Jay Leno's Favorite American Muscle Cars

The Drive's Sean Evans stops by Jay Leno's Garage to hear the stories behind some of Jay's favorite American muscle in his collection: '71 Hemi Dodge Challenger, crate-engined Buick Roadmaster, Ford Galaxie 500 7-liter, and 1,000+-hp RWD Oldsmobile Toronado.

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Shot by 0484CREATIVE, edited by Erica Lourd and produced by Cait Knoll.

[GeorgiGeorgiev-neps]

the best carguy story i have ever heard in my life is Jay tricking his father to get the muffler delete in the galaxie. Seriously its pricelss

[josephjakubec]

Love Jay Leno, real car guy."It's a car, I drive it." Exactly. If you can't afford to drive it don't buy it. Tired of the investors buying cars and locking them away. Jay is not one of them.

[discostoo]

Only issue I have with this video is that it wasn't 3 hours long.

[venomhemi]

Yep, I'd still take that orange 70s Challenger over a new hellcat.

[JapanScott]

Cars are cool. Jay is cool. But hearing the stories of Jay sneaking one past is father when ordering a new car is even more cool! Jay, I hope you're around for a long, long time preserving and sharing car culture for us all!

[johngerson]

The "Ford options story" puts me in mind of a friend who's mother let him do the options page on the '66 Nova Wagon that she purchased brand new. He checked off every "HO" (I'm pretty sure the motor was a 327 HO, basically a 'Vette powerplant) and rear-end/suspension upgrade option lol. Had a sleeper/tire broiler when it arrived. One day he was cutting donuts in the parking lot of the local burger drive-in while all his friends watched, and his Mom walked up (while he was going 'round mind you!), jerked the door open and snatched the keys! From then on, whenever he and his buds were getting up to stuff that was "questionable" and they wanted to get a rise out of him, they'd say "Hey man, here comes your Mother!", which never failed to make him look around to see if she really was! True story. Rest easy MagicBird...

[dustydon]

Jay is an American Icon. He’s already made his place in history books. Nothing like a gear head who’s career benefits were spent in this way. This dude entertained us with his humor and this is how he gives back. What a real American! Got to be the most unselfish man on the earth at this time.
Thanks Jay Leno

[VinzentDk]

Jay’s collection is an example of what you can do when money is never a concern. Wow. 1000hp Toronado, who else would do that 😀

[steveo]

If I remember right, Jay told the tricking his father story on the Tonight Show years ago. What he told on the show that was not in this video was, one day Jay was looking for something in one of his father's drawers and came across a speeding ticket his father had gotten in the car, for going 120 mph. Jay's knowledge of all his vehicles and motorcycles is amazing.

[VNNZTC]

I really like your comment about not using large diameter wheels and tyres...so many beautiful old cars are spoiled by putting those large wheels when they do nothing for the looks of the car...

[zachg]

Jay is a true car guy. He has everything.

[MichiganPowersports]

That 71 challenger is downright gorgeous.

[gutz]

It warms my heart to hear his "Father and muscle car" story. I think (Me included) if you grew up in the 70s-80s your 30 something dad at one point had an old car that was in the V8 muscle range and you remember fond trips in it and you absorbed the energy both it and your father was sharing with you. It saddens me to know, that that type of childhood memory is going away now and our kids of today won't know that feeling of driving with your dad in a car that made you feel tiny yet strong at the same time. Miss my dad and that car.

[LManonymous]

That challenger is my dream car, i didn't knew jay had one so perfect.

[jaymoe.]

WHY THE HELL WOULD I ORDER THE MUFFLER DELETE PACKAGE?! Because you ordered the police pursuit package. Now thats funny, i wish i could just order something like that now

[jamesfeisley]

Jay IS AWESOME! His stories are so wonderfully told.
The Roadmaster will be the most valuable in his collection.

[TLCHobbies]

the 70 Challenger is defiantly one my favorite classic muscle car!

[BlackStigz]

My favorite would be the Roadmaster. Such a classic.

[thedoeg]

Pretty cool. Jay Leno is such a likeable person.

[Johnnykgb-nsa]

I never get enough not only of looking at Jay's car's, but just as much, listening to him talk about them. Which is just as exciting to me if not more. Thanks for sharing. John