For my money it's 1969 and it's not close.

Gotta start with the Hurst olds since were in Olds territory
Dodge, Plymouth 426 hemi Charger, Barracuda, Road Runner, GTX
Chevy Camaro
Pontiac TRans Am, Firebird

Don't want to hog the whole list there's a couple pretty nice Fords to put on here. So feel free to add a better year if you can find one, or keep adding to the 69 Dream Team.

 

I like '66 - last year of tri-power availability in A body cars for GM. Not that I've ever owned anything with tri-power, but I see it at car shows and it just sounds and looks so awesome.


Randy C.

 

1969 Pontiac GTO judge , 400 ,ram air, 4 speed.

 

1 9 6 9 ...that's the one

 

It H A S to be 1966. It would beat anything on the road then and for years to come.........

 

1968 Factory Hemi Dart race cars.
1969 was a good year also.

 

I'll go for 67. Last year before a design change, some safety upgrades, some awesome engines. Followed by 70.

 

I think it depends on the brand.

Olds: 1970 (sorry, Hurst/Olds!)
Pontiac: 1969 (a nod to 1970's F-bodies, but 1969 was last year of performance small-block and 428HO)
Mopar: Toss-up between 1969 and 1970 - Charger Daytona, A12 Super Bee and Road Runner, 440 A-body in 1969, Trans Am and Hemi E-bodies in 1970.
Buick: 1970
Chevrolet: Again, a toss-up, but I'll give 1969 the edge for COPO Camaros and Chevelles.
Ford and Merc: 1970 due to the mix of 428 and 429 Cobra Jets, plus both Bosses.
AMC: Toss-up - 1969 had the SC/Rambler and SS/AMX, but 1970 had a tougher Jav/AMX and the Machine. I'd possibly give the nod to 1969.

 

1970

 

I think there were great offerings from about 63 - 72 from all the manufacturers. I really can't pick a best year.

 

I'm talking about quality & quantity. Anyone can name a Badd *** ride from any year but how many can you name from the same year.
69 Chevelle SS 396
Mustang 428 Super Cobra, Boss 302, Boss 429, even the 69 Torino was a Badd *** with a 328hp 428 V8 now that's muscle & I'm just warming up.

 

Tough call, I love the 67 body styles from all makers of musclecars, 1970 had regular production musclecars with big engines and it was the only year for the R-W-B AMC Rebel Machine, I love the looks of those! Too many great models to narrow down to just one year.

 

for 69 its a 69 trans am 69 judge 69 hurst olds 69 Camaro pace car and for 70 its a 70 judge 70 chevelle and a 70 gsx some of my favorites

 

yes 69 Olds as a whole for me
2-3 Hurst Olds Convertibles
25 W-32 Convertibles
26 W-31 Convertibles


68 a close second in the Olds world


Also think the GTO's were the most appealing in these years as well


But appreciate early mustangs, 67-69 L88's and the 71 Cuda

 

I'm going with 70.

 

Generally accepted that 1970 was the pinnacle year for Muscle cars regardless of marque.

 

I am little partial to 1970, but that would stand to reason!

Pat

 

Could be right they ironed out all the wrinkles by 70 especially mopar. But gotta give credit where it started in my opinion & that's 69
I love the fact that a few people mentioned AMC, AMX & I also have minor wood for the 70 Buick GSX. Nice debate. Half the country anyway has nothing better to do its like 9 degrees here in Philly burbs tonight.
Will keep throwing them out there now digging thru my hot wheels & pulls a ?
69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

 

2015. Hands down. Charger, Challenger hellcats, Camaro ZL1, Mustang Coyote, Shelby, Sts, Cts-v Caddy. All with significant power over the old school stuff. And you can buy them, NOW.

 

cant argue that !!!!!!

 

1969!

 

and with all the computers and 50 miles of wire just how many of them will live to be 45 yrs old??

 

I can argue that, can you afford one. In 69 anyone could own one they were very affordable for everyone not just Jay Leno types.

 

can I afford one not sure to be honest don't know the prices of these new cars.
Point being I was merely agreeing w the significant power and the how they are readily available.


Can you afford some of the classics which you listed, my guess is some of them are worth more in today's market than the a for mentioned newbies particularly the BB mopars.

