or a 383 /400 into a 451, or a 440 into a 500.  There are kits to turn a 389 / 400 Pontiac into a 428 or a 455.  Now go build a sleeper!  Mastermind        

"King Kong" isn't always king!

We all say we want the ultimate version of any musclecar, but in reality it's often not true. I love the new Dodge Challenger, and the gearhead in me says get the 475 hp 6.4 liter SRT8 Hemi with the six-speed and 3.92 gears. However, I'm thinking about relocating to the San Francisco area from my home in Reno, Nevada because of an awesome job opportunity. I'd only be three hours away from my longtime friends and family. In reality, if I do buy a 2011 Challenger the extra 10 grand the SRT8 costs over the R/T, will make me buy the "Lesser" model. But hey-the R/T's  5.7 Hemi with "only" 370 hp will be enough for me, and since I'll probably spend a lot of time in Bay-Area rush-hour traffic, or commuting over Donner pass to see my kids and friends, the automatic and 3.06 gears will be the right choice for ease of operation and nice high-speed cruising. This happened a lot to buyers back in the glory days. That's why there are a lot more 383 and 440 Chargers and Road Runners than there are Hemis. I know two guys that had 1970 Mustangs. One was a Mach 1 with the 351 "Cleveland" and the other was a Boss 302. The guy with the 351C loved it, and kept it for 15 years. It was cool-looking, fast, the engine idled smoothly, the seats were comfortable, and the suspension didn't rattle your fillings loose. In other words, you could live with it every day. The guy with the Boss 302 sold it in less than two years. The stiff clutch made city driving a chore, and the 4.30 gears made the engine buzz at 4,000 rpm on the freeway. Plus, the solid lifter 302, while undeniably fast only made power between 3,000 and 7,000 rpm. I also knew two guys who bought early '70's big-block Camaros. One went nuts and ordered a Motion Phase III Camaro. These were even beyond Yenko models. This one had the vaunted LS7 454 which featured 12.25:1 compression, a solid lifter cam that was hotter than the either the L88 or LS6 grind, Hooker headers and sidepipes ( with or without slip-in glasspack mufflers ) a Muncie M22 Rock-Crusher or specially-prepped Turbo 400, and 4.56 or 4.88 gears, and Lakewood traction bars. Deending on driver skill, these were low 11 or high 10 second cars. The dealership my dad worked at raced one, and with only the addition of slicks, it ran 11.01 at the drags! The other guy got a regular 396 Camaro with 3.42:1 gears, 10.25:1 compression and a hydraulic cam. Same thing, the guy with the "mild" 396 model loved it.  The Phase III buyer hated it. It idled about 2,000 rpm, pinged on premium fuel, and you could not time it. If you backed the timing up where it didn't ping, it lost a ton of power. If you timed it where it ran good, it tried to ping itself to death even on 100 octane gas. It got 5-8 mpg, obviously because of the 4.88 gears. The Hone overdrive was supposed to reduce the gear ratio to 3.42, but it could only be engaged in high gear, if it engaged at all. The traction bars made the ride stiff. And you could not take off with street tires. Below 3,000 rpm, the engine would bog. Above 3,000, and the car would light the tires up all through  first and second. The buyer just checked the biggest number on the option sheet without realizing what he was getting into,- a race car with liscence plates. He traded it in on  a hydraulic-cammed, 8.5:1 compression, LS5 454 72 Corvette with an automatic and 3.36 gears and was happy as a clam. So go ahead and dream, but if your going to drive the car at all, in reality a 390 hp 427 Vette might make you happier than an L88 or ZL-1.  Mastermind  

If your going to drive it, make it as nice as possible!

I've joked about people saying incredulously-especially if it's raining-"You DRIVE that car?" While there are quite a few "trailer queens"-i.e. show cars that are rarely, if ever driven, most of us don't want a $25,000 piece of garage jewelry that we show to people. Most of us do drive our beloved muscle cars. Maybe not for daily transportation, but on weekends or nice days. Some of us ( Gasp! ) may even put 5,000 miles a year on them. If your buying, or already own a musclecar you plan to drive somewhat regularly, here's some good tips to make it a pleasant experience.  #1 Know your driving style and needs, and maybe change your option list ( stick or automatic? ) , or ( within reason-i.e.-axle ratio ) even modify the car accordingly. Here's a tale of two Trans-Ams.  I had a 1978 WS6, 400, 4-speed T/A that I absolutely loved. The 3.42 gears were a great compromise between jackrabbit starts and top-end charge. ( 5,400 rpm was 128 mph ). I surprised the hell out of many 5.0 Mustang owners in the mid-80's. But I lived in a city of 300,000 people. I drove maybe 3 miles to work, and 0-60 speed was important. My cousin had a 400 powered 78 T/A but his was an automatic with 2.56 gears. He absolutely loved the car. He lived in rural Missouri, 30 miles east or west of the nearest small town, and 90 miles away from the nearest large city. 99% of his driving was at highway speeds, so the 2.56s made for easy cruising and good gas mileage. And the top-end was unbelievable-the car was going like 143 mph at 4,700 rpm ( According to a radar reading from a cop ). Any impromptu "speed contests" he got into were going to be from 60-100 mph. So if, you live by cornfields, 4.10 gears might not make for the best driving experience. A four-speed can be fun, but not in inner-city rush-hour, stop and go traffic.  #2 A non original carb can be a boon to driveability. If your a Ford fan, you know that the Autolite 4100 and 4300 four-barrels were the worst carburators ever made, bar none. Brand-new, they didn't work right. Crappy ( even for a musclecar ) gas mileage, hard-starting, flooding, hesitation under load. I worked for Ford in the '70's, and if you had a Mustang with a 351C or a T-bird with a 460 and you griped hard enough, the dealers would put 600 Holleys on them and warranty them! This is how the #6619 and #6919 became emissions-legal in California! I recommend the Edelbrock Performer series-no power valves to blow, no gaskets below the float level, adjustable secondarys, and they just flat work. Mopar guys-rejoice- Edelbrock makes AVS's now too! If you have a 72 and later model with the Thermo-Quad-use it as the doorstop it is, buy an adapter or change the manifold, and put an Edelbrock on it, if you want to drive it. GM guys-Jet and other companies make performance rebuilt quadrajets, unless your running an aftermarket manifold / carb setup. Believe me, this will make your life much easier than a bleeding over, 35 or 40 year-old carb with warped throttle shafts. (Store that numbers matching piece of junk for resale or show time.)  # 3 GM guys with pre 1965 full-size cars or pre-1967 A body automatics-Change 'em! The awful "Slim-jim" in full-sizes won't shift over about half-throttle, and no one makes shift kits for them. By changing the driveshaft yoke, and shortening the driveshaft a tad, you can swap in a Turbo 400 that works like a dream. You can even use the stock shift linkage, (they have the same number of detents even though the pattern is different) just remember that reverse is now low. Slim-jims mount the starter on the bellhousing, and Turbo 400s on the block. Most 1963 and later blocks are drilled and tapped for a starter anyway. Earlier models may need this done but it's not a big deal.  The A-bodies-Chevelle, Cutlass, GTO etc, are even easier. A Turbo 350 will bolt right in place of a two-speed Powerglide ( Chevys ) or Super Turbine 300 ( BOP applications ). You don't even have to change the trans mount or driveshaft yoke. The car will drive way better, and be quicker. You can use the stock linkage here too, but you won't be able to manually engage low gear. No big deal, a shift kit can make it automatically kick down to 1st under 20 mph. Mopars after 1962 had the excellent Torqueflite, so you guys are exempt, as are Ford guys with C4's and C 6's.   # 4. Put modern tires on it. Save the Coker tire replacements for show duty. Modern Radials ride, handle, stop, last longer and are more puncture-resistant than 40+ year old bias-ply designs.  Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind      

Sorry to disparage your car... But Puhleeeze!!!

