Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 83 total)
  • Anyone here got a proper American Muscle car?
  • rewski
    Free Member

    Had a urge to get a 68 Nova or 69 Charger for years, kinda made do with buying hotwheels models for my boys, they’ll grow out of them soon. Modern cars just make me yawn, real life experience to put me off please.

    ericemel
    Free Member

    Was going to buy an Chevy El Camino from a family memeber until I realised it did 8mpg!

    professorfaceplant
    Free Member

    My Old man has an ’89 chevy corvette, its ace!, 5.7L V8 with 300BHP – how americans get so little power out of such big engies always amazes me, but the thing sounds beautiful (you can set car alarms off with it – so childish, but hilarious), and at 70 on a motorway it just about manages 23mpg, but when you press the loud pedal it drops to about 2MPG!!!!!
    its also a classic now so tax and insurance is cheap (relitively)
    the rest of the costs are a bit eye watering though tyres are around £300 and becasue its an 80’s car it is full of electrics that usually go wrong so that can be expensive.
    With American cars its the mpg that hurts, other than that go for it, the noise of an old school V8 is immense

    Clobber
    Free Member

    Are they difficult to get hold of or are they in plentiful supply?

    rocketman
    Free Member

    An old mate had a thing about American cars he bought a couple of total sheds before getting a 1970s Dodge Challenger which was still a shed but not as bad as the others.

    Made lots of noise and looked good but was surprisingly slow and frighteningly unsafe to drive in – just lap seatbelts and yards of bodywork that was very flimsy esp compared to a modern car. Often cut out while idling esp at traffic lights it was my job as passenger to get out and restart it by using a Snap-On screwdriver across the starter solenoid.

    Fuel consumption was absolutely astronomical, to the point where we had to ask ourselves if we had enough money between us to go to the pub in it.

    Enjoy 🙂

    B.A.Nana
    Free Member

    Not really a muscle car, but thru the 1990’s and early 2000 I co owned a 67 Mustang Convertible with my Dad.

    rewski
    Free Member

    That mustang is very pretty, could imagine it being a great wedding car, I was thinking more like this:

    epicsteve
    Free Member

    I was considering taking a job in the middle east last year. If I did I was going to get a American muscle car – probably a Shelby Mustang – as the fuel costs there were so low that you could ignore fuel consumption. Here in the UK they make a lot less sense.

    Teetosugars
    Free Member

    Speak to Sideways Tim..

    binners
    Full Member

    All American vehicles, with the exception of Mustangs, are absolutely hideous! They look like they’ve been styled by a pubescent schoolboy, in between bouts of self-abuse. And they seem to be the technological equivalent of gibbon with a lump hammer. A mate had a big V8 chevy. Given this fact that the ‘technology’ was so agricultural and primitive, it was staggering the amount of stuff that went wrong with it.

    Given the price of fuel nowadays you’d have to be absolutely unhinged to even contemplate it

    Can you tell I don’t like them 😀

    SidewaysTim
    Full Member

    Nope. Had a new Mustang in 2007, but that’s not a muscle car. I concur, that Chevy fits the bill, I’d love a Chevelle or El Camino. ’69 naturally.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Quite tempted now by some kind of ridiculous car seeing as I only do probably 1-2k miles per year max these days.

    The ideal car would be something very cool, either UK or US, that was sound/reliable but cheap because it guzzles a horrendous amount of petrol and I can still chuck a bike in the back of. (Plus is actually enjoyable to drive rather than just look at!)

    I will seriously consider it when my ageing Focus finally bites the dust!

    alibongo001
    Full Member

    TVR Cerbera FTW great noise if you get the V8

    Slightly better on fuel

    Get to know your local garage team! 🙂

    nicko74
    Full Member

    All American vehicles, with the exception of Mustangs, are absolutely hideous

    Nonsense. Some of the 70s Corvettes (the swoopy ones) are absolutely stunning. And surprisingly large in the metal, too.
    Shame that at that time they had such puny engines – you’ve got this thing that looks like it spits flames putting out barely 150hp…

    And how is an ’07 Mustang not a muscle car? It’s a V8!

    B.A.Nana
    Free Member

    All American vehicles, with the exception of Mustangs, are absolutely hideous!

