This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/cars by /u/OldCarWorshipper on 2025-08-13 04:42:50+00:00.
Some of my own personal examples:
Back when I was in college, a buddy of mine had a plain, base model 1968 Mercury Cougar with the 390FE engine. It was neither the sporty GT nor the luxurious XR-7- just the plain bargain basement Cougar with a big ass engine. Here's where it gets weird. It had the big 390 with GT heads, but a 2-barrel carb and peg leg rear end. My friend quickly remedied both of those with a trip to the junkyard.
In addition to the Ford's legendary Boss 429 Mustang, there was either two or three factory Boss 429 Cougars that were built.
Chevy performance dealer Baldwin-Motion built a 454 Vega.
I read in an old Mopar magazine an article about a couple who owned and drag raced a '63 Dodge Polara wagon. The original owner was a preacher who ordered it with a 426 wedge, heavy duty suspension, and radio delete.
In another Mopar magazine, I read about a returning American GI from Vietnam who ordered his dream car- a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda convertible with the luxury "Gran Coupe" package. Unfortunately, the soldier had to back out of the purchase due to financial constraints. The dealer had a rough time selling such an oddball and pricey vehicle until it finally found a home. It still survives to this day.
Many years ago, the owner of the Mustang parts place I used to go to briefly owned the 1 of 1 1963 Ford Thunderbird Italien fastback show car.
In the mid to late 1970s, aftermarket performance tuner DKM built and sold their own hot rodded version of the 2nd gen Camaro. Interestingly, rather than choose the flashy Z28 as the base for their product, they chose the luxurious Berlinetta instead.
I once read about a completely original C2 Corvette that rolled out the factory doors with the 390-horse 427 big block hooked to a 2-speed Powerglide.
Saving the worst for last- the first generation Cadillac Seville with the noisy, smelly, and gutless 5.7 liter Olds diesel as an option.
What weird factory or tuner combos have YOU seen or heard of?