Top 10 Greatest V8 Muscle Car Engines from the Golden Era

[@Gene4666]

Golden age when American craft, labor and pride meant something!!!

[@brucelenden7103]

289/302 Ford . My 302w has just clocked 695000 kilometres and still going strong. Original engine.

[@Bricklinsv1970]

302 will run forever.

[@JC-gw3yo]

And the small block Ford won Lemans 1968 and 1969.. Racing 24 non stop verifies what you know

[@stevelichtwark4259]

I had many ,they love to Rev, one I had 8 into 1 and I believe it reved the hardest

[@GorillaCookies]

I had a 66 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hard top with a 421 Tripower and a 4 speed. It was a factory 389 4 speed car . But my uncle had a totalled 62 Grand Prix with the 421 Tripower. So we stuck it in my Bonneville. Beautiful car and a total sleeper

[@jackkelly9022]

A great list of high horsepower V8s. My opinion is the Chevy small block is the greatest ever. Starting life as a 265 and finishing as a 400+ CI engine. The best most flexible engine ever. 😊

[@timr31908]

I think the Golden era for muscle car engines was from 67 to 61.. the 70 engines were smoged a little which didn't help them

[@keith-zu6vk]

CORRECT BEST CHEVY MOTORS MADE MY OPINION /327 OR 283

[@rockyj2008]

For sure

[@deantait8326]

327/365hp in a Nova/Chevy ll

[@JR-ut1yx]

Exactly, I never liked the 350 or 454

[@JR-ut1yx]

​@@deantait8326327/350hp L79 was another awesome small block 😊

[@garybrauckman5299]

Insane RPMs out of those 327 and 283 chevys

[@jennybaji421]

💥70’ BUICK 455 Stage 1 ‼️

[@mrgransport]

I have a 70 GS 455 Stg 1. It eats LS6’s for lunch.

[@mjkson41]

​@mrgransport I have one too, and yes, it does.

[@harryfurman7964]

​@mrgranspoppp8pp8pp8ppppppppp9⁹900000⁰😊😊😊rt

[@AmyCapece]

Ah yes, the Golden Age Of Muscle. My husband knows all about that. 1965 Mustang Drop Top HIPO 289. 1968 Mustang Fastback HIPO 390, 1970 Torino GT 428 Super Cobra Jet. Yeh Baby. Go Man Go.

[@mikeshanaberger7503]

I enjoy these stories of old. I am the old guy now I guess(65)? I have an 08 Chevy truck with a 6.0 LS engine that just screams. Supposed to be around 365 hp and 383 lbft torque. I would have loved to have had something that powerful in my 70 Catalina I would have ruled the night. The 429 engine I had in my 73 Torino was only 198 HP and 320 torque. I thought I had a hot rod. My truck has 160,000 miles and it doesn't burn oil between changes. Love the old stuff but some of the more modern engines have come a long way. Not a big fan of what they did to the later LS with the deleting cylinder crap. Thankfully mine doesn't have that.

[@glennrynhoud9424]

Deleting cylinders are causing regular problems.

[@LICobra]

Back then cubic inches and horsepower were king, and granted not in all cases, but multi carbureted big blocks were certainly top dogs of the day. Whether it was Pontiacs 389, Fords 427, Chevys 427 or Chryslers 440 Sixpack and 426 Hemi as they certainly added a mystique to the mix.

[@larrytidwell7885]

You've evidently never seen a 66 Chevy II with 350 horsepower. Street Hemi killer.

[@cgpapineau]

Can't wait for a video like this in 30 years about the golden age of EVs. I can hear it now, "The hum of this car drove electric train enthusiasts crazy!" 😂😂😂😂 All these engines are true legends! Great video!

[@garyrhodes5403]

How about the Chevrolet ZL1 427 the Chevy 350 the 327 the 283

[@MichaelHarrison-o2l]

Great List but missing the Boss 429- amazing heads

[@timothygomes6744]

The 1963 pontiac catalina with the 421 Super Duty over 400 hp and two carter afb 4barrel carbs

[@antoniotutt4894]

488 to 520 hp.

