2009 Chevrolet Camaro It feels like the 1960’s all over again. Ford comes out with a wildly successful Mustang and Chevrolet and Dodge get their act together and design a pony car to compete. Dodge is building a handsome Challenger that take their cue from the classic 1970 Challenger and Chevy has dusted off the 1969 Camaro. Retro is definitely the trend for the pony car market and all three of these cars blend the best...

Chevrolet finally responded to the Mustang with the legendary Camaro in September 1966. The new Camaro was introduced as a 1967 model and by the end of the model year, 220,906 Camaros were produced. The 1967 Camaro was hugely successful and this one model represented almost three percent of all car sales that year. The 1967 Camaro came in either a sports coupe or a convertible.  The sports coupe was available in three versions: the base...

The Camaro received new sheet metal in 1969. The look was more angular than the two previous Camaros. Wheel wells were squared off, new front and rear ends were added and it all contributed to longer and lower look. The interior was updated with new square gauges and an optional tachometer. Chevy offered buyers a plethora of engine choices, everything from a low budget six cylinder engine to an incredible 427 ci monster that was...

Many people don’t know that the 1974 GTO is among the rarest ever produced. It’s fairly obvious why. The muscle car era was over by 1974. Sadly, almost no one cared either. High fuel costs, rising insurance rates and shifting attitudes doomed the market for nearly thirty years. Only in the last few years have muscle cars made a real comeback. Another interesting fact that few people know is that the performance of the 1974 GTO...

The 1970 Dodge Challenger was the last pony car to enter the increasing crowded pony car market. It was the corporate sister of the Plymouth Cuda. Of the two, the Challenger was the luxury model. Much like the Mercury Cougar was the luxury version of the Mustang. The 1970 Challenger was available in many versions, from the budget Deputy Challenger to the extravagant Special Edition (SE) with leather bucket seats and an overhead console. There were...

The 1968 and 1969 models were very similar, but the AMX received significant styling changes for the 1970 model year. These changes included a different grille and hood, a new interior and different tail lights. The hood included a Ram-Air induction scoop that forced cool air into the engine compartment. On the sides of the car were simulated side exhaust pipes. Underneath the car was a new front suspension and two new engines were introduced....

The 1969 AMX was little changed from the 1968 model. There was a new 140 mph speedometer and a tachometer with a larger face. Later in the year, AMC modified the dash panel. Other than that, the only differences were cosmetic. Leather upholstery became an option and a passenger grab handle was added. Different Models There were three versions offered in 1969: the standard AMX, the “Big Bad” AMX and the AMX SS. The standard AMX was...

Little changed for the second year of Camaro production. Minor changes were made to the front and rear of the car. The square headlights from 1967 were replaced with rectangular ones. Side markers were added and the vents were removed from the windows. All minor stuff which says that overall the designers got it right the first time. Pony Car fans were well satisfied with the car also. It 1967, Chevrolet sold about 221,000 Camaros....

The 1970 Plymouth Barracuda was an instant classic. The design was muscular with its long hood and short rear deck. The new Barracuda was larger and wider than the previous model and best of all it could hold all the big block engines in Plymouth’s inventory. The Hemi and the 440ci big block could easily fit between the fender wells. The engine choices were plentiful with no less that eleven power plants offered. Everything from a...

The AMC AMX or American Motors Experiential as it was officially known made its first public appearance at a press review at the Dayton International Speedway in February 1968 and later that month at the Chicago Automobile Show. By March 1968 the car was available at AMC dealerships. The AMX was the little brother of the four seat Javelin and due the weight savings of a shorter wheel base the car was a better performer that...

Changes for 1971 were relatively cosmetic with the addition of dual headlights up front and a new grill. ‘Cuda models received simulated louvers on the front grill. Otherwise the car was basically a carryover. With the deletion of the AAR ‘Cuda only three models remained. The base Barracuda, the luxury Gran Coupe and the performance orientated ‘Cuda. This was also the last year for the convertible option. The Gran Coupe continued as the upscale model with...