Talked to someone the other day who was aghast at me driving my 442. "You drive that car?" "Yeah." That's why I bought it, because I wanted to drive it." "If I wanted one to look at, I'd buy the Franklin Mint model."  Another said in the same sentence that he didn't care that his wife had plowed their $60,000 Escalade into a fence during the last snowstorm, but "Didn't Dare" drive his 340 Duster to work even on nice,sunny days because it was "Too Valuable" to risk someone running into it. Excuse me? Did you ever in this lifetime think that you'd hear the words "Duster" and "Too Valuable" in the same sentence? Hemi 'Cuda yes. 340 Duster, no. Another guy I know who likes Firebirds was aghast when I suggested he paint his 79 403 Olds powered Trans-Am Like a "Macho T/A" since Phoenix Grapghics now carries the stencils. "But that would ruin the value!" he wailed. Really? How much "Value" does a 32 year old Pontiac that came factory equipped with an Olds engine have anyway? And if he wanted to sell it to someone, how much money would he "lose" by painting it a non-original color? There were 117,000 T/A's made in 1979 and only 10,000 had 400 Pontiacs with 4-speeds. The other 100,000 plus were 403/Automatics. Not like changing the color on one of the 374 1971 Judges,eh?  I wouldn't drive a 69 Boss 429 much either. But a 351W powered 69 Mustang fastback of which 70,000 plus were made? I'd drive the crap out it. Maybe put the numbers-matching motor in my garage and install a 450 hp Ford Racing 392 or 427 inch 351W-based stroker to make it a badass sleeper. See what I'm saying? A 1968 427 Yenko Chevelle is worth major bucks. A 307, powerglide, drum-braked taxicab interiored Malibu is not. A 69 Hurst/Olds is worth a ton. A generic, two-door Cutlass or F85 isn't. I've said it before and I'll say it again, play with base models all you want. Their great if your on a tight budget. But a 69 350 Tempest is never going to be worth 69 GTO or Judge money, all other things being equal. And the same for some "rare" options-two-speed automatics, three-speed sticks, column-shifted bucket seat cars, radio or heater-delete models and two-barrel step-down engines aren't collectible their just weird, and no one but the guy trying to sell it thinks it's cool or worth anything. Your two-seat 390/4-speed 1970 AMX? Way cool, and valuable. Your 304 automatic 1973 Hornet? Uh-uh. Mastermind       

One and two-year models that are cool

  There are a lot of one and two year models that manufacturers thought were going to be successful, but weren't for various reasons-market conditions, or the cars weren't promoted by the factory or dealers or whatever. But there was nothing wrong with the cars, and they might be bargains that are priced less than the "Traditional" musclecar choices. # 1. 1970-71 Pontiac Tempest T-37 Often called "The poor man's GTO" this car was built as a low-priced "insurance beater" performance package. These cars had bench seats instead of buckets, and the standard powertrain was a 350 V8 with a three-speed manual. However, the 400 and 455 V8s were optional, as was a Muncie 4-speed or Turbo 350 / 400 automatic. Prices will be higher than a plain-jane Tempest or LeMans, but still substantially cheaper than a GTO.  # 2 1971-72 Chevrolet "Heavy Chevy" Chevelle. These cars were Chevy's T-37. A 2 dr Malibu with the domed SS hood, blacked out grille, and 14 inch slotted rally wheels. Any engine from a 307 to a 402 was available, but most will have 350's. Again, may bring more than a base Malibu, but will be way cheaper than a same-year SS.  # 3. 1970 Olds Cutlass "Rallye 350". Not a 442, but still cool. These cars had a super loud Sebring Yellow monochromatic paint job, a "Judge" type rear spoiler, and a 310 hp 350 V8. I hate to be a broken record, but it has to be said-I'd pay more for one of these than a base Cutlass or F85, but not 442 or Hurst/Olds money. # 4 1967-68 Ford "California Special" Mustang. These notchback coupes had Shelby-style taillights, side scoops and graphics. Engine choices range from a 289 to a 390. 390 models will bring more green naturally. Again, worth more than a base Mustang, but not Shelby money. # 5 1974 Pontiac GTO. The coolest Nova you can buy outside of a Yenko Deuce. This is the year Pontiac based the GTO on the X-body ( read Nova ) platform. These cars had a Trans-Am style "Shaker" hood, unique graphics, and Radial Tuned Suspension that included front and rear sway bars. The only engine was a 350 Pontiac rated at 200 net hp, backed by a Turbo 350 or a four-speed. Since they only weighed about 3,200 lbs- they actually performed pretty good for the times-15 second 1/4 mile times. But magazine writers and Pontiac purists howled to the high heavens because the GTO was no longer based on the LeMans platform and had an engine under 400 cubes. So the package only lasted one year. Pontiac collectors snub these cars like the plague, so you can get one at a good price. And a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap. # 6 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck. These-short-bed, stepside half-ton pickups had a special red paint job, semi-like chrome exhaust stacks, chrome 15X8 wheels, LR60-15 tires and a hotted-up 360 V8, a Torqueflite and 3.55 rear end gears. Except for a Pontiac Trans-Am or L82 Corvette, this was the fastest american-made vehicle available those 2 years.  Any of these cars would be a way to have something you don't see every day for not a lot of money. Mastermind            

Overkill!!

A lot of magazines are doing classic musclecars as project cars. I don't begrudge these magazines "Restifying" these cars. No one except a concours show enthusiast wants to read about someone building a car totally stock. Hey-I can deal with the aluminum Edelbrock heads, the hydraulic or solid roller cams, and the five-speed sticks and four-speed automatics these buff magazines use to "Improve" the performance of these classic cars. What irks me is some of the other "upgrades." For example, unless your hot-lapping at Laguna Seca, why does every project car have to have four-wheel aftermarket Baer or Wildwood disc brakes? I'm all for safety, but honestly-the front disc / rear drum brakes on the average GM A or F-body, Chrysler B or E-body or Ford Mustang aren't adequate to stop the car safely during daily driving or even during a weekend trip to the drags?  If the car is older-say pre-1969 and had four-wheel drums from the factory you have to go with a $3500 aftermarket 4-wheel disc setup?  If the car is a 1964-72 GM A-body you can't write an article about how easy it is to use 70-81 Camaro / Firebird spindles, rotors, calipers and master cylinder for a cheap, reliable junkyard or local auto parts store upgrade?  If it's an early '60's Impala or Pontiac Catalina or Gran Prix, you can't possibly use the front disc brakes off a 1970 and later Impala, Catalina, Bonneville or Olds 88?  The same for rear ends. A GM 10 or 12 bolt or a Chrysler 8 3 /4 or a Ford 8.8 isn't adequate? I have never seen anyone break one of those under normal conditions. Even with drag radials, the tires spin before anything breaks! You "Gotta have" a 9 inch Ford setup? If you have a 700 hp motor with nitrous, wrinklewall slicks bolted to the rims, and your launching at 5,000 rpm constantly, then yes, you might break the axle. But for god's sake-If it's a "Street Machine" like these cars are supposed to be-driven on the street and occasionally taken to the drags-do you need an axle worthy of a NASCAR stocker or Top-Fuel dragster?  The same for handling "upgrades". If you want to Autocross or slalom, I could think of a dozen cars that are way better choices than a 4,000 lb 1960's GM A-body. Ford Mustang or Chrysler B-body. Like a Honda S2000 or Mazda RX8 or C4 or C5 Corvette. You want to improve the handling- how about articles on what factory sway bars interchange from model to model, or that an '80's WS6 T/A steering box will fit A and F body's from 1964-92? No, they have to write about complete aftermarket sub-frame swaps, rack and pinion steering swaps, aluminum or tubular steel control arm swaps, etc. You want a Porsche 911, then go buy one. But don't try to turn a 1965 Cutlass or 1970 Road Runner into one!  LIke I said earlier-you wouldn't buy a WWII Colt .45 and put laser sights on it.  I love musclecars, but guys, sometimes you get waaay away from the basics. Just had to vent on this. Mastermind            

The welterweight champ

 Sometimes lost or overlooked by people in their frenzy for big-block Camaros and Chevelles, 400 or 455 GTOs and Firebirds, and big-block Challengers and Chargers, is a very cool and great handling car. The 1968-74 AMC Javelin / AMX. The Javelin was AMC's entry in the then-wildly popular Trans-Am racing series. The displacement limit for Trans-Am racing was 305 cubic inches. Early on Plymouth Barracudas used Chrysler's trusty 273 V8, and Ford Mustangs did nicely with the 289. Then Chevy got into the act by putting a 283 crank in a 327 block creating the legendary 302 Z/28. Ford responded with the Boss 302. AMC started with a 290 inch V8 in the Javelins, and then upped it to 304. On the street however, cubes, were king. The optional 343 and 390 AMC V8's really couldn't compete with the big dogs from GM, Ford and Chrysler. The top AMX 390 only put out 315 hp. The base 383 in a Road Runner was rated at 335, and the 440 was rated at 375. The base Pontiac GTO was rated at 350 hp, the RAIII and RAIV grossly under-rated at 366 and 370. A 428 Mustang was grossly underrated at 335 hp. Ditto for the 396 Camaros and Chevelles that were rated at 325 and 375. Any of these cars would run off and leave a Javelin in a drag race. However the Javelins handled exceptionally well and were a well-balanced all-around package. When Mark Donohue and Roger Penske switched from Chevrolet to AMC, and the Javelin was made more aerodynamic, they won the Trans-Am  Championship in 1971 which greatly increased sales. And the new 401 V8 was now rated at 330 hp. However, GM had lifted the 400 cu. in. limit on A-bodys in 1970, so Chevelles, GTOs and 442s were now running around with 454 and 455 inches. You could get a 455 in a Firebird Formula or Trans-Am. The 440 and 426 Hemi was available in the Mopar E-bodies. The new Mustang had the 429 as the top engine option. The Javelins were still outgunned in that respect. But then as now, they made really nice drivers and can be made to perform well. Edelbrock even makes High-Performance aluminum heads for AMC V8s if you want to "Restify" one. Plus, like Pontiacs the engines are all externally identical, so if you wanted to swap a 304 for a 360 or 401 it would be a bolt-in swap. And like I said in an earlier post, the 360 was used in Grand Wagoneers up until the early '90's, so you can probably find a running or at least rebuildable engine in a junkyard if you needed to. 1968-70 Two-seat AMX models have kind of a "Cult" following, and may be a little pricey, but "Regular" Javelins-i.e.- ones with a back seat are relatively cheap. 1971-74 models have swoopier styling and more luxurious interiors. 4-speeds are Borg-Warner and the automatics are Torqueflites, so you won't have any transmission problems. And they were excellent handlers. Except for the Corvette or a Firebird Trans-Am, you won't find a better handling '70s car. Stock or modified, your not going to throw fear into the hearts of any LS6 Chevelle or Six-Pack Road Runner owners, but you will have a good-performing, good handling, good-looking car that you don't see every day.  That's why I call them the "Welterweight" champ. Mastermind  

