The Muscle Car Culture

Most Americans find it hard to resist the allure of going fast. Couple that with the “cool” factor and it is easy to understand why muscle cars became and remain popular with many drivers. Today Web sites and car clubs abound that celebrate these emblems of coolness.

But of course looking good doesn’t mean much without the power and speed to back it up. Generally muscle cars are defined as mid-size vehicles with V8 engines that were built between 1964 and 1974. They also had rear wheel drive and only two doors. Although muscle cars were considered high performance cars, their mid-size made their price affordable for the average American.

What cemented the reputation of muscle cars, however, was the rebellion attached to proving your car’s speed and power through drag racing. Movies and music that featured the cars only added to their mystique.

The muscle car fell out of favor with car manufacturers after the 1973 OPEC oil embargo. The resulting tightening of EPA pollution laws made the cars less popular with drivers, as did an increase in insurance premiums.

Despite the fact that the original muscle cars have been out of production for more than 30 years, car enthusiasts still actively collect and restore the various models. By the early 1980s, Ford and Chevy were rolling out new models of Mustangs and Camaros to meet new demands for speed and power, but it is the Baby Boomers that have done the most, recently, to bring back the muscle car.

Whether these metal maniacs buy and restore a muscle car looking to make a profit or do so out of an attempt to recapture their own youth and glory days, the appreciation for what muscle cars offer has not waned in the American psyche.

Learn The History of the Muscle Car

Types of Muscle Cars

Learn The History of the Chevelle

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