OVER-DRIVE Magazine – Pulpaddict

‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG

Ford’s new Boss, Bunkie Knudsen, fast-tracked the long-awaited ‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG, Dearborn’s Z/28 Camaro challenger.

‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG

Mustangs had been on two-year restyling cycles, and there were major changes in 1969. Overall length was increased by almost four inches and width by approximately one-quarter inch. Curb weight was up by 140 pounds. Leading the charge was a portfolio of Mustangs, ranging from the Boss 302, above, photo by Stuart Schorr, to the R-Code 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air and Boss 429 models. Finally, the Z/28 Camaro would have a serious competitor on the street and in Trans-Am Road racing.

A serious performance car, the ‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG was not available with automatic transmission or air conditioning. Its imposing front spoiler was dealer-installed to avoid damage during shipping. The fiberglass rear wing and backlight louvers were optional. Because of its standard F-60 tires, special fender/wheel well contours were required. Ford engineers, working at Kar-Kraft, designed the Boss 302’s HD suspension. Boss 302 Mustangs, priced at approximately $3,500, went on sale in April of 1969, and Ford dealers sold 1,628.

The Boss 302 Mustang showcased the new 302-inch small-block with four-bolt mains, forged steel crank and rods, .524-inch solid-lifter cam, new “Cleveland” canted-valve, big-port heads, and a manually-choked 780-cfm Holley on a high-rise alloy manifold. A factory-installed rev-limiter was set at 6,150 rpm. Like the CJ engine, Ford under-rated the Boss 302 at 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm to avoid insurance company surcharges for 300-horsepower-and-up cars. There was also a drag strip classification advantage. Stock Boss 302 Mustangs with 3.91 Traction-Lok gears were often quicker and faster than larger-engine Mustangs. Back in the day, well-tuned Boss 302s accelerated to 60 mph in the low sevens with quarter-mile times of high-nineties in the low-mid fourteens.

‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG Ford’s 1969 seven-car Trans-Am “fleet” was race-prepped by Lee Dykstra’s group at Kar-Kraft, then divided up among its factory teams. Three went to Shelby Racing in Torrance, CA, three to Bud Moore Engineering in Spartanburg, SC, and the remaining car to consummate racer, Smokey Yunick, in Daytona Beach, FL. Bunkie had a long-standing relationship with Smokey, dating back to his Chevrolet days. It was finished and painted with Smokey Yunick’s gold-trimmed black Best Damn Garage in Town livery at Kar-Kraft. For some unexplained reason, it ended up not being raced.

Engines for the seven M-Code Trans-Am Mustangs were developed as part of the Boss 302 “Cleveland” engine program. Ford Engine & Foundry personnel, working in leased space at Kar-Kraft, developed the new small-block that showcased canted-valve, big-port heads. The Boss 302 program development group included Ford’s legendary racing engine engineer, Moses “Mose” Nowland.

“We assembled the race-ready Boss 302 engines for the factory teams at Triple-E (Engine & Foundry Division’s Engine-Electrical-Engineering facility) in Dearborn, adjacent to the Henry Ford Museum. That’s where we built prototype engines for future production and race engines for motorsports teams,” added Nowland, who retired as Senior Motorsport Engineer in 2012. He passed away in 2021.

The blueprinted and balanced Boss 302 Trans-Am engine utilized a cross-drilled, forged steel Indy engine crankshaft, .615-inch lift solid cam, GT40-style forged steel rods, headers, and aluminum intake manifold with individual runners and a pair of Holley Dominator four-barrels. Dyno-tested output was 475-plus horsepower at 9,000 rpm. All race engines were assembled with O-ringed cylinder blocks for dry-deck, gasket-less sealing. The process utilized gas-filled stainless-steel O-rings around the cylinders and Viton rubber rings around water and oil passage openings.

Moore’s Mustangs proved to be faster and more reliable than Shelby’s. It was rumored at the time that Shelby either modified or replaced the Ford-supplied engines. Parnelli Jones won at Michigan International Speedway and Donneybrook, and George Follmer took the win at Bridgehampton. Sam Posey won at Lime Rock, posting the only win for Shelby racing. When SCCA championship points were tallied, Ford unfortunately finished second to Chevrolet…again!