 

I'm with Koda.
My favorite is '67, mainly for sentimental reasons.
As far as true muscle (HP), I've got to say '70, although '69 had the L-88 and ZL-1 'vettes,
COPO Camaro and '68 had the factory built SS/AA Hemi-cuda, the only car qualified to run SS/AA.

 

1970

 

True - old muscle cars always stay in pristine condition.

 

Good debate they did break some rules this year with a stock 700hp Hellcat. Didn't think we would ever see that again with gas restrictions & anti pollution. I thought everything would lean toward electric or hybrids, slow everyone down. I guess George W took care of that. Gas prices are still dropping. I guess were aloud to pig out again like when the Hummer gas hogs came out. Remember the backlash then came the Hummer II

 

1969 - and I don't have one.

 

I think the peak was 1970. That has to be the year in my opinion. Just look at the Olds W-30, the Buick GSX, the Chevelle LS-6 and the Hemi.

 

Fortunately Im on lunch break so I can pull out the dream card.....er dream drool bib...

68 all the way! 442s, W30s, Ram Rods,
68 BO1/BO7 W33s,
68 W34 Toros...
68 Vert Grand Pix 428 4speed,
68 Z28 (RS Cordovan Maroon with white rally stripes),
68 L72 427 SS Impala, vert, stick with T83s, Black, white lid & gut,
68 L72 4 speed Biscayne sedan 2 door in black/black(Biscuit).
68 GTO 428/4 speed with hideaways (Royal Bobcat).
68 Vette L88 or L89/L71, Mouse motors welcome too...
68 Caprice Wagon L72, 427 stick with T83s and wood grain delete, one of?
68 L78 Chevelle, butternut with black stripes (dont ask)
68 Hemi Charger pistol grip, Plum crazy or B5
68 Shelby or SCJs....

et al Can you imagine being filthy rich in mid-late 67 and ordering one of each!

Runners up:1969
ZL1 or COPO Camaro (insert Baldwin, Nicky & Yenko),
69 Caprice Kingswood Estate L72, stick with hideaways.
69 Biscayne L72, stick (black/black),
69 428 4sp Grand Prix,
69 Royal Bobcat Pontiac GTO Ram Air V.
69 L78/L89 Chevelle...L88/L89 Vettes....

Honorable mentions:
70 LS6 Chevelle, 70 pace car, 72 H/O Olds, 72 SSJ H/O Grand Prix, 73 SD Firebird, R code 67 Fairlane,

I could go on for ever...And yes If it was going to be one modern muscle machine it would be a new Challenger 392 Hemi or of course the crazy azz HellCat

Ill wipe up now, back to work.....

 

69 Z28 after that any 70 model muscle car.

 

To me, new cars are just new cars. So what! Anyone can have one, just go buy it. I had my 72 Cutlass out today on a few errands. Mine is a 350, so not really a muscle car, but I got at least one compliment at each stop, both getting out and getting back in. I also have an 07 Charger R/T that I bought new. It is only 340 hp and by today's standard, it is just so, so. Point is, although my Charger still looks brand new, I NEVER get thumbs up, or compliments, and could count on one hand all I have received in 7 1/2 years of ownership. Give me any of the 60s to 70s.

 

If I could pick 1 car from every make It would definitely be 1970!

 

Another vote for 1970. Two of my all time personal favorites from that year - the first second generation Camaro with a LT-1......and the two seat AMX

 

I had a friend back in 76 in E Brunswick, NJ that had one, it was an awesome car. I also liked the AMX.

 

69 for me, although 70 is a close second. Theres a Rebel Machine in Lubbock, Tx, been under a tarp un moved for at least 20 years that i know of. I would love to have it, obviously they dont want to sell it. Im sure they have been asked 1000 times. Its going to rot away tarped or not, im sure there going to "restore it" some day.

 

Cool, just in case some have forgotten here is a picture of the MACHINE!

 

I think 68 falls a little short in numbers alone, love the bigger body styles in 68
Seems like they started lifting dumbells in 68 began pumping iron in 69, flat out power lifting ripped with muscle by 70. Then the steroids were cut off with restrictions starting 71
I would take anyone of those years no problem, no restrictions in my garage.

 

Bigger body styles in 68 not with the A body or the pony cars.
In regards to Oldsmobile from 68 to 69 not much difference in power if any.


There was no hemi in 68?????????