First launched in 1958, the Maine Motors Convict soon became an ute with a fun twist: a big block V8 under the hood. With rear leaf springs and an unibody construction, the car was capable of carrying loads and towing, as well as some offroading, but what people craved the car for was the power.
After the oil crisis, most people didn’t want engines as big as before. So Maine Motors swapped the 440 ci engine from the Imperator with a new generation of the Starbanner: a 380 ci (6.2L), high torque unit producing 300hp. The 1976 model was the first one to see the six-pack carburetor (three two barrel carburetors) come back. Combined with a traditional OHV valvetrain, the engine produced 328 lb-ft of torque at 4300rpm and 300hp at 5000rpm.
This engine, which sent the power to the rear wheels through either a 3 speed automatic or a 4 speed manual, managed to propel the car from 0 to 62 mph in 5.8 seconds, as well as complete the 1/4 mile in 14.3 seconds. The car topped out at 135 mph.
