10 Classic Muscle Cars That Are Surprisingly Cheap To Own And Maintain

As the car world moves towards electrification and zero emissions, these reliable classic muscle cars are now the ones to get.

If you want to experience the feeling of driving an authentic American car, get a classic muscle car. Classic muscle cars are the pride and joy of the American automotive industry, as they gave the world something that didn’t exist before.

RELATED: These Are The 10 Absolute Worst Muscle Cars Ever Made

As the modern world moves faster towards a carbon-emissions-free future, the beloved muscle car is moving closer towards extinction. There are only a few muscle car models in production today, and with rumors going around that the Chevy Camaro is going out of production soon, the end is clearly near. This is sad news for American gearheads, but it also means that it’s a great time to get yourself a good classic muscle car before it’s too late. We found a few affordable and reliable options for you.

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10

Plymouth GTX – $26,000

Via Mecum

Plymouth is best known for the Barracuda and the fantastic Hemi’cuda it spawned in the late ’60s. However, the defunct Chrysler brand had several other decent nameplates in its lineup, and the GTX is one of them.

Via Barret-Jackson

The GTX debuted in 1966 and was based on the Belvedere, but it had unique styling elements that gave it a unique look. If you can find the superb 1971 GTX, grab it as we think it has one of the most attractive muscle car designs.

9

1965-1973 Ford Mustang – $19,000

Via: Mecum Auctions

In the early ’60s, Ford noticed a growing demand for compact cars with massive V8 engines under the hood. Ford quickly got to work and introduced the legendary Mustang in 1965, and the rest is history.

Via Ford

The first-generation Mustang ran from 1965 to 1973, and it has been a huge hit since thanks to its design, powerful V8 engines, reliability, and longevity. First-generation Mustangs are still affordable since Ford built millions of them, and they’re some of the best American project cars you can buy.

8

Dodge Dart Demon – $23,500

Via wikipedia.org

The Charger and Challenger are undoubtedly the greatest muscle car models Chrysler has ever produced. However, the company had other muscle car attempts back in the late ‘60s, and the Dart was among the best.

Via hagerty.com

The Dart debuted in the ’50s and was positioned below the Charger and Challenger, which is why it never achieved its full potential. There were several trims of the Dart, with the 1971 Demon being one of the best. The Demon had a decent 275-hp V8 and unique design features such as a blacked-out hood and hood scoops.

7

AMC AMX – $19,000

via: If This Car Could Talk YouTube Channel

AMC is long gone, but it had a great run in the second half of the 20th century. AMC produced many fantastic vehicles during its peak, and the AMX is arguably the best.

RELATED: 10 Of The Coolest Cars AMC Ever Made

Via Mecum

The AMX used the Javelin’s mechanical underpinnings but had a shorter wheelbase and only two seats – the perfect configuration to make it a worthy Corvette competitor. With a 325-hp V8 under the hood, the AMX could keep up with more popular muscle cars since it weighed a lot less.

6

1974 Dodge Charger – $25,000

Via Mecum 

First and second-generation Dodge Chargers don’t come cheap, with some such as this1968 Dodge Charger R/T selling for a crazy $168,000. They have the ideal classic muscle car design and had massive V8s under the hood. Thankfully, third-generation Chargers are still affordable, and they still have that gorgeous coke bottle design classic muscle car fans love.

 Via Vicari Auction Company 

The 1974 Charger only made 275 hp as it had been struck by the newly introduced emission regulations, which is one of the main reasons it’s cheap today.

5

Dodge Coronet R/T – $27,000

Via mecum.com

Another Dodge muscle car that doesn’t get the respect it deserves is the Coronet, particularly the fantastic fifth-generation model. The fifth-gen Coronet debuted in the late ’60s with a refreshed design that looked cooler than its predecessor and more power, particularly the R/T version.

Via: Mecum

The Coronet R/T of the late ’60s was incredibly quick, as it could be equipped with a Magnum V8 dishing out 369 ponies or a Hemi V8 blurting out 425 hp.

4

Chevrolet Nova SS – $25,000

Via: Mecum.com

The Camaro was Chevy’s most popular muscle car nameplate in the ’60s, but the marque had other decent models in its lineup that continue to be overlooked to date. The Nova is a perfect example of that, particularly the high-performance SS version.

Via mecum.com

The Nova SS was one of the smallest muscle cars of its day, but it packed quite a punch. Powered by an exciting 369-hp V8 engine, the Nova SS was incredibly fun to drive.

3

1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra – $26,000

Via: Bring A Trailer

The Fox body Mustang is the worst Mustang era to most gearheads. However, it still produced a few gems, one of which is the 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra. This fantastic car was the first-ever model built by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team just two years after it was founded.

RELATED: A Detailed Look Back At The Fox-Body Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

via Mecum

The SVT Cobra was equipped with a 4.9-liter V8 cranking out 235 hp, giving it great performance. It’s easy to see why this fantastic car is widely considered to be one of the coolest special edition Mustangs ever made.

2

1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM – $24,000

Via Mecum Auctions

Like other muscle cars, the Firebird Trans AM wasn’t having a great time in the ’70s, as the oil crisis had forced Pontiac to detune its engines. The second-generation Firebird would have gone down in history as one of the worst muscle cars, but its fortunes changed when the 1977 Trans Am model gained worldwide fame when it was featured in Smokey and the Bandit.

Via BringaTrailer

The 1977 Firebird Trans Am is an expensive collectible these days, but the models that came after it are still affordable despite having similar looks and performance. The 1979 Firebird Trans AM is particularly interesting, as it was the last to use a high-displacement engine with 220 hp on tap.

1

1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z – $20,000

Via mecum.com

When the third-generation Camaro debuted in 1982, gearheads didn’t like it, especially the Iron-Duke-powered base model that made less than 100 hp. Thankfully, Chevy went back to the drawing board and developed the much-improved IROC-Z in 1985.

Via: BringaTrailer

Developed in honor of the International Race of Champions, the IROC-Z was an optional package for the Z28 that came with a 5.0-liter V8 dishing out 225 hp, giving it great performance.