The "Other" El Camino!

 The Chevy El Camino has it's place in musclecar history. Anything that was available on an SS Chevelle  ( Including the mighty LS6 ) was available on an El Camino. They have a bit of a "cult" following of their own. However, if you want a hot-rod elky and can't find one, you might Consider a Ford Ranchero. Forget early and mid-60's models. They were based on the Falcon and most had six-cylinder motivation. The biggest V8 was a 289. Like their Chevy counterparts, the 68 and later models are the most desirable. 1968-76 models are based on the Fairlane / Torino platform. 302 versions get good mileage and make nice daily drivers, but are underpowered for performance work. The 68-69 models to look for are the 390 V8 versions. The 70-74 models that are the best bang for the buck have 351C's under the hood. Some 70-73 models may have 429s! Those are fairly rare and, probably pricey, though not as much as a 454 El Camino. Some 74-76 models may have 460s. However, they'll be a low-compression "station wagon" engine. On the upside, regardless of year or sheetmetal a 460 V8 in a 3900 lb machine can be potent with a little work. The 1977-79 models were based on the LTD II platform. They had more interior room, and a longer wheelbase, which means better ride and handling. The downside was the powertrains were even more emasculated. The top engine option was a 351M or 400M with a two barrel carb and salt-flats gearing. The upside is, their are performance parts i.e.- heads, cams, intakes, etc available for these engines, and they share the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the 429 / 460 family, so you could swap one of those in without too much hassle. And gears are readily available for 9 inch Ford rearends. I know Ford and Chevy guys agree about as much as Raider and Steeler fans, but you might just find a bargain. Mastermind

Base models can be fun,if your realistic

The good thing about the musclecar era is just about every model that people would give blood and a first-born child for were option packages on a standard model. Even "Stand Alone" models-were based on something. The GTO may have been a separate model, but it's based on the LeMans. Ditto for the 442/ Cutlass, Plymouth GTX/ Satellite, Super Bee/ Coronet, etc. If your on a tight budget, a base model may be the way to go. You may not be able to afford a Trans-Am, or Formula 400 / 455, but there are hundreds of thousands of Base model Firebirds and Firebird "Esprit" models that are dirt cheap. Most of these built from 1970-76 had 350 Pontiac V8s under the hood. ( See "The other 350s" post for performance tips ). The good thing about Pontiacs is the engines are externally identical from a 326 to a 455. This means you could literally bolt a 400 or 455 in place of the 350 with minimal hassle. Some "Esprit" models of this period had 400s as options. Some 77-79 models might have the anemic 301 Pontiac-( The motor mounts and the bellhousing pattern is the same, so a 400 will still swap in, but unlike the 350s, the 301 heads, intake, exhaust manifolds, etc are different and don't interchange with the 326-455 stuff ) Some "California" and high altitude models may have 350 Chevys. Then you basically have a Camaro. The performance potential of these cars is limited only by your wallet and imagination. The only downside is don't expect Trans-Am money when you try to sell it. The same goes for 2 dr Chevelles and Malibus, Cutlasses or LeMans models. The GM A-body is a great base for a driver, drag racer, NASCAR tribute, autocross ( Yes, GM engineered an awesome chassis all those years ago, and there are factory and aftermarket suspension parts that make them handle like Porsche 911.)  Again Don't  expect SS 396 or GTO money when you sell it. mastermind

Forgotten "Modern" muscle machines that may become classics!

Musclecar enthusiasts are a finicky lot. We all love the '60's and 70's classics, and some of us have bought, or at least lust after the new 412 hp Mustang, 425 hp Hemi Challengers and Chargers, and the new 400/426 hp LS3 Camaros.  However, not all of us can afford to buy either '60's classics, or the new ones. 30+ thousand dollars or $500-600 per month payments is a lot of money for any car, much less a 2nd or third one. Be honest, most musclecars or Corvettes, either old or new are not used as daily drivers. For those of us on a limited budget, there are quite a few cars with excellent performance potential available dirt-cheap that "Bridged the Gap" and kept the faith through the '80's and '90's, and are largely the reason we have the "Muscle Renaissance" going on now.  # 1 This was a no-brainer. 1983-93 Ford 5.0 Mustang. I left off the 82 model that had a two-barrel carb and a four-speed, that was really a 3-speed with overdrive. Their fairly rare anyhow, not that you'd want one. The 83-86 models had 4-barrels and 5-speeds, and don't cost any more. The 87-93 fuel-injected models are the best performers and most reliable. Except for a 69 Camaro, there is probably more speed equipment available for these cars than anything else on the planet.  #2 1993-2002 Z/28 Camaro/ Pontiac Trans-Am. LT1 versions had 300 hp stock, and you can increase that by 150 so easy it's almost criminal. 98 and later models had the LS1 which was rated at 320 and has unlimited potential. # 3 1982-92 Camaro/ Firebird. On the downside, most had 305 Chevy V8s for power. On the upside a stout 350 or 383 stroker is literally a bolt-in. Some 87-92 Z/28, IROC-Z, Trans-Am and Formula models may have the L98 TPI Corvette motor. These will be pricier than base models, but still a screaming bargain.  # 4 1987-92 Lincoln Mark VII LSC. These cars had Recaro-style seats, sport suspension, fat tires, a monochromatic paint job, and the heart of a 5.0 Mustang. Almost any speed parts that fit a Mustang will fit these cars.    # 5 1989-95 Ford Thunderbird. Swoopy styling and independent suspension make these great drivers. Supercharged V6 models are cool, but may be a little pricey. The real bargains are the 91-95 models with the 5.0 V8. Again, just about anything that fits a Mustang can be adapted to these cars. # 6 1985-91 Corvette. Corvette collectors snub these cars in favor of the later LT1 and LS1 versions, but that saves the rest of us money. I have seen these cars on used car lots and on Ebay for as low as $3995! The L98 TPI 350 runs great stock-( low-mid 14's ) and there is a ton of emission-legal speed equipment available for these cars. Something to consider if  your on a tight budget and still want to go fast. Mastermind        

7,8 & 9 second "Street Machines" ? Come on, Man!!

You don't see this in Musclecar Review or Hemmings Muscle Machines, but you see it in Hot Rod, Car Craft, and every other enthusiast mag on the market. An article on some "Real Street" drag event where the winner is a 7 second Nova or 9 second Chevelle or Road Runner, or some blown, nitroused Fox-bodied Mustang. It's relevant here, because a lot of these cars are Classic Musclecars. I'm sorry guys, but a car with an 8 or 10 point roll cage-( Required by the NHRA on any car faster than 11.50 ) , rolling on 29 inch slicks, powered by 12:1 compression 500 ci, 700 hp engine backed by an automatic with a 4,500 rpm stall converter and trans-brake, is not a street machine, it's a race car with liscence plates. How many of these cars arrive at the "Street Drag" events on trailers?  And how many are driven at all really? Even with 4.56 gears, your 55 mph cruising rpm is still going to be well below the converters stall speed. Just how far toward soccer practice can mom go before burning up the tranny? I took quite a bit of heat from people in Hot Rod and Popular Hot Rodding calling me names I won't mention here, and telling me to go buy a Camry if I wanted a mild-mannered commuter. Contrary to these letter-writers I am not a "Candy ass." I can tolerate loud exhaust, or a rough idle-the cam in my 442 has .474/510 lift. I'll trade highway fuel economy for blistering off-the-line performance. My GTO had 4.33:1 gears. Yes, anything is drivable, depending on what the driver is willing to tolerate. But eventually, you hit the wall of diminishing returns. A case in point. I had a friend who bought a Cobra Replica Kit Car. It had a blown big block in it. Was it fast? It was ungodly fast-it ran something like 9.90 on his first pass down the quarter, after which he got banned from the track for not having a roll cage and a driveshaft safety loop. Did he drive it on the street? Occasionally. Was it nice to drive? Well, you tell me. You had to crane your neck to the left to see around the blower to drive, it had no top, no side windows, no power steering, no power brakes. If it idled for more than a minute it got hot, which turned the cockpit into a sauna. Drivers and passengers alike burned their legs on the sidepipes, and about every 5th time he got on it it would spit a half-shaft out the Jag rear end and have to be towed home.  He kept it a year or so, and then sold it, because once the thrill of people riding in it and losing control of their bladders was no longer amusing, it just became in his words- "More trouble than it's worth." He did buy another Cobra replica, but this one had a 5.0 Mustang powertrain, and was in my pal's own words- "A helluva lot nicer to drive and way more dependable than the other one, even though it's not nearly as fast."  Mastermind    

Like the Smokey Robinson classic-"You better shop around!"