[@antoniotutt4894]

488 HP at the rear wheels. Maybe more. Period.

[@dan-xxx-8713]

Super vid!❤ all engines included❤ my choice, 454ci chevy, and the 426 hemi! Did you mention the chevy 350?

[@Bbbbad724]

I tuned the 428CJ with a solid cam swap and 780 3310 from the Z-16 396 and of course 2 inch long tubes and 30 inch 3.5 header extensions. 2.5 pipes with an H pipe and 14 inch Thrush 3 inch header mufflers with the flanges bolted to the pipes and out in front of the rear wheels. The hp from 1/4 mile speeds was 465 hp and 510 ft lbs. It loved that D cam.

[@phillipmitchell5879]

Crisp, intelligent narration. Refreshing in these days of much theatrics & BS. Great video & right to the point w/ each of these V-8 jewels.

[@maxr4448]

Ford's 289 k, and the Cleveland 351, 427>>>>Speak peeps

[@georgegould667]

351 Cleveland !

[@JR-ut1yx]

351 cleveland was a beast!

[@hayneshvac2]

Though I am a Mopar guy, I had a friend who had a Buick 430 Wildcat station wagon that was incredibly mean. I think it deserves a mention. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@eddiedawkinskingofuniverse]

The GTO became even more famous in the Fast & Furious series

[@danchristopher7957]

Only to today's children

[@photohounds]

Old Australian bastard here. Love these Yank monsters. Our Aussie 70s hot cars were a smaller version of these.

[@maxr4448]

Aussie Fords were bad ass! Yank here. Love Aussie Fords>>>from a Yank. Be Blessed and safe

[@photohounds]

@maxr4448 you too, sir. I know the GM ones better. Also ... Mopar, Valiant here, had a hot triple carby 6 called the E49, too.

[@MarkWG]

The Chrysler 426 HEMI is considered the top muscle car era power plant. NOT Chevrolet's 454. The 454 had oil burning issues, even in the passenger car applications all the way up to 1976, its last year in cars.

[@imapiledriver2462]

my 73 suberban454 burned oil bad

[@kevinmcduffie1092]

You should look into the plymouth 440 supercomando, one of my brothers had a 1970 Cuda with a 440 supercommando, it would leave humid and any Chevy far behind!! Far better than the hemi or 454!!

[@markkesterson4073]

I ran a lightly modified 1964 Ford 260 in a Ranchero that beat nearly everyone of those big blocks in the 1/4 mile. While they were sitting there smoking rubber, i was gone, and seldom caught.

[@JimmyDolittle-dm4gc]

Yeah I had1965 289 modified the big boys didn't worry me turn in the mid 90 low13 teens

[@curbozerboomer1773]

340 six pack....reliable, smaller powerhouse.

[@LeeMoore-c2n]

AMC 401 GREMLIN!

[@leroylaperle9412]

I HAD A 66 CHEVELLE MALIBU WITH A 327 CU IN WITH A 4 BARREL CARB,4 SPEED AND 373 POSI REAR END. DAILY DRIVER AND RACED WEEKENDS AT LOCAL DRAG STRIPS IN SO CAL.OCIR, LIONS AND IRWINDALE, SET TRACK RECORD IN I/S AT OCIR @ 13:52 ET @ 101.52 IN 1970 AND RACED THE CAR FOR SEVERAL YRS. BEST 327 ENGINE I EVER HAD.!!!!!!

[@pjmasteraseclassic]

Chevy's LS6 454 and over the counter 454 LS7 were king!

[@MrGlassman11]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

[@Tommy-rr7ez]

What years were they?

[@johnolive3377]

That 389 three duces was not a strong runner. I have a 66 GTO that’s been in garage for 30 years. It runs okay but not a race car. My 67 435 hp Vett is a ground pounder.

[@MrRockydee07]

I loved my 1969 396 Chevy Chevel , I'm sorry I sold it.

[@zendonreyland1298]

I worked on a few Chryslers back in the day. The 440s and 383s were the big block workhorses, but the 426 Hemi was kind of inconvenient. For one, parts for it were expensive even back then. Also, everything about the Hemi was different from Chrysler's other big blocks, so it pretty much needed its own separate service manual.

[@t0mn8r35]

Excellent video. The narration is especially enjoyable done by the great John Goodman I believe...

