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rickerda · 08-01-2009, 07:39 AM

This is a very old debate, that has no right or wrong answers. In fact it can be debated if the ’65 GTO was the first American Muscle Car. But for this discussion we will assume that Pontiac started the Muscle Car craze in America during the 60s. The formula was simple, put a big block engine from a full-size car into a mid-size car. What they did was create a factory built “Hot Rod”. Like any great idea in the automotive industry, if it’s successful with one model, why not apply it to other models? So, while the first muscle cars of the ’60s were mid-size cars with big motors, other cars such as, the ’69 Mustang Boss 429, clearly used the same Muscle Car formula. In my opinion, any America car where the performance is the number one option, where it has far more horsepower then it needs can be called a muscle car. Anyone remember the ’84 Mustang SVO? Not a conventional muscle car but still the best Detroit had to offer at the time. The Muscle Car title does not extend to the whole model line it is reserved for the top performance models. The GTO is the exception since was a unique model without a lower model option.

08-01-2009, 07:39 AM	#79
rickerda Drives: 2010 Camaro 2LT RS Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chester VA Posts: 513 View My Garage	This is a very old debate, that has no right or wrong answers. In fact it can be debated if the ’65 GTO was the first American Muscle Car. But for this discussion we will assume that Pontiac started the Muscle Car craze in America during the 60s. The formula was simple, put a big block engine from a full-size car into a mid-size car. What they did was create a factory built “Hot Rod”. Like any great idea in the automotive industry, if it’s successful with one model, why not apply it to other models? So, while the first muscle cars of the ’60s were mid-size cars with big motors, other cars such as, the ’69 Mustang Boss 429, clearly used the same Muscle Car formula. In my opinion, any America car where the performance is the number one option, where it has far more horsepower then it needs can be called a muscle car. Anyone remember the ’84 Mustang SVO? Not a conventional muscle car but still the best Detroit had to offer at the time. The Muscle Car title does not extend to the whole model line it is reserved for the top performance models. The GTO is the exception since was a unique model without a lower model option.