While I'm a big fan of the Pontiac GTO, I'm not very fond of the 1968 and 1969 versions design-wise. I prefer the first-generation and early 1970s models. However, the late 1960s GTO is an appealing rig when it comes to performance.
In 1969, for instance, the Ram Air III gave the GTO 366 horsepower on tap. Pontiac also offered a Ram Air IV system good for 370 horsepower. And both were potent enough to push the GTO down the quarter-mile in less than 14 seconds.
Why am I talking about the 1969 GTO of all golden-era muscle cars? Well, it's because a Ram Air III Poncho was spotted racing against a 1969 Mercury Cougar at a Pure Stock Muscle Drag Race event. And it's not just any Cougar. This FoMoCo-built muscle car is a rare Eliminator with a 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet V8 under the hood.
One of Ford's most iconic engines from the golden era, the Cobra Jet cranks out 335 horsepower and 440 pound-feet (597 Nm) of twist thanks to a 10.6:1 compression ratio. The GTO, on the other hand, hits the drag strip with 366 horses and 445 pound-feet (603 Nm) of torque. The cars are quite different in the gearbox department, though. While the Cougar features an automatic, the GTO boasts a four-speed manual transmission.
And while you may be tempted to think the GTO is the winner thanks to the extra 31 horsepower, you need to know that the Poncho also packs a bit of excess weight. Precisely, it tips the scales at 205 pounds (93 kg) more than the Cougar.
The latter, by the way, is also a rare gem. Mercury sold more than 2,000 Eliminators in 1969, but only 162 were built in this exact configuration. All told, watching an Eliminator Cobra Jet flex its muscle at the drag strip is quite a rare treat.
Moving onto the race, the GTO narrowly wins the first duel with a 14.29-second pass at almost 101 mph (163 kph). Yes, the Cougar stopped the clock at 14.21 seconds and nearly 97 mph (156 kph), but the Pontiac driver had a better reaction time and crossed the finish line first.
The second race is even closer than the first one, with the muscle cars set apart by only 0.01 seconds. It's the Cougar that takes home the win with a 14.21-second run at 97 mph, while the GTO follows with a 14.22-second pass at 100 mph (161 kph).
The cars line up for the decider, and it looks like the Cougar is off to a second win, but something goes wrong toward the end, and the driver slows down before the finish line. The Pontiac wins with an impressively quick run at 14.18 seconds and 99 mph (159 kph). Watch the drama unfold in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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