A blast from the past. Rest in Peace Tom. Greatest television show presenter ever. Do you NEED a car like that? No. But do you WANT a car like that. Oh Yeah!
Those late 60s and 1970 muscle cars or Super cars as they were called will always be the best looking and most raw powered cars ever designed by American auto makers and nobody can ever come close. I drove one and they dangerous but oh so satisfying
Exactly 1962-1970. The glory years of American automobile fun and pride. 1971 began the rapid decline. The big three and AMC(I guess) knew what was coming. A radical federal agency called the EPA and emergence of OPEC and their power to create a gas crunch. Therefore the beloved muscle cars became beasts of yore.
Wow. I remember that episode 22 years ago, or so. Hard to remember that far back. I really miss the good hearted banter between Tom and Peter. So much fun. Really miss Tom and all his good natured shots he would take and give out. Thanks again for bringing the fun back again with the cars I love the most. Trans Am. I go to every vintage event I can get to, to watch this very series. Still brings goose bumps to hear the real race cars coming out of the corners door to door and screaming down the straight. Awesome sound. There may now be electric cars that can go faster, but none with the soul of Boss 302 or Z 28
With cars this cool, it doesn't even matter who made them. It's just awesome that they were made at all. I'm glad they're being preserved. If I could have one, though, it would be the Mustang. I LOVE that shaker scoop!
Great memories. At college in 1969, we engineered a drag race between two rich kids, one with a 69 Z 28, the other with a 69 Olds 442 4 speed. Neither had ever tried to street race, hadn't a clue. Had fun working with the Z28 driver on how to launch without spinning the smallish E70 tires or lugging the low torque 302. The Olds should have won easily, it had 3.90 gears, headers and larger G60 tires, but the driver was very conservative, not wanting to risk breakage. One race went to each car. Thanks for the memory.
Cool story, thanks for sharing. In high school I'd always race my good buddy's car, and we were so closely matched we never could determine a permanent winner.
First car a '68 442 convertible that I got from my brother in law in 1972. Only because my mom wouldn't let me buy the perfect Baldwin Motion '69 Z28 from my brother's friend down the street.
@Lone Wolf i just wish they would start make new cars in those old style. i dont want them to be faster than they were in those days. its just great as a thing in itself
Would've won it all if they'd disconnected the rev-limiter. He's complaining about running out of revs with the Boss. Ya no duh. The difference is 6150 rpm and 8000+ rpm. That engine didn't even come alive till 4500 and they're shifting at 6000?!?! Smfh. That engine will pull past 8k all day.
Next contest, Boss 351 Mustang vs 70-71 Z28 350. When I was in high school, there was a 70 Z28, '69 Mach 1 Mustangs, Torinos, Chevelles, Road Runners, an AMX Javelin, 340 Dusters, GTO's... God I miss those good old days!
The Boss 351 makes the same power to the wheels as the 03 SVT Cobra. It’s as fast on the streets as a big block. Plus it’s got the legendary 4V Cleveland heads so it can easily make big power. It’s got a huge advantage.
Yeah, on TV. But in person, you go home with ringing in your ears. I went to a lot of races back then, and often came home almost deaf. Herds of unmuffled racing cars are LOUD.
My dream car was my 2nd car a matching numbers 69 Z28 Camaro. Thank you Dad for that. I'll have another one someday hopefully soon, and pray that I can find that one again as I'm hearing there's an identical one nearby and how lucky I could be to find it and buy it again. That car was UNSTOPPABLE on the streets even though pretty much all stock, with some trick adjustments, tuning clutch carb tires recurve kit and Dyno tuning the carb. OMG it was stupid fast.
The 1970 (not 1971) Mark Donohue (sp.?) Javelin came in several different configurations, none of which was mentioned. It came with a 3.15:1 stock diff, but could be had with as much as a 3.91:1, which was probably a bit much for the stock cam, and wheel size, with the 3.54:1 being ideal for the setup in question. Forcing the cars to be used with stock bias-ply tires was a questionable decision, as they were also running on today's 10% alcohol, lower energy fuel, which, in 1970, was alcohol free, and still using tetraethyl lead. One can argue that all of the cars were on a "level playing field", but I disagree; all of these cars were designed from the factory to be modified, and things such as improved tires, etc., were variables left to the discretion of the owner, as we all make performance decisions when we evaluate the purchase of a new set of tires, among other things. AMC had an entire catalogue of parts called "Group 19", which included, along with other parts, things like performance diff ratios, higher compression cylinder heads, performance camshafts, shocks, sway bars, a cross-ram intake fabricated by Edelbrock, and a bevy of other parts, all installed from the factory, when you took delivery of your Javelin or AMX, all intended to drastically improve performance. I can't speak about the other cars, but I can say, with a great degree of certainty, that the car we saw running around the course in such a joyless, lumpen way, was *NOT* a Mark Donohue Javelin. In 1970, the 360 was still high compression, like the 343 it was based on, and the MD Javelin had a rear sway bar, improved shocks and springs on its MacPherson struts, and handled very well - not like the vehicle in the video that we saw struggling to get around the track, body rolling like a swamped boat, front wheels attaining a mind-boggling camber shift, as the driver fed steering input to the car. I had a '69 AMX for many years, and other than its tendency to try to lift off past 115 mph (its front bumper, like the Javelin's, created a high pressure air bubble just in front of, and below the front of the car), it was a beautifully handling car. Lastly, a "burnout contest" as a quantitative way to rate the cars?! Are you serious??? That's just a blatant attempt to try to pad the numbers in the event that an unpopular car might win the evaluation, which is ridiculous! I have much esteem for your work, and the comparison which you've done for us, but there are too many holes in this plot for it to be taken seriously. Thank you for your efforts.
