The peak era for muscle cars was undoubtedly the swinging '60s. It was a time of massive engines, wild colors, striking graphics, and hurling down the quarter mile as hastily as possible. Detroit was the hub of two great things: Motown and a booming auto industry. Little wonder it earned the nickname 'motor city,' and happily, they still host an auto show every year.
Many great classic cars spawned from the era, from the Dodge Charger R/T to the Chevy Chevelle SS and the story-littered Pontiac GTO. This was a fantastic time to be a gearhead, and most of these iconic muscle cars are still sought-after to this day.
However, many have also fallen under the radar as the more popular models took center stage, whether on screen or in pop culture. These 10 muscle cars from the 1960s are severely underrated, and here's what you need to know about them.
Updated April 2023: Too many great muscle cars failed to stand out amid the raging horsepower wars and ambitious competition in the '60s. This doesn't mean that they are any less worthy of respect, and more and more gearheads are now rediscovering these time-lost gems. That's why we've updated the content of this list to preserve the past of these legends in a sea of modern automotive marvels.
10 1965 Chrysler 300 L
On the full-size end of the muscle car spectrum was the Chrysler 300 series. It was already in production for 10 years at this point, but the one that flew under the radar the most, despite its limited production run (only 2,845 units of the 1965 Chrysler 300 L got built with 2,405 hardtops and 440 convertibles), was the 1965 300 L.
This landing craft could hit 60 mph in under 7 seconds, thanks to a 413 cubic-inch V8 with 360 hp (when equipped with a four-speed manual). The car also clocked the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds. And considering that it looks like regular full-size Chryslers such as the Newport and New Yorker at a glance, this may well be the ultimate sleeper. But while the Chrysler is expensive, some sleepers aren't.
9 1965-1967 Buick Gran Sport
Alongside the Pontiac GTO and Chevelle SS, GM also had the Buick Gran Sport (or GS for short) to appeal to more of a gentleman looking for a performance car with leading-edge luxury. With its elegant lines and plush cabin, the midsize Gran Sport did just that, 20 years before Buick built their legacy with the GNX.
Earlier Buick Gran Sport versions sold with the 401 cubic-inch Nailhead V8 engine in 1965 that generated 325 hp and laid out a quarter mile time of around 15 seconds – a seriously respectable pace compared to its rivals. This was the largest engine permitted by GM at the time.
Buick replaced the Nailhead engine design in 1967 Gran Sport models with a more powerful 400-cubic-inch V8 that generated 340 horses and 440 lb-ft of torque, with acceleration from zero to 60 mph taking 6.5 seconds. The car also has an optional 340 cubic-inch V8 engine with 240 hp. It's a shame that the beastly Buick was always overlooked in favor of competitors such as the Plymouth GTX.
8 1964-1967 Oldsmobile 442
The Oldsmobile 442 is a well-known model in the muscle car world, with later versions, including the Hurst and W30, making the 442 more recognizable in the field.
But their predecessors get little attention. In 1964, the 442 simply meant, a four-barrel carburetor, four-speed transmission, and dual exhausts. In 1965, that changed to 400 cubic inches, four-barrel carburetor, and dual exhausts, as allegedly displayed in the brochure for that model year.
The 1965–1967 models used that 400 cubic-inch V8, which made up to 360 hp, whereas the earlier 1964 model had a 330 cubic-inch unit with 310 hp mated to only a four-speed manual transmission (as the name suggested). It's certainly nice to know what cool car names actually mean.
7 Mercury Cougar XR7
The Mercury Cougar has always lived in the shadow of its older, much more popular sibling, the Ford Mustang. Having a famous sibling made the Cougar a severely underrated machine.
Aside from sitting on the same platform, the Cougar came with precisely the same engine options as the Mustang and boasted similar performance figures. The XR7 is the more exciting variant of the Cougars, minus the ultra-rare Eliminator models. When equipped with the 390 cubic-inch V8 in 1967, the Cougar XR7 would reach 60 mph in the six-second range, making it a fierce competitor to even the Shelby Mustangs of the same era – and even the race-bred GT350H.
