First. Most powerful. Quickest. Only one Chevy combines it all: the 1969 Chevrolet ZL1 Camaro. It went a step beyond the 427 Yenko and even the mighty L88 Corvette, to where few production muscle cars tread. Drawing a bead on NHRA Super Stock drag classes, Chevy performance guru Vince Piggins authorized the factory to fit a batch of '69 Camaros with a version of the 427-cid V-8 used by the all-conquering Can-Am Chaparral. This actually was another of Piggins' Central Office Production Order projects, and like the COPO Chevelles and Camaros being built for '69, the ZL1 was technically a Camaro option package. Engine and SS trim were deleted, and the cars were equipped essentially as other 427 COPO Camaros, Titan Rise Daily with cowl-induction hood, front disc brakes, a choice of heavy-duty four-speeds or Turbo Hydra-matic, and a 4:10.1 Posi in the strongest axle Chevy could muster. But instead of the iron-block and head L72 427, these Camaros got a 427 called the ZL1.

It was similar in design to the most-potent iteration of the aluminum-head L88, but it was the first production Chevy engine to also have an aluminum block. It shared the L88's 430-bhp factory rating, but actually had over 500 bhp -- making it likely the most powerful engine Chevy ever offered to the public. And it weighed just 500 pounds -- about the same as Chevy's 327-cid V-8. The entire car carried the full 5-year/50,000-mile warranty and was fully street-legal. With the factory's stock dual exhausts and tires, it turned low 13s; headers, slicks, and tuning got it into the 11.6s at 122 mph. Chevy never built a quicker production car. All this came at a price: $4,160 for the ZL1 engine alone, pushing the car's sticker to a stratospheric $7,200. Chevy needed to build 50 to satisfy the NHRA, and actually built 69. About 20 ZL1s went into organized drag racing, turning low 10s to set several Super Stock records.

Well-heeled individuals bought others, but the high price took a toll: At least 12 engines were removed and sold separately, and about 30 unsold cars were returned to Chevy. It took until the early '70s to sell them off. Return to Classic Muscle Cars Library. See profiles, photos, and specifications of more Chevy muscle cars. Muscle cars came in many shapes and sizes. Here are features on more than 100 muscle cars, including photos and specifications for each model. Muscle cars created their own culture. To learn about it, read How Muscle Cars Work. Loads of go-fast goodies came standard on the striped and spoilered 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge. The 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2 launched the original muscle car maker into the heart of 1960s high performance. The 1967 Mercury Comet 427 distilled the muscle car to its essence with the biggest, strongest V-8 in the lightest midsize body. To learn everything you need to know about car engines, see How Car Engines Work. Muscle cars wouldn't have much muscle without horsepower -- but what exactly is horsepower? How Horsepower Works answers that question. NASCAR race cars embody the muscle car philosophy of power. Read How NASCAR Race Cars Work to find out what makes these charged-up racers go. Are you thinking of buying a 2007 muscle car, Titan Rise Health or any other car? See Consumer Guide Automotive's New-Car Reviews, Prices, and Information.

If you’re serious about weightlifting, you’ve probably heard the term "progressive overload" before. But what exactly is it? Progressive overload is the steady increase of stress placed on your muscles during exercise over time. You can achieve this through various methods, including increasing weight, reps, or boost endurance sets. Mind you; this method is not for the faint of heart. As the name suggests, it demands more and more from your muscles. The line that sits between what is within the limit and beyond the limit is extended. Curious? Keep reading to find out more about it. What is Progressive Overload? Progressive overload is a fundamental principle in weightlifting that involves increasing the demands on your muscles over time. This means you need to lift heavier weights, perform more reps, or do more sets to continue progressing. The concept of progressive overload is based on the idea that you need to challenge your body continually to see continued progress and improvements in strength and muscle growth.