Nice cars other than x-fire

[Dave91TM]

Muscle Car Icons: Second Generation Oldsmobile 442

The Oldsmobile 442 (4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual, dual exhaust) is a truly spectacular car.

Produced from 1968 to 1972, this beast roared through the streets with power and style.

Quick Fun Facts:

Production Locations: Manufactured in Lansing, Michigan, and several other U.S. locations including Arlington, Texas, and Framingham, Massachusetts.

Engine Options: Offered with a 455 cu in (7.5 L) V8 and a 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8.

Performance: Car Life tested the 1968 model, clocking 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds and a quarter-mile in 15.13 seconds at 92 mph.

Distinct Look: The 1968 model featured bronze–copper engines and unique rear bumpers with exhaust cutouts.

Hurst/Olds Collaboration: In 1968, Oldsmobile partnered with Hurst, creating a limited run of 515 Hurst/Olds with significant mechanical and cosmetic enhancements.

Top Speed: The 1968 model reached a top speed of 115 mph (in the quarter).

1970 Pinnacle: The 1970 model boasted a 455 V8 engine with 365 hp and was the official pace car at the Indianapolis 500.

1971 Changes: Minor modifications included a lower compression ratio engine due to emissions standards, resulting in a 350 hp rating for the W-30.

1972 Decline: By 1972, the 442 became more of an appearance package due to rising insurance rates and stricter emissions standards.

Special Editions: The 1972 Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500, showcasing the 442's enduring appeal.
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How time changes. 0 to 60 in 7 seconds, 350 HP and 400plus CI. But it was exciting. My Honda Accord , 2.4 190HP will do 7 secs to 60, but it isn't really exciting.(LOL)

 

[LE BARON]

Before the GTO or the Chevelle SS, a plucky independent automaker in Kenosha secretly pioneered the muscle car. In 1957, American Motors head George Romney normally focused on sensible compacts, but he greenlit a wild experiment: stuffing a massive 327 cubic inch V8 into the lightweight Rambler chassis.

The result was the Rambler Rebel, a four door hardtop painted exclusively in silver gray with distinct copper anodized side trime. AMC originally planned to use a highly advanced, electronic Bendix Electrojector fuel injection system. While those troublesome computer tubes proved too primitive for production, the carbureted 255 horsepower version was still an absolute rocket.

During period testing at Daytona, it clocked a zero to sixty run second only to the fuel injected Corvette, making it the fastest sedan in America. Only 1,500 were built in this legendary configuration, proving that utility and high performance could beautifully coexist.

 

[LE BARON]

In the late 1980s, Chrysler executive Bob Lutz wanted to capture the uncompromising, raw spirit of the Shelby Cobra for the modern era. Designers penned a low slung, aggressive shape, but they needed an engine that could match its intimidating presence.

Chrysler turned to their subsidiary, Lamborghini, to convert a heavy, cast iron truck block design into a high performance, lightweight aluminum power unit. The resulting 8.0 liter pushrod V10 delivered 400 horsepower and 465 pound feet of torque.

The inaugural 1992 RT/10 was a pure, analog sports car. It completely lacked ABS, traction control, roll up windows, air conditioning, or even exterior door handles. Drivers had to step over scorching side exit exhaust pipes to slide into the cockpit. Only 285 examples were produced in 1992, creating an enduring legacy of uncompromising performance that we will likely never see again.

 

[LE BARON]

By 1933, the Great Depression was hitting General Motors hard, and the board of directors was prepared to kill off Cadillac's junior companion brand, LaSalle. Enter Harley Earl, the legendary design boss who refused to let his favorite brand die quietly.

Earl's team had drafted a breathtaking, aviation inspired design characterized by a pencil thin front grille, teardrop headlights, and five circular chrome portholes. He presented a full scale model to the GM board with a legendary ultimatum: "Gentlemen, if you decide to discontinue the LaSalle, this is the car you are not going to build."

The executives were so stunned that they immediately greenlit production for 1934. Underneath the gorgeous Fleetwood built body sat a refined Oldsmobile derived 240 cubic inch straight eight making 95 horsepower, which slashed production costs by a third. It was elegant, clever, and ran beautifully, proving that style could triumph over hard time

 

[LE BARON]

I wonder at times if companies were to offer models like this if they would sell enough to make it viable. Or is it just for us hot roders and memory lane guys & gals

Here is the thing about this build that nobody tells you. The body is completely original. The paint is original. The chrome trim, the emblems, even the wood inside, all original, preserved under fresh BASF clear coat sprayed by Auto Addiction OC. From twenty feet away, this looks like a California barn find somebody cleaned up for a weekend show.

