Most Under-Performing Musclecar Ever Produced?

[Tim H]

Turd category ... Javelin w/ 401 which I routinely beat in my stock '77 Monza spyder 305 smogger.

[hemicop]

For musclecar era cars, I'd have to agree on the Boss '9 but let's be fair---NONE of those cars were as fast as we "remember" them. Modern muscle? I'd have to say the SS454 trucks, Impala SS. or the 301-powered Trans-Am.
Remember though, back in the 60s/70s, stopping, gas mileage and drivibility wasn't a consideration then so even a "slug" modern day musclecar will outperform alot of our favorite old iron.........

[Paul Ceasrine]

If you wanted to get your so-called 'Musclecar' to perform, you had to have a general bolt-on plan.
1) Edelbrock aluminum dual-plane intake
2) Holley 780cfm carb w/vacuum-secondaries
3) Appliance Headers (the cheapest ones)
4) Accel Distributor or at least the Super Coil
5) Hi-Performance Spark-Plug Wires
6) You needed a friend with a garage, to help you install gears
4.10's the street choice
You had to ask Grandma for the early Christmas present.
PC

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Tim H

Turd category ... Javelin w/ 401 which I routinely beat in my stock '77 Monza spyder 305 smogger.

By the time the last 401 Javelin's came down the assembly line they were just about the fastest pony car out there! 401-4-speed and standard 3.54.

Realistically, there was a lot of "muscle cars" from the 1960's to early 70's that in bone stock trim typically ran in the 15.20 - 15.40 ET range. That's your typical no recurve, no jetting, stock tire, plain vanilla cars with less than stellar driving skills. It was typically the light weight or high HP cars that made it to the low 14's and high 13's; and then it may have took a better than average driver.

2x on the 455 4-speed 1976 Trans-Ams! A friend of mine bought one in 1980 because he always wanted one. After about 6 months he couldn't handle the low performance and he sold it.
And yes, those SS454 trucks were an embarrassment!

I've owned a bunch of Mopars and had some that really performed well. But one of my favorites on the budget level was a '70 Swinger 340 w/ 4-speed and 3.55's. It was bone stock with rubber carpet. I could have it in 4th gear at 25-30 mph and it would smoothly accelerate; no clutching it, no babying it, just pull all the way past 100.

I've had a couple 383 Formula S Barracuda's (1968) with 4-speeds, fair but nothing to brag about.

By the time I got done really tunning the '70 440-6 'Cuda and the '66 Hemi Satellite (both w/ 4-speeds), they ran exceptionally well from idle to WOT. But before I messed with them they were both finicky pigs in the drive ability department.

WJ - the turbo 301 T/A's can be made fast (anything with a turbo can), but are still bottom of the barrel in T/A pricing.

I also had a '75 Cosworth. That 4-speed Vega still impresses me and would love to build one for T/S and it would kick but big time!

And least we forget the AMC's, the 390 SC/Rambler was 14.20 out the door and not much to get it to 13.80's. And the SC/Hornet was a killer as well.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jeff,
I had quite a few 340 Dodge Darts, Dusters, Cuda's and 340 Swingers.
You could get those A-Body cars fairly cheap. They ran well, and were really low maintenance.
Of course, I liked the rubber-floor mats too. Saved money on carpet-cleaner.
I love the smell of 'Carbona' in the morning.
Forgot one more 'slug', 1969 Impala Coupe with a 427/335HP.
though a handful were successful in J/SA when set up for the track, but on the road,
4000lbs.of mis-aligned steel.