Musclecar Milestones by Geoff Stunkard

Text by Geoff Stunkard / Photos by John Stunkard

 “My dad had Fords, and my first car was a Mustang, so I was not a Mopar girl when we first met; in fact, I had never seen a Hurst Pistol Grip until our first date when I climbed into Tim’s Charger. I saw it and said ‘what is that thing;’ my first thought was that it was some aftermarket redneck part.”

Pam Wellborn was laughingly recalling her first encounter with Chrysler’s legendary musclecar options. Tim Wellborn and Pam Twilley had known each other in high school, and Tim had arrived in a 1970 Charger for their first date that occasion. While the two enjoyed those carefree days, career and life choices would cause them to go their separate ways into other relationships and responsibilities after graduation. Pam moved to Birmingham to get her nursing degree, while Tim ended up beginning his serious work responsibilities at the family business, Wellborn Forest Products.

The ‘cuda seen here had originally came from the Phoenix, Arizona, being sold new through the well-known Town & Country franchise out there. It was the mid-1980s, and Tim had purchased it as part of a growing group of classic Mopars he owned. Partial to Chargers and NASCAR-oriented B-Bodies, it was the only E-body he owned at the time he and Pam’s relationship reignited in 1986.

“There is something about that car,” he says. “Blue, white top, big block…” “Yes, do you remember we drove that car to the Mopar Nationals in 1988 in Columbus?,” Pam replies. “We got married in 1987, and we had four or five cars at that time, including the Jamaica-blue 1970 Charger we had dated in a few years earlier. Now, I love convertibles; Tim loves the 1971 Chargers.”

As things worked out, the financial requirements of Tim’s family-owned cabinet business in Alexander City, which he took over when his father passed away unexpectedly in the early 1990s, eventually resulted in the painful separation of virtually their entire collection, saving just one wing car (a yellow Superbird) and the Tawny Gold Hemi Charger that Tim’s late father had owned. However, those lean years were time and money spent wisely, and, once back on solid footing, Tim and Pam were able to reacquire the droptop E-body from its then-current owner in Canada.

This car is unique, as most people forget that the only year you could get a 440 four-barrel in the Plymouth ‘cuda convertible was 1970. No 440 convertibles were ever built on the A-body platform, and in 1971, the final year of production, the 440 high-performance motor was offered only in Six Pack trim. The standard 440 option allowed A/C to be installed on this car; only 34 1970 440-4 ‘cudas converts were constructed. Moreover, it is fairly high-optioned: EB5 Blue Fire Metallic paint, color-coded Elastomeric bumper, racing mirrors, hood pins, AM/8-track, and side-sill-deck moldings. Pam, for one, is very glad to have it back.

“Yes, I have had an impact on our collection with the cars I’ve picked,” says Pam with a big laugh. “If it were up to Tim, we’d have mostly 1971 Chargers!”

Tim laughs and nods in agreement. Though Pam might have not been overly impressed with that Pistol Grip and the brawny Mopars at first sight, she was a quick and thorough study. Tim’s previous serious relationship had not been very happy; having admitted that his car interest was a pretty important part of his life, he wanted to make sure that any other woman he became serious about having a relationship with ‘got it.’ So, within a short time of their reacquaintance, Pam was learning.

“Tim gave me all these reference books when we first started dating, and I really liked him, so I studied them,” Pam says. “Back then, a lot of them were little guides listing options and parts. Pretty soon, I had memorized a lot of details, and eventually I was actually doing judging at some of the events we went to. Of course, I had a great teacher.”

As mentioned, this car was sold in 1994 to help keep the business moving, and went through a number of owners before returning to Alabama. When it came back, though pretty unmolested and still garage kept, the unrestored numbers-matching machine was showing its age. To this end, the Wellborns turned it over to restorer Andrew White of Apex Autosports, who did a spectacular job of bringing the rare metal back to award-winning status.