In 1969, I changed the Hi-Performance CARS magazine annual award from Top Performance Car of the Year to Top Performance Manufacturer of the Year, for the first and only time, to honor Ford Division and the ‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG. When I presented it to General Manager John Naughton, I said, “The Division deserved the award for its attitudes toward and achievements in the high-performance field. In addition, for its great new engines, drag racing options, specialty cars, and its continued support of racing.”

For details on the ‘69 BOSS 302 ROAD & TRACK MUSTANG, and complete 1969-1969 ½ Mustang lineup including sales brochures, road tests, and Fact Sheets, please visit Over-Drive magazine @

https://over-drive-magazine.com/2023/11/10/1969-ford-mustang-fact-sheet/

CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS

Chrysler jumped on the performance bandwagon in 1955 with its 300-horsepower C-300, kicking off nine years of CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS.

Chrysler’s letter-series entry in the 1955 horsepower wars, weighing in at more than 4,500 pounds, could accelerate to 60 mph in the 9s and top out at 130 mph. In NASCAR competition, Kiekhaefer’s legendary Chrysler C-300s were the cars to beat. Chrysler’s Hemi, one of the most successful engines in American racing history, was unstoppable on super speedways and drag strips in the 1960s-1970s and later.

While CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS were heavy luxury cars, they offered true Supercar/Musclecar performance. A 331-cubic-inch Hemi with two four-barrel carburetors, solid lifter camshaft and valve train, beefed suspension and dual low-restriction exhaust system powered the ‘55 C-300. A stock C-300 could go to 60 mph from a standing start in under-ten-seconds flat and cover the quarter-mile in the mid-17s at over 80 mph. A prepared C-300 clocked almost 128 mph in Flying Mile competition in 1955 and won the prestigious Tom McCahill trophy in the NASCAR Unlimited Class!In 1956 Chrysler upped its game and the 300B was available with 340 or 355 horsepower, 354-cubic-inch Hemis. Fitted with the optional 355 horsepower engine, a 300B ran almost 140 mph in the Flying Mile. It was the first American car to deliver one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch (low-volume 355 horsepower option), a year before Chevrolet’s fuel-injected 283-cubic-inch, 283 horsepower engine. Ralph Gorenstein’s rare ’56 Chrysler 300B powered by dual-quad Hemi, below, two photos, is one of only 20 built with three-speed stick!

Chrysler continued its lead position in the performance car marketplace in 1957 with the restyled 300C, powered by a stock 375 horsepower 392-cubic-inch Hemi or optional 390 horsepower version. Performance was blistering for the time, with enthusiast magazines reporting 0 to 60 mph times in the high-eights and quarter-mile times of low-seventeens at over 90 mph. Running on the old Daytona Beach sand course, a Chrysler 300C won its class with an impressive 138.9-mph pass.

In 1958 the 300D received the last version of the dual-quad 392-inch Hemi, rated at 380 horsepower. A small number of fuel-injected 390 horsepower, 392-inch Hemi 300Ds were built, but the system proved to be unreliable and was quickly discontinued. A 300D, piloted by Norm Thatcher, ran over 156 mph at Bonneville to set the Class E record.

Starting in 1959, CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS received new 413-cubic-inch Wedge engines, first with inline dual quads and later with long (30-inch) and short (15-inch) cross-ram dual-quad induction systems. In 1960 the 300F came with a stock 375-horsepower engine; approximately 15 optional 400 horsepower models with 15-inch short ram manifolds were produced. The short ram cars were fitted with exotic Pont-a-Mousson four speeds built in France originally for Chrysler powered Facel Vegas.By 1961 most American carmakers were involved in building performance cars and racing. The Chrysler 300G was once again restyled and still available with long and short ram 413-cubic-inch Wedge engines rated at 375 and 400 horsepower respectively. While the four-speed was no longer available, you could order a three-speed manual racing transmission – if you were well connected. Only a few of these Option Code 381, three-speed 300Gs were built for competition and first surfaced at the 1961 Daytona Flying Mile Trials. In articles and advertising, Letter series Chryslers were often referred to as “Banker’s Hot Rod” and “Gentleman’s Express.”The idea of a car that was designed around, built – and marketed as a true performance car was initiated in 1955, during the “Horsepower Wars” – by Chrysler Corporation with the first Chrysler 300. Chrysler marketed the 300 as a purely performance/luxury car for nine model years, culminating with the ’63 300 convertible Indy 500 Pace Car. It was a 300 model, not J, fitted with a 413-inch, 390 horsepower engine and 300J coupe wheels and tires. Chrysler skipped a “letter” for 1963, going from the 1962 300H to the 1963 300J. All 400 production 300Js were coupes; Indy Pace Car special-build convertible was a one-off.

