Ranked muscle cars from 1968 that shocked the world with their TOP SPEED!

[@daviddunnam]

A nice to watch video, but a lot of misinformation. Geared for the strip would never produce the best top speed.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching anyways!

[@joequillun7790]

@@PistonTrends I agree totally David. I was expecting to see something like a Hemi charger, or a 427 Torino geared with 2.70 something on the high bank ovals. And we all know a Mustang or Camaro is a "Pony" car, not a muscle car. And a Corvette is a sports car. But the video does show some cool machines.

[@johnyandell8100]

Right, the top speed depends on the rear end gear, and engine redline.

[@peteloomis8456]

​@@joequillun7790Those Super birds & Daytona Dodge stock cars back in the day had set a record by Buddy Baker if I remember going slightly over 200 mph timed on a tar oval track . They eventually got banned by Nascar after they tried numerous times to have rule changes on things like the 2x4 magnesium intakes outlawed and having Dodge & Plymouth only using a single 4 barrel intake manifold and other things lake adding extra weight to try and slow them down until they banned them outright . I'm also not talking about the factory Daytona or super birds that were for sale to the public that most didn't want that sat for months and years on the dealer lots not being sold ! I'm talking about the same cars but modified for Nascar racing which were extensively different from stock other than the bodies . Once they got banned many of them went on to run at the Bonneville salt flats that set numerous top speed records in their classes . When Mopar designed these cars bodies they actually took them to the air force wind tunnels to have them run through the wind tunnel when designing the bodies to make them as arrow dynamic and slippery as possible which helped them achieve these 200 mph speeds on the Nascar ovals back then .

[@tonymickens8803]

That goes to the 69 Charger, 200 MPH at Chrysler Proving grounds in 1969.

[@georgeevancho1844]

Sounds like the narrator can read good but doesn't know cars

[@PistonTrends]

Well thanks for watching!

[@zombienectar]

I had a 1967 442. 400 3 speed auto. 2:32 rear diff ? I'm guessing but it was geared for top end speed. Every sunday morning we would all gather at the local mews to discuss previous nights events. A new guy showed up. He had a 396 chevelle. He asked me about the 442 and I told him IMO with enough time it would crack the 150 mph. He laughed and said they never made an olds that could go over 120 mph. He said his Chevelle could do 135. I said you go first , I'll follow you and when your car is wound out lift your hand. When he lifted his hand I passed him no problem and then gave him a taste of 150 plus in the very slippery olds 442. He never came back to the mews and never talked to me again evn though we lived in the same town. I loved that car.

[@frankjohnson6342]

So it sounds like your car had never gone 150mph at the “mews” before this and now suddenly you have the amount of space to get the car up to speed when it couldn’t before. Sorry but your story doesn’t make sense and in what world is a 67 442 brick shaped car “slippery“ . You are the first and only person to have bragged about a 442 of any year being able to do 150mph because of the gears. If it had the power to pull that brick to that speed then the internet would be full of stories about how quick and fast these cars were with say a set of 3:91 gears for the 1/4 mile and how they slap around 396 Chevelle’s. Hmmm can’t seem to find any.🤥

[@zombienectar]

@@frankjohnson6342 sorry pal but your reply makes no sense. The front of a 67 cuttless is not a brick design. The car weighed aprox 3700 - 3800lbs. We had a 7 mile stretch of highway. He was breaking the wind. On one occasion I had a cop friend radar the car at 151 mph. I don't remember you being there unless you were driving the Chevelle. That would explain a lot.

[@PistonTrends]

I miss these cars the same as you do. Thanks for sharing!

[@basilcarroll9729]

My 1966 Dynamic 88 with 425 high compression 365 HP engine and 2:93 gears could max out the 120 mph speedo .

[@zombienectar]

@@basilcarroll9729 My second car was a 1965 olds Starfire with a 425. We were living the dream and didn't know.

[@AlbertPendergraff-rp7jp]

My favorite is the 1968 Corvette because I am related to Louis Chevrolet and I own a prototype Corvette

[@PistonTrends]

Serious? That’s so cool!

