in your opinion what is the first musclecar??

**05gtoautoX** · 09-05-2006, 04:50 PM

the musclecar era is generally thought to be from 1964-1972-74, with the 1964 GTO being the one that started it all, and t in 1974 when the last GTO was made and the last superduty T/A was rolled off the line. But alot of people think there were cars prior to that, that were "musclecars" in their day. As you all know I am a huge GTO guy, with me owning 2 of them and my parents having 3 etc. But I think that there were muscle cars prior to 1964, for example-1958 chevy impala-348 W-head(first BBC) 1957 chevy-- 283 fuelie, 1962 pontiac tempest-389-421 etc. you get the idea, and I want to hear what some of you guys think, it don't matter what year or make. I think the first musclecar was a 1957 DeSoto adventurer, it had a 345 HP. Hemi(chrysler) and could hit 180mph. in the flying mile, google it.

Musclecar--large engine with excessive horsepower, stuffed into midsize car, built for speed.

**Wulfe13** · 09-05-2006, 08:45 PM

I vote for the 61 Impala 409. Can't remember if it was SS that year, if not then the 62 SS 409 Impala.

**snaggeltooth** · 09-05-2006, 10:39 PM

I will go with a 62 Dodge Dart with the 413 ... Sure the Impalas had the 409. and the Pontiac had the SD 421 but they were big full size cars ...

**05gtoautoX** · 09-05-2006, 10:41 PM

well in the early 60s they were about the same size as every other car, but good choices.

**FasstChevys** · 09-06-2006, 04:16 AM

I think it's the '64 GTO

**third_shift|studios** · 09-06-2006, 04:42 AM

the mercury topaz was the first REAL muscle car

**Murder after Midnight** · 09-06-2006, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

the mercury topaz was the first REAL muscle car

lol that's your daily driver

**third_shift|studios** · 09-06-2006, 04:55 AM

yeah, but mine has the 1-of-9812647125 plastic hub caps. It's so rare

**ss~zoso~ss** · 09-06-2006, 05:51 AM

dont forget the 53 vette

**ss~zoso~ss** · 09-06-2006, 05:51 AM

it may not have been all that fast but it started a legacy of speed that will never die

**Sarge** · 09-06-2006, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by ss~zoso~ss

dont forget the 53 vette

6 cylinder nominated as a muscle car?
Man there were so many back in the day.....But I'd have to go with the 396CID/375HP 1972 Nova SS...fricking things were just unbeatable and to me represented the pinacle of the muscle car era......

**third_shift|studios** · 09-06-2006, 06:37 AM

i was gonna PM you sarge, but this is kinda relivant to this thread:

what got muscle cars "going" like what was the big spaz for them? what made them such a fad? It seemed like gm and dodge were the only real competitors as ford only had the mustang and maybe the thunderbird...i might be wrong...anyway...educate me, oh wise one.

**FasstChevys** · 09-06-2006, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

6 cylinder nominated as a muscle car?
Man there were so many back in the day.....But I'd have to go with the 396CID/375HP 1972 Nova SS...fricking things were just unbeatable and to me represented the pinacle of the muscle car era......

At that time, and later into the 70's, and especially the early 80's, don't you think that 1972 was the end of the muscle car era? (and BTW, did they still put the 396 in Novas in '72???)

**IHSS** · 09-06-2006, 07:07 AM

I always thought the 55 Chrysler 300 was the first muscle car

**Mr. CarelessAndImprudent** · 09-06-2006, 08:09 AM

musclecars started to come out in the late fifties and the real power was done by '72

**snaggeltooth** · 09-06-2006, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Mr. CarelessAndImprudent

musclecars started to come out in the late fifties and the real power was done by '72

mostly in 72 .. Pontiac still had the SD 455 till 74 . And the Olds 442s still had some god grunt until 73..but the last year for the Hemi was 72 ...

**Sarge** · 09-06-2006, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by FasstChevys

At that time, and later into the 70's, and especially the early 80's, don't you think that 1972 was the end of the muscle car era? (and BTW, did they still put the 396 in Novas in '72???)

Yup and Yenko was dropping 427's in em

And for my lil buddy ThirdShift's question...I dunno man...it just happened....I know the insurance industry played a big part in both creating and destroying the muscle car...along with the EPA and all the tree huggers...but I digress....
I guess back in the 50's somebody at Olds or it may have been Buick...stuck a 200HP V8 in a mid size sedan and somebody else said "Game On" and here we are.....

**snaggeltooth** · 09-06-2006, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

i was gonna PM you sarge, but this is kinda relivant to this thread:

what got muscle cars "going" like what was the big spaz for them? what made them such a fad? It seemed like gm and dodge were the only real competitors as ford only had the mustang and maybe the thunderbird...i might be wrong...anyway...educate me, oh wise one.

Ford has some of the most awsome muscle cars ..
there was the Thunderbolts a lightweight 64 fairlane with a 427 monster .., and then a 66 Fairlane with a 427 .. and let us not forget the Talladega Fairlane fastback with a 428CJ... and starting in 64 you could get aHi-Po 289 in a Falcon ...lots of power to weight in those badboys, and at mercury which was a little bigger car with the comet you could get the 427

**D!ck** · 09-06-2006, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

i was gonna PM you sarge, but this is kinda relivant to this thread:

what got muscle cars "going" like what was the big spaz for them? what made them such a fad? It seemed like gm and dodge were the only real competitors as ford only had the mustang and maybe the thunderbird...i might be wrong...anyway...educate me, oh wise one.

torino!! they made the taladega edition. it was a cheater, just like the roadrunners