For 1970, Plymouth updated the grill and the rear. Of all the front end treatments of this body style, the 1970 grill looks the best. Other changes included an updated hood with a much cleaner looking hood scoop. On the rear quarter panel a simulated scoop was added that detracted somewhat from the clean lines of the previous year. After four years, Plymouth finally added a third engine option to the GTX. Now buyers had a...

The Barracuda was completely restyled for 1967. The new car was longer, wider and lower and most importantly it was no longer a Valiant knock off.  The new design was very clean and minimalist and the result was a sporty looking car. This was especially true of the “Sport Barracuda,” Plymouths name for the fastback. The new larger car could now hold a big block engine, but just barely. Power steering and air conditioning was not...

Changes for the last of this generation of Barracudas were cosmetically minor. The side light markers were rectangular instead of round, the grill was updated and the taillights were changed. The real news was under the hood. The engineers a Plymouth found a way to stuff a 440ci big block between the fenders. Plymouth also officially introduced the ‘Cuda in 1969. The ‘Cuda was a car for the straight line racer and it was available...

Changes to the GTX were relatively minor in 1969. The grill and the taillights were updated. A flat black treatment was added to the rocker panels and was accentuated with a thin red pinstripe. Above the black paint was a chrome strip that separated it from the main body color. The hood also had dual scoops. The Air Grabber option would make the hood scoops functional and allow the delivery of fresh air to the...

Appearance upgrades for 1968 included changes to the grill and the tail lights. For those choosing the Formula S Barracuda special hood plaques announced the engine size. The real news was the engine choices. The 273ci Commando was replaced with a larger 340ci V8 also designated as a “Commando”.  The 340ci engine was designed to be a performance engine from the start and it proved a very good designed. Horsepower was officially listed at 275. However,...

The dual headlights were done away with for 1972 and the taillights were change to round ones in the rear. The convertible and the Gran Coupe options were deleted also. Many of the engine options were also discontinued. The ‘Cuda was still great performance car but it wasn’t anything near the killer car it was a year before. The ‘Cuda still came with an upgraded suspension, heavy duty breaks and larger tires which allowed for...

The addition of mandated 5mph bumper guards was the only changes to the 1973 Barracuda. Nevertheless, sales increased slightly, largely the result of heavy promotion and the discounting of option prices. The six cylinder engine was dropped this year and the 340ci small block was only available with a two barrel carburetor.

The 1974 Camaro receive significant changes to the front and rear of the car. The elegant chromed bumpers of the 1970-1973 Camaros were replaced with aluminum-faced steel bumpers. These were necessary to meet stricter new federal safety standards. The new bumper system added weight to the car and added seven inches to the total length of the Camaro. Several more innovations included a seat belt system that wouldn’t let the engine to start unless it...

The 1974 Barracuda was the last of the great Plymouth pony cars. Changes were absence for 1974 with the exception of the engine options. The performance designed 340ci small block was replaced with a 360ci engine. The change was directly related to fuel economy and the larger engine actually saw a decrease in performance. The legacy of the Barracuda will live on in the new 2009 Dodge Challenger. One look at the new Challenger and it...

Updates were minor for the 1966 Barracuda and consisted of small appearance changes. The grill was changed with the turn signals being moved to the bumpers. Also, turn signal indicators were added to the front finders. The tail lights were also restyled slightly. The car was light and it performed well in rallies and endurance races. Unfortunately, the design was becoming a little dated and sales dropped to almost half of the previous years.

The GTX was completely redesigned for 1971. Plymouth compared it to an aircraft fuselage. The front end was low with a rap around bumper that did look like a jet engine intake. The rear sat higher than the front and made the car look lit it was moving even when sitting still. Performance was still good considering the overall environment of 1971. The engine choices were carried over from 1970. The engines were some of the...

The new Barracuda was based upon Plymouth’s compact Valiant. It was designed to compete with Ford’s new Mustang. To say that the Barracuda was just a restyled Valiant was an understatement. The car even had a “Valiant” badge on the rear of the car. Some of the major changes included the large rear glass that turned the car into a fastback. Also included were standard bucket seats, are rear bench seat that could fold down...

