Just Cars Club

If you prefer an automobile that can withstand extreme driving maneuvers and can handle sports such as drag racing, getting a muscle car can be the best option for you. Muscle cars come in various models and they have a set of features that are unique to them.

For certain motorists, having a car with a standard engine and design is enough for their daily use. However, for other individuals, it is much better to own an automobile that has been built for more hard-hitting driving maneuvers. These people require a vehicle that can move faster and withstand extreme driving conditions. If you, for instance, belong to the latter more adventurous group of motorists, you may find yourself looking for a car that can handle your needs as a thrill-seeking driver. In relation to this, a good option for you is to get one of the American muscle cars in the market.

But before actually planning to get a muscle car, you need to know the things that set this type of vehicle apart from other automobiles. Generally, muscle cars refer to high-performance automobiles that are medium sized and are equipped with a large powerful engine, usually a V8. Muscle cars normally have two doors, although some models have four doors. In addition, these cars have special trims that enable them to have maximum torque or rotary force while on the road. Muscle cars are also the common choice of individuals who join drag racing competitions. Experts distinguish muscle cars from sports cars through their size and seats. Muscle cars are relatively larger than sports cars and the latter have more than two seats.

After learning about the unique characteristics of muscle cars, you need to know about its various models. Here are a few classic examples of American muscle cars: Ford Thunderbird 427, Buick Skylark Gran Sport, Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS, and Pontiac GTO. All of these muscle cars were manufactured between the early 60’s to the mid 70’s and are the pioneering products that defined the said type of automobile. Modern muscle cars include the Impala SS, the Mercury Grand Marquis, the retro-style Ford Mustang, and the GT 500 Super Snake and King of the Road by Ford and Shelby.

Moving on, once you have learned much about muscle cars and have decided to get one, you should know where to start your search for the right car. First, you can visit automobile exhibits held by various car manufacturers in your city. During specific times of the year, these car companies host auto shows that they announce through public ads. Most likely, these exhibits have a particular area for muscle cars produced by the company. Second, you can read about several muscle car models and view their images in magazines and websites dedicated to the said automobile. Through these publications and online resources, you can even find the contact information of the companies that sell these cars. You should, however be more careful in looking for muscle cars on the World Wide Web and make sure that credible companies manage the sites you are visiting. Finally, if you wish to create your own muscle car, you can get in touch with an automotive designer. This type of Car Company can build a muscle car based on your preference and specifications in terms of paint scheme, tires, interior, and engine.

Most of us think of John DeLorean as the guy behind the gull-wing stainless car from the Back to the Future movies nut the fact of the matter is that his contributions to the automotive world go much farther back than that. DeLorean was actually the creator of the muscle car revolution in the United States. Think of how different the sports car industry would be today if we hadn’t had that era of performance cars.

In 1964 DeLorean was with Pontiac and he made the decision to totally recreate the Tempest using a huge V8 high performance engine. The car became known as the GTO, also nicknamed the Goat by adoring fans and remains to this day one of the all-time favorite muscle cars. The GTO was a big hit for Pontiac sparking off huge sales volume and led other manufacturers to follow suit.

His creative out of the box thinking got him advanced to the higher echelons of the automotive industry but his independent free thinking nature was not really cut out for that and he ended up leaving that and forming his own company to do things his way.

Leaving his past fruits behind him in Detroit, DeLorean opened his own car company in Northern Ireland with the rather ambitious idea of competing against the Big Three automakers that he had helped so much in the 1960’s. His namesake, the DeLorean DMC-12 was a unique brushed stainless steel sports car with the innovative flip up gull wing doors. The car never really took off and actually less than nine thousand ever sold. Still, the vehicle was responsible for many innovations for years to come.

DeLorean along with Preston Tucker were both headstrong individuals who were forward thinking revolutionaries way ahead of their time introducing cutting edge vehicles. Although their product ideas didn’t take off in their time they influenced the future of the automotive industry.

