1968 Plymouth Barracuda 340-S Fastback / Specs and More

The fine 60's muscle car featured in this article is the 1968 Plymouth Barracuda 340-S. This is a true muscle car from the late 1960's and is representative of the muscle car competition of the era. From the mid 1960's to the end of the decade horsepower ruled. Every major automaker had a muscle car to offer.

1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S

The First Pony Car

History tells us that the first Pony Car to hit the market was an option package for the 1964 Plymouth Valiant. This package was named the Barracuda. The car came out about two weeks before the first Ford Mustang. The date was April 1, 1964, precisely sixteen days before the Mustang.

With that being said, the Ford Mustang was the vehicle receiving the press. Ford went forth with a massive advertising and PR effort for it's new Mustang and the car received attention at the World's Fair in New York. There is no question that Ford's Mustang greatly overshadowed the Plymouth Barracuda and in 1964 it was in more than just PR.

The 1968 Plymouth Barracuda

The 1968 Plymouth Barracuda was among the second generation models. Many would say that the second generation Barracuda was what should have been designed for first generation models.The second generation Plymouth Barracuda was available in fastback, notchback and convertible styles.

The Plymouth Barracuda was designed by John Samsen who also did design work for the first Ford Thunderbirds. It was also Samsen who chose the word “Barracuda” for this new Plymouth line. The Barracuda name prevailed over management’s suggestion of “Panda”. Barracuda was no doubt the best choice for what would become a true muscle car with terrific popularity.

Plymouth Barracudas were produced from the 1964 model year through 1974. The Barracuda Formula  S was available since 1965. Plymouth designers took it easy on ornamentation. There was no excess ornamentation with an inverted trapezoid grille showing deep set vertical bars and stainless steel.

1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Specifications

As mentioned above, the 1968 Formula S as built with either a Commando 340 or the 383 cubic inch engine. The 340 was rated at 275 HP and the 383 cubic inch at 300 HP.

The car’s speedometer had a top speed indicator of 150 MPH. The 1968 model year also saw a 426 Hemi package put into only about 50 Barracudas.

Gearbox on this car is a four speed manual. 

In addition to this the Formula S came with.heavy-duty suspension and wheels, heavy duty shock absorbers and E70-14 Red Streak tires. front fender badges and special hood inserts.  The Barracuda Formula S was known for superior cornering and general handling.

Your 68 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S would have cost you new about $2,700 for the hardtop, about $2,900 for the fastback version and about $3,050 for the convertible.

You may want to check out the additional Muscle Car Journal articles found on the links below...

The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner 440 

A Red Hot 1953 Studebaker Street Rod

Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Collector Car 

Every muscle car from  the late 1960's has good collector appeal. One has to remember that 1968 was a few years prior to the mandated federal emission and safety standards regulations.

The name of the game in 1968 was horsepower. It's been said that "Ask a car enthusiast to name a Pony Car and you'll likely hear the name, Mustang. Ask a Mopar guy and you'll hear all about the Plymouth Barracuda".

Ask the average enthusiast to name a pony car and most will inevitably say “Mustang” or “Camaro”. Ask a Mopar guy and you’ll hear the history of the Plymouth Barracuda. - See more at: http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold/1968-Plymouth-Barracuda-Formula-S/133319#sthash.v9CbtprK.dpuf

Ask the average enthusiast to name a pony car and most will inevitably say “Mustang” or “Camaro”. Ask a Mopar guy and you’ll hear the history of the Plymouth Barracuda. - See more at: http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold/1968-Plymouth-Barracuda-Formula-S/133319#sthash.v9CbtprK.dpuf

Ask the average enthusiast to name a pony car and most will inevitably say “Mustang” or “Camaro”. Ask a Mopar guy and you’ll hear the history of the Plymouth Barracuda. - See more at: http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold/1968-Plymouth-Barracuda-Formula-S/133319#sthash.v9CbtprK.dpuf

These are popular cars to this day. It doesn't matter what type of muscle car you may be looking for but the 68 Barracuda Formula S will please just about any muscle car enthusiast.

We are seeing fully restored show quality 68 Formula S models with current asking prices north of $50,000. Depending on condition and mileage you'll find Barracudas priced from the teens on up. The Formula S models will be on the high end with fully restored examples in the $35,000 to $40,000 plus range in general.The convertible and fastback models will be in greater demand.

(Photos and article copyright Muscle Car Journal)

Modified 1961 Chevy Impala SS 409 Muscle Car

The 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 featured in this article is a modified powerhouse of a muscle car. It's a beauty and a legendary car. Here is a car that was made even more famous by the Beach Boy's song and represented Chevrolet's introduction of a full muscle car during the early 1960's.