[@allenoshana7461]

Chevys couldn’t make the power and Ford’s 427 cammer made the power but wasn’t durable.This is why ALL TOP FUEL and FUNNY cars are based on the 426 HEMI. HEMI is the real muscle car king.

[@leescheeler1503]

Yeah right!!

[@rockyj2008]

392

[@maxr4448]

The Ford 427 was outlawed because it Beat everybody!

[@deviscool1]

@@leescheeler1503

[@deviscool1]

@@leescheeler1503

[@dudebud72]

My ex father in law had a 66 GTO with the 389 tri power and I was shocked at just how much power that put down. It would run a modern 5.0 coyote.

[@garybrauckman5299]

Friend had the 6 pack 389. Put in 1/2 inch cam and put in 4:11 and that car turned 11’s.

[@ronkerber2792]

My dream car was '67 Corvette convertible w/435 HP 427 Tri power engine, never got one. mainly was into 1964 & 1965 GTO's 389 Tri power 348 / 360 HP respectively, also had a '65 with a later 400 ram air engine. great fun. liked top end, 3:27 rear. The progressive linkage Tri power carbs would ROAR when put to the floor.

[@jimjessie2704]

chevy had some small blocks in 302 327 and 350 that had as much hp as these big blocks

[@alan-kb4ji]

Car guys don't worry about MPG, we worry about MPH! Carrol Shelby said It best, there's no such thing as to much HP, just not enough traction! And I'm a Chevy guy!

[@deantait8326]

1) 427 L-88, 2) 454 LS6, 3)426 Max Wedge 4) 426 Race Hemi 5) 440 6 pack 6) 428 Cobra Jet 7) 396/ 375 L-78 8) 327/ 365 hp 9-11) the GM 455” Pontiac/Olds/Buick

[@kevinmcduffie1092]

None compare to the 440 supercommandp

[@alanarmstrong2323]

F E 427 Cammer Hemi was top dog.

[@2ccat4u]

Everybody forgets about the 472 Cadillac motor

[@johncarpenter2783]

I remember a buddy with a chevy station wagon that packed the L88. Kind of a heavy car but still a very smooth ride with that corvette engine plant.

[@peterschmidt7543]

Exactly what the headline actually means can be debated. Greatest how ? Power, engineering, weight, durability, efficiency ..? We might never really know but it has been said GM’s high performance engines delivered most output per money and did it keeping units fairly simple and available. There’s a greatest for many different reasons. I’d like to say; a nice 12 second car good for groceries, work and Sundays year after year without much more than Saturday service parts.

[@mikenolan8044]

I remember in the way back, the Oldsmobile OW43 experimental engine.derived by stages from the 455 although sharing virtually nothing with the production engine. DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder hemi, alloy block and heads among other exotic features. Even 4 x 2bbl Webers. But corporate suits got too antsy about stuffing a monster like that in an Oldsmobile and the project was canceled. If it had gone into production, it would surely have been king of the muscle car hill.

[@glensoldan4536]

What about the 1970 LT-1 only available in Corvette and Z28, or the excellent Ford Boss 351, or the 340-6 pack engines?

[@hughblack3456]

Excelent motors all! I had a 302 powered Z-28 that was a screamer. It punched WAY above its weight! My buddy bought a 340 Duster because his '76 Camaro got totaled when he let a buddy borrow it. Neither of us were Mopar fans at the time, but the price and condition of a Duster my friend was looking at were too good to pass up. That car got challenged everywhere! Because a Duster was an economy car, right? And only kids would thing a Duster wast fast, Amiright? I used to like cruising in my buddy's Duster more than in my Z-28 because he got challenged to more street races because suckers took that car for granted. Good times!

[@Ironhorsecowboy58]

Had a 1940 ford pickup with a gto 389 with three carbs, and a 4 speed hydromatic trans.. use to take it to wednesday night cruise on van nuys blvd. fun days..

[@goodguygto]

Correction!, actually the L88 that was in the Corvette was 530 HP and 510 Torque.

[@johnpopoff7950]

Dyno numbers put it at 580.