In 1999 DeLorean had hopes of coming back to the automotive world with a high performance sports car that would be priced below 20k and would be made of mostly plastic. It seemed like he was ready for a revival but it never came to fruition and he died in 2004.

It will be interesting to see how the new Tesla Motor Company’s electric high performance car does; the founder says he was influenced by DeLorean and Tucker. The car does o to 60 in under 4 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph.

Americans love power. Chevrolet muscle cars,as evident from the name, indicate America’s fascination for automotive power. The term muscle car illustrates a two-door rear wheel drive medium sized car with a big and powerful V8 engine. Muscle cars were built for street use and road racing. Although sports cars too have powerful engine and are meant for racing purpose but they differ from muscle cars in terms of price and size.Muscle cars are lower priced but larger in size than sports cars.

The trend for more powerful performance oriented car began in the 60s. The period between 1960 and 1972 played a key role in the history of American automobile as the age of transition.Especially the year 1966 when General Motors gave birth to its first powerful performance car Chevrolet Camaro that swept the market as soon as it came into existence.

Chevy muscle cars appealed towards larger group of people as they offered affordable yet powerful performance on the road that was more than enough to boost the booming automobile culture in the United States. But with time the size of Chevy muscle cars increased in keeping with its engine power and luxury features as well.

Chevy Camaro

Designed for 1967 model year Chevrolet Camaro went on sale for the first time on September 29,1966.Designed to compete with Ford Mustang Camaro shared the F-body platform and various components with its other corporate sibling Pontiac Firebird. The second generation Chevy Camaro was introduced in 1970 when it grew wider as well as heavier with the addition of newmechanical components.

The third generation Chevy Camaro saw the daylight in 1982.Although it shared the same platform but was equipped with an array of newer technologies such as throttle body fuel injection,turbo-hydramatic four-speed automatic transmissions, five-speed manual transmissions and 15 to16 inch wheels. In 1993 Chevy Camaro emerged in its new avatar with far more stylish look.Camaro Coupe was accompanied by Convertible this time with a choice of V6 or V8 engines of different capacities.With the 4th generation lasting up to 2002 the 35 years of continuous production of Chevy muscle car came to an end.

But with car enthusiasts’ much excitement Chevrolet Camaro hit back in 2009. The 5th generation Chevy Camaro is based on 2006 Chevrolet muscle car concept.The 2009 Chevrolet Camaro coupe with sleek exterior and renewed interior comes in LS,LT and SS trims. Today Chevy Camaro can be defined as personal luxury car at its ultimate.

Chevy Impala

Chevy Impala a production of General Motors in the line of full size muscle cars has been one of the most expensive cars from the very beginning. Redesigned on the GM B-Platform Chevy Impala Super Sport Models became highly popular during 1963 for its superb body style.With a great combination of luxury and power Impala ruled the road for long. After 1996,the 6th generation General Motors stopped production of Impala.

But in the year 2000 Impala was resurrected with whole new body style and a host of technological features that enhanced its performance and brought it awards like ‘2006 and 2007 Fleet Car of the Year’ by Automotive Fleet and Business Fleet magazines.Chevy Impala’s new Ethanol Powered E-85 model brought it CAA Pyramid Award for Environmental Initiatives in 2006.

Finally 2009 Chevrolet Impala, member of 8th generation is one of the latest muscle cars of the 21st century.

Impala is loaded with features like 5.3L V8 engine,eight-way power-adjustable driver seat,four-wheel Antilock Brake System and FE3 Sport Suspension that make driving smoother and safer while fine leather upholstery, spacious interior and Ebony-carpet flooring and leather wrapped steering wheel add to its luxurious charm.