Meanwhile, Pam’s interest in convertibles resulted in some other cars that have come into the collection, including their W30 4-4-2 ’70 Olds and their Ram Air IV GTO Judge, both outstanding droptops even if they are not Mopars. The couple also has a 383-cid Challenger R/T convertible in the museum’s holdings. These rarities have become part of the museum’s best-known holdings, and remain an important part of the heritage of the musclecar era.

Why not a Hemi? Well, beyond the addiitonal cost and maintenance associated with it, you could not get air conditioning with the 426. Indeed, this would also go away in 1971 on this model, as it was not available with the Six Pack design, either...

One unique aspect of this car was the single 4bbl carb, a Carter AVS model that was superceded in 1971 with the 3-2 Holley Six Pack layout on Chrysler's performance 440 engines, making the 440-4 'cuda a one-year only offering.

The blue interior in the E-body was augmented with the dictaphone recorder, plus bucket seats with a console-mounted automatic shifter.

The rocker moldings along the bottom edge were an extra-cost option that only a few 'cuda owners chose to purchase. These and other styling cues were typical for American performance cars that year.

They were called pony cars, models that fit a small but sporty segment between economy models and midsize cars. Named for the sales niche that Mustang had established in 1964, all the major manufacturers were making offerings to this marketplace by 1970. Prior to that, Plymouth had used their A-body platform to release the first Barracudas, but sales proved that it and the Dart from the Dodge Division was not quite what the public wanted. For 1970, it was the new Duster 340 aimed at the economy muscle market, because now Chrysler had released a completely new design, designated as the E-body, to meet the desires for ‘pony’ muscle.

These new models, Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda (that was called ‘cuda in performance trim), could be had with any engine in the Chrysler line-up, right up to the 426 Hemi. Though based on the B-body platform, big blocks in the E-bodies tended to be nose heavy. When it came to handling prowess, the refined 340 small-block ended up being the best overall choice, and you could get the four-barrel version in the both the coupe or convertible E-body styles. For hardcore fans, you could also get a very special E-body with a Holley six-barrel layout, which arrived in the special A53-coded Trans Am models that came off the line in March.

The Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-Am racing series had become a big deal for the manufacturers, and 1970 was by far the most visible year the SCCA ever had. Dodge hired Sam Posey to direct their Challenger program, while Dan Gurney’s All American Racers oversaw the Plymouth ‘cuda development. Part of the SCCA rules required that race-engineered equipment needed to be available on production examples. Thus the Cuda AAR (named after Gurney’s company) and the Challenger T/A (named after the racing series) were born, to homologate that hardware for the racetrack and promote the factory’s involvement in the series.

Continued

Special graphics and callouts in black tape were also standard, as was the rear spoiler, rear-mounted radio antenna, and mixed-size tires (Goodyear raised letter Polyglas E60x15 up front and G60x15 in the rear, all on 15x7 rims, with a Sav-A-Space inflatable spare in the trunk). Special heavy duty suspension equipment, front power disk brakes, and the special E55 340” engine completed the package.

Based on a stock 340, this was the most radical small-block done by Chrysler in the era. A high nickel content block with meat for four-bolt mains, head castings drilled for offset pushrods, and an Edelbrock aluminum intake (painted the same color as the engine) topped with three Holley two-barrels, were all part of it. Rated at a paltry 290 horses, the E55 was never again offered as a production option. With changes in policy and government mandates, the factory pulled out its money and support of the series after just one season, and the cars were never revived (though a ’71 Challenger was depicted in some 1971 model advertising).

The Wellborn Musclecar Museum features two of the most impressive examples from the one-year experiment. Moreover, both vehicles are low-mileage survivor cars, something the museum has specialized in. The duo came from the legendary collection of Otis Chandler, were subsequently sold to Carlos Monterverde and shipped to England, and finally returned to the States to become part of the Wellborn’s then-private museum in 2002. Take a look at them: Plymouth ‘cuda AAR and Dodge Challenger TA.