1961Chevy Impala 409

1961 Chevy Impala

Chevy Impalas were popular among a wide range of buyers aside from those looking for performance. The 1960 Chevrolet was the best selling car in the U.S. and was so for ten years. This was Chevy's top of the line model.

During the entire 1961 model year production run, Chevrolet built just under 500,000 Impala models. Out of that number only 450 were built as SS models. Out of the 450 SS models only about 100 were built with 409's. Needless to say, the 1961 Impala SS 409 is a rare automobile.

The 1961 Impala has it's triple taillights and crossed racing flags.The new design which came on the scene with the 1960 Impala was so very much different from those latter 1950's automobiles with their big tail fins and excess chrome. This new Chevy Impala design had uncluttered lines.

To be sure, muscle cars come in many forms and usually with plenty of modifications. The 61 Impala SS 409 featured here is truly a muscle car and has many such modifications. These include...Dual Edelbrock AVS four barrel carburetors...Corvette Rally Wheels...Spin Tech mufflers...Crane Roller Rockers, performance shocks and sway bar and more.

409 engine

The 1961 Impala SS Specifications

There were two engines available if you were a Chevy Impala SS buyer in 1961. A 348 cubic inch four barrel V-8 which could deliver 305 HP and a tri-carburetor set up putting out a rated 350 HP. These comprised one engine offering. The other choice you would have had was a 409. Both of these engines had a very respectable record on the racing circuit. As the 409 later evolved it would eventually deliver a big 425 HP.

The Chevy 409 was essentially a 348 cubic inch engine with a bigger displacement. The engine had 409 ft-lbs of torque. The 409 had a wider cam shaft and forged aluminum pistons. Thicker cylinder sidewalls. This and a four barrel carburetor had this engine delivering 360 HP and reportedly could do the quarter mile in about 15 seconds. Zero to 60 was rated at 7.8 seconds although some have the car rated at about 6.8 seconds. All of this Impala SS powerful performance was in what really was considered a full size family car. One thing is apparent. From the beginning of the 1950's to the end of the decade, engine sizes just about doubled.

Gearbox for the SS 409 was a floor mounted four speed manual.

The 61 Impala SS 409 had a wheelbase of 119.0 inches, an overall length of 209.3 inches, width of 78.4 inches, a height of 55.5 inches and a weight of about 3,600 lbs.

Suspension for the car is heavy duty but still rides quite smooth with easy steering. 

The Chevrolet Impala SS 409 came out of the factory with "Positraction" limited-slip differential, a DeLuxe air conditioner, an AM radio, tinted glass, two-speed wipers with washers, and a deluxe steering wheel. 

New car price for the Impala SS 409 was about $3,900. As a side note, Chevrolet also built a station wagon named the Nomad which was available in both a six cylinder and eight cylinder version.

See our additional featured muscle cars on the links below...

A Red Hot 1953 Studebaker Street Rod 

The 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S 

The 1967 Chevy Nova II SS 

One good book regarding the Chevy 409 is titled... How to Rebuild and Modify Chevy 348 / 409 Engines. 

The Chevrolet Impala SS 409 Collector Car

If you happen to own an original 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 you have a rare and very popular collector car, especially among performance enthusiasts. There were only about 100 of these originals produced so the numbers are on your side.

As of this writing, you'll likely see prices in the $50,000 to $70,000 plus range for any original Impala 409 available for sale. The convertible model when available will be priced on the high end because out of these very few 409's built, even less were convertibles.

(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online) 

A Powerful 1967 Chevy Nova II SS with a 454 / Photos and Specs

1967 Chevy Nova II SS

Right out of the 60's muscle car era is this fine looking 1967 Chevy Nova II SS with a 454 cubic inch engine. The 1967 model Nova is from the second generation which ran from 1966 through the 1967 model year.

The Chevrolet Nova had been known as an economical and compact car. With that being said, put the right engine in this vehicle and you had yourself a true muscle car. The rise to muscle car fame by the Nova II was not something deliberately planned but the car nevertheless did achieve that status. 

The 67 Chevy Nova II SS was a relatively light car with a lot of power. For 1967 the top of the line engine for the Nova Super Sport was a 327 cubic inch V-8 delivering 275 HP. There were a total of five generations of the Chevy Nova running from 1963 through 1979 and then from 1985 through the 1988 model year.

Engine options were plenty, five in all. You also had the choice of three transmissions. Engines included a 194 cu inch inline six, 230 cu inch inline six, 250 cubic inch inline six, 283 cu inch V-8 and a 327 cubic inch V8.

The original Chevy II's were of unibody construction. The first Nova offered either a four or six cylinder inline engine.