The Valiant badges disappeared and performance was up. Plymouth introduced the Commando 273 in 1965 to go with the newly created Formula S model. The beefed up V8 with a 4 barrel carburetor add 55 horsepower over the base V8. A Performance Group package improved the handling significantly. The Barracuda was becoming a real sports car. This was especially true for the Formula S. Major change for 1965 included a new dash and a floor...

General Motors has building flashy muscle cars since 1964 with their GTO’s, Chevelle’s, Olds 442’s and Gran Sports and Plymouth wanted a piece of the action. They had the engines; they just didn’t have the look. That all changed in 1967. Plymouth took a “plain Jane” Belvedere and turned it into a handsome and highly competent muscle car. They called it the GTX. The exterior was dressed up by adding sport racing stripes, hood scoops, a...

The 1969 model did not have the vent windows, had a slight grille and taillight revision, moved the ignition key from the dashboard to the steering column (which locked the steering wheel when the key was removed, a Federal requirement installed one year ahead of schedule), and the gauge faces changed from steel blue to black. In addition, the rear quarter-panel mounted side marker lamps changed from a red lens shaped like the Pontiac "V"...

The GTX along with all the mid-sized Plymouths and Dodges was restyled in 1968. This is the classic design that all muscle car lovers picture when they think of mopar muscle. The lines were smoothed and contoured to provide graceful transition from the front to the rear of the car. The new look was well received and sales were up considerably over the previous year. The GTX was still the top-of-the-line midsized Plymouth.  As with the...

The Super Sport option was not available in 1973. In its place was the LT or “Luxury Touring” model. The 1973 Camaro LT was aimed at the female market. Although performance options were available, most buyers of the Camaro LT were more interested in comforts and style than they were in performance. Most of the LT upgrades were appearance and comfort in nature. Some of the most significant upgrades were special badges, Hide-A-Way windshield wipers,...

GM redesigned its A-body line for 1968, with more curvaceous, "fastback" styling. The previous 115 inch wheelbase was shortened to 112 inches for all two-door models. Overall length was reduced 5.9 inches and height dropped half an inch, but overall weight was up about 75 pounds. Pontiac abandoned the familiar stacked headlights for hidden headlights behind the split grille (actually a $52.66 option, but seen on many GTOs). The signature hood scoop was replaced by...

The GTO underwent a few styling changes in 1967. The louver-covered tail lights were replaced with eight tail lights, four on each side. Rally II wheels with colored lug nuts were also available in 1967. The GTO emblems located on the rear part of the fenders were moved to the chrome rocker panels. The GTO also saw several mechanical changes in 1967. The Tri-Power carburetion system was replaced with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor. The 389...

The Tempest line, including the GTO, was restyled for the 1965 model year, adding 3.1 inches to the overall length while retaining the same wheelbase and interior dimensions. It sported Pontiac's characteristic vertically stacked quad headlights. Overall weight increased about 100 pounds. Brake lining area increased nearly 15%. The dashboard design was improved, and an optional rally gauge cluster for $86.08 added a more legible tachometer and oil pressure gauge. The 389 engine had revised cylinder...

1972 Challenger

Pontiac's intermediate line was restyled again for 1966, gaining more curvaceous styling with kicked-up rear fender lines for a "Coke-bottle" look, and a slightly "tunneled" backlight. The tail light featured a louvered cover, only seen on the GTO. Overall length grew only fractionally, to 206.4 inches, still on a 115 inch wheelbase, while width expanded to 74.4 inches. Rear track increased one inch. Overall weight remained about the same. The GTO became a separate model...

The Tempest line received another facelift for the 1970 model year. Hidden headlights were deleted in favor of four exposed round headlamps outboard of narrower grille openings. The nose retained the protruding vertical prow theme, although it was less prominent. While the standard Tempest and LeMans had chrome grilles, the GTO retained the Endura urethane cover around the headlamps and grille. The suspension was upgraded with the addition of a rear anti-roll bar, essentially the same...