Pam on the road in the FM3 1970 Charger; like most of the cars in the Wellborn Museum, the car can be driven, and is…

Museum Masterpieces by Geoff Stunkard

VEHICLE: 1970 Dodge Charger R/T

Restored by: Dale Gyorvary

Engine: Dodge 440 Six Pack Magnum

Transmission: 727 Torqueflite

Rearend: 8.75 banjo-type with 3.23

SureGrip Interior:  black hound’s-tooth/white insets

Wheels: Magnum 500

Tires: Goodyear Polyglas G70-14

Special Parts: FM3 Panther Pink paint plus standard equipment for R/T package (believed to be one of two FM3 440-6 Charger R/Ts built).

Owned by The Wellborn Musclecar Museum

Musclecar paint schemes grew more and more crazy in the late 1960s, and Chrysler’s legendary foray into the world of HIP (High Impact Paint) began in 1969, when five special paint colors debuted. These paint hues were actually an extra cost option, so such colors can add to a car’s collector value today. Things got even more extreme in 1970; the Charger here is painted code FM3, known as Panther Pink.

Other Dodge HIP colors in 1970 were EK2 Go-Mango (yellow-orange), EV2 Hemi Orange (or red-orange), FC7 Plum Crazy (purple), FJ5 Sublime (light-green), and FY1 Top Banana (yellow), with FM3 Panther Pink and FJ6 Green-Go (a deeper green than Sub Lime) both added at mid-year. For Plymouth, the corresponding colors were EK2 Vitamin C Orange, EV2 Tor-Red, FC7 In-Violet Metallic, FJ5 Limelight, FY1 Lemon Twist, with FM3 Moulin Rouge and FJ6 Sassy Grass Green added later.

Indeed, it appeared that all of Detroit had gone psychedelic by then; colors plus wild graphics and styling options abounded from the Big Three – scoops, blisters, wheels and wings. And the displacement wars were waging – the 440 was joined in 7+ liter territory with GMs 454” and 455” inch plants in the midsize body range that year. Chrysler did not add cubes for 1970, choosing instead to add more carbs, a package Dodge called the Six Pack.

After showing up in a handful of Road Runners and Super Bees in 1969, the 440 Six Pack was the newest mill for the Dodge line-up in 1970, available in the B-Body and E-Body performance lines and rated at 390 horses. It featured heavy-duty internals and the trio of Holley two-barrels just like the 1969 version, and its main benefit was more fuel throughout the RPM range. Indeed, it was a better street choice for many than the Hemi, since it achieved quicker peak horsepower on a lower torque curve than the 426 ‘elephant’ did. The Six Pack in this Charger R/T is coupled to a Torqueflite and a highway happy 3.23 SureGrip 8 ¾ differential.

Outside, this particular car was optioned with the white vinyl top and the longitudinal sport stripes that were new for 1970 (you could still get the Scat Pack rear-wrap stripe as well). Though it was an R/T model, it did not get a deck wing, and there was no ‘sport hood’ available yet for the Charger (that year’s Road Runners, GTXs and Coronet R/Ts, on the other hand, offered several variations). It also left the St. Louis assembly line with both left and right outside sport mirrors, tinted windshield, and front and rear bumper guards. Magnum 500 road wheels (code W23) and Goodyear Polyglas tires were part of the mix as well. . The F70 tire was the largest available from the factory on this model, but this example now uses the wider G70-14 replacements.

Inside, our Charger came with the scarce hounds-tooth buckets, covered with black vinyl featuring white cloth insets, plus the console with floor mount, woodgrain appliqué  dash with the standard Rallye cluster design (but no clock or tach), AM radio, and the black steering wheel with lower ½ horn ring.

So, who ordered it that way? Believe it or not, this was a sales bank car. These were models built by the factory for general distribution, and sales bank cars helped keep the assembly line busy and helped assure that a ready supply of cars was on hand for the dealerships. It was built very late in the 1970 year, July 10 being the scheduled production date, and may well have been done to help clean up what was laying around the plant since the Charger would undergo some serious restyling the following model year (which would actually begin a little more than a month later).

