In reply to bravenrace:
I'll also say that AMC, while getting in a little late in the muscle car game, had some of the strongest running cars in 1973 with the 401. That was partly because they were just peaking when everyone else was in decline.
Still, that one, and a couple other exceptions don't change what happened to the industry as a whole.
I agree that an 81 Monte Carlo isn't a muscle car, but to call a 71 Torino CJ one and a 72 Gran Torino Sport not; a 71 AMX one and a 72 AMX not; a 71 Cuda 340 and a 72 Cuda 340 not; a 71 Mach 1 one and a 72 Mach 1 not; etc, etc, etc is just incredibly odd to me, especially since most "muscle car" sources can't agree anyways (I've seen 72, 73, and 74 as the "last" year, you're the first time I've seen 71).
Of course it's all stupid semantics anyway as they were called "Super Cars" back then anyways and trying to assign "eras" to cars is a pretty arbitrary definition no matter what you try and do.
In reply to bravenrace:
It's good enough for Clint Eastwood. 
351CJ, 1-year fastback styling, good suspension & brakes, faster than the 71 351 Torino...
Hot Wheels even made one for their gasp Muscle Car line!
Besides man, look at that roofline!
poopshovel wrote: Youtube. "Turbo Slant 6." Come to realization that Australians are inherently superior to every other culture. This realization makes you a racist. You're welcome.
You can't hate Aussies. 95% of them are white! 
Thanks for the hot tip. I love reading about what Aussies' have done to the Ford I6. When is Hong Norr going to try their hand at this Aussie magic?
The legendarily tough slant 6. I wonder if turbo's can kill the unkillable.
On another note...
Bathtub Torino's are growing on me. Previously I liked the turtle-back models.
get a 4-door and roll your own
Javelin wrote: I agree that an 81 Monte Carlo isn't a muscle car, but to call a 71 Torino CJ one and a 72 Gran Torino Sport not; a 71 AMX one and a 72 AMX not; a 71 Cuda 340 and a 72 Cuda 340 not; a 71 Mach 1 one and a 72 Mach 1 not; etc, etc, etc is just incredibly odd to me, *especially* since most "muscle car" sources can't agree anyways (I've seen 72, 73, and 74 as the "last" year, you're the first time I've seen 71).
remember too that most of the HP drop for '72 was due to the change to SAE-Net ratings. Sure compression may have dropped a little but it isn't the reason for the huge drop
Local to me, this seems like a good price.
'74 Duster with running slant 6 and 360 kit comes with for $3,500
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/2979380416.html
Carro Atrezzi. Or the OP fomerly known as A401CJ wrote: get a 4-door and roll your own
always wanted to build this ol Chevy 4-door
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xE-68P4ao
nice Dodge in there too btw
Xceler8x wrote: The legendarily tough slant 6. I wonder if turbo's can kill the unkillable.
I plan to find out what it takes to make a 225 live with this.
The turbo in my hand is slated to go on a VW powered sand rail. Isn't it cute?
All i know is that i really want the Malibu from "Drive."
Watching this thread with interest, and now looking to see if there's any way to get a cheap Chevelle..
How "new' of a muscle car do you want? If you just want a V8 with RWD, '05-06 Mustangs are going fairly cheap...
Sky_Render wrote: How "new' of a muscle car do you want?
'74 or earlier only exceptions are a T/A, C3 'Vette or 3rd gen Camaro
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: All i know is that i really want the Malibu from "Drive." Watching this thread with interest, and now looking to see if there's any way to get a cheap Chevelle..
Buy a 2-door 6-cylinder, 305, or 307 Malibu, drop in 350, add Chevelle emblems.
A Body Chryslers can still be had fairly cheap in decent shape. Although they really aren't muscle cars in the traditional sense, an A Barracuda with a 340 will put smiles on your face all day long.
