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    Muscle Cars: The First American Supercars
    Muscle Cars: The First American Supercars
    Muscle Cars: The First American Supercars
    Ebook107 pages44 minutes

    Muscle Cars: The First American Supercars

    By Colin Romanick

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    About this ebook

    Muscle Cars is the story of America's pursuit of sheer horsepower in the 1960s and '70s. The first of the type, the famous Pontiac GTO or “Goat,” would launch a race between America's automotive manufacturers to produce ever-more-powerful V8 engines wrapped in legendary “Coke-bottle” sheet metal styling. Following Ford's extremely successful introduction of the galloping Mustang in 1964, others would follow, such as General Motors's Camaro and Firebird as well as Plymouth's Barracuda, competing against one another on race tracks to “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday.” This book details these golden years, as well as the economic and environmental developments of the 1970s that brought an end to the muscle car era.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateJul 20, 2012
    ISBN9781782001171
    Muscle Cars: The First American Supercars

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      Book preview

      Muscle Cars - Colin Romanick

      buyers.

      ORIGINS

      IN 1955, the debut of Chrysler’s C-300 embodied the desires of many and pointed to an increasing horsepower competition between American automakers. Mating a powerful engine to a four-passenger coupe was at the heart of what would become a muscle car revolution. The C-300 was powered by a 331-cubic-inch-diameter (cid) Hemi V8 engine producing 300 horsepower (hp). This would make the C-300 the most powerful factory-produced passenger car when released. Chryslers were (and still are) known for being luxurious, and the C-300 was no exception. This luxury and performance came at a 1955 base price of $4,929, which limited production to just 1,725 examples built.

      The end of World War II brought many servicemen home to families and sweethearts. These younger baby boomers grew up in a period of great economic wealth. They had more than any generation before them, and they felt special. A desire for cutting-edge technology and uniqueness drove their buying habits. This redefined the way Americans looked at the automobile.

      Extremely conservative executives at the Big Three automakers in the United States (Chrysler, Ford, General Motors) were content with the status quo of automotive design. American automotive designs of the 1950s focused on the influence of the jet age. Many cars featured target or bomb sight hood ornaments, large upright fins as part of the fenders, and exhaust pipes that protruded through the rear bumper. Only the rise of younger executives and engineers would change the situation. Men like John Z. DeLorean, Harley Earl, and Zora Arkus-Duntov would lead the charge for greater performance and designs appealing to the relatively untapped youth market. Until their time, performance was secondary to plush amenities and a soft ride that would absorb miles of rough roads with aplomb. The C-300 was an effort to merge the two views, but it was not the first.

      America’s first true sports car, the Corvette, sped onto the road in late 1953. Harley Earl’s creation was introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 with a standard Blue Flame in-line 6-cylinder engine. It was not until the 1955 model year that a V8 engine was offered as an option. Arkus-Duntov, known as the father of the Corvette, helped introduce the V8 option. He recognized the need for performance and assisted in coaxing a conservative company into one with youth appeal.

      The Corvette was marketed to returning veterans who desired the small sporty cars they had seen while stationed in Europe. Many British and Italian sports cars were already being imported and finding their way onto American roads and racetracks. However, they lacked the power of a V8 engine and had the limitation of only being two-seaters, like the Corvette. In addition, the all-composite body and $2,774 price of the Corvette made it ineligible to be a muscle car. Although the Corvette possessed V8 power, which improved performance, it still did not qualify as the first muscle car.

      Defining a muscle car is no simple task. Ask any two automotive enthusiasts, and you will get different answers on a definition. The strictest definition does incorporate several key elements, though. Only intermediate-sized coupes and later convertibles that were standard production vehicles qualify. They must be powered by the largest capacity, highest performance version of a V8 engine in a particular manufacturer’s model. Some consider 350 cubic inches and above the requirement for muscle car status. A stout drive train, brakes, and suspension aid in managing the brutal power.

      The rising youth market wanted more performance from their cars than the previous generation. Making these cars affordable meant less opulence, which appealed to the mature drivers who remembered the Ford Model As of yesteryear.

      European cars made a lasting impression on those Americans who had seen military service in Europe. British makers like MG and Triumph had success in the postwar years that the Corvette would share.

      The smoky burnouts associated with muscle cars would not be possible without the power being transmitted to the drive wheels. Therefore, most high-performance models moved the manual transmission shifter to the floor and offered four speeds instead of the standard three forward speeds. An additional gear allowed for brisker acceleration and a higher top speed. Some drag racers, or diggers, preferred the heavy-duty automatic transmissions for quicker shifts

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