The definition of a muscle car?

[4aThrill]

The definition of a muscle car?

I am doing a paper on the definition of a muscle car, the thing is I can't have a definition from the dictionary. But I can ask people what they think the definition of a muscle is in my essay. So what are your thoughts of a muscle car is and such?  Then I can compare and contrast my thoughts from yours, make sense.

[PocketThunder]

Mopars built between 1963 and 1974    does that help

[Ponch ®]

Mopars built between 1963 and 1974    does that help

thanks for including us 3rd gen guys 

[Drache]

More horsepower and torque than the smarts of the guys driving them! 

[Ponch ®]

More horsepower and torque than the smarts of the guys driving them! 

that's kinda harsh towards tuner kids...

[Drache]

More horsepower and torque than the smarts of the guys driving them! 

that's kinda harsh towards tuner kids...

 

[Harlow]

I remember reading somewhere that the actual definition is: a mid size car with a big block. Thus making camaros, E bodies and mustangs "pony cars". I consider anything from 1963(max wedge cars)-1974 a muscle car. That includes "pony cars".

[Mefirst]

60s to mid 70s Midsize car, big engine, no brakes to really mention, poor handling if going anything but straight... Simple looking interior, like no electric windows/seats, etc..

/Tom

[TruckDriver]

I remember reading somewhere that the actual definition is: a mid size car with a big block. Thus making camaros, E bodies and mustangs "pony cars". I consider anything from 1963(max wedge cars)-1974 a muscle car. That includes "pony cars".

[bordin34]

There is none.

[TruckDriver]

60s to mid 70s Midsize car, big engine, no brakes to really mention, poor handling if going anything but straight... Simple looking interior, like no electric windows/seats, etc..

/Tom

That's somewhat true. But some muscle cars did come with power windows and brakes and stuff.

[BigBlockSam]

60s to mid 70s Midsize car, big engine, no brakes to really mention, poor handling if going anything but straight... Simple looking interior, like no electric windows/seats, etc..

  ah yep

[Drache]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_car

[tan top]

Mopars built between 1963 and 1974    does that help

  ..................

[70charger_boy]

The definition of a musclecar is this.
In 1964 industry standards said the engine to chasis ration should be 1 cubic inch of engine per 100 lbs of chasis weight.  Well, in 1964 when john delorean decided to put a 389 in a car that weighed 3800 lbs, 90 lbs short of being legal, the muscle car was born.  It was an option to a base model.  IE The GTO was an option on the tempest model.  It was such a marketing success that the big 3 auto makers all jumped aboard.  In 1970, insurance rates were going up, so it was common for automakers to underestimate horsepower and torque so the potential buyer wouldn't pay alot for insurance.
In 1975, the federal govt got rid of the leaded gas, imposed pollution controls and added the 5 mph bumper.  So, the last year of the musclecar was in 1974.

[69CoronetRT]

There is none.

It's the age old question that can never be answered.

[bull]

Might I add that they have two doors, not four.

[John_Kunkel]

There is none.

When it comes to the definitition of a muscle car there is only one correct answer.........there is no clear cut definition.

[dkn1997]

has to meet 2 creteria in my book:

1. stomp the gas and see tire smoke in rear view
2. still can afford college for the kids after fixing her up.

[kidsixpack]

A musclecar is:  any car that is built to out perform (Straightline accelaration or handaling) better than the standard vesion of the same car.  E.G.  Temest=GTO, Sattelite+ Road Runner, or my favorite Coronet 440 + Super Bee. 
KIDSIXPACK

[ITSA426]

Parallel parking the manual steering, manual brake, four speed hemi will give you another thought on the term "muscle car"

[68 Black Betty]

A friend of mine once told me the definition of a muscle car is a car that can smoke the tires in all four gears.

[dkn1997]

A friend of mine once told me the definition of a muscle car is a car that can smoke the tires in all four gears.

then most of us are in trouble.  most cannot smoke 'em in more than 2 gears and us guys with automatics are SOL no matter how much power we make...no 4th gear.

[bull]

There is none.

When it comes to the definitition of a muscle car there is only one correct answer.........there is no clear cut definition.

