13 Muscle Cars That Flew Under the Radar—But Not Anymore!

While the Pontiac GTO was the model that started the muscle car’s Golden Era, these V8-powered beasts existed long before that.

Most gearheads know about models such as the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 and the 1968 Dodge Charger Hemi, so let’s look at some more obscure, but just as stunning models.

We’ve dug up 13 beautiful muscle cars only real muscle car connoisseurs know about.

1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88

Many people think the Pontiac GTO was the first muscle car, but that honor actually goes to the Oldsmobile Rocket 88, a model that debuted 15 years before the GTO was a twinkle in John DeLorean’s eye.

The 1949 Rocket 88 had a 303ci V8 engine producing 135 hp — which was, of course, sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual gearbox. By dropping the engine from a full-size sedan into their smaller coupe, Oldsmobile and its Rocket 88 would go on to dominate NASCAR from 1949 to 1952.

1962 Pontiac Catalina Super Duty

In 1962, Pontiac’s management decided to build a race car that qualified as a “stock” model for both NASCAR and NHRA racing — the Catalina Super Duty.

On the outside, there wasn’t much that separated it from the standard model, but looks can be deceiving. The Pontiac Catalina Super Duty was a proper race car with an aluminum front clip and drilled frame rails to reduce weight. Pop the hood, and you’ll be greeted by a 421 V8 engine pushing out 405 thoroughbred American ponies. The engine did add $1,200 to the car’s price, but we think that was a sound investment.

1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk

In its heyday, Studebaker built some excellent and affordable cars able to compete with established luxury brands. In 1956, they decided to build a performance car and gave it a name befitting a superhero — the Golden Hawk.

It was unlike anything Studebaker had ever built before, with a stylish, sports car-like body and a powerful 352ci Packard V8 hiding under its long hood. With 275 hp in a relatively lightweight car, the Golden Hawk had a quicker 0 to 60 mph sprint than the Ford Thunderbird and the Chevy Corvette, and it even beat them down the quarter-mile.

1963 Studebaker Super Lark

The Golden Hawk wasn’t Studebaker’s only performance model with a superhero name. In 1963, as the company neared its final days, the Super Lark was introduced.

Studebaker basically took the Avanti’s supercharged 289ci engine and shoehorned it into the rather boring Lark. With 290 hp, a lightweight body, a limited-slip diff, and front disc brakes, the Super Lark was nothing like the base model.

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Super Cobra Jet Drag Pack

Does anyone really know how many Ford Mustang variants and performance combinations exist? If so, that’s some savant-level knowledge. We can tell you that one of these models is the 1971 Mach 1 SCJ Drag Pack, of which only 531 were made.

As its name suggests, it has a 429ci Super Cobra Jet engine with an 11.3:1 compression ratio, producing 375 hp (at least on paper). Its power was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed close-ratio manual transmission with a Hurst shifter and a 4.11 Detroit Locker rear end. The Mach 1 SCJ Drag Pack also had competition suspension, power steering, and front disc brakes to ensure it stayed on the road.

1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda Hemi Super Track Pack.

Even those who aren’t into cars have heard of the Hemi ‘Cuda, but did you know there was a Super Track Pack version available for those who wanted a real track weapon?

Plymouth basically stuffed the legendary 426 Hemi engine under its hood, removed everything that added weight and didn’t make it faster, and sent its 425 hp to the rear wheels via the Dana 4.10 gears. Luckily, Plymouth decided it was a good idea to install front disc brakes to make it stop, too.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro Baldwin Motion LS7

Baldwin Motion built some of the fastest semi-production cars in the States back in the 1960s and 1970s. The DOJ and EPA eventually shut down the company in 1974, but some of its cars are still found in collections.

Only one 1969 Chevy Camaro was converted to 454 spec by Baldwin Motion, and earlier this year, someone bid $750,000 for it at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction. Its massive V8 engine packed a whopping 525 ponies, all of which were sent to the rear wheels via a manual transmission.

1970 Ford Torino King Cobra

Unlike today’s NASCAR racers, the cars were originally based on actual models customers could buy. For the 1969 and 1970 seasons, NASCAR allowed the so-called Aero Specials, which led to the Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Charger Daytona dominating the series.

Those weren’t the only homologation special aero cars, as Ford built three prototypes of the 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra. They were fitted with a Boss 429, a 429 Super Cobra Jet, and a 429 Cobra Jet engine. They had no problems smashing through the 200 mph barrier but were downright dangerous to drive. Ford eventually sold the three cars to private owners.

1965 Chevelle Malibu SS 396 Z16

In the mid-1960s, Chevrolet wanted to inform potential customers about its newest engine, the 396 V8, so it created the 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS 296. Only 201 units were built, and Chevrolet said it was “the most potent and ‘fun’ car in the country.”

The Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS 396 produced 375hp, and all that power was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. The Malibu SS396 also featured other upgrades, such as a stiffer frame, heavy-duty suspension, beefed-up anti-roll bars, bigger brakes, and quicker steering.

1981 Chevrolet Yenko Turbo Z

Don Yenko was a Chevy dealership owner and race car driver. He was also one of the first people to recognize the Camaro’s true potential. Over the years, Yenko created some very interesting versions; one of them was the 1981 Yenko Turbo Z.

Only 19 Yenko Camaro Turbo Zs were built — 16 were Stage 1 cars, and the remaining three were Stage 2. They had a functional hood scoop, 15-inch Rally wheels, and some aero parts, but the biggest improvement was under the hood. In 1981, the malaise era was still in full effect, but Yenko extracted an estimated 300 ponies from the Camaro.

1963 Chevrolet Impala Z11

In 1962, the Impala was in its third generation, and Chevrolet decided to introduce a high-performance version under what’s known as Regular Production Option (RPO). The Impala Z11 was based on the Sport Coupe version and only available as a two-door hardtop.

Under the hood, the Z11 had an upgraded 427 V8. It was based on the W-series 409 unit but had a longer stroke, a different compression ratio, a two-piece aluminum intake manifold, and dual Carter AFB carburetors. With 430hp and 575 lb-ft of torque, the Impala Z11 was a proper sleeper. Exterior-wise, it had aluminum body panels but nothing else hinting that it was special.

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt

When the Ford Fairlane first arrived in 1955, it was a full-size model, but in 1962, it was turned into a midsize car. From there it gradually turned into a muscle car, before it became the base for Ford’s Torino and Cobra cars.

In 1964, Ford built a limited production Fairlane Thunderbolt factory drag racer. It had the “high rise” 427 V8 engine with dual 4-barrel Holley carburetors from the Galaxie. Officially, power was rated at around 425 horsepower, but in reality, it was probably closer to 600 horses. Only 100 Fairlane Thunderbolts were made, 49 had the 4-speed manual transmission, and 51 came with the automatic.

1966 Ford Fairlane 500 R-Code

The Thunderbolt wasn’t the only fast Fairlane. In 1966, Ford built the Fairlane 500 R-Code, it wasn’t as aggressive as the 1964 Thunderbolt drag racer version, but it was still pretty special.

Only 57 Fairlane 500 R-Code cars were made; all were race-ready straight from the factory, thanks to the mighty 7.0-liter Cobra engine, dual Holley carburetors, front disc brakes, a lift-off hood, and a radio delete. With 425 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, the 500 R-Code was a beast.