Thinking of a muscle car
Discussion
So the time has come in my life where its time for a yank muscle car. I have my eye on a late 60s ford mustang coupe or a late 60s chevy nova ss. My current car is 4 litre tvr tuscan that i have owned for 6 years, i have had tvr's for ten years now and never keep a car for longer than 1 year usually . The tuscan has got right under my skin but the muscle car is a itch i have to scratch, loud and in your face just like my tuscan. My only issue is performance, how much horsepower is needed to make a yank muscle feel fast. I know they are not all about power but i like a certain amount of performance. I would like to keep my tuscan aswell but haven't got the garage space. Cheers
I'd suggest that a late 60's Mustang or Nova would need a lot of after-market modification to be comparable with a lightweight like a Tuscan.
Big-block cars of that era are hard to come by and getting very expensive and even then, hauling around a ton and a half (plus) needs at least 400hp to sub-7 0-60 and better than 14 secs on the quarter.
Big-block cars of that era are hard to come by and getting very expensive and even then, hauling around a ton and a half (plus) needs at least 400hp to sub-7 0-60 and better than 14 secs on the quarter.
You could consider a Monaro? Steering wheel on the correct side and all the muscle you could want. Here's a nice supercharged one that'll be putting out about 620 bhp:
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Massive fun, I've owned mine for 12 years and still love it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Massive fun, I've owned mine for 12 years and still love it.
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 29th July 19:07
Buy a Challenger Hellcat. Old school muscle car looks with all of the modern day niceties. Lovely interior, modern A/C including the seats. Big brakes that haul its arse down. Stock they are making around 730 to 740bhp. Easy to tune if you really want to. On stock tyres mine ran 60 in 3.3, 100 in 7.5, 11.2 at 124 in the quarter. 60's muscle cars have crap plastic interiors. Interesting handling and no brakes. Don't get me wrong. I love old yanks. I race a 65 289 Mustang notchback and I love it. 1200kg 420bhp.But that is a tool to do a job. Would not want to drive it on the street.
Consider a C3 Corvette. Big block Vettes are for some reason frowned upon by many as being too big, too heavy and too uneconomical (compared with small blocks - wolf in wolves clothing etc etc). 'In the day' a late C2 or early C3 Vette with 4 wheel disc brakes and IRS was 'state of the art' compared with many vehicles (excepting hi-end Brit and Euro Exotica) An ally headed BB Vette is about 100lb heavy than a small block car and with about 52/48 weigh distribution, a 4 speed Muncie and and easy to achieve 450/500 bhp plus similar torque can be an exhilarating drive for the more experienced and will out perform and out handle many other super cars. A 'stroker' 383 small block car can be a serious performer too with a careful build-up.
Edited by roscobbc on Monday 30th July 23:18
I’ve had a 3. 72 Chevelle, 69 Firebird and my current 68 Cougar. All were fairly standard small block cars, while not fast they are quick enough to keep up with modern traffic and you shouldn’t get beaten off the lights by any diesel rep mobiles. Tuning is pretty straightforward and there are plenty of options.
Handling isn’t as bad as some people say and neither are the brakes. It’s just a question of remembering it’s a ton and a bit of 50 year old tech your trying to throw about.
If you want a classic 60’s yank a Monaro or modern plastic mustang/challenger won’t scratch the itch. Far to sanitised, totally different experience.
Handling isn’t as bad as some people say and neither are the brakes. It’s just a question of remembering it’s a ton and a bit of 50 year old tech your trying to throw about.
If you want a classic 60’s yank a Monaro or modern plastic mustang/challenger won’t scratch the itch. Far to sanitised, totally different experience.
Edited by Cledus Snow on Tuesday 31st July 20:12
wormus said:
You could consider a Monaro? Steering wheel on the correct side and all the muscle you could want. Here's a nice supercharged one that'll be putting out about 620 bhp:
I had a Monaro, now have a ratty 68 Mustang, they are poles apart, one is refined, great MPG and even has to pass an MOT. The other spits flames, thunders around getting loads of attention, requests for prom runs etc. Single figure MPG (big cam/heads etc) but tax/MOT exempt and just £100 to insure, all parts still available. Old skool rules, it's not a big block Mopar but at just 1200KG's they are very driveable, get one while you can as prices seem to be rising.
Most 60s pony cars (Mustangs, Firebirds, Camaros etc) are going to be disappointing, in dynamic terms, with woolly steering and roly-poly handling.
The full size muscle cars (Chevelles, GTOs, Galaxies etc) even more so.
It takes a lot of modifications to get the power and the handling right - which means money of course, on top of the inevitable restoration repairs as you go along the way.
C3 Corvettes can also be a bit of a nightmare.
Which is not to say it can't be done but deep pockets may be required. Worth buying a car with some work done already.
However, old cars have never been for me, I'm a perfectionist so a decaying car would always bug me. They look fabulous, can sound fabulous and have character and soul but they're not sports cars. Great for cruising and showing but racing needs a lot of power adding.
The older cars up to 1972 had the high power outputs but those quoted were gross hp (on a bench with no ancillaries) not net hp.
From 1972, the unleaded, catalyst era reduced compression ratios and power outputs (quoted net) and strangled most of the cars so a mid 70s Corvette had about 170hp. The 80s 5.0 Camaro started off with 145hp.
Modern muscle might represent the compromise most "old school exponents" would hate but they are good cars and the late 90s produced a new wave of 300hp plus cars and ushered in a new golden age of muscle that the Camaros and Hellcats have driven ever higher. That said, many think the modern cars have lost the looks of the old and they may have a point there.
The full size muscle cars (Chevelles, GTOs, Galaxies etc) even more so.
