4. 1962 Ford Galaxie 406
Ford was present on the drag racing scene, but in the early ’60s, it was losing ground to those powerful Mopars and Pontiacs. The biggest Blue Oval engine was the 390 V8. But, it just wasn’t enough compared to the mighty 421 Super Duty and 413 Max Wedge V8. So, guys from Dearborn bored the venerable 390 and got a new 406 V8 for 1962 model year.
The new engine delivered 385 HP in standard trim, but with an optional six-barrel intake system, it pumped out a respectable 405 HP. Those G-Code cars were rare, but they found their way onto the race tracks. They showed that Ford is capable of defending its turf against those Mopars and Pontiacs. But the best was yet to come from Ford.