If we delve into the history of American muscle cars we will find some more names such as Chevrolet El Camino,Nova,Chevy Monte Carlo and Chevelle that ruled the road for quite some time with Camaro and Impala being the most prominent leaders.

scle cars have really been a passion of many men and women for well over 40 years now. The new breed of modern muscle cars are sleeker, sexier, and oh-so pleasurable to drive! Perhaps the most recognizable modern muscle car is the Ford Mustang. This beautiful high performance vehicle is simply amazing, from its outward design to what’s under the hood. A modern day muscle car is typically a two door car, that carries a strong, sturdy v8 engine that has mainly real wheel drive. Another thing about modern muscle cars is that they tend to carry a bit of an affordable price tag, making them perfect for young college students.

Muscle cars were intended to be used for racing, but also has a lot of use for the roads and highways of America and elsewhere. It is a general consensus that muscle cars originated in the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s. While the original muscle car can be described as a true American car, the philosophy behind it being that you basically just take a small car and then put a huge, big engine inside of it. It can also be said that muscle cars were built mainly for high speed, straight line racing, while not necessarily carrying the sleek appearance or engineering agility and integrity of European cars.

It is not entirely understood, or put in stone exactly which type of cars constitute a modern day muscle car: full sized cars, pony cars or compacts. The term “muscle car” had not really entered into commonality or common terminology until after production of the same vehicle had ended, unfortunately. American print media of the first heyday of the muscle cars had referred to them as “supercars” at that time.

So you might be wondering how ever did the trend of muscle cars become so developed as to what it stands for and is today? Manufacturers would often showcase their performance vehicles in highly publicized limited edition versions of the cars. This was a brave move and might very well be considered what really paved the way for the growing of the muscle car trend!

In the early 60’s we can see the rise of all sorts of muscle cars being developed by pretty much all car manufacturers! Now as far as modern muscle cars go, we can see the conception of the Chevy Impala back in 1994-1996. This was simply a very high performance limited edition version of the Caprice. What made this car different was that it had the engine of a corvette! So as you can see from this model, the conception of putting a bigger car’s engine worked in its favor, since it now would have a 5.7 liter V8 engine.

In the world of today’s super famous modern muscle cars, we can see that the Chevy Camaro ,the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Corvette are by far the most popular, especially with college students and muscle car aficionados alike!

Now only if they can make the modern muscle cars more fuel efficient!

Hot-rodding is a popular American culture. The phenomenon was first covered by magazines. Glossy print names such as The Rodders Journal, Hot Rod Magazine, Street Rodder, Popular Hot Rodding, and Rod and Custom Magazine are just a few of the magazines that feature this staple activity in the American life.

In addition to print, hot-rodding likewise gained mileage in the visual wing of the media. Discovery Channel featured a lot of hot-rod documentaries such as Monster Garage, American Hot Rod, and Overhauling. And television shows such as My Classic Car and Horsepower TV also had dedicated episodes on topics about hot-rodding.

Tom Wolfe wrote about it in his book “The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby.” Even the Beach Boys sang about it in “My Little Deuce Coupe.”

Hot-rodding mostly began in the 1930’s in Southern California where people started modifying light cars with big engines and started racing them on the vast and empty lake beds northeast of Los Angeles. The original hot rods were old cars that were reduced to weigh less and improve aerodynamics. After World War II, many small airports were abandoned in the country. In effect, these venues allowed hot rodders to race on marked courses. World War II also helped the hobby’s popularity especially in California where a lot of returning soldiers had been given technical training in the service to modify such cars.

At the heart of it all, the 1932 Ford Roadster was the car that every hot-rodder wanted. It was the car that changed the automobile industry forever. It was simple, lean and it had a coveted handsome body. It also had a very affordable engine, the V8, which rewarded the 1932 Ford Roadster with the reputation as the perfect car for a nation that was obsessed with speed.

But then just like like everything else, hot-rodding’s popularity started to wane. Car shows and drag racing divided the hot-rodding community. Then Detroit released muscle cars like the Plymouth Roadrunner and the Pontiac GTO. With these muscle cars, there was longer any need to put a Cadillac engine in a Ford Roadster. The Pontiac GTO could outperform any hot rod and it offered more passenger space. There was no longer any need to spend time to build and tune the car by oneself. The muscle cars had it all.