A 390-horsepower short cross ram engine was available in 300J coupes that could sprint to 60 mph in the low-mid 8s and cover the quarter-mile in the high 15s at just under 90 mph. However, that engine was not available in replica Indy 500 Pacesetter coupes and convertibles which were fitted with lower-horsepower single four-barrel engines.

CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS were designed and marketed to grasp the buyer who wanted power, performance, luxury and handling that few others could touch.

’59 Chrysler 300 factory promo postcard courtesy of Sarasota Café Racer Ralph “Red” Hynch, a former member of So-Cal’s legendary Kagel Canyon Gang.

Check out the 1955 to 1963 CHRYSLER 300: LETTER SERIES SUPERCARS details and sales brochures @ Over-Drive magazine, https://over-drive-magazine.com/category/fact-sheets/fs-chrysler/

‘57 FORD Y-BLOCK SUPERCHARGED MUSCLECAR

Ford offered OHV V-8s, dual quads & superchargers; yet it was the worst of times: the AMA racing ban. The ‘57 FORD Y-BLOCK SUPERCHARGED MUSCLECAR, however, represents the prelude to TOTAL PERFORMANCE.

The 1950s ushered in an era of aggressive competition, both on the street and racetracks. Ford, Chrysler and General Motors did whatever it took to lure buyers into showrooms. Detroit’s competitive spirit during the mid-to-late-1950s set the stage for some of the most exciting years in automotive performance history. Ford’s weapon of choice – an all-new, short-stroke, overhead-valve Y-Block V-8, first released in 1952 for Lincoln and then in 1954 by Ford and Mercury. By 1957, Fords could be ordered with optional dual-quad and supercharged 312-cubic-inch Y-Block engines.

The overhead-valve V-8 was introduced in popular-priced ’54 Fords a full model year before Chevrolet revealed its vaunted small-block V-8. The 239-cubic-inch Y-Block was rated at 130 horsepower. The mid-priced Mercury received a 161-horsepower, 256-inch version. Weighing 610-630 pounds including accessories, Ford’s Y-Blocks represented a new generation of lighter, modern V-8 engines. The Y-Block designation came from its deeply skirted block, giving it a “Y” profile.

It was the 160-horsepower, 317-cubic-inch Lincoln V-8 that gave Ford its first OHV engine bragging rights. Lincolns prepared by Bill Stroppe & Associates, Signal Hill, CA, were winners of the grueling road race across Mexico, the Carrera Panamericana. First run in 1950, the race crowned a single winner. It was then expanded in 1952 to multiple classes: Sports Cars and Stock Cars with large and small-displacement engines. The nine-stage, six-day race over approximately 2,100 miles lasted just five years and was cancelled in 1955 for safety reasons. In the mid-early 1950s, Mexican road race Lincolns dominated the field.

Working with DePaolo Engineering in 1956 and 1957, Ford fielded dozens of blueprinted-stock as well as heavily-modified new Fords and T-Birds for Standing and Flying-Mile competition at the Pure Oil Trials and Speed Weeks on the old Daytona Beach course. In 1957 alone, 15 supercharged T-Birds (part of a 100-car NASCAR homologation program) “ran on the sand” during Speed Week.Between 1955 and 1957, Ford OHV V-8 displacement grew from 239 and 256 cubic inches in 1954, to 272 and 292 cubic inches in 1955. Ford increased displacement to 312 cubic inches in 1956. In 1956, Ford offered a dual-quad 225-horsepower engine and a dealer-installed M-260 Performance Kit consisting of a hotter camshaft, new cylinder heads and dual four-barrel carbs, upping horsepower to 260. Large displacement 368-inch Y-Block engines were available for Lincoln in 1956 and in 1957 for Mercury.In 1957, Ford offered high-output engines in passenger cars as well as T-Birds. You could order the hottest dual-quad and supercharged 312-inch engines with three-speed manual (with or without Overdrive) or Ford-O-Matic transmissions in any model, base two-door sedan and station wagon to T-Bird! The lineup consisted of a single-four-barrel 312/245, dual-quad 312/270 and a Paxton-McCulloch supercharged 312/300, the ‘57 FORD Y-BLOCK SUPERCHARGED MUSCLECAR. Law enforcement agencies favored “Police Interceptor” two-door sedans, above, with E-Code 270-horsepower engines. A 300-horsepower F-Code T-Bird could accelerate to 60 mph in the six-second range with a top speed of 125 mph.

