The Hemi is dead. The Challenger and the Camaro as we know them are gone for good. Only the seemingly eternal Mustang remains. I think we can call the second golden age of American performance as being officially over, and what comes next is uncertain. It’s time to take stock of an automotive epoch that lasted over three times as long as the original, and produced cars that were arguably much better. In the future, the best of these twenty-first century muscle cars may even be more collectible. Does that sound like heresy? Maybe, but hear me out on this.

The original golden age of American muscle lasted just a decade or so, give or take, depending on what you believe was the first muscle car.  It came to a crashing halt around 1974 with the multipronged assault of rising insurance rates, soaring gas prices, fuel shortages, and ever-tightening emission regulations. What followed the muscle car years has been dubbed “The Malaise Era” by journalists. It too lasted about a decade, and it took yet another generation before the next golden age of American performance cars arrived. But this one greater than the first, not just in acceleration and handling numbers but in the diversity and quality of the cars. Here are a few to try on for size:

The last manual V-8 performance sedans

As is so often the case, the apex of an epoch comes just before the end. Just as the T-Rex was around for the explosive end of the dinosaurs, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is here to see out the second golden age of American automotive performance as the industry moves towards electrification and away from driver-focused fun like manual transmissions and high-displacement V-8s. The Cadillac is perhaps the greatest American sedan of the modern era, and given the endangered status of sedans in general, it’s likely to go down as the greatest of all time. With a 668 hp supercharged V-8, polished handling, and an available 6-speed manual (the take-rate for which has been around 50 percent). Not even out of production, the CT5-V Blackwing is already being viewed as semi-collectible. If the history of its GM super sedan predecessors is any indicator, these cars aren’t likely to get any cheaper in the future.

Its predecessors in super sedandom were of course the Chevrolet SS and the Pontiac G8 GXP. Yes, technically these were products of GM Australia’s Holden division, but in execution, powertrain and conception, they were thoroughly American-inspired. For years, American brands had tried and failed to build a credible sport sedan to tackle the Europeans, but with this pair GM finally succeeded in building what was essentially an American take on BMW’s beloved E39 M5, minus the crippling costs of ownership, and also with an available manual transmission. They never seemed to depreciate significantly once they became used cars, and today it takes around $50,000 to secure a manual transmission version of either one. After cars like the CT5-V Blackwing inevitably go extinct, it’s unlikely they’ll get any cheaper.

The most powerful muscle car, ever

This second golden age of American muscle gave birth to something muscle car fans of the 1960s couldn’t conceive of even in their wildest nitromethane fume-fueled fever dreams—The 2023 Dodge Challenger Demon 170.

Superbird, Schmooperbird, this 1025-hp rolling affront to mundanity had what Dodge billed as “Holy $#!&” level performance: 0-60 in 1.66 seconds (which incidentally subjected the driver to 2.004G) and history’s first production 8-second muscle car in the quarter-mile (8.91 seconds ET at 151.17 mph). Holy $#!&”, indeed. And it is likely destined to be the fastest road-going muscle car with the classic big front-engine V-8 and rear-wheel drive formula. Because they’re likely to be among the most sought after muscle cars of the current golden age, even the eye-popping $150,000 to $200,000 asking prices of today may seem like an incredible buy in the future.

The best handling (and braking) muscle cars

Muscle cars from the 1960s gained a reputation as being one-trick ponies. Straight-line acceleration is where they excelled, and they didn’t do much else. There were exceptions, of course—the 1969 SS and Z/28 Camaros with four-wheel discs both handled and stopped well, for example. But the latest crop of muscle cars presents an embarrassment of riches from a braking and handling standpoint. The Mustang Shelby GT350R and Camaro SS 1LE were among the best. The headline to Car and Driver’s 2017 test of the latter said it all—”Born to run. And turn. And stop.” The myth of the one-dimensional muscle car was shattered. Brembo 6-piston calipers and GM’s FE4 suspension with Magnetic Ride Control gave it about 1.11G of grip, matching that of a Ferrari 488 GTB. It really was a supercar for everyman. Both the Shelby and the Chevy are phenomenal cars. It really comes down to whether your allegiance lies with the blue oval or the bowtie.

Do the muscle cars of this current, second golden age have the same charm and sense of nostalgia as those of the 1960s? No, of course not. But give them time. Production numbers also tended to be higher, and as the second golden age cars get older, their thoroughly digital nature will likely present greater serviceability issues. But in terms of build quality, performance, and handling, they’re light years removed from their predecessors. Automotive nostalgia also grows with time. And since it’s a virtual certainty that there won’t be another V8/ICE-powered muscle car revival, their end-of-an-era status makes a powerful case for collectability in the not-very-distant future.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post The Second Golden Age of Muscle Is Over, and It Was Better Than the First appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Stellantis’ introduction of a new Dodge Charger has some lovers of Mopar muscle frowning. Most car folk like the sleek new Charger shape shown by the international automotive conglomerate, and most agree that the technology beneath that shape is impressive, but many are mourning the loss of an engine that reigned as king of brute power for 70 years, the Hemi. The storied engine saw three generations over a period of more than 70 years—each version providing the kind of high-torque performance that shreds tires and sets hearts racing—and is no longer an option that Dodge buyers can check off. What, some may ask, is a Charger without a Hemi?

While it will soon be impossible to purchase a brand-new Hemi-powered Dodge Charger, you can still build your own. If you act quickly, you can still buy a 2023 four-door Charger with the Generation III Hemi that was introduced in 2003, but that’s not the car that comes to mind when I think of a Hemi Charger. Maybe it’s just me—I’m older than dirt and my automotive fantasies are rooted largely in the past—but when I hear the phrase “Hemi Charger,” the picture in my mind is a ’68–70 version with two doors, that distinctive coke bottle shape, and a gorgeous swept-back roof line. In brief, the car that looks like it’s approaching 200 mph when it’s standing still.

While it is no longer cheap to buy a used Hemi Charger of ’68–70 vintage—Hagerty values an Excellent condition 1970 Charger R/T with a Hemi at $194,000—Mopar enthusiasts who are willing to think outside the box of originality have multiple alternatives, ranging from cutting edge and expensive to garage-bound and more cost-effective. The most pricey is purchasing a carbon-bodied 1970 Charger built for you on a Roadster Shop chassis and a Dodge unibody. Or you can eschew the woven panels and buy just the rolling chassis, but you’ll still be deep into six figures. Those on a budget have options, too: For around 60 big ones, if you do most of the work yourself, you can build a nice, high-powered clone of a classic Hemi Charger. Naturally, the more work you outsource, the more that bill will rise. Of course, yours will be a clone rather than the genuine item, but you won’t have to fret as much when driving it to a car show, and you get to let your creativity run wild.

A complete step-by-step guide to designing and building a vintage Hemi Charger would require book-length treatment. In this article, I’ll try to point you in the right direction: I’ll explain what I’ve learned in researching this topic and give you the names of some aftermarket companies that can provide the hardware you’ll need. Many of those companies will also provide a lot of help as you work your way toward the project’s completion. Some have even published instructions on how to use their products in building the car. 

The Carbon-Fiber Super Chargers

Let’s start with the most expensive option. Direct Connection, the parts supplier for Dodge automobiles, offers a 1970 Charger “rolling chassis” with a carbon-fiber body produced by Finale Speed, an Oklahoma-based maker of high-end automotive restoration parts. What you get is the unpainted carbon fiber body, a perimeter chassis, front and rear suspension, a race-car-worthy rear axle, a carbon-fiber floor, and high-tech disc brakes. No interior upholstery or engine is included. The perimeter frame, which Finale Speed sources from Roadster Shop, can be fitted with engine mounts for either the classic Generation II engine or the late-model Gen III. Just the rolling chassis will set you back $199,000. A complete car, fully outfitted and ready to cruise, starts at $449,000. 

A Starting Point

That rolling chassis would be a nice foundation for a classic Charger build, and those of you with really fat wallets might want to open them up, but for most of us, such a proposition is far too expensive. If you find yourself in that majority, you can buy just a perimeter frame complete with suspension and rear axle and start your build from there. Roadster Shop sells a perimeter frame, as do other suppliers, including Schwartz Performance. There are some advantages to starting with a perimeter frame, but by the time you’ve fully outfitted that frame with running gear, you’ll have spent almost half your budget, and you will still need a lot of pieces, including the ’68–70 Charger unibody and all the body panels.

To shed light on the process, I called Rick Ehrenberg, former Tech Editor of the now defunct Mopar Action magazine and a supplier of Mopar parts, information, and restoration service. Over the years, I’ve come to depend on Ehrenberg as an extremely knowledgeable Mopar expert. 

“Is a perimeter frame a good place to start if you want to build a ’68–70 Hemi Charger on a modest budget?” I asked. 

“You’re going to spend a lot going the perimeter frame route,” Ehrenberg said, “and the finished product might not be as good a performance car as you can cobble together if you start with the original Chrysler-built unibody and build it right.”

Ehrenberg explained that the Hemi-powered Chargers of ’68–70 were built on reinforced versions of the standard unibody. The point where the rear leaf-spring hangers were attached was bolstered and a torque box was welded over that. Up front, the area where the front suspension subframe meets the unibody was similarly reinforced, and the area of the floor where the pinion snubber hits the floor was bolstered. 

Those old B-body Chrysler products had torsion-bar front suspension rather than the coil springs that the aftermarket companies install on their Charger clones, and the Hemi cars were fitted with bigger diameter torsion bars and stouter leaf springs in the rear. The cars were somewhat noisy because the torsion bars were anchored right under the front seats and some vibration was transmitted, but the stock Hemi Charger suspension system provided darn good chassis control, and, according to Ehrenberg, a Charger with a correctly bolstered unibody, upgraded suspension and a Dana 60 or Ford 9-inch rear axle can handle massive horsepower. Good guidance for those of us on tighter budgets, then.

Body Beautiful

Whatever route you take to recreating your Charger dreams—short of coming up with that $199K for the rolling chassis—you have to find a vintage unibody. A complete 1970 Charger in fair condition and powered by the 230-horsepower 318 cubic-inch V-8 is valued at $21,900 in the Hagerty Price Guide. That’s a bit pricey, and if you start with a complete car, in addition to upgrading the unibody structure, you are going to have to replace almost all of the running gear and suspension. Finding that car might prove very difficult as well, since many have been turned into Hemi Charger clones.

Alternatively, you can start with less than a full car. I’ve seen bare bones ’68–70 cars, less fenders and doors, in fair condition for $3000 and less. However, door skins and fenders for these cars can cost a fair amount themselves, so if you can find a car with no running gear but with a body that is fairly intact, you can save dollars. Don’t be too cheap, though: Front fenders for these cars are hard to find and reproductions are not currently available, so a car that comes with the fenders is worth a premium.

The car (or part of a car) you start with doesn’t have to be pretty, and if you can find one for less than $10K, it won’t be. Before you start, you should have the car blasted to remove loose rust, old paint, and all the dirt and detritus of more than 50 years. Dustless blasting services can do the job right in your driveway, or if you don’t want to enrage the neighbors, you can haul the car to the supplier’s location. 

Upgrade That Unibody

It’s extremely doubtful that you will find a unibody in decent shape that came from a Hemi Charger, but the unibody of a base car can be upgraded to match or exceed the strength and rigidity of the factory-built Hemi car. You’ll want to get in touch with USCT Motorsports, a North Carolina company that restores classic Mopars and sells the parts you need to prep the unibody yourself. 

USCT’s chassis-stiffening kits enable you to duplicate the way the factory strengthened the standard unibodies to handle Hemi horsepower, and USCT can even take you beyond that with additional reinforcement. It can also provide the front K-member unique to the Hemi cars. USCT’s Level 2 chassis-strengthening kit includes frame connectors, torque boxes, inner fender braces, and a core support stiffener: In brief, all the pieces you need to render a unibody solid enough for a mega-horsepower Hemi. USCT will also provide directions that illustrate how the various pieces are installed and welded in place. Some trimming and fitting will be necessary to get everything to fit perfectly on a road-worn unibody, but do the work and it will be worthy of a Hemi. The Level 2 kit sells for $1116.94.

The standard Charger unibody will allow a substantially large rear tire. If you want to go larger yet, order the Level 3 kit, which includes a brace to relocate the rear spring and a mini tub that will add up to 4 inches per side for tire clearance. The Level 3 kit is priced at $1814.54. 

You will also need various other restoration parts, depending on how complete your car is. A great source for Mopar body and trim parts is Auto Metal Direct, an aftermarket company that manufactures and sells restoration sheetmetal. What they don’t make they source from other suppliers. For a classic Charger build, they can supply the floor, doors, floor supports, inner fenders, wheel housings, quarter panels, hood, shock towers, and more. The parts aren’t cheap: for example, a ’70 Charger quarter panel sells for $549.99. But according to Ehrenberg, they’re of excellent quality.

Once your body unit is complete, you can shop for other components. You’ll need a heavy-duty rear axle. A new Dana 60–type housing complete with differential and axles will run you around $3000. This is a near duplicate of what the ’68–70 Hemi Chargers were equipped with. A 9-inch Ford diff and housing is just as stout. I’ve seen those for less than $2000. Either can be mounted on your unibody with heavy-duty leaf springs and dampers, much like those of the original car.

If your partial car came with front suspension, you can use the control arms, but you’ll want to renew all the bushings and links and install the heavy-duty torsion bars that came with the Hemi-powered cars along with a set of premium adjustable dampers. A variety of suspension parts for the vintage Charger, including torsion bars, adjustable shock absorbers, control arms, and bushings, is available through Bergman Autocraft and other suppliers.

Providing the Ponies

Of course, you will have to buy an engine and a transmission. If I had my way, I’d go for a classic Gen II Hemi of ’64 to ’71 vintage, which would be true to the car and project the right imagery. But that’s an expensive proposition nowadays. Not too long ago, Chrysler sold a crate version of the Gen II 426 for about $10K—no more. I shopped the motor of my fantasies online and found Ray Barton, who builds Gen II Hemis for numerous racers and enthusiasts. His engines are superb and are priced accordingly. A 540-cubic-inch engine that produces 700 horsepower on pump gas sells for $32,000, ready to run. 

“How about a clone of the original 425-horse 426?” I asked. “That’s close to the same price,” Barton said.

If you have the bucks and the desire, go for it. If not, you will probably want to settle for a Gen III Hemi. It’s still a Hemi, and it will be easy to live with—nice idle, easy starting, and all those other modern conveniences. Ehrenberg recently put a Gen III crate motor in his “Green Brick” vintage Plymouth Valiant and says he wouldn’t trade it for a Gen II engine; it’s that nice.

A perusal of the Direct Connection listings reveals that the supercharged, 6.2-liter Hellephant—a 1025-horsepower beast of a Gen III Hemi—is offered at $27,675. That’s almost as pricey as that Gen II engine. (There’s also a 1500-horsepower version for a mere $59,990.) But most of us would be very happy—and healthier—with far fewer ponies in the stable. Direct Connection’s 392 cubic-inch (6.4-liter) naturally aspirated Hemi produces a stout 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft torque, and it’s priced at $9600. That’s enough power to make me smile.

If you decide to go with the Gen III powerplant, you can get an adjustable motor mount kit from USCT Motorsports. They can also provide a notch kit for the K member that allows you to use the standard Gen III oil pan. 

You have to be able to change gears, too. Passon Performance of Pennsylvania sells fully rebuilt four-speed transmissions of the near bulletproof variety used by the vintage Hemi Chargers. Their gearbox sells for $2695, and there’s a $50.00 crate charge added. A new high-performance clutch, flywheel, and bell housing will likely set you back another $1500.

All the other components, like brakes, tubing, wiring, electrical parts, radiator, wheels, and tires will continue to jack up the total. And of course, you want your new Charger to turn heads, so a great paint job will be necessary. Some of the classic car owners I’ve interviewed for Hagerty have built a temporary plastic-sheet spray booth outside their garage and painted their own cars. But it’s an iffy proposition if you haven’t painted a car before. If you pay for a paint job, figure on spending about $8K to get it done right. 

If you watch your nickels and dimes, in the end you’ll have a classic Hemi Charger clone that will likely be worth close to as much as you’ve poured into it. In the world of enthusiast automobiles, that’s a good balance to strike.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Building Your Own Hemi Charger appeared first on Hagerty Media.

America’s muscle car is entering a new era. This is the 2025 Dodge Charger. You may notice that this hulking two-door looks almost identical to the Charger SRT Daytona concept that broke cover in August 2022. That’s no accident—Dodge head honcho Tim Kuniskis made a conscious effort to put more or less the final design out in the open so it could marinate for 18 months in people’s minds. Now, the steak is ready to sizzle, and it’s coming in a few different cuts—electric, gas, two-door, and four-door.

Kuniskis projected deep confidence in the two new powertrains, which include a 100.5-kW battery with dual electric motors for the EV model and Stellantis’ new 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six for the gas model. “They told us we couldn’t sell Hemis,” Kuniskis said in a promotional video, shown to journalists at a Detroit location requested we keep secret, “but they never said they had to be boring and slow.”

Though there is no V-8 anywhere in the product plan, Kuniskis stands behind the new powertrains as a way “not to comply, but to compete.”

We had the chance to walk around and sit inside the new Charger coupe. It’s a great-looking machine with an imposing presence, differing from the concept car only in the side mirrors, door handles, B-pillar treatment, and wheels.

New Charger, New “Multienergy” Platform

Planned from the outset as both a pure EV and a traditional combustion-engine vehicle, the new Dodge Charger is the first-ever production model to use the STLA Large platform of parent company Stellantis. The platform supports both 400-volt and 800-volt architectures, with each electric drive module (EDM) consisting of a three-in-one motor, inverter, and gear reduction hardware.

The initial run of Charger Daytona models will exclusively use a 400-volt system, but the forthcoming Banshee model—which the SRT Daytona Concept previewed—will employ the more powerful 800-volt system. All new Chargers will be built in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with Samsung battery modules. They will initially be sourced from South Korea, though production is expected to move to the United States within a couple of years.