[@johnyandell8100]

Really? I'd like to hear about it.

[@AlbertPendergraff-rp7jp]

@johnyandell8100 mine Corvette is the last original stingray ever made but it's because it's the first prototype ever it doesn't have what a normal Corvette has its has reclining sets and a stereo cassette player in it made by Boase radio with four speakers two in front and two in the back and it's painted Corvette tan and it's has dark brown leather interior and it has a carpet dash pad that matches the floor mats and it has a luggage rack with t top carriers and it has a electric alarm system on it and it has a motor that is very fast and it was made by Zora Arkus Duntov himself it's even autograph by him and GM way to have this car destroyed but thanks to my uncle which was vice president of GM at that time and my grandpa who is related to Louis Chevrolet the car was saved and it even has five aluminum rims with 255 60 R 15 inch tires

[@AlbertPendergraff-rp7jp]

@johnyandell8100 mine is the last stringray and it has reclining sets and it has a Boase AM and FM cassette player in it and it has dark brown leather interior and a carpet dash pad that matches the floor mats and it has five aluminum rims and it has four speakers two in the front and two in the rear and it has t op luggage and with t top carriers and it painted Corvette tan and it's autograph by Zora Arkus Duntov and it was made by him and it was to be destroyed by GM but thanks to my uncle and grandpa it was saved and one was the vice president of GM and my grandpa is related to Louis Chevrolet so I noe have the car it has a very big engine and no other corvette even looks like this one

[@mikelathrop6584]

Lucky man

[@randyrobey5643]

Many, perhaps most of these cars came with "Performance" rear axle ratios that helped with acceleration. Those rear axles limit all-out top speed numbers. Many of these cars could reach much higher speeds with rear axles that were designed for that purpose.

[@PistonTrends]

So true! Thanks for watching.

[@derekhightower1903]

THIS IS A GREAT VIDEO!!! THANKS FOR SHOWING

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching!!

[@user-jx2sk5cv7c]

The 68 Z28 did not have an available cowl induction hood - there was an option for a plenum that fed air from the cowl vents. Cowl hood was not available till 69

[@PistonTrends]

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification!

[@sheltonsaved2001]

I can see 120 with 4.11 or 3.90 gears. I can personally tell you non muscle cars of that era would go 120, I was in 340 6 pack and seen 140 on the150 clock with power to go

[@flatbrokemodsquad4241]

Exactly! my 67 cougar 289 2bbl would do 120 with 2.79 gears.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for sharing!

[@peteloomis8456]

You can't rely on speedometers at higher speeds on these older cars because the speedometers back then were inherently inaccurate at higher speeds and would start to bounce because of the cable friction coming from the transmission to the speedo . The only way to find it's true mph speeds were by using radar and timed speeds on a track or straight line like they did with the Dodge Daytona Nascar stock cars as well as the Plymouth super birds . Most of those old cars be it muscle cars or regular non HP cars didn't make enough HP to achieve these numbers most say they did on the streets when driving them because the owners were either lying or the speedometers were like I said inherently not accurate at high speeds . Look up Buddy Bakers record setting stock car back in it's day & what Nascar eventually did to those cars he was driving by Dodge & Plymouth drivers in Nascar back then & the rules mandated on them until they got outlawed by Nascar .

[@peteloomis8456]

Lol most 340s were in dusters A body cars & darts and they never came with a 150 mph speedometer. They only cars by Mopar that came with the 150 mph speedometer would have been the Dodge chargers which never came with a 340 stock from the factory . A you could get for engines in these B body cars were the slant 6 318 383 426 hemi and the 440 wedge in either 4 barrel or 6 pack . My friend has a 68 Dodge dart GTS 383 4 speed car with the factory 4 barrel duel exhaust and it's speedometer only goes to 120 mph & every A body Mopar car I've ever seen which is a lot of them the speedometers only go to 120 mph so something isn't adding up here . The 340 was a giant killer in the 1/4 mile against bigger displacement engines because they reved quick and being they were in the A body platform which is light they were quick but it was the early 340s that were quick the 68-69 late 69 early 70 before the emissions were added after 1970 that killed the HP down on these later 340 engines . I was a mechanic for 30+ years & worked at 3 different speed shops back in the day and there's no way a stock big block or stock 340 would do 150 mph completely stock from the factory because of several factors weight gearing HP & arrow dynamics and none high speed rated tires .

