Muscle car flops...

[Empty Pockets]

'Darned difficult to argue with this list:


http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012...5-least-muscular-muscle-cars/?intcmp=features


Here are a few more. (I'd forgotten about the Gremlin poser!)

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/10-wimpiest-muscle-cars-ever.html

 

[soroush]

seems like almost nothing good came out of the late 70s and early 80s ?? the cars weren't very good either

 

[Empty Pockets]

seems like almost nothing good came out of the late 70s and early 80s ?? the cars weren't very good either

What???! 'You mean to suggest the AMC Pacer was no good???

 

[2112]

seems like almost nothing good came out of the late 70s and early 80s ?? the cars weren't very good either

There was some awesome music coming out about then. :wink

 

[twobjshelbys]

What???! 'You mean to suggest the AMC Pacer was no good???

My thought was the Gremlin, but same idea.

 

[SteveA]

I think you could draw the line at '72 for all American cars and most music.

 

[Xcentric]

Ahh..the years of trying to control smog before catalytic converters, 5 mph bumpers, mouse trap seat belts, and Ralph Nader saying my Corvair was going to kill me. Well...he was almost right about that. What a depressing era for car enthusiasts.

 

[twobjshelbys]

I think you could draw the line at '72 for all American cars and most music.

Totally agree. I had the opportunity to buy a 1973 Chevelle or a 1972 Nova for a lot less. Both with a 350. My Chevelle couldn't get out of its own way.

 

[33Bravo]

I remember the 73 Mustang was large and slow. The 74 Mustang was quite a bit smaller; and slow.

 

[2112]

I thought a 74' Trans Am was supposed to be pretty good?

 

[djs]

A 2012 ZL1. 800 lbs too heavy, heat soak problems if your run them hard, and damned slow compared to a GT500!

 

[ChipBeck]

Gentlemen,

IMO, the last cool Trans Am was the 1973 Super Duty 455 model. It only had 310hp vs 250hp for the standard 455 4-bbl. Only a few hundred SD motors were built. A few were installed in 1974 Trans Ams but that year they were further detuned to 290hp. I really liked the 1974 GTO built on the Ventura (Nova) body. It had a shaker hood scoop just like the Trans Am and have thought that little car with a built motor would be a fun project. It was anemic in stock form but so was everything else back then. 1973 to 1999 was truly a dark age for performance cars. The good old days are RIGHT NOW. With the new EPA mileage and emissions standards headed our way I'm not real optimistic about the future of performance 10 years from now.

Chip

 

[2112]

I must have read a story about the early 74's or just confused the years. Thanks for the clarification.

I read that in addition to an underrated 455, they actually handled very well for the size of car and skinny wheels and tires.

 

[Empty Pockets]

With the new EPA mileage and emissions standards headed our way I'm not real optimistic about the future of performance 10 years from now.

"Performance cars" may have to come from where they did before the original muscle car era erupted...from gearheads' own garages. Unless, of course, the EPA/govt OUTLAWS 'em.

 

[SteveA]

Gentlemen,

IMO, the last cool Trans Am was the 1973 Super Duty 455 model. It only had 310hp vs 250hp for the standard 455 4-bbl. Only a few hundred SD motors were built. A few were installed in 1974 Trans Ams but that year they were further detuned to 290hp. I really liked the 1974 GTO built on the Ventura (Nova) body. It had a shaker hood scoop just like the Trans Am and have thought that little car with a built motor would be a fun project. It was anemic in stock form but so was everything else back then. 1973 to 1999 was truly a dark age for performance cars. The good old days are RIGHT NOW. With the new EPA mileage and emissions standards headed our way I'm not real optimistic about the future of performance 10 years from now.

Chip

Now if we only could buy Chevron Super Supreme for 36cents a gal......

 

[ChipBeck]

1974 GTO. I still like it.

 

[Mooney56]

I had a Cobra II in High School and I thought it was cool.