Throughout the country, few cars are more popular than muscle cars. They are a swift, streamlined, not oversized, and good-looking class of car. Muscle cars are mostly 2-door models with a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive, and they are typically not too expensive. The mass production of muscle cars began in the 1960's; at the time they were primarily used for drag racing on the street. 1949 saw the creation of the first muscle car, however. It happened to be the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. This became the first American car with an overhead valve V8 engine. The Oldsmobile 88 saga ends with the 1999 model. Factories in three different cities, Wentzville, Missouri, Flint, Michigan and Lake Orion, Michigan produced the car.
The following is a list of yesterday's muscle cars:
1970-1971 AMC Rebel and Matador The Machine,
1970-1974 Buick GSX,
1965-1973 Chevrolet Chevelle SS,
1966-1974 Dodge Charger,
1968-1971 Dodge Super Bee,
1969-1970 Dodge Charger Daytona with nose and goalpost wing,
1966-1969 Ford Fairlane GT, GTA, and Cobra,
1968-1974 Ford Torino (GT, Cobra, and Talladega),
1966-1972 Mercury Cyclone,
1970-1971 Mercury Montego,
1968-1971 Oldsmobile 442,
1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass "Ram-Rod" 350,
1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass W-31,
1967-1971 Plymouth GTX,
1968-1974 Plymouth Road Runner,
1970 Plymouth Superbird with nose and goalpost wing,
1964-1974 Pontiac GTO,
1969 AMC SC/Rambler,
1971 AMC Hornet SC 360,
1963-1974 Chevrolet Nova SS,
1968-1976 Dodge Dart GT, GTS, Swinger, and Demon,
1970-1976 Plymouth Duster.
Muscle cars became a matter of concern when a group of young lobbyists, led by Ralph Nader, protested the production practices used in making these vehicles. Most of all, this group protested the fact that the vehicles were strongly marketed to young adults. Teenage drivers got a chill down their spine thinking of how a fast car would impress their friends and win them attention from girls. Muscle cars often have weak tires, poor handling and mediocre breaks. The tires on normal cars have more adhesion then those on muscle cars.
Muscle cars became very important pieces of American popular culture, appearing in many TV shows and Hollywood films during the 1960's and 1970's. Muscle cars featured prominently on shows like Knight Rider, Starsky and Hutch, and the Elvis movies. Elvis would be shown either driving a muscle car, or standing near one while surrounded by his admirers. Although muscle cars decreased in popularity for a while, their attraction will always be a part of American culture.
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