Muscle Cars 1968

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

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[@Thekarlskorner]

Hello Greg, As a twenty year old muscle car enthusiast in 1973 I purchased my first muscle car, a 1969 Pontiac GTO, 400 with a Turbo-Hydra-Matic 400 transmission. By 1975 I had a '68 4-4-2 convertible with a 4 speed. By '76 I owned two cars; a ordered new '76 Cutlass Salon 455 car, and a nice used '69 4-4-2 4 speed, which I sold to buy a '64 GTO convertible 4 speed. To close out the seventies I sold the Cutlass and 4-4-2 to buy an ordered new 1979 Trans Am WS6 with a four speed and four wheel disc brakes. I kept that '79 T/A until 1987 when a growing family dictated more family oriented vehicles. In January of 1988 wanting another '60's muscle car I bought my first 1968 Hurst/Olds which I brought back to nearly factory speficications. Since then I bought and sold several 1968 to '72 Oldsmobile A-body Cutlass and 4-4-2 cars now only owning two, an unrestored '68 Hurst/Olds hardtop, and a frame off restored 1972 4-4-2 convertible I purchased in 1989 from the original owner. I became heavily involved in the Oldsmobile Club of America, as well as the Hurst/Olds Club of America writing numerous technical articles for both and a few articles for the long defunct Buick Olds Pontiac Restoration Guide Magazine. With all this said, I would be glad to share with you some of these articles of you wish. One in particular that would go with this video is a very comprehensive article on the 1968 Oldsmobile W Machines. In that article I covered all the high performance 1968 A option cars including the W-30, W-31 Ram Rod 350, the W-34 Toronado, and the W-45 & W-46 Hurst/Olds vehicles. I cited many period magazine quarter mile times, along with their modifications such as slicks and headed add ons. Thank you for a very informative and interesting video.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi Karl, I don't have a plan for this series beyond the 1969 episode, plus I want to re record one of the earlier ones. After that I may do an episode on the special cars like the Hurst Olds, Motion Chevrolets, W cars and so on. I'm really not sure what direction I'll go next. I do feel that the 60's cars are losing popularity with the younger audience and as much as I like them, the videos just don't do very well.

[@paulbrogger655]

My older bro ordered a '68 Camaro in dark blue, SS 396 375 h.p. Holley 4-bbl, 4:10 rear end. A genuine screamer! Later he sold it to our dad, who (imho) enjoyed his second childhood driving it to play golf. My bro transitioned to a VW van, until he was drafted. Meanwhile, our dad had sold the Camaro. I accompanied my bro to his Army intake, and: Lo, and behold! His Camaro was sitting in the parking lot, eager to bid him good-bye! Bro got back from Vietnam, alive -- but somewhat altered . . .

[@Sherwoody]

I had a ‘67 Camaro, a ‘69 Camaro RS, and a ‘76 Camaro. The ‘67 was bright red with a 327. The ‘69 was dark metallic green with a 350 and got stolen. The ‘76 was the worst piece of crap I ever owned. Still wish I had the ‘69.

[@tiitsaul9036]

Dude! I absolutely love the way you jump straight into the topic. Most youtubers spend a while with intro. Rambling on about liking and sharing and so on. Your content is BANG ON as well.

[@ericwobschall8410]

That’s because Greg always has a lot of well researched information to get to. That’s not always the case with other presenters. He has an EIGHT part series on the P47 aircraft and I have viewed all of it multiple times.

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

In 1968, I had a stingray. No, not the corvette, the Schwinn bicycle.

[@BBC42618]

Cool my dad had one of those bikes as a kid.

[@radioguy1620]

lucky rich kid ! all I could muster was Monkey bars for my bike. cost 5$ the schwinn dealers show room in my town was amazing. it almost had a smell to it, that new bike smell,.new slick tires and fresh factory paint.

[@DaveNorton-yi5ix]

My folks bought almost everything at Sears, so I had a Spyder. Never got timed in the quarter on it, but it was fast 😀

[@mattskustomkreations]

I had a Fastback. No, not a Torino GT, it was yet another Schwinn model! 😂

[@daviswall3319]

With the optional ball crusher shifter? 🙃 those were cool bikes

[@giggiddy]

Thank you so much for these long videos. Your voice and presentations are a pure treat and an hour long video from YOU is a treasure. Ill watch it a dozen times throughout the year.

[@jamyers1971]

Thank you also for the Buick comments! We had a '68 Skylark (not GS) w/ a 350, loved that car! Additional comments: * the A/C controls sucked, you had to spin the controls 20x just to go from cold to hot, etc. * that rear bumper was also notorious for letting the exhaust blow at the backside of the tail lights, melting them. * Buick engines were a first take at 'thin-wall casting", and used more nickel in the castings (and thus were tougher) than any other maker except Cadillac).

[@TheGrover1968]

Dad was a GM dealership mechanic in the late 60s and 70s. He said he preferred the 440 for the average daily driver. The dual points and 4brrls on the street hemis made them easily beaten on the street because most people wouldn't keep the hemi tuned well.

