’68 PONTIAC RAM AIR GTO: THE GREAT ONE

Posted on October 11, 2025October 11, 2025 by MartynL

Coke-bottle-restyled ’68 PONTIAC RAM AIR GTO: THE GREAT ONE, plus Royal Pontiac Bobcat editions, enhanced the GTO’s youth-market performance appeal. Pontiac’s GTO created and dominated the Supercar marketplace in 1964 and, in 1968, was downsized and restyled. GM’s successful Supercar formula that started it all showcased a 115-inch wheelbase, two-door coupes with large displacement engines, and unique trim and badging. Downsizing reduced the wheelbase to a sportier, more appealing 112 inches. W...

’64 PONTIAC GTO IGNITES THE SUPERCAR REVOLUTION

Posted on September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 by MartynL

There were bigger-engined and more powerful performance cars from the competition, but the ’64 PONTIAC GTO IGNITES THE SUPERCAR REVOLUTION! Pontiac called it “A device for shrinking time and distance.” Magazine writers and editors called it a “Supercar”. And, from coast to coast, enthusiasts flocked to Pontiac dealers to see the new GTO, an option that breathed life into a Tempest. Pontiac - not Ford, Chevy, or Plymouth - essentially created the option that ignited the Supercar Revolution, and ...

’62 PLYMOUTH 413 MAX WEDGE MUSCLECAR

Posted on August 1, 2025August 1, 2025 by MartynL

Whatever the ’62 PLYMOUTH 413 MAX WEDGE MUSCLECAR lacked in style, it more than made up for with Super/Stock performance! In 1957, the Automobile Manufacturers Association’s ban on member auto racing participation and promotion was about as effective as the United Nations! Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors signed on, but never actually stopped developing and producing high-performance engines and “supporting” racers. Many of the high-performance brake, chassis, and suspension packages were ini...

BUICK GNX #002

Posted on May 21, 2025May 21, 2025 by MartynL

Scott Oldham blogs about driving BUICK GNX #002, the first GNX to be involved in a traffic accident! In 1987, I was handling East Coast media relations for Buick Motor Division, wrote the BUICK GNX book that went with each of the 547 GNXs, and had the second production GNX (#002) in my New York City press fleet for a few months. The first media loan went to Joe Oldham at Popular Mechanics magazine, and son, Scott, later to become a respected member of the automotive media communi...

’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX

Posted on May 21, 2025May 21, 2025 by MartynL

Targeting the Olds W-30 4-4-2, Chevy SS454 Chevelle, and other max-perf Motown Muscle, the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX catapulted Buick into the heat of the battle for Supercar supremacy. The ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX, in 360 horsepower trim, were the industry’s first “adult” Supercars. It was a powerful, high-quality, well-balanced midsize coupe (or convertible) with superb ride and handling qualities. While the GS-455 was almost invisible compared with competitive of...

’66 OLDS TRI-POWER 4-4-2: SERIOUS SUPERCAR

Posted on March 20, 2025 by MartynL

One of the finalists for CARS Magazine’s 1966 Top Performance Car honors was the ’66 OLDS TRI-POWER 4-4-2: SERIOUS SUPERCAR! In 1966, Olds Engineers in Lansing finally developed a big-engined midsize car to compete seriously with Pontiac’s GTO. After revealing the latest 4-4-2 with a four-barrel 400/350, they upped the ante with a late-arriving Tri-Carb version conservatively rated at 360 horsepower. It was Oldsmobile’s first use of three-two-barrel induction since the legendary 1957-19...

1970 PONTIAC GTO – MUSCLECAR MAGIC FROM MOTOWN!

Posted on February 1, 2025 by MartynL

The new year ushered in bigger, more powerful engines, and a slicker, more sophisticated 1970 PONTIAC GTO – MUSCLECAR MAGIC FROM MOTOWN! In many ways, 1970 was the storm before the calm. The war in Southeast Asia continued casting a pall over a much-divided country and thinning the ranks of young enthusiasts. Carmakers’ racing budgets were being drastically cut and engineering resources were reassigned to prepare for restrictive emissions and safety legislation. Ponycar sales had been p...

1969 DODGE MAXIMUM MUSCLECARS

Posted on December 21, 2024December 21, 2024 by MartynL

1969 DODGE MAXIMUM MUSCLECARS included the Six-Pack Super Bee, Charger 500, and the winged Charger Daytona, all available with the 426 Street Hemi! For the 1969 model year, Dodge carried over most of its high-performance models, and 340, 383, 440 and 426 Street Hemi engines. For increased durability on drag strips, “A33 Track Pack” and “A34 Super Track Pack” options with 9 ¾-inch Dana Sure-Grip rears were available for four-speed high-performance cars without AC. The highest-profile ...

’69 PLYMOUTH MUSCLECARS

Posted on October 7, 2024October 7, 2024 by MartynL

Over-Drive Magazine’s Fact Sheets cover everything you want to know about midsize models from base coupes and sedans through ’69 PLYMOUTH MUSCLECARS. Plymouth, like its brand-mate, Dodge carried over most of its high-performance models and 340, 383, 440 and 426 Street Hemi engines for the 1969 model year. For increased durability on drag strips, “A33 Track Pack” and “A34 Super Track Pack” options with 9 ¾-inch Dana Sure-Grip rears were available for four-speed high-performance cars with...

‘49 OLDS ROCKET 88: GM’s FIRST MUSCLECAR!

Posted on July 14, 2024July 14, 2024 by MartynL

General Motors started the industry’s OHV revolution in 1949 with Cadillac and Oldsmobile. Racers loved the ‘49 OLDS ROCKET 88: GM’s FIRST MUSCLECAR! Decades before 1964 when Pontiac created the GTO by putting a big motor in a Tempest, and even before 1949 when Cadillac and Oldsmobile introduced powerful overhead valve (OHV) V-8 engines, carmakers had been keenly aware of the public’s need for speed and responded accordingly. Low-volume, high-performance cars debuted shortly after the turn of t...