Who focuses on wheels in a test like this? They prolly ran the wheels the wheel manufacturers were paying them to run... of course we would have run road race wheels...
@@BuzzLOLOL I think anyone that is a car enthusiast noticed these silly looking aftermarket wheels, I am sure we all want to see them perform the way they came from the factory, after all isn't that the point of this test?
@@darinmcdonnell712 - People have such screwy wheels these days now that they don't bother me if it's not my vehicle... apparently these vehicles were 1972 emissions slugs from the slow numbers...
When I was a kid i had a neighbor that had an AAR Cuda". I fell in love with that car and have always wanted an AAR Cuda or T/A Challenger. Out of my Price range but if I focus maybe some day I will own one.
I remember in the early 90's, a friends uncle owned nothing but Mopar. He had a 71 Demon 340 that was (at the time) cooler to me than all the first gen Camaros and Mustangs I had come in contact with at that point. The best part, (even though I wasn't yet driving age) was these old mopars could be picked up for a song back then.
@@michaellorenz7177 I bought my 1971 Charger R/T for 1800. in 1993 and a 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 for 800. in 1998. Cant find then that cheap anymore. I saw a 68 Belvedere Station wagon near my work i might leave a note on. it is petty rough but complete. I would love a 71 Demon those are sweet.
I think the much heavier Challenger T/A really held it's own and proved it actually needed that 340 SixPack to move all that weight, unfortunately it didn't help in stopping and maneuvering. I thought it was the best looking of the pack...kudo's to the overall winner
Neither the Challenger or the Javelin met SCCA specs or the "class theme" and only thru politics were these cars ushered into the class. As with all bonehead moves, the SCCA clouded the waters of fair competition in that era of Trans-AM.
Maybe the best looking for a trans am type of muscle car but as far as all muscle cars nothing compares with the charger, but it is a straight line car not good in corners but it looks awesome and it makes a good drag race setup
@@BobbyOfEarth The 340 engine in 'real life' (vs. TA racing) was a proper muscle car engine, so I am not shocked at how it did here. However, there was no real 30x cu inch Chrysler offered in the models available to the public, so your argument is very valid. AMC, however, had sub 305 cu in engines (e.g. 290 and 304) so arguably, they (AMC) were legit.
I have looked for info about Pontiac in the Trans Am series. I think that they tried to run the 303 ram air v, but I don’t know. If you look at old videos, you can see Firebirds racing but that’s as far as I have ever gotten. Let me know if you have some other info, please.
I remember a kid with a 340 duster. He did have some work done to the heads and he ran 373 gears using a 4-speed. The car was gutted and used a fiberglass hood for weight reduction. That car ran mid to low 13’s which was a big deal in 1981. This was a street legal car.
the 1970 Boss 302 Mustang took the Trans Am series. 1969 - 70 Mustangs outsold Camaro. In fact Mustangs have always outsold Camaro. That's why gm always halts production on Camaro. So to your comment I say NO!
The movie Bullitt showed everyone a Charger couldn't handle. The 390 Mustang driven by Steve McQueen flew through the streets of San Francisco and cornered very well. NO AGAIN ON YOUR COMMENT. MUSTANGS HAVE ALWAYS WON OVER PEOPLE'S HEARTS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. EVER HEAR OF A GUY NAMED CARROLL SHELBY?
I still own my 70 Challenger I bought in 79. It runs a warmed over 340 bored .30 over. .500 lift Crane cam and worked over J heads. TRW forged 10.5:1 pistons 7 qt. Milodon oil pan and a Melling oil pump. Air gap intake with a 750 avs carb. 2800 stall 727 with 4:10 gears. Davis Unified Ignition HEI distributor. It runs real well. Never ran it on the strip but a few street pulls. I did run door to door with a 392 SRT Charger. I just putter around mostly and usually blow it out when I am alone on certain straight aways. I shift at 6000 rpm and that seems to be a sweet spot for it. I really enjoyed all these fine cars and what memories they bring back. I saw these cars in the High School parking lots in the late 70s. I raced cars just like this in my 72 Duster. It was my first car and one I still miss.
In late 1971/early 1972, one of the major auto magazines (Car Craft?) did a comparison of a '69 Z28 and '69 Boss 302. They started off stock, both cars in the 14s, and made modifications such as traction bars, headers, rejetting, ignition curve, tires with runs in between each mod. All of this was to show what a typical mod would do that many owners did back then. Both cars ended up in the mid/high 12s with the Boss being slightly faster. My 50+ year recollection was that there was no single mod that made a huge difference, although the ignition work and rejetting were the biggest bang for your buck.
@@NeuKrofta AMC's highest place finish for the entire 1969 TA season was 4th place at Michigan national , opening race. After that; 9th, 5th, 6th, 6th, DNF, 4th, 5th, 7th, 15th, 8th, and 6th place in last race. Meanwhile Camaro took first place 8 times and Mustang won 4 races. What do you mean "Javelin kicked ass"?
Omg I can’t believe you put these on the tube!!! Thanks guys. I miss your tv show very much. I guess we are getting old when speed vision seems so long ago!
Outstanding as always, thank you!. I like all cars, but if I had to be labeled I’m a Chevy guy…..but that Challenger 🤤. Seeing these cars tossed around the course in anger, brought back an old memory of the Bud Lindemann reviews.
@@snotty_boi8248 Stock 69 javelin sst 343 auto 2:87 gear ran high 14's A factory 360 car with group 19 cam and headers is a easy mid to high 11 car with 3:91 gear and a stick.