[@eryk3146]

I’ve been waiting for another car video. I like the plane videos too but these are some of the most informative car videos on this site

[@dennismason3740]

This vid is a tsunami of nostalgia for me, though I rode a bicycle between 1958 and 2018 I had zero knowledge of auto stuff - I remember phrases like 4-barrel-carb, overhead cam, stuff like that. Eventually I was forced by lack of money to learn to keep a bicycle rolling, especially when I was collided by a car. The bike had to be fixed as it was my main transportation. Here's the bit that fascinates me: I began to develop an interest in WWII warbird engineering (I love WWII warbirds since the fifties), hence started watching Greg's vids about 6 years ago. I slowly began to understand basic piston engineering at a very rudimentary level. I kept a friend's 1982 Nissan/Datsun 210 wagon (popular in England and called the Sunny) alive for 8 years and rolling through sheer intent and a couple of repair books. I hate hate hate working as a mechanic, bicycle or car. I was collided 7 times between 2005 and 2018 and I just could not rebuild the bike one more time. Yes I have a lot of damage to my 107-pound body. My mom bought a Challenger in 1970. It was at the mechanic's shop most of the time in that short year. In 1964 she caved over the sexy looking Mustang. At one point she had a 1963 two-tone Corvette and two boys and I had to sit on the hump between the front seats as there was no backseat. She tried to give me her 1978 Datsun Z-28, her all-time fave, in 1986 and I told her I couldn't afford gas, a mechanic, insurance and parking fees. Now I kind of know what Greg is talking about from his zillion bits on warbirds. I love the look of the Malibu and the GTO. How do the muscle cars get oxygen at altitude? Oddly enough I am a talented driver and for many years the hottest bicyclist in L.A. Thank you for this, Greg. I still don't know what a hemi is and Imma no research.

[@giggiddy]

Are you an American citizen?

[@dennismason3740]

@@giggiddy - born and bred. 1953, Echo Park, Los Angeles.

[@giggiddy]

@@dennismason3740 Wow. Its interesting that the bicycle was your main mode of transportation for so many years, living in the US. You must be in pretty good physical condition. Cheers

[@Milkmans_Son]

The Datsun was a 280Z, but if I had a nickel for every time someone called the one I drove in high school a Z-28 I could retire.

[@dennismason3740]

@@Milkmans_Son - Wow. Of course it's a 280Z. I haven't uttered the word "280Z" since the eighties, please forgive me. I'm a bicycle guy. I had a Schwinn Stingray, banana seat and sissy-bar with front shock, first of its kind on the West Coast, 1963. The Bronze Bomber was my transportation until 1969. I find it fascinating that others called the Datsun a Z-28. Sounds like an experimental warbird. Thanks for the correction.

[@RextheDragon881]

"Muscle cars are not all about number and logic" well said. Love your stuff Greg

[@stevegarrett4869]

Growing up in the 80’s with 60’s and 70’s cars to hot rod. Looking back, alot of how fast a car ran had to do with how well it’s tuning was. Was the dwell right on the points, timing set optimal, carbs jetted correctly, plugs not fouled, plug wires not burnt on headers. Despite how easy we think these are to work on. Tuning them perfectly wasn’t as easy or as common as many think. That’s why it’s hard to really figure which cars were fastest in practice on cars that we on the street.

[@radioguy1620]

the endless tinkering was what gave you hope for that extra 10 HP, also ran different every day the weather changed, my Mustang loved foggy weather.

[@timhuffman6007]

My dad ordered and received in Oct 1966 a 67 SS Camaro with 295 horse 4bbl 350,Muncie 4 speed,air,non vacuum boosted front discs, hideaway headlights,hood louvers,and black bumblebee stripe in front of the hood, I was 7 years old then.

[@AndrewGraziani-k7d]

Yah! A cheer rang out the land! I love this series and have watched every episode multiple times. The way Greg goes beyond just the numbers and gives real-life details on what it was really like to own one of these cars is just magical.

[@scullystie4389]

Loved learning more about the Fairlane/ Torino. My dad restored a beautiful white body/black hood '70 Torino Cobra with the 428 during my childhood and I've always had an affection for them.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

That's great, if it was a 1970 there is a good chance it was a 429.

[@scullystie4389]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles you're probably right. It's been a long time now and I can't exactly just go and look since he sold it to a collector. All I know is it was pretty damn quick and I really enjoyed riding to Bob's Big Boy in it 😂

[@missouriaviator8871]

Currently restoring a 70 GT 351-4v. Dealer display car with every factory option. A/C, shaker hood, power windows etc

[@alan6832]

I feel like performance cars, companies, drivers and enthusiasts including Greg should be more weight averse, which excludes the extra weight in luxury interiors like the Torino package from the performance car category, even with the 428. I am also wondering if the lighter weight drivetrains, designed for small blocks, C4/904 etc. could stand up to stock 383/390/396 engines at least for the expected life of a performance car, (70k miles?). Any torque upgrade would force the big block drivetrain, but shouldn't the stock 390 have been optioned with the C4 in order to get better performance out of the reduced weight? After that, it seems to me like better options to bigger engines would have been rear batteries and aluminum radiators, intakes and water pumps, wheels and aluminum or fiberglass hoods. Actually, luxury rear seats might have helped launch like rear batteries, but luxury front seats and dashes are clearly harmful. The luxury Torino package also took money away from performance, in addition to weight. That said, use of a midsize car is inherently a performance problem whenever the same engines would fit into compact Mustangs, Camaros, Darts etc., which is why my interest was always more in pony cars than midsize muscle; though I did hear that in Bullet, the 440 Charger was faster than the 390 Mustang despite being heavier. Uncle Tony prefers drum brakes at the drag strip because he says they are lighter than disks.

