By 1974, the combination of rising insurance premiums, more stringent government regulations, and costly fuel prices pretty much put the majority of muscle cars to bed. However, just before the once-flourishing muscle car segment hit the dustbin, the U.S. auto industry was filled to the brim with muscle-bound options, including the 1971 Plymouth Duster 340 and 1970 Buick GSX. Now, we’re watching these two machines duke it out on the drag strip in the following video.
Once again coming to us from the Cars And Zebras YouTube channel, the video clocks in at eight minutes, 40 seconds, serving up a walkaround, specs, and some history behind both vehicles, as well as three rounds of straight-line racing action, all in the usual C&Z style.
The video kicks off with the 1971 Plymouth Duster 340, which is motivated by a 340-cubic-inch engine with a 10.3:1 compression ratio, a forged crank, and a Carter Thermoquad carburetor. Output is set at 275 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque, while a four-speed manual transmission and Hurst competition linkage send it to the tires. The rear end features an 8-3/4-inch differential, with a performance-focused 4.30 gear setup. Weighing in at 3,414 pounds with the driver, this Plymouth is also relatively lightweight, and should prove to be blast on the strip.
Meanwhile, over in the other lane, we find a 1970 Buick GSX 455 Stage 1. Outside, highlights include black stripes, some spoilers, special mirrors, and other styling tweaks, while under the hood, we find a 10.5:1 compression ratio, larger valves, a more aggressive cam, and an upgraded oil system. Buick officially rated the Stage 1 at 360 horsepower, but it likely made more. The real star, however was the torque, coming in at an eye-widening 510 pound-feet at just 2,800 RPM.
So – which of these two muscle cars will take the win? Hit play to see for yourself.
The first of three rounds of racing starts at the five-minute, 52-second mark:
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View Comments
Nice! Yeah, that Buck low end tq.
Wow, all that nostalgia to run 14s.
A modern CT5 is better in every way.
And, purely based on numbers, the Tesla Model 3 is better than a CT5. Sometimes, it's about more than numbers.
The rear of the Duster is all a BIG trunk, which is very light, so it is hard to get a good start. I had a 1971 Duster Twister with a 318, same problem.
510 foot pounds! All that torque makes the Buick one of the nicest street motors of all time.