| Fast Cars, yeah it's a craze that has existed since the time of the chariots is Rome! Although many believe that the Muscle Car Era started in the 1960's. Which is kind of correct. True, the term was first used in the sixties, but as early as the late 1940's, America's youth were converting their automobiles into souped up Muscle Cars. When the war was over, many young soldiers returned home and started putting loads of cash into their cars. In those times, and like the present, automobiles expressed the ultimate symbol of freedom and independence. Why it happened? Who knows, there are many opinions, Rock and Roll music was still a long way off. Anyway, it started out quite basic and increased into full-blown chop shops and performance shops very soon after. Though these cars were usually referred to as Hot Rods because they came from the manufacturers with quite low power and speed capabilities. It is believed they could still be considered the birth of Muscle Cars in America. The fifties was a great time for the automobile, the manufactures broke the mould and cars like the T bird, Corvette and Chevy Bel-Air were released. Studebakers, which were technologically advanced for their time, hit the market. However, the inventing of the term was still to come. What is a muscle car and how did the phrase originate? The concept of owning a automobile for more than just getting about had been around from the start of the century. Since the production of the first, people were coming up with ways to obtain more power and speed. By the late 60's the major car manufacturers had fine tuned that art themselves. Starting with the 64 1/2 Mustang GT, the remainder of that time in history gave birth to many incredible and awesome cars. As manufacturers one upped the competition, the cars increased their power. Leading to the creation of the era of American Muscle Cars. So totally American in many ways, the 60's Muscle cars expressed more than just a time in automobile history. Which were so original, are still sought after to this day. The phrase Muscle Car stirs memories of big block cars like the 426 Hemi Cuda, the Boss 429 Mustang, the Shelby 427 Cobra, or the 440 Roadrunner. Which it should, however the phrase does include also those other performance cars of the time with smaller blocks like the 351 Mustang Mach 1, 302 Z28 Camaro, Corvettes, Boss 302 Mustang, 340 Duster, to mention a few. What makes a car a Muscle Car? If you lived in those years, you probably already know. But if you were not around to see the American car manufacturers attempting to out do the competition with larger, more advanced, quicker versions, there are some of the typical features. First off the car would be a limited version of a street car, as like the Mach 1/GT's and the Boss 302 Mustang. Having some particular type of performance suspension created for going from 0 to 100 as fast as possible or to handle well on a track or often both, like the Barracuda AAR. Also having some type of high output motor or the largest motor that could be squeezed under the hood, as were demonstrated with the Z28 Camaro or the Boss 429 Mustang. Why where they manufactured? Basically as like any car is that people will purchase it. Though this is not always completely true, as like the Boss 429, Ford lost money on every car produced. They sold them to create a better performance image for Ford and to obtain NASCAR requirements for a minimum number of the motors be produced in cars so it could qualify to be raced on the track. No better model to place the 429 engine in then than the Mustang. These Pony Cars of the mid to late 60's had a huge influence on creation of the Muscle Car era. Ford and Lee Iococca were correct when surveys told them the US market wanted more original cars, with more options and sportier cars. The young baby boomer public wanted to order a car to their specific taste. Soon after the first appearance of Ford's Mustang, Chevrolet brought out the Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird, Chrysler produced the Barracuda/Cuda and Plymouth released the Duster. Creating a time when every American Car manufacturer had a Muscle car or two offered to the public. Series II racing was introduced by the mid-60's with the new pony cars. The birth of Trans American Racing (Trans Am). American Motors even participated in Trans Am races with the Javelin AMX. Ford released a more stream-line Mustang in 1969 with an improved 302 motor to compete. Coining the phrase " Win races on Sunday, Sell cars on Monday", which went on until car insurance costs and an oil crisis killed off demand for these awesome cars. However as long as man have testosterone, the market for high performance automobiles will never go away. At worse it was stifled by the high cost of fuel and insurance. After the oil crisis of the 70's settled down, special cars appeared again that could be named Muscle cars. As like the Mustang GT/Cobra, the Viper, the Camaros and Trans Am Firebirds. The new high performance cars are in many ways better and faster cars than those classics. The later suspensions are much better, and the motors more exotic. Even the tires far superior to what was offered back then. As far as car history goes though, the true Muscle cars came out of the 60's and early 70's. |
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Examples of recent Muscle/American cars at
1932 FORD HI-BOY HOT ROD
This is an outstanding example of a classic street rod. Professionally built by California Street Rods utilizing a Wescott body. Features include a 3-piece aluminium hood with an original 1932 grille and shell and a louvered rear roll pan. The interior is superb being all leather including a leather-lined trunk with a remote under dash access control and beautiful carpet that looks like Wilton Wool for both the interior and trunk. Instrumentation is all VDO analog. Chrome work is abundant on the front and rear suspension with the front being a 4-bar dropped eye beam with disc brakes and the rear is a 9-inch Ford with 4-link and coil over shocks. Steering is Vega with a tilt steering column. Wheels are Colorado Customs with Good Year Eagles, 195x50x15 on the front and 225x55x17 at the rear. Power comes from a new crate Chevrolet ZZ 345 horsepower engine with a Holley carburetor coupled to a Turbo 400 transmission. Finished in Signal Red with Parchment Interior.