6 Buick Sport Wildcat 425
The Buick Wildcat had to have the right options for gearheads to consider it a real muscle car. In actuality, many considered it a personal luxury car for the buyer who couldn't afford the Riviera. This always made the Wildcat model generally more underrated than its rakish, iconic brother.
Nevertheless, in 1964, the Sport Wildcat became available with the 'Power Pack' when you ticked the box for the 425 cubic-inch V8. With 360 hp on tap, this land yacht could suddenly go from 0-60 mph in under 7 seconds and lay down a quarter mile time of around 15 seconds. Like the Chrysler 300 mentioned earlier, this was a serious sleeper car and deserved much more attention. And if you're after a Wildcat, here's what you should know before buying one.
5 Studebaker R2 'Super Lark'
Perhaps Studebaker would be among the last brands you would consider that made a performance car in their time, given they made luxury cars like the President. But it was absolutely true, and in the early sixties, the rare Super Lark became an option.
It featured a 289 cubic-inch supercharged V8 producing up to 290 hp in top-spec R2 form in 1963. Studebaker lifted that engine from the widely forgotten Avanti and could shift this performance oddity to over 130 mph. If there was an underrated car you should know about in general, muscle car or not, the Super Lark certainly has to be it.
4 Oldsmobile Jetfire
Before the 442 graced the roads, Oldsmobile offered the Jetfire. When revealed in 1962, it was the first-ever production car to receive a turbocharger, effectively beginning a revolution before the more popular European cars like the BMW 2002 Turbo, Porsche 930 Turbo, and the unique Saab 99 Turbo. But those cars wouldn't come out until well over a decade later!
The Jetfire had a 215 cubic-inch turbocharged V8 producing 215 hp. This meant a 0-60 mph time of just over 7 seconds and a quarter mile time of under 16 seconds. What's more, this aluminum V8 was Oldsmobile's own take on what Buick was producing and was eventually sold to Rover for use in many cars across the Atlantic, creating nothing less than the famous Rover V8.
3 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger
The Dodge Dart Swinger was Chrysler's entry-level model when it came to fire-breathing Mopar muscle. Instead of the gigantic 426 Hemi or 440 Magnum, as you'd find in mid-sized cars like the Plymouth Road Runner, it came with a 340 cubic-inch V8 with a mere 275 hp.
Beyond its horsepower output, the Swinger laid down a thundering quarter-mile time of around 15 seconds – making it a competent car for its time. Many people dropped larger engines into Darts as modifications for drag racing, but the stock 340 cubic-inch Swinger was massive in its own right.
2 1965 Ford Falcon Sprint 289
Like the Mercury Cougar from earlier, the Falcon always lived in the shadow of its much more popular sibling, the Ford Mustang. The Falcon formed the basis of the Mustang in the first place, which evolved massively as the years went on. And in 1965, the Sprint equipped with the top-spec 289 proved to be a respectable contender.
Boasting 200 hp, the Falcon Sprint with this engine option was a great platform for not only tuners in the States who wished to extract more oomph, but the car was also hugely popular in the world of British touring car racing, going shoulder-to-shoulder with Lotus Cortinas and Minis in some truly exciting battles. It's a series that spawned some true racing legends.
1 1964-1965 Plymouth Barracuda
Plymouth launched the Barracuda shortly before the famous Mustang and marked a new segment of the pony car class. The later 1970 and 1971 models would become the most-remembered – especially the 426 Hemi. But, the first-generation 1964 and 1965 models were always severely underrated in comparison.
In 1965, the automaker introduced a more powerful Formula S version. Equipped with a 273 cubic-inch V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, this little pony car had a 0-60 mph time of around 7 seconds and could achieve the quarter mile in just over 15 seconds – making it a real contender against the Mustang and other muscle cars of the time. Perhaps it's time we appreciate the early 'Cudas a bit more.
Sources: Mecum, Garage Kept Motors