Birth of the Chevy Nova II

A bit of Chevy Nova history to start with. The Chevy Nova II was designed to compete directly with Ford's compact Falcon model and with Chrysler's Valiant. It just so happened that back in 1962 the compact car wars were heating up in Detroit. It's true that Chevrolet already had the compact Corvair in place but the rear mounted engine technology was not enough to compete against rear wheel drive compacts. Therefore, the Chevy Nova, not a spinoff design from any other GM model, was born. The first Chevy Nova came off the assembly line in 1961 at GM's Willow Run, Michigan plant located just west of Detroit. The first Chevy Nova was a 1962 model. Later in Nova's production run the car would be built at three other plants outside of Michigan.

These first Nova's had engines specifically built for these models.

Chevy Nova II 1967 Styling

The 67 Nova received a new grille but other than that there were relatively little changes from the 66 model. Interior changes from year to year were pretty much just pattern differences. The 67 Chevy Nova II possessed crisp clean lines as did the 66. It should be noted that the 1966 Nova did receive a complete redesign from 1965 including a new dashboard.


alt="chevrolet nova ss"

67 Nova SS dashboard

The Super Sport had restyled bucket seats, door to door carpeting and all vinyl interiors.

Some safety changes/additions were seen for 1967. The Nova II was given an energy absorbing steering column along with a safety steering wheel. Also padded armrests and sunvisors along with knobs on the instrument panel being recessed. 

The 454 Small Block V-8 

The 1967 Chevy Nova II SS featured in this article has a 454 cubic inch small block V-8. Horsepower for this engine runs between 575 and 600. The bore is 4.250 inch and that's extremely large for a small block. This bore and stroke (4.000) combination is the same as the first 454 Chevy big-block.

1967 Chevy Nova II Super Sport Specifications 

As mentioned above there was a total of five engines available for the Nova with the 327 cubic inch being the top of the line for the Super Sport. This was also true for the 66 model. In 1967 the powerful L-79 engine option was dropped from the Nova SS so as not to take away sales from the new Camaro. Our featured Nova SS in this article has a 454 cubic inch V-8.


The three transmissions available included a three and four speed manual and a two speed Powerglide automatic.

Brakes were four wheel drum with disc brakes becoming an option in 67.

The 67 Chevy Nova had dimensions including a 110.0 inch wheelbase, a 183.0 inch overall length, a 71.3 inch width and a 55.1 inch height. The car's curb weight came in at 2,690 lbs.

For the 1967 model year there was a total Chevy Nova production of 106,400 vehicles. Out of that number 10,065 were Super Sport models. Most of these, about 80 percent, were fitted with small block engines.

See more of our articles on the links below... 

The 1969 Ford Torino GT Muscle Car

The First Supercar / The Lamborghini Countach 

The Turbo T-Bucket with a Blown 355

alt="454 v-8 engine"

This 67 Nova SS's 454

The 1967 Chevy Nova II SS Collector Car

Both the 1966 and 1967 Chevy Nova II's are very popular collector cars.

As of this writing, you may find the restored 1967 Chevy Nova SS valued in the $30,000 to $50,000 price range. Originality of course will skew the price tag to the high side. Some good looking modified models have been seen in the $20,000 plus range.

(Article and photos copyright 2015 Muscle Car Journal)

1968 Chevy Chevelle SS / A Turbo Charged 489

489 Turbo

Chevrolet's intermediate Super Sport came out in 1964 with the new Chevelle line. The 1964 Chevelle Super Sport was a special series of six-cylinder and V-8 convertibles and hardtop coupes. At that time General  Motors policy prohibited engines over 400 cubic inches being put in anything smaller than a standard size model. This of course did not apply to the Chevy Corvette.

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a mid-sized automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in three generations from 1964 through to the 1977 model years.



The 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle came out with a significantly new body style. The automobile had a fastback look to it but not so much that the good looks were compromised. The new look proved profitable. More than 400,000 Chevelle models were built for the 1968 production run. Out of these about 60,000 were SS models. The best seller in the Chevelle line was the Malibu.

1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Available Engines

 The 68 Chevelle models had a variety engines available. These included a new 230 cubic inch six cylinder and the new 307 cubic inch V-8. There was another more powerful engine that had been taken away for a year but came back in 68 as an option. This was the Chevy 396 cubic inch V-8 that delivered 375 horsepower. This particular 396 SS model fit a good niche in as much as it was very reasonably priced (about $2,900) and offered excellent performance.These features made the Chevelle one of the most popular models on both the street and the track.

Another returning engine in 1968 was the L78. This was the most powerful engine option  and there were a total of 471 Chevelles built with the L 78 option. Just short of  all L78 engines went into 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle models.