[@MichaelBrown-yp1eq]

the factory rating for the Corvette L88 was 450hp and 510lb-ft torque with the rock crusher 4 speed transmission. with the right carburetor and ignition tuning could get the engine to produce well over 550hp and over 590lb-ft torque.

[@goodguygto]

@@johnpopoff7950 Do you mean 580 horse?, or 580 Torque?

[@JR-ut1yx]

At the crank only!

[@MichaelBrown-yp1eq]

what I found on google. the Corvette actually made 540 to 580 horsepower @ 6200rpm, could not find any info on the torque, but a good guess would be right around 550 to 600 lb-ft @ 4000rpm. it could do the 1/4 mile in the mid 10s to the low 11s.

[@hughjardon5869]

You mention GTO and show a Pontiac Catalina!

[@JeffreyRust-oq7rw]

Still better than any car you will ever have!

[@glenfenderman]

Why is there no mention of the 426 Superstock that was introduced in 1963 Dodge cars and was discontinued after 1964? The most powerful version of that engine was rated at 425 BHP and then it was realized that the average guy who bought a car like that had a hard time driving it on the street. After that, the engine was tamed down for the average buyer, and the more potent version was assigned for racing.

[@patrickmcgrath5411]

SRFM409❣️

[@sammyrothrock6981]

Hemi Broke every record whether at Indy in the 50s to Big Daddy Don GARLITS Dragster in the 60s on the strip to RICHARD PETTY in Stock car ! To land speed records on the Bonneville salt flats ! Argue all you want about any other piston powered engine the Hemi owned them all! I lived that generation I used to go to the drag strips and look at all the funny cars that were chevy and ford fiberglass bodies all powered by the HEMI ! Even Shirley Muldowney ran a Hemi Plymouth! TOM HOOVER FATHER OF THE HEMI GREW UP A TOWN OVER FROM WHERE I LIVE .. PA

[@awdtalon57]

would love to see these original engines on a dyno

[@marcasswellbmd6922]

Honestly I have to say I love how Ford always did way more with less.. From the 289's to 302's they always managed to keep up with bigger motors of their time.. Even these days they are kill em softly with a 302 Coyote....

[@maxr4448]

Yeap>>> nobody talks about the 289k Thank you!

[@kevincostello3856]

Damn Straight

[@antoniotutt4894]

1962-63 Pontiac 421SD.

[@edblevins681]

My friend had a 63 Catalina 421 with 3 deuces ,That car was a monster.

[@JamesHarperjr]

Cadillac v8 500 1975 forgot about that one.

[@johnlennon8653]

Had a 76 Caddy 500 for 8 years. Never once let me down in my Sedan Deville.

[@berniemckenna9770]

😂500c.i.d. 225hp.

[@NoWay-xu1ie]

The 69 Cad 478 put more HP than the 500

[@kevincostello3856]

My Uncle has a 1970 Caddy ElDorado with the 8.2 Litre 500 , now he tells me that it's a 400 HP - 550 torque engine. Now I collect 70s Continentals, Merc Grand Marquis even a few Versailles and a few 73 Imperials so obviously no expert in the horsepower department with my Malaise Era land Yachts so if someone could let me know if his numbers are correct ? Thank You

[@islanddon865]

My friend had one back then. I drove it. That engine was big, fast and ruined the expected superior handling. Great engine if you want a uni-dimensional car and the L88 Vette is the car for you.

[@johndyson4109]

I like the Mopar 440 HEMI 8-pack.. They did not have a stock 8-pack but you could put 4 2-barrel carbs on the intake if you wanted too... A 6 pack on a V-8 does not make much sense to me being that you'd want one barrel per cylinder.. Over the 426 Mopar Hemi 6-pack.. Cadillac 501..lol

[@carmiethompson2676]

I'm not surprised you didn't get the Fords right. 2:53 The 428 is a RV motorhome engine not anywhere worthy to be mentioned. 9:27 The 'Cammer' was supposed to be an Engineering exercise, never meant for the street. It was sold to racers, never saw production intended for use by the public. The Ford engines you didn't mention were the 289/302 & the 427FE. All three engines have racing pedigrees besides being produced for the public. The 427 won Le Mans in '66 & '67. It won in NASCAR & NHRA, the 428 never came close. So you rookies need to do your homework. So on a 'A+' to 'F' grading scale, you get an 'F' for your Ford selections.