   Prices on musclecars can vary widely, and I'm not talking about the difference between a Trans-Am and a Formula 400, or a Shelby Mustang and a Mach 1. I'm talking apples to apples, the exact same car. Believe me the prices can still vary by a huge amount, and the condition or mileage of the car doesn't necessarily reflect a higher or lower price.  During the last "Hot August Nights" festival a guy was trying to sell a freshly restored 1970 Boss 302 Mustang for $75,000.  The car was awesome. It looked like it had been kept in a climate-controlled time capsule, or that every nut and bolt on it had been replaced or refurbished. I'm sure the latter was the case. However the car didn't sell, and the owner was gravely disappointed. The reason it didn't sell? Two other Boss 302s went through the same auction, and did sell. The blue one-or excuse me-"Calypso Coral" model sold for $44,500. That's thirty grand less!!  That's the price of a new truck to tow it home with!! And the one for 45 grand looked just as good as the other one that was priced at 75. The paint was flawless, the interior had no cracks in the dash or rips in the seats, all the equipment (down to the california smog pump) seemed to be correct. The other Boss 302 was a Hugger Orange model, and it was rougher than the other two. By rougher, I mean it was probably driven or raced regularly, as opposed to garaged and trailered like the other two. The front seats showed signs of wear, the paint was a little oxydized, and it had numerous "parking lot" chips and such on the body. But it was all there, and the engine ran good. And the price it sold for was $32,000!!  A steal if you ask me. At the same auction a guy was trying to get $24,000 for a low-mileage 1979 10th Anniversary Pontiac Trans-Am. It was a 403 Olds/Automatic model. The same day a 400, 4-speed, WS6 10th Anniverary T/A sold for $14,000. That's 10 grand less, for the better car! If I remember correctly the 403/slushbox model had 30,000 miles on it, and the 400/4-speed one had 67,000 miles on it. Otherwise, they were both in excellent condition. However, any Pontiac collector will tell you that a 400/4-speed late '70's T/A is worth way more than a 403 Olds/Automatic version, all other things being equal. At this same auction two 1964 Olds Cutlasses came through. One was a pristine F85 coupe, with the 330 V8/ Super Turbine 300 automatic ( The BOP two-speed "Powerglide" ) combo, and bucket seats, console, loaded. It sold for $6,500. The other had a later-model "unoriginal" 350 Olds engine in it, and it was only "driver" quality much like the previously mentioned Boss 302,-but it was a 442, with a four-speed!!. It sold for $3995!!  In my mind, I'd rather have a 4-speed 442 than a "powerslide" F85 any day of the week. For "Restifying" purposes you could swap in a 455 Olds and make it really badass. Or, if you wanted it original, a 1963-67 330 Olds engine is not a moon rock like a Boss 429 Ford or 426 Hemi Mopar! And on the resale market, numbers-matching engine or not, a 4-speed 442 is always going to be worth more than an automatic F85!  So who made the "better" deal?  The bottom line is do your research and don't lay down for the first car you see. You may save big bucks, and get a better car.  Mastermind      

Don't pay big dollars for junk!!

This sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be amazed at the number of people I meet who paid top-dollar for something that not only is not numbers-matching, but is a thrown-together piece of junk. Let me explain-Case # 1. Guy was interested in a 70-81 Camaro, preferably a Z/28, but he'd settle for something less if the price was right. He was a customer of mine, knew about my knowledge of Musclecars, and that I was always willing to tell people if cars they were looking at were the real deal or not.  Yet, for some insane reason he brought the car to my shop to show it to me, AFTER he'd bought it and signed all the papers.  When he asked me what I thought, he was crushed.  The car was a 1970 Camaro, that I would call a "20 Footer". I.E.-it looked good from 20 feet away, but upon closer inspection it was a mess. It was blue with a white vinyl top. The color was the Bright Blue used on late '80's IROC-Z's, not any '70's color. And it was an "Earl Scheib" type job- a $300 quickie paint job with runs and orange peel all over it. The vinyl top was obviously new, but I could see that it had been slapped on with no prep-there were rust bubbles under it. It had a 350 and a 4-speed, although it was originally a six-cylinder,three-speed model, but I knew even before I checked the vin that the powertrain wasn't original. The 350 had both an EGR Valve on the intake manifold and an HEI distributor. GM didn't use HEI until 1975, and EGR wasn't used until 1973. The trans was a Saginaw 4-speed, but not the 2.54 low-gear ratio one that came in a lot of non-Z/28 Camaros and Small-block Novas with either a Hurst or Inland shifter. It was a 3.11 low-gear unit out of a Vega, that still had the horrible Vega shifter. Remember-the one with the trigger that you could never find reverse with?  I mean, the guy who built it couldn't spring 100 bucks for a decent Hurst or Mr. Gasket shifter? It had a custom-fitted carpet dash-cover velcro'd to the badly cracked dash, and the seats and door panels had been spray painted black with that horrible vinyl paint that auto parts stores sell for $2.99 a can.  It had nice tires on it, but they were mounted on Pontiac Rally II wheels. And he'd paid 6 grand for this shitpile!!  Case # 2 This moron wanted a late '70's Pontiac Trans-Am. After passing up a decent 400, 4-speed, T-Top equipped 77 Formula ( For $1,700!! )  This fool paid $2995 for a 77 T/A that I thought was quite underpowered when I drove it, even for an automatic with 2.41 gears. And the Shaker hood scoop didn't fit right. I looked under the hood and found the culprit. 77 T/A's either had 400 Pontiac motors in them, or California and High-Altitude models had 403 Olds engines. Those were the only two factory-installed engines that year.  This car had a 350 BUICK under the hood, and the reason the scoop didn't fit, is it had a two-barrel carb and air cleaner assembly!! I asked him didn't it seem odd that a Trans-Am couldn't even spin the wheels? Did the guy even open the hood when he was selling it? UGH!!  Case # 3 This idiot paid top dollar for a 1970 LT-1 Corvette. The vin showed it was an LT-1 car, but again, it didn't have the LT-1 engine. And again, I broke the sad news to the new and now suicidal owner AFTER the dummy had bought it. I knew as soon as he opened the hood. An LT-1 has a 780 Holley carb on an aluminum manifold. The 350 in this Vette had a Quadrajet on an iron manifold. Lt-1's have "2.02" heads with the "Camel-Hump" casting mark. These did not. LT-1s have the famous "Ram's Horn" exhaust manifolds, this one did not. "Why didn't you have me look over this car BEFORE you bought it?" I asked.  "I thought the guy was telling the truth." A Car salesman Lie? I never heard of such a thing.  The bottom line is, if you don't know, find someone like me who does, or go on the internet or buy a book like HP Books "Guide to GM Muscle Cars." Or Fords or Mopars. Even places like Borders have them, and you can order them from Summitt Racing or Amazon.com. Like the old saying- "Buyer Beware."  Mastermind  

There is no "Used Car Factory!!"

