Muscle Cars Then and Now

[Landshark]

Originally posted by thumper_svx
Well... if you're going for the "Classic" American Muscle Car (hey, I'm British and even I have to admit that the true "Muscle Car" was an American thing...), allow me to add my 2c.

Then: What better than the classic Roadrunner or GTO? The GTO really started the run, but I think the Roadrunner was pretty much the epitome of what it meant to be a muscle-car; large car, loads of power, "look-at-me" styling and absolutely NO manners whatsoever.

Now: There's not really many true "muscle-cars" left any more... at least not modern ones. I'm sorry, but small cars with loads of mods just don't cut it as a muscle-car... in order to be a true muscle-car it needs to be BIG. Now, not SUV big... none of them seem to have what it takes to be a muscle-car either. They have gobs of power but just don't quite capture the spirit of the muscle car for me.

I digress... a few years ago I would have said the mid-90's Impala SS was as close as you were going to get... but having driven a friend's 2003 Mercury Marauder that he bought a couple of weeks ago... that's DEFINITELY what classes as a muscle car. Some niceties and luxury touches... but man, what a beast when you really want to wring it out. Oh, and this would be a Canadian-spec Marauder without the limited slip rear diff... lets you light up them tires and haul ass to Red Robin... works for me

Just my 2c.

have you seen the Kenny Brown (i think that's the tuner's name - i need coffee ) Marauder? i saw a segment about it on some car show and it was pretty sick!!!

[Andy]

Then: Shelby Cobra

Now: Any TVR

[Chicane]

I dunno.. to me 'big engine/little car' makes me think 'muscle car', and that's pretty much what the evo and sti are.

- Rob

[mikecg]

Originally posted by Chicane
I dunno.. to me 'big engine/little car' makes me think 'muscle car', and that's pretty much what the evo and sti are.

- Rob

4-cylinders= big engine???

[mikecg]

Most impressive stock engine = 327 from the chevy Nova. The one with 350hp. First engine to offer more hp then cubes from the factory. The 327 was about as indestructable as they came too.

Favorite Car = 69 C.O.P.O. Camaro. It was a wolf in sheeps clothing. It was badged as a plain Camaro, but came with a 420hp aluminum 427. It was exstremly rare and had to be special ordered. Chevy never advertised the obtion so most of the cars that were order were for people with the inside scoop. It's probubly the only Camaro to out perform the Yenko. And for Corvette lovers there was rumored to be 3 COPO Corvettes built.

But for looks I think the GTO "Judge" was about the best. Great styling, Great power, and Great paint sceam.

[Earthworm]

Seems like late 60's is when HP was at it's max.

There's a Camaro here in Winnipeg claiming to have a 327ci with 375 stock hp.

My cousin is a fan of the 409ci with 425hp engines. http://www.bruneauperformance.ca

There was also the ZL-1 Camaros and Corvettes in 69/70 with 427ci and 500hp.

Today it seems that hp is on the rise and soon we'll have a lot more affordable vehicles making 300hp+

The main difference (IMO) between old muscle and new muscle is options. Old muscle cars has all the options in the engine and that's it. New muscle cars have all the normal options as standard equipment.

Only one car has really survived from old to new with the exception of one year and that's the Corvette. Anyone remember the only model year Corvette they never made?

[Chicane]

Originally posted by mikecg


4-cylinders= big engine???

Well, look at the output. Those are some pretty big numbers in a small car.

- Rob

[Chicane]

Originally posted by mikecg
Most impressive stock engine = 327 from the chevy Nova. The one with 350hp. First engine to offer more hp then cubes from the factory.

WRONG!

I'm sorry, this is an EXTREMELY popular MYTH that just perpetuates itself. The first engine that detroit offered that had over one hp/ cubic inch was in a CHRYSLER 300C. Chevy liked to 'advertise' that fact, but the thing is Chrysler had achieved 1hp/cubic inch one year earlier than chevrolet.

Anyway.

- Rob

[huck369]

Originally posted by thumper_svx

Then: What better than the classic Roadrunner or GTO? The GTO really started the run, but I think the Roadrunner was pretty much the epitome of what it meant to be a muscle-car; large car, loads of power, "look-at-me" styling and absolutely NO manners whatsoever.

The Tempest that the GTO was based on was the SMALL car of the day, yes big to todays standards, but small back then, that's what made it such a big deal, Pontiac shoved the bigger 389 4 barrell, or the optional 3 dueces, into a Tempest body, which had had a 4 cylinder, in it the year before, or at the biggest, an option a 326 2 barrell...all this against the big wigs at Pontiac OKing it, to start the whole Muscle car era.

My personal favorite was a 1973 Trans AM 455 SD...muscle car PLUS good handling

this is my dad's "hot rod":
http://www.badbenz.com/badbenz/images/engine8.jpg

this is my dad's "muscle car":
http://www.badstang.com/badstang/images/body4.jpg

This is how I look at it:

muscle car - classic american automobile that was popular with the track or a classic car with a big block.

hot rod - ranges for '30s coupes to hybrid swaps, like my dad's modded 6.3L benz. he does not call his modded benz a muscle car though, even though it has a chevy V8. this also includes all high horsepower autos, domestic or foreign.

japanese hot rod - this is the term i use to describe the svx and sti and other high performance japanese autos.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by arondale


japanese hot rod - this is the term i use to describe the svx and sti and other high performance japanese autos.

I normally call the SVX SVX and stuff like STi and EVO would be called rice rockets.

Yes. Me too. I usually say "SVX". When they say what's that I reply, "Oh, Subaru's 240hp all-wheel-drive limited edition japanese hot rod."

[solarsvx]

i think todays import "muscle cars"

wich they dont make any more wich sucxs, are all 300 + hp range

nissan 300zx twin turbo 300 hp RWD
mazda rx7 twin turbo r-1 270 hp RWD
mitsubishi 3000gt VR4 320 hp AWD
toyota supra 320 hp RWD

in the 2000s

350 z less hp
rx8 less hp
mitsubihi, ?? uhh nothing
toyota,, uhhh nothing,

the hot things to buy wrx sti and evo 8 =>


i dont anything abought muscle cars so i cant say whats was good and bad, it was before i was born and they dont make them anymore so

[Chicane]

Originally posted by arondale
Yes. Me too. I usually say "SVX". When they say what's that I reply, "Oh, Subaru's 240hp all-wheel-drive limited edition japanese hot rod."

Where'd you get the extra 10 hp? Do share.

- Rob

[Chicane]

Originally posted by solarsvx
mitsubihi, ?? uhh nothing

the hot things to buy wrx sti and evo 8 =>

psst. Hey Solar! The evo is a mitsu!

- Rob