Turbo charged 68 Chevy Chevelle

1968 Chevy Chevelle SS Specifications

In addition to the engine options mentioned above, wheelbases for the 68 Chevelles are interesting. When the first Chevelle went into production they were built with a 115.0 inch wheelbase. Starting in 1968, the wheelbase was increased for all Chevelle Sedan models. All other body styles were built with a 112.0 inch wheelbase.

Chevelle four-door models had same dimensions except with a wheelbase of 116.0 inches. The vehicles weight depending on options could range from 2,350 to 3350 lbs.

Transmissions available in 1968 were a three and four speed manual gearbox along with a TH-400 (turbo Hydra-Matic) and Powerglide.

See these vehicles on additional Muscle Car Journal articles on the links below.....

The 1970 Pontiac GTO Muscle Car

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 / A Popular 60's Muscle Car

Ford Muscle Car / 1969 Torino GT

The Chevrolet Chevelle SS Muscle Car

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a car often turned into a high performance vehicle by specialty shops. It's interesting to note that the 1968 Chevy Chevelle was at the forefront of the Chevelle muscle car era.  This was solidified with the re-introduction of the 396.The Chevelle SS was the high performance version of the Chevelle line.

Some will say that the Chevy Chevelle SS and the Pontiac GTO remain one of the most popular cars of the late 60's muscle car era.

Dashboard of this 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

For those either owning a Chevy Chevelle SS or are interested in them, check out the website of the Heart of Dixie SS Chevelle Club...http://www.chevelle-ss.com/ 

A grpuip of Alabama Chevelle enthusiasts  formed this club to share their appreciation of these great cars. The club mission as stated on their website is to provide a means of sharing information on parts, cars, and technical data. They also promote the appreciation of 1964 – 1972 Chevelles, Malibus, El Caminos, and Nomads.



Some excellent books regarding the Chevrolet Chevelle models include.....Chevelle, 1964-1972 (Muscle Car Color History) by Mike Mueller.....Chevelle SS A Muscle Car Source Book, Second Edition by Jeffrey Steffes.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)

2011 SMS / Bondurant Chevrolet Camaro / 6.2 Liter V-8

You may have heard of the Bondurant School of  High Performance Driving. The Bondurant School is based at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix, Arizona. Several different programs are offered including some covering Race Driving, and some covering Street and Highway driving. The school features a 60 acre facility and a 1.6 mile track designed by world champion driver Bob Bondurant.
 

2011 SMS Bonderant Chevy Camaro

The Bondurant School’s fleet of 1LE package Camaros, are powered by Chevrolet’s L99-code LS3, good for 426 horsepower through a six-speed manual transmission.

The car featured in this article is a SMS Bondurant Chevrolet Camaro. SMS Supercars was founded by Steve Saleen in 2008. SMS Supercars offers the ultimate vehicle, manufactured and marketed as Black Label models.These are the ultimate performance models.

Bob Bondurant

Bob Bondurant was a consistent winner on the race circuit. During 15 years of racing Bondurant had a winning record. His wins were against the best drivers in the top series on both sides of the Atlantic. It could also be a dangerous sport. Bondurant experience two wrecks during his race days and both could easily have been fatal. Both wrecks were caused by mechanical failures. 

Starting With a Motorbike 

Bondurant became accustomed with motorized vehicle at a young age. When he was 10 years old his mother bought him a motorbike to help with his paper route. After the motorbike came a motor scooter and then a 125cc motorcycle.

Aviation was also one of his pursuits at a young age. To learn to fly helicopters, Bondurant  was employed after school as a mechanic's aid at a helicopter repair shop and was able to take informal flying lessons. During these years he also learned to ride Harleys  Racing of course was the next step. Bondurant started out with an Indian 101 Scout, and started competing on dirt ovals.. He worked on his bike with a friend who built the best racing engines and was even offered one. The engine was happily accepted. Racing typically took place on Sundays.  Interesting enough, his solid performance with motorcycles moved him from the Novice class all the way to Expert.

The Carroll Shelby Influence

Following is a brief history of some of the many racing successes enjoyed by Bob Bondurant
Carroll Shelby was doing a lot of exciting things during the early 1960's. Most notable was Shelby's work in placing a Ford V-8 engine on the chassis of the small AC chassis. This was Shelby's Cobra model which you will run across at numerous car shows all across the country.  Bondurant drove for Shelby and won the 1963 Grand Prix of Riverside in a 289 Cobra. In 1964 he traveled to Europe, teaming with Dan Gurney, and again in 1965, teaming with Jo Schlesser. During both years, the Shelby team won the GT class at the 24 Hours of LeMans.

