![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:18 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
The 17 Most Badass American Muscle Cars
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:28 |
|
All boomer cars. Yawn.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:30 |
|
Buick Grand National!
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:31 |
|
No Cougar? GTFO
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:33 |
|
All boomer cars. Yawn.
Is there a muscle car that isn’t considered a “boomer car”?
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:33 |
|
All generalizations are lies, and all lists inherently suck. But they are good at starting conversations.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:34 |
|
66 Barracuda? Fuck no.
68 Barracuda? Now we’re talking.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:35 |
|
What American “muscle car” do think was omitted? The 84 and 87 are “boomer” cars? The Hellcat is a boomer car?
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:35 |
|
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:35 |
|
What “badass american muscle” is not boomer?
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:35 |
|
“We all” is another generalization/ lie. I’ve never even been in a muscle car, and I certainly have no dog in this fight.
Having said that, s2000 4eva! (That’s a muscle car, right?)
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:36 |
|
I did not know the turbo T/A used the same engine as the GNX. I do have a hard time believing they were ‘left over’ that’s not how car companies are supposed to work, but who knows with 80s GM.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:36 |
|
Definitely not that Trans Am.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:37 |
|
lol I can’t afford any of those, much less drive a manual. the best car is the one I’m driving now
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:37 |
|
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:37 |
|
Black Plymouth Fury is my choice. Good car for a vigilante or something. Plus, FURY.
Back when cars had cool names. I still say “Fiesta” under my breath when someone asks what I drive. Love the car, hate the name.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:38 |
|
Now that you mention it, I think the only “muscle” car I’ve been in was when I caught a ride from a coworker. The back seat of the Dodge Charger was... “meh”. It wasn’t anything special. This was quite a few years ago though.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:39 |
|
The Hellcat is a boomer car?
yes
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:39 |
|
Also, this moment of automotive badassery:
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:40 |
|
In this case, I believe boomer is not describing the age of the car, but the likely age of the owner.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:40 |
|
I started the arguing. Now let’s have fun.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:42 |
|
None of these cars handle all that well. Maybe, maybe the C4 Corvette, if you count later models. The ‘84 Corvette pictured was not a fast car.
This is badass:
Name a car on that list that’s set a lap under 7:20 on the Nurburgring . Heck, name a car on that list that’s even been to the ‘Ring.
/amIdoingThisRight
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:43 |
|
I’m a poser. I didn’t know there was a difference between the GNX and regular Grand National until I just googled. But a
blacked out Regal with any engine
is the best looking car in that list.
GM throws their engines around every which way. Including now. So not surprised about the turbo T/A.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:44 |
|
That list is completely forgetting a couple decades.
For the ‘00s, I’d nominate the Terminator Cobra:
And for the ‘90s, I’d nominate the ‘98 WS6 Trans Am:
I know, they’re practically from the same generation, and they’re more “pony cars” than “muscle cars”, but they’re both the cars that were terrorizing the streets when the badass muscle cars from the ‘60s were under covers in their owner’s garages.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:45 |
|
Go on YouTube and watch the car chase from The Seven-Ups. Bill Hickman drove the bad guy’s car in both Seven-Ups and Bullitt.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:46 |
|
My thought too. Mercury gets no love between the Cyclone and the Cougar XR7
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:46 |
|
My first car was a turbo regal so I have a soft spot for anything grand national!
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:46 |
|
Not enough doors, bad on gas, impractical, non-ironic moustache required.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:46 |
|
I just love that picture though. So much badass.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:47 |
|
Like the 1st gen Chargers, they’re all Executive cars.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:48 |
|
Nah that list while interesting can be spun anyway you like.
If you want true bickering this is the last great muscle car
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a33313/honda-accord-v6-coupe-muscle-car/
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:49 |
|
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:50 |
|
This is the best answer, I’m very biased , but it’s still the best answer.
I’m way2blu and I support this message
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:52 |
|
AMC SC/Rambler
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:52 |
|
Boss 429!