I had both a '71 javelin w/ a 360 4bbl. and a '70 Boss 302 Eliminator. The Javelin handled like crap but the Cougar drove like a dream.....miss that car!
My first car 1978 was a 72 Plymouth Cuda 340 it was a close race but I beat my friends 1970 Mach 1 351 by a little over half a car length and a friends 74 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 on the interstate and the Cuda also beat my cousins 70 SS 396 Chevelle
The factory cam sucks though. It was the test bed for the Cleveland. Things needs to rev to 7k with a big cam and some headers and single Plane intake and a proper carb and premium fuel with total advance around 36
The Boss was right in the middle of its powerband. Be fair and rev that screamer to 7500 and see who wins. But you wont because them the Mustang wins. Cant have that huh.
BS, DZ 302 was a pooch. Anybody in a 70 boss that knew how to drive could eat any Z28 for supper. Off the line the Boss would fly off leaving the Z28 left to play catch up.
Badass CarzFor street & Show I'd take the Dodge Challenger which actually did Very well everywhere but braking. Those aftermarket wheels looked goofy af✌🏼😁☯️🇺🇸
Hell yea Z/28 I was sitting on the edge of my seat on the road course. Owning a 5th gen Z it’s comforting to see what really went on in the late 60s & early 70s. We need more videos like this for us let’s just say , elders. 🤟🏻😀
My buddies dad has 2 70 javelin's. 1 is a full on 1000 hp tubbed drag car and the other is all original everything. My dad had a 72 Cuda growing up but it was in mid restoration so he ended up getting rid of it. It was originally a 318 car but he put a 340 he found at the junk yard that he had built up to about 500 hp.
I haven't even watched the video yet and I'm saying that Z/28 is the best all around vehicle of the bunch Edit - I knew the Z/28 would be best all around winner. I also knew it wouldn't be by much. But a win is a win
I'd love to have been at some of those early Trans Am races watching those legendary drivers slug it out it what were brand new cars at the time... the battles had to be epic as were the cars and the legendary drivers that drove these beasts... Anyone have access to a time machine??
I love watching these episodes we never had access to when originally ran. But guys please help settle a bet. If you could take all the big muscle cars you've compared over the years and run them on modern wheel and tire combos. I watched the muscle tuner shootout and the big dog shootout and wonder how much more traction a Yenko would have on say 18 inch Cup Sports or P zero. I think just that difference apples to apples will find a good half second or more. Even more with the big blocks and weighty front ends
My dad was a Mopar man but when he came home & said he wanted to purchase a 351 71' Mach 1 I was shocked & fell in love with The Hurst shifter the pony car.
@@chadkent1241 I've only seen 1 it was Silver & black trim. My Mach took a 11" pressure plate & clutch just like it was a Boss. My 351 didn't have a aluminum manifold, Holley carb., 4 bolt 🔩 main bearings or a solid lifter cam. Mine had a hydraulic cam. Thanks for your reply.
Would have been nice to see them on a chassis dyno to see if they even put out the HP they're supposed to. The Boss and the Z-28 posted faster times in testing back in the day, with both being in the mid 14s on the 1/4 mile.
Camaro for the win sort of expected that, just like 4th, 5th, and 6th gen Camaros vs the competition. And what is up with this guy's power shifting? Looks like he is trying to put out a campfire.
@7:30 mark Peter says the Cross Ram intake came with Holley carbs by 69, incorrect they were always Holley carbs used but switched to a 4295 Holley in 69, he also mentions it came in the Trunk? That is the biggest myth of all. Only available over the counter. * The only way it could have been in the trunk is if the customer paid for it, and the dealer then put it in the trunk.
I'm a diehard chevy guy but to me AMC is the best looking muscle car out of the 70s they are and I absolutely love them and I'd have one if they wasn't so hard to find
This is exactly how I expected this to play out....the Camaro being the overall winner with the mustang in second. And the gap between them and the other 2 would have been much bigger had the Challenger and Javelin had 5.0 liter displacement engines. Or the Camaro and Mustang been allowed to run the LT-1 and Boss 351. I'd love to have seen the 70 Camaro and Mustang in the mix as well!
Love all these cars. I’m a Z/28 guy overall but the other cars are just awesome too. The sound of the Trans Am Z is killer! I can see why you’d be tempted to upgrade the suspensions on these cars. That would be interesting to compare before and after tests with upgrades.
This is a fun one to watch. There is obviously a lot of human factor involved in getting everything possible out of each car. Peter does a great job of trying to adjust his driving style to each car and each run. I think it makes a certain amount of sense to run all the same tires to maximize what each car is capable of since the OE tires didn’t have much to offer. That said, could they have picked uglier wheels? Yikes. Thankfully they didn’t live their lives with such atrocities bolted in place. Sure do miss Tom, he was really fun and the banter between he and Peter was always a fun element.
Interesting, in 72' I took my 70' Boss 302 to the strip and ran 15.73 @ 73.11 mph. Changed the gears added some parts and ran 14.44 @ 97.55. After even more mods my best was 13.71 @ 100.89. Read some cautionary tales of piston skirts cracking, tore mine down over the winter and 7 0f 8 piston skirts had cracks! I bought all the parts to rebuild but my patience was thin, so I sold everything to my manager at work, he was a Ford guy and an engineer. He rebuilt the engine, and it ran in the mid 12's.
What I find fascinating about the race car is the rear camber. They managed to get camber on a live axle car! There are ways to do that but they're not elegant or pretty. But it makes a huge difference to handling. Very cool!
EXACTLY They loaded the deck on the mustang. PURE BS. That little fire breather made peak power at 6500 rpms so what better way to hamstring it then by only winding it to 5500 where the engines just coming alive. Driven right that Z couldnt get near the BOSS .
