Who do you look up to?

[Orange_Crush]

Ok, it can't be a family member.  It can't be yourself and, for the love of god, no politicians!!

I look up to

John Delorean-for creating the Musclecar
Lee Iacocca-for resurecting Chrysler
Carl "CAM'" Cameron -for designing the exterior of the greatest car EVER!! (Charger)
John and Linda Force-for creating HOT Ashley

Okay, let me apologize in advance for resurrecting this thread, but I feel it necessary to say something.  The first time I read it, I kinda scanned it and did not notice the John DeLorean thing sonow, I find it necessary to make a correction (and start an argument).

John DeLorean DID NOT invent the musclecar.  He just was good at marketing.

The musclecar was invented five years previous when Chrysler dropped a 300 horse version of the 331 Hemi in a 2 door hardtop and called it the C300 and went on to set a speed record at Daytona with it.  THAT was the first musclecar.

[70charger_boy]

Ok, it can't be a family member.  It can't be yourself and, for the love of god, no politicians!!

I look up to

John Delorean-for creating the Musclecar
Lee Iacocca-for resurecting Chrysler
Carl "CAM'" Cameron -for designing the exterior of the greatest car EVER!! (Charger)
John and Linda Force-for creating HOT Ashley

Okay, let me apologize in advance for resurrecting this thread, but I feel it necessary to say something.  The first time I read it, I kinda scanned it and did not notice the John DeLorean thing sonow, I find it necessary to make a correction (and start an argument).

John DeLorean DID NOT invent the musclecar.  He just was good at marketing.

The musclecar was invented five years previous when Chrysler dropped a 300 horse version of the 331 Hemi in a 2 door hardtop and called it the C300 and went on to set a speed record at Daytona with it.  THAT was the first musclecar.

  In 1964 DeLorean was with Pontiac and he made the decision to totally recreate the Tempest using a huge V8 high performance engine. The car became known as the GTO, also nicknamed the Goat by adoring fans and remains to this day one of the all-time favorite muscle cars. The GTO was a big hit for Pontiac sparking off huge sales volume and led other manufacturers to follow suit.

His creative out of the box thinking got him advanced to the higher echelons of the automotive industry but his independent free thinking nature was not really cut out for that and he ended up leaving that and forming his own company to do things his way.

Leaving his past fruits behind him in Detroit, DeLorean opened his own car company in Northern Ireland with the rather ambitious idea of competing against the Big Three automakers that he had helped so much in the 1960's. His namesake, the DeLorean DMC-12 was a unique brushed stainless steel sports car with the innovative flip up gull wing doors. The car never really took off and actually less than nine thousand ever sold. Still, the vehicle was responsible for many innovations for years to come.

DeLorean along with Preston Tucker were both headstrong individuals who were forward thinking revolutionaries way ahead of their time introducing cutting edge vehicles. Although their product ideas didn't take off in their time they influenced the future of the automotive industry.

In 1999 DeLorean had hopes of coming back to the automotive world with a high performance sports car that would be priced below 20k and would be made of mostly plastic. It seemed like he was ready for a revival but it never came to fruition and he died in 2004.

It will be interesting to see how the new Tesla Motor Company's electric high performance car does; the founder says he was influenced by DeLorean and Tucker. The car does o to 60 in under 4 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph.

Article Source: http://www.fetcharticles.com

[Mean 318]

It all depends on what you think a muscle car is! IMO the 300 C was the start! They IMHO they were the ones who started to jump to Muscle cars. But some people had different ideas! I think Speed did a muscle car on the 300 and it was VERY COOL! they were the only ones putting big power into their cars as far and the "big 3". If anyone ever sees it on speed channel take the time to watch!

[70charger_boy]

They coined the word musclecar, because the engine was literally too heavy for the chasis.  Back then you had to have 10 lbs of chasis weight per 1ci of engine.  The 65 gto had a 389. The chasis weight was less than 3,890 lbs, so technically it was not safe to drive.  So they sold it as a 1965 tempest with a 326 and the GTO package was an option.  That was the big 3's way out of the safety issue.  After this trend set by Delorean all the other car lines created their own options IE Trans am, Z28, SS,RT/SE so on and so on

[Orange_Crush]

In 1964 DeLorean was with Pontiac and he made the decision to totally recreate the Tempest using a huge V8 high performance engine. The car became known as the GTO, also nicknamed the Goat by adoring fans and remains to this day one of the all-time favorite muscle cars. The GTO was a big hit for Pontiac sparking off huge sales volume and led other manufacturers to follow suit.

basically, he managed to do the exact thing Chrysler did nine years earlier with the C300 (look up the history...very interesting).  Huge engine (for its time), intermediate body (Chrysler New Yorker withdifferent front and rear treatments), performance suspension, and...unheard of at the time...deletion of the majority of brightwork to enhance the performance image. 

The 300s were also the fastest cars built in America in '55, '56, AND '57.

The '56 and '57 300s also dominated the grand national series both years taking the championship.

As far as John Z. is concerned...he was a good marketer.  No more, no less.  His infinite capacity for BS was proven by the fiasco that was the DeLorean.  A study in what NOT to do if you want to start your own car car company.  From the DMC-12s ill-fitting body panels, to its ridiculously anemic PRV V6 it was a car that didn't back up what its looks promised and people quickly saw through that.

 

[70charger_boy]

You have to keep in mind that in 1965, GM and Chrysler had a monster to compete with, the mustang.  This was the answer to the mustang.

The Chevy guys can tell you that the musclecar started back in 1955 when Ed Cole and his team created the small block 350.  Many will argue that the 350 is the best engine ever created. Not me, though

[Orange_Crush]

You have to keep in mind that in 1965, GM and Chrysler had a monster to compete with, the mustang.  This was the answer to the mustang.

The Chevy guys can tell you that the musclecar started back in 1955 when Ed Cole and his team created the small block 350.  Many will argue that the 350 is the best engine ever created. Not me, though

Yeah...that's the other one that kills me.  GM LOOOOVES to bandy about the "fact" that their '57 283 was the first engine to achieve the "1 horsepower per cubic inch" level yet the 354 Hemi in the '56 300B was putting out 355 horsepower a full year sooner in '56.

[70charger_boy]

You have to keep in mind that in 1965, GM and Chrysler had a monster to compete with, the mustang.  This was the answer to the mustang.

The Chevy guys can tell you that the musclecar started back in 1955 when Ed Cole and his team created the small block 350.  Many will argue that the 350 is the best engine ever created. Not me, though

Yeah...that's the other one that kills me.  GM LOOOOVES to bandy about the "fact" that their '57 283 was the first engine to achieve the "1 horsepower per cubic inch" level yet the 354 Hemi in the '56 300B was putting out 355 horsepower a full year sooner in '56.

Also,remember that before the POS smallblock chevy hot rodders were using Hemi's and flatheads

[Mean 318]

the POS smallblock chevy

SOmething we can all agree on 

[70charger_boy]

the POS smallblock chevy

SOmething we can all agree on 

OK you win!!