[@BBC42618]

If I was alive in 68 and had money my choice would be the redesigned Dodge Charger R/T 440. My neighbor had one when I was a kid and it was so cool. I love the hidden headlights and round Corvette style taillights. You could hear him coming down the road. The car sounded amazing and once he did a burnout for me. Dark green with white stripes on the trunk black vinyl top and chrome magnum wheels. A absolutely beautiful car.

[@gavinmclaren9416]

I think that this was an excellent and fair comparison from the POV of what a potential buyer would have had to pick from for new musclecars in 1968. For my mom, it was the Road Runner, bought from a brochure in August of 1967. This was my mom's first car and was very heavily optioned for a Road Runner. She daily-drove it with two kids for five years, eventually trading it in for a 340 Duster, which I inherited. I loved muscle cars, and they were cheap and readily available when I was in my late teens and early 20's. I owned a '68 442 and a 70 GTO Judge, my Duster, a '71 Charger R/T 440 sixpack, and others. I loved my Mopars, and the Duster with a worked over 340 was probably the quickest, followed closely by the 440 sixpack Charger. I think that the 442 would be my first choice for a cross-country road trip. I eventually installed a slightlu warmed-up 455 in the 442, which absolutely made it faster. It was a great time to be a car enthusiast.

[@kevatut23]

Thanks Greg. In 1968, my father and I walked into a Dodge dealer. He bought a new Superbee. It was number 321, and was equipped with the 383 magnum, tube headers, Edelbrock highrise manifold, etc. The sheet in the glovebox rated the engine at 426hp. I learned to drive in that car, in winter, in Minnesota. The next year, I got my license in that car.

[@billybudd6776]

Ummm no, 335 HP, 425 HP was only out of a 426 hemi.

[@kevatut23]

@billybudd6776 then the dyno sheet lied. And the first 500 were only stock and not homologated?

[@kevatut23]

@billybudd6776 well?

[@billybudd6776]

@@kevatut23 I think it's bull, well? No 383 put out 425 stock unless I misread your claim.

[@kevatut23]

@@billybudd6776 it had tube headers, an Edelbrock highrise manifold, huge carb setup and non stock ignition. His buddy bought a 383 road runner in 69. The engine setups were completely different. Dad's would leave him in the dust. You might want to research your opinion before calling BS on someone who was actually there.

[@bullettube9863]

In 1968 I was 18 and made $1.25 an hour so there was no way I could afford any of these cars! I did however have a Honda CL-160 motorcycle but riding it in November was a rough ride! So I bought a 1963 Rambler for $350 and kept it for two years before selling it when I got married and we drove my wife's 1969 Volvo 142, which we owned for 9 years. As a mechanic I sometimes worked on some of these cars, with electrical problems being the main issue. Points and plugs never lasted long in those days and salt was the big enemy in New York winters, and none of these cars lasted long like they did in California.

[@jetsons101]

At one time or another I had every 68 car on this list except the 68 Buick, I had a 70 Buick GS. Thanks for helping to keep automotive history alive and kicking......

[@OneHitWonder383]

According to an article I read (by the guy who actually developed the Road Runner), the original name of the Road Runner was the _La Mancha._ Yes. As in _Man of La Mancha._ It was a big Broadway hit at the time. The advertising agency thought La Mancha was great but the Plymouth guy put Road Runner forward as the name and one of the junior guys from the agency claimed that Road Runner was a name he could work with! The agency caved and that's why we have a _great_ Muscle Car called the Road Runner. _Beep Beep!_

[@mattskustomkreations]

What a shame they gave that La Mancha idea up - they could have styled the radiator fan like a windmill!

[@ZacLowing]

Road runner horn, MEEP MEEP La Mancha horn goes LA LA MANCHA LA LA MANCHA LA LA LA LA

[@LeonardoSalvatore]

Thanks Greg! Really interesting video, especially for us in Europe. Hope that your supporter will ask for some history about NASCAR racing cars.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks Leonardo. I appreciate that.

[@1QU1CK1]

Love these muscle car vids! I talked with a guy that restored old MOPAR for a living and asked him what the biggest problem was. I was figuring parts but it was paint! He said the original paint jobs were so bad that if you did a decent paint job it didn't look original! He had to learn where the overspray went, where the orange peel occurred, what areas got the sags and runs...

[@danieljacob5479]

immediately obvious authentic knowledge from years strong personal interest -well done-

[@Thuddster]

Such an enjoyable dive into a watershed year for muscle cars. Thank you Greg, for top-notch content as always!