[@Wootangtw]

I don’t know what is my favorite … they’re all awesome

[@PistonTrends]

Agree! Thanks for sharing

[@confuse3671]

My 1970 GTO hit 120 easily, probably 140 if I had enough room. How is 120mph even making the list? Car and Driver did an L88 test - with 4.11 gears and it was rpm limited at 154mph (7000ish rpm).

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching!

[@georgepaust8416]

The muscle cars of the late sixties and early 70s were built for off the line acceleration. Most cars did not come with rear end gears suitable for top speed. If you tried to drag race with highway gears you would be smoked every time.

[@PistonTrends]

True. Thanks for watching!

[@angelperez7891]

The Dodge Dart Super Stock on this list was sold under the option code LO-23 in 1968. The Chrysler 426 Hemi V8 was tuned to 600 bhp. A Hurst 727 3-speed automatic with dual-gate was standard and a 4-speed manual was optional for street cars. Street versions reportedly would reach speeds in excess of 175 mph, able to trounce against a Lamborghini Miura SV. It could clear a distance of a quarter of a mile in 9 seconds and hit past 120 mph at the end of the quarter-mile. Part of the recipe to reach 176 mph top speed involved thin-gauge steel doors, fiberglass front fenders and hood, thin-gauge bumper in front, corning glass windows at the sides, a heavy-duty suspension package, rear-mounted battery of ultra-high ampacity, a naked interior with back seat removed, an aluminum rollover safety bar, Dodge A100 van driver and passenger seats mounted on aluminum brackets and manual non-crank door window sliding glass (like the Fiat 500 Topolono and early Minis) but the glass was either held fully up with clip straps or dropped down. The rear window and windshield glass remained stock however. A total of 80 were built in 1968; 50 were built for the street. The price started at $5,280. The next year the Super Stock Dart was joined by the Swinger, the same idea but power came as standard from the Chrysler 340 V8 instead of the 426 Hemi. The lighter engine allowed Dodge to return to stock steel body panels and bumper hardware, window regulator and the addition of the rear-passenger bench seat but it retained the A100 van bucket seats and safety roll bar inside. The standard transmission was the Hurat 727 copy of the Torque-Flite automatic. Priced at a more modest $3,000, more than 15,000 sold in 1969 . Rated at 275 bhp, the engine actually made around 400 bhp. This tune was later in use during 1970 for the Plymouth AAR 'Cuda hardtop coupe.

[@PistonTrends]

Wow you really know your Dart history! Thanks for watching.

[@timcoe536]

But let's not ignore that all of the previous FOMOCO, MOPAR, and CHEVY's were all built at "the factory." The L023 is an incredible car, and i absolutely love them, but they weren't technically a "factory," hot rod. They left the factory as GTS 383 builds, with no engine, trans, or rear-end, and went to Hurst Performance where the Hemi, Lexan windows, and lightweight seats were installed, among the other weight saving and performance parts that were installed.

[@angelperez7891]

@timcoe536 They sold at a specialty performance vehicle dealership for Dodge in Chicago, IL, Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge Company.

[@timcoe536]

​@@angelperez7891I realize that, but my point is, they were not factory built race cars, like the others in the video.

[@Rational_thinker_212]

Enjoyable but not informative for a serious gear head with a modicum of classic car knowledge. The top speed of these cars is mostly dependent on the rear axle ration and little more. My smog tuned 73 Nova SS with a 350 2bbl rated at 140 hp would do 115-120 but only because of the 2.73 rear axle which was meant for gas milage and low smog.

[@PistonTrends]

Yes, very true. Thanks for watching.

