Custom Car Builders, USA
It would be hard to envision the history of classic American cars without the existence of muscle cars. Although its origin as an icon is arguable, muscle cars played an essential role in classic car history, ruling the American streets as drag racers from the 1950s through the 1970s and beyond.
Since the birth of American muscle cars, drivers seeking superior speed and power have sought them out, creating a legacy built in steel.
The First Muscle Car
The development of fast cars in the United States began as early as the 1940s when bootleggers needed to peddle moonshine while outrunning the four-wheeled arm of the law.
Most car historians mark 1949 as the introduction of the first manufacturer-produced muscle car with the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. With a V8 engine, 35 HP, and 263 lb-ft of torque in a lightweight chassis, the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 could hit 60 MPH in 13 seconds.
It won 8 out of 10 NASCAR races in the 1950 season. Tapping out at 97 MPH, its sheer power was unheard of in a car—and inspired an entirely new automotive market.
1955 Chrysler C-300: America’s Most Powerful Car
The Rocket 88 dominated the very market it spawned until 1955 when Chrysler released the C-300, touted to be America’s most powerful car.
Fitted with a newly developed small-block Hemi V8, the C-300 smashed the Rocket’s limits. Its top speed of 130 MPH, 300 HP, and rapid acceleration from 0 to 60 in 9.8 seconds placed it firmly at the top of the sales charts.
It was the C-300’s success that spurred more manufacturers to jump into the budding market, and, for many, its innovative engine served as a blueprint, inspiring some of the most famous muscle cars in history.
Drag Racing Crashes into the Scene
The muscle car market was changed forever in 1957 when the Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) banned manufacturers from sponsoring races in response to a tragic crash at the 1955 Le Mans race that took the lives of 84 people.
Unexpectedly, this change in legislation was far from the death of the muscle car. Instead, it supercharged the already popular drag-racing scene, which was reflected in all the muscle car models that followed through the 1960s.
Faster and Lighter: The 1957 AMC Rambler Rebel
American Motors’ earliest foray into the muscle car market, the Rambler Rebel, ranked among the first electronically fuel-injected models. It also broke the standard muscle-car mission of aiming for ever-more power, with just 255 HP.
Instead, the Rambler optimized the bodyweight-to-power ratio, creating a lighter, yet far faster, muscle car that could hit 60 MPH in 7.5 seconds. It was the second-fastest muscle car of the time, bested only by the 7-second leader, the C1 Corvette.
However, the Rambler’s high price tag left it a luxury for the wealthy, and only 1,500 were ever produced—but its lighter-weight style did stick around.
The Early 60s: Classic Car Icons are Born
From the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS409 to the 1962 Dodge Dart and 1964 Pontiac Tempest GTO, the early half of the 60s saw numerous iconic classic cars. Following in the lighter footsteps of the Rambler Rebel, these popular models arguably sparked the golden age of muscle cars.
The 1964 GTO was also the first muscle car to be labeled as such in print, marking a major turning point for the market. These powerful machines ceased to be reserved for lovers of speed and became the heartthrob of high schoolers nationwide.
Enter Pony Cars: The 1964 Ford Mustang
What comes with popularity? The need for affordability. Enter the 1964 Mustang. Unlike the muscle cars of years prior, the Mustang catered to a larger market. It was lighter, smaller, and had a lower price tag—but it was also slower and had less power.
That’s because these newer “pony cars” weren’t just aimed at collectors and racing enthusiasts. They were for anyone who wanted a car that was fun to drive and looked “boss.” The Mustang was just one of many popular pony models to come, inspiring the 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, 1966 Dodge Charger, 1967 Z28 Chevrolet Camaro, and 1967 Pontiac Firebird.
Back to the Track: Trans-Am Racing
At the tail-end of the 1960s, the pony car market was hot—and highly competitive. So competitive that an entirely new racing circuit was born, the Trans-American Sedan Championship, which began in 1966 and is known today as simply the “Trans Am Series.”
The Trans Am pitted top models from American muscle car manufacturers against one another in a public arena beyond the sales figures.
It also spurred popularity for a newcomer to the market that may have languished in the frumpy image of its maker had it not been for so many race wins and the addition of a few famous drivers—the 1964 AMC Javelin piloted by, most notably, racing legends, Roger Penske and Mark Donohue.
The Javelin was AMC’s attempt to modernize their image and grab a chunk of the fun, young pony car market, and they succeeded, at least temporarily. A later iteration of the Javelin even became the first muscle car to be used as a standard-issue police cruiser in 1971.
A New Decade Dawns: Trouble on the Horizon
The American muscle car peaked as the 70s came rolling in with pony car models still dominating a large chunk of the automotive market—but trouble was brewing and, with it, unavoidable change.
From their early days aiding bootleggers with booze to a decade of making racing history, muscle cars seemed sure to stand the test of time. However, while a limited number are still produced today, the market is a shadow of its heyday, with mostly its impact surviving into 2020.
What could possibly throw these powerhouses off track, allowing economy cars to take the cup? Check out our next installment, The American Muscle Car: The 70s, as we follow the Evolution of a Classic through time.