Let’s get up to speed – It’s 1968
The Muscle Car Wars Part 2
Before we dig in, it’s important to understand that what was really going on was that the manufacturers were battling for journalistic attention. Back in the day, Newspapers and magazines were where one got information – so it was print advertising and magazine road tests where one learned about the car you might want to buy. For the most part, muscle car sales were at best 10% of the total mid-sized car sales, but they were exciting and they enticed people into the showroom. That was the mission – get the buyer in the showroom.
As we discussed in “The Muscle Car Wars Part 1”, the beginning of the Muscle Car War was, for the most part a skirmish between the GM brands. But Ford and Chrysler had been watching and planning. Ford had entered the fray in 1966 with the mid-sized Ford Fairlane GT, but it had been a half-hearted approach, selling more by looks than performance. Chrysler did not quite get the “mid-size” image and continued to sell their performance cars targeted at the over 30 audience – still using the “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” advertising motif.
At the dawn of 1968, though, both Chrysler and Ford woke up. Of course, they had been at the drawing board from 1965 onward developing cars that would be more attainable by the youth movement- and it took them until 1968 to get them to market. But as we’ve learned, it’s not just the car, it’s who you are going to target with that particular model. Let’s see what happened.
Click the thumbnails to see these Print Ads Full Size
1967 Plymouth Ad
Still Talking About NASCAR – “Win on Sunday Sell on Monday”
1968 Road Runner Ad
Transitioning from NASCAR Racing to Street Cars
OK, What’s cookin’?
Ford Motor Company
Ford’s new body style and new name, “Torino” was a bit flat at launch, mostly because engine choices were no different from the 1966-67 offerings. Journalists liked the looks, but panned the performance. Mid-year, of course, came the release of the 428 CID Cobra Jet and things started to sparkle. Mercury, who had been dabbling, just like Ford, suddenly added Cobra Jet power to their Cyclone, and with then a new body style, had something “going on”.
No longer was the 427 engined full size that was available to test, it was a 428 CID Cobra Jet powered Torino or a Cyclone.
Click the thumbnails to see these Images Full Size
1968 Ford Torino Test
It looked good but the motoring press was disappointed. Ford needed to catch up. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1968 428 Street Cyclone Test
The Cobra Jet arrives and things get exciting! CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
Chrysler Corporation
Plymouth launched their new B Body and with it, the Road Runner. Perhaps waiting those few years did allow them to realize where the bull’s eye was, because the Road Runner was spot on. And for those with a few more dollars to spend, there was the GTX. Advertising for the the two cars was very “hip” for the times, though by today’s standards we might see it as silly. Most important, while most people bought a standard 383 CID Road Runner, it was the Hemi version (a $700 option) that the press got their hands on to test.
Dodge launched the Charger, and make no mistake, it was a lot closer to an Oldsmobile or Buick in muscle car price, but it had looks and performance galore! For those with a few less dollars, there was also the New Dodge GTS and the Road Runner clone, the Super Bee. For the first time, Dodge covered the entire gamut of performance car buyers.
Click the thumbnails to see these Images Full Size
1968 Hemi vs Magnum 440 Test
Plymouth and Dodge got it right away – big motors in smaller cars!! CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1968 Dodge Charger Hemi Test
Dodge was super spot on in styling with the 1968 Charger and go power was there with the 383-440 CID and the Hemi! CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
General Motors
Of course, GM wasn’t caught flat footed, launching their new short 112” wheelbase coupes and convertibles with “Coke bottle” styling. Fortunately, they did not scrimp on their best performance options either. THINK: Chevrolet’s 375 HP “L-78”, Buick’s “Stage 1”, Oldsmobile’s “W-30”, Pontiac’s “Ram Air III”. They knew that while most might purchase a Tempest or a standard 4-barrel GTO, the hot models garnered the most attention.
Click the thumbnails to see these Images Full Size
1968 Buick GS 400 Stage 1 Test
Buick’s Stage 1 400 CID was stunningly fast! CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1967 Dana 427 Camaro Road Test
We don’t have a COPO Chevelle Test – But this will give you the flavor. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1968 Oldsmobile W-Machines
Olds delivered a trio of W-Cars – with the Hurst Olds the Top Dog. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1968 Pontiac GTO Ram Air Test
Pontiac was not kept napping. The ’68 GTO had plenty of punch! CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
battles were fought with ink and paper
Forget the oval track and the professional drag racer, now the new battle was on two new fronts, adeptly learned from Pontiac’s success with the GTO. For all the manufacturers, from mid-1968 on the battle was fought in print ads on the pages of magazines and newspapers, and in the seat of the pants of automotive journalists.
“Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” was converted to “Advertise! Advertise! Advertise!” Each brand recognized that if you weren’t talking performance or touting your mid-size muscle, you weren’t getting people into the showroom. A picture of your performance car had to be front and center in your advertising, and the excitement of owning a top-level performance car had to part of your public image.
Click the thumbnails to see these 1969 Print ads
1969 GS 400 Stage 1 Print Ad
Buick surprised all making the Stage 1 a factory option
1969 Chevelle SS 396 Print Ad
Chevrolet’s SS ads were quite tame.
1969 Dodge Coronet Super Bee Print Ad
Dodge offered many performance cars in 1969. But the Super Bee offered great performance for low dollars
1969 Ford Torino Print Ad
Ford was still having trouble transitioning from NASCAR to the street even though performance was there.
1969 Plymouth Road Runner Print Ad
Plymouth was wise to keep pushing their budget muscle – and it paid off in huge sales
1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Print Ad
Pontiac opened the gate with a specialized GTO – “The Judge”
By 1970, the gloves were off. All makers had big guns, and the manufacturers knew just how to tease the journalists. Significantly; “get the hottest models we have into the hands of the motoring press” was the mantra. When it came to these road tests, at Pontiac for example, instead of a Tempest Custom in the fleet “press pool”, there would be 2 or 3 GTOs – all with the most potent Ram Air engines. Same for Olds, if your were seeing a 442 test, you were seeing a W-30. If it was a Buick, it was a Stage 1. At Chevrolet there were probably more L-78 Chevelles available to journalists than there were for the buyer at local dealership.
Over at Plymouth, you either had a Hemi Road Runner waiting or a 440 equipped GTX. At Dodge, it was either a big block Super Bee or a Charger . . . or perhaps a 383 equipped Dart GTS. Ford and Mercury didn’t let a Torino GT or a Cyclone go to a magazine unless it was Cobra Jet.
Click the thumbnails to see these Images full size
1970 Buick GS Stage 1
Buick continued to improve performance and the addition of the 455 CID V-8 made it one of the fastest “street” muscle cars of 1970. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1970 Chevelle LS6 450 HP SS 454
Chevrolet’s 450 HP SS 454 might have been the pinnacle of muscle car performance – equaling the famous Hemi GTX. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1969 Dodge 440 Six Pack Test
For 1969 and 1970 Dodge put its “get ’em to the customer” eggs in the 440 six-pack basket. It was a solid idea that generated more sales. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1970 Ford Torino Cobra Road Test
Some wonder why with the escalating CID in GM and Chrysler, why Ford didn’t adopt the existing 460 CID block in 1970. They felt the Super Cobra jet was enough. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1970 Oldsmobile W-30 Test
Oldsmobile was smart enough to combine straight line performance with great handling. It paid off with jurnalists’ raves. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1970 Hemi ‘Cuda Road Test
While we don’t have a mid-size Hemi road test for 1970, this Hemi ‘Cuda test shows the potency of the engine. This convertible weighed as much as a Road Runner coupe. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
1970 GTO 455 vs Ram Air 400 Test
For the first time Pontiac offered two performance paths to their buyers. A torque monster 455 or a high revving 400. CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE TEST!
The muscle.
Pony cars started to edge mid-size for performance, mostly by shoving the same engines into lighter bodies. The solution was to add cubic inches to the mid-size cars, especially at GM. For example, the COPO Chevelle, the Royal Bobcat 428 GTO, the Hurst/Olds, were all responses to the increased performance of the pony car.
Buick Stays put at 400 CID, but Offers the “Stage 2”
1969, Buick was pressing hard through their west coast dealerships to push the GS 400 in local drag racing. Rather than stick the 430 CID Riviera GS motor in selected Buicks, they decided to press hard with their Stage 1 and Stage 2 packages. The Stage 2 Motor was a race motor – with plenty of guts. See the 1969 Buick Stage 1 and Stage 2 Package information HERE.
CHEVROLET OFFERED THE 427 CID “COPO” CHEVELLE
Through a Central Office Production Order (COPO), one could order a Chevelle with a 427 CID V-8, option L72. The COPO order bypassed the GM rule that disallowed engines above 400 CID on vehicles other than the Corvette or the full sized car. Today these 323 COPO Chevelles are some of the most collectible Chevrolets. See the specifications for the L72 in the 1966 Corvette AMA Spec Sheets HERE.
ROYAL PONTIAC OFFERED THE 428 CID RAM AIR GTO
Much like Oldsmobile, Pontiac once again, had their hands tied by Corporate management regarding engine size. The solution came by having Royal Pontiac, Detroit’s dealership with close ties to the factory, ordering GTOs and then replacing the 400 CID motor with a 428 CID piece with all the 400’s go fast parts, including the Ram Air III camshaft and heads. See a Road Test of a 428 GTO HERE.