Tim and Pam Wellborn spotted it at the Mopar Nationals in 2004, and Pam knew it fit her outlook on life to a ‘T.’ Owner Dale Gyorvary had decided to sell it, and it is believed to be one of just two FM3 Six Pack Chargers built that year; the price was reasonable and Pam wanted something that could be driven around. The Six Pack fit that final requirement perfectly.

“What I like best is the color obviously, and I love ‘70 Chargers, unlike my husband, who’s crazy about the ‘71s,” she says with a grin. “The car was done, we didn’t have it do anything to it, and the white accents make this car a standout. It also has that hounds-tooth interior, and it was the only 440 Six Pack in our collection at the time. Those are all the reasons I gave Tim when I said ‘we need this car!’ that day.”

There was one other important reason: she and Tim had first dated in a 1970 440 Charger many moons ago. That car, unrestored and painted Jamaica Blue, is still in their collection as well.

This car has been featured in Musclecar Review and Old Cars Weekly magazines

This survivor 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS454 has 33,500 miles on it since new.

Museum Masterpieces by Geoff Stunkard

VEHICLE: 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454

Restored by: 33,500 mile survivor, detailed by Roger Gibson

Engine: Chevy LS6 454/450-hp

Transmission: Turbo 400

Rearend: 12-bolt, 4.10 PosiTrac

Interior: black

Wheels: Sport style

Tires: Wide Oval F70-14

Special Parts: stripe delete, cowl delete, SS trim group, AM with rear speaker.

Sticker price 1970: $4585.00

Owned by The Wellborn Musclecar Museum / Tim & Pam Wellborn

Survivor big-block musclecars are a unique breed of collector car. After all, when you signed your name to that loan for a machine with 400+ cubes and a race-inspired styling, the intention was to drive. What changed all of that was the insurance crisis that raised rates tremendously right in 1970, the gasoline crunches that ensued later in that decade, and the understanding by some owners that, as the hit song by Jim Seals and Dash Crofts recalled, ‘we may never pass this way again.’ And indeed, for machines like the LS6 Chevelle, that sentiment proved true – 454 inches with 450 ponies on tap were not long for this world. Some were tucked away, while others, like this one, were simply well-cared despite their use.

Tim and Pam Wellborn had begun gathering examples from that era’s Mopar heritage many years ago, but as their dream for their Musclecar Museum grew, they also wanted examples of other makes. After all, 1970 was a pinnacle year for performance supercars – the E-body Mopars, the Super Cobra Jet Falcon and restyled Boss Mustangs, and the upstart AMC Rebel Machine joined the fold, while GM finally dropped the corporate edict that kept anything over 400” officially out of mid-size musclecars.

So right off the factory floor came the big 455” Pontiac, Olds, and Buick beasts, examples of which all now reside in the Wellborn collection. At Chevrolet, the legendary 427 ‘rat’ motor was superseded by a new over-square powerplant with a 108.0 mm bore and 100 mm stroke; 7.4L is the math, but converted to inches (4.251 x 4.00) the designation was 454.

In this case, that order came from the Mills Chevrolet dealership in Moline, Ill., but has ‘survived’ because second owner Ivan Schildhegn knew how special it was. Ivan bought it after the first owner had traded it in on a new ’71 hemi’cuda, and the Lancaster Wis., native then owned it until his death in 2004. Ivan would go out driving and tape off the chrome 454 logos on the all-black, cowl delete machine and go out after unsuspecting stoplight rivals, who thought it was just a regular SS package car. He stopped driving it before it had run up 34,000 miles.