[@hangonsnoop]

While I was born after these cars were made, I love this era of American cars.

[@hckyplyr9285]

Back in the late 80s us high school kids knew about and loved the late 60s early 70s muscle cars. At that time it looked like their day was gone and never coming back. A friend of mine had a pretty well used 68 Torino GTA with a 3 speed manual and the 428 IIRC. It was only kinda quick but a really fun car to ride around in on summer nights. Other friends had 60s/70sCamaros and Mustangs while I had a hideous green 76 El Camino with a fully smogged 350. White vinyl interior! Truly a shaggin wagon.....not. Thanks for the memories Greg.

[@ditto1958]

‘68 and ‘69 were amazing years for cars!

[@rockets4kids]

And then by 1972 it was all over.

[@rcwagon]

Thank you for an objective look at these cars. Your insights into the presented numbers tells a lot behind the scenes.

[@mrtomdorn]

I had a poster out of a magazine on my wall featuring these 4 GM 1968 great cars just like you have shown here. Mother bought a new beautiful 1968 Cutless Convertible. I had a VW Beatle, a sweet 1958 Karman Ghia. Next a great 1967 RS SS Camaro exactly like the the Yellow Black Stiripes, Black Vinyl that was featured in GM advertising. Next was (4) 1970 1/2 RS Z/28 Camaro back in 1972 in Atlanta really looking good. I miss all of the great Muscle cars we all had. TD Atlanta

[@PhilKelley]

I really appreciate how you give as unbiased an assessment of each car as possible, but then give your personal opinion of which car you would choose, overall. That is as honest assessment as anyone can give. I was also amazed at some of the cars you analyzed. As someone who grew up in Detroit in the period you are talking about (my first car was a 1967 Impala), surrounded by men who worked for the automobile manufacturers (my uncle worked for Ford and my best friend's father worked as a chemist at Ford's paint dept., to name a few), I have never heard of some of the cars you mentioned. I think I was pretty car savvy at the time (our favorite game on road trips was "Name that car model and year" and I usually won). You said they did not sell well. I wonder if they sold at all.

[@andrewgranducci4177]

Finally someone that knows what there talking about I’ve owned every GM vehicle made and wish I had them all back. There’s no comparison between Chrysler and ford compared to the General.

[@Nafeels]

1968 had the biggest list of my favourite automotive designs ever. Charger, Camaro, Corolla, Chevelle, Miura, Hakosuka.... All incredibly sexy and alluring and I'm so jealous to those who owned one of these babies. The Detroit big three in particular had the iconic coke bottle styling, something I wish modern automotive design can bring back over the boring sharp and edgy lines.

[@damage6316]

Two of my favorite topics. Muscle cars and super props!! Goes together like peanut butter and jelly, steak and eggs, or a shot and a beer! Keep up the good work. You're doing it right.👍

[@chrisknoernschild5908]

I have to agree with you on the Torino styling, at least in this year. Normally I'm here for airplanes but now I need to learn about engines, your recommendation of the "The High Speed Piston Engine" by Riccardo was probably the best book on the subject I've ever read.

[@bassplayersayer]

1968 the year I was born !!!!!!!! Great time for cars !!!!! Rock on Greg !!!!!!!!

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-2025]

I never thought the mustangs should be in a muscle car class

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

The Mustang was a Pony car.

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-2025]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles this is true. But people speaking more and more of the Chevy Nova and mustangs have been muscle cars. It's kind of like to change into the terminology of what a highboy Ford is.

[@jeebusk]

this is the first and most comprehensive review of 60s muscle cars I've seen, I don't know hoe much changes from one year to the next but 68 was probably one of the most important and representative years.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks, this is the 5th video in the series.

[@davidstange4174]

The 68 GTO has always been my favorite muscle car from the era

[@TheKuschma]

When I was in high school a couple of brothers I knew talked their German immigrant father into buying a charger 440, telling him it was a nice family car. They outran the cops on a few occasions and had it over 140 mph often. To my knowledge the dad never realized what his sons were doing, but it was the hottest car in our town.

[@karlkoenigstein4138]

Excellent, glad to see another in the annual muscle car series! Greg, I think maybe one of the reasons for the GTO turnpike cruiser style low-compression 2-barrel engine was insurance premiums. Although it wasn’t yet as bad as it got by the early 70s, insurance was starting to play a role in buyers’ choices. I think this might also be the reason for some of GM’s smaller engine variants like the W-31 package 350 for Oldsmobile and the GS340 (1967) and GS350 (1968+)…

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

You could be right. Of course I would get the LeMans with the 350 HO before a 2bbl GTO.

[@cj-fh4nx]

The Fords let you start with with 289/302 2-bl and then you have you option up to get more. For them that was always there business model.

[@briankay4713]

Superb Greg ....love your detailed aircraft presentations...this on 68 muscle cars is just as good ...

[@zetapal]

I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to these old muscle cars just cause I was never around car guys growing up. But man, that Charger in the movie 'Christine' ? ... not Christine but his buddy's blue Charger ? man, that car gets me ... beautiful

[@Michael-dr9wl]

The Big Three! Love them all! The nicest styling, one of my favorite was the 1966 Oldsmobile Tornado! 1969 Cadillac Seville convertible, all mopar, GM, and Ford! 1964 to 1970 best years!

