1964 Impala

With the growing success of the SS package as an option on the early-1960s Impala’s, Chevy decided to make the package into its own distinctive model with the 1966 Impala. Production options were just about the same as they had been the for the SS packages the previous year, but with car-buyers growing demand for more power, it made sense to further distinguish the real sports option of the Impala.

In fact, 1964 marked the first year since the third generation of the Impala was introduced in 1961 that there weren’t significant performance increases in the available engine options. But sales numbers were continually reaching toward all-time highs, so it appeared that this fact didn’t bother Impala buyers.

At the top of the performance heap were two versions of Chevy’s now famous 409 CID V8 engine. By 1964 the engine had already worked its way even into the pop music scene as it was immortalized by the Beach Boys 1962 hit, “The 409,” but performance enthusiasts were more concerned with what the engine would do on the road. The single 4-barrel version of the engine produced either 340 or 400 horsepower depending on the version, while the 2x4-barrel version was rated at 425 horsepower. But of course, these weren’t the only engines available – in fact there were a total of seven engine options.

At the bottom of the line was a 230 CID six cylinder engine that produced 140 horsepower. However, that option didn’t entice many buyers and was by far the lowest selling model. There were two version of the base V8 – a 283 CID motor rated at 170 or 195 horsepower depending on what version was chosen. Finally, a 300-horsepower, 327 V8 could be chosen as well.

The Super Sport (SS) models included nearly identical upgrades as the SS package had the year before, including front bucket seats and special “leather-like” vinyl. The SS models were available in convertible Impala models or the hard top Sports Coupe.

1964 Impala

The Impala was selling better than ever in 1964, and a total of 889,600 were built throughout the model year. The base price of the car was up around $200 from the year before to $2,839.

1964 Impala SS

Sales of the SS model also were up, and 185,325 were produced for the year (this number is included in the total Impala production listed above). Of those, an impressive 8,684 included a version of the 409 engine.

Competition

While the Impala line as a whole was one of the best-selling car makes on American roads in 1964, it would soon begin to experience competition from a new breed of car that it helped inspire. When the 409 was first installed in 1961 Impalas, it became what many consider the first true muscle car. But by the mid-60s, car makers were putting their newly successful more powerful engines in smaller, even sportier cars.

The quintessential muscle cars we know today, including the Pontiac GTO and the Chevy Chevelle may have been inspired by the Impala, but would soon supersede the model in sales. But the SS model still had some growing to do and would hit an all-time sales high the following year.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	170 hp
L74	327ci	1x4bbl	300 hp @ 5000 rpm	360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
L80	409ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 6000 rpm	425 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
L31	409ci	1x4bbl	400 hp @ 5800 rpm	425 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
L33	409ci	1x4bbl	340 hp @ 5000 rpm	430 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
6.6 sec	15.4 sec		Estimate

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1963 Impala

In 1962, the sporty Impala with the SS package likely lost quite a few customers to the lighter Bel Air sports coupe that had also been available with the now famous 409 CID V8 engine. But the Bel Air Sports Coupe was discontinued for 1963, and the SS sold even better than ever. This was probably helped by the fact the every engine in the Impala lineup saw horsepower increases over the previous year.

At the top of the line were two versions of the 409 engine. The single 4-barrel version was rated at 400 horsepower, up 20 from the year before. And the 2x4-barrel version of the engine was up to an astounding 425 horsepower, which represented a 16 horsepower increase from the year before.

The aforementioned 427 CID V8 was actually the top performer, and though it was officially rated at 430 horsepower, most critics agree its output was actually at least 500 horsepower. However, the engine was only put in cars made for factory approved customers, and only around 55 Impalas actually included the engine. It would be another few years before customers had the 427 engine available to them again.

On the lower end of performance options, there were quite a few additional engine choices. These began with the 230 CID six-cylinder known as the Turbo-Thrift that produced that produced 140 horsepower, which was up 10 from the year before. Up next, the standard V8 engine was a 283 CID V8 which was rated at 195 horsepower – and that number also represented an increase from the year before. Lastly, there were two versions of a 327 CID V8, and it produced 250 or 340 horsepower.