No luxury liner, some would consider this car ‘stripped-down,’ a sinister black-on-black, black interior, stripe delete monster. The chrome was under the hood, part the Bright Engine Accent Group that came when the LS6 option was chosen. Indeed, ordering the SS454 model got you the high-compression engine, dual exhaust, F70-14 Wide Oval tires on sport wheels, and power disc brakes. The outside appearance changes from the standard Chevelle were the domed hood (the cowl induction was deleted on this car, but hood clearance was still mandated), the SS black-out grille and black-out rear panel, and chrome wheel moldings. Creature comforts included Astro ventilation, hidden wipers, glovebox light, trunk light, and cigarette lighter; an AM radio and performance gauge cluster finished it off, shifted through a console-mounted U-handle.

In 2005, Tim was at a Mecum auction in Palm Beach, Florida and became more interested the more he examined this machine, an ultimate musclecar combination which Roger Gibson refers to as ‘Big Horse in Black,’. Provenance is critical to Tim, and especially so with an LS6 package, which can be faked. Coupled with the physical originality visible, the ProtectoPlate, build sheet, and window sticker were joined by every single servicing down to the oil changes and emissions testing. Tim chose to pass on a Challenger he had come to the auction to buy, opting instead to place this stallion on the trailer back to Alabama.

“This car drives like it is new; it’s a feeling you cannot replicate,” says Tim. “Coupled with all the paperwork, since it is easy to duplicate an LS6 install, this is a great car. People who see it appreciate it.”

It is in the Wellborn Museum now, but not out to pasture by any means…

A full feature on this car will run in Musclecar Review later this year!

Four years ago, MCG came up with the idea of a Mopar Enthusiast of the Year award - an award to honor those who go above and beyond to promote our hobby to the masses. In 2007 we honored Curtis McIntyre for creating what most enthusiasts thought Chrysler should’ve been building at that time; a modern-day Hemicuda along the lines of the new generation Challenger. Keep in mind, that was before the new Challenger had officially gone on the market! The ‘Cuda was quite an undertaking, since it had to be built off a cut down four-door Charger platform. The car was contracted to be built by the very same company, Metalcrafters, that builds Chrysler’s prototypes and concept cars - so, the end result was nothing short of what you’d expect of an auto show concept car.

For 2008, the award was expanded to encompass two individuals who are inseparable. Bob and Sharon Malcom, who are owner/operators of Malcom Chrysler/Dodge in Peebles, Ohio. Bob and Sharon exemplify what every Chrysler dealer should be, by being ambassador, literally, from coast-to-coast for Chrysler products both new and old.

The following year, as Chrysler Corporation rapidly imploded, was going through bankruptcy, and trying to reemerge under government control, the Mr. Norm’s group kicked it into overdrive and took over while Chrysler was in disarray, mass marketing specialty performance cars and making a new name for the old brand. Most people saw just how much trouble the mother company was in by mid year, at the Chryslers at Carlisle show, when the usual corporate support (new vehicle displays, ride and drives etc.) were nonexistent. If it wouldn’t have been for the large group of modern muscle cars displayed by Mr. Norm’s that year, there would have been no real new car representation at Carlisle. Financially driving the Mr. Norm’s Group is Bill Sefton, our Mopar Enthusiast of the Year for 2009. It wasn’t just Bill’s financial and business muscle that landed him the Enthusiast of the Year accolade though, it was much more than just that - it was his unselfish philosophy of sharing his personal time and car collection with other enthusiasts for ride and drives. Doing things like that sealed the deal that year.

This year, the whole world seemed to be sucking in their money to pay off loans and reduce debt. Very few were investing in the future, and spending money on muscle cars was low on everybody’s “to do” list. That’s not to say people stopped appreciating muscle cars, they just took a “let’s wait and see” approach, awaiting clarification of where things were headed, like health insurance, taxes, and interest rates. While that approach is certainly prudent, it’s that money that’s not being spent, that is needed to grease the wheels of the economy and get people back to work. Certainly not taking a blind eye to the nation’s economy, but realizing life is short, this year, Tim Wellborn and wife Pam opened an everlasting homage to the muscle car that is destined to outlast most of us, insuring muscle car history lives on long into the future. Brilliantly refurbishing a classic old car dealership in Alexandria, Alabama, the Wellborns have massed over sixty very significant muscle cars on display.

