When people talk about American-made vehicles, the first things that usually come to mind are large-sized trucks and growling muscle cars. However, the market has been flooded with highly luxurious and safe vehicles from both Europe and Asia, which forced domestic carmakers to align their strategy with the global trend. Today's muscle cars are far from being the exiting death traps they were 55 years ago.

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Over the last couple of years, the restomod trend became extremely popular. Though several classic cars are perfect for your next restomod, there are times when simply restoring a classic car to its original condition can have the same wow effect. Although a 750 hp '69 Camaro can be really satisfying, a car that reminds its owners of the good ol' days can be even more enjoyable.

10 1957 Chevrolet Corvette

It has been said that the very first muscle car ever made is the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. It is a great vehicle all-around. However, the Rocket 88 is nowhere as emblematic as Chevy's Corvette. First released in 1953, the Corvette is among one of the sportier muscle cars and one that has been pretty much continuously on the market since its release, only missing out on one year - 1983.

There are several reasons why the Chevrolet Corvette has been a huge success. That being said, just glancing at any Corvette will give us a clear idea why the Corvette is the ultimate muscle car. Unlike Timeless Kustoms' 1954 ZR1 Corvette blown LS9, this '57 is fitted with the same 283ci V8 originally found on the Corvette of the same year. With a power output of 250 hp, this oldie is far from being tame.

9 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback

There are two classic Ford vehicles that are known worldwide for their outstanding features: the Ford Model T and the Mustang. As Ford was at the forefront of innovation for a vast portion of the 20th century, it is quite normal that some of the company's vehicles became legendary.

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Ok. You are not impressed. It is just another restored Mustang fastback. Well, this particular gem comes straight out of Nieuwpoort, Belgium. Imagine sourcing somewhat original parts for a '67 Mustang Fastback in Europe. The result is simply mind-blowing.

8 1969 AMC AMX/3

There are several car makes out there that do not ring a bell. Only genuine gearheads with a true love for unique cars may have heard of them. These cars are unknown to most of the public, and it can be partly explained by the fact that the companies were either bought out or went out of business. AMC is definitely one of those obscure car companies.

Via robbreport.com

The AMX/3 is a very peculiar car. It is unclear whether it inspired the creation of the DeTomaso Pantera or not, but both cars definitely have an Italian feel to them. The AMX/3 is fitted with a 6.4L V8 engine that cranks out 340 hp at the tires. That is pretty good for a car made by a tiny company back in 1969.

7 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS

Chevrolet released several amazing cars between the 1950s and the 1970s. Some of the most popular cars are of course the Corvette and the Camaro, but others such as the Nova and the Impala have received a decent amount of attention. As years went by, the Nova and the Impala became very valuable collectibles.

1969 Chevrolet Impala SS
Mecum

The vast majority of the time, people willing to give the Chevy Impala SS a second youth go with the restomod style. Though the results are usually quite impressive, nothing beats a perfectly restored '69 Impala SS like this one. Equipped with 427ci V8 that is originally found on the Impala SS of the same year, this Impala goes for anywhere between $35,000 and $45,000.

6 1970 Dodge Charger R/T

Dodge is the only major American automaker that seemed to be incapable of coming with an attractive muscle car. Though Dodge's earlier muscle cars were powered by some truly remarkable powerplants, the cars just did not look good. However, in the late '60s and early '70s, the company reversed the trend.

The '70 Charger is among the sickest Hemi-powered Mopars ever. The car is so emblematic that when Dodge released its four-door version, most Charger fans simply could not swallow the pill. This particular rotisserie restored Charger seems as if it had just come out of Detroit.

5 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

To the vast majority of motorists, car brands tend to be independent of one another. Though most people know that groups such as General Motors exist, they believe that brands such as Mercury are 100% independent. Mercury is, in fact, the not-so-missing link between regular Ford cars and much more luxurious Lincoln vehicles.

The Mercury Cougar Eliminator is great. Equipped with Ford's Boss 302 engine, the muscle car develops 290 hp. The most insane fact about this particular Eliminator is that only 323 units were produced using the Boss 302 V8 and a four-speed manual transmission.

4 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Hurst

Oldsmobile is far from being the lousy carmaker it became during the final years of its tenure. First created in 1897, the company went through two major world wars, a pandemic that killed 50 million people worldwide, the Great Depression, and the Malaise Era. Despite having created some truly amazing vehicles, the carmaker lost the plant at some point in the 1980s and went under in 2004.

Ok. Purists will have steam coming out of their nostrils and ears. This is not exactly a 442 Hurst. It is what could easily be referred to as a "clone." That being said, this Oldsmobile is absolutely stunning and looks like the real deal. Under the hood sits a mean 425ci V8 that is couple with a Tremec TKO 600 five-speed manual transmission.

3 1970 Plymouth Barracuda

Plymouth is another brand that dismantled by its own makers. In 2001, Daimler-Chrysler decided to put an end to a streak of poor sales and god-awful vehicles. However, there was a time when Plymouth was producing some very respectable vehicles. The Barracuda is the prime example.

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Imagine stumbling upon a convertible Cuda V-Code. Nothing special, one might say. In fact, only 29 drop-top '70 V-Code were made. Ever. As a result, finding one like this one is quite spectacular. A Cuda convertible was sold a couple of years ago for a whopping $3.2 million.

2 1970 Pontiac Trans Am

Pontiac is well-known for its GTO. The GTO was in fact compared to the Ferrari GTO (for obvious reason). The American-made GTO was actually more powerful than its Italian counterpart. While Pontiac achieved something great by beating Ferrari, the company did not stop with the GTO. The Trans Am is another bombshell made by the defunct automaker.

There are times when cars such as the all-wheel-drive swapped 1971 Trans Am are a bit too much. This perfectly restored Trans Am is just as attractive and gorgeous as one of the monsters created by demented tuners. This $250,000 (you read that right) restored Trans Am is fitted with the same Ram Air engine originally found under the hood.

1 1972 Ford Gran Torino Fastback

Flickr

Ford has been America's number one car manufacturer for almost a century. The company revolutionized the way products were made and marketed. It also revolutionized the idea of the sports car when it released its infamous Mustang back in 1965. Given the company's success, it is quite understandable that some of its less popular vehicles went somewhat below the radar.

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The Gran Torino may not be as attractive as other muscle cars, but it is still a classic. This particular Gran Torino was restored to its original condition, with some aftermarket parts here and there. The 351ci Cobra Jet engine found under the hood is potent. The power created by the powerplant is transmitted to the wheels thanks to a C6 automatic transmission.

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