[@skateusa]

Though you have some nice video footage and your horsepower and torque ratings were mostly accurate, there is a fair amount of mis- information. Top speed is a product of final drive ratio, engine RPM and tire height which varied with a cars options. In most cases, you'd sooner blow a big block to pieces before you hit 140 mph if you tried to do it with 4.10 rear gears. They weren't built to rev that high from the factory but a set 3.20-ish gears would do it at around 6000 - 6200 RPM on 26.5 inch tall tires. Sure, having over 400 ft/lbs. of torque helps get a big car moving and horsepower is our friend, but those engines will only safely rev just so high. You need gears and you need tire height.

[@justme307]

April 1969 Car Life tested two Charger Hemi, a 4-speed/3.55 and automatic/3.23 and they got 134 and 136 out of them, respectively.

[@PistonTrends]

Totally makes sense.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching!

[@jameswinter6125]

Absolutely correct. The Dodge Dart Hemi was on occasion very high 9 second to typically a low 10 second car in the quarter mile with 4.86 rear gears. There is no way it could possible reach a top speed of 176 miles a hour with that final drive ratio. It was solely built as a quarter mile drag car.

[@chuckselvage3157]

Exactly. Most muscle cars had a shorter diff for quarter mile and street use. Either you sacrifice top speed and get a quick drag car,or sacrifice acceleration for a higher top end,but you can't have both.

[@kingfishstevens2087]

Not one of these top speeds were correct. Not even examples geared for the quarter mile. Ok, maybe a few.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching!

[@LavarClemmons-b8v]

Now that explain why in 1960s the police used to have them

[@PistonTrends]

👍🏻

[@barrystein8834]

In the 1960's, gears and aerodynamics were everything... Nobody was going to make a street car with top speed much in excess of 125mph. You are looking at real race cars if you see anything significantly faster (the record track speed for a 1965 Shelby GT-350 is 181mph,,, strange that didn't make it into this list) :)

[@PistonTrends]

This video was just for 1968 models. Thanks for watching!

[@mikelathrop6584]

1970 Cadillac, 472 cubes, 375hp@ 2800 rpm, 140 no problem, high rev.chevy big blocks by Ed pink,,went CYA

[@PistonTrends]

👍🏻

[@PistonTrends]

👍🏻

[@TG-ix9id]

It was 375 hp @ 4400 rpm.

[@Curtis1984]

After seeing all these beautiful cars.. the first Cougar I like best @0:20 and the all black roadrunner is nice too @2:19 (both black ones lol) Many others are very nice, but those two stick out for me.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for sharing!

[@charlesrandolph8441]

Most of these had Automatics as well, mostly Torqueflights.

[@PistonTrends]

👍🏻

[@allanleeth2415]

FYI - In th 50s to 70s some of the fastest domestic vehicles were the police interceptors from the big three.

[@PistonTrends]

Yes they sure were. Maybe we should make a video about that.

[@tonymickens8803]

#1 Should be the 1969 Dodge Charger 426 and NOT the Super Stock, the Charger Hit and Held 200 MPH STOCK on Bias Ply Tires "Until they gave Out" at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Pontiac Michigan in 1969, it was on the Covers of Road and Track, Hot Rod And Car and Driver, That's Why Mr Petty LOVED It Look it Up. @Piston Trends

[@PistonTrends]

I believe it! This episode was just for 1968 models. Thanks for watching!

[@jimglassford9967]

What about the Superbee and the sister car the Daytona?

