1960 to 2017 events

american motors Corporation

Mar 16, 1954

The American Motors Corporation was founded in 1954 with the merger of Nash and Hudson. The following 33 years until it was bought out by Chrysler are an interesting piece of industrial, technical, and design history, with many parallels to the struggles of today's automotive industry.

Buick Riviera

Mar 16, 1963

Known as model 4747 and only offered on the sport coupe body style, the Buick Riviera was a huge sucess, selling 40,000 copies. It sported a dramatic design that broke away from the Detroit mold and into a new era of styling.

chevrolet corvette

Mar 31, 1963

The second generation Corvette was launched in 1963 and saw the debut of the gorgeous Sting Ray body. A two passenger coupe body style joined the convertible for the first time and featured a split rear-window design. The Corvette featured an independent rear suspension (replacing the previous version’s straight axle), fuel-injection, and knock off wheels. It even had a racing option, the Z-06.

pontiac catalina 2+2

Mar 16, 1964

The Catalina underwent a mild restyling for 1964 and Pontiac officially created a new model, the Catalina 2+2, to carry the performance banner for fullsize Pontiacs. Out of 257,768 Catalinas produced in 1964, only 7,998 (3%) carried the 2+2 option. The standard engine in the 2+2 was a 389 cid 283 bhp V8.

Hemi engines

Oct 8, 1964

When the 426 Hemi was first seen in 1964, it was strictly a racing engine. After Hemi-powered Mopars dominated the that year's Daytona 500 (finishing 1-2-3-4) they were quickly banned unless the motors were offered to the general public. This meant installing them in "ordinary" production vehicles. The first street Hemi appeared in 1966 B-body Dodges and Plymouths, including the new Dodge Charger.

shelby cobra 427

Mar 16, 1965

Equipped with the beast of an engine and four-speed manual transmission, Cobra 427 was astonishingly fast even by today’s standards. The 0 to 60 mph time was just over 4 seconds and 0 to 100 mph sprint took the amazing 10.3 seconds. For years, Cobra 427 was the fastest American car in every aspect.

ford Mustang

Mar 16, 1966

1966 saw further refinement of the Mustang. The gauge cluster was redone to seperate the Mustang from its Falcon roots while the 260 cid V8 was replaced with 2 and 4 barrel versions of the 289 cid V8.

pontiac catalina 2+2

Mar 16, 1966

Although still based on the Catalina, the 2+2 became its own unique model for 1966. The few changes included a revised bucket seat design and a new two-stage muffler/resonator type exhaust system. Standard equipment included low-restriction exhausts, chromed air cleaner and valve covers, heavy-duty suspension, carpeting, and bucket seats. Headrests, superlift air shocks, and a transistorized ignition were optional.

Pontiac Grand Prix

Nov 16, 1966

The Grand Prix was slightly restyled for 1966. Frenched headlights replaced the previous year’s chrome “eyebrows.” The front end sported blacked-out plastic eggcrate grilles and turn signals in the same cavities, which curved toward the sharp, pointed nose; similar to the 1966 GTO. The engine line up remained the same, except for the deletion of the 338 bhp 389 Tri Power engine.

chevelle Chevrolet

Mar 16, 1967

1967 saw several improvements in the Chevelle SS and a major step back. Road manners and driveability were improved with more aggressive tires, newly available front disk brakes, and new 14 inch wheels. A three speed automatic joined the available three and four speed manuals and two speed automatic transmissions

Pontiac GTO

Mar 16, 1967

Undaunted by the death of their tri-power setup, Pontiac unveiled an all new 400 cid enlargement of the 389 cid engine. The rear and grill were restyled again and the new 400 cid engine was available in economy (255bhp), standard (335bhp), High Output (HO) (360bhp) and Ram Air (360bhp) versions. The tiger could still roar.

Mercury Cougar

Mar 16, 1967

Mercury joined the pony car race full speed with its Cougar, based on a stretched version of the Ford Mustang. Only a two door hardtop was available with standard simulated leather bucket seats, hideaway headlights, and a V8 engine, impressive enough to be named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year.