After much acclaim for Bondurant's  success with Shelby, Ferrrari came calling. Ford happened to be Ferrari's biggest competitor at the time in Europe. Bob Bondurant first competition as a member of the Ferrari Formula One team took place at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix in 1966. He drove a BRM P261. In the Monaco Grand Prix he placed as high as fourth.

More competition included driving for Dan Gurney and his “Anglo American Racers” F1 team in the US and Mexico. Shortly after that Bob Bondurant worked as a driving consultant on John Frankenheimer’s racing film, Grand Prix, starring James Garner.

See these additional Muscle Car Journal cars on the links below.....

An All Electric 68 Mustang Fastback that Does 0-60 in Less than 3 Seconds

A 1969 Dodge Challenger 426

1973 Ferrari Dino GTS

The Bondurant Chevy Camaro Charity Auction 

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SMS Bondurant featured in this article was auctioned off during January 2015. The auction proceeds were given to Cox Charities and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona. Cox Charities has given out more than $3.4 million in grants to local non-profits focused on youth, education and technology. Cox Charities awards every dollar received.

This car was sold at the auction for $100,000. The winning bidder also received the Bondurant three-day performance driving school program.

This model has a Supercharged  6.2 Liter V8 engine delivering over 620hp. Transmission is a six speed manual. Additionally, the SMS Bondurant Chevrolet Camaro has a Red Butterfly hood, Eibach S suspension and a special set of 20" HRE wheels, Pirelli tires and a Borla exhaust system. Also included with this car are custom gauges and Alcantara  leather seats with Signature Series stripes.

SMS Supercar other muscle cars incluse the 460 Ford Mustang, the 25A Mustang and the 570 Challenger.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)

A Beauty of a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Featured in this article is a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible. This was Camaro's first year. The Chevy Camaro came on the scene as a direct competitor to the successful Ford Mustang. This was called General Motor's F-car project. The first Camaro came out in September 1966, a few years after the first Mustang. These cars were offered as both hardtop coupes and convertibles.

1967 Chevy Camaro SS Convertible

The 67 Camaro SS models had a simulated air intake and a blacked out grille and can be classified as milestone cars.

Camaro Vs. Mustang

The first generation Camaros ran from the 1967 models through the 1969 model years. It took Chevy a few years after the Mustang to bring out the Camaro.The Camaro styling caught on fast with the public The two cars, Camaro and Mustang, were targeting the exact same market. As an added promotional boost for the new Chevy model, the 1967 Chevy Camaro was the Pace Car at the Indy 500 that year.

It's interesting to note that when the Chevrolet Camraro was introduced, it's specs were nearly identical to the Ford Mustang. The Chevy Camaro is considered a muscle car although the base Camaro emphasized looks over performance and you could buy it with a six cylinder engine.

The Chevy Camaro design was a swoopier version of the long hood short deck Mustang.In a way, Chevrolet promoted the Camaro as being akin to the Corvette except offering the public a four seat sports car. Chevrolet advertised the 67 Camaro as a sleek, new sports-type car.

Swoopy rear end compared to the Muatang

Early Chevy Camaro Production

Camaros of this generation were built in the Norwood Ohio and Los Angeles California assembly plants. Your VIN tag, then called a serial number, will show an “N” or “L” depending on the plant. A Norwood Ohio assembled car will start off with a serial number (VIN) of 18N. The 1= Chevrolet and the 8= 1968. The digits on the serial number that follow, which can be up to six, represent the Fisher body number.

1967 Chevy Camaro Specifications 

There were four engines available for the 67 Chevy Camaro. These included a 230  and 250 cubic inch Inline Six Cylinder engines delivering 140 and 155 horses respectively. The two V-8's were a 327 and 350 cubic inch delivering 210 and 255 horses respectively. The 67 Camaro 396 was rated to do Zero to 60 in 6.0 seconds.

The SS package came with a modified 350 V8 with an available 396 big block producing 325 hp.

Camaro transmissions offered in 1967 were three and four speed manuals and a three speed automatic.

Front suspension is independent coil springs and rear is mono-leaf leaf springs.

1967 Chevy Camaro Dashboard

Dimensions for the 1967 Camaro SS included a wheelbase of 108.0 inches, an overall length of 184.7 inches, a width of 72.5 inches and a weight of about 3,300 lbs. Weights for the 67 models could vary between 2,800 and 3,300 lbs. These matched the Mustang's specs right down to the chassis and wheelbase.In fact, the dimensions could hardly be closer.

1967 Camaro production numbers were 58,803 for the base models and 162,109 for the V-8's. Production numbers for the V-8's would increase in 1968 and drop a bit for 1969.

The SS Camaro's new car price in 1967 was about $3,300 for the hardtop and $3,500 for the convertible.