OLDSMOBILE COUNTERED WITH THE FAMOUS 455 HURST/OLDS
The Hurst/olds story is well documented. But, like Pontiac, Olds got around the cubic inch limitation by allowing George Hurst of the Hurst Shifter fame to buy 442s and stuff 455 CID Toronado engines with W-30 parts and pieces into them. The truth is they were assembled at the factory and Hurst applied the paint. See a road test of a 1968 Hurst/Olds HERE.
FORD UPPED THE ANTE WITH THE BOSS 429.
It was no street engine. They stuck the NASCAR “Twisted Hemi” in the Mustang. (It was even a question back then why that engine didn’t show up in a Torino or Cyclone as that’s where they were raced). Your author was told there just wasn’t enough engines to go around. Crazy business. By 1970 the street version of the engine, with canted valves – but not the NASCAR heads – was available. See a test of the 1969 Boss 429 Mustang HERE.
The 428 COBRA JET CONTINUES TO POWER MOST OF FORD’S MUSCLE
For the most part, Ford stood pat with the 428 CID Cobra Jet in 1969, knowing that the canted valve 429 CID was coming in 1970. It made the Mustang Mach 1 a terror and held its own in the mid-size cars as well. A test of the 1969 Mustang Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet can be found HERE.
Plymouth and Dodge Stick With their 426 CID Hemi
Face it, Chrysler’s Street Hemi gave nothing to any other brand when it came to getting from Point A to Point B. From it’s introduction in 1966 to it’s availability in 1969 Plymouth and Dodge mid-size cars, there was little equal. See all the details of the Street Hemi in the 1969 Plymouth Road Runner AMA Specifications Sheets HERE.
The 440 “Six Pack”or “six Barrel” Is a tough Street Fighter
In response to the other manufacturers’ upscale performance offerings and trying to keep the cost of acquisition down, Chrysler added the triple 2-barrel option on the 440 CID V-8 in the mid-size line. While the standard 440 CID was no slouch, the addition of the this intake, a higher compression and the Street Hemi’s camshaft made it a bear. The AMA Specifications Sheets detailing the six-pack can be viewed HERE.
1970 was the pinnacle and the end
The pinnacle was reached when everyone threw big and bigger engines at their mid-sized offerings. Some brands added multiple carburetion and more exotic cylinder heads. “Budget Supercars” appeared with lighter bodies and spartan interiors to shed weight, lower price, and increase straight line performance. Go fast garb now included special stripes and graphics. Everyone had an engine over 420 CID. All had some sort of outside air induction.
But the casualties of the war weren’t the cars – the cars were unbeatable – it was the buyers. Starting in 1968, the insurance companies came in on a third side of the war – against all brands. Their strategy was quite different – the atomic bomb that caused everyone to lay down their arms and surrender. That weapon was higher insurance rates for the under thirty crowd, and it was based on horsepower. By 1970, no matter what engine, what styling, what ads, what glowing road test, the buyer was shut out. Sales plummeted.
While one could now buy a Chevelle SS 454 LS 6 with 450 HP, or a Plymouth Road Runner Hemi, all that hype started to fall on deaf ears. Insurance costs made these cars unattainable to the audience. Buyers moved downstream to economy cars with mid-sized performance engines. Dart Swinger, Plymouth Duster 340, Chevrolet Nova 350 are good examples.
The second blow was the federal regulations coming in 1973 for unleaded gasoline – which said, basically, “lower your compression ratio”. The thud of dead super-high performance models hitting the ground was heard all over. The casualties were those big-cammed, multiple-carbed big blocks.
The cost to the buyer was just too much. The mid-sized muscle would be sliding into oblivion by 1973 . . . not because they could not be made, but because they couldn’t be sold. And because they couldn’t be sold, they wouldn’t be advertised – they wouldn’t be in the press pool. The war was over.
Did Anyone “Win”?
The casualties were counted, and the wins stacked up. In this second round, and it we were going by sales, we’d have to say that Pontiac left the field with more wins, but if you add up the totals by who really benefited by the war, it might have to be Plymouth. “Huh?” you say, “What? Not Pontiac?”.
Why do we say this? Because the goal was never to sell 200,000 muscle cars – the war was to get the youth buyer into the showroom. If you look closely at mid-size sales, most brands saw upticks during the first part of the war, but it was Plymouth’s mid-size muscle sales that jumped the most. And in overall sales, Plymouth’s muscle car sales were more than 35% of their total mid-size sales! Surely Plymouth had cars just above mid-size sold as full size cars, like the Fury, but when it came to mid-size muscle you can’t argue with 77,592 going out the door in 1970!
The Muscle Car Sales Chart
Click to See Full Size