1970 Ford Torino SCJ Shows 1969 Olds Cutlass W-31 Who's Boss on the Quarter-Mile

Before you argue that the muscle car era had to offer far better performance vehicles, I need to mention that these aren't run-of-the-mill rigs. The Torino, for instance, is a Super Cobra Jet, arguably the meanest version of the nameplate.

Fitted with a couple of poorly-advertised options back in the day, the SCJ comes with a 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 with high-performance extras like four-bolt mains, a solid-lifter cam, Holley carburetor, unique cylinder heads, and forged aluminum pistons.

It also had an 11.3:1 compression ratio and the Drag Pack, all of which contributed to an output of 375 horsepower and 450 pound-feet (610 Nm) of torque and a quarter-mile run of only 13.85 seconds. You can find out more about this beast in our coverstory.

The other lane is occupied by a 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass of the W-31 variety. Yes, it's powered by a smaller, 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) V8, but the air induction, Quadrajet carburetor, aluminum intake manifold, and the more aggressive cam that comes with the W-31 bundle increase output to 325 horsepower and 360 pound-feet (488 Nm) of torque.

Does this Olds have what it takes to outgun the Torino at the drag strip? Well, despite and strong start that gives it a solid lead, the Cutlass isn't powerful enough to hold onto it and loses the race. The Ford crosses the finish line first at the Mid Michigan Motorplex, with a 13.08-second run, while the Olds has to settle for a 13.21-second pass. But both cars are notably quicker than their factory estimates.

That's because they compete in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race series which allows a long list of modifications under the hood. The footage was shot at last year's PSMCDR event and you can check it out by hitting the play button below.