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The Camaro’s evolution from ’67 to ’69 is like watching a superhero get a makeover. The ’68 models ditched their side vents for that fresh Astro ventilation, while ’69 went full-on sporty with a wider, lower stance. The RS/SS combo was the Camaro’s version of a tuxedo, complete with headlight covers and a headlight washing system. Sales figures flipped like a pancake, especially the Z28, which went from a whisper to a roar, tripling its numbers by ’69. Who knew a car could get such a glow-up?
In the golden years of 1969 to 1976, BMW’s New Six line hit the scene powered by the mighty M30 inline six-cylinder engine, establishing BMW as not just a maker of cars, but of dreams. With sedans named like secret agents (E3 with a long-wheelbase twist) and coupes ready to race, they turned heads and corners with aplomb. In 1971, the Bavaria E3 sped onto U.S. roads, less frills, more thrills, delighting drivers with its zippy performance and enough trunk space to fit all your aspirations.
The internet insists more horsepower is always the answer, but Mike Musto shows up in a plain Chevy Malibu to argue the opposite. On The Drive’s /BIG MUSCLE, he makes the case that a balanced build beats a big dyno number in every way that matters on a real road. It is a contrarian take from someone who has driven the extremes. Watch to find out why 800 horsepower might be too much.
Lou Costabile finds a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T at a MOPAR swap meet that stops the conversation cold: a 426 Hemi, a Hurst pistol-grip four-speed, the Super Track Pack option, and Burnt Orange paint over just under 29,000 original miles. Owner Al Hickey runs a restoration shop, comes from a Mopar family, and keeps eighteen collector cars — and he calls this one very close to the top of the ladder. Find out what makes this Charger the crown jewel of a serious collection.
Ford’s Galaxie strutted its stuff in 1962 and 1963 with style and muscle. The ’62 model, known as “The Lively One,” boasted sporty options like bucket seats and a console, while the ’63 got a facelift, losing its tail fins and gaining a fastback roof for NASCAR flair. Engine swaps were afoot, with the 406 replaced by a ferocious 427 V8, making it a beast on the road. But alas, even with power galore, the Galaxie had a weighty issue—proving you can’t have your cake and eat it too, even if it’s a car!
A year after the 1986 Grand National, Buick quietly built something even more extreme, just 547 of them, each pulled off the line and reworked by an outside performance shop. This piece covers the 1987 GNX’s real story: the upgrades officially listed, the horsepower Buick would not put on paper, and how a turbocharged Buick ended up outrunning cars that cost three times as much.
At Nick’s Garage, the dyno room is where every build finally tells the truth — but this time the dyno itself breaks down, and the whole shop grinds to a halt. Waiting in the wings is a freshly restored 1967 Plymouth GTX packing a 440 big block that needs to be tested and tuned. Can Nick and the crew get the equipment running before the star of the show gets its moment? Find out whether the GTX makes the numbers it was built for.
Not every car wearing a muscle badge earned it. Car News Central rounds up the worst and slowest so-called muscle cars ever built — the malaise-era disappointments, the badge-engineered impostors, and the once-proud nameplates that limped through the 1970s making embarrassing power. It is a tour through the industry’s most awkward decade, and some of the entries will sting. Find out which legendary names ended up on the wrong list.
Rev up your engines for a ride through the iconic Pontiac GTO era, 1965-1967! This muscle car’s journey starts with a sleek redesign in ’65, adding a functional hood scoop for that extra “vroom” and an optional tachometer for those who like to live on the edge. In ’66, the GTO strutted its stuff as a standalone model, offering pillared and pillarless options, plus a convertible for those who like wind in their hair. By ’67, it boasted a 400 CID engine and new safety features, making it both a beast and a beauty on the road!
At the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, Lou Costabile finds a 1961 Ford Galaxie Starliner that took its owner eight years to bring back. Under the hood sits a 390 cubic-inch big block making a stout 401 horsepower, wrapped in one of the prettiest fastback rooflines Ford ever drew. Owner Zach Straits walks through what the restoration cost him in time and patience. Find out why this early-’60s Ford was worth almost a decade of work.
A 1965 Shelby GT350 and its modern namesake share the same badge, the same maker, and almost nothing else. One is a stripped-down homologation racer with a solid-lifter 289; the other is a flat-plane-crank, carbon-trimmed track weapon built five decades later. Gears and Gasoline got Bob and Sam to bring both together, and the gap between them says everything about how far the pony car has traveled. See what fifty-one years of heritage really looks like side by side.
Pontiac’s first-gen Firebird (1967-1969) was born because GM feared a two-seater would steal Corvette’s thunder. This muscle car flexed with a variety of engines, from a humble six to a roaring 400-cubic-inch V8. Firebird’s design evolved to meet safety laws, like hiding the vent windows in ’68 and adding 5 mph bumpers in ’69. The ’69 Firebird even lingered into 1970 due to Pontiac’s second-gen hiccups. It also saw the debut of the Trans Am package, adding flair with a rear spoiler and more power under the hood.
The Chevrolet Impala’s fourth-gen era (1965-1970) was like a rock ‘n’ roll concert, loud and unforgettable. In ’65, it sold over a million units, a record still unbroken today—take that, modern cars! The Impala transformed with groovy full coil springs and frameless windows, while the Caprice joined as the fancy sibling with wood-grained bling. Fast forward to ’69, and the Impala ditched its coke bottle curves for a more sophisticated vibe, sporting wrap-around bumpers and a cool ventilation system.
Today the Corvette is an institution, but in 1953 nobody knew if America’s fiberglass two-seater would survive its first year. This vintage announcement promo, surfaced by King Rose Archives, captures the very first Corvette when it was still a fragile experiment, every car hand-built in Polo White with a modest six-cylinder engine. Watching a future icon pitched as an unproven gamble reframes the whole legend. It is a time capsule from the moment America’s sports car began. Watch the original promo.
In 1966 you could buy a Chevrolet Impala Super Sport that looked like a dignified family cruiser and hid one of the most fearsome engines Chevy built. This Marina Blue example carries the new-for-1966 427 in its hottest L72 trim, a 425-horsepower big block backed by a close-ratio four-speed. V8TV walks through the full-size sleeper, from its stacked console gauges to its willingness to smoke the tires for miles. It is a reminder that the big Impala could run with anything. Watch the full breakdown.