McCulloch VR 57 superchargers on 300-horsepower Y-Blocks were manufactured and marketed by Paxton Products, which was acquired in 1958 by Andy and Joe Granatelli. Since the early Flathead days, the Granatelli Brothers had been active in Ford hot rodding with Grancor high-compression heads and multi-carb intake manifolds. The VR 57 centrifugal blower with variable drive ratio delivered a maximum of five-psi boost and was a very pricy $500 option on the ‘57 FORD Y-BLOCK SUPERCHARGED MUSCLECAR.Supercharging was Ford’s answer to Chevrolet’s fuel-injection, optional in 283-horsepower 1957 passenger cars and Corvettes. Chevrolet was racking up wins in NASCAR and USAC until Ford counted with supercharged 312 engines with six-plus-pounds boost and horsepower ratings in excess of 340. Prior to 1957 when NASCAR’s Bill France banned supercharging, multiple carburetion and fuel-injection, Ford’s racing accomplishments were spectacular, with 27 Grand National wins plus 12 USAC firsts. Top Ford drivers included Tim Flock, Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly and Glen Wood.

In addition to drag and stock car racing, Ford’s participation in competitive events in 1957 was broad-based and countrywide. DePaolo Engineering, Ford’s captive race shop, prepped sedans and T-Birds raced at Bonneville, set Flying and Standing-Mile records on the sand at Daytona Beach and built the Ford that averaged 117 mph for 22 days in the Stephen Trophy Trials at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Ford was aware that, while winning races unquestionably helps sell cars, setting durability/reliability records would give dealers even more to brag about. In 1956, Ford signed off on a program to build “stock” ’57 Fords to run at Bonneville for USAC and FIA National and International records. The mission: To prove how durable Ford’s high-performance cars were.Pete DePaolo, above, built two Fairlane 500s powered by blueprinted stock-spec 270-horsepower dual-four-barrel engines and, with racer Danny Eames, managed the program. After a few weeks on the Salt in September 1956, ’57 Ford Fairlane 500s, driven by Johnny Mantz, Chuck Stevenson and Jerry Unser Jr., averaged 130.94 mph for 100 hours, 120.62 mph for 24 hours, 109.39 mph for 14 days and 108.16 mph for 50,000 miles!

On September 28, 1956, USAC and FIA officials certified that Fairlanes set an incredible 458 records! One car set an International Class B Speed record at106.55 mph over 14 days and 35,800.30 miles, the other set a National Class B Speed record at 107.09 mph over 20 days and 51,403.99 miles, and six American Class B Closed Car Standing-Start Speed records.

Ford celebrated by having its advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, create a three-page advertorial hyping the record-setting event, The Longest Left Turn In History. It was placed in a variety of mass audience publications, including the October 29, 1956 issue of LIFE magazine.

In 1957 the AMA in banned direct factory participation in organized racing and motorsports, encouraging carmakers to play down performance and racing and play up safety in advertising and marketing. All members initially observed the ban, but it turned out to be a short-lived victory for the trade association. Not long after agreeing to the ban and closing their front doors to racers and racing, carmakers’ back doors started opening up!Ford divested itself of racecars as well as the contents of DePaolo Engineering. DePaolo was not interested in continuing without a Ford contract. John Holman and Ralph Moody purchased the inventory, including the legendary Lincoln-powered Battlebirds. It was the end of one era and start of a new one, leading to Ford’s first “Showroom Supercar” in 1961! By 1963, Ford’s “marketing mantra” had become, TOTAL PERFORMANCE.

For more information about the ‘57 FORD Y-BLOCK SUPERCHARGED MUSCLECAR, and the complete 1957 Ford lineup, please visit OVER-DRIVE magazine @ https://over-drive-magazine.com/2025/06/01/1957-ford-cars-fact-sheet/

’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER!

The new year ushered in magnum force from Motown: bigger, more powerful engines, a plethora of Ponycars, and the ’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER!

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 reassigned to prepare for restrictive emissions and safety legislation. And, Ponycar sales had been plummeting and would register new lows at the end of the model year. It was a banner year Motown Muscle, but the future of the performance car phenomenon was not bright.

