MUSCLE CARS or just CLASSIC?

Most of the true musclecars were gone by the mid 70s, insurance premiums and higher gas price combined with the new emmission regs reduced them to mostly stripe and appearance packages. Gone were most of the big blocks, high hp factory hotrods, replaced by low compression smog motors. Packages like the Grabber and Comet GT were as much a muscle car as a Roadrunner with a 318 or a Chevelle SS with a 307. A friend in high school bought a 69 Roadrunner with a 440 in it in 74 for $900, you couldn't hardly give away a big block back then, everybody was buying 4 and 6 cyls for the gas mileage......hence the success of the Maverick.........a sporty looking economy car. A classic design yes, sporty yet practical, the best of both worlds. No wonder they sold so many.

 

I can't say Mavericks were Factory Muscle cars..........but I will say alot of them have taken some steroids since:evilsmile


My Vote goes to Classic.
The arguement for Pony Car is a close one IMO.

 

I think I show my age by what I think is a muscle car. I am from the generation of 4 cyl. and that anything with an 8 cyl and rear wheel drive is muscle. I definitely don't feel that my little 6 is muscle by no means just classic but maybe the grabber and gts are on the fence.

 

Please define the term "classic" as it relates to automobiles.

Sam

 

"Auto expert Steve Magnante, of Hot Rod magazine, answers a few questions about muscle cars and about car care in general.

Q: What makes a muscle car?
A: It comes down to the power-to-weight ratio. If you have a big engine or a lot of horsepower in a small or medium-size car, that is a muscle car."

"Perhaps the most common question people have is what exactly is a muscle car. The term wasn't even used until the late 1970s, in the 1960s they were often called "Super Cars" if called anything at all. Therefore, the actual definition of a muscle car, or which models were muscle cars, is a topic that is often disputed."

"Classic Car: according to the CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) the term refers to cars made between 1925-1948; these cars have all the model options of the time, were made in limited numbers, displaying superior craftsmanship. The list, however, does not include all cars. For instance, a Bentley or Alfa Romeo made during this time is a classic, while only certain Jaguars would be considered a classic."

"Vintage Car: can be any car from any year that is at the head of its class; generally, it means an old car, usually in the luxury category, in very good condition. For example, a 1956 VW beetle is not a classic but a vintage car."

"More common usage fundamentally equates Classic car with the definition of antique car as used by the Antique Automobile Club of America, who define an Antique car as one over 25 years old. Thus, popular usage is that any car over 25 years old can be called a 'classic car'.

25 years is generally considered a good cut-off age for such terms because it's extremely rare for a vehicle that old to still be owned or used without special consideration for its classic status - by 25 years old, a car will have exceeded its design life by some considerable margin, 10-15 years being the norm barring accidental loss. It will probably need significant maintenance to keep running, and many parts will be hard to obtain through the usual channels. Thus, a non-enthusiast will sensibly conclude that it is not feasible to continue using a car that old for regular driving.

This is not to say that an enthusiast of classic cars might not drive such an old vehicle daily, but that enthusiast will be willing to live with the greater difficulty of so doing."


Just some stuff I found on the web.

 

I doubt you will find the definition written somewhere that is little more than one person's opinion. Webster's definition of classic is as follows,

So that makes it in the literaly sense, maybe! Its all relevant, its what ever you want to call it. I just call them cool cars.

 

Typically, a car that is 25 years old or older, is considered a "classic".
Mavericks are easily made into musclecars, but never came from the factory that way-- as "true" musclecars did. They can be made into the equivilant of a Mustang, which can be referred to as a "ponycar" or musclecar.

Mavericks are definitely classics...

 

Mavericks and Comets may not be considered muscle cars but I would label them the greatest cars ever made. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.

 

Classic no....

Muscle yes! Good power to weight ratio. With limited mods these cars go 13's all day.

 

Nick, that's good!

 

Thanks MavMike, T.L., and Dennis for the explanation of "classic". I've been trying to get someone to tell me what a classic car is for years. If indeed we are to consider a car a classic after 25 years, then I guess that's where the Mav falls, although I would tend to agree more with the traditional definition (much older cars) as referenced in MavMike's post.

Sam

 

The Classic automobile Club of America,, where the term classic cars began, has not proclaimed any post war cars classics. This is the standard to which I have always used. Any car that is 25 years old ore more is an antique. These cars as muscle cars? Funniest thing I heard all day..but not to take too seriously,, I feel whatever makes you happy in how you think of these cars is how it should be.
Dan

 

The vote didn't have a "neither" option, so I chose classic.

Classic used to be a defined show category, but not that you can get "collector" or "classic" plates for anything 25 years old, the value of that term is greatly diminished. The first year Chevy Citations are now "classics". If that doesn't make you feel special, I don't know what will!"

As for the Mustangs being equipped similar to Mavericks, I beg to differ. Garden varieties maybe, but when Mavericks come with 428CJs, Boss 302s, Boss 429s, 390GTs, Boss 351s, 300hp Clevelands, etc, I will consider them Muscle Cars, just like the Mustangs. Until then, I can never consider a car who's top engine options was a 302-2v a muscle car. They were simply not performance engines in factory trim.

I love Mavericks, don't get me wrong, but I don't think they are close to muscle cars and borderline classics.

I just consider them a damn fun to modify, good looking, 70s version of a pony car. And that's good enough for me.

 

I think the term "collectible" is more appropriate ...

 

I think you missed my point...I'll rephrase. A 1970, 6-cyl, 200 cid, 1 v, 120hp Mustang which is upgraded in 2005 with a 351W is more likely to be considered a "muscle car" than a Maverick with the same orignal specs and later upgrades. My comparison wasn't between a Boss 429 and a 302.