The heart and powerhouse of the automobile, which allows a car to breathe, have gone through many phases, growing with time. Bells and whistles are a thing of the past. What matters most in a muscle automobile is what’s under the hood, and the bigger and harder the better. We’re talking a lot of horsepowers and they’re not particularly fuel-efficient, but that’s what makes them classic muscle cars in the first place.
The American muscle car scene enjoyed a golden era in the 1960s and 1970s, and it has since become a popular American activity for individuals who appreciate learning about different automobile features and a hobby for collectors who can afford it. In its heyday, we saw some of the world’s rarest and most legendary muscle cars and eventually, some of the worst. Most of them are equipped with massive torque-rich V-8 engines.
There may be too many components on a car that can go wrong, from transmissions locking up to engines exploding. But, of all the problems you could face, a broken motor is probably the worst. Whether you have two or twelve cylinders, one of them will ultimately detonate, leaving you stranded. While most cars have 100,000 miles or more on the odometer before problems arise, certain engines have birth defects from the start. So let us look at the hearts where they got softened and where they shined the most.
10 409 Chevy Big Block
The Chevrolet 409 V8 is a dead end in the Chevrolet high-performance tale, but it’s a fascinating one that deserves a closer examination. The 409 V8 is a so-called “missing link” in Chevrolet’s horsepower history. From 1961 through 1965, they produced the Chevrolet 409. This first-generation big block was dubbed the W series by General Motors
In 1963, they rated the engine at 425 horsepower which could push Big automobiles like the 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS to speeds fast enough to inspire the Beach Boys to create a song about it.
9 FORD 427 “CAMMER”
Few racing engines from the Motor City could compete with Ford’s 427 CID SOHC V8 engine, the “90-day wonder,” or “Cammer,” is still a popular nickname for it, during the muscle car era. This famous powerhouse produced a staggering 657 horsepower when fitted with dual four-barrel carburetors.
It was planned to be Ford’s two-valve, single-overhead-cam, the high-rpm answer to Chrysler’s 426 Hemi for NASCAR in 1964, but because NASCAR refused to allow it, only a few street vehicles received this motor.
8 Dodge 426 Hemi
Throughout the ’60s muscle car era, the Hemi could be one of the most well-known engines ever installed in a muscle car, which Hemi has left an unmistakable mark on the history of the automobile.
The engine’s reputation has long transcended its actuality, earning it the nickname “Elephant” because of its immense size, weight, and output figures. However, the Hemi name continues to be in the current V8 range, including the Hellcat 717-hp and the Super Stock 807-hp Challenger.