History of Muscle Cars: How These American Cars Evolved

The history of muscle cars is very important to car enthusiasts who want to know more about one of the most important innovations made by vehicle manufacturers in America. The car type dates back to the 1940s and is mostly wanted by car collectors.

Muscle cars are basically American-made two-door sports coupes that were powered by strong engines for high-performance driving, and it was first made by General Motors. If you love muscle vehicles, you can continue reading this article below as we take an in-depth look at the history of these cars!

Historical Origin of Muscle Cars

The historical origin of muscle cars in America dates back to 1949 when the Rocket 88 was released by Oldsmobile. It was built from the Oldsmobile 76 but had a lightweight body instead and was powered by a high-compression overhead valve V8. Combining the light body and the roaring engine resulted in the first muscle vehicle.

The inspiration for the muscle vehicle can be traced back to the 1920s. At that time, those who distributed alcohol during the Prohibition needed a faster car to outrun the police. This also improved their cargo capacity and handling. Even if the Prohibition ended, the idea of faster and lightweight vehicles appealed to many and was used in street racing.

Then, the Rocket 88 model was released in 1949, and other vehicle manufacturers followed suit. They released different competitors to the Rocket 88. This was the origin of the muscle car.

• Root of the Term “Muscle Car”

Even if car manufacturers started making muscle cars in 1949, the actual term did not emerge until the 1960s. Pontiac was the first to do so, as this name was given to the 1964 GTO vehicle. Based on this usage, it became more popular among other manufacturers.

When Ford, General Motors and other competitors entered the scene, they all used the word muscle vehicle to solidify the market. General Motors was the owner of Pontiac, and it also adopted the name to its Buick, Chevrolet and Oldsmobile models.

When you hear the term muscle car, it means that it is an American-made, mid-sized coupe that usually has a powerful V8 engine. The car has a high performance rating and a highly affordable price despite the engine.

How Muscle Cars Evolved Through The Years

Muscle cars started in 1949, and the cars were very popular until the 1970s when the oil crisis happened. The height of popularity in the market was in the 1960s, and it’s not surprising that there was a period of intense competition between the major car manufacturers. This is dubbed the “muscle car wars.”

Some of the main players include Pontiac GTO, Oldsmobile 442, Chevrolet Camaro, and Buick Gran Sport. Firstly, the Pontiac GTO and Oldsmobile 442 competed fiercely against each other. Other companies saw the success of these cars and joined in the race.

The aim of these manufacturers was to increase the speeds, power of the engines, price of the cars and the sleekness of the car. The golden age of muscle vehicles was from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, but there were some models before and after these ages. Here is a rundown of how muscle cars improved in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

• The 1950s

In the 1950s, muscle vehicles were slowly gaining popularity as many manufacturers were getting into the market after the Rocket 88 was released. Rocket 88 was the first muscle car released in 1949 and was powered by a 303-cubic-inch 5.0-liter V8 engine. This allowed the classic car to produce 135 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque.

While this looks like a small amount of power, the car won 10 out of 19 races in the 1950 NASCAR season. It gave the inspiration for modern-day cars. Apart from the Rocket 88, other companies like Chrysler, American Motors Company and Studebaker made muscle vehicles in this decade.

Chrysler released the C-300, which had a 331-cubic-inch 5.4-liter V8 engine, which made it more powerful than the Rocket 88. It was also bigger and could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 9.8 seconds with 300 horsepower. Then, there was the Golden Hawk by Studebaker which was released in 1956 with a 352 cubic-inch 5.8-liter V8.

Another option was the Rambler Rebel, which was released by the American Motor Corporation. It emerged in 1957 and can be identified as the first mid-sized muscle vehicle. It was powered by a 327 cubic-inch 5.4-liter V8 engine offering 255 horsepower. It was even faster than previous models, getting to 60 miles per hour after just 7.2 seconds.

• The 1960s

Then, the 1960s was the golden age of muscle cars, and it started with the 1964 Pontiac GTO. There were very impressive cars produced at this time. The GTO was powered by a 389 cubic-inch 6.4-liter V8 engine that offered 325 horsepower, but you could upgrade to an optional Tri-Power carburetion that offered 348 horsepower. It went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.

Another option is the 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake, which looked like a sports car but was actually a muscle vehicle. The car runs on the 427 cubic-inch V8 engine, and with the Paxton superchargers, drivers could enjoy 800 horsepower and get it to 60 miles per hour in 3 seconds.