These same underpinnings will support six other new Stellantis vehicles under the Jeep, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati umbrellas.

The overall footprint is 1.5 inches wider and a meaningful 8.7 inches longer than the outgoing Challenger Scat Pack Widebody, which means the new car is a sizable thing, indeed. Still, it doesn’t look ungainly. And Dodge designers did a remarkable job of integrating classic and modern design cues that both respect and evolve the outgoing design—arguably the most effective and enduring automotive design of the 21st century thus far. The full-width taillights, thick C-pillar, and squared-off front end read as recognizable Dodge cues, but with a futuristic treatment to replace the retro language. That the new car looks so good and also offers the utility of a liftback and a large trunk (22 cubic feet with the seats up, 33.3 with the rear seats folded) is a major achievement.

2024 Charger Daytona: Power, Suspension, Brakes

As expected, this new Charger will launch first with a pure-electric powertrain. That car, known as the Charger Daytona, will begin production in mid-2024 as a two-door coupe with a liftback-style rear hatch and seating for five.

Two models will appear at launch—the base R/T with 496 hp and the high-performance Scat Pack with 670. Max torque totals 404 lb-ft for the R/T and 627 for the Scat Pack. All-wheel drive is standard, courtesy of two identical electric drive modules (EDM), one for each axle, and independently capable of 250 kW (335 hp) and 314 lb-ft of torque. A standard mechanical limited-slip differential sits on the rear axle. Drivers will have the option to deactivate the front axle motor, enabling burnouts and donuts.

These initial Daytonas will come factory-equipped with Direct Connection upgrades. The standard Stage 1 kit for the R/T adds 40 hp (456 hp otherwise) and the standard Stage 2 kit for the Scat Pack adds 80 hp (590 hp otherwise). Later on, customers will need to buy these upgrade kits via Dodge’s Direct Connection performance catalog to unlock said power.

Drivers can experience maximum output from the twin electric motors but pushing the “Power Shot” button on the bottom right of the steering wheel. Power Shot adds 40 hp and lasts for 15 seconds, after which you’ll need to wait another 30 seconds to activate it again.

Dodge says the 0-to-60 sprint for the R/T Stage 1 model is over in 4.7 seconds, with a quarter-mile time of 13.1 seconds and a top speed of 137 mph. Scat Pack Charger Daytonas can do the same deeds in 3.3 and 11.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 134 mph.

2024 Charger Daytonas—both the R/T and Scat Pack—will also come with standard Track Pack stopping power: Brembo’s 16-inch, two-piece, vented front rotors with six-piston calipers and 16-inch, one-piece, vented rear rotors with four-piston calipers. Later Scat Pack models without the Track Pack will come with 15-inch brakes up front and 14s in the rear. Scat Pack Track Pack models feature 20-inch wheels and Dodge’s largest-ever tire package on a production model: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3s sized 305/35ZR20 up front and 325/35ZR20 out back.

All new Chargers come with multilink suspension all around. Daytona R/T models wear fixed monotube shocks, and Scat Pack models utilize the same setup with a higher spring rate. Those opting for the Track Pack version of the Scat Pack can expect dual-valve adaptive dampers on all four corners. Dodge was proud to point out that, compared with the outgoing Charger Scat Pack, there are three times as many accelerometers, four times as many ride height sensors, and four times as many wheel-hub accelerometers to monitor body position and handle various road conditions across all of the available drive modes.

Those drive modes include Auto, Eco, Sport, Wet/Snow, Track, and Drag (the last exclusive to Daytona Scat Pack). Within the Race Options menu there are a handful of special modes, such as Donut, Drift, Line Lock, and Launch Control. Race Prep mode sets an optimal battery temperature for the given conditions—cooler for road course lapping to allow the battery to heat up, and hotter for short bursts on drag strips.

2024 Charger Daytona: Battery, Range, Weight

Every Charger Daytona has a 100.5-kWh lithium-ion battery with a nickel-cobalt-aluminum chemistry. A big battery in a big coupe means a lot of weight: 5838 pounds for the R/T and Scat Pack alike. That is hundreds of pounds heavier than every starting weight for the 2025 Ram 1500, save the hybrid REV. For reference, the outgoing Challenger SXT tipped the scales at about 3800 pounds, while the Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak Widebody weighed 4445 pounds.

Kuniskis made a big to-do about how Dodge doesn’t care about range and instead optimized performance (because this is a MUSCLE CAR!), but buyers definitely care and want to know when they’ll run out of juice. The R/T Stage 1 is good for 317 miles of range and the Scat Pack Stage 2 for 260. Naturally, those figures will improve for future Daytona models without the standard Stage 1 or 2 kits.

Using shift paddles on the steering wheel, drivers can adjust the regenerative braking force by selecting one of three levels.

Peak charging using a 350-kW DC fast charger is 183 kW, which can take the Daytona from 5 to 80 percent capacity in 32.5 minutes. Level 2 charging comes in at 11 kW. The standard plug is the CCS type, though Kuniskis hinted Dodge would soon reveal plans for an adapter that would permit access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.

Sixpack Power with Two or Four Doors

Combustion engine fans can rejoice, too. Prior rumors of a gas power proved true, and Dodge is calling this 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo straight-six model the Charger Sixpack. When it joins the lineup early next year as a 2025 model, the Sixpack will also come in two states of tune: the base-model S.O. (Standard Output, 420 hp) and the high-performance H.O. (High Output, 550 hp). Every Sixpack comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Kuniskis was adamant that the new Hurricane motor outperforms the old Hemi in every metric.

Sedans fans can rest easy knowing that the four-door Charger is back, also coming in early 2025, at the same time as the Sixpack. Four-door models will be available both in gas and electric form and the same output options as the two-door.

Slick as the two-door Charger looks, the four-door is even better. We only saw a design prototype, rather than a finished production model, but it has a powerful presence in person. It is somehow both imposing and impressive, though those attributes take nothing away from its elegance and sophistication. For my money, it’s the best-looking design out of Auburn Hills since the modern-era Chrysler 300.

2024 Dodge Charger: Interior and Infotainment

The new Charger’s interior is basically exactly what we saw on the SRT Daytona concept two years ago, minus the full-length center console and dual rear bucket seats. Fans of the vintage Charger may delight to hear that the vertical-slat pattern and texture on the instrument panel are meant to evoke the famous ’68 grille. Another classic touch is a new interpretation of the pistol-grip shifter. We’ll reserve final judgment once we can operate it for real, but after sitting in a very early production prototype at the reveal event, we can confirm it looks the business and feels good in the hand.

The steering wheel is big and fat, with a flat bottom and flat top that frames the optional 16-inch all-digital cluster. (A 10.25-inch screen is standard.) The center screen is a 12.3-inch unit showcasing the fifth generation of Stellantis Uconnect infotainment software. A row of physical buttons below the center display handles climate duties, and there is a knob for music/radio volume.

An electronic mechanism operates the doors of the 2024 Charger. There is a familiar external door handle, but inside the car you operate the mechanism via a button on the door. For those fearing being stuck inside the car with a dead battery, there is a redundant manual lever to disengage the latch that’s located on the bottom of the door card, near the footwell.

The materials in the top-trim, pre-production model (with Nappa leather) we sat in felt about on par with or a little better than those in the current Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio. To be clear, that is a big, big step up from the interior of the outgoing Charger/Challenger. The cabin is not downright luxurious, but the feel is firmly in premium territory, and everything in sight looks fantastic. Our only complaint is that there is no way to fold the rear seats while standing behind the trunk opening—no automatic button or physical lever. Lowering the rear row requires reaching past the front bucket seat into the second row.

“Fratzonic” Chambered Exhaust

Perhaps the most controversial feature of the 2022 SRT Daytona Concept was the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust. It’s an actual exhaust chamber that functions as a resonator for sound generated by speakers. The noise, Dodge says, will meet or exceed current Hellcat decibel levels and is engineered to mimic the cadence of a Hemi V-8.

We didn’t get to hear it at the Charger’s reveal event, a withholding which felt deliberate given the media’s unfavorable reaction to the initial sound back in 2022. Since then, Kuniskis said, the engineering team has worked through “hundreds” of iterations to get the sound just right. Chief Engineer Audrey Moore told Hagerty that for her it was the most fun part of the Charger project. (The toughest? Minimizing complexity and maximizing shared componentry between the two- and four-door Charger variants.)

The Charger Is Back, Baby

What the 2024 Charger will cost remains to be seen. Kuniskis told journalists that final pricing was still being enthusiastically debated at Dodge, so he refused to give even a shred of information on the subject. Given that all 2024 models will come with standard Track Pack brakes and Direct Connection kits, we expect a relatively high price compared with entry-level models that may trickle in down the road.

For now, it’s simply outstanding to see a new Charger coming our way. With the death of the Camaro, and the Mustang taking on more of a sports car role, Dodge has definitively cornered the market on the modern-day American muscle car. And, it seems wise at this juncture for Dodge to give people two avenues: dive in with both feet on an electric car or stick with a tried-and-true gasser. What’s more American, after all, than the power of choice?

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post The New Dodge Charger Is Here: Daytona EV Coupe for 2024, Sedan and “Sixpack” Gas Model in 2025 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Mopars5150 is a shop that brings muscle cars back from the brink, restoring barn finds and other neglected vehicles to their former glory and beyond. Eleven vehicles from its collection are heading for sale at Mecum’s auction in Glendale, Arizona, March 5–9. Of those 11, six are Dodge or Plymouth muscle cars, as you’d expect, but the remaining five are also worth highlighting. Here are the five non-Mopars from oldest to newest.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

What it is: The first year of Chevrolet’s second-generation Corvette brought a host of changes including a gorgeous new body and a new chassis with, for the first time, an independent rear suspension.

Why we like it: What’s not to love about a Riverside Red 1963 Corvette convertible with a four-speed and a numbers-matching, 300-hp 327? The fact that it’s not a coupe means you get open-air driving and don’t pay the Split Window tax, which roughly doubles the price. Still a stunner with the top down or with the optional removable hard top—which we’d be tempted to track down—any midyear Corvette is tough to beat.

1964 Impala SS 409

What it is: The 1964 Impala has remained one of the most iconic mid-‘60s Chevy models thanks to its elegant styling inside and out. It also marked the end of an era, as the Mark IV big-block would debut in 1965 and take the top performance spot in the Impala lineup. Still, the 409 was a formidable piece and looks amazing as well with its scalloped valve covers.

Why we like it: This sleek and subtle coupe packs a dual-four-barrel 409 under the hood and a four-speed shifter on the floor, making it the most powerful Impala SS available in 1964. The brawny and brightly painted muscle cars that followed took a lot of the attention away from the early ‘60s full-size cars that packed serious power of their own. We’d be hesitant to call an Impala SS a sleeper, but we still think that it would surprise quite a few onlookers with the power of its W-series big-block.

1968 Chevrolet C10

What it is: Chevrolet’s truck lineup, new for 1967, brought a clean, muscular design. The 1968 models kept the same grille and sheetmetal but added federally mandated side-marker lights. They’ve become a favorite of customizers, particularly in short-bed, fleetside configurations like this one.

Why we like it: This understated custom features a supercharged 6.0-liter LS V-8 that’s force-fed via Magnuson’s big 2.3-liter blower. The interior is wrapped in brown leather upholstery that features diamond-quilted inserts in the seat, door panels, and the headliner. It also sports an Air Ride suspension that allows for an adjustable stance. The new suspension and wide tires no doubt transformed the pickup’s ride and handling, and the V-8 is sure to pack a mean punch. Besides a few custom touches to the exterior, most of the trim is intact. Cruise it as-is or swap the wheels for some steelies and fly under the radar.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle

What it is: Chevrolet’s 1970 Chevelle was the brand’s peak muscle car, with the 450-hp LS6 offering the highest horsepower rating of any Bow Tie big-block. This version takes that up several notches. Its body was removed from the chassis, which was stripped, powder-coated, and rebuilt with Ride Tech control arms. The interior was restored and remains close to factory specs, as does the sheetmetal. Those OEM looks belie its much-improved performance, though.

Why we like it: An original SS 454 car is a rare and expensive beast. This muscle-bound homage brings even more horsepower to bear thanks to a host of aftermarket equipment. The bored and stroked big-block now displaces 496 cubic inches and is topped by aluminum heads and a single-plane intake manifold with a Dominator carb. Most street-going V-8s opt for a dual-plane intake to maintain low-end torque, but when there’s that much displacement on tap, low-end torque isn’t an issue.

1970 AMC Rebel Machine*

What it is: The Rebel was AMC’s stylish mid-size car that came in coupe, convertible, sedan, and wagon body styles. For 1970, the coupe got a totally different roofline that changed the car’s look entirely. The Machine was the muscle car variant that swung directly at the Big Three with bold graphics, a big hood scoop, and a 390 V-8 powerplant.

Why we like it: A garden-variety Rebel will stand out at any car show. The brash, patriotic color scheme of the Machine makes it one of the most recognizable muscle cars ever. This example, with its original steel wheels, unique to the Machine, and four-speed manual, seems like a fantastic time capsule.

* Some might argue that an AMC is a Mopar, as Chrysler Corp. purchased AMC in the 1980s. By that logic, a Stratos is a Mopar, now that Stellantis has Lancia and Dodge under the same banner. We’re not buying it. Fight us about it.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters. 

The post 6 Non-Mopars from the Mopars5150 Collection appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Twin brothers James and John Kryta, 54, and of Romeo, Michigan, are professional car enthusiasts. They own over 40 collector cars, and their livelihood is derived from a popular restoration support business. Their extracurricular activity of choice, oftentimes, is to invest endless hours polishing their rides for the show circuit. Their latest concoction, for the 2024 Detroit Autorama is a prototype 32-valve Oldsmobile V-8 engine that they rebuilt with extremely rare vintage parts and dropped into a yellow 1970 4-4-2. Oldsmobile called this engine the W-43, but the Kryta brothers call it “The Killer.”

Even though they’re identical twins, according to James they do have a few differences. “Yes, we shared a womb and a room. But during our teen years, when we both became hands-on car enthusiasts, our father wisely informed us we’d never earn much of a living with grease under our fingernails. So, I obtained an aircraft powertrain mechanic’s degree at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, and John studied architecture and engineering at the University of Detroit.

“My father’s advice was dead nuts. When I was 16, I bought my first car, a ‘71 Olds 4-4-2 W-30, for $2200. A few years later, my second car purchased after I had begun working cost more than ten times that amount.”

Following graduation, James was employed by aviation services company DynAir at various U.S. locations. “One day, while inspecting an extensively damaged aircraft wing,” he recalls, “I noticed it was packed full of fluid lines. When my boss offered me the chance to learn how to fabricate those lines, I wasted no time saying ‘Yes, sir!’”

The knowledge he subsequently gained moved James to create the restoration business Inline Tube in 1995. Brother John joined the enterprise a year later. What began in a two-car garage grew into four buildings staffed with 50 employees shipping a thousand packages per day. Inline Tube currently offers the restoration hobby’s finest brake and fuel lines, hoses, cables, fittings, fasteners, and attachment clips galore.

Much of the sparkle that Detroit Autoama attendees witness is attributable to Inline Tube’s products and the cars the Kryta brothers frequently enter. It’s not unusual to see John’s Pontiac GTO competing against James’ Oldsmobile in the hard-fought Restored class. This year, the year of The Killer, is an exception.

With John’s current project in the paint shop, it was James’ job to bring home this year’s bacon. His Olds had a humble beginning: It was parked outside for years in Indiana, the engine was gone, and it took five years to refurbish. That said, its most remarkable attribute is what now lies beneath the twin-scooped hood.

“Twenty years ago, while shopping RacingJunk.com,” John explains, “I stumbled across a listing for some prototype Oldsmobile engine equipment. While I’d never heard of the 455-cubic-inch, 32-valve W-43 V-8, I was intrigued to say the least. The asking price for this gear was $10,000; naysayers called it a boat anchor and insisted it would never run. Nonetheless, we grabbed that prize for $5000 and what we dubbed ‘The Killer V-8′ will be showcased in James’ 1970 Olds 4-4-2 coupe at this year’s Detroit Autorama.”

The plot thickens. “In the early 1970s,” John says, “shortly after the W-43 lost all hope of entering production, several Olds engineers and PR personnel flew out to California to tout their project for Petersen Publishing Company editors at Car Craft, Hot Rod, and Motor Trend magazines. At that time, this wasn’t a complete running engine but rather a hollow shell suitable for photography and a collection of internal parts highlighting the W-43’s attributes.” (Read our technical breakdown of the Oldsmobile W-43 V-8 here.)

“The trip to California was to gain publicity, after the engineering project had been terminated by GM’s upper management. Given that, the Olds folks asked the writers to chuck these engine parts in a dumpster after their stories were completed. Lucky for us, that request was ignored. These priceless W-43 components went home with someone from Petersen in 1971, only to resurface decades later.

“Cajoling the vintage parts into a running engine was no small feat. The first problem was a parts shortage. One cylinder head was missing, so we had to reverse engineer it and a few other components. Extensive machining was required. All told, 20 people got involved, including one ex-Oldsmobile engineer who requested anonymity. Scott Tiemann, the CEO of Supercar Specialties in Portland, Michigan, quite capably handled final assembly.”

So, what kind of power does this 32-valve V-8 produce? “We were prudent during testing to avoid blowing up our irreplaceable parts. Imposing a modest redline, we measured 560 hp at 6000 rpm and 540 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm,” James Kryta notes. “But eliminating the significant restrictions by adding multiple carbs and efficient exhaust headers would easily have improved those figures.”

To inspect the W-43 engine and James’ yellow 1970 4-4-2, we visited a clandestine detailing shop located 50 miles north of GM’s long-gone Lansing assembly plant where this Olds was built. The facility’s proud owner began the tour with an inspection of the car’s sparkling underside. At the rear, there’s an interesting final drive consisting of an aluminum W-27 center section creatively welded to steel axle housings. The driveshaft has twin paint stripes replicating marks that would have been applied by the factory during its spin-balancing operation. Like W-30 4-4-2s of the day, the transmission is a Muncie aluminum-cased four-speed stick. I was amazed at how many undercar parts left the factory without a hint of paint or rust protection, but James insisted this was standard practice back in the day.