But today, the hot rod culture lives on. And in January 2007, hod rod culture even celebrated its 75th anniversary by releasing The 75 Most Influential “1932 Ford Hot Rods”. The list was commissioned by Ford where a panel of hot rod experts reviewed some four hundred seventy-four worthy cars and whittle it down to seventy-five cars.

So if you are interested to be part of the hot rod culture, I advise you to first try renting the car in one of Las Vegas car rentals. By renting it you would have a sample of experiencing the car, not just in some nostalgic showroom, but on the gravel itself. If you don’t like it, you won’t have any regrets because you can return it after renting. But if you like it (which I’m pretty much sure you will), then well and good.

Come visit the websites of these exotic car rentals in Las Vegas. These websites already offer car models, prices, rental polices, special offers and reservations. Live out and be a part of the American Way in an exotic rental such as the 1932 Ford Roadster. This is the American Way as you know it, discover it first hand here in Las Vegas.

The classic muscle autos that ruled the era of sixties and seventies are back. Car manufacturers have begun making modern muscle autos and are bringing them in market with a new futuristic image. Although, most people are not huge fan of such muscle cars, they are actually for individuals who love thrill, fun and adventure.

The significant thing about such muscle cars is that they might not be attractive, but they are robust and tough. The outer bonnets of the cars were tough and clumsy, but despite this, muscle autos, of the 60’s and 70’s were classy. However, they had some aerodynamic related problems within them. These problems can be attributed to the fact that in those days, car technology was not progressed so much.

In addition, upgrading the transmission system in muscle cars was not possible in yesteryear. People had to find parts of autos, accessories, and shift adaptors to make the upgrade.

Later, modern sleek cars restored these muscle cars. With the improvement in automobile technology, modern day cars became smoother, have utmost horsepower, optimum fuel efficiency and they run well on tracks and on terrain. As, a result new breed of cars look same. They are compact in size, with higher acceleration power and accommodate few people.

Thus, car manufacturers have increased the size of autos and kept the mechanism same and bought the modern day muscular autos in market.

Features Of Modern Day Muscle Autos:

Earlier, if people were to buy muscle autos, they had few options regarding the same. However, now you have different options, because there are several automobile manufacturers in present days. Modern day autos, launched by big automobile manufacturers have mainly upgraded the transmission range of vehicles.

The system incorporates five to six manual transmission systems and has five to six automatic overdrive transmission systems too. These features are present in almost every modern muscular auto, thereby offering greater efficiency to car enthusiast.

These muscular autos are fuel-efficient and give maximum mileage by consuming less amount of fuel. It includes power steering system and an intellectual GPS system. The stress free air extension technology allows you to drive the auto on rough roads with ease.

You can also buy these cars in customized form. The internal system of these autos will remain same as that of the original muscular cars, but automobile design engineers will create a superior and unique exterior for the car, as per your requirement.

Electric Muscle Cars:

If you are concerned about rising gasoline costs, opt for muscular cars that run on electricity. Many big manufacturers have started manufacturing electric autos and very sooner people will start using such autos on road. All you need to do is just charge the battery of such an electricity car for fixed hours before driving.

However, many people are not in favor of electric cars, because of high consumption of electricity. There are also some other technical difficulties in these automobiles. Once, manufacturers overcome these problems, there might be some downfall in the fuel prices.

A sports car can be referred to as an automobile specifically intended for performance driving. Almost all sports cars are rear-wheel drive, possess two seats, two doors, and are intended for accurate handling, acceleration, and aesthetics. A sports car mainly aims at high-class road handling, braking, maneuverability, low weight, and high power, and not passenger space, comfort, and fuel saving.

Sports cars come under either luxurious or spartan, but the compelling aspect is the driving mechanical performance. Drivers consider brand name and the related racing reputation and history as important pointers of sporting versatility, but some brands, even though they do not indulge in racing or constructs racing cars, is also widely respected.

