When looking for an ultra-high power muscle car during the 1960s, chances are an interested gearhead would be steered towards a big-block beast like the Oldsmobile 4-4-2 or Chevrolet Chevelle SS, or perhaps a Mustang with the Boss 429 powerplant. For those not looking for a drag racer for the road, however, there was also a selection of small-block V8-equipped cars.

As well as being cheaper than their big-block siblings, the small-block engines are more compact and lighter. Bearing in mind that every muscle car of the era had its engine up front, this improved weight distribution, and therefore handling.

For drivers looking for a well-balanced and enjoyable experience, going down the small-block route certainly had its advantages. Nobody ever wanted less grunt though, so HotCars tracked down the torquiest small-block V8 muscle car built during the 1960s.

Oldsmobile Cutlass W-31 Owns The Title For The Torquiest Small-Block V8 From The '60s

Oldsmobile Rocket V8 W-31 Specs

(Source: Oldsmobile)

While the 4-4-2 was the range-topping Cutlass on offer from Oldsmobile in 1968 with its big-block 400 ci V8, which offered 345 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, the lower-end models weren't exactly gutless. Also featuring historic American car brand Olds' legendary Rocket V8, the standard version had a slightly larger stroke at 4.057, though a significantly smaller bore to result in a 350 ci powerplant.

It also came with a two-barrel carburetor, unlike the 400's four-barrel component, while its compression ratio was also lower at 9.1:1 compared to 10.5:1. This setup allowed it to put out 246 hp and 355 lb-ft, not as much as the mighty 4-4-2, but not exactly weak either. For those wanting a more potent small block, the W-31 package came swooping in, cape and all.

How The W-31 Package Added Torque

While the bulk of the 350 ci engine remained the same as in the standard model, the W-31 was afforded several key upgrades that helped to boost power significantly. The clearest enhancement was the addition of a four-barrel carb like its bigger brother, which allowed more fuel to be blasted into the equation to create more grunt.

The W-31 package took power to 305 hp, while torque shot up to an impressive 390 lb-ft. While still a fair way short of the halo 4-4-2, the Rocket V8 W-31 package boosted the standard Cutlass' pace by a decent margin. It was also enough to give it the title of the torquiest small-block V8 from the 1960s.

Ram Rod 350 Option Featured Cherry-Picked Performance Upgrades

The enhanced Rocket V8, which went by the name of Ram Rod 350, used the same cylinder head castings as the base powerplant. It did, however, get the upsized valves from the game-changing 455 V8, which helped to increase airflow into the engine and boost power. The camshaft timing was also made more aggressive so that the power band would move to a higher RPM.

This had the effect of creating a rough idle lower down, which meant all W-31s sold had to have manual brakes rather than power-assisted. This is because the vacuum needed to run the power-assisted brakes wasn't powerful enough due to the power available at low RPM, making power brakes impossible for this setup.

The 350 was also graced with a beefier harmonic balancer, which reduced vibrations being sent to the crankshaft from the engine. The vibrations not only put the crank under heavier stress, leading to damage and possible failure over time but also mean it doesn't work as efficiently. The final addition to the W-31s potent powertrain was a ram-air induction system.

A sequence of scoops located beneath the front bumper fed big intakes that led all the way to a dual-snorkel air cleaner, which in turn traveled to the engine. The extra airflow allowed the Rocket V8 to produce even more power.

Cutlass W-31 Was Not A Popular Option

While the W-31 engine option brought the fury needed to make a standard Cutlass walk the muscle car walk, there was more available to ensure the car could handle the same way it accelerated. While the small-block V8 improved weight distribution, there was also a Rally Sport suspension setup as a tickable box on the order form.

This featured uprated springs and shocks to help reduce body roll and sharpen up the ride, while beefier stabilizer bars helped to enhance the chassis rigidity even further. A limited-slip differential was also available as an option, while all W-31s came with either a three- or four-speed manual transmission.

As it turned out, the market for an uprated base Cutlass wasn't as strong as Oldsmobile hoped. According to Hemmings, only 742 W-31-optioned Cutlasses were made in 1968. While sales numbers snuck up slightly to 913 and 1,352 in '69 and '70, the option was axed after 1970 due to the low demand.

High-Output Small-Block Pontiac Firebird Was Another Potent GM Offering

Pontiac 350 HO

(Source: Pontiac)

General Motors had the whole small-block V8 thing nailed in the latter portion of the '60s, as the second torquiest example came from one of its other brands, Pontiac. The achievement came courtesy of the 350 ci V8 placed under the hood of its iconic Firebird model.

Like sister brand Oldsmobile, Pontiac offered a standard and enhanced version of their small-block 350, in this case dubbed 'High-Output.' While the standard engine had a two-barrel carb, the HO was gifted a four-barrel component. The powerplant's compression ratio had also been hiked up from 9.2:1 to 10.5:1, while the camshaft timing was increased.

The upgraded engine saw power and torque levels shoot up from the 265 hp and 355 lb-ft available in the standard 350 to 320 hp and 380 lb-ft in the HO variant. While not enough to eclipse the Rocket V8 mounted in its Cutlass cousin, Pontiac's 350 HO unit was still a strong runner-up in the small-block torque contest.

Pontiac's Hot Firebird Was More Popular Than The Cutlass W-31

Available with a three- or four-speed manual gearbox or a two-speed auto unit, the Firebird ended up selling significantly better in 1968 than its Cutlass equivalent. As per Barrett Jackson Auctions, Pontiac managed to move a total of 2,638 examples of the Firebird with the 350 HO that year.

This is over three times the number of Cutlass W-31s that Olds was able to offload. This is arguably because Pontiac was more prolific in the performance car arena at the time, though the Firebird also had a weight advantage. While the Cutlass weighed in at 3,463 pounds, Pontiac's challenger tipped the scales at only 3,226 lbs. The Firebird's 15 hp power advantage also likely played a part, given power figures tend to get more attention than torque numbers.

Oldsmobile Holds The Title Of Torquiest Small-Block From The 1960s

This Firebird's lighter weight not only helps acceleration but also ensures the vehicle is more agile and effective through the bends and under braking. That being said, the Olds' W-31 350 V8 still produces more torque than the Firebird. That alone means it gets the honorable label of being the 1960s small-block V8 muscle car with the most torque.