Most of us are familiar with term “muscle car,” but many of us are not sure exactly what that term entails. The term is used to describe the American high-performance automobiles that were produced mainly during the sixties and seventies. Destined to satisfy a very niche market, a typical muscle car has a big V8 engine fitted for a two-door, rear wheel drive, family-style midsize or full-size car designed for four or more people. Due to its affordable price, a typical muscle car was constructed for street use and occasional drag racing.
However, if you prefer a more detailed definition of a muscle car, Muscle Cars, written by Peter Henshaw, explains it best:
“A muscle car is exactly what the name implies. It is a product of the American car industry adhering to the hot rodder’s philosophy of taking a small car and putting a large-displacement engine in it. The Muscle Car is Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face of the 98 horsepower weakling.”
So now that you know a little bit about what a muscle car is, what would you say if we asked you to check out the 25 Top Classic American Muscle Cars that follow? Enjoy the ride, folks.
25
1967 Dodge Coronet R/T 426 Hemi Convertible
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
A true rare gem, this unique car is believed to be one of only two 1967 Coronet R/T Hemi four-speed cars known to have been built in light turquoise metallic.
24
1973 Ford Ranchero 500
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
The large and heavier design of 1973 that replaced the previous year’s sleek model has gone down in history as one of the classiest American muscle cars of the seventies.
23
1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
There was a time when every guy who wanted to be cool and respected had to drive a 1970 Chevy El Camino SS 454. It was probably the first time in engine history that a truck was not viewed as just a truck, and a muscle car was much more than a muscle car. The 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454 changed the way people saw trucks up to that point and basically pioneered the combo truck/muscle car and set the standard for its competitors to follow or depart from.
22
Boss 302 Mustang
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
Designed to compete with Chevy’s Z28 Camaro both on and off the track, the Boss 302 revived Ford’s small-block performance image after nearly a year-and-a-half lapse since the 289 High Performance went away after 1967.
21
1969 Mercury Cyclone
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
One of the prettiest cars from the late sixties, the 1969 Mercury Cyclone remains one of the most beautiful muscle cars of all time to this day.
20
1959 Ford Galaxie
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
This was one of Elvis’s favorite models, as well as Fidel Castro’s. The United States may not have been well liked in Cuba back in the sixties for political reasons, but the 1959 Ford Galaxie was widely admired in the Caribbean country.
19
1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
The all-aluminum ZL-1 engine block was only put into three Corvettes. The car was first ordered by one of the factory workers in Chevrolet’s St. Louis, Missouri plant, and after that only two more orders were placed. That makes this model one of the rarest ever.
18
1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
The short-lived Plymouth Superbird was a highly modified version of the Road Runner with well-known graphics and horn. The 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird, arguably the most impressive car of the package, is still remembered for its futuristic (for its time) design.
17
1978 GMC Caballero Diablo Truck
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
This truck, which many people saw as the equivalent to Chevy’s El Camino Royal Knight package, is one of the finest trucks you will ever see. Maybe that was the reason GMC picked the word caballero for it, which in Spanish means “gentleman” even though its technical definition would be “horseman” or “knight.” In other words, the 1978 GMC Caballero Diablo was all about dynamic elegance and class.
16
1969 Ford Torino
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
This classic car was the prototype and the only Talladega built with a ram-air 428 CID R-code engine. It included numerous options that were not included on the 750 Talladegas that went into production. It is also the only one in bright red with side stripes reminiscent of the 24 Hours of Le Mans–winning Ford Mk IV in 1967.
15
1971 AMC Hornet SC/360
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
One of the most beloved cars by dedicated AMC fans, the Hornet SC/360 was a cheaper choice and the spiritual successor to the SC/Rambler and Rebel Machine. When it was released, AMC stated the following about the SC/360, “Introducing a sensible alternative to the money-squeezing, insurance-strangling muscle cars of America.”