[@tinfoilhat3268]

Commenting for engagement. I know airplanes are your bread and butter, but I do love your classic car content

[@TheGrover1968]

Love the GA400 leading the thumbnail pic with it's cowl air scoop.

[@brookeshenfield7156]

At 48:17 seconds that chart shows in the footnote (2) that the times were from the December 1967 Motor Trend test. As an owner of a 383 car that thumped 396 Chevelles, I can testify that they are that slow. BTW, at 18 with no skills, little tools, and some beer, I helped install headers in a 440 Challenger and it was not too hard. Terrific content as always! Mahalo and Aloha!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi Brook. The times were published in a summary at the end of the year in the December 1967' issue. Not from a December 67' test. I have installed those headers as well. It's way harder than on a Chevy. What's worse is that you have to take it back off of the Dodge when starter motor time comes around.

[@brookeshenfield7156]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles The torsion bars do get in the way of headers, I must admit. I took to wrapping the starter in asbestos (it was 1981). Thanks for your great work!

[@autobreza7131]

Thanks for this well-researched and ACCURATE muscle car video!!!

[@NoPrivateProperty]

1988 I bought a stock 79 monte carlo with 305 4 barrel and brought it to track. ran 16.7. I took an air saw and cut bumpers, sway bars, and exhaust off. car weighed 2900 and went 15.0 thru traps in 2nd gear. stock 305. with 410 posi rear probably low 14s

[@Bass_Playa_Two_Point.O]

As a 64yo gearhead of over 50 years, your opinion on the positives and negatives of the various makes, marques, and models, closely mirrors my own knowledge and experiences. I still have an RR and a 4-4-2, and the build/ride quality difference is markedly better with G.M. products. More refined styling as well. Edit: I also remember that another weak point of the Pontiac motors were the valve-trains. They tended to sound kind of raggedy when they had some wear and tear back in the 70's. Also the only interchangeable parts between the B.O.P. motors were the lifters.

[@donfronterhouse4759]

What you said about the Ply.RR is so true!That all those old Mopars are so valuable today causes me cognitive dissonance. They were crap.(I always loved the Chargers esp. 68-70) I remember riding in them with their ugly vinyl seats and rubber floors. By the time they were 2 or 3 years old the heater controls didn't work,the knobs on the radio were gone and just gave me a sense of dismay. I was too young to drive yet but even I knew they were cheaply made. And people are spending big bucks to restore them to original condition,broken or about to brake. But I learned to love Super Bees and Road Runners though. Heck,I had a Duster that while very fast was probably the worst😂

[@PDQkevin77]

The dam in the magazine photo of the Torino that you showed is just down the street from my house. My first car was a 10 year old 1968 Olds Delta 88 with the 455 engine. Could really go so long as it was a straight line. Made me learn how to replace u-joints (perhaps due to too many jack rabbit starts) and wheel bearings.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

It came out a few years ago that the magazine quarter mile tests were fabricated. One former writer or editor said, unapolgetically, "We had a lot of work and dead lines. We did not have time to go to the drag strip." So it is little surprise that the tests reflect the advertised hp of the car so precisely.

[@StuyJamaicaYonkers]

80’s baby, my pops used to talk about Muscle cars all the time, he had a ‘69 Grand Prix, I’ve always had an affection for the Firebird and Camaro’s

[@Ashcrash82]

Man I love the muscle car era! What a fantastic objective look into the cars typically seen back then. I'm a little biased toward Fords (although I admit I prefer the bigger, earlier Galaxie and Fairlanes and the pony car Mustang over the intermediates here), but their constantly changing engine/transmission options over the years have helped me understand why the GM cars were so much easier and cheaper to mess with. As far as this video goes, '68 is my favorite year for the B-Body Chrysler Corp cars, I just like the front end / grille styling of the RR and Charger more than later years. While I like the GM styling in 68, I think most of them got better in 69-70, except for the GTO. The 66-67 GTO is my all-time favorite GM car style-wise, and really with the 389 Tri-power or the 400 4-bbl, I think they were right there performance-wise too.

[@danhrenchir9831]

Thanks for this one, This series is excellent!

[@user-yv1bf4rx7r]

Absolutely LOVE this series!!!

[@roberta.6399]

Great post, Greg. Really enjoyed watching.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I'm glad you liked it. My Muscle car series is really a failure in terms of views, but I do like making these. I'll finish it off with the 1969 episode in the next few months.

[@drewski5730]

I think it’s important to point out that these road tests in ‘68 had the tires available at the time. Tires have come a long ways…. I’d imagine completely stock ‘68 vehicles with modern tires would be substantially faster.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Yes, they are all about 1/2 second or more quicker in the 1/4 mile with modern tires. That's still using the small wheels, more improvement could be had with larger wheels and tires.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

I read where the road tests were almost all fiction. "We had deadlines. We didn't have time to go to the track." That's what an insider confessed 50 years later, meaning fairly recently.

