427-powered muscle cars through the years
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We take a glance at some of Ford's and GM's finest that raised the performance bar thanks to 427 power
1963
CHEVROLET IMPALA Z11
Another factory dragstrip special, along with 427 power, a 4-speed manual and aluminium front panels it had no comfort items like heater or radio.
FORD GALAXIE
Two things worked for Ford in NASCAR racing in 1963 – the slippery shape of their fastback Galaxie and the power of the thundering 427 big-block powerplant.
| Read next: Holman Moody Ford Galaxie racer
MERCURY MARAUDER/MONTEREY
The 427 engine option across these models mandated a 4-speed manual transmission. Marauder 427s came with a single 4-bbl carb, the Super Marauders got twin 4-bbls.
| Read more: 1963 1/2 Mercury Marauder review
MERCURY COMET/CYCLONE/COUGAR
To avoid competing directly with Ford Thunderbolt cousins on the dragstrip, track-prepared lightweight 427 Comets ran in the specialised new experimental (A/FX) class.
| Read more: 1966 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT
1964
SHELBY COBRA/DAYTONA
Fitting a 427 in a car designed around small block Fords required substantial chassis, suspension and body mods– but hey, it was worth it.
| Read more: Shelby Cobras: AC 289, 427 & 427 S/C
FORD THUNDERBOLT
This factory dragstrip-special Fairlane Tudor was powered by a twin 4-bbl version of the 427 that insiders say produced close to 450kW max power.
1966
FORD GT40
In 1963 Henry Ford II contracted UK race car builder Eric Broadley of Lola Cars to build him a Ferrari-beating endurance racer. Early versions of the new Ford GT40 powered by Ford’s 289 V8 and then the 302 showed promise in competition in 1964-65. Then with Ford himself present at Le Mans in 1966, 427-powered . GT40s finished 1, 2, 3 in the 24-hour event. Job done!
| Read more: Ford GT40 review
FORD FAIRLANE
The Fairlane model range came with the 427 engine performance option inherited from the earlier Thunderbolt models. Potent R-code hardtops went racing.
| Read more: Ford 427 R-Code Fairlane review
CHEVROLET BISCAYNE/BELAIR/IMPALA/CAPRICE
What a sleeper a Chevrolet family car would be with 427 power and a 4-speeder or even with a Powerglide.
1969
CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
Bob Jane’s flying Camaro put its 427 to good use, convincingly taking out the 1971 Australian Touring Car Championship ahead of Alan Moffat’s Mustang.
FORD DRAG TEAM
In 1969-70 Ford’s factory drag team included two Mustang fastbacks powered by the ultimate 427, the brutish SOHC "Cammer" that set the strips alight.
| Read more: Ford 427 Cammer V8 engine
2002
HRT 427 CONCEPT
A local 427 connection, one that might have been, is the fast and furious 2002 HSV Monaro. Sadly only two pre-production examples were built.
| Read more: 2002 Holden Monaro HSV HRT 427 concept review
2008
HSV W427
This local stunner did make it into production. Launched to celebrate 20 years of HSV, with 137 examples built, it shares its 375kW LS7 427 with the C6 Z06 Corvette.
| Read more: 2008 HSV W427 review
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