[@ronman2221]

Just wondered what the Buick wiuld of done with two four barrels like alot of others

[@JosipStarčević-f2e]

Pontiac GTO, SPECIALY WITH A BAD ASS TEACHER BEHIND STERING WHEEL 😊🇺🇸

[@johndyson4109]

My buddy had an Olds Delta 1968 with a 425 Super Rocket engine..

[@derekheuring2984]

Any discussion of the greatest V8 engines of all time that doesn't mention the Chevy L86 327 cu. in. is severely lacking. The author of this video either has a predilection for big blocks and rat motors or is ignorant of what was pushing our rides in the Sixties.

[@Bricklinsv1970]

396? 327? 318? WTF!

[@frankstewart8332]

This guy rates the 616 HP Ford Cammer as third and the 454 LS-6 as number one? I admit that the ls-6 lasted longer than the Cammer, but this isn't about lasting its which engine made the most power. I had an acquaintance who had a Ford Thunderbolt Cammer. No factory stock street car was ever that fast.

[@jauquearnoldi1059]

Pontiac SD was the last performance engine. But it was low compression. Had good pieces but not up to the 454 LS6 etc of Chevy in the 70 period. Again wrong ... 310hp.

[@Elmore-j9c]

0ld guy the gran dad motor of all I ran the 409 Chevy I took all comers ln won

[@Dalleco]

The title of this short documentary doesn't fit, it should be 10 most powerful engines of the golden era.

[@maxr4448]

FOMOCO Thunderbolts

[@erickort1987]

baldwin motion V8`s 427 CI built to drag race

[@briancoates3955]

Lynnwood 😈 Brian- Hemi is the 🐐

[@LeeMoore-c2n]

AMC 401!

[@CharlesR-x6d]

These were all big blocks but the small block LT1 of 1970..was a scary motor that I had in a 70 Chevelle as well and with a single 4brll..that car was scary..

[@dougquon1174]

Off the line STOP LIGHT TO STOP LIGHT nobody could beat a 428 COBRA JET...its only at higher RPMs that it got beat by those MOPARS

[@hughblack3456]

The 428 CJ was an awesome high performance street motor. More well mannered for the street than its brother, the 427 FE. The longer stroke and smaller bore helped the 428 with low end torque. The 427 with its large bores stretched the FE block envelope to its limits. Controlling casting shift in production made for many scrap 427 blocks because of quality constraints and concern for thin cylinder walls, is why 427 production was rather limited. The smaller 428 bore eliminated that concern.

[@antonyclarke4899]

Boss 429 Not a mention, come on it’s got to be more powerful than the Ls6

[@stevencooper399]

Boss 429 ? You mean the Cobra Jet or am I just woefully ignorant ? :)

[@hughblack3456]

Nope. The 429 Boss was a killer on the large ovals. On the street, not so much. It was put in the '69 and '70 Mustangs to homologate the engine for NASCAR. The 429 Boss suffered down low because of the huge intake valves and ports, but they screamed at high revs. The Torinos and Cyclones got them for NASCAR and did well. They were impressive from both engineering and visual perspectives. Very much aligned with the 427 SOHC as a unicorn/icon.

[@MrGlassman11]

I've had both. GM made more reliable power.

[@ronkerber2792]

@@hughblack3456 I think only a limited number of dealer delivered MUSTANGS came with the high end race version of the Boss 429 engine, just enough to meet NASCAR rules for stock racing. I saw a gorgeous brand new 1969 BOSS 429 MUSTANG in a Chicago showroom, body was not trimmed with the typical chrome. Beautiful. Price $5000

[@ronkerber2792]

it was red

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

Precursor to the 427 ford was the 406, about the same

[@kevinjohnson8758]

390 AMC...

[@justinschmidt9180]

Many hemi and Cleveland engines crapped all over big block chevys

[@Christopher-i1r]

427 yanco

[@kevinmarker-cz3bx]

Luv the gear head appreciation for statics

[@13BGunBunny]

"enough grunt to pull a freight train" 😳

[@stuartdrager4954]

