Muscle Cars from 1964 -1975

The appearance of the first true muscle car took place way back in 1950 with the release of the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. From the mid-60s to the mid-70s, these road monsters would dominate the automotive industry. No fancy lines or accents, just raw power. These cars were not glamor cars, yet they had beautiful styling and they could pin you to your seat.

Many people credit Pontiac with beginning the muscle car era with the release in 1964 of the Pontiac GTO. The first part of the muscle car era belonged to such companies as GM, Chrysler, and Plymouth. The Chevy Nova and Dodge Charger were two cars that demanded center stage as they rolled down the road. 1967 would be the year that Ford released one of the most popular muscle cars ever, the Shelby Mustang GT 500. This classic is still one of the most in-demand muscle cars today. 1967 also saw the birth of the Barracuda and Pontiac Firebird, two wonderful examples of muscled beauty. In 1968, Chevrolet released two cars that would become major guy cars, the Camaro and the El Camino. 1968 also saw the release of General Motors' Oldsmobile 442, and although it would only last for four years, it left its mark. This year also produced a car that some felt was more sports car than muscle car. The Corvette Stingray had both awesome styling and raw power, which allow it to fit nicely into the muscle car field.

Although EPA standards would bring about the decline of the muscle car, these cars cemented a permanent place in automotive history.