 I get sick of people moaning that they can't find the type of musclecar they want, and usually the problem isn't price. These people are too picky. They act like it's still the 1960's or 1970's and you can go to a local dealer and order your dream car.  Except you can't. These cars we love are all more than 30 years old, so the chance of you finding one that has the exact engine, transmission, axle-ratio, interior trim, and color scheme you desire is almost nil. There is no used car factory to order from. You think I'm kidding? Here's some true stories about people I know that DIDN'T buy very cool cars in good condition at reasonable prices, because They weren't "Exactly what I was looking for." Idiot # 1 wanted a 1970-72 Z/28 Camaro with the LT-1 engine. He passed on an unrestored, but exceptionally well-maintained '70 model because it was an automatic. He also passed up a gorgeous four-speed 72 model "Because it wasn't original." The problem? It had a set of headers on it, and a #4779 Holley 750 double-pumper carb on it instead of the original #3310 780!! Idiot # 2 wanted a 1965-66 Shelby GT350 Mustang. He passed up a slightly rough, but running and rust-free 66 GT that had the 225 hp 289, factory air, factory front disc brakes, the Rally-Pac guages, the "Pony" interior, and the original "California Megaphone" exhaust system with date-coded mufflers intact. For $2,500!! His objection? "It's still not a Shelby."  Idiot # 3 wanted a 1968-70 GTO with the 400/4-speed powertrain. He passed up a nice 68 model because it didn't have the hood tach or disc brakes. He passed up a great '70 model because it was an automatic. When he turned up his nose at a gorgeous 400, 4-speed, loaded, hood tach equipped Carousel Red Judge, I had to restrain myself from literally strangling him to death. His objection? "It's a fake." Mind you, this was a pristine 1969 GTO. Not a Tempest or LeMans that someone cobbled up, it was a for-real, numbers-matching 400/ 4-speed GTO. However It was not a Judge. The car dealer had bought it at a private auction, and figured he could get more money for it if it was painted like a Judge, and admitted this when we said we knew it wasn't a "Real" Judge.  But it was a "Real" GTO and it was a first-class paint job, and all the decals and emblems were in the right place. And the guy agreed to lower the price substantially if we wanted to make a deal. "It's a fake." my stupid friend said. I got angry. "This is the nicest GTO I've seen in years, and everything but the Judge paint job is correct." "And the price is right." "Christ, if your that anal, get the paint code from Pontiac historical services and paint it the original color!" "But your never going to find another car this nice, at this price!"  "It's still a fake."  That was 10 years ago, and he's still whining that he can't find a GTO. The bottom line is, you might have to lower your sights a bit, but you can still find a great car at a fair price if your reasonable about your expectations.  Mastermind      

Stop this Genocide!!

I've said it before, but I have to reiterate. I am sick to death of every enthusiast magazine on the market featuring classic GM Musclecars with modern Chevy LS motors, Vintage Mopars with 5.7 or 6.1L Hemis, and vintage Mustangs, Cougars and Torinos with fuel-injected 5.0 or 4.6/5.4 Modular motors. If you want an LS3 engined Camaro, SRT8 Hemi Challenger or mod-motored Mustang GT, then head to your local Chevy, Dodge or Ford dealer and buy one!! Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't care if someone put an LS3 Vette motor in a non-SS 2 dr Chevelle or Malibu, or even a Pontiac Tempest or Olds Cutlass. But there's apparently a lot of people out there with more money than brains!! One magazine featured a guy putting an LS7 ZO6 Vette motor and a Tremec 6-speed in a Pristine, Numbers-matching 1970 GTO Judge!!!  He couldn't find a beater LeMans to hack up? Another featured the same swap going into-in the magazine writer's own words- a "For-real Numbers-matching, four-speed 69 SS396 Chevelle. " Another featured a guy who bought a 1972 Trans-Am that "Was a show car in the '80's". He not only Chucked the rare and valuable 455HO engine and replaced it with an LS3 and modern six-speed automatic, he replaced the front subframe with an aftermarket unit and the 10-bolt bosi with a 9 inch Ford rearend!!  He couldn't bastardize one of the millions of beater 70-81 Camaros and Firebirds out there, no, it had to be one of the precious few remaining one of 1,286 72 T/A's ever built!!  Mopar idiots abound too. I have seen countless 68-70 Chargers and Super Bees with 6.1L Hemis in them, as well as several 1970 and 71 Challengers and Cudas with this conversion. Ditto for Fords. If I see one more 1965 Mustang with a 5.0/ T5 or 4.6/ Tremec 3650 drivetrain out of a '90's or 2000's Mustang, I'll committ Hari-Kari.  Admittedly, the "5.0s" are probably cheap enough now for the "Average Joe" to play with, but the other engines are so new, these guys aren't buying them for 500 bucks out of a junkyard, their paying 5,10 or 15 thousand dollars for these motors, PLUS all the electronics it takes to make them work!  Yes the new fuelie motors are awesome. But you buy something old because it's different from what's new. If you were a gun collector and bought a WWII vintage Colt .45, would you put Laser Sights on it?  If you were a motorcycle enthusiast would you buy a 1965 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide and put the Fuel-Injected Twin-Cam engine and six-speed tranny out of a 2010 Softail in it? If you were a guitar player, would you buy a 1962 Fender Stratocaster and put new pickups and a "Whammy bar" on it?  I figure 99% of the people reading this would say not only no, but "Hell no!!"  Then why in the world do people think it's ok to ruin classic cars? I'm not a "Just as it Left the Factory" Nazi. I know people modified their musclecars. That's fine as long as the mods are "Period Correct." A 67 GTO with headers, Cragar S/S mags, and an Edelbrock P4B intake is just as cool now as it was in 1968. I'm even cool with putting a stroker crank in that GTO and making the 400 a 455, for stealth horsepower and torque gains. But a 69 Camaro Z/28 with a TPI 350 or LS motor, 4L80E trans, DSE subframe and rack and pinion steering, a 9 inch Ford rearend and 4-wheel Brembo disc brakes is not cool, it's sick and wrong. Just had to vent. Mastermind            

Want an alternative Muscle Mopar? Get a "C" body!

With everyone fighting with machetes over A,B, and E bodies, finding one for sale at any price can be hard, regardless of your bankroll. You can still enjoy Mopar Muscle and at a lower price than the more sought after models. Here's some great examples.  #1 1969-78 Plymouth Sport Fury. I remember Peter Graves driving a '70 model on Mission: Impossible. Most had 383, 400 or 440 cubes under the hood and a ton of luxury options. Much like the 1969-76 Pontiac Gran Prix offered GTO-like performance in a luxury package, these cars offer a lot of "Bang for the Buck." 318 and 360 versions will be even cheaper, but are a little underpowered in these big cars. #2 1969-77 Dodge Polara / Monaco. "It's got a cop motor, a 440 inch mill." "It's got cop tires, cop brakes, cop shocks." These famous words by Elwood Blues never rang truer. Even if it's not an ex-police car, these models still have 383, 400 or 440 motivation, front disc brakes and comfortable interiors. The 2-door models are even good-looking. # 3 1969-77 Chrysler Newport. Same story- a big luxurious car with big power under the hood. Early '70's "Hurst" models are rare, but don't worry; their not bringing Six-Pack Road Runner prices. 1975-78 Chrysler Cordoba / Dodge Charger. Huh? a "Moldy 'Doba on this list? At this point in the '70's the Olds Cutlass and Pontiac Gran Prix were the best-selling cars in America. These cars were Mother Mopars answer. The horrific "Lean Burn" ignition systems and salt-flats gearing made them dogs. However, a lot of them have 400 or 440 cubes under the hood backed by a 727 and an 8 3/4 rear end. Trash the "Lean Burn" distributor and warped, bleeding over Thermo-Quad for a conventional electronic distributor and an Edelbrock AVS carb, and swap the 2.80:1 gears for some 3.23 or 3.55s and you'll have some fun. Something to think about if you want big fun for low bucks. Mastermind        

Need a replacement motor? Check out junk trucks!

 Like I said in a previous post, if your restoring a musclecar that is engineless, or the original one has irreparable damage-i.e- rods out the side of the block for instance, finding a replacement can be tough. Here'a an avenue that a lot of people don't think of. Because they were designed to haul and tow heavy loads, light and medium-duty trucks often had big engines. 440 V8s were available in Dodge pickups and motorhomes until 1978. 390 Fords weren't available in cars after 1970 or 71, but they were available in trucks until 1976. 454 Chevys weren't available in cars after 1975, but you could get a 454 in a Pickup, Suburban or motorhome well into the '90's. AMC 401s were available in Jeep Grand Wagoneers up until 1978 or 79, and 360's up until they quit building them in the late 80's.  A lot of '70's and early '80's GM motorhomes that aren't Chevy powered had 455 Olds engines. Even if your restoring something older-trucks are a good source for raw material. You may never find a 302 Chevy for your Z/28, but I bet you could find a 283 that can be bored to 301 cubes, or a 327 that you can put a 283 crank in just like the factory did in a 1960's Chevy or GMC truck. GMPP and several others sell these crank kits. Restoring a 409 Impala, but don't have a 409? 348s and 409s were used in a lot of medium-duty trucks-i.e.-dump trucks, garbage trucks, fire trucks etc, from 1958-65. Edelbrock is making aluminum heads for these engines now, as well as single and dual-quad intakes, and some companies or making crank and piston kits where you can turn a 348 into a 409, or a 409 into a 470! Restoring a really old Pontiac like a 57 Bonneville?  A lot of GMC trucks built before 1960 had 317, 347 or 370 inch Pontiac engines in them! And guess what? 99% of the people "restoring" these old GMC trucks are going to put small-block Chevys in them, so they'll dump the "worthless" ( It's not a 389 or 421 ) Pontiac motor for a song. You may just find a "Junkyard Jewel". Mastermind      

If you want to race it, "Crate" it!

