The Muscle Car Era
Instructions: Rev up your memory of the golden age of American horsepower, from the GTO and Mustang to the Charger and Camaro that ruled the streets.
- 1.
Which car is widely credited as the very first American muscle car, introduced by Pontiac in 1964?
APontiac GTOBFord MustangCChevrolet CamaroDDodge Charger - 2.
The Ford Mustang was introduced to the public at the 1964 World's Fair. In what city was that fair held?
ANew York CityBChicagoCLos AngelesDDetroit - 3.
By what affectionate nickname did fans come to know the Pontiac GTO, derived from the sound of its three initials?
AThe GoatBThe JudgeCThe RamDThe Bull - 4.
Chevrolet introduced the Camaro in 1967 as a direct competitor to which popular Ford model?
AFord MustangBFord ThunderbirdCFord TorinoDFord Galaxie - 5.
The famous 1968 Dodge Charger appeared as a villain's car in which classic car-chase movie?
ABullittBTwo-Lane BlacktopCVanishing PointDAmerican Graffiti - 6.
Plymouth's pony car competitor, first sold in 1964, shared its platform with the Dodge Dart. What was it called?
APlymouth BarracudaBPlymouth Road RunnerCPlymouth FuryDPlymouth Satellite - 7.
What was the maximum horsepower rating of the legendary 426 Hemi engine offered in Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars?
A425 hpB375 hpC400 hpD450 hp - 8.
Which Plymouth muscle car was named after a famous cartoon character and even came with a horn that played that character's call?
APlymouth Road RunnerBPlymouth SuperbirdCPlymouth BarracudaDPlymouth GTX - 9.
The Pontiac GTO Judge trim package was introduced in 1969. Which color was used for the iconic Judge decal graphics?
AOrange with multicolor stripesBRed with white stripesCBlack with gold trimDBlue with silver lettering - 10.
At a drag strip, what does the term "quarter mile" refer to?
AThe standard race distance from start to finishBThe length of the staging lanesCThe distance between the timing lightsDThe warm-up burnout zone - 11.
Ford offered a special high-performance version of the Mustang in 1965 and 1966, built by race-car designer Carroll Shelby. What was it called?
AShelby GT350BShelby CobraCBoss 302DMach 1 - 12.
Which federal law, phased in during the early 1970s, required lower compression engines and greatly reduced muscle car horsepower ratings?
AThe Clean Air Act requirements for unleaded fuelBThe National Speed Limit ActCThe Motor Vehicle Safety ActDThe Energy Policy Act - 13.
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was a rare, all-aluminum big-block version. How many ZL1 Camaros were built that year?
A69B100C250D500 - 14.
Which famous muscle car was featured prominently in the 1970s TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard"?
A1969 Dodge ChargerB1970 Plymouth Road RunnerC1969 Pontiac GTOD1970 Chevrolet Chevelle - 15.
What does the term "pony car" mean in automotive history?
AA sporty, affordable compact car with a long hood and short rear deckBA car with a horse logo on the hoodCA car built for horse country road racingDA small-engine economy car from the 1960s
Answer Key
The 1964 Pontiac GTO is widely considered the car that launched the muscle car era. Pontiac engineer John DeLorean stuffed a big 389 cubic-inch V8 into a mid-size Tempest body, creating an affordable performance legend.
Ford debuted the Mustang at the 1964 New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964. The car was an instant sensation and sold over a million units in its first two years.
Enthusiasts nicknamed the GTO "The Goat," the closest word the letters G-T-O seemed to spell out. Pontiac itself had tried to promote it as the "Tiger," but the public's "Goat" nickname is the one that stuck.
Chevrolet created the Camaro specifically to go head-to-head with the wildly successful Ford Mustang. Both cars became fierce rivals on showroom floors and drag strips throughout the late 1960s and 1970s.
A black 1968 Dodge Charger served as the bad-guy car in Bullitt (1968), chasing Steve McQueen's Highland Green Ford Mustang 390 GT through the streets of San Francisco. That chase is still considered one of the greatest in film history.
The Plymouth Barracuda actually beat the Mustang to market by about two weeks in April 1964, making it one of the earliest pony cars. Built on Chrysler's A-body platform shared with the Dodge Dart, its distinctive large rear window fastback body became very popular with young drivers.
The street version of the 426 Hemi was factory-rated at 425 horsepower, though many experts believe the true output was higher. It dominated NASCAR and NHRA drag racing throughout the mid-1960s.
Plymouth licensed the Road Runner name and "beep beep" horn sound from Warner Bros. cartoons in 1968. The car was designed to be an affordable no-frills muscle car, and it became a massive hit.
The Judge package featured bold orange stripes and multi-colored side graphics that made it instantly recognizable. Its name was inspired by a catchphrase from the TV comedy show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.
A quarter mile (1,320 feet) is the traditional drag racing distance. Racers compete to cover that distance from a standing start in the shortest possible time, with elapsed times and top speeds both recorded.
Carroll Shelby transformed the base Mustang fastback into the GT350 with a high-revving 289 cubic-inch V8 and serious chassis improvements. It became one of the most collectible Mustangs of all time.
Clean Air Act regulations required automakers to lower engine compression ratios so cars could run on unleaded gasoline, causing a dramatic drop in horsepower. Rising insurance rates and the 1973 oil crisis also contributed to the muscle car's decline.
Only 69 ZL1 Camaros were produced in 1969, making them extremely rare today. The all-aluminum 427 engine was so expensive that the cars cost more than a base Corvette, which slowed orders considerably.
The bright orange 1969 Dodge Charger, nicknamed "The General Lee," became one of the most famous TV cars of all time on The Dukes of Hazzard. It was known for its spectacular jumps and had the Confederate battle flag painted on its roof.
The term "pony car" was coined after the Ford Mustang's enormous success in 1964. It describes a class of sporty, affordable American cars with a long hood, short rear deck, and a back seat — the Mustang, Camaro, Firebird, and Barracuda all fit this description.