The way I understand it, Tim and Pam have a trust set up for the museum, funding it for many years after they’re gone. Because the museum is a “muscle car” museum, it houses Fords, Chevys, Buicks, Pontiacs, and AMC’s alike, but anyone who’s been there will tell you it’s a Mopar museum first and foremost. It’s also a treasure trove of Mopar history, housing original artwork, NOS parts, and even Harry Hyde’s (of K&K Insurance fame) personal briefcase with all of his original correspondence back and forth with NASCAR! The Wellborn museum is set up for a multitude of gatherings going into the future, and the plans are to have at least one gala event each year that’s designed to inspire the imagination of both young and old enthusiasts alike. There’s even talk of a brick and mortar wing being built specifically for MCG’s proposed Mopar Hall of Fame.

When you roll into the Alabama welcome center and get a free map, you’ll notice a couple of attractions pictured on the front; the USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile being one, and another being the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum! So, for 2010, we salute Tim Wellborn as Mopar Enthusiast of the Year for literally putting Mopar muscle cars on the map for years to come!

On Monday, November 22nd Chrysler brought the Hemi Highway Tour to the Museum to showcase their newly re-designed Charger and the new 392 Challenger. It was an exciting day for everyone. Many Mopar fans turned out espcially from the Deep South Mopar Club. Everyone was wowed by the cars. The new Charger is a "Charger" it has all those 70's ques that we all loved. I can see Pam and I driving one soon, especially when they come with the 6.4 engines. And I'm betting they do.

Visit redletterdodge.com and follow them on the tour across the country.

Monday, November 22, 2011 Chrysler Corporation will unveil their 2011 Dodge Charger and their 2011 Dodge Challenger at the Wellborn Musclecar Museum. The museum will be open all day - Chrysler plans to be there from 12:00 noon until 5:00pm. We hope you can make plans to attend this festive event with us.

The '71 Plymouth 'Cuda (and sister dodge Challenger R/T) was the Chrysler Corporation's last serious entry into the muscle car craze of the 1960's and early 1970's. The year 1971 marked the last year for the Chrysler "Elephant" 426cid/425hp Street Hemi, and fewer than 110 such "HemiCudas" were built. 10 of which were the ultra-rare "Holy Grail of Mopars" HemiCuda convertible. Almost as rare was the 440 Six Barrel Cuda Convertible. Production figures on these cars are only slightly higher than the Hemi, and in the quarter mile, are just as fast! Interestingly, the Hemi convertibles are currently valued at about $2,500,000+ while the six Barrel Convertibles are valued at about $600,000+, and Hemi Hardtops such as this one are valued at $750,000.

Rising insurance rates, a looming oil embargo from the Middle East, and more strict emission laws were responsible for the death of the Hemi, along with the 440-6 barrel, 440 Magnum and the 383 Magnum. De-tuned versions of the new 400 (an over-bored 383) and the 440 were still available on other Chrysler muscle cars (Road Runner and Charger) from 1972 to 1974, but because of restrictive heads, low compression, and a mild camshaft, they laced the blistering performance of their predecessors. Unfortunately, this was also the last year for the 'Cuda to have many other high performance goodies, such as the legendary "Shaker" hood scoop, elastomeric color-keyed bumpers, all "Track Pac" packages, 15" wheels, 60 series tires, any big block V-8's, rim-blow steering wheels, road lamps, "high impact" exterior colors, Go-Wings and wild body stripes that "screamed" out engine displacement. These features, combined with the fact that 1971 was the last year for Chrysler convertible, was the only year that the 'Cuda sported dual headlights and "gilled" front fenders and had VERY low production figures, all make the 1971 'Cuda the most sought after Chrysler muscle collectibles of all time!