1971 Challenger

The first Pontiac GTO was an option package for the Pontiac LeMans, available with the two-door coupe, hardtop coupe, and convertible body styles. For $296, it included the 389 CID V8 (rated at 325 hp at 4800 rpm) with a single Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, chromed valve covers and air cleaner, 7 blade clutch fan, a floor-shifted three-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter, stiffer springs, larger diameter front sway bar, wider wheels...

The 1970 Camaro received a major style change. Gone was the old boxy shape in favor of a more European look. Chevrolet had some manufacturing difficulties and the car wasn’t released until late February 1970. The new design was a hit but due to the short production run, sales figures don’t truly represent the 1970 Camaros popularity. As usual, the Rally Sport or RS package was available on all three Camaro models. The RS Camaro option...

1973 Challenger

Union strife and rapidly changing emission standards converged to reduce production severely. Total production came in at 68,651 or about 60% of the previous year’s total.  1972 was also a year of lasts and marked the end of both the big block engine option and the Super Sport option. The problems began when the United Auto Workers Union began a 117 day strike at the Norwood Ohio factory responsible for producing the majority of Camaros. During...

1974 Challenger

Changes were relatively minor for 1971. The most noticeable were the addition of the high back bucket seats. Front disk brakes were added to the standard equipment lists along with floor carpeting. Performance was down slightly due to the engine modifications made to allow the use of unleaded fuel. The 1971 Camaro was offered again in three basic models. The standard that came with the 307ci V8 and a six cylinder engine was available for those...

In 1972, the GTO reverted from a separate model line to a $353.88 option package for the LeMans and LeMans Sport coupes. On the base LeMans line, the GTO package could be had with either the low-priced pillared coupe or hardtop coupe. Both models came standard with cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl bench seats and rubber floor mats on the pillared coupe and carpeting on the hardtop, creating a lower-priced GTO. The LeMans Sport, offered...

Once again an option package for the LeMans, the 1973 GTO shared the reskinned A-body with its "Colonnade" hardtop styling, which eliminated true hardtop design because of the addition of a roof pillar but retention of frameless doorwork. Rear side windows were now of a fixed design that could not be opened and in a trianglar shape. New federal laws for 1973 demanded front bumpers capable of withstanding 5 mile per hour impacts with no...

The 1971 GTO had another modest facelift, this time with wire-mesh grilles, horizontal bumper bars on either side of the grille opening, more closely spaced headlamps, and a new hood with the dual scoops relocated to the leading edge, not far above the grille. Overall length grew slightly to 203.3 inches. A new corporate edict, aimed at preparing GM for no-lead gasoline, forced an across-the-board reduction in compression ratios. The Ram Air engines did not return...

For 2006, two additional colors were added to the line up, Spice Red Metallic and Brazen Orange Metallic, while Midnight Blue Metallic and Yellow Jacket were dropped. Changes for 2006 included revised blacked-out tail lamps, illuminated steering wheel radio controls and an interior power door lock switch. The climate control button for the A/C also had the word "Defrost" added to it for the 2006 model year. On February 21, 2006, General Motors reportedly told dealers...

The Pontiac GTO was relaunched in the United States in 2004, based on the Holden Monaro's V platform. The Monaro is a 2 door coupe variant of the Australian developed VT/VX Holden Commodore. The Commodore was in turn developed by enlarging the European designed 1994 Opel Omega B, which was marketed in its original form in the U.S. from 1997 to 2001 as the Cadillac Catera. The revival was prompted by former GM chairman Bob...

The 2005 GTO received standard hood scoops, split rear exhaust, and late in the year, optional 18 inch wheels. The major change for 2005 was the replacement of the LS1 engine with the LS2 engine. This 5,967 cc (364.1 cu in) motor increased power and torque in the GTO to 400 hp with 400 lb·ft torque. With this improved powerplant, Pontiac claimed the car capable of 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a...