Chervolet Camaro

Mar 16, 1967

Inspired by the success of the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet launched its own pony car, the Camaro. Chevrolet stated that the “Camaro” was named after the French word for “comrade,” although some linguists argued that it was actually Spanish for a type of shrimp. Not exactly an awe aspiring name for a new pony car. Luckily, the Camaro had the muscle to back up its case.

oldsmobile Toronado

Mar 16, 1967

The Toronado received only minor changes in 1967 which included a new eggcrate grille which replaced the previous year’s slat style grille.

Mecury comet/cyclone

Mar 16, 1967

The Comet had an identity crisis in 1967 when the Comet name was only attached to the cheapest 202 model in Mercury’s intermediate lineup, which strangely had no real name other than “intermediate.” The Cyclone and GT Performance Group were relatively unchanged, but the top 390 engine was rated at just 320 bhp. Sales were down considerably due to the introduction of the Mercury Cougar.

chevrolet impala SS

Mar 16, 1967

The Impala SS sales continued to fall as buyers increasingly turned away from fullsize performance. The SS began to look more and more like the standard Impala, with only a black accented lower body sill and bright fender moldings on the SS. The engine choices were reduced down to just a 396 with 325 bhp or a 427 with 385 bhp.

Ford Mustang

Mar 16, 1967

1967 saw a massive restyle of the Ford Mustang. Changes included bulkier sheet metal below the beltline, a more aggressive grille, a concave tail panel, and a full fastback roofline for the fastback body style.

Dodge Charger

Jun 6, 1967

1968 saw a dramatic redesign of the Dodge Charger with a new hidden headlight grille, curvy body, recessed backlight, refined tail, and minimal use of chrome. This redesign resulted in a six-fold increase in sales from 1967.

chevrolet camaro

Mar 16, 1968

The 1968 received minor changes for its second year. The grill took on a more horizontal look while the vent windows were dropped and “Astro Ventilation” (i.e. flow-through ventilation) was added.

Dodge Daytona

Feb 16, 1969

But on the NASCAR tracks, they were unstopable. Bobby Isaac drove a Daytona sponsored by K&K Insurnace to a world record closed-course speed record of 201.104 mph. At the Daytona race that year, Dodge Daytonas swept the top four spots. At Bonneville, Isaac set an unlimited class speed record of 217 mph. And all of this performance was available at your friendly neighborhood Dodge dealer.

dodge cornet

Mar 16, 1969

The big news for 1969 was the addition of a new optional engine, the 440 Six Pack. The new engine was created by taking the existing 440 and replacing the single four barrel carb with three two barrel carbs. The new engine was rated at a stout 390 bhp. The new engine also received a fiberglass performance hood. Available on other Coronet R/Ts was a Ramcharger fresh-air induction system (standard on Hemis) with twin hood scoops, plus a wide choice of rear axle ratios.

Pontiac GTO

Mar 16, 1969

The big news for 1969 was the introduction of a new option for the GTO. Rumored to be a sleeper budget model to combat the Plymouth Road Runner, it actually was the opposite. Named after a phrase on the TV show “Laugh In”, the Judge was actually a $332 option package that included a new 366bhp Ram Air III 400 cid V8, outrageous body paints, a large rear spoiler, and decals throughout.

buick wildcat

Sep 7, 1969

The Wildcat continued virtually unchanged for 1969, with the exception of a new grille design with vertical texturing. The Wildcat differed from the LeSabre only in the grille and a broad rocker molding with fender extensions and wheelhouse moldings. The standard equipment was the same for both the LeSabre and the Wildcat, although the Wildcat did come with a unique steering wheel.

1969 Road Runner 440 cubic six BBL 390 HP

Sep 16, 1969

The 440 6 BBL engine was an equipped with 3 units of 2-barrel carburetors. It added to line up in order to qualify for the super stock drag races.

Chevrolet nova SS

Sep 16, 1969

There were no major changes for 1969 for the Chevy Nova SS. The standard SS package with the 350 cid V8 cost just an extra $280 above a base Nova coupe and included a special suspension, red stripe F70x14s, and power front disc brakes.

Chevrolet Crovette

Oct 1, 1969

The Corvette was basically carry over for 1969, though now officially called the “Stingray” (one word) The coupe outsold the convertible for the first time, and would continue to do so in all subsequent years. Engine choices were changed with a new 350 cid V8 replacing the previous 327. In addition, two Corvettes were built with the ZL1 engine (a total of 69 Camaros also received this engine).

