Best Old Muscle Cars of All Time

When I began to think about this piece, I thought to myself how easy it would be. After all, I love the old muscle cars. Therefore, I knew it would not be a problem to tell you about my top 10 best old muscle cars. Big problem! How can I narrow my list to only 10? Moreover, try to think what you, the reader, will want to learn from this article. You might as well ask about the list of “what a man wants in a woman”. Ask ten different men, and you will get ten different answers.

Remember this is only my opinion, so I would appreciate no death threats from anyone who loves a car that did not make my list. So here they are, and in no particular order, my list of the best old muscle cars:

1) The 1969 Chevelle SS Malibu is first on the list. The Chevelle has a classic Muscle car appearance, and a variety of different power plants. I am Partial to the 427, I like the extra cubic inches and the slightly shorter stroke than a 454. In a drag, the shorter stroke allows the engine to reach maximum RPM a little quicker.

2) A true classic is the Dodge Charger. This baby really joined the ranks of the muscle car after the inclusion of the 426 Hemi engine in 1966. Proof of this car’s following is the eventual re-awakening of the Charger name.

3) The all time king of cars some might say is the Chevy Corvette. To attempt to pick the overall best year/engine combination would be impossible to do. Not only an incredible roadster, but always full of muscle. It is the solution to many a man’s mid-life crisis. Did I mention I was in the market?

4) “She’s real fine, my 409.” How could I leave out the car that inspired this Beach Boys tune. In 1961, Chevrolet introduced the Impala SS 409. This always looked to me like WAY too much metal to be moving that fast.

5) For lovers of Ford, the greatest in their line up must be the Mustang. With the varied different engines and builds such as the Boss, Shelby, Mach 1, and Cobra, any one can see why so many people are smitten with this one. Another example of an older classic that has recently had its name revisited.

6) Now I am going to throw one in that some might not consider one of the best old muscle cars. This may be because it is a roadster, and heaven forbid it is European. I am talking about the Jaguar XKE. With leather and walnut interior and such distinctive styling, it is a remarkable sight. In my opinion, anything with a V-12 has to be said to have muscle

7) If you know the owner of a Pontiac GTO, then you probably know a fanatic. Affectionately know as a Goat, the Pontiac GTO has a mean look in the grill. In my favorite type the GTO Tempest, the mean looks are backed up by a 389 ohv V-8. Maybe not the largest displacement, But a tight engine that “raps out” fast.

8) It seemed that growing up, the most popular of the best old muscle cars among my older brothers friends was the Pontiac Firebird. And who could blame them? Based on the Chevy Camero, this is what I would term as affordable muscle. However, not to be toyed with particularly in the Formula 400 version that held 335 horses under the hood

9) Another very popular muscle car was the Chevy Nova. It really did not have much muscle until the 1968 SS version that for the first time included a 350 small block. Personally, I prefer the older body style and many others did also. That is why so many older models were retro-fitted with the 350

10) What list could be complete without an old muscle car with a name like the Barracuda? This Plymouth share many features with its cousin the Dodge Challenger. With a 426 Hemi, the ‘Cuda could cover the ¼ mile in just a little over 13 seconds. Just one look at it, and you would know that this kind of speed was definitely a possibility.

I know I have left out many contenders, so please do not feel jilted. These are simply my very subjective favorites. Get out to a car show and look at these works of art close up. For now from the comfort of your computer you can check out a good introductory web page of the best old muscle cars here: http://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/muscle-car-information