If you were born in the 1960’s and 1970’s, you had to have a muscle car. Driving in one meant you were destined to get two things every hot blooded male would die for during that time: respect and girls. One of those vehicles that helped in fueling this craze is the 1963 Buick Riviera.

At a glance, the 1963 Buick Riviera looks like a car that you shouldn’t mess with unless you’ve got balls of steel. Well, based on the type of engine and features it had, it definitely had the stuff to knock you back into your mother’s belly. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at what this monster can do.

Under the hood: The 1963 Riviera came with two types of engine options: a 6.5-liter V-8 engine and a 6.9-liter V-8 engine. These engines, which produced 340 bhp, gave the Riviera the ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 8 seconds. This also gave it the ability to hit the maximum speed of 125 mph. Of course, this type of speed and power doesn’t come at a price. The fuel economy of the Riviera’s engine leaves something to be desired as it can only give back 15.9 mpg. But if you’re after speed and power, fuel won’t be that much of a matter for you, right?

Special Features: What made the ’63 Buick Riviera a household name was its suspension. It sported double wishbones at the front, a live axle found by the trailing arms, and a lateral track bar. But what made it unique was its roll centers were raised. This helped in reducing the body lean experienced when driving the Riviera. It also carried softer and lighter coil springs allowing the muscle car to stay firm despite changes in road conditions. This suspension was what helped the car earn the distinction of being “one of the most roadable American cars.” Twin Turbine automatic transmission, “Al-Fin” (aluminum finned) brakes, and power steering were the remaining features that completed the ’63 Riviera and helped it have more control and handling.

Thinking of adding a muscle car to your collection? Or you just want to be seen driving one? If you don’t know what to get, consider getting the 1963 Buick Riviera. Not only does it look good, it performs just as good as well.

Sources: Wikipedia, Conceptcarz

A cool name and an even cooler look. This is what came to mind when looking at a 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400.

So what’s not to love about this compact muscle car? Well, aside from having a stylish, top-down exterior, the Firebird’s suspension and engine packs a wallop. Multiple-leaf rear springs and shock absorbers were added to get rid of axle tramps. As for its engine, the Pontiac Firebird 400 was given a 400-cid 6.6-liter V-8 engine that’s capable of giving you 325 horsepower every time you’re at the wheel.

Aside from the regular 400-cid engine, Pontiac gave the Firebird multiple engine options starting with the Ram Air engine, which gave the Firebird a better cam, tougher valve springs, and functional hood scoops. Another engine variation was the 400 HO or high Output, which allowed the Firebird 400 to have a set of free-flow exhausts.

If you’ve got any plans (or you’ve been dreaming ever since) of getting a vintage muscle car, make sure to include this version of the Firebird in your list. Even Car and Driver attested that this vehicle is “almost in a class by itself.” That just tells you how good of a car this baby is.

Sources: How Stuff Works, Wikipedia

We all love vintage muscle cars. It brings us back to a time when people didn’t car about having a sleek car. This was the time when looking tough and having the power to back it up was important. That’s why no matter how old they are, there are some who just can’t get enough of them. Like the person who owns this 1970 Dodge Challenger.

This was spotted by the folks from Jalopnik at Alameda California. Sporting a neon green finish, this 1970 Dodge Challenger can definitely cause a riot when seen on the streets. Aside from its outrageous color, we’re sure it’s able to make some noise thanks to its dual rear-end mufflers.

However, what makes this vehicle a beauty to own is the powerful engine it’s equipped with. Really, how can you not love being able to produce as much as 290 horsepower at 5,000 rpm? Or go from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds?

And since this Dodge Challenger was spotted in California, the land where “acting dreams” supposedly come true, here’s a trivia for you. The Dodge Challenger line (not exactly this model, mind you) has actually appeared in a number of films. Don’t believe us? Then go ahead and rent Vanishing Point, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Natural Born Killers, and Death Proof. Hell, even Ben 10 used one in Ben 10: Race Against Time. That’s good enough to prove that people can never get enough of driving around in vintage muscle cars.

Sources: Jalopnik, How Stuff Works, Wikipedia

It takes a lot to restore a vintage muscle car. Just ask 31-year old Ed Leung, who went through the grueling process of restoring his 1969 Dodge Charger RT.

According to Ed, there were three driving situations that led to his decision to spend on restoring the quality of his muscle car. The first was when he overtook a slow vehicle, not knowing that there was an oncoming vehicle. His quick reflexes allowed him and his car to get out of the way but its weak suspension caused the car to fishtail. The second scenario was when he needed to go to school but his car was just pumping up 850 miles at 3,200 rpm. This made him realize that overdrive was important. The last straw was when he tried outracing a 300ZX twin turbo. He was driving at 100 mph but the stoplight he was headed for was changing too fast. He stepped on the brakes, but since his Charger wasn’t equipped with a good set, he said that “it took every inch of road to stop.”

Learning from these three situations, Ed Leung proceeded to work on overhauling his precious 1969 Dodge Charger RT. He started if off by changing its interior and wirings. He added a Muscle Motors 492ci stroker that’s equipped with a Mopar M1 single-plane intake and a Holley 950 four-barrel. For its transmission, Ed chose to install a Richmond six-speed since it was similar to the input shaft size of a Hemi. A Victory Performance Driveshaft was also added to help in enhancing the performance of its transmission.

As for the Charger’s suspension, Ed added the following components to achieve a firm handle “without being punishing”: Welded Mopar Performance subframe connectors, a set of HAL/QA1 shocks, 1-inch torsion bars, Hellwig sway bars, extra-heavy-duty rear leaves, and massive American Racing Torq-Thrust IIs that runs on Goodyear F1 rubber. According to Ed, this made his ride firm and kept him from experiencing body roll.

Ed also integrated Ford’s EEC-IV fuel injection system. While it doesn’t seem to match the Mopar intake he installed, Ed rationalized that it would save him having to buy a luxurious MoTec system. Not only that, having the EEC-IV made it easy for him to add harnesses, an ECU, and sensors since the ones he got were also made by Ford. Also added was an 80mm BBK-throttle-body that helps in sucking down more air.

But the kicker here was Ed’s homemade intake manifold. Since he had some problems getting the right volume to make the upper plenum, he decided to phone in John Lingenfelter, a renowned NHRA driver and engineer. John was kind enough to help him get the right volume range. Although out of respect for John (who passed away last 2003), Ed refused to provide details about the calculated volume.

After the overhaul was done, Ed said that his 1969 Dodge Charger RT has started to perform better on the road. With these upgrades, I’m pretty sure that he won’t be encountering the three scenarios that led him to create this beauty anytime soon.

Source: Hot Rod