The 1968 Dodge Charger R/T was also a good choice among car owners at that time. It was known for its iconic design, with a refined tail, curvy body, hidden headlight grille and chrome touches. There was also the Dodge Super Bee. The 1969 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi was named after a Looney Tunes character and even used the classic “beep-beep” sound for its horn.

The 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet was another major player, with a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8 engine that gives off 335 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque. The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was a popular muscle vehicle of that time, and it came with a 427 cubic-inch big-block V8 engine that gave off 550 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.

• The 1970s

Then, we have the 1970s, which marked the end of the American muscle car trend. At this time, the popularity was declining because of different reasons. Despite this, there were some iconic options that car owners wanted.

The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS was a popular option, and it is still sought-after by collectors today. It was powered by a 454 cubic-inch, big block V8 engine that gave off 450 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. It could get from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds. Although the Chevelle was the less popular option, it is still an attractive car for enthusiasts.

The 1971 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible is a very rare muscle vehicle to purchase today, and it only produced 13 units. Since it was hard to find then, you can expect that it would be even rarer now. It was powered by a 426 cubic-inch V8 engine with 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. It got from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds.

Another popular vehicle in the 1970s is the 1973 De Tomaso Pantera. It was named after Alejandro De Tomaso, a racer that wanted to combine Italian engineering with American muscle cars. It came with a 351 cubic-inch, 5.8-liter V8 engine, which gave off 345 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque.

How the Muscle Car Declined and Re-Emerged

By 1973, the industry began to decline because of different reasons. These include the oil crisis, Clean Air Act, and higher insurance rates. But by the 1980s, cars emerged again, and the trend continued until the 2000s.

When the oil crisis ended, it changed the sports car, pony car and drag racing industry. The Clean Air Act is still effective today, so from the 1980s, muscle cars changed their body styles and performance levels.

• Causes of the Decline of the Popularity

The US oil crisis placed American automakers in an odd position, as consumers were not able to spend money on muscle vehicles that consumed a lot of fuel. Instead, they were in the market for smaller pony cars with better fuel economy. This caused high-performance cars to become less popular.

Also, there was the Clean Air Act of 1970, which was meant to reduce the impact of cars on the environment. At the same time, this made it hard for manufacturers to make high-performance engines that are expected in muscle cars. The oil crisis, combined with the rules from the American government, made it hard for muscle cars to remain popular.

• The 1980s

In the 1980s, muscle cars started to make a comeback as vehicle manufacturers were adjusting to the new regulations. One of the top muscle cars in the 1980s was the 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo, which came with a 301 cubic-inch V8 engine. This gave off 210 horses and 345 horsepower.

Then, there was the 1987 Ford Mustang GT, which is known as one of the most iconic cars in Mustang history. The car features a 302 cubic-inch V8 engine that produces 230 horsepower. The 1987 Buick Grand National GNX was another main muscle car that stood out, as it featured an intimidating look and only came in the jet black color.

The Buick model was powered by a 231 cubic-inch V6 engine with 245 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. It could even go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds.

• The 1990s

In the 1990s, the performance of muscle cars became even more intense. They had more streamlined designs with better technology and safety features. The 1996 Ford Mustang GT was one of the popular options, and although it didn’t have as much horsepower as other cars of that time, it also came in an amazing package.

The Mustang comes with a V8 engine, which gives off 215 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque. It could even get from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds. Also, there was the 1992 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA, which came with a 5.7 liter V8 engine that produced 240 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque.

Then there was the 1997 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe, which offered aggressive power and an attractive look. The car came with a V10 truck engine which was quite powerful, with 450 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds.

• The 2000s

From the 2000s, you will notice more modern muscle cars. With advancements in technology, you will notice that these cars are fitted with better features. First, there was the 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, a four-door model that ran on a V8 engine. It gives off 400 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. It can get to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds.

There was also the 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang, which is one of the most iconic cars out there. It has lived up to its name, with a V8 engine, 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. Then, the 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat was one of the most powerful muscle cars out there, with 6.2-liter V8 with 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

Conclusion

Now that you know the history of muscle cars, you can get these vintage cars and understand their roots.

Here’s a summary of our historical guide:

• The muscle cars date back to 1949, when the Rocket 88 car was released.
• The name “muscle cars” emerged in the 1960s, and it was first given to the Pontiac 1964 GTO.
• The golden age of muscle cars was in the 1960s, but by the 1970s, events like the oil crisis and Clean Air Act made it harder to be produced.
• From the 1980s to the 2000s, there were more modern muscle cars from manufacturers.

If you’re curious about what muscle cars are and where they came from, this guide has all the answers for you. These American cars have a long history that many car enthusiasts appreciate.