Once again, the Super Sport package was available with any Impala engine option, including the six-cylinder, and added a sporty trim to the car. The package included a heavy duty suspension, a special “leather-like” soft vinyl interior with aluminum trim and special instrumentation. All SS models also included a floor shifter and a locking console.

1963 Impala

As it had in year’s past, the Impala was available as a sports coupe, sports sedan and wagon, and it continued to sell extremely well. All models featured what Chevy called “Jet Smooth” styling.

Total production the previous year was an impressive 704,900, but 1963 production topped even that at 832,600. Of those cars, 153,271 included the SS package. The most basic Impala had a base price of $2,661, though the convertible Sports Coupe model started at $3,024. The SS package added an additional $161 to the base price of the car.

Competition

There’s a very good reason the Impala is called the first muscle car. To be more specific, that title went to the 1961 model of the car, but Chevy saw the popularity of the powerful versions of the Impala and was continually making more powerful options every year. In fact, by 1963, every car company was attempting to manufacture desirable performance machines.

This trend would be continually illustrated throughout the rest of the 1960s and into the 70s with the introduction of more and more muscle and pony cars. The extremely popular Mustang was only a year away in 1963, and American roads would be littered with muscle cars by the end of the decade. While the Impala would continue to be bigger than all these models, it can be seen as the model that spawned them all.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
I6	230ci	1x1bbl	140 hp
V8	230ci	1x1bbl	140 hp
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	300 hp @ 4800 rpm	360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
V8	409ci	2x4bbl	425 hp
V8	409ci	1x4bbl	400 hp @ 5800 rpm	425 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
V8 Z-11	427ci	2x4bbl	430 hp

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
6.3 sec	14.9 sec @ 98.0 mph	409ci/425hp	Motor Trend 7/63
6.6 sec	15.2 sec @ 90.0 mph	409ci/400hp	Car Life

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1962 Impala

When Chevy introduced the Super Sport (SS) model of the Impala the year before, along with a new 409 CID engine, they had introduced what is now known as the first muscle car. The 409 was built to compete with Ford’s new 390 CID V8, and now that buyers were getting excited about higher performing cars, the “Big Three” car companies would work throughout the rest of the decade and beyond to bring more and more power. And this trend was already apparent in 1962.

Chevy revised the single 4-barrel version of the 409 that had been introduced the year before with new cylinder heads and a revised cam shaft to bring horsepower up to 380 from last year’s total of 360. But the big news was the new 2x4-barrel version of the 409 that was now rated at 409 horsepower.

The Super Sport option was back again for the second year in a row, through this time it was just over $100 more expensive as it added $156 to the base price of the car. The SS package was actually available to any Impala, including those with six-cylinder engines. Included in the SS package were front bucket seats with a special “leather-soft” vinyl covering that had aluminum edging. Additionally, the package included a heavy duty suspension, a tachometer, metallic brakes linings, a locking console and knock-off style wheel covers.

For those Impala-buyers that didn’t choose the high performance engine options, there were still a slew of other options available. At the low end of performance was a 230 CID six-cylinder engine that was rated at 135 horsepower, and the base V8 option was a 283 CID V8 rated at 170 horsepower. A new 327 CID V8 was introduced for the year, and delivered 250 or 300 horsepower depending on which version was chosen.

1962 Impala

As had been the case the previous year, there were three body styles to choose from: a two-door coupe, a four-door hardtop and a four-door wagon. As popular as the 1961 Impalas were with over 400,000 produced, sales were even higher in 1962. Total production for the year was around 704,900. The cars started at $2,662 for the year.

The Super Sport models also proved extremely popular for the year. While relatively few had been sold with the optional sports package in 1961, around 100,000 SS Impalas were built in 1962. Of those, more than 15,000 included the 409 engine.

Competition

One of the Impala SS’s biggest competitors in 1962 was Chevy’s own Bel Air Coupe. In 1962, the 409 engine was available in the Bel Air and Biscayne, as well as the Impala. With the new styling of the Impala, it was slightly less aerodynamic than it had been the previous year, and some drivers wanting the 409 went with the lighter Bel Air Sports Coupe instead. But by the following year, the Bel Air Sports Coupe would be discontinued and the SS package would sell even better.