There was a 67 Z28 in Petaluma, no stripes, no Z28 badges. I rember being in the local Chevy dealership when they unloaded Teamans triple black Malibu. When they started it it had a really lumpy cam. The mechanics were surprised. I went over and there was a set of Tube headers in the trunk. Obviously meant to be dealer installed. It would barely idle. Most people ordered the 396 Chevelle, this was a hot small block.
Someone refuses to acknowledge when real muscle cars ceased to exist. Lowsy fuel and the emergence of the EPA struck the last deadly blow to high-compression, free breathing 7mpg Americana.
I know Chrysler Corp offered zero high performance engines in 1972. Compression reduced, fuel efficiency concerns. Even (though it was still available) wasn't half of the beloved small block that it was one model year earlier. I understand GM continues muscle car production for the '72 model year, then succumbed. I don't know about FoMoCo. What was their last year for obtained swilling lumpy idling road& track machines? Ford guys, educate this mopar guy.
Not a Ford or Chevy or Dodge fan. I'm a 1970 fan. All the car companies made unbelievably awesome cars in 1970. See you got the 70 Boss. Love the 69 z28, but the split front bumper of the 70... Oooooh MUFASA!!!
Great video...one thing though, some of the aftermarket rims are just...ugh! I'm sorry, but most of them just look terrible compared to the factory mags. You see a beautifully restored car and then aftermarket rims that totally wreck it.
Am I the only one who would love to see a track race between the Trans Am Z28 race car and modern cars like the Camaro 1LE and the new Mustang Mach 1? I think that would be REALLY interesting. What car would you pick to win the road race?
A blast from the past. Rest in Peace Tom. Greatest television show presenter ever. Do you NEED a car like that? No. But do you WANT a car like that. Oh Yeah!
He'll yeah
I was wondering why he wasn't on the new clips.....damn. RIP Tom
Those late 60s and 1970 muscle cars or Super cars as they were called will always be the best looking and most raw powered cars ever designed by American auto makers and nobody can ever come close. I drove one and they dangerous but oh so satisfying
Exactly 1962-1970. The glory years of American automobile fun and pride. 1971 began the rapid decline. The big three and AMC(I guess) knew what was coming. A radical federal agency called the EPA and emergence of OPEC and their power to create a gas crunch. Therefore the beloved muscle cars became beasts of yore.
Always a pleasure remembering back when all these cars were on the street, ... wonderful.
LMC, Appreciate you running this again, memories from the 70's.
R.I.P. Tom.
Wow. I remember that episode 22 years ago, or so. Hard to remember that far back. I really miss the good hearted banter between Tom and Peter. So much fun. Really miss Tom and all his good natured shots he would take and give out. Thanks again for bringing the fun back again with the cars I love the most. Trans Am. I go to every vintage event I can get to, to watch this very series. Still brings goose bumps to hear the real race cars coming out of the corners door to door and screaming down the straight. Awesome sound.
There may now be electric cars that can go faster, but none with the soul of Boss 302 or Z 28
You remember this, good, but fan you remember what you had for breakfast this morning
@@rickarra9396 HaHaHa yeah, I remember. Barely. Bacon and eggs. Smelled almost as good as burned 116 octane race gas. :)
That would be 16 years ago with the 2005 copyright and I’m not even a mathematician…..BOOM
@@reevinriggin3570 I thought you were gonna say to rick, "Yeah, your mom's beav"🤣😂
All beautiful cars! Being a Ford fan I'd love a Boss 302 but I'm also liking the Z-28 too.
Not a Ford guy, but I'd take a BOSS 9 any day...
I agree, at this point in time, any of those cars would be pretty sweet
@@rickzauner I was going to say the same thing. I grew up a "Chevy guy" but I would be happy with any one of those in the garage :)
With cars this cool, it doesn't even matter who made them. It's just awesome that they were made at all. I'm glad they're being preserved. If I could have one, though, it would be the Mustang. I LOVE that shaker scoop!
Of course the drivers at that time were all individuals..hence driver skills really matter.
Great memories. At college in 1969, we engineered a drag race between two rich kids, one with a 69 Z 28, the other with a 69 Olds 442 4 speed. Neither had ever tried to street race, hadn't a clue. Had fun working with the Z28 driver on how to launch without spinning the smallish E70 tires or lugging the low torque 302. The Olds should have won easily, it had 3.90 gears, headers and larger G60 tires, but the driver was very conservative, not wanting to risk breakage. One race went to each car. Thanks for the memory.
Cool story, thanks for sharing. In high school I'd always race my good buddy's car, and we were so closely matched we never could determine a permanent winner.
First car a '68 442 convertible that I got from my brother in law in 1972. Only because my mom wouldn't let me buy the perfect Baldwin Motion '69 Z28 from my brother's friend down the street.
Thanks for posting this, never saw it before. Love Pete and Tom together, great TV!! - RIP Tom
Nice cars, would look alot better with factory correct wheels though
You have it! Steel wheels can be made into 17". Body color with factory hub caps does muscle cars justice.
This needs to be on TV again. We all loved Tom, but you can do it
Amazing intro. Boss 302 is a tough contender... and has my vote! :D
@Lone Wolf i just wish they would start make new cars in those old style. i dont want them to be faster than they were in those days. its just great as a thing in itself
Would've won it all if they'd disconnected the rev-limiter. He's complaining about running out of revs with the Boss. Ya no duh. The difference is 6150 rpm and 8000+ rpm. That engine didn't even come alive till 4500 and they're shifting at 6000?!?! Smfh. That engine will pull past 8k all day.