[@terrypitt-brooke8367]

My Dad's favourite-ever car was a '67 (or was it '66?) Olds Cutlass with a 442 (which he never floored) and a locking rear diff, which he used all the time--to get up the ski hill!

[@WillyMcCoy50]

Maybe I'm a bit off but I was bitten with The Coronet R/T. They looked so nice going down the street. I would see em when they were brand new just chewing everything up. I really appreciate your opinions and love of all things mechanical. If you gave me 2 air divisions with Messerschmitts, Spits, Lightnings and PBY's + support squadrons I could make this world peaceful and calm.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

In 1968 The Chevelle was the best looking muscle car, the best engine, the best bargain out there. What more could you ask for. The regulations and laws that hit in 1971 just ruined these beauties. Designers had to design cars with these big ass bumpers and very few cars then looked very good with these bumpers. Chevrolet designed the new Chevelle in 73 and I have to admit it didnt look bad with the big bumper. I wonder what all these muscle would have looked like without all the regulations and these laws??

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

They probably would have stuck with the design of the 71, 72. I wish they would have stuck with the Square taillights in 71 and 72.

[@anthonychapman4429]

Thank you greg for mentioning fhe El Camino. Its my dream car and i got blessed by working very hard and with helps from my parents. I was able to get my hands on a 69 Malibu El Camino when i was 15. I know that. The 69 Malibu isn't what your talking about but it just made a smile go from corner to corner on my 17 year old face.

[@marckyle5895]

I loved my '68 El Camino, even with the 250 under the hood. Drove it all thru college. The 250 was good enough for the 55mph era but not now.

[@anthonychapman4429]

@@marckyle5895 yea having one is a blessing but have you thought of switching to a 327? Or ride the wave of l LS swaps?

[@joellamoureux7914]

The bumpers on the GS fit in the ads!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

They sure do, but I have never seen one in real life that perfect.

[@idessaoutlaw]

Me having OCD, I'd have to straighten it and make it fit right.. My best Buick was a loaded 1970 Electra 225 455 hi perf..🥃😎👌

[@DuffusMonkey]

I was at the Pontiac Nationals this weekend window shopping for a 68-69 Lemans or GTO. I found a beautiful Dark Blue 68 Tempest Sprint 6 with a Overhead Cam straight 6. I didn't know it had a special decal package. The owner did NOT want to sell it.

[@adamtrombino106]

The 383 Plymouth Road Runner engine had 440 heads, intake, cam and carb. People in the know at the time said the regular 383 4bbl made just over 310ish hp, but the 383 RR mill made closer to 350hp in 4 speed form. That was important. Automatic cars had a less aggressive cam timing and slower distributor curve. Chrysler didn't want to make the massive 440 look tame, so the advertised hp rating was 335 for the 383 RR mill. Even as a Mopar guy, I've always been a BOP fan. Lots of low end torque, smooth and good handling.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

The 440 head thing was a bit of an advertising gimmick. All 383 4 barrels in 1968 had the same heads. The Road Runner 383 certainly did NOT have the 440 intake and they don't interchange. The 440 is taller, meaning the heads are father apart.

[@Mrdrcaptaintroy]

So excited to see this up. I've been waiting for this!

[@kmyre]

I was about to call GM fanboyism until the very last sentence. Well done.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks, I get accused of that, but I actually like AMC, Dodge and Plymouth the most. That doesn't mean I can ignore the objective reality.

[@kamata93]

Yes! Finally! I remember I asked you sometime ago and you did say you will get back to it. Awesome to see the series continue. PS: 4-4-2 is for me. Oldsmobile always had a softspot for me.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks. I will finish this series, one more episode to go. It's not a popular series here so it I tend to focus on other stuff.

[@richardrichard5409]

Just for Europeans to get a handle on quarter mile times as we obsessed with 0 to 60 mph. ....an early 4 speed Capri 2.8 injection was 16.2 seconds, 88 mph terminal at MIRA in ideal condition, flat, no wind, 10c ambient. When we tested the 5 speed it was nearer 17 seconds and 83 mph, slight tailwind too. We always knew (and Ford knew😊) the 4 speeds were noticeably quicker even by seat of the pants, but was quite a margin 5 speeds had odd gearing and there was definite detune on 5 speed mapping due to the 4 speeds running overly hot with consequent head gasket warranty issues, they ran a fair bit of spark advance. ....the 5 speeds also tried to address poor fuel economy issues and ran a leaner calibration and taller gearing. 😎 Ex Automotive power train calibration engineer FoMoCo et al. PS the reason why there could be a wide discrepancy on euro 70s and 80s Fords performance was Fords 1:02:51 woeful camshaft consistency, or rather their lack it. We once test profiled 80 Pinto 2 litre cams....all bar 6 were out of spec, some were so poor they contributed to early valve seat failure. Good old days. ❤

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

In the 1969 episode I'll be sure to include some European cars. Few people realize just how fast the Muscle cars were in comparative terms. Other than exotics, there really were no European cars that could match these in a drag race. Other types of racing, yes.