A car may be classified as a sporting automobile even if it is not a sports car. Performance alterations of common, production cars, such as sport compacts, sports sedans, muscle cars, hot hatches and other cars similar to these generally are not sports cars, still share characteristics owned by sports cars. Sometimes, performance cars of all compositions are classified as Sports cars, or, often, as performance cars.

A sports car does not need a big, powerful engine, even though a lot of them do have them. Some traditional sports cars do not possess powerful engines, but were popular for excellent handling because of its light weight, a well-engineered, balanced chassis, and modern suspension. On complex and compressed roads, automobile like them achieve more efficiency than a heavier, more powerful luxury car with less flexibility.

As a result of North American safety regulations, a lot of sports cars are not in the market for sale or use in the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle Eastern market (e.g. UAE), an adjustable attitude towards small-volume specialist manufacturers has helped companies to flourish. The drive train and engine layout decide the handling features of an automobile, and is the core to the design of a sports car.

For sports cars of any generation the front-engine, rear-wheel drive train layout (FR layout) is common. This configuration has lasted the test of time longer in sports cars compared to mainstream automobiles. For achieving of better handling and weight distribution, other formats have been developed. The RMR layout is a commonly feature seen only in sports cars - the motor is centre-mounted in the chassis (nearer to and behind the driver), and supports only the rear wheels. High-performance sports car and supercar manufacturers always show a liking to this layout. A lot of modern cars, specifically grand tourers, also employ a FMR layout, with the motor placed between the front axle and the firewall.

Only a few manufacturers still employ the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (RR layout). The motor has well spread out weight across the wheels, and this delivers exceptional traction, but is not advisable, as the engine’s weight is not between the two axles; the vehicle is badly balanced, thus, many early vehicles handled errantly. However with the continuous modifications to the design, added with the engineering developments and support of electronic driving i.e. computerized traction-stability control, the manufacturers have been able to fight against inherent weaknesses in the design. Sports cars continue to be an irresistible attraction for car fanatics all over the world.

Ford is a well known brand across the world, it owns 33% of Mazda known by its modern cars featured in films such as the Fast and the Furious, Jaguar, Aston Martin and many others. From its many car models, one of the most famous is the Mustang. Manufactured and engineered to be a muscle car, this particular car model stands away from the rest by it unique design and power. The best part is that due to this model’s reputation the company keeps improving and redesigning it to deliver a high quality driving machine every single time.

Ford Mustangs are highly customizable sport cars and in recent years have shown many modifications to its design. The wheelbase in both versions (convertible and coupe) are 101.3 inches, the curb weight varies just a tiny bit from the convertible to the coupe models, the curb weight of a mustang 2 door convertible is 3257 pounds while the two door coupe is 3077 pounds. As far as fuel capacity both models, convertible and coupe can hold up to 15.4 gallons. Both models can comfortably accommodate 4 passengers.

As far as design, second and third Mustang generations were not as good as the first one but the machinery quality improved. Second and third generations range from 1974-1993. During the 1980s Mustangs were going through a hard transition when Ford announced that they would replace the rear-wheel drive Mustang with a Mazda-derived four wheel drive version, luckily for them and its clients the fourth generation of Mustangs came along, this generation of fords is almost as welcomed as the first due to the significant redesign this model went through.

The 1994 Mustang coupe was starting to show signs of potential and greatness but it wasn’t until 1995 when the GTS model was introduced to the market. In 1996 Mustang’s engine went through a major upgrade, this is when the Windsor 5.0 L engine was replaced by 215 horse power 4.6L SOHC Modular V8 engine and in 1998 the SOHC engine was increased to 225 HP through aggressive PCM calibration a larger exhaust and a modified fuel system.

As far as power, the 3.8 V6 engine sent developed 145-190 horsepower, the GT 5.0L V8 sends 240 hp to the back axle.