14
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
A true pioneer of its kind, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454—a beast of a muscle car, boasting a 450 horsepower engine—helped to herald the muscle car’s ascent and golden age in the early seventies.
13
1969 Dodge Charger R/T-SE
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
The 1969 Charger R/T-SE was a muscle-luxury combo and the type of car not only every young male at the time was dreaming of, but also the kind of car every girl wished her boyfriend had. It remains a classic to this day.
12
1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a midsized muscle car produced in three generations from 1964 through 1977. Probably the most commercially successful of the series, the 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS is one of the most classy and iconic muscle cars of all time.
11
1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
A game changer in its time, the Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible’s design and style were a true mechanical miracle when the car was first released in 1967. Among the ways Pontiac attempted to differentiate its new Firebird from the other muscle cars of its era, it offered the Firebird in five different styles rather than one basic model which most car companies offered in the sixties with their strict à la carte options.
10
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
The 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 came at a time that was not only the peak for muscle cars but the even shorter-lived Trans Am series as well. The very few models that remain on the streets are considered true diamonds.
9
1971 AMC Matador “Machine”
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
Often referred to by experts as the “rarest muscle car that you’ve never heard of,” the ’71 AMC Matador Machine is truly rare to find these days. It was a one-year only package, and as soon as it arrived, it disappeared. Reports show that just around sixty or so were made, and it could well be that just a handful still exist.
8
1970 Buick GSX Stage 1
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
Some call it “the greatest muscle car of all time” because it had the most powerful engine produced during the classic era at 510 lbs/ft of torque. The experts know best, I guess.
7
1970 Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass W-31
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
As big as the “muscle car” trend was becoming by the late sixties and early seventies, the “big four” divisions of GM that were producing high-performance intermediates also began to offer affordable alternatives. Pontiac had its GT-37, Buick created the GS 340, and Chevy offered the Malibu 400; Oldsmobile couldn’t say no to the heavy competition and came up with the marvelous 1970 Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass W-31.
6
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
It wasn’t the fastest muscle car, but with single-season styling and a unique combination of brake, engine, exhaust, and induction options, the 1969 Chevy Camaro Z28 was arguably the most desirable Z28 of all.
5
Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO ’64
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
In 1964, General Motors sent the automotive marketplace into a frenzy with the release of the iconic Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO, which is widely regarded as America’s first muscle car.
4
1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
In 2002, a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible ended up in the headlines for becoming the first muscle car to sell for over $1 million. However, even before this model became mainstream news material, it was already considered one of the greatest creations of the muscle car era by fans and experts in the field.
3
1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
By the late sixties, the Ford Mustang was one of the most loved and popular cars in America. Affordable, available in three different styles, and with a number of inline-six and V-8 engines, the car enjoyed immense success. The arrival of the Shelby Mustang and its many versions only made things better, but Ford and automotive designer Carroll Shelby felt it could be even stronger. Their dream came true in April 1968 when a brand-new version of the 428 Police Interceptor engine was fitted with improved breathing heads and larger exhaust manifolds, giving birth to the 428 Cobra Jet engine, which quickly found its way into the Shelby GT500, leading to a name change: the GT500KR or “King of the Road.”
2
1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350
Source: hemmings.com, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
At the start of the seventies, it appeared that big block muscle cars might soon lose their luster. But coming on the scene at just the right time, arguably the most unique among the “small” muscle cars, the 1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350 made history. Available only in Sebring Yellow, its striking appearance was highlighted by color-matched bumpers and wheels that gave it a look unlike any other muscle car on the street.
1
1958 Plymouth Fury
Source: hemmings.com, Image: Wikipedia
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the model that inspired Stephen King to write one of his classic horror novels of the 1980s, Christine. Soon after, the legendary cult director John Carpenter made a film adaptation of the book, in which “Christine” was a red 1958 Plymouth Fury. Ironically, the 1958 Fury is technically not a muscle car but has always been seen as such for some unexplained reason.