A lot of us enthusiasts want to race our musclecars, but don't want to take the chance of throwing a rod out the side of a numbers-matching block. And I'm not just talking ultra rare stuff like a Boss 429. Even if you have an "Entry Level" musclecar-i.e.- a 396 Chevelle, 383 Road Runner or 400 GTO or Firebird, finding a replacement engine can be hard. Your local "U-pull-it" junkyard is not going to have a 1969 date-coded 383 Chrysler or 1967 coded 396 Chevy. Even if your not concerned about numbers-matching, and are going to "Restify"-aftermarket aluminum heads,etc, raw material can be hard to find. The last 400 Pontiac rolled off the assembly line in 1979. That's 32 years ago. The last 396/402 Chevy was built in 1972. The last 340 Mopar in 1973, 440 in 1978, and the last 390 Ford ( which can be bored and stroked to 428 ) was made in 1976, the last 351 "Cleveland" in 1974. What to do? GM, Ford and Chrysler all offer high-performance crate motors at reasonable prices. GMPP has small-block Chevy crate engines in 350 and 383 cubic inch models with horsepower ratings from 290 to 425.  They offer Big blocks from 454 to 572 cubes with horsepower ratings from 425 to 720! Those'll get you down the quarter quick, and most have a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty! Mopar Performance offers 360s with 380 hp-more than even the 340 Six-Pack. They also offer 500 inch wedge ( 440 style ) engines with 505 hp, and Hemis from 426 to 528 inches with horsepower ratings from 465 to 610. Ford Racing offers 302 and 347 inch small-blocks that look like a 289, but have horsepower ratings from 285 to 450. They have 351Ws with 385 hp, as well as 392 and 427 inch strokers based on the 351W. They offer big-blocks from 460 to 514 cubes with hp ratings from 486 to 650.  Put your numbers-matching engine in a plastic bag in your garage, install one of these badass crate engines and race to your hearts content. If it blows up, you have a warranty. Even if you grenade it after the warranty has expired, replacement parts or even another engine might be a little spendy, but not like trying to find say- a running or at least rebuildable 1970 440 Mopar "core."  Mastermind        

Keep it Running Right!

 I talk to a lot of people who spend a lot of money restoring their musclecars, and then are disappointed in the car's performance. Here's some simple tips to avoid the mistakes that cause this problem. # 1 Cars were meant to be driven. A lot of people don't drive their musclecars every day, or even once a week or once a month. If the car sits for long periods of time, the gas can go bad, water can get into the fuel system. If they do start it occasionally, they let it idle for five minutes "To keep the battery charged", but they don't drive it for even 5 or 10 miles, because they don't want to put "Too many miles on it." This is bad.  If the car is never going to see the high side of 3,000 rpm and only be idled on and off of the trailer or around the block, then you should go a range or two hotter on the plugs. If you decide to take it on a trip or to the drags changing the plugs to the recommended heat range only takes a few minutes. Which brings up...  #2 Leave the carburator(s) alone!!! People spend thousands of dollars building a killer motor and then drive it like my grandmother on prozac because their afraid of blowing it up. It's bad enough on 4bbl cars, but it's really rampant on Tri-power Pontiacs, and Corvettes, Six-Pack Mopars, Dual-quad Hemis, and 409s etc. They never run it through the gears to even 4,500 rpm much less the redline. Then the second it fouls a plug, they start screwing around with the carbs. Pretty soon it won't even start, much less run to it's full potential. It's worth a few bucks to have the car professionally tuned- I don't mean your brother who thinks he's a mechanic-I mean a real shop with a scope, an infrared exhaust analyzer, carb synchronizer or even a dyno. Then leave it alone!! If it fouls plugs, drive it faster, or go one range hotter.  # 3 Tune the ignition properly. I see this all the time. The timing is way advanced or retarded, the points are closing up, the vacuum advance is unplugged or inoperative, they have bad plug wires, etc. Even on a mild, stock engine, bad tuning can cost you 30 or 40 hp and 3-4 mpg.  # 4 Be careful with "Upgrades".  For example- You buy a nice 1977 "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans-Am. It has T-tops, automatic, power everything. You decide when rebuilding the 400 to install the legendary "Ram Air IV" cam and make it really rock like your buddy's 1969 Judge. You get it done, and it won't idle, and doesn't even have the power it did before you rebuilt it. The T/A with 8.0:1 compression, an automatic and 2.56:1 gears is killed by the big cam and falls on its face every time you step on it. Why? Well, the 400 in your pals 69 GTO has a 10.75:1  compression ratio, and is backed by a 4-speed and a 3.90:1 or 4.33:1 axle-ratio. There's a reason the RAIV was only available with 3.90 or 4.33 gears! The 231/240 duration (At .050 lift) cam has a lot of overlap and bleeds off a lot of cylinder pressure ( Ok with nearly 11.0:1 compression) and trades low-end torque for top-end rush. You should have bought a mild cam that builds low-end and mid-range torque like the Edelbrock Performer. It has 204/214 duration, builds cylinder pressure and "fools" the engine into feeling like it has a higher compression ratio, and works with higher axle gears like 2.41-3.08. Or if you just had to have the big cam, you should have raised the compression, installed at least 3.42 or 3.73 gears and a 2,500 rpm stall converter. The same for carb/intake combos. It's better to err on the side of caution. If a pure stock Firebird can run 11.80's with an iron manifold and a Quadrajet, why do you need an 850 Double-Pumper and a "Victor Jr." intake?     # 5 Be reasonable about your expectations. I had a friend who had a nice 440/Six-Pack Super Bee. He swore the car ran "Very low 13s or Very high 12s." He got this idea from an old Car Life road test where Mopar engineers had then Pro Stock champion Ronnie Sox pilot a prototype 440/6 Road Runner to a string of  13.10s in the 1/4, with the best being a 12.93. He did not want to hear that his car, sporting a Torqueflite, 3.23 gears and street tires, would likely run substantially slower than the 4-speed, 4.30 geared, drag-slicked test mule. When we did go to the drags, he was utterly shocked that his car ran a 14.10.  Like I said, with street rubber and 3.23 gears, I thought that was pretty good. He was crushed. Hope this helps everyone out!  Mastermind                  

The "Other" 350s!

   The Small-block Chevy is probably the most successful production engine in racing and hot-rodding history, and rightfully so.  However from 1968-1977 GM produced millions of Buick Skylarks and Centurys, Olds Cutlasses, and Pontiac LeMans and Firebird models with their own 350 cubic inch V8s.  These engines are largely overlooked because either stock or modified, their larger 400 and 455 brothers make substantially more power but cost no more to build, and will swap in with little or no fabrication. However, if you have or want to buy one of these cars, don't despair. With very little work you can increase their performance greatly, or maybe have some fun while you build a stompin' 455. Here's some tips that will really "wake up" any BOP 350 powered vehichle. # 1 Induction. 95% of these cars had 2bbl carburation from the factory. For about $500 bucks you can buy an Edelbrock Performer intake and matching 4bbl carb. With this one single modification, the car will not only run substantially faster, but get better gas mileage as well. Pontiac owners on a budget have it easier because the factory iron Q-jet manifolds that came stock on 1967 and later 400s, 428s and 455s will also fit 350s. The 350 and 403 Olds manifolds interchange, but the 400/425/455 ones do not fit 350s. Ditto for Buicks. The factory made some 4bbl 350 Buicks, but unlike the Pontiacs, the intakes from the 430/455 series don't fit. If you can find a factory iron manifold at a junkyard or swap meet, that's great, but you have to remember that all of these engines have been out of production for more than 30 years, so used parts may be scarce. You may just have to bite the bullet and buy the Edelbrock setup. # 2 Exhaust. 99% of these cars had restrictive single-exhaust systems. Even if you can't afford or don't want headers, you can pick up 20-25 hp and a couple miles per gallon by adding a free-flowing dual exhaust system behind the stock manifolds.  # 3 Axle-ratio. Most of these cars had salt-flats gearing like 2.56:1 or 2.73:1. Installing 3.23 or 3.42 gears will greatly improve acceleration without adversely affecting fuel economy too much. Don't go wild and think 4.11s or 4.56s will be even better- They won't. These engines don't make power above 5,000 rpm, and don't have the heads,cam or valvetrain to rev to 6,500 or 7,000 that 4-series gears would require.  #4 Transmission. Most of these cars had Turbo 350 automatics. B&M, TransGo and other companies make shift improver kits and adjustable modulators that cost less than $50 and are easily installed. Set your full-throttle shift points between 4,400-5,200 rpm.  These mods will make the car feel like it has another 50 cubes under the hood, for very few bucks. I hear the question- what if someone did add aftermarket heads, cam, nitrous etc? My question is this-if you have that much money and need to go that fast, why wouldn't you build a 455 instead of a 350?  Mastermind                    

It's ok to "Upgrade!"

