A rare 1968 Pontiac Firebird Ram Air II narrowly loses to a 1970 AMC AMX in an incredibly close drag race.
Two of the rarest muscle cars from the golden era went head-to-head in a thrilling showdown at a recent Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race (PSMCDR) event. A 1968 Pontiac Firebird Ram Air II coupe squared off against a 1970 AMC AMX 390 Go Package in one of the closest quarter-mile duels the series has seen in years.
The AMC AMX, produced from 1968 to 1970, stood apart as one of the only American-built two-seat muscle cars, positioned as an alternative to the Corvette. For 1970, only 4,116 examples were produced, with just 1,632 equipped with the 390-cubic-inch V8 and a manual gearbox. Rated at 325 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, the AMX competing at the event was fully optioned with the Go Package, which included power disc brakes, heavy-duty suspension, a Twin Grip differential, and ram air induction.
Its rival, the 1968 Pontiac Firebird Ram Air II, is even rarer. Of the more than 100,000 Firebirds sold that year, only 110 were delivered with the Ram Air II option. This particular car is one of just 12 paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. Beneath the hood, the 400-cubic-inch V8 with Ram IV heads was rated at 340 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque, offering a slight edge in output but offset by an additional 148 pounds of curb weight.
On the strip, the AMX claimed victory in the first two runs, recording times of 12.78 and 12.86 seconds, edging out the Firebird’s 13.08 and 13.00-second passes. But the third and final matchup delivered the real drama: the Firebird surged to its best run, clocking 12.92 seconds—just 0.02 behind the AMX’s 12.90.
For fans of classic muscle cars, the race was a showcase not only of rarity but also of how closely matched two icons from rival manufacturers could be when pushed to their limits.
