Some overlooked gems...

There are a lot of overlooked gems out there with potential that people don't think of.  # 1. 1976-77 Olds Cutlass 442. The last W30 455 went away in 1972, and by '73 the 442 became an "Appearance and Handling" package on the Cutlass. The "Station wagon" 455 hung around til '76-but their rare and wheezed out 190 hp-a far cry from the 370 of the of the '70 model and the 300 of the '72. However-the graphics were cool, and the suspension, with wrist-thick front and rear sway bars made the cars handle better than anything except a Pontiac Trans-Am. The body was so aerodynamic that Richard Petty switched to a Cutlass after his 1974 Charger body was outlawed. Their fenderwells will accomodate huge tires-up to 275 / 60 R15 on 8 inch wheels. The 350 and 403 models are the ones to look for. Edelbrock claims 397 hp and 400 lbs of torque from their Performer RPM package on a 350. On a 403 you'd be well over 400. The other thing you'll need is an axle-ratio change. These cars came stock with 2.41:1 gears. Switching to something in the 3.23:1 to 3.73:1 range will give you a huge improvement in performance. So much that this should be your first step, or the only step even if you leave the motor bone-stock.  # 2. 1977-81 Z/28 Camaro. Seeing the monumental sales success of the Firebird Trans-Am-( Pontiac sold nearly 50,000 in 1976 alone; and another 68,000 in '77. "Smokey and the Bandit" was released in May 1977; that sales bump wouldn't be felt until the '78 model year when they sold 93,000 ). Chevrolet hastily resurrected the Z/28 which had been on a 2 1/2 year hiatus since 1974. It was a good package featuring T/A style spoilers and graphics, and upgraded suspension with front and rear sway bars. Power was the ubiquitous 350 V8 backed by a T10 4-speed manual or a TH350. 4-speeds got 3.73:1 gears and automatics got 3.42:1s which really put the power to the ground and put some "Right Now!" into acceleration. '78 models got Firebird style urethane bumpers replacing the ugly steel ones of the '77.  1980 brought back "Cowl Induction" a vacuum-operated hood scoop that opened at full throttle and sounded cool, and bumped power by 10 hp to 190. 4-speed models had 3.44:1 1st gear ratios and 2.28:1 2nd, with a 3.08:1 rear axle. This gave better acceleration, higher top-speed and better gas mileage than the 2.64:1 low gear / 3.73:1 axle of the '77-79 models. Automatics still got 3.42:1 gears. For some perverse reason in 1981-you could only get a 350 with the automatic. If you wanted a 4-speed you got a 305 which wheezed out 145 hp. It wasn't emission laws-you could still get a 350 / 4-speed combo in an '81 Corvette. If you have or want to buy a 305 model-a 350 is a bolt-in swap. There's more speed equipment for a small-block Chevy than anything else on the planet so these cars have awesome hot-rod potential.  # 3. 1980-81 Pontiac Trans-Am. These are only bargains if your considering an engine swap. Here's why-you had 3 engine choices. An anemic 301 Pontiac that wheezed out 135 hp, a 301 with a Turbo that was rated at 210-but had nowhere near the performance of the '79 and earlier 400s that supposedly had 220. Hot Rod's 400 / 4-speed '79 test car ripped off a blistering 14.61 second 1/4 mile. Popular Hot Rodding's '79 Formula ran a 15.0.  Their 1980 Turbo test car could only manage a 16.3!  Yet it's only down 10 hp? Riiigggghhht.  The third choice was a 305 Chevy. The upsides are a 400 or 455 will bolt right in place of a 301, and a 350 or 383 Chevy will bolt right in place of the 305. # 4. 1982 "5.0" Mustang. For this one year only you got a 302 V8 with a 2bbl, and 4-speed stick or a 3-speed automatic. Theirs a ton of speed equipment for small-block Fords, so these have great potential. Ford guys snub them in favor of the '83-86 models which have 4bbl carbs, 5-speed sticks and 4-speed automatics. But it keeps the prices on these dirt-cheap, and a 4bbl carb and intake change is a no-brainer. # 5. 1984-86 Olds Cutlass 442. These "G" bodies have cool graphics, great handling suspensions and gorgeous interiors. Power is unfortunately a 307 Olds V8 that wheezes out 140 hp. The upside is a 350 or 403 Olds V8 is a bolt-in swap. Backed by a TH200R4 and 3.42:1 axle that came with the 442 package-this combo could be a real sleeper.  # 6. 1989 20th Anniversary Trans-Am. These cars have the WS6 suspension and the vaunted Turbo 3.8 V6 out of the fearsome Buick Grand National. The Turbo V6 is both lighter and has more power than the 305 and 350 Chevy V8s, so the already stellar handling is improved as well as acceleration. These will bring a King's Ransom-but their worth it.  Mastermind