This 4-4-2’s scooped hood combines a fiberglass outer element married to a stamped-steel liner ramming cold air to a 750-cfm Rochester Quadrajet. The broad silver-and-blue valve covers pierced by spark plugs will surely attract drooling admirers at Autorama, along with the bright red fender liners. The W-43 emissions sticker, created by James, is another fastidious touch. When asked how or from where he found a perfect vintage battery, he reported, “I made those filler plugs with my 3D printer. In addition, I attend lots of shows to buy up new-old-stock parts for our cars.”

My hour-long inspection revealed that this factory experimental Olds 4-4-2 W-43 is perfect down to the tiniest detail. I will be on hand at Detroit’s Huntington Place, formerly Cobo Hall, to applaud what I suspect will be its victory.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters. 

The post How Detroit-Area Twin Brothers Revived a “W-43” Olds V-8 Prototype for Autorama appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The 2024 Grand National Roadster Show paid homage to the wild and creative world of Pro Street, with nearly an entire building dedicated to that style of hot rod.

If you aren’t already familiar with them, Pro Street cars bring the loud, big-tire look of Pro Stock drag racing to the street with massive wheel tubs, wide, tall rubber, and rowdy engines that are often supercharged. Born in the ’70s and reaching its zenith in the ’80s, Pro Street included both street-driven muscle cars that looked like they had just left the dragstrip and fairground-cruising show cars that were detailed and polished to a nearly absurd degree.

The arms race of these show-oriented Pro Street cars was apparent in the dozens of builds on display, a gathering that included some of the most famous examples of the breed.

Pro Street royalty Rick Dobbertin had two of his most famous builds featured prominently. His nitrous-burning, twin-turbocharged, supercharged Chevy II is an engineering and creative marvel in its own right. Built in 1982, the Chevy made a huge impact in the hot-rodding world. Twin draw-through carburetors, one per turbocharger, feed the Roots blower by way of a dummy injector hat. Those throttle butterflies are a ruse.

Four years later, in 1986, Dobbertin’s Pontiac J2000 blew every other Pro Street car out of the water. Often described as the pinnacle of Pro Street, the turbocharged and supercharged car features a tilting body over a tube chassis, and its rear tires are so wide that there was no room left for a real suspension. (Dobbertin mounted a set of valve springs atop the rear axle in case anyone went looking for one.) Wholly impractical, this J2000 is more art than machine—and people love it. The Pontiac drew a crowd all weekend, with many fans of the car remembering how it wowed them when Dobbertin unveiled it almost 40 years ago.

Another famous Pro Street build at the 2024 Grand National Roadster Show was the 1987 Chevy Celebrity Eurosport of Mark Grims. The formerly FWD two-door is now decidedly RWD, with a triple-supercharged big-block V-8 stuffed partially under the hood.

If you grew up attending car shows anywhere in America in the ’80s or were a fervent reader of car magazines of that era, these cars will be a major blast from the past. They don’t appeal only on grounds of nostalgia, either: Kids of all ages were ogling the intricate mechanicals and highly polished finishes of these Pro Street machines all weekend.

Today it seems that the most popular type of street-legal drag car is the kind built for drag-and-drive events, but there’s always a place for an over-the-top Pro Street build. Choose your favorite from the gallery below!

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Pro Street’s Greatest Builds Honored at 2024 Grand National Roadster Show appeared first on Hagerty Media.

I saw Leigh Scott’s car before I saw him. It was parked in front of Pasteiner’s Auto Zone, the automotive hobby and book store on Metro Detroit’s Woodward Avenue. A sky blue beauty, the 1966 Impala Super Sport convertible sported a 427 badge riding on the front fender. It was the kind of near-perfect machine that leaves car folk speechless, particularly those of us who came of age in the ‘60s.

Leigh Scott, the car’s owner, is an accomplished restoration expert and dedicated fan of big Chevies with big-blocks under the hood. He wasn’t always in the restoration business; he only took up the trade full-time after retiring from a management position at GM. But Scott’s story precedes his days at GM by many years.

It begins with 14-year-old Scott working long hours outdoors on a street deep in the east side of the Motor City. With knuckles bleeding and limbs sore, he was trying to get his beat-up ’64 Dodge looking decent and its 413-cubic-inch V-8 running more or less well. His street-side workplace was just off Gratiot Avenue, the epicenter of car culture in that part of town.

Old-school east siders, including Scott, would argue that Gratiot—which boasted the shops of pro racers, numerous cruiser hangouts, and the nationally renowned Gratiot Auto Supply—was the busted-knuckle hardcore center of Motor City automotive culture, inhabited by dedicated car folk who looked with a bit of disdain at the privileged young people who cruised Woodward.

Scott patched up the rust holes in the Dodge as best he could and sent it to Earl Scheib for a $29.95 paint job. When he turned 16, he took his driver’s license test in the Dodge at the Michigan Secretary of State office on Seven Mile Road. By then it was jacked up and equipped with loud Thrush mufflers, looking and sounding the part of a street machine. The state employee who tested him asked whose car it was, probably thinking it belonged to an older friend. “It’s mine,” said Scott.

He drove that loud and potent Dodge to school, first at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School, and after he and his single mom moved, to Pontiac Central High School. After graduating in 1973, Scott didn’t have enough money to continue his education, but a relative who worked at a college in Kentucky offered him employment that could help him pay for tuition. In Kentucky, he found his second car, a ’56 Chevy. He drove it back to Detroit, planted a big motor under the hood, bolted on some Cragars, and got into all kinds of trouble on the streets.

At the time, the car-crazy young of Detroit’s east side drag-raced on Conner, where it passes through cemeteries on both sides of the street near Seven Mile Road. Since there are no intersections, quarter-mile runs are possible, if extremely dangerous. One night when Scott was competing on that dark street with slicks on and headers uncapped, he saw the lights of a cop car in his mirror. Already close to losing his license, he took off down Seven Mile, with the squad car in hot pursuit. Turning off into a side street, he shut the engine off and coasted into a driveway. Ten minutes or so later, he fired it up and drove home. His mom met him at the door and said the police had been there looking for him and were coming back.

They didn’t. But weeks later, he encountered a cop while parked in a local Dairy Queen. The officer recognized the car and told Scott he was lucky that he couldn’t arrest him after the fact. Rather than take a chance on another moving violation, he remained in the DQ parking lot until the officer left. Due to the establishment’s parking lot policy, he had to down half a dozen ice cream cones to remain on site.

Like many young men who run a bit wild, Scott eventually calmed down. He kept working on that ’56 until it was pretty and took it to Detroit’s Autorama custom car show, winning second place in his class. He didn’t want to keep driving the showy shoebox on the street, so he bought a ’66 Caprice that had bucket seats and a gauge package along with a 390-horsepower 427 big-block motor. Again, he decided it had the potential to be too nice for daily driving and began a restoration. Big car, big motor, restoration. It was a pattern he would repeat many times over.

When Scott restored that first ’66 Chevy he was working on the assembly line at GM. Soon thereafter, he applied for a floor supervisor position and got it. That made him a salaried employee, and GM paid for his education. He eventually earned a BA in Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a degree in International Finance at Wayne State University. That got him promoted to a position as a program planner for GM International. In 2000 he moved to GM Design where he managed programs for specialty vehicles like COPO Camaros. His final assignment was in the Cadillac Design Studio with Kip Wasenko, Tom Peters, and other heroes of GM design.

5r“I was a manager,” Scott said, “so I would just try to get the stylists to show up at work on time and bug them to finalize a design so we could get it released.”

Meanwhile, he kept restoring big Chevies with big-block motors—first for himself, then for customers who had seen his work at shows. Almost all of them were ’66 models. When he retired from GM in 2016, he set up his own shop, Detroit Automotive Restorations, in Southfield, Michigan. He now owns four ’66 Chevys, the Impala Super Sport convertible pictured here, a black Impala Super Sport convertible with the 425-horsepower L72 427, the 390-horsepower 427 Caprice that he restored 40 years ago, and a concours-winning Caprice with bench seat, four-speed, and 396 big-block. That last one is a rarity. But all big-block, big Chevys are uncommon. According to Scott, GM built about 1.5 million full-size Chevys in ’66. Only about 6000 were equipped with the 427-cubic-inch engines. Many of those were later trashed by folks looking for a big-block to swap into their Camaro, Chevelle, or Corvette.

As one might guess based on the photos herein, Scott is a perfectionist. His restoration routine calls for total disassembly. Every nut, bolt, and piece of insulation is removed and repaired or replaced. Rust holes and other damage are erased. The bare bodies are treated to a chemical wash in huge tanks at American Metal Cleaning in Toledo, Ohio. There, the car bodies are dipped in an alkaline solution that strips away everything, including any aluminum parts that might be attached. When the body is clean, Scott loads it into an enclosed trailer and hauls it down to Elkhart, Indiana, where it’s e-coated with primer. This process is an electro-magnetic operation that sucks the primer into every crack and crevice on the body, and it’s now standard industry practice for the steel-bodied cars of major automakers.

Back in Scott’s shop, the body is finished flawlessly and painted before the car is assembled carefully with parts that are either new or look like new. The disassembled engine is sent out for degreasing and machine work, but Scott does the final assembly himself. He knows big-blocks.

I shot Scott’s Impala convertible at his Bloomfield, Michigan, home on a gloomy November Sunday as winter threatened to move in, but the car’s flawless finish shone through the gray. It’s a beauty, outfitted with original equipment and a host of dealer-installed accessories. He’s currently working on yet another ’66 big Chevy with a big-block for himself as well as several for customers.

I wish one of them was for me.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post This Detroit Native is a Big-Block Chevy B-body Connoisseur appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The Automotive Archaeologist, otherwise known as Ryan Brutt, has used his vast network of friends to uncover some truly amazing barn finds and share them through his YouTube channel. His latest video reveals a spectacular warehouse filled to the brim with desirable Mopar parts and a yard overflowing with restorable E-body muscle. If you’re a Mopar fan, or if you just enjoy muscle cars in general, the walkthrough of this stockpile will likely get your gears turning. Imagine how many rare vehicles could be built from only the parts on site!

The warehouse, one of many on the property, is located in Missouri and features the disassembled remnants of what looks like hundreds of Mopar muscle cars. Pallet racks are filled with engine blocks, alternators, air cleaners, valve covers, and intake manifolds stacked like cordwood. Another row of racks shows even more plunder, also organized into sections: steering columns, fenders, interior door panels, and trunk lids.

At the back of the warehouse hide ‘Cudas from 1970 and ’71, mostly convertibles, stacked two high, two wide, and three deep.

As massive as the hoard seems, what’s shown in the video is not the half of it. Brutt has documented this vast collection in previous videos over the past several months and plans a future video showing an additional building on the property that will probably answer most of the questions Mopar fans have when seeing all of the rare and desirable cars parked in storage. When we asked Brutt about the plans for the immense stash, which includes more than 200 cars, he told us that the partners aren’t currently looking to sell the cars but they have traded among collectors in their circle.

“They are actively restoring cars, rare stuff,” Brutt said. Some of the work is being sold on-site, while other jobs are being farmed out. Although the process is moving slowly, the owners—a pair of friends who have spent more than 20 years accumulating desirable Mopar muscle cars—are using the original parts to get the rare beasts back on the road. It will take years to restore just a sampling of the cars, but it’s good to know that so many of them are being preserved.

If the videos of this collection have caught your interest, Brutt says his follow-up, highlighting some of the restoration process, is next in the pipeline and should be out within a week.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Stockpile of Classic Mopars Uncovered by Auto Archaeologist appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If, as the saying goes, a high tide lifts all boats, then the 1968 Dodge Dart can give some credit to the legendary, wedge-shaped, second-generation Dodge Charger for giving it a lift. While the 1968 Charger’s crisp redesign and badass persona made it an icon, the less-expensive Dart also had some punch, particularly in GT form.

Driving a Dart GT equipped with a 340-cubic-inch V-8 engine, Hot Rod magazine managed 0–60 mph in six seconds and a quarter-mile in 14.38 seconds at 97 mph—heady stuff for the era. Now turn that up a notch.

This week’s auction pick of the week, a Dark Green 1968 Dart GT two-door hardtop with a black vinyl top over a black vinyl interior, is powered by a 425-hp, 408-cu-in V-8 that’s dressed as a 340-cu-in unit. Offered on Hagerty Marketplace, it has been bid to $7777 with less than a week to go before the auction closes on Wednesday, January 10 at 3 p.m. EST.

While the 1968 Dart GT came with front bucket seats, a padded dash, full wheel covers, squared front-end styling, and cool concave glass in the rear, buyers could make the car their own by choosing from a long list of colors and performance options. Although a number of V-8 engine choices were available from the factory, many Darts have been restomodded with larger-displacement engines and other performance modifications—like this one.

Among the car’s highlights: four-speed manual transmission with floor-mounted Hurst shifter; new Holley 650-cfm carburetor, distributor, and fuel pump, which were installed in December 2020; TTI headers and Dynomax dual exhaust; 8.75 Posi-Traction rear end; dash-mounted tachometer; under-dash-mounted oil pressure, water temperature, and voltmeter gauge pack; power-assisted drum brakes; and body-color 14-inch wheels with Fratzog-branded “dog dish” wheel covers. The Dart’s five-digit odometer shows 55,065 miles; the true mileage is unknown.

Additional features include round side-marker lights, pivoting vent windows, manually operated windows, dual sun visors, dome light, center console, three-spoke steering wheel, lap seat belts, rear bench seat, heater/defroster, fully carpeted floor, rubber floor mats, cigarette lighter, locking glove box, independent front torsion bars, and rear leaf springs.

The car’s aftermarket Pioneer stereo (with aftermarket speakers installed in the rear package tray) does not work. Other imperfections include peeling clearcoat on the passenger side fender and both rear quarter panels, minor dents in the rear chrome trunk lid trim, and some patina on the undercarriage.

Included in the sale are a spare wheel and tire, jack, and two sets of keys, along with invoices and receipts.

On offer from a consignor in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this Dart GT looks equally comfortable cruising Detroit’s Woodward Avenue or squaring off against similar muscle machines on the drag strip.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Auction Pick of the Week: 1968 Dodge Dart GT appeared first on Hagerty Media.

You’d be wise to not underestimate a ’68 Road Runner, even one with a tame, quiet idle. However, you certainly wouldn’t expect even a potent muscle car engine of the era to be capable of producing 1000 hp without a rough, staccato idle that would announce its presence from a block away. Don’t be fooled. This blue-on-blue 1968 Plymouth, looking every bit like a restored show car, is packing 426 cubic inches of Gen III Hellephant crate engine under its hood. It’s slated to cross the auction blocks at Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida, sale in January 2024.

For some Mopar fans, the thought of a 426 Hemi conjures up images of E-bodies with shaker hood scoops, or perhaps a lightweight 1968 Barracuda prepped for drag racing. For us, it’s the Dodge and Plymouth B-body that is most synonymous with the V-8 Elephant that became such a revered engine on streets, dragstrips, and on NASCAR’s superspeedways.

The magical 426 cubic-inch displacement is synonymous with the Gen II Hemi of the muscle car era, but there’s also an impressive late-model crate engine that took a different approach to getting that kind of displacement. Just 100 Hellephant crate engines were built at sold by Mopar, and the recipe for their ground-pounding 1000 hp and 950 lb-ft of torque was an aluminum Gen III Hemi block—all production cars and trucks sold with at Gen III Hemi used iron blocks—with a 4.125-inch bore and a 4.0-inch stroke. Like the Hellcat V-8 that it was developed from, the Hellephant’s aluminum heads were topped by a sizable supercharger and charge cooler. In retrospect, this engine was likely the beneficiary of a lot of the engine development that went into the 1025 hp, 6.2-liter Hemi that powered the Demon 170.

When Mopar first showed the Hellphant crate engine at SEMA 2018, we were hoping for builds like this, although we didn’t expect a builder to start with an already restored beauty. Before its transformation, this Road Runner was a hit at the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals, where it scored 990 out of a possible 1000 points thanks to an incredibly detailed restoration that retained the factory interior. Its original four-barrel 383 engine was rated at 335 hp and the big bore, short-deck big-block was capable of much more. However, the 1968 Road Runner was also available with the legendary 426 Hemi, so perhaps this well-muscled coupe, even in its restored glory, always had a chip on its shoulder. Not anymore.

Aside from its monster motor, the Road Runner also received a set of subframe connectors to help the body keep up under the strain of 950 lb-ft of torque. Inside, the otherwise original interior was upgraded with a Vintage Air air conditioning system and what looks like a Dakota Digital dash to help keep tabs on the V-8. The dash blends in nicely and still uses three 180-degree-sweep analog gauges on either side of a small display. The factory floor shifter, once connected to a four-speed manual transmission, is now a Lokar piece that shifts a GM 4L80E. The four-speed automatic trans is a popular choice for high-powered drag-and-drive cars and is known for being able to stand up to lots of torque while letting big engines loaf around at highway speeds thanks to its 0.75:1 overdrive.

We’ll be watching this auction at next month’s Mecum sale, as we’re interested to see how collectors respond to a well-restored car going under the knife to accept a modern powerplant. If there was a modern engine worth dropping into such a classic, it would have to be the Hellephant.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Hellephant-powered 1968 Road Runner is a 1000-hp sleeper done right appeared first on Hagerty Media.

A Facebook Marketplace listing for a massive lot of E-body Challengers and associated parts just caught our attention. The group of 10 cars is comprised of eight 1970 Challengers (the inaugural year for the Dodge E-body), as well as a 1971 318 automatic and a body from 1972–1974. The cars, in various states of disassembly, could prove to hold several restorable examples, or at least some that could be returned to the road after significant effort. The caveat is that the seller, located in San Antonio, wants to sell the entire collection of cars, and their substantial accumulation of E-body parts, in a single $100,000 transaction.

