Top Muscle Cars: '60 - '70 Edition

Championship Round

Final round of voting for the Top Muscle Car Bracket has begun!

The first three rounds for our Top Muscle Car brackets have been completed and now it’s time to decide the winner! It’s come down to the top 2

#1 seed ’70 Hemi Cuda vs. #2 seed ’70 Chevelle SS LS6

It’s up to you to decide which vehicles move on!

Voting is closed for this round and we are counting the results, stay tuned.

MATCH UP 1 1970 Hemi Cuda VS 1970 Chevelle SS LS6

#1 seed

1970 Hemi Cuda

The Barracuda was considered an economy car up through 1969. Chrysler’s '70 Barracuda was built on the popular E-body. The Barracuda really gained notice in racing circles in 1970 when Dan Gurney and Swede Savage drove specially modified ‘Cudas in that year’ s Trans-Am Series.

#2 seed

1970 Chevelle SS LS6

The Chevelle was named “America’s King of the Streets” but Chevrolet only produced 4,475 LS6 Chevelles. The LS6 used the same block as the LS5 and buying an LS6 Chevelle required the customer to purchase mandatory options

Third Round Results

We have finished up Round Two for our Top Muscle Car brackets and the winner is close to being chosen!

Now, it’s on to the semifinals in Round Three. Our viewers have voted and it’s come down to the #1 seed 70 Hemi Cuda vs. the #4 seed ’69 Road Runner and the #2 seed ’70 Chevelle SS LS6 vs. the #3 seed ’69 Mustang Boss 429. It’s up to you to decide which vehicles move on!

MATCH UP 1 1970 Hemi Cuda - 65% VS 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack - 35% show more

#1 seed

1970 Hemi Cuda - 65%

The Barracuda was considered an economy car up through 1969. Chrysler’s '70 Barracuda was built on the popular E-body. The Barracuda really gained notice in racing circles in 1970 when Dan Gurney and Swede Savage drove specially modified ‘Cudas in that year’ s Trans-Am Series.

#4 seed

1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack

Plymouth developed the Road Runner to market a lower priced, basic trim model to its upscale GTX. The original 1969 Plymouth Road Runners all came with 383s or Hemi 426s. The 383 engine was standard with the 426 Hemi the only option available for the Road Runner until mid-year production.

MATCH UP 2 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 54% VS 1969 Mustang Boss 429 - 46% show more

#2 seed

1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 54%

The Chevelle was named “America’s King of the Streets” but Chevrolet only produced 4,475 LS6 Chevelles. The LS6 used the same block as the LS5 and buying an LS6 Chevelle required the customer to purchase mandatory options

#3 seed

1969 Mustang Boss 429

The Boss 429 was born of Ford's need to qualify 500 examples of its new racing engine for NASCAR and was the costliest non-Shelby Mustang. Ford built 1,356 Boss 429 Mustangs and two Cougars for '69 and '70 before ending its factory racing program.

Second Round Results

Round One of our Top Muscle Car brackets is complete and you, our viewers, have narrowed down the choices for the best muscle car of the ’60s and ’70s!

There was an upset with the #10 seed 1969 Camaro beating out the #7 1969 Pontiac GTO! So now it’s up to you to vote in Round Two and see which cars make the cut and go forward into Round Three.

MATCH UP 1 1970 Hemi Cuda - 56% VS 1968 Shelby GT500KR - 44% show more

#1 seed

1970 Hemi Cuda - 56%

The Barracuda was considered an economy car up through 1969. Chrysler’s '70 Barracuda was built on the popular E-body. The Barracuda really gained notice in racing circles in 1970 when Dan Gurney and Swede Savage drove specially modified ‘Cudas in that year’ s Trans-Am Series.

#8 seed

1968 Shelby GT500KR

The GT500 was subsequently known as The Cobra GT500 KR. KR stood for "King of the Road." Shelby's KR engine was left stock adding die-cast aluminum valve covers with "Cobra Lemans" to note Ford's FE engine family victory over Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967.

