America is home to some of the greatest carmakers of all time. Over the decades, domestic automakers have created vehicles that became popular all over the world. For example, Sweden is known for having quite a respectable American muscle car scene. You read that right. Sweden. American vehicles are still very popular in Australia.
Present in almost every single country in the world, Chevrolet has provided the public with outstanding vehicles over the decades, from the Corvette to the Silverado. Some of these astonishing cars were only made for one year. As a result, it is quite difficult to get a hold of them. Others were mass-produced but did not receive any attention until recently.
10 1941 Pickup AK-Series
Back in the early 1940s, trucks were mainly used to haul things from point A to point B. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's involvement in World War 2, trucks started being used on and off the battlefield thanks to their versatility. Today, trucks are restored to their original condition to the pleasure of all purists.
The AK-Series is the type of classic pickup truck that is screaming to be restomodded. Manufactured between 1941 and 1947, AK-Series trucks did not actually take part in World War 2. The production of civilian versions was stopped in 1942 in order to produce more war-ready machines. A 1941 Chevy model AK was auctioned off and estimated to sell between $50,000 and $75,000.
9 1958 Biscayne
The 1950s were a great decade for the domestic automotive industry. Despite the recession of 1958, people were still able to keep a roof over their heads, pay their medical bills, and attend college if need be. Consequently, families had enough disposable income to treat themselves with a nice car.
The Biscayne was not necessarily shunned, but it sure was not as popular and well-marketed as the Bel-Air of the same year. The Biscayne was a much cheaper Bel-Air. In fact, both cars looked almost identical. While both the Bel-Air and the Biscayne are equipped with a 348 ci V8, the Bel-Air rated at best at 315 hp and the Biscayne at 280 hp. A '58 top-line Biscayne in outstanding condition can go for over $40,000.
8 1961 Corvair Greenbrier
Vans are usually not the sort of cars gearheads are into. There is nothing sporty or classic about a van. Well, it is not entirely true. With the restomod trend in full swing, some tuners may want to turn a family van into a 1,000 hp monster. On the other hand, a San Francisco hipster may want to dodge their overpriced room and live the van life in style.
Only 2,844 Corvair Greenbriers were produced in 1961. Needless to say, the Greenbrier is quite a rarity. The van is powered by a 2.4L Turbo-Air 6 engine that produces a meager 80 hp. Given the technology available today, it is possible to replace the original powerplant with something much more powerful. A '61 Corvair Greenbrier was sold for $22,000 in Portland back in 2016.
7 1964 Corvair Monza
The mid-60s were quite phenomenal. Ford started working on the Mustang back in '64 and released it the following year. In the meantime, Chevy was working on much tamer and more elegant vehicles. However, the trend was changing as people were looking for more powerful and sporty cars.
The Corvair Monza could be considered as the poor man's Corvette. At best, the Corvair Monza is equipped with a 2.7L flat-six engine that develops 110 hp. It is a far cry from the 375 hp produced by the 427 ci V8 found on the Corvette C2. A '64 Corvair Monza convertible in terrific condition can cost up to $20,000.
6 1969 Kingswood Estate
There used to be a time when station wagons were all the rage. A family man with a substantial amount of children would go for a station wagon before anything else. Though most of them were highly under-powered, they still had the potential to be fitted with much more potent engines.
The Kingswood Estate is by far the best station made in 1969. Though the car does not seem like much at first, Chevy offered the mighty 427 Turbo Jet ci V8 for the Kingswood. For those who do not know, it is the same engine found on the Biscayne two-door sedan. The 427 found on the Kingswood is factory rated at 335 hp, which is a lot of horsepower for a family car of the late 60s. This particular Kingswood Estate sold for $27,000 on Bring A Trailer.
5 1972 Monte Carlo
The early 1970s still witness a large number of astonishing muscle cars. At Chevrolet, the Corvette and the Camaro had eclipsed pretty every single car in the company's portfolio. The Chevelle, the Nova, or even the Monte Carlo did not get as much attention as they should have.
In 1972, Chevy decided not to have a Monte Carlo SS on the market. Though less powerful than the previous years, the '72 was still available with a 454 ci V8 factory rated at 270 hp. It is the exact same powerplant found on the top-line Chevelle SS. The '72 Monte Carlo still is a very underrated classic muscle car. Its current price is around $27,000 in good condition.
4 1974 Chevelle Laguna
Following the Oil Crisis and the adoption of stringent emission regulations, American cars started becoming increasingly sluggish. Though the vast majority of them were powered by huge V8 engines, their respective power outputs were laughable. That being said, these cars were still a real pleasure to take for a spin.
In 1974, Chevy made some changes in its lineup. The Chevelle SS was replaced by the Chevelle Laguna S-3. The Laguna was offered with four different engines, including a massive 454 ci V8 that produces 235 hp. Given the fact that the automotive industry was in turmoil, 235 hp is not too bad. Though the car is only valued at around $10,000 on NADA, it is fair to say that it will increase in value in the coming years due to the low production numbers.
3 1975 Cosworth Vega
Back in the mid-70s, Japanese carmakers had successfully integrated the US market. Following severe economic events, people were looking for more economical and urban-friendly vehicles. While AMC did release a few compact muscle cars, Chevy released one major sporty compact vehicle.
The '75 Cosworth Vega is a very unique vehicle. Only 2,061 units were ever made, thus making it a true collectible. The Cosworth Vega front end sort of looks like a Camaro. Underneath the hood, a 2.0L inline-four engine replaces what could have been a small-block V8. The car is factory rated at 110 hp at 5,600 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. A '75 Cosworth Vega in terrific condition was found on Craigslist for a little over $20,000.
2 1975 Monza
Any car made after 1973 is very likely to be disappointing. That being said, some of these vehicles can be modified to become true monsters. They do not have to be turned into SEMA-like cars, but just giving them the power with desperately need is enough. The 1975 Monza is the prime example.
Does the Monza resemble the Mustang II? In some ways, yes. The best engine offered by Chevy was a 5.7L small-block V8 that develops only 125 hp. That is quite disappointing for an American-made vehicle. However, thanks to its smaller size, the Monza can be restomodded into a real beast. Though its value is quite low in comparison to other classic Chevy cars, $6,000 is a lot of money for a ride that sluggish.
1 1982 S10
Over the last couple of years, the Chevy C10 became extremely popular. Thanks to the infamous LS-swap, the truck became the ultimate classic Chevy truck to restomod. Consequently, its value went up quite rapidly. Chevy released several other trucks that truly deserve to be respected and modified. However, the C10 is likely to remain under the limelight for years to come.
The C10 could have been one of the most badass muscle trucks gearheads would love to drive. At best, the truck was equipped with an acceptable 5.7L V8 that produced 170 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. As crazy as it may sound, the Camaro and the Corvette were barely more powerful than the C10. C10s in good conditions can up a little over $16,000. Rotisserie-restored C10s may cost far more.