Whenever there has been a need, it has always been fulfilled. Between 1964 and 1975, the people of America were pining after an affordable car that packed a punch in terms of power. Thanks to this incessant demand, the muscle car was born. Put simply, the classic muscle car is a reference to the two-door, rear wheel drives that were manufactured primarily in the United States. This meant that very powerful engines such as V8 were introduced in smaller sized cars. These cars were affordable by the masses and it instantly clicked with the youngsters of the 1960s and 1970s.
The origin of the muscle car
The term muscle car was initially coined in 1964 in honor of the mid-sized Pontiacs that came with a powerful 389-cubic-inch V-8. This gave the car the capacity to go from 0-60 mph in seven seconds. The increase of public interest in speed racing brought about the first official american muscle car in the form of the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. This was a light-bodied car that was fitted with America’s first high compression V8. It became a standard in stock car racing.
Next in competition came Chrysler’s Hemi named after the shape of its combustion chambers. This was in 1951. Four years later came Chevrolet’s small-block V8. The racing market developed to such an extent that there was an increased demand for speed enhancing accessories and the companies from Detroit did not disappoint. While some promoted hardware parts others introduced them in limited edition cars. The most famous among this was the 1955 Chrysler 300 whose 300 horse power rightly earned it the description of being ‘America’s Most Powerful Car’.
Top muscle cars of all times
These power cars are all about horsepower combined with a limited weight and lightening speed in terms of acceleration. The one that started it all was the 1965 Pontiac Tempest GTO, fondly known as the Goat. It went from 0 – 60 in 6.1 seconds and is the one that inspired all others. The 1970 Buick ‘GSX’ Stage 1 tested at 360 BHP and could easily go up to 400. You could cover a quarter mile in 13 seconds with this beauty. Its color was restricted to white and yellow. The 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 was among Ford’s more expensive offerings. Rather than drags, it was used for long-distance racing and was known for its smooth performance.
The 1970 Plymouth Hemi-Cuda packed a 425 BHP engine. It went from 0 – 60 in little over 5 seconds. The 1969 Z28 Camaro was a muscle car that was stylish. It, however, did not have much of the raw power that other models possessed at that time. The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C had an impressive 480 BHP engine. It combined European looks with American engineering. Bill Cosby and Shelby owned one each of two twin turbo-charged versions of this model.
The 1968 L88 Corvette is the pride of the Corvette range. Its 550 BHP motor could take the car up to 170 mph. The car was made exclusively for racing and did not come with a radio or air-conditioning to discourage people from buying it for everyday use. Among the top three choices of stock racing cars was the 1970 454 Chevelle SS. It came with 454 horse power and was every racer’s dream car. Only 320 cars of the 1969 427 COPO Chevelle were made available. This car was meant to appease dealers who were pining after cars with power. 500 horses were packed into the V8 engine of the 1969 ZL1 Camaro. This car could go from 0 – 60 in 5.3 seconds. It was a preferred car on the drag racing track and almost 69 models found their way there.
Slow death of a species
There were quite a few reasons that led to the decline of the muscle car. The fact that they packed so much power meant that these cars had issues with their braking systems as well as tire adhesion. Ralph Nader led a strong lobby against such powerful cars being made available to youngsters and the general population. As a result, insurance companies began to levy a surcharge on them making it very difficult for people to buy these cars. Added to this was the attempt to curb air pollution and the resultant OPEC oil embargo of 1973.
Several brands took off the powerful engines and converted these models into luxury ones. The look of the muscle car was preserved, to be sold at a premium to those who wanted at least the look if not the power. In the mean time countries such as Australia, the UK and even South Africa took a leaf out of Detroit’s book and began to make their own versions of the muscle car. Besides recognized names, brands such as Holden and Mercury also made their debut.
Modern day muscle cars
With automotive engineering having improved 1000-fold since the beginning of power cars, rest assured that there are some equally good machines on the road today. The Pontiac GTO exists even today in a much sleeker version. The 2005 model came with the much sought after twin-scoop hoods, a rumbling exhaust and a solid 400 BHP. Chrysler resurrected the rear wheel drive Hemi V8. These were the Magnum RT and the Charger RT.
The showrooms of Cadillac had till now not made place for a muscle car for sale and so when the CTS-V was released, it was with a lot of research and deliberation. This car had a 469 BHP, went from 0 – 60 in less than 5 seconds and put up stiff competition for European contemporaries of BMW M5 and Mercedes CLS 55. What’s more was that it was priced at an affordable $75,000. The Ford Mustang too came back with a lot of aplomb. Enthusiasts were taken aback when Carroll Shelby joined hands with Dearborn and brought about the Mustang Cobra. 0 to 60 in four seconds and a top speed of 160 mph, this car was here to rule.
Modern day muscle cars for sale have a lot going for them what with companies like Ford, Chrysler, GM and others vying to make good models. Also if you can apply for muscle car loans to get one of these cars and then afterwards, you can take a look at different muscle car insurance providers to find the best deal.
Tags: bodied car, classic muscle car, classic muscle cars, combustion chambers, muscle cars for sale, speed racing
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