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:53 |
|
There’s one of those parked around the corner from me.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:53 |
|
I really don’t know
cars. I didn’t know there were turbo Regals other than GN/GNXs.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:54 |
|
11/10 masterful
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:56 |
|
One of my best friends in high school had that trans am with the 4 speed and the hurst t tops and it was the bees knees as far as I was concerned.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:57 |
|
My method of teaching was “ITS NOT A FUCKIN LIGHTSWITCH! LITTLE FINESSE!” Replaced that clutch klater that year, however my sister Katie doorhan dle will only drive a manual.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:59 |
|
I’m Joe Biden and I approve this message.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 13:59 |
|
This list needs more snarling nostrils.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:01 |
|
Terminator Cobra is still on my wish list to own.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:04 |
|
I n ominate the 1970 Monte Carlo.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:08 |
|
Bad list is predictably terrible.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:09 |
|
a neighbour at my old place had one of those. Registered it in stock form so it was street legal
, and then proceeded with his ten-hundred hp build. I could always tell when he was coming home from the sound of it.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:10 |
|
Me too, but not the GOAT.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:12 |
|
I see a lot of 30ish folks driving those. Although there definitely are a fair share of boomer-types as well.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:15 |
|
At the same time, a 400/4sp Trans Am is on my shortest list of cars I’d like to drive.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:15 |
|
The GOAT? the picture looks like a regular one to me. What am I missing?
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:17 |
|
I couldn’t drive stick very well in high school but the thing was a blast. It wasn’t very fast by modern standards, but 100mph in that thing felt like about 250. Especially with the t-tops out.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:18 |
|
Leftover design + spare manufacturing space = leftover engines.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:20 |
|
That makes much more sense. I was picturing a warehouse
with 1500 engines, left over from an original production run of 547
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:22 |
|
I believe muscle cars produce torque. So, based on that metric alone, the S2000 doesn’t apply. ;)
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:28 |
|
Baldwin-Motion Super Vega. Just a Vega with a 454 shoehorned in.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:47 |
|
I mean, the Hellcat is kinda a boomer car.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:49 |
|
I second the nomination.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:50 |
|
It’s really nothing more than click bait . But it made for good conversation.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:52 |
|
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:52 |
|
As cool as the Hellcat/Demon/Redeye/ supercharged stuff is,
I would rather have two Widebody Scat Packs over one of them any day.
I’m always been a Mustang fan, but too many on that list leaving many off.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 14:52 |
|
No Beaumont SD396?
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:00 |
|
The answer is “Anything, literally anything, that has a supercharger sticking out of the hood.” It doesn’t matter what car it is, if it has a supercharger sticking out of the hood, it’s automatically cool. Specifically, I’m talking about rootes-type superchargers. Centrifugal superchargers protruding from the hood just look sloppy and dorky. Same goes for turbochargers sticking out of the hood (fight me) and those fake supercharger-esque intakes that aren’t fooling anybody. But if it has a genuine big ‘ol supercharger sticking out of the hood, it awakens the inner child of all who gaze upon it, letting you instantly know that that’s a cool car.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:06 |
|
Actually, I retract that remark. I had forgotten about the time I got to test drive a Ford Mustang. A few years back, a local school had a car show. One of the Ford dealerships was there, and would donate $20 to the school if you took one of their cars (Mustang, Edge, or Focus) on a test drive. Clearly, it was so memorable that I had just remembered about it now.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:12 |
|
Nice.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:21 |
|
I was going to say not enough Chevy 396 SS on that list.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:32 |
|
Greatest. Of. All. Time.
I read somewhere that the T-top also greatly reduced body rigidity.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 15:37 |
|
Oh, an acronym! I was trying to figure out if there was some relationship between the trans am and the Goat (GTO)
That makes way more sense. And yes, while I am fond of them there are plenty of other cars that are more important.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:10 |
|
All the times I looked at that I never realized he was backing up. I thought he was looking over his shoulder and and about to donut around to face the other direction.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:12 |
|
That might have less overheating problems than the early Vega models, even with the much bigger engine.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:18 |
|
W ildcard question - so are “pony” cars a subset of “muscle cars” or a completely different category? In my head I think of muscle cars as usually larger sedans, (442, GTO, Fairlane, Torino, Monte, Chevelle, that kind of thing.)