Next contest, Boss 351 Mustang vs 70-71 Z28 350. When I was in high school, there was a 70 Z28, '69 Mach 1 Mustangs, Torinos, Chevelles, Road Runners, an AMX Javelin, 340 Dusters, GTO's... God I miss those good old days!
Other than the 70 ls6 chevelle from 70 forward for at least 10 years GM products sucked hind chee chee for hp.
The Boss 351 makes the same power to the wheels as the 03 SVT Cobra. It’s as fast on the streets as a big block. Plus it’s got the legendary 4V Cleveland heads so it can easily make big power. It’s got a huge advantage.
I would have liked to see a 1969 350 HO Firebird in the mix.
that vintage trans am car sounds great! thanks for the video everyone.
Yeah, on TV. But in person, you go home with ringing in your ears. I went to a lot of races back then, and often came home almost deaf. Herds of unmuffled racing cars are LOUD.
My dream car was my 2nd car a matching numbers 69 Z28 Camaro. Thank you Dad for that. I'll have another one someday hopefully soon, and pray that I can find that one again as I'm hearing there's an identical one nearby and how lucky I could be to find it and buy it again. That car was UNSTOPPABLE on the streets even though pretty much all stock, with some trick adjustments, tuning clutch carb tires recurve kit and Dyno tuning the carb. OMG it was stupid fast.
I've owned my Z for 42 years. The right tuning is everything. Hope you get yours.
Thanks for this! Anytime we get to see Tom and your Dad together is a great thing! Tom and I had the same birthday but he was 10 years older.
The 1970 (not 1971) Mark Donohue (sp.?) Javelin came in several different configurations, none of which was mentioned. It came with a 3.15:1 stock diff, but could be had with as much as a 3.91:1, which was probably a bit much for the stock cam, and wheel size, with the 3.54:1 being ideal for the setup in question. Forcing the cars to be used with stock bias-ply tires was a questionable decision, as they were also running on today's 10% alcohol, lower energy fuel, which, in 1970, was alcohol free, and still using tetraethyl lead. One can argue that all of the cars were on a "level playing field", but I disagree; all of these cars were designed from the factory to be modified, and things such as improved tires, etc., were variables left to the discretion of the owner, as we all make performance decisions when we evaluate the purchase of a new set of tires, among other things. AMC had an entire catalogue of parts called "Group 19", which included, along with other parts, things like performance diff ratios, higher compression cylinder heads, performance camshafts, shocks, sway bars, a cross-ram intake fabricated by Edelbrock, and a bevy of other parts, all installed from the factory, when you took delivery of your Javelin or AMX, all intended to drastically improve performance. I can't speak about the other cars, but I can say, with a great degree of certainty, that the car we saw running around the course in such a joyless, lumpen way, was *NOT* a Mark Donohue Javelin. In 1970, the 360 was still high compression, like the 343 it was based on, and the MD Javelin had a rear sway bar, improved shocks and springs on its MacPherson struts, and handled very well - not like the vehicle in the video that we saw struggling to get around the track, body rolling like a swamped boat, front wheels attaining a mind-boggling camber shift, as the driver fed steering input to the car. I had a '69 AMX for many years, and other than its tendency to try to lift off past 115 mph (its front bumper, like the Javelin's, created a high pressure air bubble just in front of, and below the front of the car), it was a beautifully handling car. Lastly, a "burnout contest" as a quantitative way to rate the cars?! Are you serious??? That's just a blatant attempt to try to pad the numbers in the event that an unpopular car might win the evaluation, which is ridiculous! I have much esteem for your work, and the comparison which you've done for us, but there are too many holes in this plot for it to be taken seriously. Thank you for your efforts.
Who was in charge of picking the ugliest possible wheels for each car?
Gross man, cheap tacky looking chrome. Get that shit off those cars
Put the stock wheels back on those awesome cars
Who focuses on wheels in a test like this? They prolly ran the wheels the wheel manufacturers were paying them to run... of course we would have run road race wheels...
@@BuzzLOLOL I think anyone that is a car enthusiast noticed these silly looking aftermarket wheels, I am sure we all want to see them perform the way they came from the factory, after all isn't that the point of this test?
@@darinmcdonnell712 - People have such screwy wheels these days now that they don't bother me if it's not my vehicle... apparently these vehicles were 1972 emissions slugs from the slow numbers...
When I was a kid i had a neighbor that had an AAR Cuda". I fell in love with that car and have always wanted an AAR Cuda or T/A Challenger. Out of my Price range but if I focus maybe some day I will own one.
I remember in the early 90's, a friends uncle owned nothing but Mopar. He had a 71 Demon 340 that was (at the time) cooler to me than all the first gen Camaros and Mustangs I had come in contact with at that point. The best part, (even though I wasn't yet driving age) was these old mopars could be picked up for a song back then.
@@michaellorenz7177 I bought my 1971 Charger R/T for 1800. in 1993 and a 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 for 800. in 1998. Cant find then that cheap anymore. I saw a 68 Belvedere Station wagon near my work i might leave a note on. it is petty rough but complete. I would love a 71 Demon those are sweet.
They should do a rematch with the newer 2011 models of each, of course sadly AMC won't be there.
I think the much heavier Challenger T/A really held it's own and proved it actually needed that 340 SixPack to move all that weight, unfortunately it didn't help in stopping and maneuvering. I thought it was the best looking of the pack...kudo's to the overall winner
The 70-72 Challenger/Cudas were the best looking muscle cars of the era hands down. FYI, I owned a 1970 Mach 1 back in the day.
