Were you hanging out at your local classic car meet, or attending one of Canada’s top classic car shows, and heard some owners talking about the good old days of muscle cars? What is a muscle car, exactly?
1966: When Muscle Car Mania Began
In a time before oil embargoes and the search for more fuel-efficient engines, Detroit conceived of a car that had enough horsepower to compete on the track with standout looks perfect for the office park. The muscle car featured a low roofline, two huge doors, and a backseat made for making memories.
While European and Asian manufacturers were also producing competitive power packages, their machines featured a more compact design prepared to zip through city streets.
Thus, the American Muscle Car earned its place as its own market segment in the sports car world.
Big Cars and Big Horsepower
The early muscle cars of the 60s featured boxy, elongated hoods built to house hungry V8 engines. Popular models that started stealing headlines were the Dodge Super Bee, Pontiac GTO, and Chevrolet Chevelle.
Racing fans would recognize the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner as the model that would make NASCAR rewrite its rule book. The 1968 Ford Torino packed the Ford 427 under the hood, which was able to pump out 657 horsepower in a machine prepared for the track.
Every muscle car featured rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission that left full control in the hands of its pilot.
While the first Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro were constructed on a smaller platform, they would join their bigger cousins in the Muscle Car market, too.
Luxury is Not Necessary
Muscle cars were always targeted at young drivers that valued power over the finer things in life. Thus, most muscle cars hit the streets with bench seats, no air conditioning, and maybe an AM radio. They were not intended to deliver the opulent ride of a Cadillac or Buick.
Their exterior embraced this minimalist attitude by leaving behind the fins and elaborate exterior details found on family 50s machines.
Sports Cars on a Budget
While Ferrari and Jaguar were busy crafting elite sports cars ready to take trophies at Le Mans, the muscle car market had its sights set on the thinner wallets of college students and blue-collar workers. For this reason, many of the iconic vehicles we are talking about were available at prices well below the supercar segment.
The 1970 Dodge Super Bee retailed for just $3,074–which was about $500 less than the average new car price in the day.
On today’s market, a mint muscle car that has been hiding in grandma’s barn is capable of bringing a multi-million-dollar price tag at auction. A 1971 Barracuda with a Hemi sold for $2.2 million back in 2007.
Modern Rides Bringing Back the Glory Days
After those first muscle cars passed their early years, they became popular first rides for the kids of the 70s and 80s. As that group of car owners aged, they still yearned to pilot a car that had presence, power, and beauty. Thus, the muscle car saw a resurgence in the early 2000s.
Dodge reintroduced their iconic Challenger and Charger nameplates in 2006 with bodies that echoed their 1970 appearance. The Ford Mustang continued to bring back those glory days while embracing electric vehicle technology. The Chevrolet Impala offered V8 performance in a spacious four-door until 2020.
But try as they might, those first muscle cars have never been replaced in the hearts of avid car collectors.
Protecting Your Classic Cars with Collector Car Insurance
Is there a classic muscle car in your garage just waiting for warmer weather? Our Wayfarer Insurance brokers can help make sure you have the right classic car insurance to protect your special ride.