THE 7 BEST AMERICAN MUSCLE CARS OF ALL TIME, PER BANKRATE .COM : PART 2

 
I had to think about this before I wrote this article, let's face it, you and I would come up with two completely different lists if we were to do it ourselves, with that said here I go. This is Bankrates list of the Seven Best Muscle Cars of all Time, Part 2.

EXIBIT D : 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

With fewer than 70 ever built, the '69 ZL1 not only had the most powerful Chevrolet engine offered to the public for decades, but it's the rarest production car Chevrolet ever made, bumping the price to $7,200.

 Although it was officially rated at the regular 427's 430 horsepower, most independent testers pegged the output as being much higher.

Based on Chevrolet's iconic 427 V-8 engine, the ZL power plant had an aluminum block in place of the regular 427's iron one -- the first such Chevy production engine.

 Today's 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is named for the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL1, and for good reason.

EXIBIT E : 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

Enjoying a big-dog reputation, the Boss 429 wasn't a giant killer right out of the box. Its 429-cubic-inch V-8 engine delivered 375-horsepower, not shabby but dwarfed by others on this list.

Fewer than 1,400 were built between 1969 and 1970, making the Boss 429 a rare bird indeed. The Mustang Boss 429 is what you get when a carmaker needs to meet NASCAR regulations.

Ford farmed out its assembly to Michigan-based Kar Kraft. In appearance, very little distinguished the Boss 429 other than a hood scoop and trunk-mounted spoiler.What makes it truly notable is that it was basically hand-built. Because the engine wouldn't fit in a standard Mustang without extensive modifications.

EXIBIT F : 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi.

With all the subtlety of a jar of nitroglycerin, the Plymouth Road Runner Hemi was pure explosive brawn.

It went a step further in capitalizing on the cartoon character's speedy image by developing a horn sound imitating the cartoon bird's "beep-beep,"Before unleashing the first Road Runner in 1968, Plymouth licensed the Road Runner name and likeness from Warner Brothers.

With a 425-horsepower, 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8 engine, the Road Runner struck fear into the hearts of the Saturday night country-road, drag-racing crowd. It's one of the all-time great performance-car names.

Forget the niceties. Plymouth wanted a bare-knuckle, muscle-car fighter.

EXIBIT G : 1967 Pontiac GTO

Because of its historic value, the 1965 version could represent GTO on this list, but 1967 marked the first availability of ram air through a functional hood scoop on the GTO. It was a 400-cubic-inch V-8, delivering 360 horsepower.

Purists not tracing the era of muscle cars to the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 typically mark its beginning with the 1964 GTO.

  Skirting a General Motors ban against putting big engines -- any engine larger than 330 cubic inches -- into small cars, Pontiac sneaked a 389-cubic-inch V-8 into its Tempest as an option called the GTO in 1964, according to MotorTrend.com.

Response was so huge that the car won over GM execs, paving the way for a stable of Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick and Pontiac muscle cars.