[Suds]

For me it’s the car development that happened in the US in the late 50’s until 1971.
Large displacement engines with extreme compression ratios requiring high octane fuel, being placed in the lightest vehicle. Using the hotroder formula in building a new vehicle.

Today it is amazing the HP these cars are capable of, but having grown up in the 60’s we are just in a renaissance.

[3798j]

The muscle car era was a wonderful time. Back then, by definition, a muscle car was a manufacturer's "B" body equipped with some level of the mark's largest V8. Heavy duty shocks, wide tires, dual exhausts, and a 4 speed checked all the boxes. In my town, a gold 1967 Plymouth GTX with a 426 dual quad hemi ruled the streets...Pony cars weren't considered muscle cars even though they could be just as tough in the redlight-to-redlight challenges.

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by 6oclockshadow

The OG muscle cars: Mustang, Camaro, Challenger

OG ?

as for your three listed, in their modern configuration yes but if one wants to give credit to where the term began...........

Pontiac - GTO
Chevy - Chevelle
Ford - Fairlane / Torino
Buick - GSX
Olds - 442
Dodge - Coronet / Charger
Plymouth - Road Runner / GTX
AMC - AMX / Rebel

[chassis]

Post WWII - 1980: the Muscle Car Era
V8
American made

neo-muscle cars are cars made after 1980 by any manufacturer that hearken back to cars made during the Muscle Car Era. neo-muscle cars are predominantly V8 and predominantly American brands. Stellantis is not an American company, but Dodge is an Amerian brand currently making neo-muscle cars.

Today's high horsepower light trucks and SUVs are neo-muscle cars. Ford Raptor and Jeep Trackhawk are examples.

Muscle car nomenclature which helps to identify muscle cars:
409
413
Stingray
Dual quads
Tri-power
Positraction

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by Suds

For me it’s the car development that happened in the US in the late 50’s until 1971.
Large displacement engines with extreme compression ratios requiring high octane fuel, being placed in the lightest vehicle. Using the hotroder formula in building a new vehicle.

Today it is amazing the HP these cars are capable of, but having grown up in the 60’s we are just in a renaissance.

yep, exactly take the Hellcat Challenger, 700 plus HP on an almost 2 1/2 ton behemoth. There's nothing like the NA days of the past combined with light weight cars.

back in the day, my '70 T/A Challenger, over a 1000 lbs less than the beast today !

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by chassis

Post WWII - 1980: the Muscle Car Era
V8
American made

neo-muscle cars are cars made after 1980 by any manufacturer that hearken back to cars made during the Muscle Car Era. neo-muscle cars are predominantly V8 and predominantly American brands. Stellantis is not an American company, but Dodge is an Amerian brand currently making neo-muscle cars.

LOL, show me one muscle car from 1980 !

[chassis]

1980 Z-28
1980 Trans Am
1978 Mustang Mach I (almost 1980)
1980 Corvette

[RelaxIN2]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Have you ever ridden in an electric car? They are no joke.

Well... to be honest, I have driven in an electric car, but I have never drove a fully electric car... However, I do have a competition electric mountain bike (Stealth Bomber B52) that will do 52 MPH. And YES... you are correct, its very torquie and will pull the front wheel up...

I can only imagine what a performance motivated car would do..

[carseatsm5]

This is a great thread.

I’m way too young to be an authority but I think even though the 60s were clearly the golden age of muscle cars it shouldn’t be defined by specific years.

For me key attributes are American, raw power, some attitude. Might be hard to define but everyone knows a muscle car when one blows their hat off driving by.

[eggman51]

I think requiring a Muscle Car to be American Made is narrow. There are Aussies that love a big Holden V8, and imo, those are just as muscle car as a 60s Mustang.

I think:
- rear-wheel drive
- v8
- low tech suspension and brakes (but upgradeable)
- don't handle great on a road course

[chassis]

Agree on the Aussie V8 cars of the late 20th century are muscle cars.

[eggman51]

Originally Posted by chassis

Agree on the Aussie V8 cars of the late 20th century are muscle cars.

Yeah, the Aussies have some awesome muscle cars too:
https://www.hotcars.com/australian-m...in-the-states/

[RM7]

Jenson Interceptor. There are plenty of other foreign examples if you really start looking IMO. Many of the 70s Aston Martins.

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by chassis

1980 Z-28
1980 Trans Am
1978 Mustang Mach I (almost 1980)
1980 Corvette

laughable ......

there is not one ounce of 'muscle' in any of the cars you listed !

[chassis]

Originally Posted by mikado463

laughable ......

there is not one ounce of 'muscle' in any of the cars you listed !

Glad you had a laugh. Laughing is healthy.

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by chassis

Glad you had a laugh. Laughing is healthy.

what is 'laughable' is this....... A 1980 Corvette with the top engine offering (L82) made 230 hp, that's 140 hp less than it did just a decade earlier. Granted SAE 'net' ratings came into effect in '73, regardless there was a tremendous loss of 'muscle' combined with an increase in overall car weight.

No, there were no 'muscle' cars being produced in 1980 !

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by chassis

1980 Z-28
1980 Trans Am
1978 Mustang Mach I (almost 1980)
1980 Corvette

I'm voting for the 'big motor, base car, no interest in turning corners' definition, regardless of years or origins; but almost all from USA and pre-80's. Anybody that tells me their modded horsepower up front is also suspect (lookin' at you OP).

To this list, I'd add the Buick Grand National, and could debate the Corvette being on the list (Vettes were always an outlier, as they could handle). Later there was the Impalla SS. The 80's f'd it up because they couldn't do insane HP so they 'discovered' handling (actually a good thing, but it muddied up the categories).

[RelaxIN2]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I'm voting for the 'big motor, base car, no interest in turning corners' definition, regardless of years or origins; but almost all from USA and pre-80's. Anybody that tells me their modded horsepower up front is also suspect (lookin' at you OP).

I agree with the cavate of pre-70's...

Sounds like you're calling me out...?? What I was trying say was, regardless of the HP output, I DO NOT consider my car a Muscle Car at all... You can look all you want... lol, but yes, you got me, its a Fobra (fake cobra) with an inline 6 cylinder and 200 HP..

[Maynard]

Just kidding w/ you - 700hp Mustang would normally have me thinking 'muscle car' right off. And I think I spot a coil over peeking up from that fender, so I guess she isn't pure neandertal.