In 1994-2004 models Mustang GT’s power was increased to 260hp and consumers have loved this car ever since, that’s not even mentioning the awesome “MODs” available which include new decals, bumpers, paint work, rims, etc. Not only it is extremely reliable and stylish but many consumers have reported that it’s stereo system beats any other manufacturer-installed car stereo in the market, it has an extremely good bass, the midrange is perfectly set as well as the highs.

Aston Martin is also an outstanding fast and high end Ford-owned driving machine which delivers great power, speed and style but that’s another article.

Classic cars are a part of American culture, especially when you go with a domestic model that got its start in this country. These cars have withstood the test of time and continue to strut their stuff on the roadways today. You can find classics from all makes and models, but some are considered cooler than others. To find a classic car that will get noticed on the road, check out these five favorites. We also have a few shopping tips to help you find the best classic car for you.

1. The Ford Mustang

This car is cool all over, whether you opt for the convertible model or the fastback that is rapidly gaining popularity. The years to shop for in this classic car are generally 1965 and 1966, but you can also find some desirable selections in the 1995 Cobra and the 1965 GT. Cherry red with a white interior is the ideal style, but **** black is another popular color.

2. The Chevrolet Chevelle

This muscle car is particularly popular in the 1968 Pro Street that was designed shorter and sportier. This car is all about power with a massive big-block engine and plenty of horsepower to boast about. Because this car is still in great demand, it can be easy to get a lemon if you are not careful. If you are in the market for a Chevelle, proceed with caution to ensure that you get your money’s worth.

3. The Chevrolet Impala

Chevy is the car manufacturer with some of the best classic car potential, and the Impala is another example of that. The SS from 1962 is a brilliant combination of class and muscle, with the convertibles adding a sporting flair. If you go with this model, make sure you choose a car with hydraulic rams since this vehicle tends to run a little too low to the ground without them.

4. The VW Beetle

No, this car is not domestic, but the huge number of them on American roads would suggest otherwise. Did anyone else play the road trip game where you counted the number of beetles that you find on the road? Today, this model is still just as popular, with used cars getting snatched up almost as fast as the originals. The late sixty and early seventy models are in the highest demand, with the convertibles weighing in as a popular choice.

5. The Chevrolet Camaro

There are few things sexier than a Chevrolet Camaro, no matter what year model you choose. However, the designs from the late sixties are some of the most popular, with speed, handling and looks all taken into consideration. The popularity of the model has made it a bit hit or miss in the resale arena, so proceed with caution if you are in the market for one of these.

Classic cars are a fun way to drive with vintage style, and many of these models are still hot on the market today. Check out the resales in your area to find the classic car of your dreams.

When you saw the headline you probably wondered, what is this guy smoking. Just think about it for a moment, neither one of them is still around but both are a big part of our culture. Who hasn’t heard of the T-Rex(as he’s better known as) or a GTO? I think by the end of this article you’ll agree with me,at least a little bit, that there are at least some similarities.

First of all let’s take a look at how T-Rex evolved could have evolved. I would imagine the 1st dinosaurs were fairly small, egg layers and most likely plant eaters. Suppose (you really have to use your imagination) there was a nest of newly hatched reptiles and as usually happens the most agressive got the most food and grew to be the biggest. Now suppose the mother wasn’t able to bring any more food (for whatever reason) to the babies. They would probably start fighting over what ever scraps they could find and the largest one might take a bite out of one of the others. Finding he or she liked it he would eventually eat all the rest of them. By then be he would be big enough and bad enough to take on the world. Now suppose this same scenario happened close by but with one of the opposite ***. I think you can get the picture of how T-Rex evolved. Eventually some outside forces caused the T-Rex along with all the other dinosaurs to die out, exactly how is the center of much debate about the subject.

Now then we come to the muscle car evolution. Of course we know how the muscle car died out. It took the muscle car roughly 60-70 years to evolve in comparison to the millions for T-Rex, although the life span of our subjects compared to the overall span of existence could be similar. We know the muscle car existed for approximately 9 years or about 12% of the life span of the automobile up the end of the muscle car. It’s possible the T-Rex was around for the same percentage of time.