But Chevy wasn’t the only company building more and more powerful cars. The desire of American drivers to have high performance vehicles was already apparent in 1962, and all of the Big Three were working to develop the most powerful car they could. This was a trend that was nowhere near it’s end in 1962.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
I6	230ci	1x1bbl	140 hp
V8	230ci	1x1bbl	140 hp
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	300 hp @ 4800 rpm	360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
V8	409ci	2x4bbl	425 hp
V8	409ci	1x4bbl	400 hp @ 5800 rpm	425 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
V8 Z-11	427ci	2x4bbl	430 hp

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
6.3 sec	14.9 sec @ 98.0 mph	409ci/425hp	Motor Trend 7/63
6.6 sec	15.2 sec @ 90.0 mph	409ci/400hp	Car Life

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1961 Impala

“My four-speed, dual-quad, Posi-traction 4-0-9,” sang the Beach Boys on their 1962 song “The 409,” and the 409 they were singing about was sitting inside of the new SS models of Chevy’s top performer – the Impala. The Impala’s legend was being established almost as soon as it was introduced.

Though the 1961 Impala was only the fourth production year of the car, it was already in its third generation as a Chevy continuously tweaked the car they promoted as their top model of the full-size Chevrolets. Many refer to the Impala as the first muscle car, and the SS version of the 1961 model could be seen as a more specific starting point for the class. In fact, the 1961 Impala would go on to be heralded as one of the best and most memorable Chevys of the 1960s.

The Impala had been designed since its beginning as a combination of full-size luxury and sportiness, and had fulfilled the role well, but the introduction of the 409 not only introduced even more power to the car, it would start the other two car makers in the “Big Three” scrambling to equal (and then exceed) its power. But the engine wasn’t the only Impala option available.

Impalas equipped with the SS package, which added $53.80 to the price of the car, came with the choice of one of three 348 CID V8s, which ranged from 305 to 350 horsepower. Throughout the year, 453 Impalas included the SS package, and most of them were Sports Coupe models of the car. There was also a four-door hardtop and station wagon versions of the Impala available. Of the SS models produced, only 142 included the now iconic 409 engine. That engine produced 360 horsepower and 409 lbs./ft of torque.

The SS version of the was marketed by Chevy as a “highly personalized version” of the Impala, and included heavy duty springs and shocks, a padded instrument panel, a tachometer and 14-inch narrow band whitewall tires. An optional four-speed manual transmission for the largest V8s came with a distinctive floor-mounted gear shift.

1961 Impala

While the new high performance options were part of what made the 1961 Impala exciting, there also were options for those who didn’t need as much power. At the bottom end of the Impala’s power option was a 235 CID six-cylinder engine that produced 135 horsepower, and then there were two 283 V8s buyers could choose from: one with 170 horsepower and the other with 230 horsepower. The ability to customize the car with a variety of specifications was part of the Impala’s appeal, and around 491,000 Impalas were built during the model year, and of those, around 64,600 were convertibles. The base price of the car was $2,536.

Competition

The 409 engine was introduced in response to Ford’s new 390 CID V8. That engine was rated at 375 horsepower, so Chevy’s was more impressive in size (and name) than actual performance in 1961. However, this competition is part of what would start all auto makers to continue to upgrade performance throughout the rest of the 1960s, hence the name of the Impala as the first muscle car.

Additionally, the Impala itself would already begin to increase its own horsepower by the following year, as maximum performance would grow to 409 horsepower with the addition of a new 2x4-barrel version of the 409. The 1961 Impala was really the start of something special when it came to high performance cars.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
I6	235ci	1x1bbl	135 hp
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	170 hp
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	300 hp @ 5000 rpm	360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
V8	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
V8	409ci	2x4bbl	409 hp
V8	409ci	1x4bbl	380 hp

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
6.3 sec	14.9 sec @ 98.0 mph	409ci/409hp	Motor Trend
7.3 sec	14.9 sec @ 94.0 mph	409ci/380hp	Car Life

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What is a muscle car?

