In the U.S., sports cars have tough competition. That’s because here, there is also a heavy presence of muscle cars in the market. More importantly, many of these muscle cars tend to be reasonably priced. In fact, we can think of 10 affordable muscle cars we would buy over any sports car right now.
And when it comes to muscle cars, gearheads are often split between brand-new and classic cars. Classic muscle cars boast of both power and nostalgia. Owning a classic muscle car can also be a bragging right especially when you score one of the rarest muscle cars around today.
10 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 R-Code
Back in 1955, U.S. automaker Ford initially conceptualized the Fairlane to be a full-sized sedan. In 1962, the Fairlane was transformed into a midsize car. And by 1966, the model was looking more like a muscle car. In fact, there was a 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt drag car that caught our attention last year. That said, our focus this time is a 1966 Fairlane 500 R-Code, which comes with a V8 engine that reportedly cranks out 425 horses.
According to Barrett-Jackson, Ford only built 57 examples of the Fairlane 500 R-Code, making the model exceptionally rare.
9 1963 Chevrolet Impala Z11
Today, it’s easy to disregard the Impala. After all, it’s been marketed as a boring sedan that is being discontinued again. Back in the day, however, the Impala was much more than that. It was a muscle car that commanded attention and demanded respect. Under the hood of the Z11 is a 427 V8 engine that delivers up to 430 horses.
According to reports, Chevy only built around 50 units of the car. Meanwhile, according to Conceptcarz, the car fetched a value of as much as $525,000 in auctions back in 2017. Today, it can be worth a lot more.
8 1970-1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible
Sure, there are a lot of sporty new convertibles that you can buy in 2020. However, we admit that a rare muscle car such as the 1970-1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible is perhaps even more irresistible. It is believed that only 21 units of this car were ever produced, making them incredibly attractive to rare muscle car collectors.
That said, you may also be interested to know that the 2020 Show and Tow Dream Giveaway is giving you a chance to win a 1970 Plymouth Cuda, along with a 2019 Ram.
7 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454 LS6 Convertible
There was a time when the Chevelle SS LS6 ruled the streets. After all, the car’s 454 engine was the most powerful of its time, with an output of 450 horses at 5,600 rpm and 500 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm.
According to Fastest Laps, the car can go from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds. It also has a top speed of 142 mph. In total, it is believed that Chevy built 4,475 LS6 454. However, there was a limited production on the LS6 convertibles. According to Hemmings, fewer than 20 of these cars exist today.
6 1967 Plymouth RO23 Belvedere
Classic muscle car enthusiasts will readily tell you that the 1967 RO23 Belvedere is among the rarest of rides. According to American Car Collector, the production of the model was limited to just 55 units. The car originally came with a list price of $3,831. Today, it’s valued anywhere between $70,000 to $95,000. The car was introduced with several trims, including the Belvedere 1, Belvedere II, and the Satellite.
Aside from this, there is also the GTX trim. According to a print ad posted by Street Muscle, the GTX was the “king of Belvederes.”
5 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88
In a previous post, we asked the readers if you remember the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88? With only 20 examples ever made, theL88 is considered the holy grail in the world of Corvettes. Under its hood is a 7.0-liter 427 V8 engine that reportedly cranked out up to 560 brake horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 550 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm.
The car comes with a top speed of 170 mph. Reports have also said that the 1967 Corvette L88 goes from 0 to 60 mph in around 4.3 seconds.
4 1971 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible
If you’re a car buyer trying to score a 1971 GTO Judge convertible right now, we wish you the best of luck. While 357 hardtops were reportedly built of the GTO judge, only 17 convertibles ever came off the production line. So, the odds of successfully finding a convertible is probably one in a million.
If you do succeed, however, you’re looking at a classic muscle car that comes with a 7.4-liter V8 engine that delivers up to 335 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. Sure, it’s not the most powerful but it would still be a thrill to drive.
3 1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1
The 1969 Corvette ZL-1 is more powerful than any other Corvette that had come out prior to its debut. The car boasts an engine that Chevy developed with McLaren. Officially, the powertrain had been rated at 430 brake horsepower. However, according to Corv Sport, the actual output was around 560 to 585 brake horsepower, making it a favorite among muscle car fans.
That said, it became quite challenging for anyone to own the car. For starters, it was introduced with a purchase price of $10,048.15. Moreover, it is believed that Chevy only sold two units of the car.
2 1967 Shelby Cobra Super Snake
During its time, the 1967 Shelby Cobra Super Snake was the convertible that everyone wanted to have although it was quite impossible. Under its hood is a 7.0-liter big-block 427 supercharged engine that cranked out up to 800 brake horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 462 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm.
The car has a top speed of 201 mph. Moreover, it could go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. It was a muscle car that behaved like a supercar. Unfortunately for the public, only one example of the model was ever built, according to Motor Authority.
1 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible
Today, it’s practically impossible to get a Challenger in a convertible body. But back in 1970, the Challenger R/T was available in hardtop and convertible types. According to Hagerty, as many as 200 hardtops were sold. In contrast, only nine convertibles were ever sold, making the car pretty rare.
That also means you can expect to pay over $1 million for the car if you ever manage to find one. The car comes with a “six-pack” engine that was reportedly rated at 390 horses. There was also an option for a 426 Street Hemi that was rated at 425 horses.