Top 8 Fastest Muscle Cars of 1964

The famed muscle car era began in 1964 with the Pontiac GTO’s introduction. 

With a 389 CID V8, 3×2-bbl carburetors, and 4-speed manual transmission in a mid-size body style, the GTO quickly attracted young buyers seeking straight-line performance.

While considered the first muscle car, the 1964 Pontiac GTO wasn’t the only one released that year. Others, including the Mustang, 4-4-2, and Malibu SS, were also introduced.

However, when it came to performance, the class of 1964 muscle cars wasn’t all created equal.

Keep reading to see which vehicles made it to the top of the fastest muscle cars of 1964 list. 

Fastest 1964 Muscle Cars

How did I determine the fastest muscle cars of 1964?

Historic data was used from 1964 car magazines—including publications like Road & Track, Motorcade, and Car Life—to determine the ranking of all the vehicles on this list.

Discover all the details including the make, model, cubic inches, torque, quarter-mile times, and quarter-mile speed for each muscle car that made top honors. Production figures are also provided when available.

Pontiac GTO 389 Tri-Power

In its debut year, the Pontiac GTO was the fastest muscle car in 1964. Powered by a 389 CID V8 fed by 3×2-bbls with 10.75:1 compression, 348 horsepower, and 428 lb-ft torque.

In Road & Track magazine’s March 1964 issue, a ’64 GTO ran a best of 14.1 seconds in the quarter-mile, traveling at 104.16 miles per hour.

In the first year of production, Pontiac produced an impressive 32,450 GTOs, with 7,384 coupes, 18,422 hardtops, and 6,644 convertibles.

Ford Mustang 289 Hi-Po

In second place is the lightweight 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang K-Code powered by a 289 Hi-Po engine with 10.5:1 compression, 271 horsepower, and 312 lb-ft torque.

A mid-year model entry, the Mustang is often referred to as a 1964 1/2 model year. Ford’s pony car was an instant success selling 92,705 coupes and 28,833 convertibles—which is remarkable for only a six-month period.

In Motorcade magazine’s October 1964 issue, a ’64 1/2 Mustang 289 Hi-Po ran a 14.68-second quarter-mile, traveling at 95 miles per hour earning it a second-place trophy—an impressive accomplishment for any small block.

Plymouth Sport Fury 426S

In third place is the Plymouth Sport Fury 426S Street Wedge.

The Sport Fury was powered by a 426 CID V8 with 10.3:1 compression, 365 horsepower, 470 lb-ft torque, and backed by an A-727 automatic transmission and 3.90 rear gears.

Said to be easier to tune than a 426 Max Wedge, the 426S Street Wedge was tuned to be a more enjoyable daily driver during the workweek and an A/Stock class contender over the weekend.

In Motor Trend magazine’s January 1964 issue, one ran a 15.2-second quarter-mile, traveling at 95.5 miles per hour.

Dodge Polara 500 426S

Fourth place goes to the 1964 Dodge Polara 500 426S.

Not to be outdone by Plymouth, Dodge also offered a 426 Street Wedge with 10.3:1 compression, 365 horsepower, and 470 lb-ft torque in its 330, 440, Polara, and Polara 500 models.

In Car Life magazine’s March 1964 issue, a 426S equipped Polara 500 ran a 15.2-second quarter-mile, traveling at 89 miles per hour—6.5 miles per hour slower than its Plymouth counterpart.

In total, Dodge produced 17,787 Polara 500s.

 Studebaker Lark R2 289

In fifth place is the little-known 1964 Studebaker Lark R2 powered by a 289 CID V8 with 9:1 compression, 289 horsepower, and 306 lb-ft of torque.

In Mototrend magazine’s December 1964 issue, a 64 Lark R-2 ran a best of 15.8-second quarter-mile, traveling at 90 miles per hour.

Oldsmobile 4-4-2 330

Sixth place goes to the 64 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 powered by a small block 330 CID V8 with 10.25:1 compression, 310 horsepower, and 355 lb-ft of torque.

What’s unique about the 64 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 is that a small handful of four-door versions were made. In total, there were ten produced between F-85 4-door sedans and F-85 Deluxe 4-door sedans.

Just how fast was the 4-4-2 powered by a 330 CID V8? In Car Life magazine’s August 1964 issue, one ran a 15.8-second quarter-mile, traveling at 89 miles per hour.

Oldsmobile produced 2,999 4-4-2s, with 1,842 Cutlass Holiday, 563 Cutlass sport coupes, 436 Cutlass convertibles, 148 F-85 club coupes, 7 F-85 deluxe 4-doors, and 3 F-85 4-door sedans.

Mercury Comet Cyclone 289

In seventh place is the 64 Mercury Comet Cyclone powered by a 289 engine—a mid-year option—with 10.0:1 compression, 210 horsepower, and 300 lb-ft torque.

While the 289 Hi-Po engine wasn’t available in the Cyclone until 1965, the standard 289 4-bbl still made the list. In Motor Trend magazine’s August 1964 issue, one ran a best of 16.2 seconds, traveling at 80 miles per hour.

Mercury produced 7,454 Cyclones.

Chevrolet Malibu SS 327

In eighth place is the 1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS powered by a 327 CID V8 with 10.5:1 compression, 300 horsepower, and 360 lb-ft torque.

1964 was the first year for Malibu SS model was introduced with a small block engine. The Malibu SS wouldn’t see a big block engine until 1966 when the 396 was introduced.

A Malibu SS powered by a 327 small block was pretty slow, even by 1964 standards. In Car Life magazine’s March 1964 issue, one ran a 16.2-second quarter-mile, traveling at 84 miles per hour.

Chevrolet produced 67,085 Malibu SS models, with 57,445 hardtops and 9,640 convertibles.

Take Our Poll!

Well, there you have the fastest muscle cars of 1964. Up next are the fastest muscle cars from 1965 where you can also vote on your favorite. Be sure to subscribe if you enjoyed this article!

Ryan

Ryan has owned muscle cars since 1986 and currently owns a 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye. He combines passion and experience to create engaging content for fellow muscle car enthusiasts. In 2018, he founded Muscle Cars Illustrated, authoring hundreds of articles on tips, history, and trends in the muscle car industry. He attends national car shows, auctions, and museums to stay current with the latest developments in the muscle car industry.

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