When the automobile became more than just an idea, it was inconceivable to anyone that eventually it would become the fire-breathing monster machine called the muscle car. Let’s examine how this happened. The first machines that qualified as an automobile car had less than 20 horsepower while the advertised horsepower of the most powerful production muscle car was 450 horsepower in the 1970 Chevy 454. Of course today you’ll find modern cars with even more but we’re talking about the classic car age.

I would say the horsepower race really started in 1955 likely due to the rivalry between Ford and Chevrolet, even thought Oldsmobile had an overhead V8 clear back in 1949. In 1954 Ford came out with an overhead valve engine followed by Chevrolet in 1955 and Mopar in 1956. Chevy’s was larger than Fords and Mopar’s bigger still and away went the horsepower race. Even though the horsepower was starting to climb at a dizzying rate,the engines were still being put in the standard configuration of the bigger the car the bigger the engine.

1959-1960 was when the compact car made an appearance (and set the stage for the muscle car along with the bigger engines) with the Big 3 all having them. The American public had a taste of horsepower and now they were asked to go back to little 6 cylinder engines. Needless to say it was a tough sell for the compacts, but their day was coming.

Things were pretty static for the next few years with the horsepower wars marching along. Chevrolet had the 348 CI engine in 1958 and then made it into the 409 in 1961. In 1962 it was the first production engine to hit 1 horsepower per 1 cubic inch. They got to a 396 CI in 1965 and the 427 in 1966. In 1970 they were up to 454 CI.

Ford engines were kind of lagging behind until 1961 when they came out with the 390 CI and then a 406 CI engine in 1962. In 1963 they were up to 427 CI and 428 CI in 1966. The biggest one, the 429 CI came in 1969.

Mopars were up to the 392 Hemi in 1958 and the 413 Wedge replaced the Hemi in 1959. In 1966 they came out with a 426 Hemi and in 1967 a all new 440 CI monster. 1971 was the last year for these engines.

Meanwhile Oldsmobile jumped into the horsepower race with a 330 CI engine in 1964 and a 400 CI in 1965. In 1970 they came out with their biggest at 455 CI. Buick pretty well stayed out of the race until 1963 when they came out with a 401 and 425 CI. In 1967 the 430 replaced the 425 CI.Their huge 455 CI debuted in 1970. Pontiac brought out the 389 CI in 1961 with a 400 and a 428 CI coming out in 1967. Their big 455 CI came out in 1970.

During all of this engine one-ups-manship the boys at Pontiac used a GM technicality to their advantage and stuffed a 389 CI into a Tempest. Although this was reported as the first muscle car the Olds had the 442 and a number of other models had bigger engines for 1964 and earlier years.

Looking back,because GM dropped their engine cubic inch restrictions in 1970 most of the cars increased the cubes to even bigger sizes. I imagine this is one reason the insurance companies put huge premiums on the muscle cars. 1970 was also the goverment passed the Clean Air Act. Those two things started the demise of the muscle car and then the oil crisis finished them off. By 1972 all the manufacturers except Pontiac hhad thrown in the towel and that was the real end of the muscle car era. The Pontiac TransAm came out as a muscle car in 1973 and 1974 but it was a fairly toothless T-Rex.

If you follow the auctions or keep up with the prices of muscle cars you’ll see that they are getting their revenge for being killed off in the prices they’re bringing nowadays.

Hopefully no one will take this article too seriously and challenge me on my suppositions and treatment of history. I think the engine and car facts are correct but if not don’t get too bent out of shape over it. It’s intended to be entertaining rather than a treatise of history.

Just like the T-Rex the muscle car had a brief but illustrious life in the overall scheme of history. They both packed a lot of dynamics into the short time they were on earth and will both forever be a part of history that is engrained in our hearts and minds.