Plenty, from what we can tell. Aging, weight loss and facial hair also can play a role in accuracy, so you’ll probably have to update your file picture fairly often. Of course, such wisdom won’t deter those who just know they can beat the stock market by “flipping” a muscle machine or some other golden oldie. Dodge muscle cars were among the fastest and wildest. And the Dodge Boys wanted a piece of that market, too. The 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440 defined “hot car” with a 375-bhp V-8 in a lightweight, compact-model body. That’s why Dodge has announced a revived Challenger pony car for 2008 — with a Hemi, of course — and why Chevrolet promises a new Camaro around for 2009. We also know Ford is working on another clean-sheet Mustang. A race-proven, all-aluminum 427-cid V-8 defined the rare and wicked 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Prices ranged from $684 for the six-cylinder Special coupe to $1013 for the V-8 DeLuxe woody wagon — the first factory-built Ford to break the $1000 barrier. Like the 1969 model, the 1970 Chevrolet Nova was offered only as a two-door coupe or four-door sedan. Debuting for 2007, the new Shelby GT500 coupe and convertible boasted a whopping 500 horses from a supercharged version of the twincam 330-cid “mod” V8, plus a heavy-duty 6-speed manual transmission, more-aggressive styling, and many special touches throughout.
In all, the reborn Shelby GT500 was a modern marvel with thrilling ’60s soul. What about the pitcher who has the most strikeouts in MLB history? But if not the easiest way to make a fortune, old cars are a wonderful investment in nostalgic fun, not to mention one that preserves a part of automotive history. Now these folks are 50-somethings in their peak earning years, and many are scrambling to possess what they could only dream of as teenagers. The growing prominence of classic muscle is the latest trend in a multifaceted collector-car hobby that began modestly in the late 1940s and is now big business. Since then, classic muscle has been rediscovered by the leading edge of the Baby-Boom generation, which was just starting high school when the first GTO hit the streets. A new GTO seems likely, as noted above, and we wouldn’t be surprised to hear V-8s rumble in a hot new Chevy Impala and a burly new Ford (perhaps called Interceptor). Despite prosaic mechanicals and increasingly tough compact competition, Tempo proved another fast-selling Ford.
Despite such technical finesse, Regal finished well-down on the midsize sales chart for 1988. The reason, said many pundits, was GM’s delay in introducing planned four-door models, a style far preferred in this class. Muscle cars have never gone away, but the seminal 1960s fire-breathers did go out of style for a time. Many classic muscle fans prefer cars that are most “factory-original,” paint flaws, misaligned trim, and all the rest. The ATP and WTA Tours travel around the world, so the matches are played at all different times – including during the workday in the U.S. So the muscle car saga goes roaring on, a happy prospect in our troubled world, especially for those who were there when it all started. What’s next for Detroit muscle? It’s part of the charm, a reminder that Detroit workmanship wasn’t so good way back when. In 1904, Buick moved from Detroit to Flint, Michigan, where it soon came under the control of William C. Durant.
Six-cylinder engines arrived in 1914, and were the only type Buick offered from 1925 to ’30. Think about that. Right out the box, a new GT would out drag all but the most exotic classic Mustangs yet cost far less in relative terms and offered fuel efficiency and safety features unimaginable in muscle’s golden age. If you’ve ever stuck your hand out the window of a moving car, then you already have experience with this force. See in the next section to learn how baby boomers have created Muscle Mania II, or 2.0 if you prefer. Call it Muscle Mania II. Here are features on more than 100 muscle cars, including photos and specifications for each model. That said, classic muscle machines are hot right now, thanks to boomer interest, so they routinely go for six-figure sums, and the rarest models often sell for much more. The phrase Mercury muscle cars was no contradiction in terms; even this staid marquee had a quick-car lineup.