It is the dream of many car enthusiasts to own a classic American muscle car, but most of those regular drivers are also used to driving modern cars. There is nothing wrong with that, but cars today have all kinds of features to aid the person behind the wheel, and old cars don’t have those.
In reality, most modern drivers would have problems riding these powerful machines if they're not used to them; however, this rule doesn’t apply to all classic cars. There are some muscle cars that do make great daily drivers; they will always be popular due to their great performance, comfort, and durability.
However, while some of the most famous American classic cars are better for exhibitions or races rather than everyday tasks, like going to work or picking up groceries, there are also lots of classic American cars that are easy and fun to daily drive as well.
10 Classic Car We Wouldn't Daily Drive: 1964 Ford Mustang Straight Six
The 1964 Ford Mustang is the first generation of Mustangs manufactured by Ford. It was introduced in April 1964 as the first “Pony car.” Based on the Ford Falcon, they have similar features including a 2.8-liter straight-six engine and a three-speed manual transmission.
This car is an excellent collector's item, but due to the terrible performance of its 6-piston engine and its lack of safety features, it is not the best vehicle for everyday driving. It looks extremely good, but it is not very fast, and it's unsafe.
9 Classic Car We Would Daily Drive: 1952 Cadillac Eldorado
The 1953 Cadillac Eldorado is a special-bodied, low-production deluxe convertible introduced by General Motors for the first time in late 1952 as the most expensive Cadillac at the time. Cadillac was the first company to mass-produce V8 engines and the Eldorado was packing a powerful 5.4-liter OHV V8 engine under its hood.
The Eldorado provides a smooth ride, pretty good speed, and some luxury amenities too. This car also has a 4-speed Hydra-Matic transmission; combined with a high-performance 210 HP engine, it makes for a great classic car to drive on a daily basis.
8 Classic Car We Wouldn't Daily Drive: El Camino SS 454
Chevrolet introduced the famous coupe utility vehicle El Camino SS454 for the first time in 1959, as a response to the record sales of the Ford Ranchero. The first generation of the El Camino offered a turbo-thrust 5.7-liter V8 engine with a 4 barrel carburetor, producing 335 brake horsepower, which ultimately makes this car too powerful for ordinary and inexperienced drivers.
Besides, the main problem of driving this vehicle on a daily basis is that it's very long, has a rear-wheel-drive layout, and not much weight over the rear wheels; it's just too much power and not everybody will easily handle it. However, plenty of drivers love the vehicle regardless, making it a heavily-sought classic car on today’s market.
7 Classic Car We Would Daily Drive: 1968 Dodge Charger
The second-generation Dodge Charger is famous among film and TV enthusiasts thanks to being the main car in the Dukes of Hazzard and involved in the Bullitt chase scene. This car has most of the things someone needs for everyday driving, including a powerful V8 engine.
The Dodge Charger also offers a smooth hydraulic steering system and power brakes that make driving very enjoyable. Besides, there are tons of facts about the General Lee Dodge Charger that make this car a classic among TV enthusiasts.
6 Classic Car We Wouldn't Daily Drive: Ford Torino GT
The Ford Torino GT is a sports car Ford introduced in 1968, within the Torino subseries of the Fairlane line. However, the Ford Torino GT’s interior was filled with new gadgets, belts, and fabrics that made the vehicle seem small and crowded from the inside.
Although this muscle car offers a powerful V8 engine, it is still not enough to give such a huge car the HP that it needs to reach decent speeds. The curb weight of this vehicle hovers around 3,000 pounds; if the driver is not used to controlling heavy cars, it will be a nightmare to drive it on a daily basis.
5 Classic Car We Would Daily Drive: Lincoln Town Car
The Lincoln Town Car is a 4-door sedan introduced by Ford in 1981, as a competitor for the Cadillac Eldorado. Just like its name says, the vehicle is a town car that works perfectly on any typical city road.
The Lincoln Town Car provides a lot of comfort and space, which is great for taking the family out on a long trip.
4 Classic Car We Wouldn't Daily Drive: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona is a limited-edition, high-performance automobile introduced by the Dodge in 1969, as a superior version of the 1968 Dodge Charger 500. Since Dodge made this vehicle for the sole purpose of winning high-profile NASCAR races.
This car has a lot of power under the hood, but the main problem is that it's so expensive, it would be terrifying to drive it on a daily basis. Not to mention the value would drop as the mileage increases, rightfully dubbing it as one of the coolest muscle cars that are a pain to daily drive.
3 Classic Car We Would Daily Drive: 1965-1970 Chevrolet Impala
The 1965-1970 Chevrolet Impala is the fourth generation of the Impala series. These vehicles underwent several changes in those 5 years to give them a more streamlined appearance while maintaining their great performance. The 2-door classic car came in hardtop and convertible versions, providing drivers with classy options of a beloved machine.
The fourth generation of Impalas were also the first cars to introduce a full-coil suspension which is great for daily driving; it provides a much smoother ride overall.
2 Classic Car We Wouldn't Daily Drive: Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper is a Sports Car introduced by Dodge for the first time in 1991. This car has a massively powerful V10 engine and absolutely zero driver aids, which makes it really hard for regular people to drive it safely. Inexperienced drivers are not skilled enough to control that much power, especially for daily driving purposes.
While this car might be great for cruising or on a track with a highly-skilled driver behind the wheel, it's not a car to daily drive at all.
1 Classic Car We Would Daily Drive: Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco was the first Sport Utility Vehicle. It was introduced by Ford in 1966 as an off-road car and the competition for the Jeep CJ-5. The idea was to create a balance between sports cars and everyday cars and Ford nailed it with the Bronco.
The first generation of this vehicle featured a 200 HP 4.7-liter V8 engine, which is enough to go on fun adventures but also drive to work every day. Having a Ford Bronco as a daily driver is a comfortable and pleasant experience that anyone will enjoy.