MATCH UP 2 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 58% VS 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28 - 42% show more

#2 seed

1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 58%

The Chevelle was named “America’s King of the Streets” but Chevrolet only produced 4,475 LS6 Chevelles. The LS6 used the same block as the LS5 and buying an LS6 Chevelle required the customer to purchase mandatory options

#10 seed

1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28

Chevrolet's Special Production Division wanted to promote the Z28 so they had to convince Chevrolet's General Manager however, he only drove convertible vehicles, and the Z/28 was never produced as a convertible. A Central Office Production Order (COPO) was placed for the only Z/28 convertible Camaro ever created.

MATCH UP 3 1969 Mustang Boss 429 - 58% VS 1969 Chevy Camaro RS/SS 396 - 42% show more

#3 seed

1969 Mustang Boss 429 - 58%

The Boss 429 was born of Ford's need to qualify 500 examples of its new racing engine for NASCAR and was the costliest non-Shelby Mustang. Ford built 1,356 Boss 429 Mustangs and two Cougars for '69 and '70 before ending its factory racing program.

#6 seed

1969 Chevy Camaro RS/SS 396

The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396 represented the muscle car bloodline. It’s one of the few convertibles fitted with the top-drawer version of the 396-cid V8. All SS 396s received 12-bolt rear axles.

MATCH UP 4 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack - 56% VS 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 - 44% show more

#4 seed

1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack - 56%

Plymouth developed the Road Runner to market a lower priced, basic trim model to its upscale GTX. The original 1969 Plymouth Road Runners all came with 383s or Hemi 426s. The 383 engine was standard with the 426 Hemi the only option available for the Road Runner until mid-year production.

#5 seed

1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440

The R/T came standard with the previous year’s 440 “Magnum”. The Slant Six was added to the option list in 1968, but it proved to be a very poor seller. Most people wanted a V8 in their Charger. The car famously starred opposite Steve McQueen’s 390 Mustang in Bullitt.

First Round Results

Let’s get the first round started! The list of 16 contenders has been seeded and grouped into head-to-head matchups below. For each matchup, select which muscle car is your favorite. The winner of each matchup will advance to the quarterfinals and continue its quest of being named the Top Muscle Car.

Will the top seeded 1970 Hemi Cuda prevail? Or will a dark horse emerge? Your vote decides.

MATCH UP 1 1970 Hemi Cuda - 56% VS 1967 Chevy Corvette Stingray - 44% show more

#1 seed

1970 Hemi Cuda - 56%

The Barracuda was considered an economy car up through 1969. Chrysler’s '70 Barracuda was built on the popular E-body. The Barracuda really gained notice in racing circles in 1970 when Dan Gurney and Swede Savage drove specially modified ‘Cudas in that year’ s Trans-Am Series.

#16 seed

1967 Chevy Corvette Stingray

The Stingray was the last Corvette of the second generation. The ultimate engine for the ’67 was coded L88 and was as close to a pure racing engine as Chevy had ever offered in regular production.

MATCH UP 2 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 56% VS 1965 Cobra S/C - 44% show more

#2 seed

1970 Chevelle SS LS6 - 56%

The Chevelle was named “America’s King of the Streets” but Chevrolet only produced 4,475 LS6 Chevelles. The LS6 used the same block as the LS5 and buying an LS6 Chevelle required the customer to purchase mandatory options

#15 seed

1965 Cobra S/C

With a goal of homologation, Carroll Shelby attempted to produce 100 Cobras. However, only 53 were produced, so 31 were taken and modified for road use.The S/C is short for “Semi-Competition” and was the fastest production car in the world in 1965. Cobra S/C’s sell for more than $2 million today.

MATCH UP 3 1969 Mustang Boss 429 - 79% VS 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt - 21% show more

#3 seed

1969 Mustang Boss 429 - 79%

The Boss 429 was born of Ford's need to qualify 500 examples of its new racing engine for NASCAR and was the costliest non-Shelby Mustang. Ford built 1,356 Boss 429 Mustangs and two Cougars for '69 and '70 before ending its factory racing program.

