Ironbuilt
Well-Known Member
Seems to me that the list was made up by someone from G.M., with a few honorable mentions.
The List of Top 10 Muscle Cars
- Thread starter Pops1967GTX
- Start date
I have a question--When was the year that -you all- first remember the term "muscle car" being used?
I grew up with these cars owning and driving them. My first recall of the term was in the late seventies. Some ten years after these cars were made.
Of course, this leads to the meaning of the term. I met a guy near where I lived (in 79 or so) that had a 70 Hemi RR. He said he was involved with forming a car club he called "Mopar Muscle Cars". My first reaction was ugg.
For me, this was the beginning of racing/showing cars in a parking lot.
I grew up with these cars owning and driving them. My first recall of the term was in the late seventies. Some ten years after these cars were made.
Of course, this leads to the meaning of the term. I met a guy near where I lived (in 79 or so) that had a 70 Hemi RR. He said he was involved with forming a car club he called "Mopar Muscle Cars". My first reaction was ugg.
For me, this was the beginning of racing/showing cars in a parking lot.
Maybe I came late to the party of "muscle cars" Here is a pic of a car like one I had when I was 20.
It could push 160mph and was by no means a lightweight.
An ad I recall said this car was really a bomb.-- I guess that was 50s speak for muscle?
It could push 160mph and was by no means a lightweight.
An ad I recall said this car was really a bomb.-- I guess that was 50s speak for muscle?
Last edited:
metaldad
Well-Known Member
bud nails it.
amc rebel!
- Local time
- 4:26 AM
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Messages
- 35,139
- Reaction score
- 134,202
- Location
- Monroe, New York
Muscle car tends to bring to mind factory high performance cars. Maybe in 62 was the start..
Muscle Cars were the result of the "Big 3" watching what the hot rodding industry was doing. They saw all these guys modifying their cars with big engines etc, and wanted in on the action..
Our cars have been defined by many terms...
Street machine, Street Rod ,Hot Rod, Muscle car, Super car, Sport compact, Pony cars
Muscle Cars were the result of the "Big 3" watching what the hot rodding industry was doing. They saw all these guys modifying their cars with big engines etc, and wanted in on the action..
Our cars have been defined by many terms...
Street machine, Street Rod ,Hot Rod, Muscle car, Super car, Sport compact, Pony cars
- Local time
- 8:26 PM
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2012
- Messages
- 35,226
- Reaction score
- 94,434
- Location
- NZ - just short of the South Pole
The question confused me somewhat - Agree or Disagree....then the options are Yes or No. 
I went No....because I assumed that meant Disagree.
Corvettes and Mustang are NOT Muscle cars.
I went No....because I assumed that meant Disagree.
Corvettes and Mustang are NOT Muscle cars.
not so famous bob
Well-Known Member
Same here !The question confused me somewhat - Agree or Disagree....then the options are Yes or No.
I went No....because I assumed that meant Disagree.
Corvettes and Mustang are NOT Muscle cars.
Hwy145
Well-Known Member
I agree- a GM fan with a few cars thrown in to even out the list. I for one, would not put a winged car on the muscle car list. That seems more out of place than the vette.
The list should include, IMO:
Gt 350 or 500
Ford Thunderbolt
A12 bee or bird
Lo23 Hemi dart or Cuda
454 Ls6 Chevelle
Hemi cuda
429 cobra jet
max wedge 330
GSX
Zl-1 Copo camaro
Ranger16
Well-Known Member
I would have...
64-65 GTO 389 tri power
64 Super Stock Dodge
68 Hemi Charger
69.5 A12 RR / Bee
Buick GSX
LS6 Chevelle
BOSS 429 Mustang
1970 Olds 442
1968 Hemi Roadrunner
1970 GTO Judge
64-65 GTO 389 tri power
64 Super Stock Dodge
68 Hemi Charger
69.5 A12 RR / Bee
Buick GSX
LS6 Chevelle
BOSS 429 Mustang
1970 Olds 442
1968 Hemi Roadrunner
1970 GTO Judge
BeeKool
Well-Known Member
I would replace the goat with an R-code Galaxy. There needs to be a 427 Ford in there somewhere
I was thinking Galaxy or Torino w/ 427. It is a hard top 10 but the early GTO was perfect for stuff a big motor in an intermediate car. And the 70 Judge is pretty iconic. It could go either way but I wouldn't refuse any if they were offered to me.
BeeKool
Well-Known Member
I think there should be 2 lists.
A common list covering popular muscle cars. Example 69 Road Runner. Motor trend car of the Year selling 80000 vehicles for around 3k each. Affordable and well marketed
And a elite group focusing on Hemis and wing cars and such.
For example The Buick GSX may have been awesome and had 510 lbs torque, but there were only around 250 ever made.
A common list covering popular muscle cars. Example 69 Road Runner. Motor trend car of the Year selling 80000 vehicles for around 3k each. Affordable and well marketed
And a elite group focusing on Hemis and wing cars and such.
For example The Buick GSX may have been awesome and had 510 lbs torque, but there were only around 250 ever made.
- Local time
- 1:26 AM
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2017
- Messages
- 11,326
- Reaction score
- 17,627
- Location
- taxifornia,soon 2b Arizona.
To me, a muscle car should have sufficient production, maybe 500 or so. ZL1, Race hemi, thunderbolt, are thinly disguised racecars. Pony cars seem to be considered muscle cars now, generically, i dont have a problem with that, tho it originally meant a midsize car with a big block. The definition has definitely blurred over time.
Hwy145
Well-Known Member
By that logic, 1970-71 Hemi Cudas and challengers would be excluded. IMHO, both are muscle cars, despite limited numbers.
We are debating a term that IMO came into our vocabulary in the seventies. (A new speak trend)
I look at it this way. -- We have had cars with "muscle" for many years and we now have "muscle cars" -What would Webster say about all this?
BTW when did the term "pony car" come about?---Was it the Mustang that "spawned" it? --Is a Barracuda a "pony car"? That feels fishy
I look at it this way. -- We have had cars with "muscle" for many years and we now have "muscle cars" -What would Webster say about all this?
BTW when did the term "pony car" come about?---Was it the Mustang that "spawned" it? --Is a Barracuda a "pony car"? That feels fishy
Last edited:
- Local time
- 1:26 AM
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2017
- Messages
- 11,326
- Reaction score
- 17,627
- Location
- taxifornia,soon 2b Arizona.
Hwy145, hemi challengers and cudas are the peak of a mountain of 383,340,440 cars, just as 427 fairlaines (not referring to thunderbolts ) are to cobra-jet and 390 cars, and LS6 is to 396cars. To me, these are all muscle cars, just some more Schwarzenegger than others.
- Local time
- 4:26 AM
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Messages
- 35,139
- Reaction score
- 134,202
- Location
- Monroe, New York
747mopar
Well-Known Member
Sorry but I don't think any Buick or Old's belongs on a top 10 list and I can't stand Chevelles but can at least understand that one. A lot of cars missing from that list that should be there like Roadrunners and Chargers.
Similar threads
