Cheap Muscle Cars?

Are there any muscle cars left out there that can be had in driving condition don't cost damn near or over $20K?

Edit: Not really looking but I just keep seeing the prices on old Muscle cars and going

Find an old Aspen/Volare with a 340 in it. Absolutely worthless, easy to build up.

They're out there, but usually need a little TLC, not a whole rebuild. Also depends if you want a muscle car or a fun car to drive. There are still a lot of really good 6-Cylinder cars or small V8 cars that can be had for under $10k. Even around $5k.

Any AMC with a 304--Spirit, Hornet or Gremlin etc. A 401 (and easily in the 12's) is a drop in. Even 304 Javelins are pretty reasonable compared to similar era "muscle" cars.

Shopping AMC will generally save you a ton of money. You can get solid AMXs and Javelins for peanuts relative to comparable Big Three cars. God forbid the Hornet/Gremlin, Rebel, Rambler, Matador etc which are nearly worthless but potentially awesome.

I should have said a pre-'74 muscle car (and early would be better). After that point, they get ugly and sad IMHO. The only one I could think of was the Rebel but I haven't looked at prices on Javelins. My favorite muscle car is a '68-'70 Charger but they are expensive!

Still decent deals on comets, falcons, and mavericks, but the oor is closing.

Two deals I kick myself about every day for passing up were a '67 Ford Torino with a 427 side oiler for $3500 and a pair of Challengers (one 6 cylinder and the other a beat to crap roundy round car) for $2500 but I just had no money at the time. This was a couple years ago.

DOOR. the DOOR is closing.

Depends on where you're looking. I have seen old Chrysler A-bodies for under $10k in driving condition. A run of the mill /6 auto for under $5k.

Sort of an odd model run that I like is the '71-'73 Mercury Cougar. Though the last of the years where the Cougar was a Mustang platform share the models began to look a lot different from each other.
I especially like the convertible version in these years.

Cheap is a relative term but should not carry the "Mustang Tax"

this one ran me $6500. it has a 350/th400, 2.73 open rear, black interior that needs some tlc but the important stuff is good or new. the wheels and tires were brand new. the carb was junk, the car barely ran. the exhaust was obnoxious with cherrybombs hanging right off the headers. the paint is ~10 year old maaco job, both quarters were replaced with new, and the rest of the car is clean.

i swiped the rebuilt edelbrock carb from another project and set the timing and the car runs awesome. also made a new exhaust with summit chambered race mufflers and it sounds great now.

the deals are still out there on desirable cars if you're willing to use a little elbow grease or fix some small stuff.

I'd look for a '62 Buick Skylark with the V8. Tom McCahill's test reported a 0-60 time in the 7 second range, which was crazy fast for a car from the early 60s. These still seem to be under-appreciated and under the radar...But may not be what you think of as a muscle car.

http://iowacity.craigslist.org/cto/2940848168.html

The later 60s Skylarks can fall under your price limit also:

http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/2897261163.html

Depends on what you consider Muscle, and what you consider cheap. Are you looking for pedigree/pure bred factory built muscle or a good looking 2-door from the era?

A Chevelle SS isn't going to be cheap, but a 2-door Malibu will be cheaper. A Sport Satellite is traditionally cheaper than a Road Runner or GTX. Any pony car will usually be more expensive than the midsize sibling from the same manufacturer. And the full size is usually cheaper than the mid. Compacts seem to vary depending on the model.

Clones of the performance models probably out number the uncloned available versions at this point. Some deals can be had on basic clones (i.e. SS badges on a Chevelle, GTO trim on a LeMans), but the all out ones are still pricey.

Small block versions of the pedigree cars usually go for less, and can be easier to live with too.

I paid too much for our Road Runner for the condition it was in. But I know the history, and it's a numbers matching 440 car. It's a less desirable year ('73), but I like the car. Long term it's going to cost me more to restore it than what I paid, but I'm not planning to sell it off either. I'll also spread out the restoration over several years. Or decades.

You are down south so I would think the pool of cars is better than up here in the rust belt.

One of our local Mopar club members just bought a nice '68 Dart 2-door hard top from the original little old lady owner. It's a nice slant six car that was well taken care of and driven semi-regularly until her husband passed away a year and a half ago. He got a killer deal, but he got it because she wanted to sell it to somebody that was going to finish restoring it stock and just enjoy it. I have it in my shop now getting the bugs worked out of it for him. And he's planning to honor her wishes.

If you are going to look at AMC's, the guys I know that collect them always say find one already restored it's going to be cheaper. That usually holds true for any of these cars though.

Do you want stock or to modify? Which route you want to take determines your product. If I really wanted to MAKE a muscle car out of would be the lo-po 6 cylinder older resto and modify the piss out of it. That way it is yours and not someone elses.

LOTS of options still exist! "Base" model versions ( Tempest, Malibu, Coronet, etc), odd years, and end of run models abound.

I see Cougars on CL for pretty good prices.
If you don't mind a little more mullet, El Caminos and Rancheros are a little more reasonable than their car siblings.
Prior warning though, if you don't know how to weld, find someone who does. Almost any cheap muscle car you find will need floor pans or quarters or something. My El Camino looked solid but my body guy ended up replacing most of the rear quarters/bed sides.

jrw1621 wrote: Sort of an odd model run that I like is the '71-'73 Mercury Cougar. Though the last of the years where the Cougar was a Mustang platform share the models began to look a lot different from each other. I especially like the convertible version in these years.

YES! I love this Era of Cougar. That's cheap performance right there.

AMC! more people need to buy then so an aftermarket evolves. Although the inline 6 engine can be made to high power with newer parts.

rmarkc wrote: Prior warning though, if you don't know how to weld, find someone who does. Almost any cheap muscle car you find will need floor pans or quarters or something. My El Camino looked solid but my body guy ended up replacing most of the rear quarters/bed sides.

You haven't seen my Spitfire have you?

Ranger50 wrote: Do you want stock or to modify?

I don't leave anything stock.

My personal favorite of the affordable american iron would be the Falcon or Galaxie 500. Very affordable cars

corytate wrote: My personal favorite of the affordable american iron would be the Falcon or Galaxie 500. Very affordable cars

Any Galaxie, with any engine, can be a very very cool ride.

Consider pony cars. You can still get Mustangs for well under $20k, and there is no limit to how fast they can be (look at AIX winner with '65 Mustang).

I like the Cougar idea. I want a muscle car simply for the looks, the V8 noise and big smoking burnouts.