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:42 |
|
4:11. That’s Bill Hickman driving the Challenger.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:44 |
|
I am not qualified to answer that question.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:49 |
|
Pony cars are the smallest category of muscle car. Its easy to forget how gigantic everything was back then.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:51 |
|
Why 17? More like 17 muscle cars I like and can name off the top of my head.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 16:55 |
|
I have no idea.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:00 |
|
1 968 Dodge Hemi Dart
https://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/68-hurst-hemi-dart-l023-is-this-the-worlds-fastest-muscle-car/
1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt
https://musclecarfan.com/ford-thunderbolt-shelby/
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:10 |
|
I’ve watched that movie three times and I have no idea what it was about. A body, a fax, a hotel, a car crash with a Chase... Beyond that, no idea.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:11 |
|
And a writ of habeas corpus. Basically, Steve McQueen’s witness was killed, and he has to solve the case before the DA finds out that the witness is dead.
I think.
The final scene at SFO is pretty cool with all the 707s.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:27 |
|
At least top 5 and 10 lists make kinda sense
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:30 |
|
I would never want to make a list that declared one aircraft to be the best in WWII, for example. But I’d be happy to list the five best, and leave the actual ranking to others.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 17:42 |
|
You can say best, but you need to be very, very specific in circumstance and criteria.
If we are saying “badass” and “muscle car” you need to define both, in order to judge based on metrics. So it would probably be based on a combination of performance and styling. Also, I guess we would be talking about american classics from the golden age as a stereotype. The problem is that the answer is boring and obvious: the shelby cobra. Race car, still fast performance, incredibly mean looking with giant tires. Hardcore with no roof and an only a marginal roll bar. After that, you are pretty much looking at your primo top trim cars. Which, being that I am not creating an extensive list, I gotta hand to mopar. Based purely on styling, special highlights would be the coronet super bee and the original challenger. The later plymouth gtx as well. 455 super duty trans am practically had a race engine installed, so that would be in there.
Once you start opening it up to newer stuff, you start getting into design and cultural crossover, and the "muscle car" moniker gets blurrier.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 19:26 |
|
1. I lost interest in muscle cars over the years from being snubbed by 95% of their owners when asking questions. They are genuinely the worst owners on the planet, and I have a Corvette. I would 100% rather join a Corvette club and go to every meeting, than sit down and have lunch once with a Muscle Car club, they are absolutely insufferable assholes.
2. The C4, really? Also, the Corvette isn’t, nor has ever been a Muscle car.
Let’s argue!
![]() 10/20/2020 at 19:27 |
|
I wouldn’t own a muscle car because of their owners, and I own a Corvette.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 19:49 |
|
My method has always been letting them stall it right off the bat, but slowly. Let them feel where the car begins to die, and at that point it’s a lot easier to figure out from there.
![]() 10/20/2020 at 19:50 |
|
The Corvette also isn’t a muscle car.
![]() 10/21/2020 at 04:15 |
|
2004-2006 Pontiac GTO
:D
![]() 10/21/2020 at 04:20 |
|
the Catalina was cool but not sure it was bad ass, as the description said it was likely tweaked for the press, a sub 14 quarter mile back then from a stock showroom car of that size not likely, I agree with the rest
![]() 10/21/2020 at 16:46 |
|
Ahem...
GTFAC
![]() 10/21/2020 at 16:50 |
|
Great finish. I’d love to hear the actual audio from filming for this
compared with
foley artists’ work.
![]() 10/21/2020 at 16:55 |
|
A friend has one - such a wicked machine.
But musclecars have always been about straight line performance .
The Demon is the musclecar zenith, I suppose.