Muscle Cars Of The '60s And '70s: That Big V8 Power And Beauty

Chevelle SS. Source Wikimedia Commons

What comes to mind when you hear the term, ‘muscle car’? Vehicles associated with speed, big engines and the car everyone has to look at twice or more with envy and admiration.

In the early 60’s and 70’s what came to be known as muscle cars are now highly collectible. Some of the most well-known names of these cars are Chevy Chevelles and Impalas; Dodge Coronet's Chargers and Challengers; Plymouth Road Runners, and Ford Torinos.

Here are a few of the most sought-after muscle cars that ruled the 60’s and 70’s:

1964 Pontiac GTO

The 1964 Pontiac GTO was considered to be the first of the muscle cars. With a big, powerful engine and a lightweight body, this car was created by Russell Gee, John DeLorean and Bill Collins. 

Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake

One of the rarest, classic American muscle cars has to be the Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake. Carroll Shelby wanted to build the fastest car on the road and he did just that in 1967, when he modified this car.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T

The 1968 Dodge Charger R/T featured a hidden headlight grill and a sleek body design.One of the engine options for this muscle car was the legendary 426 Hemi or the 4 barrel Magnum V-8 engine. Going slow was not an option!

1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi

Another highly collectible muscle car is the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi. Plymouth paid Warner Brothers $50,000 to use the “Road Runner” name, with an extra $10,000 added on so they could use the ‘beep beep’ sound as the Road Runner’s horn.  

1969 Camaro ZL1

Of course the 1969 Camaro ZL1 packs some serious power! And is one of the rarest cars ever! This Camaro was powered by the racing engine, ZL1 and could accelerate from 0-60 MPH in just 5.3 seconds. 

1969 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet

Then there’s the 1969 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet, equipped with ram-air induction. This was Ford’s challenger against the Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird.

1970 Chevy Chevelle SS

Another powerful muscle car contender was the 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS. This car could accelerate from 0-60 MPH in just 6 seconds. 

1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda Convertible

What makes the 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda Convertible so rare? Only eleven of them were built in 1971. This rare car is one of the most sought-after muscle cars in history! Powered by the legendary Hemi engine and a combination of good looks and a powerful performance makes this even more sought after for collectors. One of these rare cars was sold for a mere $4,000,000 at a Barrett Jackson auction. 

The muscle car, king of the road and the drag strip. A collector’s dream, long live the legendary muscle cars of the 60’s and 70’s!