Yes BIG CUBIC inches engines does the talking, l will give the HEMI big block, 10 out of 10, the FORD and the Chevrolet big cubic inches were good but not good enough, the Chrysler HEMI if that's what you want to call it, was the king of the road, back then ,between 1967 and around 1972 , the HEMI was the one that, Chevrolet FORD, couldn't dominate in that era , but HEMI did get away with all that horse power before the restrictions were applied , THE FORD and the Chevrolet , losed out in that respect

[@ronsaunders4491]

BS CHEVY 454 WAS A BAD ASS.PERIOD

[@kevincarlson9184]

Add a 66 Buick Riviera with a 454

[@justinhiggins2210]

And there was the dohc doomsday hemi.

[@ChrisSpatz]

How you gonna say the 454 was biggest baddest n non1 toped it when you just talked about ford's 427 cammee that had 100ft.lb. more torque and about 100 more hp?

[@jamesolive3693]

Hemi is most power per liter just right out the box still used today All Top fuel and nitro funny cars

[@455goat]

AI maybe have picture of gto instead of catalina

[@tankboy8901]

I used to stomp muscle cars with my 454 gmc truck back in the day.... so much fun!!

[@Tommy-rr7ez]

What year GMC?

[@fredbagnall7939]

I out run a 426 Hemi in 1968 with a 283 in a 63 chevy duce 155 mph . 283 with a solid lifter Duntov cam and single carter 4 barrel . otherwise stock engine .

[@MichaelBrown-yp1eq]

from stop light to stop light the 273 could beat the 426 Hemi, but anything after the 1/8th mile, the hemi is hard to beat. it was built for the 1/4 mile.

[@ThreeWheelFlyer]

The smaller engine cars could hook quickly and get off the line while the big motor car is spinning its wheels. A 1970 Dodge Dart with a 340 will absolutely embarrass a big block in the 1/8.

[@gordonc2909]

Rong the no 1 musel car is Chrysler 1958 300 c 392 hemi which is faster over the qt an top speed look at history

[@brettscott7770]

All very expensive to own now.

[@mcarlkv53]

Only chevy for me- 265,267, 283,302,305,327,350,396(402),427,454,

[@JR-ut1yx]

327 a wonderful engine 😊

[@jauquearnoldi1059]

Why they use AI like voice drives me crazy. 389 and showing a Catalina saying it was a GTO? Amazing whoever does these does not know Shiot.

[@alanarmstrong2323]

426 died in 71

[@RACHELLYNN-n3m]

Lies , lies , lies , who the hell did this . The 73 SD 455 WAS. RATED AT 290 H.P. NOT 500 . IN FACTORY STREET TRIM , THOSE T/As couldnt get out of the 14s et !! Olds w/30 did NOT have steel cranks , I would know , I worked for a large olds dealer in DOWNEY CALIF . IN 1970 THRU 76 .WE WORKED ON 442s W30s. and. Every Boat manufacture in calif . If olds had Steel cranks we would have sold every Boat Owner one , instead we hard cromed them for HD use . As for fords hp ratings tell me why thoses 430 plus mustangs could NOT run as fast as the 3900 lb buick stage 1 rated at 360 hp . Someone needs to go back to the Hotrod tests done in 69 thru 73 , and get your lies straight . This guy doing all this narrating Most likely wasn't born yet !!!!!! 😢😂😅

[@maxr4448]

Ford beat Ferrari GM>>. Chevy didn't!

[@thetexasrat]

I'll take a stock 440 Magnum any day over the stock 454. The 454s would bend pushrods and end up losing cylinders. The 440 Magnum I had never once had any troubles and ran like a scalded cheetah.

[@katharinetheresa4842]

You can keep your 440 and 454, I'll have a super duty 455 any day!!

[@jennybaji421]

💥The Stage 1 455 Buick in 1970 beat ‘em all ! Ask MOTOR TREND MAGAZINE!!!!!!

[@fredhinkel1872]

Pontiac sent them packing with the 1963 421 supper Duty solid lift 2 /4 engine it moped all of chevy an ford's up

[@GeorgeSmith-zy2vw]

66 Ford Galaxy 500 with a 352 c I engine

[@blaineloustaunau5816]

Hemi remains King!