[@buzbuz33-99]

An interesting trip down memory lane. I had the opportunity to ride in, drive or street race against most of these cars back then. Speaking of Vietnam, the GIs at a nearby army base owned a small "fleet" of these cars. A GI could buy one of these cars for a few hundred dollars from a GI who was deploying to Vietnam. They would drive the car for about 6 months until they were deployed and had to sell the car to another GI. The operating costs were a burden for someone on a limited income. But, to someone with an uncertain future, it was worth it.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Parents bought a ‘64-1/2 Mustang, the year they were married. Dad had a deferment due to college, but it ran out in ‘66 and couldn’t get a new one. Was drafted into the Marines but enlisted in the AF. Was ultimately stationed in Japan, mom ended up moving there, they lived off base but couldn’t afford to get the car sent there. Couldn’t continue to pay for it either so they sold it. Mom loved that car. For me, if I had the option, I’d get a ‘68 Mustang GT500, KR if possible.

[@donandsuerogers6319]

Beside the cost and no A/C restriction, the drivetrain warranty on the Hemi cars was only 1 yr/12k miles vs 5 yr/50k on all other Chrysler engines including the high output 383s and 440s.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

That's a good point. Another big advantage for the 440 over the Hemi.

[@georges.7683]

Also, didn't the 440 perform better on the low end, while the 426 needed high rpm to breathe well, making the 440 a better "street" car?

[@Tinbender-zr4jd]

I was in high school in 1968 and was able to see all these cars when brand new and even rode and/or drove a couple of them. My favorite was the Chevelle, it was a smooth ride, quick, quiet, and the interior seemed luxurious compared to the others. It was also a very pretty car. The Road Runner was definitely bare bones basement level and that could be seen with just a glance. Fit and finish was really bad for a new car. The GTOs were the ones that really stood out due to that center grill nose. Their commercials always featured someone with a crowbar beating on it and it showing no damage. That was actually accurate, I saw one pull out into traffic and run into a moving car and the front of the GTO was pretty messed up....except that center nose post.

[@deuteronimus750]

The late 1960's Plymouth Belvederes and Dodge Coronets were the lightest Mopar models. The 1966 Hemi Belveere that I refered to in my last comment had a column mounted 727 automatic final gearing unknown but could run a 13.8 quarter mile. The 4 speed manual 727 ran a 13.6 quarter mile in facory equpped quarter making both the fastest stock muscle cars of that era.

[@ChristopherBourseau]

“STOP LIGHT GRAND PRIX ENCOUNTERS” Awesome! Lmao😂

[@peter386]

Those cars are Masculinity Personified. I liked the TR-6 reference as my father has had one since the late 70's. I'll inherit it some day. Thanks for the awesome vids.

[@shooter2055]

I was thirteen years old in 1968. Dad bought a Buick Skylark, 350, 2 bbl, auto trans (Turbo 400?). I DROOLED over the performance variants. BIL bought a Dodge Daytona. Neat car. 440 with a Torque-Flight transmission. BIL.2 bought a Buick GS 455 Super Duty. --very nice car. Interesting times-- --

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi shooter, that Skylark would have had the Turbo 350 transmission, which was a good unit.

[@cdglasser]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles The Turbo 350 transmission was introduced in 1969. In 1968, the Skylark with the 350 engine would have had Buick's Super Turbine 300 2-speed automatic.

[@MrSteve280]

Not only were the magazine tests less than scientific or non-standardized, but the factories also supplied cars that ran the gamut from a tired and abused tester to a more sweetly "tuned" model for more performance than you' could ever find on the showroom floor. I have car magazine test results for 344 muscle car models from all companies 1960 through 1970. A surprising number of the statistics make no sense. Unless - as you mention - they didn't/couldn't launch correctly, they removed some drive belts, they tinkered with tire pressure, they messed with the ignition, the clutch was worn out from overzealous magazine editors (hello, Mr. Farb), or Plymouth was slipping in an extra $50 along with the car keys.

[@gordonwallin2368]

Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@TheIhealme]

The horsepower ratings on the GM engines (top power ones) peaked at 360 because GM had a mandate that no engine could be used in a production car that was over 1hp per 10lbs of car. The GM A-body came in at roughly 3600 lb curb weight. You can see this clearly in a comparison between the GTO and the Firebird. Same Ram Air 2 engine was used in both, but the Firebird was rated at 345hp.

[@wilco3588]

I believe the 68 Roadrunner 383 used 440 Magnum heads and possibly camshaft.

[@garysarratt1]

I had a ‘66 Dart. Problem starter for sure, they would test fine out of the car and fail when installed. For some reason I put an extra ground cable on the battery and connected it to a different place,and I never had another problem with the starter.

[@DocZoidberg549]

1968 was a great year for cars. I have had several. My favorite year for that period.

[@daviswall3319]

Well done Greg!!

[@whiskey11niner]

Been waiting for this one, thanks Greg

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I hope you like it.