You may also enjoy the Muscle Car Journal articles on the links below.....

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 / Photos, Specs and History

The 1970 Pontiac GTO / Photos, Specs and History

The All Electric 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback / 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds 

The 1960's Muscle Cars / Where Did They Go?

Reference material for this article and books of interest we recommend on the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro include.....Big Book of Camaro Data : 1967 to 1973 by author John R. Hooper....Chevrolet Camaro , edited by Jesse Russell.....Camaro Muscle Portfolio, 1967-1973 by author R.M. Clarke.

A Chevy 355 delivering 330 horsepower

The Popular Chevrolet Camaro Collector Cars

All of the first generation late 1960′s Camaros are sought after collector cars. Convertibles even more so. These late 1960's iconic Chevrolet Camaro's are thought to have  a lot of upside value as more become rare as years progress.

A fully restored 1967 Chevrolet Camaro will command relatively high prices today. Depending on the model you’ll find asking prices for first generation fully restored Chevrolet Camaros in the range of  about $27,000 to $45,000 and some higher.

We see a restored 67 Camaro hardtop with a rebuilt 396 engine asking $27,500.Out of our above mentioned price range is another 1967 Camaro Convertible with an asking price of $90,000. This car is listed at 11,000 miles and as a collector car / investment car.

There are a good number of Chevy Camaro modified hot rods on the market. The degree of restoration and the degree of originality will drive current prices. In many cases, the more modified models should have lower prices versus restored highly original models.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 / A 1960's Muscle Car

Oldsmobile may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking "muscle cars". Oldsmobile did however make a fine contribution to the late 1960's muscle car era with it's 442 model.

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 was a muscle car of the late 1960's.  The Oldsmobile 442 was first introduced as an option package for the F-85 Cutlass and the more luxurious Cutlass models sold in the United States beginning with the 1964 model year. The name "442" tells us that the engine has the configuration of a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust pipes.

The First Muscle Car

So which automobile was the first American muscle car? There are more than one answer to that question.  There are some that say that Oldsmobile won this distinction when they put a Rocket V-8 engine into their 1949 Olds 88 and Super 88 models. There's a lot to this claim since the Olds Rocket V-8 engine was considered by most at that time as being the performance leader.

After a lot of performance success during the early to mid 1950's, Oldsmobile returned to the muscle car field in 1964 after Pontiac unveiled their  GTO, the muscle car designed by GM's John Delorean.

The Pontiac GTO gave the Oldsmobile team the inspiration to come out with their 4-4-2 performance package. As mentioned above, the 442 signified a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust pipes.

The Oldsmobile 442 W-30

The car featured in this article is a 1968 Oldsmobile 442 W-30. This was a year in the middle to late part of the American muscle car era. This was a great looking car with raw power. The Oldsmobile 442  muscle car debuted before emission and safety standards changed the performance landscape and was first offered as a performance package for police cars.

1968 was also a milestone year where the Oldsmobile 442 became it’s own distinct model and no longer just an option. In 1968 Oldsmobile also joined forces with Hurst Performance Research Corporation to produce the Hurst/Olds shifter. The 1968 Oldsmobile 442′s were built on GM’s new for 1968 A-Body platforms.

1968 Oldsmobile 442 Specifications

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 had a 400 cubic inch V-8 engine.The W-30 version delivered 360 horsepower.

Out of the five available engine options for 1968, the Olds 442 W-30 was the second highest in horsepower with the 455 cubic inch limited edition Hurst Olds versions claiming 390 horsepower. The 442 had a rating of Zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, and through the quarter mile in 14.1 seconds at 103 miles per hour.




In all, there were four transmissions available on Oldsmobile 442′s in 1968. These included a Four Speed manual Wide Ratio, a Three Speed Turbo-Hydra-Matic, a Four Speed manual Close Ratio, and a Heavy Duty Three Speed.

Suspension on the Olds 442 included both front and rear anti-roll bars that were stiffer than the standard suspensions.

Dimensions included a 112.0 inch wheelbase, an overall length of 204.2 inches, and a curb weight averaging about 3,560 lbs.
.
Standard equipment on the 1968 442 included heavy duty springs, stabilizer bars, special shock absorbers and wheels.

There were a total of 33,607 Olds 442′s produced in 1968. This was up from the 24,800 produced in 1967.

As noted above, a lot changed in 1971 and the 442 began to go downhill that year.when the US government made new emissions laws. On top of that General Motors made the decree that all of its cars must run on unleaded fuel, meaning that the compression of the 442's engine had to be dropped.

See these additional articles on Muscle Car Journal...