Chevrolet El Camino

Jan 16, 1970

The 1970 El Camino received the same changes as the Chevelle including a new more blunted Vee front end and a new grille, which was black accented on the SS. The El Camino was still available in either Base or Custom trims, but now the SS option was only available on the Custom trim. The Custom Pickup had bright trim, which ran from the front to rear bumper about a quarter of the way up the side.

oldsmobile 442

Mar 16, 1970

1970 saw the lifting of GM’s ban on engines greater than 400 cid installed in midsize cars. Although Oldsmobile had gotten around that rule in 1968 and 1969 through the Hurst/Olds, this now enabled Oldsmobile to offer its 455 cid V8 in all 4-4-2s. The Hurst/Olds was dropped from the lineup and wouldn’t reappear until 1972.

Dodge Challenger

Mar 16, 1970

The Dodge Challenger was based on the Plymouth Barracuda platform, but its wheelbase was stretched by two inches to provide more interior room. The Challenger was offered in both hardtop and convertible versions. Performance versions wore the R/T (Road/Track) badge and either the base or R/T model could be ordered with the SE luxury package.

Pontiac GTO

Mar 16, 1970

The GTO was radically restyled for 1970 and received a new front end with four exposed headlamps wrapped in a Endura bumper, new body creases, and a redesigned rear end.

Plymouth GTX

Mar 16, 1970

The 1970 GTX received new smoother lines, but lost its convertible model. The new styling featured a power bulge hood and non-functional rear brake scoops. Optional 15×7 Rallye wheels with F60-15 Goodyear tires became available for the first time. Under the hood, buyers could choose from a 440 with 375 bhp (the same as the year before, but with a lower compression ratio), the 440+6 with 390 bhp and the 426 Hemi rated at 425 bhp.

Plymouth Duster

Mar 16, 1970

The Plymouth Duster debuted in late 1969 as a 1970 model and was a sporty version of the Plymouth Valiant. The Duster featured curvy exterior styling and a rounded fastback look for the rear. The front end was the same as the Valiant. The interior was pure Valiant. The Duster was available with a variety of engines, ranging from two slant six cylinder engines to either a 318 V8 or a high performance 340 V8 rated at 275 bhp.

mecury comet/cyclone

Mar 16, 1970

The Mercury Cyclone was restyled for 1970, though not for the better. The wheelbase grew an inch to 117 inches, but the overall length grew by 6.7 inches. The latter was due to a new protruding nose and fender design, that sported a gunsight-type design in the grille center. While its Ford Torino cousin got new fastback designs, Mercury intermediates did not, and also lost the convertible for its Montego series.

Buick GS

Mar 16, 1970

1970 saw the greatest Buick GS of all time. GM finally lifted its corporate ban of engines larger than 400 cubic inches in an intermediate body and Buick responded by stuffing a brand new 455 cubic inch engine into its restyled GS. The 455 boosted more displacement, bigger valves, and a hotter cam than the 400 and was also mated to standard cold air induction through functional hood scoops. The 455’s was rated at 350bhp and a stump pulling 510lb-ft of torque.

1970 Hemi Cuda 426 cubic hemi with 425 HP

Jul 7, 1970

The cars that were equipped with 440 cubic or 426 Hemi engines received upgraded suspension and some reinforcements in order to help transfer the power to the road.

Dodge Dart

Mar 16, 1971

1971 saw the addition of the all new Dodge Demon to the Dart lineup. Based on the Plymouth Duster, it was a pillared two-door fastback with a 108″ wheelbase (three inches shorter than other Darts) and was available in two trims. The base Demon had the 198 cid I6 standard and minimal equipment, all for the bargin price of $2,343, just $30 more than the Duster. Performance minded buyers went for the Demon 340, the spiritual successor to the Dodge Dart GTS.

Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Mar 16, 1971

For 1971, a blacked-out rear body panel was added to the SS package, along with a heavy-duty front and rear suspension, front and rear stabilizer bars and dash control knobs with international symbols.

mecury comet/cyclone

Mar 16, 1971

The Mercury Cyclone continued into 1971 with the same styling, but engine choices changed with the 351 Cleveland V8 now standard for the Spoiler and the Cyclone and the 351 Windsor standard in the GT. 429s were still available, but the hottest versions were gone

dodge challenger

Mar 16, 1971

For 1971, the Dodge Challenger received a new grille and several other changes from 1970. The Challenger T/A was advertised but never made and was officially dropped (as Dodge had withdrawn from Trans Am racing). The R/T convertible was also dropped and the SE package was only available on base model Challengers.

dodge charger

Mar 16, 1971

1971 was the beginning of the end of the musclecar era. While other manufacturer’s were decreasing their engine ratings, Chrysler held on as long as it could. The Hemi retained its 425bhp rating while the 440 lost 5bhp to 370bhp and the 440 Six Pack lost 5bhp to 385bhp.

chevelle chevrolet

Mar 16, 1971

1971 saw the collapse of muscle car performance. In response to GM’s edict that all engines ran on unleaded fuel and to meet ever restrictive emission standards, Chevrolet detuned all its engines and introduced two new entry level engines. The standard engine was now a 350 V8 two barrel that put out a meager 245bhp through a single exhaust! Also available was a 350 V8 four barrel that put out 270bhp.

Plymouth Road Runner

Mar 16, 1972

The Road Runner received a redesigned rear bumper and side markers along with electronic ignition, 60 series tires, and a rear sway bar. The front bumper now had two vertical slots for the bumper jack and the Road Runner received a new grille.

Pontica firebird

Jan 10, 1973

1973 saw some significant new changes to the Firebird, including a new eggcrate grille and a revised front bumper. Engine ratings were down again, with the 350 rated at a mere 150 bhp and the 400 at 250 bhp. But two things would save the Firebird and firmly establish Pontiac as the performance manufacturer during the dark days of the 1970s. The first was the introduction of a new Super Duty 455 V8 (SD-455).

Buick Grand National

Mar 16, 1978

1978 was the first year that the Buick Regal was available with a turbo charged engine, Buick’s 3.8 Liter (231 cubic inches) V6. Sporting a characteristic hood bulge, the Turbo Regal was available with either a four barrel carb version rated at 165 bhp or a two barrel carb version rated at 150 bhp. All were Regal Sport Coupes.

Buick turbo Regal

Mar 16, 1980

1980 saw a huge sales decrease to just 6,276 units, which was puzzling because the model was basically carried over from the year before. The only changes was a minor restyling with four rectangular headlights and a different grille design.

pontiac firebird

Jun 16, 1985

The 1985 Firebird featured a restyled nose, new taillights, and full rocker and quarter panel extensions on the Trans Am to give it a more aggressive appearance. The 5.0 liter V8 was now available with Tuned Port Injection (TPI) which allowed it to produce 205 bhp, although it could only be equiped with the four-speed automatic. A new WS6 suspension package was made available on the Trans Am, which also included 16-inch wheels with huge P245/50VR16 Goodyear “Gatorback” tires.

chevrolet impala ss

Mar 16, 1995

Changes were minor for 1995. Whereas the previous year had a small plastic insert in the window just forward of the C-pillar, in 1995 this curve was stamped into the body panels. Impalas could now be ordered in two more colors: Dark Cherry metallic (a dark purple), and Dark Green-Gray Metallic.

hellcat challenger

Oct 31, 2015

Before launch, Mike wrote that Hellcat-equipped SRT8s have two power modes, which he described as “street and kill. I believe the street mode is just a little more powerful than the normal SRT. Kill mode, as I call it, is just clinically insane.” Dodge’s press release has the two modes activated by choosing one’s key fob: the black fob limits the engine to 500 hp, while the red one taps the engine’s full potential of 707 horsepower.

Chevrolet Camaro

Mar 16, 2017

The iconic ZL1 has been reinvented for the sixth-generation Camaro and is purpose-built to challenge the most advanced sports coupes in the world. A refined, driver-focused cockpit helps you get every last bit of performance from the supercharged 6.2L LT4 engine. Rocketing from 0-to-60 in just 3.5 seconds, running a quarter mile in 11.4 seconds and pulling up to 1.02 g in g’s, ZL1 is a sports car designed to dominate
in any setting.

ford shelbey gt350

Aug 16, 2017

The Shelby GT350® features the MagneRide™ Damping System. It monitors and adjusts itself thousands of times per second, creating a dynamic, adrenaline-fueled driving experience while also producing that signature growl that will leave you breathless. The quad exhaust with active valve technology helps maximize the awesome power of the 5.2L V8.