[@dbcooper4375]

On all the nice days, I still daily drive my 1969 396 Camaro. But yeah I don't love the 3.73 rear gears. I'd really like to swap out the turbo 400 for a newer manual 6 speed with a double overdrive, like I have in my 2010 Hennessey Camaro

[@joellamoureux7914]

Id have the Chevelle in 68. I'm normally Pontiac exclusively but the Chevelle in 68 is the most "beautiful" American Muscle Car ever built. No other muscle car comes close for me period. There are cars I like a little more like the 70 GTO but it isn't as pretty. Chevrolet really made a tasteful decision while most others were going for the aggressive look.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

The look of the 68'-69' Chevelle has certainly aged well.

[@radioguy1620]

too bad none of these cars offered front spoilers, the one I added to my 66 Mustang transformed the high speed stability and huge improvement in cooling. they used to measure the front end lift on these cars in some road tests,

[@giggiddy]

I'm not sure "high speed stability" should appear in a description with a 66 mustang.

[@radioguy1620]

@@giggiddy lets just say 60 plus in the rain Lo, but did really help cooling .

[@giggiddy]

@@radioguy1620 Awesome! Cheers!

[@Sundancer268]

I believe the Chrysler 727 Torqueflite was the best Automatic from this era.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I almost agree. The 727 is very good, and I like the way it's controlled via a simple kick-down rod. However, its seals don't last as long as they do on the Turbo 400, at least not back in the day they didn't. For that single reason, I think the Turbo 400 has the edge.

[@barrycuda3769]

And 904.

[@S_M_360]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobilesgood points, as a molar guy, 727 is a go-to but it scavenges a lot of HP vs the 400. 727 with a solid shift kit from the tranny shop is no joke though

[@Sundancer268]

The 904 was also a good transmission, but equivalent to the TH-350, not the TH400. I have had both and the 727 could handle a lot more power and torque than the 904. The only issues I ever had was with the 904 I has in a 73 Fury III when the cooler line cracked on a trip and I lost the transmission fluid. Had to rebuild the transmission. First Automatic I ever rebuilt.

[@bobz1736]

Cool... I'm looking forward to this. Thanks Greg ! 👏

[@TheSpritz0]

BIG thumbs up, excellent presentation!!!!💯

[@AndrewGraziani-k7d]

There's perhaps no greater example of "Penny wise, pound foolish," then Detroit not recognizing the value of radial tires vs. bias ply until well into the 70's. And I very literally mean this.

[@classicmusclecarexhaust1988]

Greg, as someone who has immersed himself in all things muscle cars since 1967, your analysis of these cars is dead-on accurate in my opinion and experience. My GM A-bodies were high quality great all-around cars, my Torino was comfortable but slow, and my 383 4M/3:55 Super Bee went 14.7 @ 94 stock- just like you said. But I always felt like the door handles, dashboard screws, and/or glove compartment door were capable of falling off at any given moment. Your correct in-depth analysis and explanations are a breath of fresh air. Any thought on including AMC in on this action?

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks for that great post. I am working on a video about my favorite AMC car. Even better, it's going to be with the original owner and it's even my favorite year.

[@csj9619]

While being a GM kinda feller, I've gotta say the best looking of all the '68 model musclecars is the Road Runner/Coronet in my opinion.

[@randomDIYguy-k4r]

My father had a GTO in roughly this time period and towed a horse trailer with it. He said it was a great tow vehicle and more pleasant for long drives than a truck. I wonder if he had the low compression 400. Updated: he confirmed it was the low compression 400, but wasnt sure what year the car was.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

That's cool, it makes sense too. A low compression GTO would be a really good tow vehicle.

[@Milkmans_Son]

I get the distinct impression that 1968 was not a bad year to be in the car business. I don't know what car companies are doing for employee sales incentives now, but in 1968 they were doing things like chartering ocean liners. My grandparents went on a "Pontiac Record Breakers Cruise" in June of 1969. They flew from the west coast to NY, took a Grace Line ship called the Santa Paula around the Caribbean, then flew back home from Miami 13 days later. Looking through the stuff my grandmother saved (as grandmothers will do), it's unreal. The menus look like first class on the Titanic. Every cabin was huge with two rooms and a bath. The passenger to crew ratio was just slightly over one to one. Pontiac payed for everything; airfare, taxis, meals... and tips. It ain't like it used to be.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Yup, it was a different time. The state of the US auto industry is pretty sad.

[@richardrichard5409]

Wasn't the Chrysler 383 lump called a Commando? I had a 68/69 Newport in a rather sudden factory colour combo gold paint, snakeskin vinyl roof and bright green interior.😊 383 4 barrel, LSD rear end. Proper land yacht, fuselage design, so long I'm sure the front and, rear bumper were in different time zones, but that old bus sure had some get up and go though.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

The Chevelle was the bestllooking muscle car EVER! The design was a wonder! Sexy and full of muscle. Especially the 68, 69, and the 1970.

[@radioguy1620]

You might say the Torino fastback ushered in the era of the winged cars due to its improved aero vs Mopars and others.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Oh, that's a good point. I'm sorry I missed that. Once these videos are done I often think of things I should have talked about. Specifically I'm kicking myself for not talking about the G.M. A body wheel base and the reason for it. I should have talked about the aero advantages that started with the Torino "Sports Roof" aka fastback.