    I think it’s more about the year than the make or model, 70’s Mustangs went along the same bigger and brasher theme as all the others. The pre 68 Corvette/corvette Stingray was very nice. I must admit, that pre 69 mustang was about as far as I was prepared to go down the USA semi sports theme, my dad had a one or two Muscle cars which I wasn’t interested in. We also co owned a 66 Ford Thunderbird and a 56 Desoto Fireflite.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    A friends car appeared in a Take That video.


    It had a fairly hot engine in it and I think his biggest problem was getting enough traction to make the most of it.

    I think I’d probably go for something like this and less in your face/Dukes of Hazard in the uk, tbh.

    B.A.Nana
    Free Member

    They are called jelly moulds I think. We had a 56 Desoto Fireflite which we found a bit dilapidated in a farmers barn nr Hull, was like driving a mini bus. We spent a lot of time restoring it, then traded it for the Mustang.

    richardk
    Free Member

    I’ve had a car that qualified as classic – more German muscle than American, but the principles are probably the same…

    Do you have a garage to store the car in?
    Do you have a normal car to use on a daily basis?
    Can you do bodywork yourself?

    If any of the above 3 is no, then prepare to spend lots of money. The nice looking American muscle probably pre-dates galvanising and underbody streamlining/protecting. This means any water from the roads goes into lots of gaps in the car and just stays there starting rust pockets. If they are like classic Porsches, they probably rust from the inside out…

    Fuel consumption you can probably control by choosing when and how to drive the car. Fixing bodywork, you can’t really control.

    Buy it, but go into it with very open eyes about how much it will cost you. I wasn’t prepared for some of the costs, and it tainted my experience of owning what should have been the car of a lifetime (still had some damn good times in it though!)

    SidewaysTim
    Full Member

    Strictly speaking the Mustang was what they called a pony car. Muscle cars were/are ‘full size’ vehicles with extra option power plants. Stuff like the Charger, Challenger, Chevelle, etc. corvettes don’t count as they’re sports cars.

    phinbob
    Full Member

    I’ve got a muscle car engine, a 454cu inch (7.4l) big block chevy V8.

    Sadly it’s wrapped in 3+ tons of SUV steel, aka 1997 GMC Suburban 2500.

    It’s still fun though.

    aP
    Free Member

    Herself is determined to buy something interesting to drive soon – currently she’s keen on:
    67 Mustang fastback or,
    Mk3 Jensen Interceptor or,
    AMV8

    I’d be happy with:
    Mk3 Jensen Interceptor or,
    Bristol Type 411 or,
    Citroen SM 3l

    esselgruntfuttock
    Free Member

    A mate of mine had a Pontiac Firebird, 4 point odd ltr supercharged affair. Dark blue metallic with the phoenix on the bonnet, nice. Another mate had a Corvette Stingray with a ‘T top’, that was about 5 ltrs & was always conking out.
    I had a 2 ltr Mk 5 Cortina 😕

    CountZero
    Full Member

    All American vehicles, with the exception of Mustangs, are absolutely hideous! They look like they’ve been styled by a pubescent schoolboy, in between bouts of self-abuse.

    Not all are, late 60’s/early 70’s generally are nicely styled, later ones, like Eighties fashions, are bloody horrible. I had a copy of Hot Rod magazine, c1969, with a review of the 427ci Charger. Look for a best consumption of 14/gallon, a worst of 8. Also remember that American cars were designed for roads that went for miles with few bends, and not much traffic, so fairly soft suspension and really crap brakes.
    If I had the money, and for an original, cherry one of these, it would have to be a lot of money, this is my heart’s desire:

    ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda
    That’s a BaBaRaRaCuCuDaDa… 😉

    fd3chris
    Free Member

    I’ve had a few muscle cars, probably my best was a big block 68 charger in B5 blue. I restored it drove it loved it then sold it for a later Trans Am that I used to commute to London in everyday. On top of that I’ve had plenty of camaros, Firebirds, mustangs and Corvettes. I’m planning now on getting a mid sixties small block Dart and using it as my run around. I adore 60’s Yanks.

    rewski
    Free Member

    68 Charger sounds awesome, got any pics?

    br
    Free Member

    You don’t need to go American, if your just looking for a V8.

    Cheap to buy, 25mpg, handles very well plus you won’t look like a Redneck.

