Classic American muscle cars are some of the most coveted performance machines of all time. They come in style, power, and an old soul. As modified alternatives grace the streets, the gap between old and new continues to grow. The latest versions seem to dissatisfy the American car enthusiasts and they swear by “old is gold”. However, the classic muscle cars aren’t as perfect as you might imagine.
Some of the glorified muscle cars have issues and require enhancements to meet the standard requirements. From poor handling to unavailable new parts, poor fuel economy, fluid leaks, and bad suspensions, here are 10 muscle cars with flaws most gearheads like to ignore.
10 1960 Chevrolet Corvette: Climate Control Issues
The Chevrolet Corvette is a terrific muscle car. Introduced in 1953, the model is available with a variety of engine options and special performance alternatives. It is equipped with a 230ci V8 engine that produces 245hp with an MPG rating of about 13 or 14. The exterior chassis is particularly handsome with defined features. However, the manufacturers forgot to do the same with the interiors.
It comes with low-quality materials and may throw you off the seat in case of an emergency braking. Apart from the flimsy seats, it has both automatic and manual transmission. You can imagine how terrible the automatic version is. In addition, it doesn’t have a climate control system and may ruin your road trips in extreme weather conditions.
9 1971 AMC Javelin: Low-Quality Vinyl Seats
After the second-generation redesign, the AMC Javelin looked sportier with a mean glare. Its performance is a V8 engine generating 335 horsepower but reduced it to 255horsepower after the oil crisis that year. Although the oil embargo was heavy on all American automakers, the AMC felt the weight and had to cut costs.
Unfortunately, the interiors suffered the consequences. Javelin brought in new terrible squeaky vinyl materials. On a sunny day, they would be sticky and freezing during the cold seasons. Well, that was a terrible option even when facing hard times.
8 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda: Pathetic Handling
The Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda remains one of the most magnificent muscle car ever produced by Plymouth. It has seductive looks with a killer Hemi V8 engine. The pony car produced 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, even with all that power, Plymouth couldn’t handle corners.
Also, the interiors are terrible with poor quality materials. No wonder most ‘Cudas have been resto-modded. Most car enthusiasts are disappointed but pay a little extra to make it what they want it to be.
7 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454: Terrible Weight Distribution
The Chevrolet Elky came with a massive 454ci V8 engine that produces 450hp. Heck, the car had so much power and took unsuspecting new owners by surprise. Unfortunately, the manufacturers miscalculated the weight distribution.
It came with a heavy front and lightweight rear. This would send the SS 454 out of balance especially when picking up speed. This posed a serious threat especially to inexperienced drivers and other road users.
6 1964 Ford Mustang II: Poor Fuel Economy
Introduced in 1964, the Ford Mustang II featured a big block Windsor V8 engine that delivered 210 horsepower. Ford wanted a compact car that was affordable but delivered power and performance. It came out with a bang but the timing was off. There was an oil crisis underway and being an oil guzzler, you can imagine how badly this affected the sales.
The Mustang was also slow and lazily responded to shifting and steering. The oil embargo sent the classic car into the lonely dark corridors of history and car lovers moved to the next shiny car.
5 1982 Pontiac Firebird: Horrible Iron Duke Engine
After the embarrassing failures of the previous generations, the manufacturers decided to style up the Pontiac Firebird. You would expect something epic to cover up the previous mistakes but nope, more disappointments. The Firebird didn’t deserve to be classified with other muscle cars.
Pontiac manufacturers were going for a fuel-efficient car and enthusiasts hate it. A 2.5L small-block V8 Iron-Duke engine producing 88-horsepower powered the firebird. The car failed to deliver. The famous unreliability spread throughout and no one wanted to associate with such an abomination.
4 1970 Dodge Challenger: Failing Transmission
When the Dodge Challenger hit the market in 1970, people expected real performance only to discover the transmission issues. It featured a 383 cubic inch V8 engine and a 3-speed transmission. You would expect it to outsmart its rival the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro with raw performance.
Instead, the Challenger has an automatic gearbox that leaks, slips, and annoying jerky shifts. A muscle car with an automatic transmission is wrong on so many levels. Although the challenger somehow got a manual transmission later on but still had issues.
3 1975 Chevrolet Camaro: A Choking Catalytic Converter
The 1975 Chevrolet Camaro is one of the worst cars that the Chevy brand ever produced. It was an upgrade from the ’74 model and it choked the creation. Manufacturers decided to add a catalytic converter that squeezed their performance. It featured a 350ci small-block V8 engine that generates 155 hp a drop from the previous 245hp with the same engine.
In addition, they added a 7-inch aluminum bumper and an ugly sloping grille. Well, the many additions didn’t improve the situation and the ’75 Camaro remains one of the worst ones in history.
2 1976 Plymouth Volaré Road Runner: Several Recalls
With the previous Road Runner success stories, Plymouth slid a new badge to the 1976 Volaré line. The Road Runner turned into a disappointment with cheap body materials, sluggish acceleration, and several recalls.
At first, they used the Fury B-body and then used the F-body Volaré in the following year. Both instances lacked character and remained a shadow of its former glory. It featured 318ci V8 and made 150 horsepower.
1 1970 Dodge Charger: Handful to Drive
The 1970 Dodge charger is an iconic car and arrived before the oil embargo. It delivered authentic muscle power and excellent performance as expected. The Dodge Charger featured a 440ci V8 or a 6-cylinder 440ci V8 engine generating 390hp.
The Dodge Charger also had a few flaws. Its overall curb weight was too much, and the massive nose or rear overhang made the situation worse. Body roll was a rising concern at high speeds and couldn’t handle corners or curvy roads. Thus, there was a need for an upgraded muscle car to correct the issues.