The History of Muscle Cars

The history of the muscle car is the subject of some debate. Some historians say the first muscle was the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, while some say the 1955 Chrysler C-300 was the first and even more claim the 1964 Pontiac GTO was the first.

The muscle car is defined as an American production car that has some racing history. The 1949 Oldsmobile 88 ran in the Mexican Road Race and the 1955 Chrysler 300 ran in Road America. The 1964 GTO is recognized as the first to use the formula of big engine in a light car. The GTO was a trim package for the Pontiac Tempest in 1964 with a 389cid engine for enhanced performance, but became a separate model from 1965 on. Manufacturers were in a race for market share with increasingly powerful offerings. Ford engines ranged from the 427 to the 429, GM from 400 to 454 and Chrysler offered 426 to 440cid engines. During the Muscle Car Wars, powerful cars were created with now iconic names such as Cobra, Charger, Chevelle and Grand Prix. Performance options such as duel-quads, hemi heads, and positraction created the SS, GT and RS packages among others. Advertising was a big part of the muscle car era. When Ford worked with Carroll Shelby, there was even the Dodge Rebellion TV campaign. The GTO Judge was connected to “Laugh-In” and the song “Little GTO,” while Chevy fans sang along with “409.” Race day results weren't lost on the advertisers either; whether it was drag racing or NASCAR, the muscle car became part of Pop Culture.

The addition of tighter safety requirements, insurance costs and the increasing cost of fuel brought a close to the classic muscle car era. Even still, with our need for speed, we do it more efficiently and safer now.