1963 CORVETTE STING RAY SPLIT WINDOW FUELIE
1963 was the first year for the Sting Ray body style and the only year to feature the split rear window. Total production for 1963 model year Sport Coupes was a very low 10,594 units with only 2,610 featuring the L84 engine option with Fuel Injection. The Saddle leather trim featured in this car only came in 1,114 cars. Sports Car Graphic road tested one of these when new and said it did the ¼ mile in 14.2 seconds at 102 mph with a top speed of 151 mph. Some of the requested numbers on this car are as follows: Engine casting 3782870; engine stamping 3116580 F0603RF; fuel injection 7017375; exhaust manifolds, passenger 3797902GM and drivers 3797942. The data plate has the following numbers: J1; style 63 837; body 8585; trim 898G; paint 923A. Having had a frame off restoration a few years ago this car still shows extremely well and if entered in a street driven category would probably do very well at any car show. Other equipment includes an original style AM/FM radio; knock off alloy wheels and wide white wall radial tyres. Power from the fuel-injected engines in this year was rated at 360 horsepower with this being coupled to a 4-speed Muncie gearbox. Totally stunning is the only way to describe the appearance of this car. Finished in Riverside Red (923A) with Saddle Leather interior (898G).
1967 PONTIAC GTO HARDTOP
GTO’s are so incredibly hard for us to get and to find one as nice as this is great. 1967 is the last year for this really great looking body style before changing to the more Coke Bottle style of 1968. This example is powered by the 400 cubic V8 motor originally rated at 335 horsepower and is coupled to the automatic transmission with the His and Hers shifter, bucket seats and center console. Other equipment includes air conditioning, power steering and power brakes. This is a very nice example with excellent interior, paint and bodywork. Finished in Deep Maroon with a Black Vinyl top and Black interior.
1967 CAMARO RS 327 CONVERTIBLE
These are very rare, being the first year for the Camaro with only 10,675 RS convertibles made makes them very desirable and difficult to obtain. This one is a very nice unmolested example with some really great options and a very solid and straight body, with no signs of rust. This is a Van Nuys, California built car with extensive records. Powered by the 327 cubic inch V8 engine with a 3-speed turbo hydramatic automatic transmission. Options include tilt steering wheel, power steering, power brakes with discs at the front, power windows and center console with the instrument pack and bucket seats. It has 1971 Rally Wheels, colour coded to the car and the RS hide away headlights are working well. The stereo is a Kenwood AM/FM system with a 10 disc CD changer in the trunk, and rather than cut any holes in the car, the easily removed large speakers sit loose behind the front seats. The paint is superb, having just been refinished in (original) Bright Metallic Blue with the matching Bright Blue deluxe interior and Top Boot along with a power operated White convertible top with a glass back window.
1971 DODGE CHALLENGER HEMI CONVERTIBLE
The Factory didn’t offer the Hemi engine in this car when new, although it had been offered in coupes. 1970 saw 9 Hemi Challenger Convertibles built. For 1971 only 71 Hemi Coupes were built and of that number only 59 were 4-speed cars. (This information sourced from available books). Factory Hemi powered Convertibles are not only near impossible to find they are priced accordingly as well. This car was made up by an enthusiast to resemble one of the all time favourite muscle cars ever produced. According to the data tag this car would appear to have been a very well optioned car. Here are the numbers and what available books we have decode them as, n/a if we don’t have the information. N85,n/a; P37- power convertible top; R11- music master AM radio; V7W-n/a; EN2-n/a; C55-n/a; G15- tinted windshield; J25- variable speed wipers; L25-n/a; M91-trunk lid luggage rack; N41-n/a; V3W- Whit top; U-n/a; AO1-light package; A62-Rallye Instrument cluster; B51-power brakes; C16-floor console; FC7-Plum Crazy Paint; H6XW- White Vinyl interior; 000-interior paint colour; 526-built May 26; 080974-vehicle order number; E65- 383 V8 4-barrel; D21-4-speed; JH27-Challenger, High price class, convertible; N1B-383 V8,1971 year model, built Hamtramck; 405248- vin number. What we have is a very special muscle car with arguably the most sought after power pack of any muscle car ever built. It has an incredible look with power to go with it. Powered by the 426 cubic inch Hemi with the Shaker hood and coupled to a 4-speed gearbox with a pistol group. It has R/T stripes and R/T scoops in front of the rear wheels. Finished in one of the coolest colours ever, Plum Crazy with White interior and a White power convertible top.