The 1969 Dodge Charger 426 

The 1958 MGA LeMans 

The 2011 SMS Bondurant Chevy Camaro 

1969 Ford Torino GT Muscle Car

A good reference for classic Oldsmobile Muscle Cars includes... Oldsmobile Muscle Cars by authors William G. Holder and Phillip Kunz.

The 1968 Oldsmobile 442 Muscle Car Values

The Oldsmobile 442 from the late 1960′s is a popular classic muscle car plus a valuable collector car as well. The Oldsmobile 442 is one of the great muscle cars from the greatest era of automobiles.
These were Lansing’s last “golden age” muscle cars.

As mentioned earlier, the 1968 Olds 442′s became their own model in line in 1968 after being an option package for the Cutlass making the 1968 models milestone cars.

Because of the many different modified Olds 442 muscle cars on the road today,  you'll likely see a wide range of asking prices for those models for sale. As of this writing you'll find restored late 1960's Olds 442's in the mid $20,000 range up to the $40,000 range.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)

1969 Dodge Charger 426 Muscle Car / Specs and History

The 1969 Dodge Charger was a popular muscle car that, like many, was packed with power during the last years before federal emission regulations put a damper on horsepower. Many consider the Dodge Charger a response to the fastback fad started by the Mustang and the Barracuda. Muscle cars came in many shapes and sizes and the Charger was one of the most popular. 

69 Dodge Charger 426

The First Dodge Charger and the Muscle Car Era of the 60's

The first Dodge Charger appeared on the scene with the 1964 model year. The car came with a 426 cubic inch Wedge engine.  The Max Wedge was a race-only version of the 426 Wedge engine offered from the factory.  Chrysler's 426 Wedge engine served as their performance engine until the the 426 Hemi was introduced. Dodge muscle cars made a name for themselves at drag strips across America. Chargers showed well at the NASCAR super speedways and had good performances on the street. 

The 1960's represented a great decade for Detroit automakers. The 1950's produced many unique design changes, tail fins being just one example, and created many notable and iconic vehicles, particularly during the latter years. During the 1960's it was an entirely different era in Detroit. It was an era described best as... "just about anything goes".  The pony cars and muscle cars of the last half of the 60's pretty much defined that decade. The muscle car fight between the Detroit automakers, GM, Chrysler, Ford and AMC, defined  a good part of the late 60's. GM had their Camaro, Ford had their Mustang, Chrysler had their Dodge Charger and AMC stepped forward with their Javelin. 

As far as speed and power went, there really wasn't any finish line, that is, until the insurance companies and eventually the federal emission regulations reared their heads.  

Muscle car large hood

The 1969 Dodge Charger

The 69 Dodge Charger had a new grille and tail light design. The car had the sporty fastback look that Charger was noted for. Dodge unveiled  a new optional Special Edition decor group for Charger and Charger R/T. 

The 1969 Dodge Charger's standard engine was the 318 cubic inch V-8. Optional engines included the 383 cubic inch two barrel V8, the 426 Hemi, and the 440 Magnum. Quite a choice. Chrysler produced three generation of hemi engines. The first were produced from 1951 to 1958. The second group from 1964 to 1971 and the third generation was introduced in 2003. 


The 440 cubic inch engine was offered from 1967 to 1971. The high performance 440 Magnum delivered 375 horsepower. Zero to 60 ratings on the 426 were 6.0 seconds. For the 440 it was 6.1 seconds.

Three transmissions were available in 1969. These included a three speed manual, a four speed manual and a Torqueflite automatic.The automatic was standard on the R/T model.

Brakes were four wheel drum however front disc brakes were an option.

The 1969 Dodge Charger had a wheelbase of 117.0 inches.

You may enjoy additional car articles on our AutoMuseumOnline website found on the links below...

The First Chevy Corvette

1935 Auburn Boattail Speedster 

1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible / 355 Delivering 330 Horsepower

On Muscle Car Journal see the 1968 Chevy Nova Muscle Car

Dodge Charger's fastback type design

1960's Dodge Chargers Today

Some say that the muscle cars of the 1960's represented the last of the collectible cars. If you're looking for a fully restored Dodge Charger muscle car be prepared to pay. These power automobiles are in demand. 

As of this writing, frame off fully restored 1969 Dodge Chargers can have asking prices in the $50,000 to $70,000 range. If you're looking for a late 60's Dodge Charger project car you might be asked for $10,000 to $12,000. Some older restorations with wear showing might be found in the mid $20,000 range. 

We have also seen a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T with a 440 Magnum engine for sale with an asking price of $52,000. 