The less popular mopars as well. Coronets are cheaper than Chargers(as long as they aren't Superbees), Satellites are cheaper than RoadRunners. Although you might be able to nab an early 70s Charger or Roadrunner for cheaper than you'd think. You could also look into a mid to late 70s car if you don't mind chopping E36 M3 up. Aspens kinda suck, but that just means you can get them for nothing.
As far as trucks go, Dodge trucks don't have the price tax like Ferd and Chebby. Added bonus, ChryCo was getting evil with trucks quite a while before anyone else, they had one in the early 60s with a 426 wedge and a voided warranty right from the factory. The Warlock was a shortbed trim pack in the late 70s that could be had with a 440 under the hood.
MadScientistMatt wrote: I plan to find out what it takes to make a 225 live with this.
Excellent. Let us know how it goes?
I paid $2,200 for this 1972 Buick (Grandma car) not long ago. Original crystal blue metalic paint, bench seat with arm rest and running driving 350 2 barrel w/ A/C. It is sitting in the garage. I have a 464ci BBB (500 est hp) muncie 4 speed, 12 bolt rearend, etc. to swap in. I am thinking I should come in under $5k for a home-made muscle car.
Xceler8x wrote: I do see some surprisingly cheap mid 70's to early 80's Corvettes.
There is a reason those are so cheap......not to say something cannot be done about those reasons....
I'd look for rust free cars and go from there.
Edit: Also, the last true "muscle car" has been referred to as the 1973 Pontiac Trans Am 455 super duty.........I can agree greatly to that statement.
Yesssssss
Carro Atrezzi. Or the OP fomerly known as A401CJ wrote: get a 4-door and roll your own
I prefer the pre-73 cars for the pre-crash bumper styling and gladly picked up a 68 sedan over say a 75 coupe.
Nice score on that Buick too.
yamaha wrote: Edit: Also, the last true "muscle car" has been referred to as the 1973 Pontiac Trans Am 455 super duty.........I can agree greatly to that statement.
Actually, the 1974 SD455 Trans Am.
Xceler8x wrote:poopshovel wrote: Youtube. "Turbo Slant 6." Come to realization that Australians are inherently superior to every other culture. This realization makes you a racist. You're welcome.You can't hate Aussies. 95% of them are white!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDWYS7NU_Q8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Bonus points for pushbutton trans. I've passed up so many amazingly perfect low mile $2k slant six cars in the last few months, I finally stopped looking.
A 4 door turbo slant as a "drive in" car is my motivation for getting my other stupid projects done.
While I can appreciate the conventional wisdom of a Muscle Car, I'm more drawn to the lure of the Sleeper late 70's car with modern drive train and properly tuned suspension.
For example, I always liked the Dodge Mirada from a styling perspective. It's simple, clean, and I have a feeling that with a current Hemi, the right stance and cleaning up it would be an excellent candidate for a lowbuck musclecar. My old '78 Magnum was a bit of a barge, but it would get up and scoot with that 400 big block.
Cotton wrote:93EXCivic wrote:I'm in middle TN. Trucks are going up here, especially the short wides and 4x4s, but they aren't coming close to decent muscle cars. They are coming close to and/or have surpassed a lot of the less popular older cars. Then there are the extremely well done ones that bring good money like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-Ford-F-100-4X4-/110864730960?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19d00d8b50Javelin wrote: Yep, really. I'm out in hicksville country though where everybody has trucks, so it's definitely a by-location type of thing.I am in Alabama home of the pickup.
every time i see a mechanical fan with no shroud like that I just know they can't be serious
Here local I have found a '71 Mustang for $750 and it comes with a 5.0 and T5. There is also a '75 6cyl Maverick with 3spd on the floor that is $1500. '62 Corvair for $700. A ton of 3rd gen Camaros and fox body Mustangs for under $1500. '68 Elco for $2000. '64 Impala with no motor or trans for $800. '75 Olds Omega for $700. Those were all just found in a quick Craigslist search for here local there are more things laying around town in people yards if you are looking. If you expand your years you can pick up an early GM A/G body for dirt cheap and build something fun using that.
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