Muscle Cars in Detail

Author and muscle car expert Bobby Kimbrough provides a comprehensive examination of the all-time classic 1969 Camaro SS in Volume No. 4 of CarTech's In Detail series. He delves into the design, manufacturing, and equipment of Chevrolet's premier pony car.

Volume No. 5 of CarTech's Muscle Cars In Detail series covers the wildly popular 1969 Plymouth Road Runner and includes an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as the market value for the car today.

In Volume No. 6 of CarTech's Muscle Cars In Detail series, author Barry Kluczyk covers engine development and special equipment of the Super Duty 455 engine. In addition, covered are the high-performance chassis and suspension parts, so the TA could effectively apply and control all of the power.

Not to be outdone by Chrysler, Ford had to build and field its own race-duty big-block to compete with the 426 Hemi in drag and stock car racing. In competition trim, the Boss 429 powered Ford and Mercury stock cars to victory in NASCAR and the Mustang to many wins in drag racing. With this exclusive racing pedigree, the Boss 429 is among the most valuable and rare Mustangs ever built. The project was the brainchild of Bunkie Knudsen, noted stylist Larry Shinoda, and other talented Ford personnel. The semi-hemi Boss 429 was so large, it couldn't fit in the small Mustang, so Kar-Kraft, a specialty car builder, had to shoehorn the engine into the compact Mustang fastback. Author Dan Burrill collaborated with Boss 429 expert Denny Aldridge to give you the straight story on the car, its special equipment, 429 engine, 4-speed Toploader transmission, interior appointments, paint codes, and options. Also featured is the exciting story of developing this monumental engine, engineering the components and parts to fit the engine and chassis, and assembling the cars. Each volume in the In Detail Series provides an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, and an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included are paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

By the mid-1960s, the American automotive market was yearning for faster, more responsive, and sportier cars, and a crew of high-performance enthusiasts at Pontiac recognized this. Large V-8s were commonly installed in full-size cars, but performance was hampered by pure chassis weight. Under the guidance of Bunkie Knudsen, John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and others, Pontiac installed the high-performance 389 V-8 into the nimble and lightweight intermediate-size LeMans chassis. It was a watershed moment for Pontiac; the 1964 GTO delivered astounding performance and created the muscle car blueprint that the Detroit manufacturers followed in the 1960s and 1970s.This volume in the Muscle Cars In Detail Series delivers a comprehensive review of this trend-setting and historic car. The GTO housed a 389 V-8 engine with a single Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor, and along with dual exhaust and a standard 3-speed or optional 4-speed manual transmission, it supplied extraordinary performance. To improve traction and handling, the GTO was fitted with stiffer springs, larger-diameter front sway bar, and wider wheels. And to give it panache, the GTO was adorned with distinctive badges and hood scoops. The 1964 GTO is a landmark car, and this book goes well beyond the glossy overview of other books about this car. All In Detail Series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

By the time the 1969 model year rolled around, it was well established that muscle cars were fast and plentiful. Every manufacturer had at least one corner of the showroom where the "go fast" guys could congregate and discuss the merits and time slips of the latest performance offerings. Competition being what it was, the manufacturers were looking for ways to entice potential buyers to choose their product over ever-increasing offerings from the competition. Some manufacturers tried to accomplish this with affordable prices, some tried fancy marketing schemes, and some created a look and a style that screamed "performance" even when standing still.The 1969 Mach I was Ford's attempt to create a package and a style to match the performance of its recently released and very potent 428-ci Cobra Jet engine package. Displacing the still-available but more conservative GT trim, the Mach I included unique and innovative graphics and mechanical innovations including shaker hood scoops, dual racing mirrors, deluxe interiors, competition suspension, dual chrome exhaust tips, and blacked-out hoods. The result was a wildly popular model that sold more than 70,000 units, compared to slightly more than 5,000 GT models for the year.Each volume in the In Detail Series provides an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, and an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included are paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

By 1969, the muscle car war among Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler had reached a fevered pitch. Plymouth's Road Runner, Mopar's intermediate entry, was leading the charge. For 1970, the Road Runner had its strongest year yet as it housed the best street V-8s Chrysler had to offer.Author Scott Ross retraces the history of the Road Runner and brings the 1970 model year into full focus. The stripped-down Road Runner exemplified the essence of a purpose-built muscle car: brute power and stunning acceleration. A new aggressive grille and Air Grabber hood provided an audacious yet tasteful performance statement. The back-to-basics 'Bird had a unique character with its iconic cartoon Road Runner graphics and beep-beep horn.Underneath the skin, the Road Runner lived up to its persona. The 335-hp 383 was one of fastest 383s Chrysler built because it was fitted with the 440 camshaft, heads, and manifolds for even more performance. The 440 Six Pack car generated 390 hp and gained a reputation as a stout street performer. And at the top, the conservatively rated 425-hp 426 Hemi set the standard for performance.The Road Runner was lighter than the Cuda and somewhat overbuilt as it was one of the toughest and most consistent muscle cars. To transfer all this power to the ground, the Road Runner was equipped with the A-833 4-speed or TorqueFlite 727 automatic. With a torsion-bar suspension and heavy-duty rear end, the Road Runner handled well. However, these are just a few of the highlights of this complete story.Each volume in the In Detail Series provides an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included are paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

"Petty signs with Ford!" Those four words tore through the racing world like a hot knife through butter while loyalists threw their hands up in disbelief. King Richard's defection was in part because Plymouth hadn't built a Dodge Daytona counterpart for the NASCAR circuit, in addition to the fact that Petty Enterprises wanted to be the sole racing parts distributor for Plymouth at the time. Plymouth weathered the backlash publically while privately scurrying to create a car to lure Richard back to Plymouth. That car? The 1970 Plymouth Superbird. Production models languished on salesroom floors due in part to NASCAR having increased the homologation requirement from 500 units to 2,000. These cars were highly specialized, seen as being in excess in proportion to the hottest street cars of the period. Fast-forward to today, Superbirds are highly collectible and are the star attractions at car shows and auctions, pulling top dollar and generating real excitement. What a difference a few decades makes! Each volume in the In Detail Series provides an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, and an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included are paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

Celebrate Chevrolet's wildly successful 1969 Chevelle SS 396 with this comprehensive publication that covers options for the engine, transmission, paint, aesthetics, and more! Chevrolet's marketing campaign for the 1969 Chevelle changed the SS 396 to an option instead of its own series. For this year only, the SS 396 Equipment option was, offered on four different bodystyles (coupe, sport coupe, convertible, and sedan pickup) and in two series (300 Deluxe and Malibu). The clean styling and extended production year saw sales at 86,307 units sold with the SS 396 Equipment option, the all-time high watermark. The SS 396 equipment option offered three engine packages: those with 325, 350, and 375 hp, the latter being available with an aluminum-head option (L89). Two SS 396-specific paint colors (Daytona Yellow and Hugger Orange) were available at a $42.15 charge adding a splash of brightness to the color chart palette. The year 1969 was also the first time that an SS 396 Chevelle came with its own special wheels. Leading Chevelle specialists, contributed data to this book, certifying that the information presented is, accurate and ensuring that 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396: Muscle Cars In Detail No. 12 will be a valued resource guide, for years to come.