What is a muscle car?

There are many different definitions of what qualifies as a muscle car. The broadest definition is any car with a large and powerful engine and a beefed up suspension. Upgraded interiors, fancy paint schemes and nicer wheels and tires are also usually part of the package. Using this definition, huge cars like the 1970 Impala and even compacts like the 1964 Chevy Nova made the list. There is even room for pony cars like the Camaro and Mustang. The mighty Corvette qualifies as well.

Purists narrow that definition considerable and only include midsized cars as muscle cars. These cars include the Chevrolet Chevelle, the Dodge Charger, Plymouth Road Runner and the classic Pontiac GTO. Other performance oriented car categories include: pony cars and American sports cars. Pony cars include the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. American sports cars include the Chevrolet Corvette and the Dodge Viper.

Below is a list of the American performance cars broken down by category and years manufactured. Note that we used the “Muscle Cars” label for both the full sized, compact and, of course, midsized cars. For this list we have expanded the strictest definition a little. We have also included a list of pony cars and sport cars. Taken together, this lists represents the best performance oriented cars ever produce by American manufactures.

Complete List Of Muscle Cars

Classic Full-Size Muscle Cars	Classic Pony Cars
1961–1970 Chevrolet Impala	1968–1970 AMC AMX
1959–1969 Ford Galaxie	1968–1974 AMC Javelin and AMX
	1967–2002 Chevrolet Camaro
Classic Mid-Size Muscle Cars	1970–1974 Dodge Challenger
1968–1974 Buick Gran Sport and GTX	1965–2004 Ford Mustang
1984-1987 Buick Grand National and GNX	1969–1970 Mercury Cougar
1965–1973 Chevrolet Chevelle	1964–1974 Plymouth Barracuda
1964-1973 Chevrolet El Camino	1967–2002 Pontiac Firebird & Trans Am
1983–1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
1966–1974 Dodge Charger	Modern Pony Cars
1968–1971 Dodge Super Bee	2010-Currnet Chevrolet Camaro
1966–1969 Ford Fairlane	2008-Current Dodge Challenger
1968–1974 Ford Torino	2005-Currnet Ford Mustang
1966–1972 Mercury Cyclone
1968–1971 Oldsmobile 442	American Sports Cars
1967–1971 Plymouth GTX	1953-Current Chevrolet Corvette
1968–1974 Plymouth Road Runner	2004-2009 Cadillac XLR
1964–1974 Pontiac GTO	2005-2006 Ford GT
	1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird
Modern Mid-Sized Muscle Cars	2002-2005 Ford Thunderbird
2004-Current Cadillac CTS-V	1992-Current Dodge Viper
2006-Current Dodge Charger
2004-2006 Pontiac GTO
Classic Compact Muscle Cars
1962–1976 Chevrolet Nova
1968–1976 Dodge Dart
1970–1976 Plymouth Duster

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The 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge - Review

THE 1969 PONTIAC GTO JUDGE

Specifications

Wheelbase, inches: 112.0

Weight, lbs: 4,000

Number built: 6,833

Base price: $3,488

Top Available Engine

Type: ohv V-8

Displacement, cid: 400

Fuel system: 1 x 4bbl.

Compression ratio: 10.75:1

Horsepower @ rpm: 370 @ 5500

Torque @ rpm: 445 @ 3900

Representative Performance

0-60 mph, sec: 6.2

1/4 mile, sec. @ mph: 14.4 @ 98

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Top 5 Classic Muscle Cars And Their Tech Innovations

 

They say everything old is new again. Need proof? Well, look no further than the current era of modern muscle cars inspired by the brawny beasts many of us drool over from the 60s and 70s. Although these collector cars may not be as advanced as today's high-tech toys, you might be surprised to find out how much technology has actually been handed down from these classics.

From the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet to the Tri-Power Pontiac GTO, these powerful muscle cars offered a glimpse at the innovative technology of the future, and cars like them remain very desirable among car collector's too. You may be shocked to find out how similar some of today's hottest performance cars still are to their 60s and 70s counterparts
.

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