Auto World American Muscle 1970 Plymouth Duster 340 vs Chevrolet Nova SS 396
1970 was a big year for big-engine, big-money muscle cars, and Detroit’s Big Three were locked in a power struggle. Halo models like the Hemi and Six Pack Mopars, the GTO Judge, Ford’s Bosses and Cobra Jets, and Chevy’s new big brute the SS 454 fought for bragging rights on the streets, at drag strips, and, in the allimportant dealer showrooms. High horsepower was key, but increasingly the battle was as much about image as timeslips. Panache mattered at least as much as performance, so graphics got bolder, equipment lists got longer, and sticker prices skyrocketed as fast as horsepower ratings! That and increasingly hefty surcharges from insurance companies were pricing many customers right out of the muscle car game. Affordable alternatives were sorely needed.
One of the first to answer the call was Chevrolet. The compact Chevy II Nova had offered a Super Sport option since 1963, but its squarish lines didn’t look terribly sporty, so the 1968 redesign incorporated a sleek tapered fastback roofline that mirrored the look of Chevy’s mainstream muscle car the Chevelle and borrowed liberally from the Camaro under the skin. The Nova now looked the part, and the SS package came standard with a 295hp 350 V8 for less than $2700,
