The History of Muscle Cars

Although the muscle car era was short-lived, it still defined a generation in America, and has given us possibly some of the most collectible cars in all of automotive history today. With the sharp lines, wide profiles, muscular looks, and chrome, these cars looked mean.

What is Muscle car?

The definition of a muscle car is a mid-size model car, with V8 engines, generally produced between 1965 and 1973. Most muscle cars were current mid-size models being produced by car manufacturers, and they added a large V8 engine, special trim, and usually better handling and performance options like suspension, braking, etc. A good example of this is the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle. This model was designed as a mid-size family vehicle and the base model was powered by a lonely ‘ol 4 cylinder engine, or you could team it up with the biggest muscle car engine of it’s time, the 454.

How did it all begin?

Opinions on the origin of the muscle car vary, but the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, created in response to public interest in speed and power, is often cited as the first muscle car. It featured America’s first high-compression overhead valve V8 in the smaller, lighter Oldsmobile 76/Chevy body for six-cylinder engines (as opposed to bigger Olds 98 luxury body).

Musclecars magazine wrote: “the idea of putting a full-size V8 under the hood of an intermediate body and making it run like Jesse Owens in Berlin belongs to none other than Oldsmobile… The all-new ohv V8…Rocket engine quickly found its way into the lighter 76 series body, and in February 1949, the new 88 series was born.”

Plymouth Superbird

The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird was a highly modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner with well known graphics and horn. It was the factory’s follow up stock car racing design for the 1970 season to the Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969, and incorporated many engineering changes and modifications (both minor and major) garnered from the Daytona’s season in competition on the track. The car’s primary rival was the Ford Torino Talladega, which in itself was a direct response to the Mopar aero car.

The car’s primary rival was the Ford Torino Talladega, which in itself was a direct response to the Mopar aero car. It has also been speculated one motivating factor in the production of the car was to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth. Both of the Mopar aero cars famously featured a protruding, aerodynamic nosecone, a high-mounted rear wing and, in the case of the Superbird, a horn which mimicked the Road Runner cartoon character.

1969 Pontiac GTO JUDGE

Engine: V8 - 370 hp Maximum speed: 201 km / h Acceleration 0-100 km / h in 5.9 seconds.

The 1969 model did not have the vent windows, had a slight grille and taillight revision, moved the ignition key from the dashboard to the steering column (which locked the steering wheel when the key was removed, a Federal requirement installed one year ahead of schedule), and the gauge faces changed from steel blue to black. In addition, the rear quarter-panel mounted side marker lamps changed from a red lens shaped like the Pontiac “V” crest to one shaped like the broad GTO badge. Front outboard headrests were made standard equipment on all GTOs built after January 1, 1969.

1971 Dodge Charger R/T

Engine: V8 - 375-415 horsepower (depending on version). Maximum speed: 210 km / h Acceleration 0-100 km / h: 5,7-5,9 sec.

In 1971, the all-new third generation Charger debuted. It was completely restyled with a new split grille and more rounded “fuselage” bodystyle. The interiors now looked more like those of the E-body and were now shared by the Plymouth B-body. No longer standard, the hidden headlights were now optional. A rear spoiler and a “Ramcharger” hood made the option lists for the first time. A special scoop was mounted in the hood, directly above the air cleaner. If the driver wanted to draw clean air directly into the carburetor, he flipped the vacuum switch under the dash and the scoop popped up. The Plymouth Road Runner used this device and called it the “Air Grabber” hood. While this device had been used on the Coronet R/T and Super Bees, it had never appeared on the Charger.

1968 Shelby Mustang GT500

Engine: V8 - 355 hp (declared). Maximum speed: 220 km / h Acceleration 0-100 km / h in 6.5 seconds.

For 1967, the GT 350 carried over the K-Code high performance 289 with a ‘COBRA’ aluminum hi-rise. The GT 500 was added to the lineup, equipped with the 428 Police Interceptor. These later cars carried over few of the performance modifications of the 1965–66 GT350s, although they did feature more cosmetic changes. In September 1967, production was moved to the A.O. Smith Company of Ionia, Michigan, under Ford control.[11] Shelby American had substantially less involvement after this time.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C3)

Engine: V8 - 426 hp Maximum speed: 225 km / h Acceleration 0-100 km / h in 6.3 seconds.

For 1968, both the Corvette body and interior were completely redesigned. As before, the car was available in either coupe or convertible models, but coupes had new removable roof panels (T-tops) and a removable rear window. A soft folding top was included with convertibles, while an auxiliary hardtop with a glass rear window was offered at additional cost. Included with coupes were hold down straps and a pair of vinyl bags to store the roof panels, and above the luggage area was a rear window stowage tray. The enduring new body’s concealed headlights moved into position via a vacuum operated system rather than electrically as on the previous generation, and the new hide-away windshield wipers utilized a problematic vacuum door. The door handles were flush with the top of the doors with a separate release button. “Sting Ray” nameplates were absent on the new 1968 body, but Chevrolet still advertised the car as a Sting Ray. Front fenders had functional engine cooling vents.

1971 Plymouth Cuda HEMI

Engine: V8 - 425 hp (declared). Maximum speed: 210 km / h Acceleration 0-100 km / h in 6.2 seconds.

The redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The all-new model, styled by John E. Herlitz, was built on a shorter, wider version of Chrysler’s existing B platform, called the E-body. Sharing this platform was also the newly launched Dodge Challenger; however, no sheet metal interchanged between the two cars and the Challenger, at 110 inches, had a 2 in (51 mm) longer wheelbase than the Barracuda, at 108 inches.