We saw the listing thanks to a post on Barnfinds.com, where sales like this one are often posted, although this listing’s focus on first-generation Dodge Challengers makes it particularly interesting. Among the Challengers listed, at least a couple are said to be fairly well-optioned, including a green-on-green 1970 R/T equipped with a 383 and an automatic; there is also a 1970 equipped with a Rallye dash, disc brakes, a numbers-matching 340 Performance Pack, and rather desirable Plum Crazy paint.

No doubt the seller has their reasons for wanting to offload the collection in one fell swoop, as dealing with multiple buyers and the associated logistics sounds like a nightmare. However, it won’t make the sale easy. The listing, posted 14 weeks ago, is still up, so despite the tempting hardware, there can’t be that many buyers with the funds and the space to give this collection a new home. Without a whole lot more photos, it’s tough to comment on the value of any of the individual projects, although with all of those parts for such desirable cars, it’s possible that a buyer could recoup a lot of their investment if they had the time and the means to get all the parts in front of the right audience at a Mopar swap meet.

As always, we’re hoping to see some of these desirable and beautiful cars back on the road. If you or anyone you know ends up with one of these mothballed Mopars, please let us know. Happy hunting!

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Does this 10-car lot of E-body Challengers hold your next project? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Napoleon once said, “Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” Bear with me—this does relate to cars. Because, inevitably, some cars do just get forgotten, even ones that caused a splash when they were new. The 1953 Packard Caribbean was supposed to be America’s “smartest” and “most glamorous” sports car. Packard went bust only a few years later and most people today have never even heard of the Caribbean. Remember the AMC Rambler? Motor Trend gave it “Car of the Year” accolades in 1963. But if you were born after, say, the Carter administration, you’ve probably never seen one.

Obscurity, however, has never claimed the 1970 Chevelle. By any measure, this peak year for Chevrolet’s bread-and-butter muscle car remains one of the most popular automobiles in the hobby, across both budgets and different generations of enthusiasts.

You haven’t been able to drive a new Chevelle off the lot in 46 years. You haven’t been able to drive one of the fast ones off the lot in over half a century. Yet, by make/model, the Chevrolet Chevelle is the fourth-most-insured car on Hagerty policies. Narrowing it down further to year/make/model, the only Chevrolets more popular than the 1970 Chevelle are the 1967, ’68 and ’69 Camaros, and the ’57 Bel Air. That’s a lot of staying power for a 54-year-old car.

There have been plenty of headline-worthy Chevelles from over the years, but it’s no surprise that the 1970 model year cars are the standard bearers for the nameplate from collectibility and valuation perspectives. It was arguably the biggest year for muscle cars as a whole, and the Chevelle came refreshed and ready for a fight. Along with a dramatic restyle, GM finally lifted its self-imposed ban on engines larger than 400 cubic inches in intermediate cars. The monster 454-cubic inch Chevy engine became one of the biggest guns in the muscle car arms race (beaten in cubic inches only by the Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick 455 engines), easily larger than the rival 426 Street Hemi or Boss 429, as well as the biggest mill Chevrolet ever threw into a passenger car.

Six years prior, the Chevelle started with more humble beginnings, but its trajectory toward muscle car greatness wouldn’t take long. After its launch in 1964 as Chevrolet’s entry into the burgeoning mid-size segment, the Chevelle slotted in between the smaller Chevy II and the full-size Impala. Almost immediately, increasingly more potent 283- and 327-cubic-inch V-8s found their way into the Chevelle’s high-performance Malibu SS trims. The Chevelle SS, available with the range-topping big-block 396, became its own distinct series for 1966, the year in which the model also got its first significant facelift. The fenders cut forward towards the headlights for a more aggressive, motion-implying front end, and the roof on coupe models swept back more gracefully. Most memorably, though, the fenders got rounder and bulged at each end for the “Coke bottle” styling that became all the rage in the second half of the ‘60s. A more substantial refresh gave the 1968 Chevelle all-new, even more sculpted bodywork as well as a shorter wheelbase.

This was further refined in 1970 with a squarer shape, bobbed front and rear ends, subtly-flared fenders, a more prominent grille, and new bumpers. SS models featured a body-colored bar bisecting the blacked-out grille and a domed hood. These more taut, cleaner lines might have been conservative compared to other muscle cars, but there was no question the Chevelle SS meant business. “We made our tough one even tougher,” the ads proclaimed.

But the copywriters were just as likely talking about the big bent-eights underneath the SS’s domed hood, and the beefed up options that came with them. While the still perfectly potent SS 396 stayed on in two different outputs, the big news for 1970 was option code Z15, aka the Chevelle SS 454. Ticking that $503 box added heavy-duty suspension, power front disc brakes, SS wheels, the 454-cu-in LS5 engine (which was also available in the Corvette) rated at 360 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, and a standard Muncie M21 close-ratio four-speed transmission. An M22 four-speed or three-speed Turbo Hydramatic were also available.

An additional $263 got you the even hotter LS6 engine. A 454 with forged aluminum pistons, forged steel connecting rods and crankshaft, solid lifters, and 11.25:1 compression, the LS6 put 450 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque under your right foot. The one-two punch from these 454s was short-lived, though, as by 1972 the LS6 was canceled, and although the LS5 was still available (except in California), a drop in compression reduced power to 270 net hp.

Muscle car enthusiasts know the well-worn story of emissions legislation, unleaded gasoline mandates, and surging insurance premiums that bled the performance out of performance cars, with a noticeable impact beginning in 1971. Though performance was unbridled in ’70, demand for top-end muscle had already begun to wane—most sources point to fewer than 9000 SS 454s built for 1970, a fraction of the total ’70 Chevelle production that ran into the hundreds of thousands.

Today, though, the past is just context to better appreciate these cars in the flesh. I strolled up to this 1970 SS 454 Sport Coupe, currently listed for sale here on Hagerty Marketplace, and there’s no question that it looks the part. Whereas the scoops, decals, and colors of a GTO Judge or High Impact-painted Mopar embodied the era’s excess, the seriousness of the ’70 Chevelle’s design, especially in Tuxedo Black with broad white stripes, feels more timeless.

As with any muscle car, the option list goes a long way toward shaping a great cruiser, drag strip terror, or something in between. This example left the factory with the LS5 454/360hp engine, M22 “Rock Crusher” four-speed transmission, 3.31 Positraction rear axle, ZL2 cowl-induction hood, Soft-Ray tinted glass, power steering, heavy-duty battery, and pushbutton AM radio.

A $148 option, the cowl-induction hood subtly sets the car apart. Hood pins suggest that this is no ordinary Chevelle, and a vacuum-operated flap toward the cowl flap opens up at full throttle to feed extra cold air to the hungry Holley four-barrel underneath it.

Now, as the ads for this car say, “[t]he performance starts as soon as you’re seated.” The standard bench seat (buckets were available) in the SS puts you in a position few would call “Super Sporty,” but it is comfortable and offers a cool, commanding view of the subtle crease atop each front fender and the big dome in between them.

Of course, the loud parts beneath that dome are the star of the show, hinted at by each fender’s “454” badges but made perfectly clear when you twist the key. Even plodding along in traffic, the big-block growl coursing through the exhaust and rhythmic, urgent idle never let you forget you’re in an old muscle car thrust along by enormous pistons. The angry-sounding engine is the perfect complement to the car’s purposeful looks.

You might expect that implied brawn to present itself in the controls as well, but that’s not the case. The steering wheel is surprisingly thin and almost delicate-feeling, with little feedback and ample power assistance. It takes a decent amount of input before you see actually feel the car begin to turn. The clutch is also reasonably light, and though the beefy Hurst shifter reaching up from the floor does require long and deliberate throws, it doesn’t require much effort to operate.

Road testers in-period found that the LS5 Chevelle would hit 60 mph in around six seconds. Five decades on, the numbers might not be much to write home about, but there’s no questioning the Chevelle’s ability to deliver a visceral off-the-line experience. Mashing the throttle on 7.4 liters worth of carbureted V-8 feels like an occasion every single time. The Chevelle certainly feels quite fast, and it sounds even faster. I have no idea how much benefit the cowl-induction hood truly adds, but the little air-inhaling flap dares you to drop the hammer just for that added visual effect just ahead of the windshield. The more powerful LS6 was a tempting value when it was new and it proved a popular option, but at no point driving the LS5 did I think, “boy this is slow, it really needs a few dozen more horses.” It’s still a beast.

The Chevelle doesn’t stop as well as it goes, but that’s to be expected from a front-heavy 53-year-old big-block muscle car. The power front disc/rear drum combo in this one is perfectly adequate. So, somewhat surprisingly, is the handling. It doesn’t change direction like a sports car (nobody would ever expect it to), but it feels planted around a mild bend. Unlike many of the bigger and softer American cars from back then, it’s not just a boat that floats around corners. Compared to a 1967 Chevelle SS 396, it feels tighter, flatter, and faster, a bit like the older car on mild steroids.

When you settle things down and just cruise, the ride turns quite compliant and, loud exhaust notwithstanding, is quite comfortable. When Hot Rod tested an SS 454 in 1970 it called the Chevelle a “pleasant and very predictable road and highway car.” On the right road and in the right weather, that’s still plenty true in 2023, even if the 10-or-so mpg makes for frequent pit stops.

With body styles ranging from sunny day drop-tops to family wagons, a broad engine lineup that included sleepy straight-sixes and the ground-pounding LS6, and long list of trims and options, the Chevelle market can be overwhelming. Even narrowing the view down to just the peak year of 1970 doesn’t help all that much. Condition #2 (“excellent”) values in the Hagerty Price Guide range from $11,800 for a relatively pedestrian 307/200hp-powered Malibu sedan all the way up to $373,000 for an LS6 convertible. It’s the Super Sport models that top the wish lists of most enthusiast collectors, however, and there the picture gets a little clearer.

Being quintessential muscle cars, 1970 SS Chevelles were caught up in the muscle car boom that preceded the 2008 financial crisis, and were equally part of the bust that followed it. LS6s returned to their pre-recession values the quickest, but the other models weren’t too far behind. Today, the LS5, which is technically rarer than the LS6, is worth roughly half as much and arguably the better value. Prices range from $50,100 for a running but rough car in #4 condition to $112,000 for a concours-ready show car. Add about 15 percent for a four-speed over an automatic, and the usual muscle car rules about matching numbers and as much documentation as possible apply here.

When looking at buyer interest for 50-year-old cars, it tends to skew towards people who remember those cars when they were new or new-ish, like baby boomers or older Gen Xers. Not so with the second generation Chevelle. Despite wearing a badge that hasn’t graced a new car in well over 40 years, buyer interest largely mirrors the collector car market as a whole.

Given the huge range of values already mentioned, plus the absolutely enormous aftermarket support, parts availability, and knowledge base for these cars, there’s a Chevelle for every type of enthusiast. The SS 454s are just king of the hill when it comes to desirability.

In its 1970 road test, Hot Rod also proved prophetic about the Chevelle’s place in the future. “The past is gone. The future may never see a car like this…We savored every moment of this car, for the memory may have to last a long time.” It did indeed have to last a while, a couple of decades, even, but performance cars have long since caught up to and far exceeded the levels of the muscle car era. So while “glory is fleeting” rings true for this old car, what about “obscurity forever?” With the scores of people who buy, sell, race, and restore Chevelles, or just have fond memories in one, not yet. Not even close.

**

To view the Hagerty Marketplace online auction listing for this 1970 SS 454 Sport Coupe click here.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters. 

The post The last great big-block Chevelles won’t be forgotten appeared first on Hagerty Media.

On a crisp November morning, a conga line of men in short-sleeved Mopar shirts shuffled inside the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center near Chicago. Perhaps in their excitement to behold the mass of American horsepower on display at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), the Mopar men forgot their jackets.

Now in its 14th year, MCACN offers a handpicked selection of top-tier, well, muscle cars and Corvettes. That’s to say nothing of the generous quantity of hot rods, drag racers, and restomods also on display at this enormous show.

Your author is admittedly not much of a car show guy. And I’m better versed in the JDM and drifting spheres than the golden-era muscle world. On its surface, the appeal of MCACN seemed, at first blush, elusive. The cars were tightly packed together. Velvet ropes and signboards with superlative declarations obstructed views. The overhead lights were harsh. None if that is optimal for photography.

Walking around and occasionally keying in on a few select cars of interest—that seemed the thing to do. Executing on that plan brought back to mind the many hours of Mecum auction coverage I watched as a kid. It all came back to me.

“Oh dang, there’s an AAR ‘Cuda,” I thought to myself. And another one. And another one. And another one. The tributes to the Trans Am Barracuda’s campaigned by Dan Gurney’s All American Racers are rare and valuable. Plymouth only built 2724 them, and our price guide has one in excellent condition—like the ones at the show—valued at $153,000.

The smorgasbord of high-end muscle didn’t stop at Mopars. For the Chevy guys and gals, there were plenty of Chevelles, Camaros, and of course, Corvettes. I lost count of how many perfect C2 Vettes were in attendance, many of which had a 427 badge on the stinger.  For the Ford lovers, particularly Mustang fans, there were seemingly endless lines of Mach 1s, Bosses, and Saleen Fox-bodies.

If you’re not a champion of factory-restored or original cars, there were plenty of custom creations on the convention floor at MCACN. Do you remember the Barris “T” Buggy? Well, the memorable ride by the King of Kustoms was also on display. You could take home a model of the Buggy for $15 dollars … or the car itself for an undisclosed amount.

As I took in the embarrassment of muscle-car riches, I noticed that younger people like myself are far outnumbered by an older, grayer crowd. Which makes sense: The collector car market is largely driven by nostalgia, and majority of the cars on display were from the 1960s and 1970s. But in a lucky stroke for the hobby, MCACN seems to be aware of the phenomenon; it showcased categories like “Future Generation Invitational” to draw in fresh blood.

Case in point: “I’ve been taking him here since he was this tall,” Jonathan Herrick said, first gesturing to his waist, then to his son Nathan. “Now he has a car in the show.” The 19-year-old beamed as he stood by his first car, a very clean, all-black 1999 Corvette.

The future looks bright for the continued interest in American muscle, both new and old. It’s only a matter of time before Nathan and I are shuffling into the convention center in branded, short-sleeve shirts, too excited to remember our jackets.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals 2023 was a vision of my future appeared first on Hagerty Media.

I’m behind the wheel of what I consider to be perhaps the most beautiful Ford Mustang ever built, a Bullitt-esque Highland Green 1968. This one packs 710 horsepower under the hood and bites the pavement with Michelin radials mounted on gray Torq Thrust wheels. If I were to be chasing a Dodge Charger, all raised intersections would look like jumps.

Unfortunately, we’re in Orlando, where intersections are mostly flat and thus do not resemble those in San Francisco. There’s no vintage Charger in sight. And we can’t officially call this car a “Bullitt” Mustang, since Tom Scarpello, founder and CEO of Revology Cars, doesn’t have the rights to that name. We’ll just refer to it the way they do in the Revology factory: the Option B build.

There’s no point in asking Scarpello what car his buyers cross-shop the Revology Ford Mustangs with, because the answer is, not much. “Maybe a Porsche 911 GT3 RS,” he says. “And you couldn’t find two more different cars.”

His customers are mostly people who can buy what they want, so even at $300,000, they aren’t giving up much to buy one of Scarpello’s cars.

Of course, such automotive enthusiasts may number in the hundreds, rather than thousands, which is fine with Revology’s head: The company was founded in 2014, and total production is well under 200 so far. There are customers for everything Revology builds.

“Builds” being an important word here: Revology Mustangs are not restomods, which are by definition modernized original vehicles—truly vintage cars with updated brakes, powertrains, suspension, tires and wheels, and maybe air conditioning. More involved projects—the whole-hog extreme being the Porsche 911 “reimaginations” executed by Singer Vehicle Design—extensively modify the exterior and interior, as well.

The 1968 fastback Mustang I am driving shares no parts with an original car, despite the spot-on appearance. It’s new, as in all-new,  from the ground up. That means it drives like a car right off the showroom floor, rather than a 56-year-old antique with every kink ironed out. This fresh-from-the-box element is a central reason why his customers like Revology Mustangs so much—they can be—and often are, a daily driver.

Restomods “are a collection of parts,” Scarpello argues. “They aren’t necessarily an engineered platform. The reality is, it’s asking too much. The guys who build them are talented, but the parts involved may not play well with each other. It’s just not realistic.

“So my idea was to start with one platform, and that’s all we’re going to build. Every car we build will have the same basic architecture. Electrical, powertrain, chassis, everything. And we’ll do different body styles on top of it that make it look different, but each one is essentially the same car. And that’s what we’ve done.”

Scarpello and Revology builds steel-bodied Mustangs from 1966 to 1968, in convertible, 2+2 fastback, and Shelby GT350/GT500 forms, each riding on that same platform.

Scarpello’s 51,000-square-foot facility in an industrial park near the Orlando airport, a former pharmaceutical repackaging facility. It’s is his second real factory; the first was a dark warehouse on the outskirts of town. He’s already looking for more real estate and more employees to add to the 104 already working on site; the current factory isn’t cramped, but it’s getting full.

None of this could have happened unless Scarpello was able to get permission from Ford and Shelby to build these Mustangs. He spent time as an executive at Jaguar, Nissan, and Infiniti, but he also ran Ford’s Special Vehicle Team. SVT, you’ll recall, built the SVT Mustang, Contour, Focus and the second-generation Ford Lightning, and working at that job gave Scarpello an introduction to Ford’s top management. He credits his former boss at Ford for helping secure a license to build these new-old models.

It doesn’t hurt that Ford CEO Jim Farley is a Revology fan, and that two Ford family members—Edsel, and Bill, who bought one for his wife, Lisa—own Revology Mustangs, with a third Ford family member presently planning out his build.

“No one had ever done this before. It’s difficult to get a company like Ford to do anything like this. Big companies operate on inertia, or competitive reaction, like if the other guy across town is doing it. And that wasn’t the case.

“The plan was always to build licensed cars. We never considered ourselves to be a custom shop. Our goal was always to be a manufacturer.”

Compared with most new cars, resale value appears to be plenty high. Revology has four certified previously-owned cars for sale, at an average price of $292,375. The cheapest is a 1966 convertible for $216,000.

