The mid-Nineteen Fifties noticed a merger between Hudson Motor Firm and Nash-Kelvinator to create American Motors Corporation. AMC’s lot in life was to compete in opposition to the large three automakers, these being Chrysler, Normal Motors, and Ford.
Sadly, younger ambition lacked the assets to mount a sustainable problem, and ultimately folded into Chrysler within the late Eighties. It was not all misplaced, as AMC created some spectacular muscle vehicles within the Sixties throughout what could be referred to as the Horsepower Wars, the place every American automaker was making an attempt to finest each other with sheer numbers. AMC was proper within the thick of it, with its humble lineup in opposition to titans like Plymouth.
10 1969 Hurst AMC Tremendous Inventory AMX: 4.9 Seconds
One of the vital highly effective vehicles to ever come out of the late Sixties was AMC’s AMC Tremendous Inventory AMX, modified by Hurst, a efficiency elements producer. Hurst’s SS AMX was outfitted with the manufacturing facility 390 engine and a four-speed transmission.
It was modified with an Edelbrock aluminum consumption for twin four-barrel carburetors and produced 12.3:1 compression. Whereas Hurst decided the horsepower to be someplace round 340, the Nationwide Sizzling Rod Affiliation apparently disagreed and figured the horsepower nearer to 420.
9 1969 AMC AMX 390: 5.7 Seconds
For 1969 AMC made two totally different variations of the 390, every outfitted with a four-barrel carburetor. One was tuned for the Tremendous Inventory AMX, which was to compete within the NHRA Tremendous Inventory Drag Race, and the opposite was the usual 390, which made simply 315 horsepower.
Nonetheless, that was sufficient to get the automobile to 60 mph in an estimated 5.7 seconds, which is quicker than a 1970 Chevelle SS 454. An AMX outfitted with the “Go Pack” got here with twin exhaust, energy entrance disc brakes, positraction, and efficiency suspension.
8 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler: 6.3 Seconds
With the assistance of Hurst, AMC took a web page from the newly revealed Muscle Automotive anatomy reference e-book and shoved a small block 390 into the Rambler, which was AMC’s entry-level automobile. The Hurst S/C (Tremendous Automotive) Rambler was designed to compete in opposition to the GTO.
Along with the 390 mated to a four-speed guide transmission, the S/C was additionally outfitted with beefy suspension, entrance disc brakes, a limited-slip differential, and a fast ratio steering rack. AMC additionally determined to equip the Rambler S/C with an Edelbrock high-rise aluminum consumption, a Holley three-barrel carburetor, and a efficiency camshaft.
7 1969 AMC Javelin 390 V8: 6.6 Seconds
The Javelin was AMC’s entry into the Pony Automotive class, in opposition to vehicles just like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Optioned with the “Go Package deal” meant the automobile got here with the identical 390 producing 315 horsepower, and all the same old refinements like energy entrance disc brakes, twin exhaust, and positraction.
SST was a trim package deal that supplied reclining entrance buckets seats, a wooden steering wheel, and door panels. The automobile’s estimated 0-60mph time is 6.6 seconds on this configuration, although testimony varies between 5.9 and seven.6 seconds.
6 1967 AMC Marlin 343: 7.0 Seconds
The Marlin began as a variant of the Rambler however was dubbed merely “Marlin” from 1967 onwards. The automobile got here with a 290 V8 however had two 343 choices, one with a two-barrel carburetor and the opposite with a four-barrel. The latter produced 280 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque, with excessive compression of 10.2:1.
The 1967 Marlin shares a likeness with the identical 12 months Dodge Charger, which may have impressed this comparison from Motor Trend. Frankly, the biggest-engine Charger decimates the 343-equipped Marlin, however AMC made a greater dealing with package deal.
5 1969 Plymouth Highway Runner 426 Hemi: 5.1 Seconds
Sporting Chrysler’s practically unstoppable Hemi V8, Plymouth’s Road Runner flexed and scorched its solution to 60 mph in a rabid fury of simply 5 seconds. Equipping the 426 with twin four-barrel carburetors, pumping out 425 horsepower, and mated to a four-speed transmission actually helped.
It had virtually 500 lb-ft of torque chugging it alongside as properly.  AMC’s solely reply got here within the race-ready Hurst Tremendous Inventory AMX. Sadly, Plymouth solely produced about 780 of the 426 Hemi-equipped Highway Runner.
4 1966 Plymouth Satellite tv for pc 426 Hemi: 5.3 seconds
Chrysler’s race-ready 426 Hemi was deemed too excessive for road utilization, with a efficiency tune and over 500 horsepower, so a special model was essential to implement. In 1966 Chrysler made a detuned 426, with 425 horsepower, and as a substitute of 12:1 compression, it used 10.25:1 with a much less aggressive camshaft.
If a 1966 Satellite tv for pc got here with a Hemi engine, it additionally had stronger suspension and the identical drum brakes discovered on a police cruiser. Although it had the identical Hemi because the Highway Runner, the Satellite tv for pc took a fraction longer to succeed in 60 mph, most definitely attributable to its full-size weight.
3 1969 Plymouth Cuda 440: 5.5 seconds
Crowding the Cuda’s engine bay with a 440 may need taken extra of a toll than on different, bigger vehicles. The huge engine left no area for the booster that may energy the entrance brakes, and power-assisted steering was additionally sacrificed for the large Chrysler massive block.
Nonetheless, regardless of making considerably much less energy than the smaller, greater compression 426 Hemi at 375 horsepower, the 440 helped the Satellite tv for pc to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, ever so barely slower than the Satellite tv for pc or Highway Runner.
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2 1969 Plymouth GTX 440: 5.7 seconds
With an automated transmission, the 440-equipped Plymouth GTX took 6.8 seconds to succeed in 60 mph. Nonetheless, a 4.10 ultimate drive chopped the time down to five.7. The GTX and Cuda used the identical 440 “Tremendous Commando” V8, which had a metal crankshaft, efficiency rods, excessive circulation “906” cylinder heads, and a single four-barrel carburetor.
There was a much less highly effective 440 with simply 350 horsepower, because of restricted exhaust manifolds and a special camshaft. It will take some further detective work, however the 375 horsepower model is price the additional effort.
1 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury Commando 426 4-speed: 6.2 seconds
The Fury from 1965 with the Commando 426 Hemi got here with an aggressive camshaft, efficiency valves, pistons, and spark plugs, 10.3:1 compression, and sat on heavy suspension. The Commando 426 made 365 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque.
Tuned for road driving, the Commando 426 was good for a big sedan just like the Fury. Regardless of its presence within the Plymouth lineup as a full-size automobile, the Sport Fury was fast for its class, reaching 60 mph in simply 6.2 seconds. The Sport Fury Commando is without doubt one of the most iconic and rare cars Plymouth ever made.
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