My father and brother Curtis made a trip to Jonesboro, Georgia on a tip from a friend who had just read a local auto trader and saw a Cuda Hemi for sale. Sure enough there sat a '71 Hemi Cuda in a barn witht he usual clutter all around. The car was very dusty and the usual dents and scratches of almost 20 years of barn buse I call it. But a true unrestored car! After negotiating a price from $10,000 to $7,800 on to the trailer one of the rarest musclecars of all time.

The car by today's standards of collecting would have been bufffed and detailed and left in it's original condition even though there were small dents and scratches. But at that time we decided a fresh coat of R-4 red paint was in order. An interesting note is that we traced the original Hemi billboard of this car to reproduce the decal. Other than that repaint the car is still in it's original condition. The interior and engine are the one's that was given the car in November 1970.

The first time the car was shown was the hemi Nationals in 1987. I remember pullin into the show with an open trailer and the sho practically came to a halt. We couldn't even get the car off the trailer as everyone circled around, asking about the car. At that time very few '71 Hemi Cudas of the 110 built had actually been seen.

Because of the involvement of my father and brother in the purchase and the enjoyment this car gave us all, it is definately the pinnacle of our entire collection.

The GTO was significantly restyled in 1970 with a new Endura front fascia, prominent fender lines and a new rear end treatment. The Judge returned as the ultimate GTO, wwith splashier graphics and a more prominent rear air foil. While a new high-torque 455 cubic inch V8 was announced, it was delayed until late in the year to continue with the Ram Air engines, the most powerful of which was the 370 horsepower Ram Air IV.

The beautiful GTO offered here is truly an exceptional vehicle. According to PHS records, only 36 Ram Air IV GTO convertibles were built in 1970. Of those, only eighteen are believed to be Judges, and this is one of only six 4-speed examples known to exist. It has been faithfully restored to as-new condition with an eye toward the smallest details; even the factory radio tag and sun-visor card are present and accounted for. The Palladium Silver finish combines with the Black top and interior for probably the most understated color scheme available for the GTO. In contrast, the three-color Judge graphics, "Ram Air IV" hood and sixty-inch rear spoiler leave no doubt about this machine's purpose.

Notwithstanding the Hurst T-Handle shifter rising from its opional center console, the handsome black bucket seat interior emphasizes the luxury side of the GTO equation. Along with the wood-rimmed steering wheel, woodgrain trim surrounds the Rally gauges above an engine-turned switchplate. Other features include power steering, power front disc brakes, Soft-Ray tinted glass, color-matching hood tach, painted five-spoke steel Rally wheels and raised-white-letter Firestone Wide Oval tires.

An extremely rare, magnificently restored Ram Air IV 4-speed convertible, this 1970 GTO Judge is an outstanding example of Pontiac's greatest musclecar.

The Boss 429 is arguably one of the rarest and most valued muscle cars to date and Wellborn Musclecar Museum owns the best known surviving example of this treasure. This Boss 429 is the lowest mileage, best preserved, original 1970 Boss known to exist.

In total there were 859 original Boss 429s made. The origin of the Boss 429 comes about as a result of NASCAR. Ford was seeking to develop a Hemi engine that could compete with the famed 426 Hemi from Chrysler in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series (then known as “Grand National Division”). NASCAR’s homologation rules required that at least 500 cars be fitted with this motor and sold to the general public. After much consideration, it was decided by Ford that the Mustang would be the car that would house this new engine.

The Boss 429 engine was derived from the Ford 385 engine. The Mustang’s body however was not wide enough to encompass the massive Boss 429 engine and as a result, Ford hired Kar Kraft out of Dearborn, MI to modify existing 428 Cobra Jet Mach 1 Mustangs to properly fit the new Boss 429 engine. Kar Kraft made extensive modifications to the Mustang, including widening the shock towers and extended out the inner fenders to allow this massive engine to fit. These cars were rated conservatively at 375 hp and 450 lb·ft of torque. Actual output was well over 500 horsepower.

Visit the Wellborn Musclecar Museum today and marvel over this beauty.