The level of detail on these cars is remarkable, and authenticity is respected wherever possible. Scarpello could easily ring up Recaro, for instance, and buy some perfectly fine seats. Instead, his craftsmen design and build each seat for each car.

Otherwise, “We pick the parts that we want, and then we redesign the platform to accommodate them,” Scarpello says.

Example: The high-performance Ford engines Revology uses generate a lot of heat. It would have been simple to survey the aftermarket and gobble up a decent three- or four-core radiator and some cooling fans, but his engineers took the entire Ford factory cooling system associated with the engines and re-engineered the front of the car to make it fit. “We have cars in Arizona, as well as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and we’ve never had a cooling issue,” Scarpello says. “That kind of thing would not be feasible for a restomod builder. Couldn’t do it.”

Revology has 176 cars in 18 countries, Scarpello tells us, and the cars are drivers even outside the U.S. An owner of a Revology 1968 GT Fastback Mustang, Botswana’s Clinton Van Vuuren, entered it in The Cape 1000 this year, a rugged four-day drive starting and finishing in Cape Town, South Africa. In many ways a typical Revology customer, Van Vuuren has a collection of 60 classic vehicles.

There are some celebrity owners too, like comedian and car collector Kevin Hart, who has a black 1965 convertible. “Two of our owners have five of our cars apiece,” Scarpello says, and a third is buying one of all eight models Revology offers. Base price for a 1968 Mustang GT 2+2 fastback Cobra Jet: $291,760.

The car I am driving, build number 184, was pulled directly off the production line before final inspection. Clearly Scarpello had enough confidence in it to put a writer behind the wheel.

Its options range from polished, flush-mounted hood latches ($635) to a Focal K2 sound system ($4895) to full Nappa leather upholstery ($10,475). The leather-wrapped, three-spoke steering wheel (no airbag, not required under the law) is $1290. I would have preferred the wood steering wheel, but that’s my only complaint. The perfectly-applied Highland Green metallic paint (which is not saying it’s a Bullitt) costs $975.

Those charcoal Torq Thrust wheels ($2195) hold fat P275/40ZR17 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 radials. Carpet is square-weave wool: $3375. Under the hood isn’t the Cobra Jet engine but something better and much more powerful: A Roush-tuned 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 rated at 710 horsepower and 610 lb-ft of torque. Transmission is a close-ratio Tremec T56 six-speed manual, attached to a heavy-duty driveline. A 10-speed automatic is also available; take rate between that and the manual is about 50/50.

Push a button and the engine roars to life, burbling through a Borla exhaust. Snick it into gear—clutch action is firm but not tiringly so—and go: The suspension, with coil springs and control arms up front and a live axle out back, is stiff but adequately compliant. The ride won’t beat you up but it does allow for very flat cornering, on whatever few corners we can find on Florida roads.

The Tremec is typically a smooth-shifting transmission, no different in this application. Blast through second and third gears and the Borla’s exhaust note goes from burble to roar. The very good kind of roar. Power rack and pinion steering is light, and the big 13-inch brakes work as you’d expect for a modern street machine.

Yes, I can see this as a daily driver: All I need is $322,130 to make it happen.

Bottom line: If Detective Frank Bullitt had one of these cars, and we aren’t saying this is a Bullitt Mustang, the chase scene in the movie would have been a whole lot shorter.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Revology’s classic Mustang has young blood but old soul appeared first on Hagerty Media.

It’s no stretch to call Pontiac’s GTO the single most important car of the muscle car era. Yes, there are varying opinions as to when and how the American muscle car really kicked off. But the fact remains that the standard formula of taking a mid-size car and stuffing a large engine under the hood started with the GTO. Launched in 1964, it first came as an option on the LeMans, increasing the engine size to 389 cubic inches for a stout 325-horsepower in base form, and 348 with Tri-Power (three 2bbl carbs).

The GTO’s performance and sales success put everyone on notice, including Pontiac’s siblings within General Motors, and forced other brands to play catch up. But while the likes of Chevrolet and MOPAR focused on putting down huge raw power numbers, Pontiac struck a balance of offering excellent power with killer looks and more creature comforts than more entry-level manufacturers like Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford.

1967 would be another watershed year with the old 389 being swapped out for Pontiac’s all-new 400 cubic inch engine. At least in the eyes of Poncho enthusiasts everywhere, the Pontiac 400 ranks among one of the all-time great engines and would be the basis for Pontiac’s famed “Ram Air” option. And with the introduction of an updated engine, it was time for Pontiac to update the GTO as a platform. While it had big shoes to fill, the second generation 1968-72 GTO was more than up to the task. Those were arguably the model’s best years but, being a muscle car with a wide range of available powertrains, performance options, convenience features and colors, the market for the second-gen Goat is a nuanced one, and values can range from barely above entry-level to well over half a million dollars.

1968

GM completely refreshed the A-Body platform on which the GTO rides for 1968. It was a welcome change, leaving behind the boxiness of the 1964-67 models in favor of the softer, curvier “Coke bottle” style popularized in the later part of the ’60s. Pontiac’s styling department also went to town on the GTO setting it far apart from the competition. The biggest innovation to the GTO’s look was the introduction of the revolutionary “Endura Bumper”, a GTO exclusive. In short, the bumper shook up the industry by eliminating the traditional chrome front bumper and instead replaced it with a painted, impact-resistant piece made of a rubberized material, which could be moulded to any shape and withstand minor impacts with minimal damage.

Such would be the, ahem, impact of the Endura Bumper that the concept across the industry, and the same basic idea remains on today’s cars. Complimenting the new nose, the GTO was also available with a set of hidden headlights. This optional piece covered the lights when they weren’t in use, creating the illusion of a wide uninterrupted grille.

Pontiac continued with the 400 engine as a standard offering (GM wouldn’t allow anything larger at the time), but the power numbers started to creep up. Pontiac rated the base 400 engine at a respectable 350 horsepower, and this engine accounted for the vast majority of GTOs. A no-cost optional 2bbl, low compression version was offered, but it is a very uncommon sight. After all, why would you go out to buy a performance car and then think, “Yes, I would love to have the economy engine”?

An optional Ram Air engine was available for 1968 but it didn’t make its way into very many cars. The Ram Air engine for 1968 was a High Output 400 with cold air induction and freer flowing exhaust, which bumped performance to 366 horsepower. Mid-term updates to the engine changed from a D-port exhaust to round port and a tad more aggressive cam. Horsepower ratings didn’t change, but this new “Ram Air II” engine was likely underrated (as were many Pontiac performance engines) and is somewhat of a rarity in 1968 Pontiacs these days.

1969

Following the 1968 debut of the newly designed A-Body, the 1969 GTO would see only subtle changes to the styling. Here are the easiest ways to tell the difference between a 1968 and 1969: The ’69 seats have headrests, the doors no longer have side vents, the side marker lights in the quarter panels no longer have the Pontiac arrowhead, and the tallights are set above the rear bumper instead of inside.

Under the hood, the base engine remained the same from the prior year, but the Ram Air engines rose in popularity. A 366-hp Ram Air III was the mid-range option, and a 370-hp Ram Air IV option debuted. On paper, it is only marginally more powerful than the Ram Air III, but that’s just on paper. The Ram Air IV received a more aggressive cam, stronger rotating assembly, and freer flowing heads, so rumors abound that these engines are far more powerful than rated.

Another big change to the GTO lineup for 1969 was the introduction of “The Judge” package. While the name sounds a little campy today, it was a clever play on pop culture of the time, referencing the popular comedy routine from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In TV show. Along with a groovy graphics package, loud colors and sporty Rally II wheels, The Judge came standard with the Ram Air III engine and could be optioned with the Ram Air IV.

1970

After two years of production, the GTO received a major facelift for 1970 with a redesigned front and rear bumper assembly, giving the car a more mature look than the edgier 1968-69 models. Other than the looks, the biggest update of note in 1970 was the introduction of Pontiac’s all-new 455 cid engine. By 1970, GM had lifted its engine size restriction in mid-size cars, opening the floodgates of big cube behemoths to compete with FoMoCo and MOPAR, who were not hampered by the same restrictions in their performance cars.

Other than the facelift and new engine, not much changed for the GTO from 1969 to 1970. The Judge package was again on offer, but was only available with the 400 cid Ram Air engines and would not get the 455 for another year. As a whole, the 1970 would see few fundamental changes aside from the facelift, but it is also a fan favorite amongst muscle car enthusiasts because of it.

1971

Another minor face lift arrived in 1971, with a more beak-like front nose and hood scoops relocated to the front. As this year was the beginning of the end for the golden age of American muscle, the Ram Air engines disappeared from the lineup, leaving the 455 H.O. engine as top dog. The H.O. borrowed heavily from the Ram Air engines, with round exhaust ports like the Ram Air IV, freer flowing exhaust and a spicier cam than the standard GTO 455. In simple terms, the 455 H.O. is about as close to a Ram Air type engine as it comes without just naming it one. The Judge nameplate stuck around one last year, available only with the 455 H.O.

Horsepower ratings also began to slip. For instance, the base 400 engine slipped from 350 horsepower in 1970 to 300 for 1971. It would only get worse from here.

1972

The final year in the series would see few substantial changes from 1971. Looks would remain nearly identical to the previous year, but car spotters will notice the set of faux fender vents behind the front wheels. The biggest change in the GTO lineup would be what was missing. First, The Judge package was not offered in 1972. Second, horsepower ratings took another nosedive thanks to tightening emissions regulations and the switch from the industry standard of gross horsepower rating (basically the potential horsepower of the engine) to a net rating (a more realistic figure for a fully dressed actually equipped in the car). The GTO also ceased to be its own separate model and went back as an option package for the LeMans. When the third generation GTO debuted for 1973, it stayed on as a LeMans option but performance-wise was a long way from its peak just a few years before.

Buying a second-generation GTO

The market for a 1968-72 GTO is as nuanced as the yearly changes. As is the case with any classic muscle car, power, options, and rarity are the biggest factors when it comes to what buyers are willing to pay. While a clean, base 400-powered-GTO will run enthusiasts anywhere from $35,000 – $55,000 in this market, that’s just a jumping off point.

The most sought-after are Ram Air IV-powered Judges. But more specifically Judge convertibles. If there is a Holy Grail GTO it’s the 1969 Judge Convertible with the Ram Air IV. Only five were produced, making it one of the only muscle cars that can make a Hemi Cuda convertible look common.

Next up in terms of collectability is the 1970 Ram Air IV Judge Convertible, with an estimated 18 produced. The most recent high sale of one of these Judge Convertibles was $1.1 million for a 1970; however, a handful of recent sales in the spring of 2023 suggest that the market is hovering more in the range of $400,000 – $500,000.

A 1969-70 Judge is vastly more collectible than base GTOs equipped with the same drivetrain, while 1968 Ram Air IIs are rare as hens’ teeth, even if they don’t bring Ram Air Judge Convertible money. 1971-72 GTOs tend to be the bargain (comparatively), as the less refined looks and the lower horsepower can be a turnoff to buyers, but definitely shouldn’t be overlooked.

Speaking of buyers, it should come as no surprise that the overwhelming majority of interest for these cars comes from the Baby Boomers who knew and loved GTOs when they were new. Nearly half of the quotes Hagerty receives come from Boomers, with Gen-X coming in at 34 percent. From there it drops off like a stone. It should come as no surprise that Millennials and Gen-Z are the smallest piece. But this is likely due to a couple of factors, one being interest and the other being cost. Yes, it is a true statement that collectors tend to gravitate to cars they remember fondly as kids, but a solid GTO is not exactly an inexpensive purchase for a group that hasn’t had much time to accumulate the wealth and disposable income for expensive cars.

It’s worth noting though that while “kids” aren’t buying a GTO in big numbers, it has done little to curb the appeal. While the more valuable GTOs like Ram Air-equipped cars are more susceptible to swings in value, the overall GTO market has remained fairly steady, with only a bit of fluctuation in the past three years as the market has heated then cooled again.

That said, most of us don’t buy cars with the sole intention of making a buck (it’s nice when we do though). It’s all about how the car drives and makes us feel. And a clean second-generation GTO drives well and makes us feel great. With the looks, winning performance, and unmatched pedigree, it’s no wonder people call the GTO “the great one.”

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post The Great One: Pontiac’s 1968–72 Pontiac GTO lives up to its nickname appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If you believed that the myriad final editions of the Challenger and Charger signaled Dodge’s final dance with internal-combustion muscle cars, you were not alone. The brand that brought you nearly two decades of tire-smokin’ good times announced in August of last year that 2023 would mark the final year of production for its Hemi-V-8-powered muscle cars. Dodge then offered a preview of its electric future: the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee concept. The writing on the wall said gas-powered Dodge muscle was dead … or so we thought.

If a new report is to be believed, there might yet be hope. Speaking with an anonymous source “connected to a supplier with firsthand information of Dodge’s production plans,” The Drive writes that the next-generation of the Charger will be a two-pronged affair—one model powered by batteries, another by internal combustion.

“They’re keeping gasoline engines,” the source said to The Drive. “The official designation for the vehicle platform is LB and it will have the new GME-T6 Hurricane inline-six in RWD and AWD. It will be using the Stellantis Gen 4 transmission that’s also rolling out to Mack Assembly, Jefferson North Assembly, and Toledo North.”

Quite the claim. We reached out to Stellantis for comment and received the following from Tim Kuniskis, chief executive officer of the Dodge Brand:

“More than a year ago we revealed the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee concept and announced that Dodge will build an all-electric muscle car. For the first official look at the car, and for more info, you’ll just have to wait.”

That … is certainly not an outright denial of what The Drive says.

While we hurry up and wait, let’s take it piece by piece, doing our best impersonation of a 1940s noir detective with a wall of photos and a ball of red yarn.

When Stellantis powertrain engineers first revealed the Hurricane back in March of last year, one of the big points they were keen to highlight was the engine’s improved efficiency compared to the larger-displacement engines in the company’s portfolio. The only engines with more displacement than the three-liter Hurricane are: the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, the 5.7-liter naturally aspirated Hemi V-8, the 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat engine (which we love dearly), and the 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 that will live on in Ram’s heavy-duty pickups.

That six-four also powered select versions of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, but the luxury subbrand has quietly been pivoting to either the high- or standard-output versions of the Hurricane. (The 6.4 came standard in the Grandie, but not the Wagoneer, which made due the 5.7-liter Hemi.) We now know that the Hurricane seems to fit wherever a Hemi can, regardless of which displacement (5.7 or 6.4 liters) Hemi you were dealing with.

GME-T6 is the internal designation for the standard output version of the Hurricane. When it launched, engineers said that version was good for “more than 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, dependent on the application.” In the higher-spec versions of the 2023 Wagoneer, that GME-T6 is actually good for 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque, so we know that there’s even more twist available. The high-output version of the Hurricane, internally known as GME-T6 H.O., was initially rated for 500 hp and 475 lb-ft of twist, application dependent. We now know those figures were conservative, because in the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L, the Hurricane makes 510 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. If The Drive‘s report is indeed true, let’s hope there are also plans for the high-output Hurricane to find its way beneath a Charger’s hood.

What about the source’s comment about rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configuration? When the all-electric Charger Daytona SRT Banshee concept debuted, Stellantis noted that it was underpinned by the STLA Large platform, one of four new electric platforms developed by the conglomerate ahead of a massive influx of EVs slated to arrive in the coming years. On a webpage detailing its electric future, Stellantis says that the STLA group of platforms will be configurable as front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive.

What’s more, another report from The Drive published in late 2022 noted that Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis did allude to the fact that the STLA Large platform could, in theory, house a gas-powered drivetrain and all the accompanying bits. However, in the same article, Kuniskis made it clear that Dodge was going full-bore into electric muscle cars, not anything Hurricane-powered.

That “Gen 4 transmission” is essentially an updated version of the eight-speed automatic that Stellantis uses in everything from Jeeps to Rams to the outgoing Charger and Challenger. Nothing too surprising there, though it doesn’t sound like Dodge has any plans for a manual-equipped version of this next-gen Charger. Bummer.

Our conclusion: Dodge is obviously playing coy, but a lot of the hypotheticals play out favorably for the next Charger. Consider us cautiously optimistic. Selfishly, we just want to see another round of muscle-car wars. Imagine a Hurricane H.O.–powered Charger hounding a Mustang Dark Horse around a track!

Your move, Chevy.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Report: Dodge muscle cars aren’t done with gas engines appeared first on Hagerty Media.

For most of the year, Bowling Green, Kentucky hosts the thousands of Corvette fans who make the pilgrimage to the National Corvette Museum. Some visit the museum specifically to take delivery of their new Corvette, fresh from the nearby General Motors Bowling Green Assembly plant. And of course, there are those who satiate a need for speed at NCM Motorsports Park. Come September, however, car enthusiasts in Bowling Green turn their focus to a different track: Beech Bend. There, over three weekends throughout the month, hometown performance purveyor Holley Performance hosts three high-horsepower gatherings down in the Bluegrass State: MoParty, LS Fest, and Ford Fest.

I had a hankering to let my proverbial mullet down and surround myself with all sorts of Hemis, 440s, Viper V-10s, and Slant-Sixes, all dressed in the wildest colors imaginable. Thus, I made plans to attend the 2023 Holley MoParty. It was an absolute riot.

A celebration of all things Mopar, the MoParty returned for its fourth annual celebration on September 15–17. As we’ve all come to expect, the event attracted every sort of Pentastar-branded excitement down at the Barren River for three days of fun and firepower from the halls of Auburn Hills.

“At Holley, we’re all about getting out and having fun with your vehicles,” said Blane Burnett, senior events manager for Holley Performance. “To that end, these events [like the MoParty] allow us to set that exact experience up for people. We started working on Gen III Hemi swap systems, and just like we did when we came out with LS Fest—we had just started with our LS-centric product catalog—it’s really helpful to align yourself with that market and celebrate what they’re doing.”

It was my third trip to Beech Bend, though my first for the MoParty. I made sure to bring something appropriate for the occasion—a 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Black Ghost Last Call Edition on loan from Stellantis.