Neither the Challenger or the Javelin met SCCA specs or the "class theme" and only thru politics were these cars ushered into the class. As with all bonehead moves, the SCCA clouded the waters of fair competition in that era of Trans-AM.
My brother had a 69 Z28 , arguably the best looking of the early Camaro’s
Maybe the best looking for a trans am type of muscle car but as far as all muscle cars nothing compares with the charger, but it is a straight line car not good in corners but it looks awesome and it makes a good drag race setup
@@BobbyOfEarth The 340 engine in 'real life' (vs. TA racing) was a proper muscle car engine, so I am not shocked at how it did here. However, there was no real 30x cu inch Chrysler offered in the models available to the public, so your argument is very valid. AMC, however, had sub 305 cu in engines (e.g. 290 and 304) so arguably, they (AMC) were legit.
I miss my 1968 Mighty Mouse z28 Camaro ! What a rocket
I was rooting for the T/A Challenger the whole time, but pity there wasn't a true 69 Pontiac Firebird Trans am.
I have looked for info about Pontiac in the Trans Am series. I think that they tried to run the 303 ram air v, but I don’t know.
If you look at old videos, you can see Firebirds racing but that’s as far as I have ever gotten.
Let me know if you have some other info, please.
If you can't be there, this is the next best thing!
The soundtrack is great!
Cars are enviable.
What a great idea for a vid - and fantastic execution.
I remember a kid with a 340 duster. He did have some work done to the heads and he ran 373 gears using a 4-speed. The car was gutted and used a fiberglass hood for weight reduction. That car ran mid to low 13’s which was a big deal in 1981. This was a street legal car.
The Camaro wins on the track, but the T/A Challenger wins our hearts and minds!
Not for me... the challenger that is. Z/28 FTW.
the 1970 Boss 302 Mustang took the Trans Am series. 1969 - 70 Mustangs outsold Camaro. In fact Mustangs have always outsold Camaro. That's why gm always halts production on Camaro. So to your comment I say NO!
The movie Bullitt showed everyone a Charger couldn't handle. The 390 Mustang driven by Steve McQueen flew through the streets of San Francisco and cornered very well. NO AGAIN ON YOUR COMMENT. MUSTANGS HAVE ALWAYS WON OVER PEOPLE'S HEARTS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. EVER HEAR OF A GUY NAMED CARROLL SHELBY?
@@FL50ssp - Was the Challenger T/A's engine actually available publicly?
@@randycoursey7230 And there it is, the mustnag fan and sales figures... sad but typical.
I still own my 70 Challenger I bought in 79. It runs a warmed over 340 bored .30 over. .500 lift Crane cam and worked over J heads. TRW forged 10.5:1 pistons 7 qt. Milodon oil pan and a Melling oil pump. Air gap intake with a 750 avs carb. 2800 stall 727 with 4:10 gears. Davis Unified Ignition HEI distributor. It runs real well. Never ran it on the strip but a few street pulls. I did run door to door with a 392 SRT Charger. I just putter around mostly and usually blow it out when I am alone on certain straight aways. I shift at 6000 rpm and that seems to be a sweet spot for it. I really enjoyed all these fine cars and what memories they bring back. I saw these cars in the High School parking lots in the late 70s. I raced cars just like this in my 72 Duster. It was my first car and one I still miss.
In late 1971/early 1972, one of the major auto magazines (Car Craft?) did a comparison of a '69 Z28 and '69 Boss 302. They started off stock, both cars in the 14s, and made modifications such as traction bars, headers, rejetting, ignition curve, tires with runs in between each mod. All of this was to show what a typical mod would do that many owners did back then. Both cars ended up in the mid/high 12s with the Boss being slightly faster. My 50+ year recollection was that there was no single mod that made a huge difference, although the ignition work and rejetting were the biggest bang for your buck.
Pretty amazing how the Javelin still kicked so much ass in the Trans Am races
Why? Have you seen the teams that ran AMCs in TransAm?
@@toomanyhobbies2011 yes and they did pretty damn well
Only after all of the other factories ceased their respective racing programs at the end of the 1970 TA season.
@@JamesWilliams-dj2bp the first year AMC raced in 1969, the Javelin kicked ass all things considered. th-cam.com/video/yDJ6BhUrsak/w-d-xo.html
@@NeuKrofta AMC's highest place finish for the entire 1969 TA season was 4th place at Michigan national , opening race. After that; 9th, 5th, 6th, 6th, DNF, 4th, 5th, 7th, 15th, 8th, and 6th place in last race. Meanwhile Camaro took first place 8 times and Mustang won 4 races. What do you mean "Javelin kicked ass"?
You guys at Dream Garage make the best muscle car videos!! with the most awesome choice of cars and engine options
Nothing sounds better than a high revving small block with uncapped headers!!! Nothing!!!
Omg I can’t believe you put these on the tube!!! Thanks guys. I miss your tv show very much. I guess we are getting old when speed vision seems so long ago!
Love this shootout. Tom was a gem
Great show! 69-70 Mustangs get my vote for the best looking muscle cars ever - that pointed front end makes them look like a land shark.
Great video! Everything I'd wondered about for many years, even down to the tire and the real race car comparison.
Outstanding as always, thank you!. I like all cars, but if I had to be labeled I’m a Chevy guy…..but that Challenger 🤤. Seeing these cars tossed around the course in anger, brought back an old memory of the Bud Lindemann reviews.
A friend and I ran 68 Javelin 360 with an Intake a hydraulic cam an headers, 10 inch slicks. It turned 11.20 all day.
Nowhere's near stock engine...
Man, that friend of yours must be happy as fuck!
