The Creation of the Muscle Car

Muscle cars are defined as mid size cars with large powerful engines intended for fast acceleration. The Muscle Car was first brought into exsistance in 1964 by the introduction of the Pontiac GTO, which was a version of the Tempest with a 389 cu in V8 engine, floor mounted Hurst shifter. Its market was directed at the younger generation, the key appeal was that it offered a variety of affordable vehicles with a street performance for racing.

The Muscle Car started to see it's end in the Mid 70's, with the automotive safety lobby headed up by Ralph Nader, along with the the auto insurance industry which started to place punitive surcharges on all high performance muscle cars and finally coupled with the oil embargo which started the gasoline rationing and increasing fuel prices.

The last of the high performance engines to see its end was the 71' Chrysler 426 Hemi and in 1973 Pontiac's Trans Am was the last of the true Muscle Car

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