One of 300 such examples to ever be built as part of the last big, seven-car Last Call Edition hurrah for both the current Challenger and Charger before electrification and hybridization take over, the Black Ghost Hellcat Redeye pays tribute to a 1970 Challenger R/T SE bought in 1969 by Detroit police officer and U.S. Army paratrooper Godfrey Qualls. As the legend goes, Qualls would take his triple-black Challenger with its gator-skin vinyl roof and white rear stripe to race all comers in Detroit, only to vanish from the scene for weeks to months at a time, like a ghost, haunting the competition until its stealthy return.

“We’re doing pretty much everything that we do with LS Fest for the Mopar contingent,” said Burnett. “We do have some things that are different flavors, which cater to the Mopar community, whether it’s serious or in jest. We have a mullet contest, which is just a fun way for everybody to let their hair down. If we keep serving the community well and give them a good time and a good experience, the show’s gonna continue growing.”

Amid its siblings in the “Brotherhood of Muscle,” such as the monster Charger King Daytona family sedan or the absolutely hellish Challenger Demon 170 in attendance, this 2023 Black Ghost Challenger homage flew a little more under the radar. However, its 807-horsepower, 707-lb-ft of torque, supercharged Hemi V-8 did plenty of talking from the stoplight to the highway and the quarter-mile. It was the perfect machine for rolling into the MoParty, and I experienced as much as I could before roaring back out to my Old Dominion home in southwestern Virginia.

While at MoParty, it felt wrong to leave the car by itself in spectator parking near the end of Beech Bend’s quarter-mile. I reached out to the event’s PR reps and Holley to humbly ask if the 2023 Black Ghost Edition would be a welcome guest at the big red Holley tent in Beech Bend’s midway.

On the day of our arrival at the track, we got our response: Yes!

In between visits to the Jeep 4×4 Experience—where Jeep fans can see their favorite rugged Mopars flex on the short course—the show ‘n’ shine, the quarter-mile, and the autocross on the other side of the drag strip’s timing tower, I looked over at the Black Ghost to see if anyone else knew what this nearly all-black Challenger was about. One older onlooker grabbed one of the hood pin posts to determine if it was real. Most looked at the big V-8 with the supercharger bolted on top of it, maybe even noticed the Last Call Edition plaque on the radiator support, peered into the rolled-up windows to see the interior, and, perhaps, caught a glimpse of the gator-skin roof graphic in the September sun and the big white rear stripe. All in all, it made me happy to see this special machine get its day in the limelight at the MoParty.

“We’re out here to have a good time [at the MoParty],” said Burnett. “We set the tone with the good mood, the good vibe, good playlist, and awesome stuff to do on the track. You couldn’t spend [your weekend] better than by coming out here and hanging out with us.”

The event was such a success, from our perspective, that we asked Burnett if MoParty will ultimately expand to other locations and markets the way LS Fest has.

“We’re not sure yet [if there will be a MoParty West or MoParty Texas],” said Burnett. “We’ve got a lot of room to grow this one before we need to think about that. LS engines are huge; that made us a little bit more able to [have more LS Fests]. We did the first LS Fest West in 2017. That took us about seven years to grow outside of Bowling Green.”

The Black Ghost did attract a couple of Mopar fans my way, even outside the Holley tent. Once was the day before heading out to Bowling Green, when a Challenger Hellcat Widebody owner saw me pull into the local Speedway gas station. He pulled alongside in the parking spaces up front to ask about the white stripe on the Challenger, as well as take a few photos so he could have a stripe of his own one day.

Later, a young man at a rest stop in Tennessee noticed the Black Ghost, and I noticed him noticing the car. He was enamored by the brutality of this Last Call Edition’s aesthetic—gator-skin roof graphic, bulging twin air intakes, and all. He told me his mom owned a Dodge Durango R/T with the 392 Hemi, which was moving their family down the highway.

Like my time at the MoParty, my time with the Black Ghost was too short. Both the event and the car left an impression on me that will last for years to come. Ghosts linger like that, no?

Flip through Cameron’s full photo gallery from MoParty 2023 here:

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Holley MoParty 2023 brought the heat, we brought the Black Ghost Hellcat Redeye appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE), the current caretaker of the Yenko trademark, is not letting Chevrolet’s lovable Camaro go quietly into the night. Following a handful of Yenko Camaros built in years prior, the company just announced three versions of the 2024 Camaro: one with 1150 hp, another with 1200, and a range-topping model that offers a whopping 1500 ponies—provided you’ve filled the tank with Sunoco 260GT race gas.

Camaro loyalists know the Yenko name thanks to Don Yenko, the hero who, in 1967, installed Chevrolet’s 427-inch big-block V-8 into the Camaro—an engine Chevy did not offer in that model. Even today, cars with Yenko badges are found on muscle cars (or the occasional SUV) packing outlandish power.

Each of the Yenko/SC Camaros built by SVE starts as an SS 1LE, a one-stop factory-built shop for all of the performance goodies in the Camaro catalog combined with Chevy’s workhorse 6.2-liter LT1 V-8. Given this foundation, all three SVE models (or “stages”) get magnetic ride control, track-tuned suspension, and coolers for oil, transmission, and differential, plus an electronic limited-slip diff and Recaro performance seats.

For stages I and II, SVE pulled the 6.2-liter LT1, upped its displacement to 6.8 liters (416 cubic inches), and slapped a supercharger atop it. Other upgrades include a forged steel crankshaft, H-beam rods, forged aluminum pistons, ported high-flow LT4 heads, upgraded fuel system, ARP head and main studs, and a larger throttle body. Once reinstalled in a Camaro, that beastly powerplant exhales through a custom stainless steel exhaust. Final power figures, on 93 octane: Stage 1 will bring you 1150 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque. Stage II gets you 1200 hp and 1000 lb-ft. Stage I is offered exclusively with the Camaro’s 10-speed automatic, while Stage II gets the six-speed manual as its sole gearbox choice.

The kingmaker in this group, however, is the Yenko/SC stage III, which takes things up quite a few notches. Whereas stages I and II make do with an uprated version of the LT1, the stage III ditches that engine entirely. Instead, it cribs the iron-block 6.6-liter V-8 found in GM’s heavy-duty pickups. From there, SVE goes to town: Displacement is increased to 7.0 liters, that magic 427 cubic-inch displacement figure you’ll remember from Yenkos of old.

Along with a supercharger, that forged steel crank, forged aluminum pistons, and more, the stage III car gets I-beam rods, an upgraded valvetrain, a revised induction system to suck in more air, and a variable boost control system. All that to keep 1500 hp and 1350 lb-ft of torque in check. (Again, provided you’re on race gas. Figures will be slightly lower on 93 octane.)

Stage III will also be offered exclusively with a six-speed manual, though the gearbox receives a high-capacity triple-disc clutch system and a lightened flywheel to mitigate some of the abuse taken by the Tremec ‘box. (That clutch and flywheel package can also be optioned onto the stage II car.)

These cars will be easy to identify thanks to a host of exterior and interior flourishes. On the outside: A body-color carbon-fiber hood will feature an exposed hood scoop and the YSC (Yenko Super Car, stylized sYc) logo; Yenko crest badges for the grille, fenders, and the rear panel; and a cowl badge denoting your car’s peak output, rendered either in chrome and red or gloss black and red. You can take it a step further by springing for the side stripe graphics that will adorn the hood and bodyside fenders, available in 10 stock colors, or your own tone for an added cost.

The stage III car gets a high-wing rear spoiler, and all stages receive lightweight forged wheels and Nitto race rubber.

Inside, you’ll enjoy special Yenko/SC doorsill plates, sYc embroidered headrests, Yenko floormats, a special crest with peak output and the car’s build number.

SVE plans to build 50 editions each of stages I and II and 100 of the stage III cars. They’ll be available exclusively through GM dealers in Canada and the United States. We’ve reached out to SVE for pricing information and will update this story when we hear back.

If you’re living in California, bad news: These menacing machines are not emissions-legal in the Golden State, and can only be used in sanctioned motorsports events there. Everywhere else, have at it.

Would you take one of SVE’s Yenko/SC Camaros over the just announced 1000-hp Hennessey Exorcist “Final Edition” Camaros? Let us know in the comments below.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post As Camaro exits, SVE serves up 1500-hp Yenko variant appeared first on Hagerty Media.

We’re still about three weeks away from Movemeber, when millions of men fill out their upper lips or beards, partly to raise awareness of men’s health issues and partly for fun. Turn the clock back about 40 years, however, and every month was mustache month. Not just for Tom Selleck and Freddie Mercury, but for guys all over the United States. And quite often, that lip foliage peered out above the steering wheel of a Monte Carlo SS.

Despite the glitz and glamour implied by its name, a Monte Carlo has always been more at home in Missouri than in Monaco, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t cool. Built on GM’s rear-drive mid-size G-body platform—which also included the Buick Regal, Chevy El Camino, Olds Cutlass, and Pontiac Grand Prix—it’s a sporty-looking but not exactly fast piece of “mustache muscle” that can be had on a budget. Surprisingly, though, that budget is a lot higher than it was just a few short years ago.

The first, coke-bottle-styled Monte Carlos arrived in 1970, and by 1981 the Monte Carlo was already in its fourth generation. It was smaller and lighter, but also roomier than the Montes of the ’70s. Although a short-lived Monte Carlo Turbo model offered boosted Buick V-6 power, and despite the Monte Carlo making a lengthy go of it in NASCAR, a more serious performance model was conspicuously absent from the roster. Performance was coming back into the coupe market, however, particularly with the launch of the Fox-body Mustang in 1979 and the all-new Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird in 1982. For 1983, the Monte Carlo caught up when Chevrolet gave it a mild facelift and added an SS option to the lineup. It was the first Monte Carlo SS since 1971.

Buyers could choose between white or dark blue, while a small trunk spoiler, big decals, and Rally wheels let people know you spent the extra coin for an SS. Under the subtly muscular body was a Quadrajet-carbureted 305 cubic-inch small-block with aluminum intake, column shift three-speed automatic, F41 suspension, Goodyear Eagle GT rubber, and an open diff. The price was a little over $10K, and options like power windows and cruise control pushed it to about $12K.

For the 1983 cars, the 305 small-block managed 175 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. Not a tire-shredder, then, but this was 1983, and those numbers were still enough to have fun with in-period. The 1984 Monte Carlo SS brought a five-horse gain and an optional limited-slip differential, while 1985 brought even bigger improvements. While the engine didn’t change, a TH200-4R 4-speed automatic and 3.73:1 rear axle made for livelier shifting and driving than the old 3.42-geared three-speed. New, optional bucket seats and floor shift gave a racier feel than the standard bench seat and column shifter, while optional T-tops let your facial hair dance in the breeze. Silver, black, white, and maroon encompassed the revised exterior color palette while gray or maroon cloth were the interior choices.

For 1986, new five-spoke alloy wheels arrived along with different graphics and a third brake light, while the only other major change over the SS’s 1983–88 production run was the Aerocoupe.

Built for 1986 and ’87 only, it followed the same aero-driven formula of NASCAR legends of the previous generation like the Dodge Daytona, Plymouth Superbird, and Ford Torino Talladega. Built to homologate a more slippery shape in the quest for every last mph on NASCAR speedways, the Monte Carlo Aerocoupe isn’t as extreme as something like a Superbird, but its unusual, sloped rear glass and revised spoiler are certainly distinctive. Chevrolet needed to sell 200 Aerocoupes for homologation and did just that in 1986, but for 1987 the company realized that plenty of folks would want to channel their inner Dale Earnhardt (who also had a mustache, of course) and drive a car that looked just like the Intimidator’s. GM obliged, selling 6052 Aerocoupes for 1987 at $16,325 apiece (about $44K in 2023 money).

The Monte Carlo went into 1988 without major changes, as it was the model’s last year before being replaced by the Lumina. As far as most enthusiasts are concerned, the Monte Carlo story mostly ends there. A new Monte Carlo SS did arrive in 2000, but it was a fat front-driver with a V-6 engine, and despite several special-edition NASCAR models, the Monte Carlos you could buy at the dealership had almost nothing in common with the cars you saw Dale and Jeff driving on Sunday afternoon.

As for fourth-gen Monte Carlos, they were very popular when new and they remain so. Although the faster and more sinister Buick Grand National gets most of the G-body glory in the eyes of collectors today, far more people walked into a Chevy dealership and bought a Monte Carlo. While just 4714 sold in 1983, sales shot up to 24,050 in 1984, then 35,484 in 1985, and peaking in 1986 at 41,164. 1987 brought a still-substantial 33,204, and 16,204 followed in 1988. Total Turbo Buick sales were less than half that.

In addition to a strong supply of cars, Monte Carlos offer plenty of room for drivers who shop at the big and tall store, and lots of parts interchange with other GM cars. Other than rust in a few key areas, leaky T-tops, and amateur-ish, why-on-earth-did-they-do-that modifications on many examples, there aren’t any major issues to look out for.

Mid-’80s Monte Carlos have never been expensive cars. But, surprisingly, they aren’t exactly cheap these days, either. The median condition #2 (“Excellent”) value currently sits at $29,400. That’s 68 percent higher than it was five years ago, and 188 percent more than it was 10 years ago. Generally, the 1985-and-later cars with floor shift, bucket seats, and cooler wheels are more sought after, and you should expect to pay a few percent more for T-tops. Despite that, there’s little variation in value, as an ’83 model is worth $28,100 at the low end while an Aerocoupe is worth $34,400 at the top of the heap.

These numbers are even more surprising when we compare them to the other cars playing for the Chevrolet team in the mid-to-late ’80s. While the ’87 Buick Grand National has moved into an entirely different price point with a #2 value of $70K, the #2 value for an ’87 Camaro Z/28 is just $22,600. And for an ’87 Corvette? Just $18,500.

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, especially compared to the Corvette, which is much cooler to look at and will run circles around the Monte. But, as we saw with our comparison of C4 Corvettes and IROC Camaros last year, nostalgia can be a powerful market force when it comes to cars that are nearly old enough to have their own midlife crisis. Combined with the fact that there aren’t a lot of clean and unmodified examples left, it starts to become a little clearer why the best ones are getting more expensive.

Gen-Xers, who came of age when these cars were new, make up 36 percent of buyer interest for 1983–88 Monte Carlos. Millennials make up the same share. They may not exactly remember the ’80s in vivid detail, but they still play into nostalgia for that decade and, like Gen-Xers, buy these cars at a disproportionately high rate.

It’s hard to see values going up much further from here, given the wide variety of other great cars that are available in the $30K range. Which means that, as always, Monte Carlos will be a (reasonably) affordable celebration of mustache muscle.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Insider

The post Values of the fourth-gen Monte Carlo SS are on the move appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Back when Dodge Darts were regular sights on the road, nobody saw them as future collector cars. After all, the Dart was a budget compact first and foremost, the kind of thing your mom might commute to work in, then hand down to you on your 16th birthday. Most 1967–76 Darts had a humble Slant Six or a lethargic V-8 under their square hoods, puttering them from A to B and back to A again.

But the Dart had several sexier, sportier versions, and the plain-Jane reputation of the model is largely what made these sharper Darts so dang cool. Some of them were true sleepers—dog dish hubcaps and boring paint hiding the oversized eight underneath. Others threw off their pedestrian origins and shouted for attention—loud ’70s colors and hood scoops big enough to nap under. Either way, the fourth-generation Dart is yet another example that the combination of little car plus big engine plus low price can be a winning formula. Five decades after they left the showroom, these cars still offer a tempting value in classic American muscle, despite some recent price gains.

A Dart is born

Back in the 1950s, swoopy Jet Age concept cars with flight-inspired names were a regular sight on the American show circuit, and in 1956 Chrysler debuted a concept by Virgil Exner and Ghia called the “Dart,” followed in 1957 by the “Super Dart 400.” Technically, these were the first Darts, but Chrysler threw the first production, Dodge-branded darts at the board in 1960.

At first, market research suggested the name “Zipp” for some reason, but thankfully Dodge went with Dart for its new downsized, low-priced line. In 1963, Dodge updated its Lancer but axed that name and replaced it with Dart. That series lasted until 1966.

The A-body, 111-inch wheelbase 1963–66 Dart was a good-looking car. Its narrow grille flanked by huge circular headlights on the 1965–66 models are lovely features, and they bear a pleasing resemblance to the Chrysler Turbine. It was also a strong seller against stiff compact competition from the Chevy II/Nova and Ford Falcon, but for speed freaks at the dawn of the muscle car age, it was an easy car to overlook. There was only room for a 273-cubic inch V-8 under the hood—big enough for trips to work, but a little disappointing for those short squirts between stop lights.

In 1967, though, when Chrysler revamped the A-body platform (including the Plymouth Valiant and Barracuda), the Dart’s frame rails grew wider, adding room under the hood for more cubic inches. The 273 stayed on until 1969, but the options list lengthened and the Dart joined a new, smaller breed of American muscle cars. The styling, meanwhile, became more conventional with a mildly muscular three-box design. But if its lines were boring, they only added to the car’s appeal as a sleeper.

Cranking things up with the GTS

Across town, Chevrolet was doing quite well with its own compact muscle car, the Nova SS. As it turned out, plenty of buyers (especially young people) had the need for speed but couldn’t scrape together the coin for one of the bigger mainstream muscle cars. Then, as the muscle car years reached their peak and those bigger, flashier muscle cars attracted punishing insurance premiums, compact muscle cars were able to fly under the radar at lower rates for a while. So, late in the 1967 model year, Dodge introduced the Dart GT Sport (GTS) model. Little changed on the outside, but under the compact’s hood was a relatively gargantuan 383-cubic-inch V-8.

Available as a 2-door hardtop or a convertible, the GTS came back for 1968 with a 340-cubic-inch engine, conservatively rated at 275 hp, as standard. The 383 stayed on as an option. Ticking the GTS box on the order form also added Rallye suspension and a high-flow exhaust. The 383 model included beefier torsion bars, a bigger front antiroll bar, and six-leaf rear springs.

