These days, muscle cars from the '60s and '70s come with a high price tag attached. American muscle isn't what it used to be. Despite being envisioned as affordable performance cars for the masses, some classic muscle cars now cost a fortune. However, with a bit of digging around on used car websites, you can find some cool classic muscle cars worth more than just driving them on the weekends.
You have to admit, there are a lot of underrated cool muscle cars from the 60s and 70s. Even if they do plod along, skip and shake, they look awesome and evoke an era many of us would like to be a part of. They're also tons of fun on the 4th of July morning runs down your local back-roads at top speed. But most importantly, these cars generally can be had for cheap!
You can always spend big money on classic muscle cars—but that's not for everyone. Sure, the 1969 Camaro SS is a dream car for many gearheads, but what if you're in the market for a classic American muscle car, but don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting around? Then you'll love this list. The cars on this list are cheap classic muscle cars that won't break the bank.
7 1975 Dodge Dart Sport
Coming in at around $10,000, the 1975 Dodge Dart Sport is a real gem hidden in a haystack of legendary American-made muscle cars.
The 2-door classic came with a Chrysler V8 engine able to output 190 hp. It could reach a top speed of around 96 mph and go from 0 to 60 in 9.3 seconds.
6 1971 Ford Torino GT
The 1971 Ford Torino came in multiple versions starting with a 4.1L inline-6 and going all the way up to 7.0L 385 series V8. The most popular GT version was equipped with the 5.0L Windsor V8 302 engine packing 210 horsepower.
The median sale price of a good condition GT comes in at $10,000. Its top speed? Around 135 mph and a 0-60 time smaller than 7 seconds. We believe the car is extremely worth the ten grand considering those specs.
5 1970 Mercury Cyclone GT
The manufacturer needed to cut something out of the luxurious GT in order to make ends meet. This is why the pricier, but more luxurious version utilized the less powerful 351 Cleveland instead. As for the non-GT, there were two versions, the 360 hp and the 370 hp and the price gap between the two is huge as the latter usually sells for 4x times the former's price.
You can get the less powerful model for $15,000, while a good condition 370-hp Cyclone could cost you more than $50,000 but net you a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds which, for the time, was incredibly good. As for the GT version, an original-parts unit will cost you $13,000-$16,000.
4 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans A
Apart from looking rad, the 2nd gen Firebird also packed some serious heat. We are of course referring to the 6.6L V8 it came with that could output up to 185 hp and a top speed of 112 mph.
The little 3-speed automatic demon can go 0-60 in less than 8 seconds. You can get one for around $40,000, which is kind of pricey but in exchange, you will get a historic muscle car to drive in.
3 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
The sportiest version of the car was the Monte Carlo SS which came with a standard turbo-jet 454 7.4L V8 engine powerful enough to provide 360 hp at 4,800 rpm. Even though there were less powerful options, they all came with a good old sturdy V8.
The 1970 SS wasn't very popular as only 3,823 were built which is why this car is such a collectible piece. It can be yours for anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000 based on condition and engine.
2 1964 Plymouth Fury
The 3rd gen Plymouths saw a rise in sales compared to the older models and were considered some of the most affordable muscle cars of that era. The standard model came with a slant-6 engine (Chrysler inline 6) "clocked" at 145 hp.
The 3-speed manual transmission model came out in bunches, but the price is still fairly high at an average of $40,000 to $50,000.
1 1968 Ford Mustang
The 1968 Mustang was available in various engine options with the most powerful being the Cobra Jet V8. That said, the most popular options were the models equipped with either the small block V8 or the FE V8. If you go on a hunt for a Mustang from that year you will most likely stumble upon countless 302 4.9L V8s and the 390 6.4L V8s.
Used Ford Mustang prices vary, and the 1968 model is no different. However, it is one of the most widely collected muscle cars to ever hit the road and you can find one in relatively good condition for $20,000 to $30,000.