Driving Line VOLUME IV ISSUE 4 | FALL 2018 | Page 17

Looking for a V8 classic, but feeling squeezed out by muscle-car pricing? Don't
worry, there's an entire subset of stealth big-block cars out there that the collector
market has largely ignored. Big cars of the ’60s and ’70s needed big motors, and
these beauties came with enormous engines that can be considered mere starting
points for generating huge power after a few clever modifications. Even in stock
form, they are a lot of fun.
HERE ARE FIVE BIG-BLOCK V8 CLASSIC CARS
YOU CAN STILL AFFORD
Story by Benjamin Hunting
’69–’72 FORD LTD
Equal parts luxury and sport, think of the LTD as an up-market Galaxie. It’s plush,
it’s smooth and it came with an optional 360hp/500 lb-ft of torque 429 for highway
domination. The hide-away headlight versions are particularly heavy on style points.
’69–’72 CHEVROLET CAPRICE
The Chevrolet Caprice was essentially GM's answer to the LTD, and the 454
big-block V8 was on the car's options list. It was mightiest between ’69 and ’72, and
the Bow Tie big-block delivered a healthy 365 hp and roughly 550 lb-ft of torque.
’69–’70 MERCURY MARAUDER X-100
The Mercury Marauder X-100 is a bit of an oddball, a performance-oriented,
fullsize coupe that looked as menacing as its name suggested. Every X-100 came
equipped with a 360hp, 429ci big-block V8. Also capable of churning out 480 lb-ft
of torque, it was enough to shoot the Mercury to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds.
’68–’70 OLDSMOBILE 98
The 98 was always the largest Oldsmobile—heavy on luxury and just heavy,
in general—so it only made sense that it was matched with the popular Rocket 455
motor. With 365 hp and a whopping 510 lb-ft of torque on tap, you'll still be able to
get out of your own way with your right foot feeding gas by the gallons.
’69–’71 DODGE POLARA
If you've got Mopar 440 big-block fever, one of the easiest ways to find the
cure is from behind the wheel of a ’69–’71 Dodge Polara. The “fuselage” styling
made for some of the coolest police cars ever, and what’s not to like about 335 hp
and 460 lb-ft of torque?
GET THE FULL STORY ON AFFORDABLE
BIG BLOCK POWER AT DRIVINGLINE.COM
DRIVINGLINE.COM
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