Lindsey Fisher: My Unexpected List of Top 5 Ultimate Muscle Cars

Muscle cars are more than just means of transportation. They’re cars that defined an era, and for many of us, secured our initial interest in the automotive industry. As a lover of everything automotive since a young age, I’ve come across many vehicles that I wouldn’t mind having, but some aren’t a matter of if I’ll purchase them, it’s a matter of when and how. These are the top five muscle cars that have defined not only my love for cars, but also what I hope to be a lifelong career.

1977 Pontiac Trans Am SE

It’s no mystery why the Pontiac Trans Am is at the top of my list, and no TA is more well-known than the 1977 Black and Gold Special Edition. Known for its portrayal in the feature film Smokey and the Bandit, this screaming phoenix-wearing classic solidified the Trans Am’s place as the muscle car of the 1970s. Sure, it may be a little cliché and over done, but there’s no better fit for an all around Firebird enthusiast than a well-known, 400ci-equipped example of the classic model. Of course, the ’77 is not the only TA I pine over. Eventually the goal is to own a whole stable of the model through all four generations, but the ’77 SE may be the ultimate staple vehicle for any Trans Am collection.

1970 Buick GSX

Produced back when all the major brands were striving to produce the top-performing muscle cars, the GSX was the ultimate performance car from the Buick brand. Based off the already powerful Buick GS, the GSX was offered with a standard 455ci engine thrusting out 350hp and an amazing 510lbs-ft of torque. Stage 1 cars, an enhancement on the GSX package, upped the power to 360hp with the same amount of torque, although many people claim this car was extremely underrated. Though typically overlooked for more popular muscle cars, the Buick GSX is the underdog that I love to root for. And with just 678 produced in 1970, it makes for one unique example of classic American muscle.

1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30

While the later years of the Oldsmobile brand were filled with family sedans, grocery-getters and vehicles some of our grandparents would drive, it wasn’t always that way for the company. Case in point – the 1970 Oldsmobile 442.

Named such for it’s four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission and dual exhaust pipes, the 442 made its debut in 1964, but it wasn’t until 1970 that the model reached its peak performance level. Equipped with a 455ci engine, the base 442 was good for 365hp and an impressive 500lbs-ft of torque, while the W-30 variant increased the power rating to 370hp. This was due to the optional fiberglass hood with air scoops, a special camshaft, carburetor, cylinder heads and distributor, as well as an aluminum intake manifold and low-restriction air cleaners. In 1971, the 442 saw a decrease in power due to a compression ratio change mandated by GM in order for their cars to run on lower octane fuel. By 1973, the era of great 442s was a thing of the past.

1971 Dodge Demon 340 

Built on Dodge’s Dart platform, the ’71 Dodge Demon 340 may not be many enthusiasts’ idea of an ultimate muscle car. But just like with the Buick GSX, we’ve established that I like the underdogs. 

Introduced to the growing lineup of Darts in 1971, the Demon 340 was basically a rebadged Plymouth Duster. Offered with the engine previously featured in the Dart Swinger 340, the Demon 340 made use of a 340ci V8 good for 275hp and 340lbs-ft of torque. The car’s performance was enhanced even further by a high-performance Rallye suspension system, four-wheel drum brakes and wide-tread bias belted tires as standard equipment. Unfortunately, due to federal regulations on gas usage and compression ratios, the Demon 340 dropped down to 240hp and 290lbs-ft of torque in 1972, but the limited run of just 10,098 cars in 1971 was all that was needed to solidify the Demon 340’s spot on my ultimate muscle car list.  

1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro 9560/9737

Having a first-generation Camaro on my list may be “typical” of ultimate muscle car recollections, but it’s with good reason that one first-gen in particular holds a position in my Top Five. Introduced in 1967, the Camaro is one of the most widely recognized muscle cars ever made, but it was the 1969 COPO Camaro with the all-aluminum 427ci engine that truly set the standard for ultimate performance muscle cars. Ordered using the Central Office Production Order code 9560, the ZL1 Camaro was a brutal force in the growing muscle car era, and with enhancements like 15×7-inch Rally wheels and a 140mph-speedometer added with the Sports Car Conversion code 9737, the ’69 COPO Camaro 9560 may just be the ultimate of all ultimate muscle cars to have ever existed.

This may not even be close to your list of ultimate muscle cars and certainly isn’t the extent of mine, but that’s what this industry is all about – self expression and an enthusiasm that knows no limit.  What are your top five muscle cars of all time?

About the author

Lindsey Fisher

Lindsey is a freelance writer and lover of anything with a rumble. Hot rods, muscle cars, motorcycles - she's owned and driven it all. When she's not busy writing about them, she's out in her garage wrenching away. Who doesn't love a tech-savy gal that knows her way around a garage?
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