@@snotty_boi8248 Stock 69 javelin sst 343 auto 2:87 gear ran high 14's A factory 360 car with group 19 cam and headers is a easy mid to high 11 car with 3:91 gear and a stick.
My 67 camaro would break into the 9's on a cool night.
All stock right down to the solid roller 468, 150 shot...
I had both a '71 javelin w/ a 360 4bbl. and a '70 Boss 302 Eliminator. The Javelin handled like crap but the Cougar drove like a dream.....miss that car!
My first car 1978 was a 72 Plymouth Cuda 340 it was a close race but I beat my friends 1970 Mach 1 351 by a little over half a car length and a friends 74 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 on the interstate and the Cuda also beat my cousins 70 SS 396 Chevelle
Z/28 for the win baby. Favorite. Muscle car. Ever.
Thanks guys, I look forward to your Sunday videos!
Good to see that testing, but you never mentioned the group 19 option for the AMC javelins that a lot of people went with on the Trans am clones
I can tell by the RPM he didn't rev that Boss 302 high enough that thing doesn't come alive till 5000 RPM
Same for the camero
The factory cam sucks though. It was the test bed for the Cleveland. Things needs to rev to 7k with a big cam and some headers and single Plane intake and a proper carb and premium fuel with total advance around 36
@@hoedemakerbart I agree Sir my 408 cleveland pulls the cobra pretty well
@@culbycars 408? Cool a stroker
The Boss was right in the middle of its powerband. Be fair and rev that screamer to 7500 and see who wins. But you wont because them the Mustang wins. Cant have that huh.
They sure are dogging that Mustang and making that Camaro sound like it's the best thing that ever happened.
BOSS' took the scca title in 70.
@@chadkent1241 TRUE. SCCA finally stopped Penske from acid dipping car bodies and using fiberglass body parts.
Cuz camaro is, was and will always be the best! Get a clue...
BS, DZ 302 was a pooch. Anybody in a 70 boss that knew how to drive could eat any Z28 for supper. Off the line the Boss would fly off leaving the Z28 left to play catch up.
Boss like 364 horse or so.
Badass CarzFor street & Show I'd take the Dodge Challenger which actually did Very well everywhere but braking. Those aftermarket wheels looked goofy af✌🏼😁☯️🇺🇸
Whoever decided some of those wheels have their heads up a really dark place.
Really miss that show. The funny rounded guy that was taller than his hair is the greatest! Absolutely Feckin Awesome
Great video, but what's up with the non original wheels are tires?
Horrible wheels and tires
All cars have equal traction to make it a fair competition.
Hell yea Z/28 I was sitting on the edge of my seat on the road course. Owning a 5th gen Z it’s comforting to see what really went on in the late 60s & early 70s. We need more videos like this for us let’s just say , elders. 🤟🏻😀
Great video guys, thanks once again!!! 👍👍🙂
My buddies dad has 2 70 javelin's. 1 is a full on 1000 hp tubbed drag car and the other is all original everything. My dad had a 72 Cuda growing up but it was in mid restoration so he ended up getting rid of it. It was originally a 318 car but he put a 340 he found at the junk yard that he had built up to about 500 hp.
I haven't even watched the video yet and I'm saying that Z/28 is the best all around vehicle of the bunch
Edit - I knew the Z/28 would be best all around winner. I also knew it wouldn't be by much. But a win is a win
haha, just watched this and realised tom cant math, LOL....Challenger and Mustang tied for 2nd overall LOL.
What's with the hideous wheels on all these cars? Except for the blue Camaro that is.
I'd love to have been at some of those early Trans Am races watching those legendary drivers slug it out it what were brand new cars at the time... the battles had to be epic as were the cars and the legendary drivers that drove these beasts... Anyone have access to a time machine??
What's up with the silly looking aftermarket wheels on these awesome cars???
I love watching these episodes we never had access to when originally ran. But guys please help settle a bet. If you could take all the big muscle cars you've compared over the years and run them on modern wheel and tire combos. I watched the muscle tuner shootout and the big dog shootout and wonder how much more traction a Yenko would have on say 18 inch Cup Sports or P zero. I think just that difference apples to apples will find a good half second or more. Even more with the big blocks and weighty front ends
My dad was a Mopar man but when he came home & said he wanted to purchase a 351 71' Mach 1 I was shocked & fell in love with The Hurst shifter the pony car.
BOSS 351 was touted by Hot Rod and Motor Trend as the quickest muscle car under 400 in³.
@@chadkent1241 I've only seen 1 it was Silver & black trim. My Mach took a 11" pressure plate & clutch just like it was a Boss. My 351 didn't have a aluminum manifold, Holley carb., 4 bolt 🔩 main bearings or a solid lifter cam. Mine had a hydraulic cam. Thanks for your reply.
thanks great video
Beautiful cars....the wheels, not so much
Would have been nice to see them on a chassis dyno to see if they even put out the HP they're supposed to. The Boss and the Z-28 posted faster times in testing back in the day, with both being in the mid 14s on the 1/4 mile.
These seem to be mostly early 1970's emissions slugs...
thankyou for another fantastic shootout....never knew it even existed
Such an entertaining competition amongst these popular muscle cars!🏁🇺🇸
Camaro for the win sort of expected that, just like 4th, 5th, and 6th gen Camaros vs the competition. And what is up with this guy's power shifting? Looks like he is trying to put out a campfire.
@7:30 mark Peter says the Cross Ram intake came with Holley carbs by 69, incorrect they were always Holley carbs used but switched to a 4295 Holley in 69, he also mentions it came in the Trunk? That is the biggest myth of all. Only available over the counter. * The only way it could have been in the trunk is if the customer paid for it, and the dealer then put it in the trunk.