    Edukator
    Free Member

    The pre 68 Corvette/corvette Stingray was very nice

    I drove a tuned one of those with 400bhp at the wheels. It had about three inches of slop in the steering which was heavy and low geared, the axle wasn’t very well tied down so it tramped, the car was tail light so span it’s wheels as soon as the engine came on the cam, the handling on no-grip tyres was awful and the brakes dreadful. The muscle car tag no doubt came from the muscular input required to make it move, stop and keep it between the hedges. They were plastic BTW, Nicko.

    The 68 Charger was the Dukes of Hazard car so Google that.

    barnsleymitch
    Free Member

    BAN.Ana – was one of those photos taken at CasAm ? – looks familiar. We had a ‘sensible’ wedding car, twas a rodded 49 Merc, matt black with flames, very, very loud.

    JohnJohn
    Free Member

    Not me, but my dad has a ’69 Dodge Charger Daytona (they don’t get much more musclier). He’s owned and drag raced it for more years than i care to remember. He is now pushing 70 and still competes!

    All these from Santa Pod


    legend
    Free Member

    b r – Member
    You don’t need to go American, if your just looking for a V8.
    Cheap to buy, 25mpg, handles very well plus you won’t look like a Redneck.

    And absolutely not a muscle car

    CountZero
    Full Member

    JohnJohn, that Charger is the mutts!
    ’69 Charger:

    Also to be seen in Fast and Furious and Bullit
    I have very fond memories of this lady and this car racing at Santa Pod and Avon Park Raceway back in the Eighties:

    http://www.sylviahauserracing.com/1971-dodge-challenger-440-rt-6-pak—mopar-miss.php
    I’ve got a photo somewhere of her doing this:

    Its a tranny, I don’t think I’ve got a scanned version, sadly.

    JohnJohn
    Free Member

    It is kind of special. He did race against Sylvia when she first started.

    butcher
    Full Member

    ’69 Charger:

    Something like this came rumbling past me a week or two ago. No idea what it was, but it looked a lot like this, the thing was HUGE, it was like two cars! And it made the most beautiful noise. It was without a doubt the most awesome car I’ve seen this century.

    spursn17
    Free Member

    I had a 1970 Plymouth Satellite a few years ago, had to get rid of it for financial reasons as it was just a toy. I was in tears when I sold it as it was the best thing I’d ever owned. My missus hated it and said whenever I drove it I reminded her of Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows as I always had a stupid grin on my face.

    If you’ve got the cash buy one as you won’t regret it.

    B.A.Nana
    Free Member

    It had about three inches of slop in the steering which was heavy and low geared, the axle wasn’t very well tied down so it tramped, the car was tail light so span it’s wheels as soon as the engine came on the cam, the handling on no-grip tyres was awful and the brakes dreadful.

    Yep, that all sounds same as our 67 Mustang. Read CountZero’s post perhaps, and in fairness all old cars have useless drum brakes.

    barnsleymitch – Member
    BAN.Ana – was one of those photos taken at CasAm ? – looks familiar.

    Don’t recall the name, but it was bought in Huddersfield, 2 of the photos are at the place we bought it from. Something I regret is never taking many photos of it.

    sweepy
    Free Member

    I had to have an American car when I was a kid. I got a Pontiac lemans sports coupe. Not a muscle car and plug ugly, but for the year or so I had it every drive was fun.

    B.A.Nana
    Free Member

    Just for the record Edukator, these are what I was refering to

    tor5
    Free Member

    Not quite american muscle, but had the heart of one, my dad had a Jensen interceptor convertible when I was a kid, you could hear it coming from miles away. The whole thing shook at idle and I swear you could see the fuel gauge drop when you put the hammer down. I never got to drive it as it got sold shortly before my 17th birthday…

    looked a lot like this. lovely thing

    neilnevill
    Free Member

    those old corvettes are beautiful!!

    if we are talking american muscle can I just post this?

    it gets fun from 2.06

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    binners – Member

    All American vehicles, with the exception of Mustangs, are absolutely hideous! They look like they’ve been styled by a pubescent schoolboy, in between bouts of self-abuse.

    Have you never looked at an E Type?
    It’s a penis on wheels man!

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 83 total)

The topic ‘Anyone here got a proper American Muscle car?’ is closed to new replies.