To squeeze the 383 in, the exhaust manifolds had to be modified and there was no room for an air conditioning system or a power steering pump, so parallel parking a 383-equipped GTS in the summer would be no fun at all. The 340 is considerably lighter and better balanced, plus it’s not all that much slower. It is, however, worth significantly less, and therefore a more tempting value.

But as tight a fit as the 383 engine was, a few Darts went even bigger. Hurst, the company that made shifters and occasionally dabbled in performance packages, plopped 370-horse 440-cubic-inch engines into a small number of Darts. The famous Chicago dealer Grand Spaulding Auto Sales also sold 50 of its own 440-powered Darts, called the Grand Spaulding Special (GSS).

Rare Darts with big power

In 1969, Dodge also sold a hardtop-only, M-code 440-powered Dart for drag racing, and right out of the box it could run quarter-mile times in the mid-13s. It wasn’t covered by the factory warranty, only came with a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic, and wore drum brakes on all four wheels. Going is more important than stopping in a drag race, after all. A Sure Grip differential also came standard, while 3.55 or 3.91 gear sets were available. While Dodge sold nearly 200,000 Darts of all kinds in 1969, only about 650 left the factory with the 440 engine in 1968 and ’69.

There were Hemi Darts, too, built for NHRA Super Stock drag race competition. They could hit 10s in the quarter-mile and only about 80 were built, making them one of the rarest classic Mopars. They almost never pop up for sale.

Into the Swing(er) of things

Despite its speed, the Dart GTS was a slow seller and Dodge dropped it after 1969. In its place came the Swinger 340, which included a Hurst-shifted four-speed, Rallye suspension, bumble bee stripes, and 14-inch wheels. “For the Smart Swinger…the Dart Swinger,” said Dodge. For those who weren’t of the era, Merriam-Webster defines the term in period as “a person who is lively, exciting, and fashionable,” and though “swinger” might mean something altogether different today, Dodge still saw fit to bring it back for 2023. I digress …

For 1970, the 383 was no longer available in the Dart, and the Swinger 340 became the sportiest available version. Even though the new Challenger got a lot of attention that year, the fast Darts remained popular and still escaped the high insurance rates hammering other muscle cars. Meanwhile, down at Plymouth, the A-body Duster was selling well and Dodge got its own version for 1971. Legend has it that it was supposed to be called the Dart Beaver, but fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your sense of humor) Dodge went with the name “Demon” instead. The Demon 340 effectively replaced the Swinger 340 as the sportiest Dart that year, and hinted at its speedy pretensions with a dual-scoop matte black hood, hood pins, rear spoiler, and a cute little devil badge on the tail.

Playing up the Dart’s value for money, one ad called it a “nice little piece of news for people who are fiendish about saving” and boasted “when it comes to gas economy, Demon is a regular saint.” For 1972, horsepower was down in the Demon 340, while the devil badge vanished and the hood scoop was revised.

The Dart loses momentum

As the ’70s wore on, the Dart’s story starts to look familiar to any casual student of muscle car history. Tighter emissions rules stripped away performance and high insurance rates made ownership harder, so Mopar muscle dwindled each year. For 1973, Dodge exorcised the Demon and gave its Dart the more church-friendly name of “340 Sport.” Rated at 240 net hp, the Dart 340 Sport was the hottest in the lineup for 1973, while the Swinger lost some of its virility and made do with a 150-hp 318-cubic-inch engine. For 1974, there was a little more displacement with the 360 Sport, rated at 245 hp. But even though the high-horsepower days were in the rearview mirror, Chrysler was the best in the business at getting people to turn their heads with bright colors and loud graphics. The 1974–75 Dart “Hang Ten,” named after the surfwear company, spiced things up with Eggshell White paint, special stripes on the hood, and pinstripes down the body sides ending in graphics of a surfer catching a wave on the tail. On the inside, there were fold-down rear seats with room for a surfboard, bright multi-colored bucket seats, and orange shag carpeting. I don’t know how it could get more ’70s than that.

In 1976, Dodge capitalized on the USA’s bicentennial as a marketing opportunity with the Dart “Spirit of ’76” edition. White paint flanked by pinstripes in red, then blue ending in a profile of an eagle that would make Uncle Sam proud. “Spirit of ’76” decals called out from between the door and the rear wheel as well.

Other than the decals and loud paint, things didn’t get any more interesting for these Disco-era Darts. Sales for 1976 fell to their lowest in years, and for 1977 the F-body Dodge Aspen took up the Chrysler compact mantle. The Dart badge survived in Mexico and South America for a few more years, but the Dart we knew and loved here in America was gone.

The Dart market

When it was new, a V-8-powered Dart appealed to value-oriented buyers who were drawn to speed and fun per dollar. That’s still true today, at least relative to other classic muscle cars. Dart values have tracked mostly steady for quite some time, aside from a slight dip during the 2008–09 recession, a bump in the late 2010s, and a sizable increase during the classic car boom in the early 2020s. Besides the rarest and most exotic performance models, they’re still quite attainable. The median #2 (Excellent) value for 1967–76 Dodge Darts is $14,200, while the average #2 value is $22,500. 1968–74 Chevy Novas, by comparison, carry a median #2 value of $22,100 and an average of $37,800, while 1966–70 Ford Falcons carry a median #2 value of $13,800 and an average of $15,000.

The holy grail of classic Darts, naturally, is the ultra-rare Hemi Dart. Of the few that have come to market, a highly-original Super Stock drag car sold for $330K in 2016, and the same car sold again last year for $302,500. The next step down is the 1968 Dart GSS, which has a #2 value of $119,000. For the factory big-block 1969 GTS 440/375hp it’s $71,400. The Demon 340 and Swinger 340 come in at $42,300, while the 318- and 273-powered Darts are worth significantly less.

Moving further into the 1970s, Darts get even more affordable, and from 1973 on they get downright cheap, with perfect ones not cracking 20 grand.

Surprisingly for a car that’s been around for half a century, the 1967–76 Dart appeals to a broad range of enthusiasts, largely mirroring the composition of the collector car market as a whole. That’s saying something, given the interests of younger enthusiasts and the variety of newer vehicles entering the hobby. Credit the Dart’s low price, unpretentious origins, and customizability.

Whether it’s the terrifyingly fast, hard-to-find big-block Darts or the decaled Darts of the ’70s, these cars are overall affordable and eminently tunable. For those who like to wrench, there are many avenues to personalize and improve a Dart without a lot of coin, and buying one for casual enjoyment won’t break the bank, either.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Insider

The post Want accessible Mopar muscle? Check out Dodge’s ’67–76 Dart appeared first on Hagerty Media.

You probably remember the “Not your father’s Oldsmobile” ads that debuted in 1988 in an attempt to promote the company’s updated front-wheel drive lineup and turn around a precipitous drop in sales. Even as a school-age kid, those 30-second spots fell flat for me. I understood that the sleek new W-body Cutlass was more advanced than my grandma’s late ’70s rusty brown car of the same name, but not my father’s Oldsmobile? Yes, these new cars were the antithesis of muscle, but the ground-pounding 4-4-2s and the occasional Hurst/Olds my dad would go out of his way to steer me toward at car shows were glorious. Why would a company would want to distance themselves from that? If anything, those cars were peak Oldsmobile.

Decades later, we know how well those ads worked. Olds is gone, and for many younger buyers, the name might as well be Studebaker or even Mercer—they just don’t see many classic Oldsmobiles, so it would be easy to consider the brand a dusty relic without fun or interesting models to enjoy.

This is, of course, quite wrong. Oldsmobile’s effort in the muscle car era yielded several eye-catching and entertaining alternatives to the Chevy/Ford/Dodge contingent, and they stand out even today.

1969 Hurst/Olds

Sixties muscle car lore has no shortage of end-around stories—processes that enabled some truly fast and fun cars to come to life despite corporate edicts and other efforts to stymie the horsepower wars. Chevy’s COPO cars are perhaps the most notorious, but the Hurst/Olds deserves a special mention.

George Hurst had an idea. An inveterate hot rodder and creator of the shifter that bore his name, Hurst had established a strong relationship with GM in the early ’60s. In 1967, he approached Pontiac with a plan to get around the corporate ban on engine sizes of greater than 400 cubic inches in mid-size and smaller platforms: Hurst would install the Poncho 428-cubic inch V-8 into completed Firebirds and Pontiac would sell them at their dealerships. While conversations did make it up the ladder with some enthusiasm, the Pontiac deal fell short. Instead, Hurst was pointed to another GM brand that might have interest: Oldsmobile.

This time, the effort gained traction. Oldsmobile dearly wanted to update its image and drive sales of their 4-4-2, which was capable on the street but paled in comparison to Pontiac’s GTO on the sales charts. A Hurst/Olds halo car, with its engine bay filled with the new Oldsmobile 455-cubic inch V-8 while all the other mid-sized cars had to make do with GM’s 400-cube limit, appealed to Oldsmobile chief engineer John Beltz. Ultimately, even with the edict in place, the bigger engines were installed by Oldsmobile itself before the cars were delivered to Hurst for further modification.

The Hurst/Olds debuted in 1968, but the 1969 model is more broadly remembered thanks to its more overt Firefrost Gold over Cameo white paint scheme and mailbox hood scoops wearing “H/O 455” in large gold lettering.

At 380 horsepower and an even 500 lb-ft of torque, the 455 in the ’69 Hurst/Olds didn’t disappoint, though it had 10 hp less than the non-AC models from 1968. Zero-to-60 took a brisk 6 seconds and the quarter mile went by in 14—not the top of the muscle car heap, but still plenty quick. The only option for shifting was the TH-400 three-speed automatic topped with, you guessed it, a Hurst shifter that had the standard pattern along with another gate that enabled shifting through the forward gears without the possibility of engaging park or reverse.

In addition to the engine, hood scoop, shifter, and hallmark color scheme, a large rear wing, special door mirrors, grey 15×7-inch wheels, Hurst/Olds emblems, and a registration dash plaque (provided when the original buyers sent in their information) completed the package. According to the Hurst/Olds Club of America, 906 ’69 Hurst/Olds were made, all of which were coupes except for three convertibles used by Hurst for promotional activity (other sources put that number at two).

Unlike many muscle cars, the Hurst/Olds did not see a value bump during the pandemic. It did, however, begin to see its values drop as the market began to cool in 2022. A #2 excellent condition car is valued at $63,500, while a #3 car comes in at $46,600, which sounds affordable compared with other rare muscle with similarly interesting history. Hagerty Price Guide editor Greg Ingold elaborates:

“The main downside is that they’re all equipped with automatics, which might be a detractor to non-Oldsmobile enthusiasts. Couple that with the fact that when Hurst/Olds come up for sale, they’re not often in show condition—a lot are driver-quality cars. That may drag the average down somewhat.”

1970 4-4-2 W-30

What a difference a year makes. The brass at GM finally decided to lift its engine displacement limitations for the 1970 model year, and suddenly Olds didn’t need the Hurst side door operation to fit the 455 into its A-body muscle car—it was now standard in the 4-4-2. As a result, the Hurst/Olds was shelved and the 4-4-2 with the W-30 package became the top dog with a healthy 370 horses and 500 lb-ft of torque, just shy of the the Hurst/Olds’ 380. Hurst wasn’t completely missing from the picture—buyers who opted for the TH 400 automatic got the dual-gate shifter (a heavy duty four-speed manual was also available).

The W-30 package consisted of quite a few engine tweaks given the five-horse advantage it held over the base 455—different heads, an aluminum intake manifold, and a unique camshaft were the primary changes. Though these engines didn’t wind out the tach, torque is the Olds 455’s calling card, and it had plenty of it.

Other elements of the package include a dual-scoop fiberglass hood that leads air to a vacuum-actuated opening to the air cleaner, front disc brakes, and its handsome appearance elements. Though a cheaper car than the Hurst/Olds when new, the W-30 only fared nominally better than the Hurst/Olds in the sales department. 3100 ’70 W-30s were sold across three body styles, with only 264 convertibles produced.

Today, despite the greater number of cars, lower horsepower rating, and less tantalizing backstory, the ’70 W-30 holds a commanding value advantage over the Hurst/Olds—#2 W-30s are almost 40 grand more expensive at $103,000, and good-condition driver values are just under $75,000. The W-30 enjoyed a dramatic bump during the pandemic, with #2 values cresting $130,000 in July of 2022 before settling just above pre-pandemic values in the last Price Guide.

1970 Cutlass Rallye 350

An outgrowth of the Hurst program though it was built in-house, the Cutlass Rallye 350 offered all the show (and then some) along with a portion of the go of its more muscular siblings. Debuting in 1970 and lasting only that model year, it’s not an overstatement to say that the Rallye 350 is one of most visually distinctive Oldsmobiles ever produced.

Even for the rainbow-hued colorful peak of the muscle car era, the Cutlass Rallye 350 wore a lot of yellow. The bumpers, typically chrome-plated, were instead urethane-coated and slathered in the same Sebring Yellow as the body, and the wheels eschewed the usual chrome trim rings for full effect. Shiny bits trimmed the glass and grille, and strokes of black decals along its flanks and hood scoops added definition to the car’s lines—those are the only concessions to the car’s otherwise completely sunny disposition.

As attention-getting as its exterior was, the Rallye 350 wasn’t going to win many races, but it wasn’t a boat anchor, either. At 310 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, the 350-cubic inch L74 engine was powerful enough to ensure that buyers wouldn’t be embarrassed on the street while also avoiding big-block-level insurance premiums. Transmission options included three- and four-speed manuals as well as the Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 three-speed automatic, and the differential had optional “Anti-Spin,” Olds’ term for limited slip, and 3.23-, 3.42-, or 3.91:1 gear sets. Optimally set up, the Rallye 350 would find 60 in seven seconds and run the quarter in the low 15-second range.

Whether buyers weren’t sure what to do with such a flashy car from a typically staid company, or there was a lack of understanding of how to promote this mid-range muscle car, the Rallye 350 didn’t fare well on the sales floor—only 3547 units were produced. Modern buyers can expect to pay about 50 grand for an excellent example, while a good driver can be had for under $35,000. The Rallye 350 saw a significant bump in value in 2021 and has remained stable since then.

It turns out that I may not have been the only one who had a family member who shared with them how cool these cars could be. Millennials are showing interest in their father’s (or is it their grandfather’s?) Oldsmobiles, with a significant 22 percent share among Cutlass buyer (the Rallye 350 is categorized with the Cutlass). That their portion of 4-4-2 ownership is slightly less makes sense given that car’s higher values. Gen X represents about a third of Cutlass and 4-4-2 buyers, while boomers continue to hold strong in both. Though values are flat for the Rallye 350 and trending down for the Hurst/Olds and ’70 W-30, interest among younger buyers appears to be significant enough to suggest that Olds muscle will continue to remain a popular, if slightly niche, alternative option in the segment.

Oldsmobile struggled with its image, on and off, for decades. From performance V-8 trailblazer in the ’50s, to a reputation as an old person’s car in the ’60s before these A-body muscle cars arrived, to a sales leader, to an old person’s car yet again before its death as a brand in 2004, the company nonetheless did have some great and characterful efforts. The Hurst/Olds, W-30, and Rallye 350 represented a shining moment for the brand. Which of these three would you pick?

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Insider

The post 3 Oldsmobiles from the brand’s youthful, exuberant heyday appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Chrysler has an extensive history of growing forbidden fruit outside of its home market. The most famous example is early-1970s the Australian Valiant Charger, a Hemi-headed, six-cylinder muscle machine that tore up the Outback during roughly the same years that its Detroit-built cousins were cruising Woodward Avenue.

Even more obscure is the coupe of the same name—and era—that was built and sold exclusively in a single South American country.

Brazil’s Dodge Charger, like its Down Under contemporary, rode on Chrysler’s familiar A-body platform but went in an almost entirely different direction when it came to styling and performance. Chrysler elbowed its way into the Portuguese-speaking nation by buying out French automaker Simca’s operation there, yielding a mix of European and American design aimed at Brazilian buyers. That combination, perhaps unsurprisingly, led to a truly unique vehicle that puzzles even diehard fans of the Dodge brand.

Examples of this alt-Charger are rarely seen away from the streets of Sao Paolo. But if you hit Montreal, Quebec during the summer months you may cross paths with Joao Felipe Heck, owner of the only Brazilian Charger currently roaming North America.

A Dart by any other name

Chrysler introduced the Dart to Brazil in 1969, specifically the four-door model that had originally debuted in the U.S. three years earlier. As of 1971, a coupe joined the lineup and adopted the Charger name, selling in R/T, LS, and SE trim levels.

While this early-Charger-redux’s profile will be immediately familiar to anyone with an eye for A-bodies, there are a few key visual differentiators compared with its American counterpart. The most obvious is the roofline, which was extended to match the flying buttress look of the larger B-body Charger. Most unusual is the full-frontal grille that shrouds the vehicle’s headlights.

Heck’s car is a 1976 model, and as he explains, such latecomer Chargers contain very few differences from the initial run.

“The entire car is basically a 1969 Dart,” he said. “Only very small changes were made over the course the first few years of production,” including the introduction of a split grille in 1973 and a few taillight updates. “The easiest way to identify model years for early Chargers are the side stripes, which changed every year.”

The entire Brazilian Dart family was updated for 1979, mixing American cues from ’73 at the front and ’74 at the rear. The Charger got chunkier, matching the “Magnum” luxury coupe that rode on the same bones. Although it remained in the lineup until 1981, the new luxury look effectively ended the coupe’s reputation for sportiness, with the R/T disappearing a year before overall production was terminated. The timing was no coincidence: Volkswagen had already negotiated the purchase of Chrysler’s alarmingly bankrupt Brazilian manufacturing base in ’79, the same year the Charger underwent its only major facelift.

“If you look at the final year Dart, all of the VIN plates say “Volkswagen Trucks,” said Heck, with a laugh.

V-8 street warrior

While the look of the Brazilian Charger experienced a late-life re-think, its drivetrain remained remarkably consistent throughout its tenure in Dodge showrooms. Right from the beginning the coupe was equipped exclusively with a 318-cubic-inch version of the LA V-8, good for around 200 horsepower on the basic Dart and Charger and 230 horsepower for higher-compression versions. A three-speed manual was originally standard, with a four-speed and an automatic later joining the party.