It takes a lot of modifications to get the power and the handling right - which means money of course, on top of the inevitable restoration repairs as you go along the way.
C3 Corvettes can also be a bit of a nightmare.
Which is not to say it can't be done but deep pockets may be required. Worth buying a car with some work done already.
However, old cars have never been for me, I'm a perfectionist so a decaying car would always bug me. They look fabulous, can sound fabulous and have character and soul but they're not sports cars. Great for cruising and showing but racing needs a lot of power adding.
The older cars up to 1972 had the high power outputs but those quoted were gross hp (on a bench with no ancillaries) not net hp.
From 1972, the unleaded, catalyst era reduced compression ratios and power outputs (quoted net) and strangled most of the cars so a mid 70s Corvette had about 170hp. The 80s 5.0 Camaro started off with 145hp.
Modern muscle might represent the compromise most "old school exponents" would hate but they are good cars and the late 90s produced a new wave of 300hp plus cars and ushered in a new golden age of muscle that the Camaros and Hellcats have driven ever higher. That said, many think the modern cars have lost the looks of the old and they may have a point there.
The whole Muscle car is a complete myth!
Ive had Yanks all my driving life, or about 44 bleeding years!
Back in the 70's when RS Escorts were considered quick, i had a ride in a 701/2 Ram air Trams Am with a M22 Manual,
Oh my dazs this thing was awesome .............
Had a succession of Muscle cars ever since, my Current car is a 71 Dodge Challenger 340 RT, which is an absolute blast and i'll never tire of it.
Dont even try to compare your TVR which are scary quick with a 45 year old Dinosaur!!!
Your TVR would blow the doors off all of them , even the fabled Hemi cars!
Youll need a full blown 10 second road race car to get close, and that would be horrible to live with in traffic etc,
Buy a Classic Muscle because they are a Dinosaur !
there likes will never roam the earth again, they are locked in a time when Detroit had the balls to make outrageous machines that went like crazy in there day!
Oh and ive also had 3 450 Chimeras , which drove great and sounded epic, but my Chally is far more of an event, and smiles per miles
nothing comes close to a warmed over small block !
enjoy your search......................................
Ive had Yanks all my driving life, or about 44 bleeding years!
Back in the 70's when RS Escorts were considered quick, i had a ride in a 701/2 Ram air Trams Am with a M22 Manual,
Oh my dazs this thing was awesome .............
Had a succession of Muscle cars ever since, my Current car is a 71 Dodge Challenger 340 RT, which is an absolute blast and i'll never tire of it.
Dont even try to compare your TVR which are scary quick with a 45 year old Dinosaur!!!
Your TVR would blow the doors off all of them , even the fabled Hemi cars!
Youll need a full blown 10 second road race car to get close, and that would be horrible to live with in traffic etc,
Buy a Classic Muscle because they are a Dinosaur !
there likes will never roam the earth again, they are locked in a time when Detroit had the balls to make outrageous machines that went like crazy in there day!
Oh and ive also had 3 450 Chimeras , which drove great and sounded epic, but my Chally is far more of an event, and smiles per miles
nothing comes close to a warmed over small block !
enjoy your search......................................
newsatten said:
Dont even try to compare your TVR which are scary quick with a 45 year old Dinosaur!!!
Your TVR would blow the doors off all of them , even the fabled Hemi cars!
Youll need a full blown 10 second road race car to get close, and that would be horrible to live with in traffic etc,
Buy a Classic Muscle because they are a Dinosaur !
This man speaketh the truth Your TVR would blow the doors off all of them , even the fabled Hemi cars!
Youll need a full blown 10 second road race car to get close, and that would be horrible to live with in traffic etc,
Buy a Classic Muscle because they are a Dinosaur !
It's a 50 year old design, and a yank one at that, and no relevant comparison with the TVR or any modern car should even be attempted.
A late model 69/70 Nova SS with a big-block and manual (or even a nicely done Yenko clone) would be a hoot and not massively wallet empting to buy and ship over (mpg for a big-block on the other hand
)Certainly cheaper than the Mustang of similar vintage, plus the Nova is quite a small car and well suited to UK roads, once you get used to the steering wheel being on t'other side.
However, I wouldn't be considering a late 60's muscle car of any description if you have no garage to keep it in.
aeropilot said:
A late model 69/70 Nova SS with a big-block and manual (or even a nicely done Yenko clone) would be a hoot and not massively wallet empting to buy and ship over (mpg for a big-block on the other hand )
Certainly cheaper than the Mustang of similar vintage....
You sure about that (not the big-blick mpgs!)?)Certainly cheaper than the Mustang of similar vintage....
irocfan said:
aeropilot said:
A late model 69/70 Nova SS with a big-block and manual (or even a nicely done Yenko clone) would be a hoot and not massively wallet empting to buy and ship over (mpg for a big-block on the other hand )
Certainly cheaper than the Mustang of similar vintage....
You sure about that (not the big-blick mpgs!)?)Certainly cheaper than the Mustang of similar vintage....
For example:
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevro...
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevro...
Try getting a big block Mustang for those prices.
Sure, if excluding big-block engines, a sbc Nova and a sbf Mustang will be around the same price point, and 10k or more less than those 2 examples.
I'd rather have a sbf Mustang than a sbc Nova, but if a BB Nova was in budget, I'd go for the BB Nova without question.
Edited by aeropilot on Friday 10th August 20:01
A friend of mine has a candy red 69 Chevelle for sale - rare model - needs some bodywork but I believe it's solid. Not sure what he wants for it and he does regularly change his mind.
https://picclick.co.uk/1969-Chevrolet-chevelle-253...
https://picclick.co.uk/1969-Chevrolet-chevelle-253...
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