 I talked to a customer of mine who wanted a 1968-70 "Bullitt"/"Dukes of Hazzard" Charger.  He found an original, literally one-owner little old-lady low-mileage example, that was unrestored, but well-maintained and had very little rust. And the old lady had no Idea what the car was worth, it was underpriced, if anything. He almost didn't buy it until I slapped some sense into him! His objection? It had a bench seat and a two-barrel carb on the 383!!  "Look, dummy-" I said-ever my tactful self- "You can put a 4bbl carb and intake either factory or aftermarket on in about an hour." "Same if you want bucket seats." "Legendary interiors sells replacements, that look dead-on factory." "Then it wouldn't be completely original." "Who cares?" I said. "Save the old parts in case you ever want to sell the car to someone really anal, and they can put it back if they want." "But don't go pay another five grand for another car that has a "Factory" 4bbl, when you could put an Edelbrock intake and matching AVS carb on this one for $500!!". Another customer of mind voiced the same objection about a really nice 1972 Mustang Mach 1 that had a 351 Cleveland with a two-barrel on it. I told him I'd even install a Performer intake and 600 cfm matching carb for him, and the car would not only run faster, but probably get better gas mileage! And, that he wasn't "Compromising" the value of the car. Same for a guy who hated the awful Muncie shifter on his 327/4-speed 68 Camaro. I told him most people put Hurst Competition Plus shifters in these cars the day after they bought them, and no one would care if he did the same to his. Just save the original shifter, if for some perverse reason a future prospective buyer actually wanted it!!  The same for paint. It's your car-paint it any color you want.  If you sell your now Carousel Red 69 GTO to some "Just as it left the factory type" , he can spend a couple grand painting it Verduro Green again if he wants to! But I wouldn't drive a car painted an ugly color I hated just because it's "Original".  Hope this helps put things in a reasonable perspective. Mastermind  

Can't find your dream car? Build it!

 Premium musclecars can not only be expensive, sometimes even if money is not a problem, finding the car you want for sale, at any price, can be a problem. Want a Ram Air IV Trans-Am? Build it! You can buy a base-model Firebird, and with the aftermarket's help, buy the trim pieces to turn it into a T/A. Ditto for the engine. If you have a 400 Pontiac block, the aftermarket can supply the rest. Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum heads are patterned after the legendary factory RAIV heads! The matching Performer RPM cam has the same duration and lift-308/320 and .470 lift with 1.5 rockers and .520 with 1.65 rockers. The RPM manifold won't clear the Shaker scoop, but the "regular" Performer manifold will, and works as good as the factory aluminum RAIV/455HO intake. A set of round-port headers, a 4-speed and 3.73 gears and your rockin'. Or an automatic with 3.73 or stiffer gears and a 2,500 converter. It's not totally original, but when you give a smug late-model Hemi Charger or Mustang GT owner a history lesson, you won't care! Speaking of Hemis-Mopar Performance sells complete 426 Hemi crate engines rated at 465 hp-40 more than the original. Yes, they cost about 15 grand, but if you can do the installation labor yourself and you spent say 20 grand on a decent 383 Road Runner, you now have your dream Hemi Road Runner for 35 grand!! Not cheap, or original, but way better than the $150,000 -250,000 "Numbers-Matching" Hemi cars are bringing even in this recession.  It would be pretty easy to turn a simple 1965-68 289 Fastback Mustang into a Shelby GT350 clone at about a fifth of the price of a "Real" one.  Want a Boss 302? Or Boss 351 Mustang? Buy a 1969- 70 or 1971 Mustang Fastback. Edelbrock and Trick Flow sell Aluminum "Clevor" heads-i.e.- "Cleveland" heads that bolt on to a "Windsor" block, and matching intake manifolds so you can build a "Mock" Boss 302 or Boss 351 engine!. Since it's not rare or original, you won't care about racing it, or blowing it up, so you can really have some fun.  Chevy man? Forget trying to build a faux-LS6, how about a GMPP 720 hp solid-roller 572?!!  Might be the only way for some of us to realize our dream of owning an "Ultimate" musclecar! Mastermind  

Don't "Over Restore" your car!

 Here's where a lot of people spend a lot of unnecessary money, and then are shocked to find that they can't sell the car for anywhere near what they've got invested in it. Here's some tips to avoid this problem.   # 1 "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  I know a guy who replaced the power steering pump even though it wasn't making noise, didn't leak, and worked perfectly. He replaced the alternator and starter even though they worked perfectly and bench-tested fine. He replaced the radiator even though it didn't leak, wasn't clogged up and cooled the engine fine, even in 95 degree weather. I could go on, but you get the point. He spent a lot of money replacing parts that didn't need to be replaced, that drove his restoration cost way up, but didn't increase the value of the car.  # 2 Not having the original engine is not always a bad thing. If your restoring a 1969 Z/28, and it doesn't have a "DZ" 302 in it, yes that greatly reduces the value of the car. However if your restoring a 1973 Camaro that had an L48 350 to begin with, and has an L48 out of say, a 76 Impala, I wouldn't panic. The L48/LM1 was the "Bread and Butter" 350 that was installed in millions of Chevrolet cars and trucks from 1969-1985. GMPP still sells these as "Long block" replacements to this day. Your not losing value by not having a numbers-matching block, because the original engine wasn't special and wasn't worth anything to begin with! Same thing applies to other makes- Yes, a "Boss 302" without the Boss 302 engine is severely handicapped. But a base model 64-68 Mustang with an "Unoriginal" 289 or 302 has not had it's value compromised. A 69 Judge without the RAIII engine is compromised, a 72 Firebird Esprit without the original 350 2bbl Pontiac engine is not. See what I'm saying?  # 3 Modified is not always a bad thing, as long as the modifications are "Period correct."  Your 68 Road Runner is not "Ruined" because it has Cragar S/S mags and headers on it.  A 68 Z/28 with a Fuel-injected LS motor out of a 2008 Corvette, 4L80E overdrive tranny, rack and pinion steering, and 20 inch wheels is an abomination.  Unless you compete in concours shows where the hose clamps matter, Your 1970 LS6 Chevelle is not "ruined" because it has a #4779 750 Double-pumper Holley carb on it instead of the original #3310 780!!  See the difference?  # 4 Again, unless your competing in concours, It's perfectly ok to "Add" options when restoring a car. A few examples-You bought a 1978 Pontiac Trans-Am. It has Rally II wheels on it, but you really like the "Snowflake" design that was offered from 1977-81. Year One sells reproduction "Snowflake" wheels in the original 15X8 size and in 17X9. Who or what would be hurt if you put the Snowflake wheels on your car?  You buy a 1966 GTO with a 4bbl 389. You find a Pontiac Tri-Power setup for sale on E-Bay. Again, who or what is hurt by you putting the 3x2 setup on your car? In fact, even though it's not original, you actually increased the value of the car by putting the Tri-power on it!   # 5 It's ok to "Upgrade" a base model. If you buy a 318, 3-speed 1970 Challenger, and you drop in a 340 and a 4-speed, guess what? You didn't decrease the value of the car, you increased it!  If you buy a 326 or 350 powered Pontiac Firebird and swap in a 400 or 455, trust me, the car is worth more, not less. If you added a Formula hood, or T/A Shaker hood and spoilers, that's even better, as long as you don't try to pass it off as original.  Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind              