General Motors finally dropped its 400-inch engine displacement limit for midsize cars. The ’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER! championed the assault with an optional LS6 454/450, giving the LS6 Chevelle pavement-pounding power. Few cars, other than well-tuned Mopar Street Hemis and Buick Stage I Skylarks, could hold their own against the popular Chevelle SS454 with LS6 power. All three cars, especially when tuned and fitted with headers, were capable of delivering low-to-mid-13s at 105-107 mph terminal speeds. Showcased by the ’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER!, Chevrolet offered the most powerful General Motors Supercar in 1970.

Baldwin-Motion based its Phase III 500-horsepower Chevelle Supercar on the on the LS6-powered model, adding options up to full drag racing engines and suspensions. Steve Calamusa’s white Phase III SS454 Chevelle, above, was originally delivered as a brand new car with a 500-horsepower LS6 with an 850-cfm double-pumper Holley carb, fenderwell headers, 4.56 Posi gears, ladder bars, coil-spring air bags, and ran low-11’s.

Adam Tuckman’s show-stopping green Baldwin-Motion Phase III, 500-horsepower SS454 Chevelle, above, also sports 1965-1967 Corvette side exhausts, a popular option on Baldwin-Motion cars.

The ’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER! with 454/450 LS6 engine had few peers. Checking out a new SS454, above, on slalom course on Milford Proving Ground’s Black Lake at the 1970 model Press Preview, Summer 1969. The F41 Special Suspension with rear sway bar and chassis beefing made the difference. If you opted for ZL2 you got a functional cowl-induction hood.

For more information on the ’70 CHEVELLE SS454: BIG-BLOCK BRUISER! And the complete 1970 Chevelle lineup, please visit Over-Drive magazine @ https://over-drive-magazine.com/2024/02/23/1970-chevrolet-mid-size-cars-fact-sheet/

https://over-drive-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1970-05-HR-LS6-SS-454-Chevelle-1-3.pdf

Check out video of SS454 Chevelle test from my pal, Muscle Car Campy @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M63ObPCYDBk

’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A – SIX-PACK TO GO!

Created to battle Z/28 Camaros and Boss 302 Mustangs on the road and track, the 340-inch ’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A – SIX-PACK TO GO! proved that less could be more.

’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A - SIX-PACK TO GO!

Both Dodge and Plymouth had been involved in SCCA competitive events since the early to mid-1960s, before the Ponycar explosion and factory participation in Trans-Am racing. SCCA’s 1970 Trans-Am rules allowed carmakers to destroke production engines to meet the series’ 305-cube limit. Chrysler responded with the Challenger T/A and AAR Cuda.

Group 44’s Dodge Dart, campaigned by Bob Tullius and Tony Adamowicz, was a surprise entry in the 1966 Trans-Am series. It garnered a First at Marlboro and a Second at Sebring. Plymouth also participated in the first year of the series with Barracudas driven by Scott Harvey and Bruce Jennings.

The ’70 Challenger T/A and AAR Cuda were powered by a new 10.5-to-1, tri-power 340, underrated at 290 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 345 pound/feet of torque at 3,400 rpm. They were conceived in the spring of 1969 and materialized as 1970 ½ models. There were no plans for a 1971 model, although dealers did sell new leftovers well into the 1971 model year. Because they were pricey, enthusiasts often opted for more powerful 440 and 426 Street Hemi models for just about the same money. The Challenger T/A we tested for the August 1970 issue of Hi-Performance CARS listed for approximately $4,100.

The T/A and AAR existed because Chrysler wanted to race in Trans-Am. Ford had won the series in 1966 and 1967, and Chevrolet dominated in 1968 and 1969. In April 1969, ACCUS/FIA mandated that, for a specific model to be legal for Trans-Am, the carmaker would have to build one for every two dealerships. Since Chrysler projected losing money on every Challenger T/A and AAR Cuda, they built just enough to qualify – 2,400 T/As and 2,724 AARs. Production started on March 10, 1970, and ended five weeks later.

’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A - SIX-PACK TO GO!

When new, enthusiasts often thought they were just dressed-up Barracudas and Challengers with tri-power engines. They were extensively modified and fitted with an exclusive powerplant, suspension updates, and styling cues. Challengers had a 110-inch wheelbase and overall length of 191 inches, while shorter Cudas had a 108-inch wheelbase and overall length of almost 187 inches.

The engine in our magazine test ’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A – SIX-PACK TO GO! was great. “It was amazingly responsive and was right there up to six grand. Unfortunately, the T/A’s Mickey Mouse tach took a while to catch up to the high-revving engine!”

I loved the way our ’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A – SIX-PACK TO GO! tester, above, handled. “We found our test T/A with quick-ratio steering, 11-inch rear drum brakes, and 11.3-inch front discs with metallic pads to be controllable and boast fantastic directional stability.”

While much of the AAR and T/A trim differs from that of standard E-body Mopars, it’s the engine that truly defines these cars. Special 340 engines were based on a new beefy block cast with increased webbing to allow for four-bolt mains like those used in destroked race engines. The new heads offered increased breathing, thanks to smoother intake ports. Port-matched intake and exhaust manifolds ensured breathing at high RPM. Production features included an Edelbrock aluminum manifold with three Holley two-barrels and low-restriction throaty duals with side-exit exhausts. The .430/.425-inch lift hydraulic cam and relocated pushrods, special rockers, and Hemi valve springs made 5,500-rpm shift points possible.

Chrysler engineer and Ramchargers member, Dale Reeker designed the hood scoop used exclusively on the T/A. We talked with Reeker when we were driving a T/A at Chelsea. “The ‘Scat Scoop’ is totally functional. It’s located above the slow-moving boundary layer of air, ducting cool air directly to the hood-mated air cleaner. The AAR Cuda has a more traditional hood scoop.”

A lot of effort went into the suspension of these E-body twins. Front suspensions had special K-frames with skid plates and thicker-than-stock torsion and sway bars. Much of the suspension tweaking utilized springs and components from more powerful 440 and 426 Street Hemi models. Torque boxes were welded to the unibody, ahead of the rear leaf springs, for platform strengthening. Even with all the suspension and chassis upgrades, wheel hop was still a problem when launching four-speed cars.

I loved the way our ’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A - SIX-PACK TO GO! tester handled. “We found our test T/A with quick-ratio steering, 11-inch rear drum brakes, and 11.3-inch front discs with metallic pads to be controllable and boast fantastic directional stability.” In many ways, driving our T/A, above, with close-ratio four-speed and 3.91 Sure-Grip gearing was more fun than driving a heavier 426 Street Hemi Challenger. The T/A offered a much sportier feel, went where you pointed it, and delivered close to big-block performance. My guess was that the 290-horsepower small-block was delivering closer to 335-350 horsepower. Our best 0 to 60 time was 6.2 seconds, certainly on a par with many of the hottest Ponycars. We never made it to the strip because of inclement weather, but the same car later turned 14.0s at almost 100 mph.

Like all professional racecars built off production models, the Autodynamics Challenger T/A and Dan Gurney AAR Cuda racecars had little in common with their donors. Chrysler’s Trans-Am Racing Manager, Pete Hutchinson, shipped three acid-dipped bodies-in-white and four-speeds and Dana rears to All-American Racers. Engine components were shipped to master race engine builder, Keith Black.

Gurney’s AAR built three racecars and shipped one, with a 475-horsepower, 303.8-inch engine, to Ray Caldwell’s Autodynamics for final race prep. The lightened unibody platforms benefited greatly from roll cages that added much-needed structural rigidity. Some cars were fitted with vinyl roof covers for the same reason. Primary drivers for the Chrysler-sponsored teams were Sam Posey at Autodynamics and Swede Savage and Dan Gurney at AAR.

It was a relatively low-budget and not very successful one-year program. The best finishes for Swede Savage were a Second at Elkhart Lake, and for Sam Posey, Thirds at Lime Rock and Elkhart Lake. They didn’t win on Sundays, and dealers didn’t sell T/As and AARs on Monday!

Dodge and Plymouth designed true, head-turning sporty Ponycars. T/As and AARs were fast, had great handling and outperformed more powerful cars. They provided Chrysler the opportunity to showcase its brands in a respected road racing series. Almost half a century later on the historic racing circuit, original Autodynamics T/A and Gurney AAR racecars are still battling Mustangs and Camaros.

For complete details about the ’70 DODGE CHALLENGER T/A – SIX-PACK TO GO! and the complete 1970 Challenger lineup, please visit OVER-DRIVE magazine @ https://over-drive-magazine.com/2024/04/20/1970-dodge-challenger-fact-sheet/