1970 Maximum Muscle

The Pinnacle of Muscle Car Power

Mark Fletcher, Richard Truesdell (Autoren)

Buch | Hardcover

176 Seiten

2021
Motorbooks (Verlag)
978-0-7603-6678-3 (ISBN)

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1970 Maximum Muscle explores the factors that would lead to the decline of the most exciting era in the American automotive industry—as well as the resulting arms race among designers who saw their last opportunity to make the ultimate muscle car. As a result, 1970 was the climax of the muscle car era from engineering, styling, and performance standpoints.

In 1970, the American muscle car was as fast and outrageous as it would ever get. But the end was nigh, and 1970 Maximum Muscle dives head-first into the storm before the calm.

Wherever you mark the beginning of the muscle car era—Oldsmobile’s 1949 Rocket 88, Chrysler’s 1951 FirePower engines, the 1964 Pontiac GTO—one thing is certain: in 1970, the era that had witnessed a parade of gloriously powerful, stylish, and brawny cars apt to make the hearts of even the most dispassionate squares go pitter-patter was sucking fumes. Gasoline shortages, skyrocketing fuel prices, insurance-industry bean counters, rising ecological concerns, and new, more fuel-efficient imports all conspired to consign the American muscle car to an ugly and unseemly denouement. Yet 1970 saw the actual zenith of the cars themselves, the year manufacturers pulled out all the stops and produced the most powerful and stunning machines the automotive world had ever seen.

1970 Maximum Muscle not only explores the factors that led to the decline of the most exciting era in the American automotive industry, it details some of the new models and model options that arguably made 1970 the climax of the muscle car era from engineering, styling, and cultural standpoints. As the war among GM, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC played out at dealerships, dragstrips, and drive-ins, ready-and-willing gearheads drove off dealer lots in potent behemoths like the Buick GSX, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, and Ford Torino Cobra. Muscle car stalwarts like the SS Chevelle, Pontiac GTO, and Plymouth ’Cuda became available with optional LS-6, Stage 1, and Hemi engines, respectively. Manufacturers ratcheted up the advertising hyperbole at the same time, offering performance packages with names like “Six-Pack,” “Ram Air,” and “Cobra Jet,” while spoilers, scoops, hood tachometers, and decal packages were de rigueur. Meanwhile, on the popular SCCA Trans Am circuit, top drivers campaigned more nimble muscle off-the-rack cars like the Camaro Z/28 and Boss 302 Mustang.

1970 Maximum Muscle is an entertaining and rollicking look at the muscle car's peak year!

Mark Fletcher is an automotive historian and muscle car enthusiast who has owned almost 100 performance cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. He lives in Southern California with his wife Cheryl and is active in several automotive clubs and organizations. Richard Truesdell has contributed to Motor Trend, Automobile, Muscle Car Review, National Geographic Traveler, and other publications. His 2005 trip from London to Maranello and back in a Ford GT and Dodge Viper was published in Octane. He is co-author, with Mark Fletcher, of Hurst Equipped (2012).

Introduction: Gimmie Danger
1969½ Prelude to Mayhem
JAMMIN’ ECONO: THE LOW-COST DRAG CARS
AMC Hurst SC/Rambler
Plymouth Road Runner and Dodge Super Bee A12
Pontiac GTO “The Judge
Mercury Cougar Eliminator
SCCA MUSCLE: TRANS-AM CARS
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Ford Boss 302 Mustang
Pontiac Trans Am
ROUNDY-ROUND MUSCLE: NASCAR CARS
Ford Talladega
Mercury Cyclone Spoiler and Spoiler II
Dodge Charger 500
Dodge Charger Daytona
1970
Muscle Climax
CHEVROLET
Chevelle LS6
Camaro Z/28
Camaro SS 396 L78
Nova SS 396 L78/L89
FORD AND MERCURY
Ford Mustang 428 CJ and SCJ with Drag Pack
Mercury Cougar 428 SCJ
Ford Boss 429 Mustang
Ford Torino Cobra 429 SCJ
Mercury Cyclone Spoiler 429 SCJ
Mercury Cougar Eliminator
BUICK, OLDSMOBILE, AND PONTIAC
Buick GSX
Oldsmobile 442 W-30
Pontiac GTO Ram Airs and 455
Pontiac Trans Am 400
PLYMOUTH AND DODGE
Plymouth Road Runner Superbird
Plymouth ’Cuda 426
Dodge Challenger 426
Dodge Charger 440 Six Pack
Dodge Charger R/T 426 Street Hemi
AMC
Rebel Machine
Trans Am Special Javelin
AMX 390 Go-Pack
Epilogue: The Muscle Car, 50 Years Later
Acknowledgments
Image Credits
Index

Erscheinungsdatum	16.04.2021
Zusatzinfo	250 color photos
Sprache	englisch
Maße	235 x 276 mm
Themenwelt	Natur / Technik ► Fahrzeuge / Flugzeuge / Schiffe ► Auto / Motorrad
ISBN-10	0-7603-6678-0 / 0760366780
ISBN-13	978-0-7603-6678-3 / 9780760366783
Zustand	Neuware