Mid-level models that both cool and priced right

 Not everyone can afford the top-of-the-line model of their dream musclecar. However, if you lower your sights a tad, you can find a great bargain and a car you will enjoy for years to come.  # 1 1970-79 Firebird Formula 400. These cars had the engine and the suspension of a Trans-Am without the gaudy bodywork and graphics. A lot of magazine writers of the '70's said they preferred the Formulas for this very reason. Today, you can buy them for a lot less than a same-year T/A.  # 2 1970-79 Rally Sport Camaro. While they never had the LT1 or L82 350s that the 70-74 Z/28s did, you could always get the L48 350 4bbl, a four-speed stick or Turbo 350 automatic, and F41 ( i.e.- Z/28 front and rear sway bars ) suspension. You can find these for a fraction of the price of a Z/28.  # 3 1969-70 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Boss 302, Boss 429, and 428CJ versions are rare and priced in the stratosphere, but Ford built over 70,000 fastback Mustangs in 1969 alone, most with 351W power. In 1970 they switched to the 351 "Cleveland" V8 which isn't a bad thing. There is still a ton of aftermarket parts available for these engines. Good Mustangs are never cheap, but these versions are still less than half of what the premium models bring.  # 4 1971-72 LeMans Sport and "Luxury LeMans" models. These cars had the "Endura" ( read GTO ) front end, and 400 cubes under the hood. A few had 455s!. Again, probably not dirt-cheap, but still way less than a same-year GTO or SS Chevelle.  #5 1971-73 Mercury Cougar. Most had 351C power, cool interiors, more luxury options, and are way cheaper than a same-year Mustang.  # 6 1974-80 Corvette. You rarely hear the words "Corvette" and "Cheap" in the same sentence, but I have seen decent examples of these cars on the internet and on used-car lots for as low as $2995! No they don't have the pavement-ripping performance of the earlier big-block models, but they are still a screaming bargain. Try to find a Rat-motored Vette in ANY condition for less than 20K!  There is more speed equipment available for 350 Chevys than anything else on the planet, so increasing horsepower is not a problem, or you could swap in a big-block easily.  Something to think about if your on a limited budget. Mastermind                  

Mistakes you don't want to make!

In the "Heat of the Moment" people sometimes get excited and make bad decisions when buying a Musclecar. Here's some tips to avoid falling into this trap and buying something that you can't finish, or that you can't sell for anywhere near what you have invested. # 1 A "Deal" isn't always a deal. Especially if the car in question needs work beyond your capabilities-i.e.-a bent frame, major rust repair, or water or fire damage. In cases like this, your most likely better off by just spending more money and getting a better car to start with.  #2 A super-rare car missing major components- A Hemi car missing the Hemi engine, or a fuel-injected Corvette missing the fuel-injection system are good examples-is not a good deal, because unless your an NBA # 1 draft choice or a lottery winner, the cost of procuring an original replacement engine or other rare parts would be so prohibitive, that if you restored the car, you'd never be able to sell it for what you've got in it. Which brings up the next 2 points.  # 3 No matter what it is, there's always one cheaper- At the last "Hot August Nights" auction I attended a guy didn't sell his fully restored 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A for the high bid of $32,000 because he had 40 in it. The same day another Challenger T/A that was also numbers-matching and almost as nice, sold for $24,000! The same weekend a nice 1969 Shelby GT350 Mustang sold for $44,500. Another one didn't sell for $75,000. Gee, I wonder why? # 4 Base models are cheap for a reason. If you want to play with a Tempest or base-model Firebird that's fine, but don't expect GTO or Trans-Am money when you try to sell it.  # 5 Step-down engines aren't valuable, their just weird. A 1967 GTO with a 265hp 2bbl 400 is not collectible. Ditto for 1972-77 Olds 442s with 260 and 350 cube Olds motors instead of 403s or 455s, 1977-79 Firebird Formulas and Trans-Ams with 301s instead of 400s, and 1980-81 Corvettes and Z/28s with 305s instead of 350s, to name a few. They may be rare, but why would you want one?  A musclecar that can't outrun your mom's Honda Accord?  # 6 "Year before" models aren't cool or collectible. Some examples- I'd much rather have a 400 cube 1965 Olds 442 than a 330 cube 1964 model. A 1968 Road Runner is better than a 1967 Belvedere, even if they both have 383 V8s. 1982 Mustang GTs with 2-barrel 302s and four-speeds, are not cool when 1983 models got 4bbls and 5-speeds! Cross-Fire Injected 1984 Corvettes are not cool when 1985-91 models had the much more powerful Tuned Port Injection system. # 7 The same goes for "Year After" models-i.e 1973 SS Chevelles instead of 1964-72s. 1980 Pontiac Trans-Ams with 301 Pontiacs or 305 Chevys instead of the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds engines. 1978 Cutlass or Monte Carlos as opposed to 1973-77s that were the scourge of NASCAR.  Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind                

Cool '60's rides that are under the radar!

While everyone fights with machetes over 64-72 GM A-bodies-i.e.-GTOSs, 442s, SS Chevelles, 68-70 Chrysler B bodies-Road Runners, Chargers, Super Bees and GTXs, and 64-70 Mustangs, if you know what to look for there are some awesome cars you can find for way less than the traditional musclecar choices. # 1 1962-64 Ford Thunderbird. Often called the "Bullet Bird" because of the shape of the rear fenders, these cars are way cool in coupe or convertible trim. I could see Frank Sinatra driving one. With 390 cubes under the hood, they move as good as they look.  Probably not cheap, but still less than what most people ask for restored Mustangs. # 2 1963-65 Buick Riviera. Bill Mitchell's masterpiece. Futuristic styling that turns heads even 40+ years later, Cadillac like luxury and 401 cubes under the hood. Patrick Swayze drove two of them in the movie "Roadhouse".  #3 1966-67 Dodge Charger. Snubbed by everyone in favor of the wildly more popular 1968-70 "Dukes of Hazzard" model, these cars are cool even if your not a Mopar collector. Swoopy fastback, hidden headlight styling, unique 4-bucket seat interior, and long wheelbase make them comfortable cruisers even now. Forget Hemi versions, you can't afford one without selling your house; also avoid 318 versions-their the "Old" 318-nothing in common with the later LA or Magnum small-blocks, and they have the double curse of no power and crappy gas mileage. The 361 and 383 versions are the ones to have. Their a big-block and run pretty good stock, or there is a ton of aftermarket speed equipment out there for these engines, or a 440 would swap in very easily. # 4 1967-68 Pontiac Gran Prix. The last "Big" GP-in 1969 they switched to the A-body (Chevelle, Monte Carlo, Cutlass, LeMans ) chassis.  Like the Charger these cars had cool fastback, hidden headlight styling and roomy interiors, as well as 400 or 428 cubes under that long hood. Ray Liotta drove a 68 model in "Goodfellas".  # 5 1966-70 Olds Toronado. Space-shuttle styling and Caddy-like luxury. If you live where it snows, the convenience of front-wheel drive. Don't scoff-with 425 or 455 cubes under that long hood, these 4400lb cars could still rocket down the 1/4 in 15 flat!  Like the one driven by George Stark in "The Dark Half"- A high toned son of a bitch!  Mastermind    

"Executive" Hot Rods that are under the radar!

Way back in 1968-69 when they were first introduced, the 455/Turbo 400 powered Hurst/Olds was billed as an "Executive's Hot Rod." Unique,exclusive, fast enough to back up the image, and with some luxury too.  As opposed to "strippy" Road Runners, SS396 Chevelles, GTOs, etc. Their are a few cars that fit this criteria from the late '60's and '70's that can be bought for a lot less than "Traditional" muscle cars, and still deliver a lot of "Bang for the Buck." # 1 1971-73 Buick "Boat-tail" Riviera. Racy styling, a ton of cool factory options and 455 power standard all years.  # 2 1969-76 Pontiac Gran Prix. Based on the A-body platform, any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle also fit these cars. 400 power standard all years, and a fair number of 1970-76 "SJ" models had 455s!  My sister had one of these cars. It had power everything, and it felt like a GTO!  # 3 1967-71 Ford Thunderbird. Racy, futuristic styling, luxurious interiors, and big power make these cars cool. 390, 428 or 429 cubes under that long hood makes them move pretty good too. 1972 and later models had 460s, but the engines were low-compression and way down on power, and the squarish body was based on the much heavier and uglier Lincoln MKIV platform.  # 4 1977-79 DKM "Macho T/A". Brothers Dennis and Kyle Mecham of Mecham Pontiac in Arizona built and sold about 300 a year of these hotted up T/A's. The buff magazines of the day loved them. They featured a special graphics package, headers and dual exhaust (with 2 catylitc converters) a rejetted carb, and recurved distributor, that was supposed to add 50 hp. Options included Recaro seats, Doug Nash 5-speeds, shift kits for automatics, stiffer rearend gears, aftermarket tires and wheels, and even a Turbocharger. They died out when Pontiac dropped the 400 cube motors for 1980. A well-maintained or restored one will bring 10 grand or more, but that's still a lot less than any decent GTO, and a lot rarer.  # 5 1972-74 Dodge Charger  Richard Petty won a lot of races in this bodystyle. Mopar freaks snub these in favor of the 68-70 "Bullitt/ "Dukes of Hazzard" style, or the 71s which still had high-compression Hemis and Six-Pack 440s optional. Compression and power was down on 72 and later models, but you could still get a 400 ( a bored-out 383 ) or a 440 4bbl. 340 and 360 versions can be real bargains, and make nice drivers.  Mastermind