But we know one when we see one.

[1BAD68]

simple, any car that was built and marketed based on its cubic inches of displacement or high horsepower rating. Any car marketed for luxury or comfort is not a muscle car.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

V8 engine, loud exhaust (headers) ,big fat tires on the ass end that can smoke like a tire fire at a junk yard !

[Brock Samson]

     

The definition of a musclecar is this.
In 1964 industry standards said the engine to chasis ration should be 1 cubic inch of engine per 100 lbs of chasis weight. Well, in 1964 when john delorean decided to put a 389 in a car that weighed 3800 lbs, 90 lbs short of being legal, the muscle car was born. It was an option to a base model. IE The GTO was an option on the tempest model. It was such a marketing success that the big 3 auto makers all jumped aboard. In 1970, insurance rates were going up, so it was common for automakers to underestimate horsepower and torque so the potential buyer wouldn't pay alot for insurance.
In 1975, the federal govt got rid of the leaded gas, imposed pollution controls and added the 5 mph bumper. So, the last year of the musclecar was in 1974.

:

scratchchin:









   Well,.. I belive the Real Muscelcars actually came into being in 1956 along with Rock and Roll,.. case in point the Plymouth Fury, Dodge D-500 and the Chrysler 300, there were others,.. IE: Pontiac had their tri carbed Bonnevilles and such,.. Look at the cars that raced at Daytona back in the late 50s,.. one thing that became apparent was that a smaller body with a bigger motor was a relitivly easy way to win races on Sunday and sell to fans on Monday...

         the GTO was a simple option package,.. seven years later...

BTW i'd say '72 MOPARS were the last real muscle cars, by '73 it was over,.. lower compression, greater weight, strangeled breathing...

    in my opinion...

[hemihead]

Some say the first Musclecar was the 49 Olds 88. Others say it was the 55 Chrysler 300. The GTO was the first to heavily publicize a Musclecar and offer it as a seperate model instead of just an option package. But Pontiac was not the inventor of the Musclecar.

[69CoronetRT]

BTW i'd say '72 MOPARS were the last real muscle cars, by '73 it was over,.. lower compression, greater weight, strangeled breathing...

So what's the difference between a '72 and '73 340 'Cuda or Challenger? So a 73 440 Road Runner/GTX is not a cusle car?

If it was over in '73 it was over in '72....

What about the SD Trans AMs? You'd exclude them as 'not a muscle car'? Take a ride in one sometime.
You'd leave out the 74-76 360 Dusters and Darts?
Ever tangled with a nicley tuned 80's Turbo Buick?

[rav440]

BTW i'd say '72 MOPARS were the last real muscle cars, by '73 it was over,.. lower compression, greater weight, strangeled breathing...

So what's the difference between a '72 and '73 340 'Cuda or Challenger? So a 73 440 Road Runner/GTX is not a cusle car?

If it was over in '73 it was over in '72....

What about the SD Trans AMs? You'd exclude them as 'not a muscle car'? Take a ride in one sometime.
You'd leave out the 74-76 360 Dusters and Darts?
Ever tangled with a nicley tuned 80's Turbo Buick?

right on 69CoronetRT i consider my 73 rr/GTX a MUSCLE CAR ,if not its just friggn RARE  but the fact is the term MUSCLE CAR wasnt coined till the 80s . so nody really knows what exactly a true MUSCLE CAR is . i belive there were MUSCLE CARS WAY BEFORE  the GTO was ever thougth of .

[Brock Samson]

i don't really know for sure but i do suspect that by '72 the bloom was off the rose...    all just my opinion... there were some quick cars but i don't think a '73 or '74  compares to a '71... didnt mean to piss you guys off..

[69CoronetRT]

As there is no definition to a muscle car, I just don't think you can make a clear cut end date as to when things stopped. Yes, things went down hill after '71 in terms of depth of selection and numbers built but there were still cars made after 71 that were similar in design and purpose to the cars built during the peak era. In some cases, the handling and tire technology were certainly better than in previous years.

[Charger1973]

I'll admit my 73 had some things working against it from the factory, but I still consider it a muscle car.  Especially now that I am correcting all the factory's mistakes.