[@efrazier0217]

Those were from 1969 and 1970. The Super Bee should have been included as well though

[@PistonTrends]

Those weren’t until 1969 and 1970 I believe

[@marksklizovic5816]

The two worst offenders for speeding back in the day where corvettes and get this V8 AMC gremlins their power to weight ratio was insane and to catch them the police had to standardize an option packages for police cars because up until that time police departments would often take the cheapest sedans on the lot and when they where involved in pursuits with purpose built muscle cars their weak points would become glaringly apparent often with deadly consequences for the officers so the police package was created to make ordering law enforcement cars simple and reliable all bidding manufacturers had to meet the same standards and come in at a relatively competitive price in order to secure contracts with prospective fleet buyers this meant police interceptors with top speeds of 130- 160 mph trough the late sixty’s to the present day however not all police cars are designed for hi way work some intercity cars are designed for very heavy service demands and fuel efficiency with idol meters and heavy duty electrical system for traffic singling and computer systems these vehicles have to withstand crossing train tracks a 100 mph without sustaining damage being able to mount standard size curbs and 120 mph sustained speeds for hours without overheating or power loss that means extra welding heavier frame and suspension components beefed up cooling systems higher horsepower rated engines heavy duty transmissions limited slip rear ends with a variety of gear ratios tailored to suit operational requirements and speed rated tires with sufficient side wall to support heavy impact without rupturing

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for sharing!

[@francisbarnaby]

So chevy wins😂

[@PistonTrends]

👍🏻

[@johnfloyd838]

My favorite car is the 68 old's Cutlass 442 , which I have been able to own plenty of them and I absolutely loved them all very much ❤️👍💪😎

[@PistonTrends]

Love the 442 as well!

[@johnfloyd838]

@PistonTrends They were truly awesome machine's❤️😎👍

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@justme307]

Then you should know that in 1968 the 442 became a separate model and no longer had Cutlass in its name.

[@johnfloyd838]

@justme307 The 442's had separate badging and I also owned 69 ,70 ,71,72 ,73 ,74,75,76's, and my 71 442 that I bought from a very good friend in highschool from for $1000.00 and me and my cousin did a lot of work to it and I took it to the atco speedway in Atco new jersey ran low 12's in the 1/4 mile and I was hooked on cuttlass's ever since then, they were very powerful machines and had a great body style and were very reliable and very fast and I absolutely loved all of them, great memories and that was the best days of my life ❤️😎👍💪

[@ztwntyn8]

First no factory geared stock car is doing 170anything…having 1:1 as top gear

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching!

[@marcosj7134]

Ha my 95 civic could get over 140 with a b-series swap

[@PistonTrends]

Haha. Not nearly as cool looking doing it though.

[@mikelathrop6584]

Woopie

[@mickrhudd]

Over half of these cars are pony cars, not muscles cars! Muscle care were full sized cars, not Mustangs, Cudas, and such!

[@PistonTrends]

We just use it as a general term for 60s-70s 2 door cars with v8’s under the hood!

[@mickrhudd]

@@PistonTrends I know, but I've seen other terms used wrong, that ended up with a totally different meaning. It is common now to refer to a truck as a "semi", when semi is actually a trailer, no one even knows why they are called a "semi"!

[@TG-ix9id]

Muscle cars were mid-sized, not full-sized.

[@aliengoth]

uummn 300f???😊

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching

[@efrazier0217]

Many of these could go well over your posted top speeds. As long as you were brave (stupid) though to take them there. I've personal been well over 130 in many.

[@PistonTrends]

Tire engineering has come a long way since then.

[@thomaskendrick2221]

As others have correctly stated.....What a bunch of misinformation. Disappointing to see.

[@PistonTrends]

Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think is “misinformation”

[@richbonafede4546]

AI

[@PistonTrends]

Haha

[@glenfenderman]

Well! Looks like Bill Cosby should have given the 1968 Dodge Dart Hemi Super Stock a fair chance for getting to work on time instead of Mr. Shelby, LMAO! Just listen to his album '200 MPH' These muscle engine wars reminds me of an NHL hockey fight of the toughest goons. Anyone of them could win on any given night. There were no guarantees.

[@PistonTrends]

Good point. So many variables including the person behind the wheel

[@jessebunker6062]

Listen up Piston Trends. Corvette is a sports car, Camaro, Mustang, Nova, ect are pony cars, Torino, Chevelle GTO, are muscle cars. Speed had nothing to do with the classification of the cars. Your not very good at this, are you?

[@PistonTrends]

Haha. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!