Underneath that patina-soaked shell is a championship-winning Corvette GT-1 tube chassis built by Tommy Riggins in 2004, the exact same chassis that driver David Machavern raced to 30 wins and three titles in GT-1 competition. Ruffian stretched it seven inches to match the Plymouth's wheelbase and fitted Penske coilovers at all four corners.

The engine is a Gen 4 Viper V10 stroked to 9.0 liters by Prefix, producing 803 horsepower and 741 lb-ft of torque on regular 93-octane pump gas. The whole car weighs 3,100 pounds with fuel. Carbon fiber fenders, a functional splitter, rear diffuser, and a belly pan finish the package.

Chris Ashton and the Ruffian team built the entire thing in just over a year. It debuted at SEMA 2025 and nobody in that building had ever seen anything quite like it before

 

[LE BARON]

If you look at the aggressive slope of the roof you naturally assume this started life as a highly coveted 1965 Fastback. That is completely false. The team at Timeless Kustoms actually started the build using a standard 1965 hardtop coupe. They completely chopped the original roof off the car and painstakingly welded a brand new fastback roof profile onto the chassis to get the exact look they wanted.

But the bodywork is honestly the least interesting part of this project.

Pop the hood and you will find a 5.1 liter Ford Performance Aluminator V8 engine. The builders did not want to compromise by choosing between a supercharger or turbochargers so they simply used both. The engine features a massive Magnuson supercharger sitting right on top of the block and two Precision turbochargers feeding it dense air. This compound boost setup eliminates any lag and easily generates over 1000 horsepower.

To handle that sheer violent force the car sits on a bespoke Art Morrison chassis. It uses a paddle shifted EMCO 6 speed sequential racing transmission which means you bang through the gears without using a clutch pedal just like a modern Le Mans race car. When it is time to slow down it relies on massive 15 inch carbon ceramic brakes hidden behind those custom center lock wheels.

The entire interior is wrapped in blood red leather and features a digital MoTeC dashboard. It took over 10,000 man hours and roughly 1 million dollars to complete this machine. It completely redefines what a custom car can be by blending classic 1960s aesthetics with the raw unhinged performance of a modern hypercar.

 

[LE BARON]

When John DeLorean set out to build his dream sports car, he promised a futuristic, stainless steel marvel. He hired Giorgetto Giugiaro to style the brushed steel wedge body and tapped Colin Chapman of Lotus to engineer the chassis. Underneath that sleek skin, the DMC-12 actually rode on a Lotus Esprit derived backbone frame, giving it decent handling characteristics.

Unfortunately, the engine did not live up to the chassis. Slung over the rear axle was a modest 2.85 liter PRV V6. Strangled by US emissions equipment, it produced a disappointing 130 horsepower, taking over ten seconds to reach sixty miles per hour.

Though the factory in Northern Ireland closed amidst financial ruin and scandal, Hollywood ultimately saved the car's legacy. Its starring role in Back to the Future turned this slow, controversial machine into a beloved pop culture icon that people still stop to stare at today.

 

[1st Vette]

By 1933, the Great Depression was hitting General Motors hard, and the board of directors was prepared to kill off Cadillac's junior companion brand, LaSalle. Enter Harley Earl, the legendary design boss who refused to let his favorite brand die quietly.

Earl's team had drafted a breathtaking, aviation inspired design characterized by a pencil thin front grille, teardrop headlights, and five circular chrome portholes. He presented a full scale model to the GM board with a legendary ultimatum: "Gentlemen, if you decide to discontinue the LaSalle, this is the car you are not going to build."

The executives were so stunned that they immediately greenlit production for 1934. Underneath the gorgeous Fleetwood built body sat a refined Oldsmobile derived 240 cubic inch straight eight making 95 horsepower, which slashed production costs by a third. It was elegant, clever, and ran beautifully, proving that style could triumph over hard time

View attachment 140447

Nice except for the paint job......

 

[1st Vette]

When John DeLorean set out to build his dream sports car, he promised a futuristic, stainless steel marvel. He hired Giorgetto Giugiaro to style the brushed steel wedge body and tapped Colin Chapman of Lotus to engineer the chassis. Underneath that sleek skin, the DMC-12 actually rode on a Lotus Esprit derived backbone frame, giving it decent handling characteristics.

Unfortunately, the engine did not live up to the chassis. Slung over the rear axle was a modest 2.85 liter PRV V6. Strangled by US emissions equipment, it produced a disappointing 130 horsepower, taking over ten seconds to reach sixty miles per hour.

Though the factory in Northern Ireland closed amidst financial ruin and scandal, Hollywood ultimately saved the car's legacy. Its starring role in Back to the Future turned this slow, controversial machine into a beloved pop culture icon that people still stop to stare at today.

View attachment 140453

And all while dealing coke , lol . Or so the rumors went .....