The old mopars are the best!
Great shootout, but I'll still take the Javelin.
Chrysler finally entered the fray in 70? I guess you missed the Dart GT and Formula S Barracudas.
They weren't Trans Am intended...
And finished at the back with 18 points
I'm a diehard chevy guy but to me AMC is the best looking muscle car out of the 70s they are and I absolutely love them and I'd have one if they wasn't so hard to find
I like Mopars, but I wish they were more in size like the Camaro & Stang
This is exactly how I expected this to play out....the Camaro being the overall winner with the mustang in second. And the gap between them and the other 2 would have been much bigger had the Challenger and Javelin had 5.0 liter displacement engines. Or the Camaro and Mustang been allowed to run the LT-1 and Boss 351. I'd love to have seen the 70 Camaro and Mustang in the mix as well!
Love all these cars. I’m a Z/28 guy overall but the other cars are just awesome too. The sound of the Trans Am Z is killer! I can see why you’d be tempted to upgrade the suspensions on these cars. That would be interesting to compare before and after tests with upgrades.
Man I miss this show miss Tom too😭
Simply THANKS for posting it...
our pleasure!
All time favorite car show!!!. 👍😁😎Sure miss Tom R.I.P. 💙
I just love how they say… A to B in a straight line LOL…There is no other measurement but that
Who’s idea was it to put them “pimp my ride” wheels on all of them?
stances jacked up in the front
Still proud of the mopar. Best on the 1/4 and best looking!
This is a fun one to watch. There is obviously a lot of human factor involved in getting everything possible out of each car. Peter does a great job of trying to adjust his driving style to each car and each run. I think it makes a certain amount of sense to run all the same tires to maximize what each car is capable of since the OE tires didn’t have much to offer. That said, could they have picked uglier wheels? Yikes. Thankfully they didn’t live their lives with such atrocities bolted in place. Sure do miss Tom, he was really fun and the banter between he and Peter was always a fun element.
Interesting, in 72' I took my 70' Boss 302 to the strip and ran 15.73 @ 73.11 mph. Changed the gears added some parts and ran 14.44 @ 97.55. After even more mods my best was 13.71 @ 100.89. Read some cautionary tales of piston skirts cracking, tore mine down over the winter and 7 0f 8 piston skirts had cracks! I bought all the parts to rebuild but my patience was thin, so I sold everything to my manager at work, he was a Ford guy and an engineer. He rebuilt the engine, and it ran in the mid 12's.
This was an awesome presentation! Bravo!
What I find fascinating about the race car is the rear camber. They managed to get camber on a live axle car! There are ways to do that but they're not elegant or pretty. But it makes a huge difference to handling. Very cool!
I noticed the Boss 302 makes the best noise ,aside from the Z28 Race car of course.
Another excellent video, thank you.
I miss my challenge T,/A
Was chevy paying the salaries and the out come?
EXACTLY
They loaded the deck on the mustang. PURE BS. That little fire breather made peak power at 6500 rpms so what better way to hamstring it then by only winding it to 5500 where the engines just coming alive. Driven right that Z couldnt get near the BOSS .
We need an ‘80’s muscle shootout between the Fox body Mustang, f-body Camaro and Firebird, Ford thunderbird, Chevy Monte Carlo, and Buick GNX
Where was the 4v cleveland eliminator?
The Challenger T/A is hands down the best car
There was a 67 Z28 in Petaluma, no stripes, no Z28 badges. I rember being in the local Chevy dealership when they unloaded Teamans triple black Malibu. When they started it it had a really lumpy cam. The mechanics were surprised. I went over and there was a set of Tube headers in the trunk. Obviously meant to be dealer installed. It would barely idle. Most people ordered the 396 Chevelle, this was a hot small block.
Yay I have a 2018 Challenger T/A, with 392!! Black on Black! Amazing Car!!
Someone refuses to acknowledge when real muscle cars ceased to exist. Lowsy fuel and the emergence of the EPA struck the last deadly blow to high-compression, free breathing 7mpg Americana.
I know Chrysler Corp offered zero high performance engines in 1972. Compression reduced, fuel efficiency concerns. Even (though it was still available) wasn't half of the beloved small block that it was one model year earlier. I understand GM continues muscle car production for the '72 model year, then succumbed. I don't know about FoMoCo. What was their last year for obtained swilling lumpy idling road& track machines? Ford guys, educate this mopar guy.
Nice review guys! Fond memories! Pete, if your “attention span” was just “A little better”! 🤣🤣🤣. Thanks guys! 👍👍👍👍🐍
This was my favorite show when I paid for TV
A 1970 Z/28 would have blew them away
Not a Ford or Chevy or Dodge fan. I'm a 1970 fan. All the car companies made unbelievably awesome cars in 1970. See you got the 70 Boss. Love the 69 z28, but the split front bumper of the 70... Oooooh MUFASA!!!
Interesting that my Ford Explorer can almost do that well.
you can tell the driver is a Chevy guy as he drove it much harder in the road course than the others as he wanted it to win
Chevrolet guys are smarter , stronger & better . Everyone knows that.
Memphis Dan LeLoLai
Boss 302 gets my vote but I'm biased tho
Great video...one thing though, some of the aftermarket rims are just...ugh! I'm sorry, but most of them just look terrible compared to the factory mags. You see a beautifully restored car and then aftermarket rims that totally wreck it.
Am I the only one who would love to see a track race between the Trans Am Z28 race car and modern cars like the Camaro 1LE and the new Mustang Mach 1? I think that would be REALLY interesting. What car would you pick to win the road race?
The camaro 1le would smoke them all.