#14 seed

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt

The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt is a limited production, factory experimental, drag racing version of the Ford Fairlane produced exclusively during the 1964 year. Only 100 units were produced: 49 4-speeds and 51 automatics which was enough to secure the 1964 NHRA Super Stock Championship for Ford.

MATCH UP 4 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack - 64% VS 1969 Dodge Daytona - 36% show more

#4 seed

1969 Plymouth Road Runner 440 6-pack - 64%

Plymouth developed the Road Runner to market a lower priced, basic trim model to its upscale GTX. The original 1969 Plymouth Road Runners all came with 383s or Hemi 426s. The 383 engine was standard with the 426 Hemi the only option available for the Road Runner until mid-year production.

#13 seed

1969 Dodge Daytona

The ’69 Daytona was intended to be a high-performance, limited-edition version of the Dodge Charger produced in the summer of 1969 for the sole purpose of winning high-profile NASCAR races. It was built on the 1969 Charger's R/T trim specifications. Daytonas were known as "Winged Warriors” and did not compete for long in NASCAR's top Cup series.

MATCH UP 5 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 - 78% VS 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II - 22% show more

#5 seed

1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 - 78%

The R/T came standard with the previous year’s 440 “Magnum”. The Slant Six was added to the option list in 1968, but it proved to be a very poor seller. Most people wanted a V8 in their Charger. The car famously starred opposite Steve McQueen’s 390 Mustang in Bullitt.

#12 seed

1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II

The Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II was a special, more aerodynamic version of the Mercury Cyclone. It was produced specifically to make Mercury even more competitive in NASCAR stock car racing and was sold to the public only because homologation rules required a minimum number of cars (500 in 1969) be produced and made available for sale to the public.

MATCH UP 6 1969 Chevy Camaro RS/SS 396 - 66% VS 1964 Pontiac GTO Tri-Power 389 - 34% show more

#6 seed

1969 Chevy Camaro RS/SS 396 - 66%

The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396 represented the muscle car bloodline. It’s one of the few convertibles fitted with the top-drawer version of the 396-cid V8. All SS 396s received 12-bolt rear axles.

#11 seed

1964 Pontiac GTO Tri-Power 389

The first Pontiac GTO was available as an option package for the Pontiac LeMans, available in coupé, hardtop, and convertible body styles. The "Tri-Power" carburetion (three two-barrel Rochester 2G carburetors) is rated at 348 bhp.

MATCH UP 7 1969 Pontiac GTO “Judge” - 48% VS 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28 - 52% show more

#7 seed

1969 Pontiac GTO “Judge”

Only 1,517 Ram Air IV models were ever built during 1969-1970. The top option “Ram Air IV” was rated at 370 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 445 lb⋅ft at 3,900 rpm of torque. The name came from a comedy routine, "Here Come de Judge" and was to be a low-cost GTO. It sold for only $332 more than a standard GTO and included the Ram Air III engine.

#10 seed

1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28 - 52%

Chevrolet's Special Production Division wanted to promote the Z28 so they had to convince Chevrolet's General Manager however, he only drove convertible vehicles, and the Z/28 was never produced as a convertible. A Central Office Production Order (COPO) was placed for the only Z/28 convertible Camaro ever created.

MATCH UP 8 1968 Shelby GT500KR - 53% VS 1969 Ford Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet - 47% show more

#8 seed

1968 Shelby GT500KR - 53%

The GT500 was subsequently known as The Cobra GT500 KR. KR stood for "King of the Road." Shelby's KR engine was left stock adding die-cast aluminum valve covers with "Cobra Lemans" to note Ford's FE engine family victory over Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967.

#9 seed

1969 Ford Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet

The ’69 Mustang 428 Cobra Jet was cheaper than a Boss 429, less temperamental than a Boss 302, and a force anywhere fast cars gathered. It was conservatively rated at 335 horsepower, but actually produced about 400 horses. The 428 Cobra Jet was a performance version of the 428 FE and made its drag racing debut at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals.