“The Who” I stand corrected I should have said the 69 440+6. I had seen this table years ago on the top 50 Muscle cars ….These are the fastest muscle cars of all time, as ranked by Muscle Car Review Magazine, the source on muscle cars. This ranking was developed by comparing muscle cars as measured by different, respected sources, which were then ranked by their respective quarter mile elapsed times. (Also note that those are pre-Viper’s 12.05 run)

50 FASTEST MUSCLECARS
# YEAR/MODEL ET/MPH ENGINE HP TRANS GEAR SOURCE
1 1966 427 Cobra 12.20@118 427 8V 425 4-Speed 3.54 CC 11/65
2 1966 Corvette 427 12.8@112 L72 427 425 4-Speed 3.36 CD 11/65
3 1969 Road Runner 12.91@111.8 440 Six BBL 390 4-Speed 4.10 SS 6/69
4 1970 Hemi Cuda 13.10@107.12 426 Hemi 425 4-Speed 3.54 CC 11/69
5 1970 Chevelle SS454 13.12@107.01 454 LS6 450 4-Speed 3.55 CC 11/69
6 1969 Camaro 13.16@110.21 427 ZL1 430 4-Speed 4.10 HC 6/69
7 1968 Corvette 13.30@108 427 6V 435 4-Speed 3.70 HC 5/68
8 1970 Road Runner 13.34@107.5 426 Hemi 425 automatic 4.10 SS 12/69
9 1970 Buick GS Stage I 13.38@105.5 455 Stage I 360 automatic 3.64 MT 1/70
10 1968 Corvette 427 13.41@109.5 L72 427 425 4-Speed 3.55 CD 6/68
11 1969 Charger 500 13.48@109 426 Hemi 425 4-Speed 4.10 HR 2/69
12 1968 Charger 13.50@105 426 Hemi 425 automatic 3.23 CD 11/67
12 1970 Plymouth Superbird 13.50@105 426 Hemi 425 ? ? ?
14 1968 Road Runner 13.54@105.1 426 Hemi 425 automatic 3.55 CD 1/69
15 1973 Trans Am 13.54@104.29 455 SD 310 automatic 3.42 HR 6/73

Regards,
Napoli

 

Yep, I have that issue of Muscle Car magazine. The Dodge Viper was the first car in 30 years to beat out the Shelby Cobra for the quickest/fastest production car in the US.[sm=smiley20.gif][sm=smiley2.gif]

 

I am still trying to find where I read the reviews on the 440+6 that gave the Hemi a run for its money… I guess it must have been a 69 engine. Also I believe I read that 69 440HP engine was best 440 made?. Must be something about the designs and metallurgy in the castings made for that year. I had a 68 Charger ( org. 383) a few years ago that had the 69 440HP motor. The engine rev'd up real good for a big block sadly I had to sell it to friend to buy my Hemi....:-(

Regards,
Napoli

 

Yeah, the 440+6 was by far the best and strongest 440 ever made, they had a stronger crank and rods. The 440+6 vs. 426 Hemi has always been a big rivalry. They are both pretty much equals in the 1/4 mile, but once you get beyond that the Hemi dominates the 440+6.

 

It was not to uncomon to see a 44+6 beat a HEMI when they were new. But you have to remember that most ( but not all ) Hemi's were bought by rich kids dad's money and they had no idea how to keep it in tune. So a well tuned 440 by someone who knew what they were doing could beat one. With the Hemi's having solid lifters and needing constant adjusting most of the rich kids had no idea! If the Hemi was in the hands of a motor head they were almost unbeatable. You don't see many big block Ford or Chevys in Top fuel or Funny cars to this day do you.

 

No you do not.

I'd love to have a dark green '69 Hemi R/R.

 

MAN I wish I could afford the New Crate 426 for my 71 RR....

But hey then I would try and run Nitro in it and hurt it!
I leave the Hemi and nitro to the race car!

 

Heck, I'd be happy to be able to afford a new set of edelbrock heads for the 360 let alone a crate motor.