By 1974, the American muscle car golden age was definitely in decline, with the oil crisis, inflation, and tightening emissions regulations all contributing to the demise of the big thirsty V8. Nevertheless, this era still had a few nice rides on offer, and, in the right spec, they could offer some decent performance as well. Now, we’re watching as a 1974 Chevelle hits the drag strip alongside a 1969 Buick GS 400 in the following video.
The video was posted by the Cars And Zebras YouTube channel, and, as expected offers a blend of interesting car facts and goofy C&Z-style humor, including walkarounds for both vehicles, followed by several rounds of racing action at the end.
The video kicks off with this 1974 Chevelle Malibu Classic, which the video host describes as something of an under-appreciated gem. It may not have the flashiest styling or be the most popular muscle car of its time, but it packs a decent punch under the hood. This particular Chevelle is equipped with a 454 cubic-inch V8, and while the compression ratio is relatively low at 8.5:1, it still delivers a solid 235 net horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque.
What makes this Chevelle even more interesting is that it was ordered with the rare police package, which includes an aluminum intake manifold, a Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, heavy-duty suspension, sway bars, skid plates, a tachometer, and a performance-tuned Turbo 400 automatic transmission. The rear features a 10-bolt axle with 3.42:1 gears and a limited-slip differential. Despite its performance upgrades, it’s also a heavy machine, weighing in at 4,334 pounds with the driver.
Over in the other lane, we have the 1969 Buick GS 400, which is cradling a 400 cubic-inch V8 producing 340 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. The engine includes forged rods, a cast iron crankshaft, and a Rochester four-barrel carb rated at 750 CFM. It also runs a three-speed automatic transmission and a rear axle with 3.31:1 gears. Critically, the GS 400 is much lighter than the Chevelle, weighing around 3,848 pounds with the driver.
On paper, it looks like the Buick should easily take the win. However, you may be surprised by the results:
Comments
The Buick 455 Stage 1 would be a more interesting match.
The 1974 454 was a junk pollution motor.
1973 had big changes in the car industry. Smog motors and huge government mandated crash bumpers. Mostly new sheet metal for mid-sized GM offerings.
An item that is almost always overlooked when stating horse power for pre 1972 cars verses cars made after 1972 is pre 72 cars are listed with gross HP. 72 and later cars are always stated with net HP. Even the two major classic car auction companies state HP this way when they’re highlighting a car.