Our references and some excellent books you may want to read include...Charger Muscle Portfolio 1966-1974 by author R.M. Clarke..... Supercars : The Story of the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Super Bird by author Frank Moriarty.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal) 

A 1968 Chevy Nova Muscle Car

The Chevy Nova became a muscle car for those enthusiasts on a budget. The 1968 Chevrolet Nova featured in this article is a light weight automobile that was actually built alongside the Chevy Camaro.

The 1968 Chevy Nova came with a factory standard 350 V8 with 295 horsepower and with an optional Chevrolet 396 V8 big block. Lots of power in a relatively small, lightweight car.

68 Chevy II / Nova

The Third Generation Chevy Nova

The 1968 Chevrolet Nova represented the first of the third generation Nova's.By this time the Nova was much changed from what was first offered in 1962 as an economical compact. In 1968 the Chevy Nova was formally named the Chevy II Nova. That changed however lasted only one year and the name would be dropped in 1969.The Nova SS, a separate series, continued to be marketed as late as 1976 although because of new federal regulations was not the powerful machine seen during the late 1960's. The new 1971/72  federal regulations affected all of the late 60's muscle cars.

The new third generation Chevy Nova design added length to the wheelbase at 111.0 inches. Also, for 1968 the Chevy Nova had a body that was wider, lower and sleeker than the second generation models. The car had the long hood short deck look which you could compare to both the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Camaro.

In 1968 there also was the  Chevy Nova 400 series. These cars were different from the Nova SS models in the fact that they were available in two and four door versions.. The Nova 400's came with a base inline six cylinder engine, as well.

The Nova and the Camaro

It's interesting to note that while the Chevy Nova was becoming an American muscle car, Chevrolet already had that market segment covered with their powerful Camaro's.

 The Camaro was a direct result of Ford creating their Mustang. The first Chevy Camaro's had just about the exact same dimensions as the Ford Mustang. One could say that with the exception of the design (although it had a long hood and short deck) the first Camaro dimensions matched the Mustang.

In a way the Chevrolet Division of General Motors had two cars for the power buff although at different price points. As far as Pony Cars were concerned, the Chevy Nova SS was not considered among them. These Nova's fit somewhere between Pony Cars and Muscle Cars. It was perplexing that 1968 Nova SS sales were down from the previous year. One would think that with the new, more sleek design plus the increased engine power options sales would have increased. Whatever the reason, sales did increase a year later in 1969 and continued to do so thru 1973.

The Blown 572. Don't try to put a hood on this one.

The Blown 572 Chevy Engine

The muscle car featured here has a Blown 572 Chevy engine.

This Chevy big block 572 cubic inch engine means serious business delivering some 900 horsepower. It seems there is more brute force from the engine as the cubic inch numbers go up. Of course for those wanting even a bigger engine with more brute force there is always the 588 cubic inch big block that puts out something like 1206 horsepower.

Most muscle cars don't have blowers, but some more serious pro-street muscle cars do. Blowers are really  another word for "supercharger". What the blower does is force more air into the engine to increase both horsepower and torque.

The larger blowers stick out of the hood (such as the one featured here) but the smaller ones typically fit well underneath. The blowers/superchargers are aftermarket devices. When you add a blower to the engine, serious modifications to the engine itself are necessary although there are milder blower kits that can work directly with stock engines.

Blowers are certainly nothing new but they have changed from the early days when they were much larger as seen on old GMC diesel engines. Today's blowers are also much more efficient. When a conversation turns to Chevy Blown Big Block engines the matter of money is sure to come up. Chances are very good you're talking about a $25,000 and more engine. With that in mind it's wise to find yourself a capable and recommended engine builder.

You may enjoy our AutoMuseumOnline article on the link below...

1968 Oldsmobile 442 Muscle Car

Also, on Muscle Car Journal...Where Did All the 60's Muscle Cars Go?  and  Big Oly / A Baja 1000 Legend 

400 Transmission 3 speed shifter

The 400 Transmission

The Chevy Nova muscle car shown here has a 400 transmission to match the 572 cubic inch engine. This is a racing transmission. Some of these are built as three speeds ( like the one shown here) and some have been built as two speed transmissions. These high performance transmissions are built to get the engine's vast horsepower to the ground where it counts for dragsters.

1968 Chevy Nova Specifications 

As mentioned above, the 1968 Chevy II / Nova offered both a stock 350 and 396 cubic inch engine. The 350 delivered 295 horsepower and the latter 325 horsepower. 

Wheelbase was 111.0 inches and the overall length 189.4 inches.

New car price in 1968 was about $2,600 for the stock 350 cubic inch model. Weight came in at 2,995 lbs.

Excellent reference material includes.... Nova SS : Nova and Chevy II 1962-1979 by Steve Statham and A Complete Guide to Street Supercharging by Pat Ganahl.

(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)