For most of the 1950s, one horsepower per cubic inch was the number Detroit chased and rarely caught. Chevrolet got there in 1957 with a 283 cubic-inch small block, Rochester mechanical fuel injection, and a solid-lifter camshaft, wrapped in a Bel Air Sport Coupe most buyers ordered for the two-tone paint. Roughly 1,530 Chevrolets left the factory that year with the option. Read on to find out why almost nobody checked the box.
A muscle car disappearing into its own tire smoke captures one of the automotive world’s oldest traditions, the burnout. What started as a practical way to heat tires before a drag strip run has become a judged spectacle in its own right, with big-block torque, line locks, and sacrificial tires all playing a part. Read on to find out what separates an ordinary smoke show from a legendary one.
Welcome to Muscle Car Fan. Every great muscle car has a story, and the best stories are the ones you can tell at a car show, a barbecue, or a family dinner. Today I have […]
A 1964 Mercury Marauder with the factory-rare dual-quad 427 — one of just 42 built that year — turned up at a Detroit car show still owned by the same man for two decades. Nick Zakarian’s fastback-roofed big Mercury hides one of the rarest engine options Ford Motor Company ever sold. Here’s the NASCAR-bred history behind the nameplate most muscle car fans have forgotten.
Two Detroit heavyweights from 1969, and the hardcore crowd has argued about them for decades. Here is how the rated numbers line up. 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV 400 cubic inches, rated at […]
Reproduction, NOS, or used originals? A shop owner explains how to source restoration parts without wrecking your budget or your car’s value.
Welcome to Muscle Car Fan. If you are new to muscle cars, you might think they were all just big engines and loud noises. The truth is a lot stranger. In this video you will […]
They call it Deathtrap, and it was built for one of drag racing’s most unforgiving formats: small tire, where a narrow drag radial has to absorb everything the engine makes. The Fox body Mustang has become the default chassis in this class for reasons Ford never anticipated when it built the platform as an economy commuter. Read on for why turbos suit the format, and why the converter matters more than the horsepower number.
The garage gear that earns its place for muscle car owners: jack stands, a torque wrench, a timing light, a vacuum gauge, a battery tender, and more.
Welcome to Muscle Car Fan. Before you hand over a pile of cash for a classic muscle car, spend the next few minutes with me. I am going through four of the most popular cars […]
Some muscle cars were built in huge numbers. These three were not. If you have never seen one in person, there is a good reason, and here is what makes each of them special. 1970 […]
How investors read the market for a dusty, unrestored muscle car: originality, documentation, rarity, condition, and cost to finish.
Chevrolet had two versions of a new 454 big-block ready for the 1970 Corvette, and the wilder one was advertised at 460 horsepower. It never reached a single retail buyer — a labor strike had already shortened the model year and the LS7 was deleted from the order sheet, leaving the 390-horsepower LS5 as the only 454 anyone could actually order. Read on to find out why a Bridgehampton Blue four-speed roadster from that year sits at such an important point in Corvette history.
Every muscle car legend started with a person who had a stubborn idea. If you are new to the world of muscle cars, here is where to start: four people, four cars, and the stories […]