While 318 cubes might not seem like much in light of the big-block arms race meanwhile playing out in America, in Brazil it helped make the Charger a top dog when it came to street action.

“Brazil banned imports from 1974 all the way until the early ’90s, because it was trying to develop its own national automotive industry,” explained Heck. This meant that the Charger’s main competition in terms of performance was the Ford Maverick (which sold a handful of V-8 models in a sea of six and four-cylinder editions), and the Chevrolet Opala (a re-skin of the Opel Rekord that never offered an eight-cylinder engine).

“When I was growing up in Brazil, it was very much Opala vs. Charger out on the streets,”Heck reflected. “The Chevrolet’s V-6 was strong even against the Dodge’s V-8, which was pretty terrible with a restrictive, leaky carb from the factory. The first thing we did back then was rip it off and replace it with a Quadrajet.”

Making the migration

Heck’s ’76 Charger took a circuitous path from its native Brazil to the chillier climes of Quebec.

“I bought the car in 1989 from the estate of the original owner. I was 17, and I had grown up around my father’s Chargers, so it made perfect sense as my first car,” he said.

After handing over $1500, Heck began meeting other people who shared his automotive passion, and it wasn’t long before a group of like-minded Mopar fans got together and rented a small warehouse where they could wrench. “I essentially spent my 20s there,” he said. “We had a kitchen, BBQ, tools, the whole setup, where we could party and rip our cars apart.”

Heck’s Charger was clean and straight from the beginning, although the interior had been destroyed by the previous owner’s unusual attempt to restore its leather seats by painting them. “Originally it was white with a black vinyl roof, completely rust-free. Over time it collected dings here and there, because we were young and getting a little crazy, and I eventually repainted it Plum Crazy, a color I loved but that we never had in Brazil.”

When Heck moved to Canada in 2001 he left the Charger at his father’s place back home and spent years settling for brief drives during family visits. In 2008, with enough garage space of his own in Montreal, he finally arranged for his beloved coupe to be transported the 5000 miles or so up the coast, a journey that required a container, a truck, two different cargo ships, and finally a train ride across the U.S.-Canada border before they were reunited for good.

Although he downplays his personal mechanical ability, Heck has always done all of the work on his Charger himself. That didn’t change once the car was back in his life on a permanent basis. The 318 had been warmed up with a small cam and headers, but it eventually snapped a valve spring and damaged the cam lobes, which gave him the opportunity to upgrade to a 400-horsepower, 408-cubic-inch small-block crate stroker from Summit Racing. Later, he fit a Holley Sniper fuel injection system and moved from a four-speed to a five-speed gearbox to help improve the car’s street manners.

Under-the-hood work was relatively straightforward and trouble-free (with the car still making use of its factory AC system today), but other repairs proved challenging given the Brazilian Charger’s mixed heritage.

“When the differential went bad, that’s where the problems started,” said Heck. “Since Chrysler was using Simca’s manufacturing facilities to build the Charger, the bolt pattern as well as the differential on the car are completely different compared to an American Dart. I ended up having to replace the entire axle along with the differential, which meant I had to change the hubs, rims, and brakes at all four corners. All because of a broken differential!”

Heck also took it upon himself to replace the worn wiring harness that was original to the car with a new, 22-channel setup over the course of a cold winter season. “It was a real patience project,” he said, but the upside was a clean, near-invisible installation and improved reliability all around.

Remember those buttresses, unique to the Brazilian model? They posed the only true body restoration snafu; the rest of the car’s metal was solid.

“Dodges from that era have a reputation for water getting in behind the windshield and under the vinyl roof covering and causing rust,” explained Joao Felipe. “For the Charger it was worse, because the welds to extend the C-pillar were of questionable quality from the factory. I eventually had a local craftsperson build a new set out of steel and graft them on in place of mine, which had completely corroded.”

Eyeball magnet

Heck’s drives his ’76 every chance he gets, and with the fuel injection system and the overdrive transmission the Charger is remarkably good in modern traffic. It can cruise at highway speeds all day at under 2000 rpm, and it has been outfitted with a larger, truck-spec muffler to fight against highway drone.

On our ride-along, the Charger’s lumpy idle and otherworldly exhaust note gave it an aura of menace, its ’60s-era handling balanced out by slingshot half-throttle blasts that threaten to snap the neck of any passengers not paying attention.

“Sometimes it’s a bit too wild at traffic lights, or in stop-and-go, where the cam makes it less than user-friendly,” he said. “The real danger I run into isn’t the car itself, but the reactions of people around me. There’s always someone zooming up alongside with one hand on the wheel and the other hand on their camera phone, which can be a bit harrowing and requires you to pay extra careful attention to everyone else on the road at all times.”

That kind of attention is likely familiar to any custodian of a sharp classic. But when your ride is painted an eye-searing purple, hails from another continent, and blends design cues from two of the most popular muscle cars of all time, it’s safe to say that the curiosity knob gets turned up to 11. Heck’s Charger might be the only one of its kind roaming above the Equator, but at the very least it will never be lonely.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Tropical Thunder: ’76 Brazilian Charger stands alone in North America appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Dodge has closed the order books on the Hemi-powered Challenger and Charger, ending a chapter in Mopar muscle history that may have well been titled “Democritizing Horsepower.” The pair of vehicles enjoyed immense popularity, a testament to both their grin-inducing performance and Dodge’s ability to keep a finger on the pulse of enthusiasts. The cars have had a long run—from 2006 to 2023—and Dodge kept them fresh with nods to the company’s performance history while continuing to raise the bar on what’s expected from a factory muscle car.

As Mother Mopar embraces turbocharged inline-six power and electrification to give its customers the performance they expect, these V-8-powered cars will surely become collectible—some already have. You may know your 6.1-liters from your 6.4s, and your Hellcats from your Hellcat Redeyes, but there were so many limited-production Hemi-powered Challengers and Chargers that we’re sure that at least one slipped your mind by now. Heck, we probably missed one or two ourselves. Let’s start the count.

2006–2009 Charger Daytona R/T

Squeezing an extra 10 ponies out of the early 5.7-liter Hemi, for a total of 350, the Daytona R/T package set itself apart visually with its unique fascia, chin spoiler, graphics, and colors. Throwback high-impact colors for 2006 were Go ManGo!, Top Banana, and TorRed. Black hood and fender graphics proclaim the car’s Hemi powerplant and Daytona racing pedigree, respectively.

For 2007, Sub Lime Green and Plum Crazy Purple were the high-impact colors of choice, and in 2008, a new strobe stripe package near the rocker panel debuted over Hemi Orange. The last year was 2009, where Stone White was the sole paint option, and power was up to 368 hp, as it was across the Charger lineup. An optional R/T Performance Group upped output to 372 hp.

2007–2009 Charger Super Bee

A similar recipe to the Daytona, the Super Bee channeled Dodge’s other B-body muscle car with a package akin to the Daytona R/T, this time with 6.1-liter power. The 425-hp engine was highlighted by Detonator Yellow paint and black hood and quarter panel graphics. Dodge built 1000 for 2007 and another 1000 in 2008, when the color was switched to B5 Blue. Just 425 were offered in 2009, this time in Hemi Orange.

2008 SRT8 Challenger

Dodge kicked off the return of the Challenger with a 425-hp, Hemi-powered, limited edition available in Hemi Orange, Bright Silver Metallic, or Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat. The hood stripes resembled carbon fiber. Inside, a numbered plaque charted the car’s place in the 6900-unit production run.

2009 and 2010 Challenger Drag Pak

Dodge gave sportsman drag racers a head start to build their own 1/4-mile machines with 100 Drag Pak Challengers in 2009. These cars cars were bare-bones: They didn’t include a roll cage, rear suspension, wiring, or transmission. You could order yours with one of four V-8s. A 5.9-liter Magnum was available for fans of the older small-block, but buyers could also choose one of three Hemis: 5.7, 6.1, or 392. Drag Paks returned in 2010 but with 6.1-liter power only.

Mopar ’10 Challenger

Available in black, red, and silver, the Mopar ’10 Challenger started with a 5.7-liter Hemi-powered variant and added a hood scoop and cold air intake along with front and rear strut-tower braces. Inside, the upholstery was upgraded with Katzkin leather seats.

Mopar ’11 Charger

Black with blue stripes, the Mopar ’11 Charger was built on the R/T with a 5.7-liter Hemi and came with the Super Track Pak, which swapped in a 3.91:1 rear differential, bigger brakes, stiffer sway bars, and Goodyear F1 tires. To set it apart from the regular Track pack Chargers, the Mopar ’11 got front and rear strut tower braces plus custom stitching on the steering wheel and a pistol-grip shifter for its five-speed automatic. Production was limited to 1000 examples.

2011 Challenger Drag Pak

Dodge really stepped things up for 2011, offering not just a shell and some cool racing components, but a complete race car that included a P0werglide transmission and a 9-inch, solid rear axle (Dodge would sometimes jokingly refer to it as an 8 and four-quarter rear axle). Mopar also went big with the engine, dropping the Viper’s 512-cubic-inch V-10 into the stripped-down chassis. It had an optional eight-point cage to help racers get up and running sooner, and only 70 were offered for sale.

But wait, isn’t this list about V-8-powered Challengers? Yeah, but it’s our list, and you can’t say that a V-10 doesn’t have eight cylinders arranged in a V. It just also happens to have two more.

2012 Charger Super Bee

After going on hiatus, Super Bee returned in 2012. In the meantime, the Charger had been updated with some exterior styling changes and a significant interior upgrade. On the performance front, the 6.1-liter Hemi was retired in favor of the 485-hp 6.4-liter Hemi. Super Bees were available in Stinger Yellow and Pitch Black.

2013 Charger Daytona

Dodge built 2500 copies of the 2013 Charger Daytona in four shades: Daytona Blue, Bright White, Billet Silver, and Pitch Black. The package included a 552-watt, 10-speaker Beats Audio System; 20-inch, brushed-aluminum five-spoke wheels; a performance-tuned suspension; and a satin black grille to match the vinyl graphics on the hood, roof, and quarter panels. Buyers could opt for the Daytona package in Charger R/T or the redundantly named Charger R/T Road & Track trims. The latter added Nappa leather/suede seats that were also heated and ventilated.

2013 SRT8 392 Appearance Package

Only 392 copies of this package were available, in five colors: Bright White, Billet Silver Metallic, Plum Crazy Pearl, Hemi Orange Pearl, and TorRed. True to the edition’s name, the options were appearance-related and included a roof, hood power bulge, side mirrors, and rear spoiler finished in Pitch Black to match the 20-inch wheels. A serialized dash plaque proclaimed the car’s production order. All SRT8s with this Appearance Package also received a pair of custom-designed, gloss black “392 HEMI” fender badges accented with a charcoal grey metallic insert.

Mopar ’14 Challenger

This was a truly unique Mopar variant, as the ’14 came in Bright White or Gloss Black with the option of three different blue stripe packages. Black 20-inch wheels, a black grille, and a black spoiler and fuel door offer either matching or contrasting accents. Where things get really interesting was at the Mopar Custom Shop, which offered to install options including performance suspension, hood pins, cat-back exhaust, and a short-throw shifter. Between that array of choices, each of the 100 Mopar ’14 models could be a one-of-a-kind muscle car.

2014 Challenger and Charger 100th Anniversary Edition

Dodge celebrated its 100th anniversary with this pair, which were available in V-6 or V-8 flavors in Pitch Black, Bright White, Billet Silver, Granite Crystal, Ivory Tri-Coat, Phantom Black Tri-Coat, Header Orange, or the exclusive High Octane Red Pearl Coat. The R/T Plus package used the 370-hp 5.7-liter Hemi and included Molten Red or Foundry Black Nappa leather, 20-inch wheels, and unique badging inside and out, with “Dodge Est. 1914” badges in the seatbacks.

Mopar ’15 Charger

Proving Mopar’s reputation for factory performance parts, the Mopar Charger added a new tune to go along with an intake and exhaust that upped the 5.7-liter Hemi’s output by 18 ponies, up to 388 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. Only 50 cars with the upgrade packages were built.

2015 Challenger Drag Pak

With competition heating up, Dodge added a supercharged 354-cubic-inch Hemi and naturally aspirated 426 Gen III Hemi to the Drag Pak ordering sheet, creating an even more formidable track beast. Aside from their bold graphics, you can identify later Drag Pak cars by their hinged hoods; all earlier Drag Paks use pins. The supercharged version was limited to 35 copies, while the 426 was limited to 25.

Mopar ’17 Challenger

Once again based on a 392 Hemi Challenger, the Mopar ’17 was limited to 160 units, evenly split between Pitch Black over Contusion Blue and Pitch Black over Billet Silver. The two-tone is an easy giveaway, but so are the custom painted “392” fender emblems, each of which uses the trademark Mopar M turned sideways to make the 3.

2018 Challenger Demon

Just 3300 copies were made of the dragstrip-prepped, über muscle car. The Demon was all that the automotive press could talk about when it was launched—and for good reason. The supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi engine featured a 2.7-liter supercharger and came with a “Demon Crate” that included a tuner to unlock the engine’s full potential on race gas: a staggering 840 hp.

The Demon used all kinds of interesting drag racing tricks to hook up on the track and launch hard. It passed intake air past the air conditioning to chill it, and it had the first factory application of a transbrake. With skinny tires up front (also included in the crate) and drag radials out back, the Demon was capable of 9-second quarter-mile elapsed times.

Mopar ’19

Just 100 copies of the Mopar ’19 Challenger were built, and they set themselves apart with asymmetrical stripes that swerved around their shaker hood scoops. This special edition was built on the R/T Scat Pack, so each is powered by the 485-hp Hemi 392.

2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak

Only 50 of these track-only racers were built, and they are each powered by a supercharged 345-cubic-inch Hemi that uses a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger and a charge cooler that was meant to hold ice to keep intake temps down. Each came with a TIG-welded 4130 chromoly rollcage certified by the NHRA for elapsed times as low as 7.50 seconds.

Last Call

As a sendoff for the Hemi cars, Dodge created a wide array of limited-edition models for 2023, and each was trickled out over several weeks.

2023 Challenger Black Ghost

Built to honor the legendary Detroit street racer, the Black Ghost featured a black “Gator Skin” roof on top of its black paint and was built on the Hellcat Redeye Widebody, meaning it had 807 hp. Just 300 were built.

2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown

Limited to 1000 models split between R/T Scat Pack models in Destroyer Gray and R/T Scat Pack Widebody in Pitch Black, the Shakedown was built following the formula of the restomod Challenger Shakedown shown at the 2016 SEMA Show. Stripes similar to the Mopar ’19 keep to the black and red theme, which is also carried out by the red “392” fender graphics, Shakedown spoiler graphic, red Brembo brake calipers, and Alcantara seats with red stitching.

2023 Charger Super Bee

Super Bee returned for one last hurrah with 1000 limited edition copies divided between 500 Charger Scat Packs in B5 Blue and 500 Charger Scat Pack Widebodys in Plum Crazy. No matter the color, each Super Bee showed off Super Bee hood graphics on its SRT hood, SRT exhaust tips, and black Mopar hood pins. Dragstrip performance was enhanced with 20×9.5-inch knurled wheels with 275 drag radials on the Scat Packs and 18×11-inch drag wheels with 315 drag radials on the Widebodys.

2023 Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger

Another retro-inspired package, the limited edition Swinger was available on both Challenger and Charger models, both in Scat Pack Widebody flavor. The package’s features were skewed toward aesthetics with “Gold School” finished grille badges, Shaker intake (on the Challenger), and 20×11-inch wheels. The interiors featured green and woodgrain touches. Buyers could select from three exterior color options: F8 Green, Sublime Green, or White Knuckle.

2023 Charger King Daytona

Honoring Willie “Big Willie” Robinson, whose 1969 Dodge Charger drag racer was nicknamed “King Daytona,” 300 copies of this orange special edition SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody were built in Go Mango. Horsepower was bumped from 797 to 807 hp. Telltale details included King Daytona rear fender graphics in satin black with matching hood and roof graphics, orange six-piston Brembo brakes, 20×11-inch Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels, and Satin Chrome exterior badges.

2023 Challenger Demon 170

We thought we’d seen the meanest drag-prepped street car when the Demon hit the strip, but the Demon 170 turns it up even higher with a larger supercharger and an E85 tune that churns out 1025 hp! It revs higher, pulls harder, and its drag radials scrape for traction as it trips the beams in the quarter-mile in the eight-second range.

Mopar ’23

Just when we thought they’d wrapped it up, Mopar dropped this duo. For the first time, the Mopar limited edition would come in two different 392 Hemi-powered widebody models, Challenger and Charger, with production capped at 220 of each model. Available only in Pitch Black, the Mopar ’23 models can be distinguished by their blue accents, including striping, Mopar emblems, and brake calipers. Another tell is an exclusive carbon fiber decklid spoiler.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Every limited-edition V-8 Challenger and Charger from 2006 on appeared first on Hagerty Media.

When we first met John Wick, way back in 2014, his ride was a ’69 Ford Mustang Boss 429 (really a Mach 1). In the film it’s more than a machine, it’s a memento, a reminder of his late wife Helen. To John, a retired bullet-slinging hitman, it’s a car worth killing for; after Helen’s death, the loss of her final gift to him—a beagle puppy named Daisy—and the theft of his Mustang leads John back into his old life as a mythic assassin capable of dizzying carnage.

In an interview with Hagerty, John Wick 4 director Chad Stahelski expounded on what makes muscle cars so integral to these films:

“There’s something cool and intrinsic about the kind of action we’re doing—Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, that kind of generation grew up with those kind of cars, so I think they’re affiliated with that kind of muscle, that masculinity. [ . . . ] “So that’s why we chose them back in the first movie. It relates to the time period of the action films we wanted to go back to.”

The classic rides are key to this franchise’s throwback action-flick feel, and from the beginning John Wick movies have showcased a love for American muscle. In John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John has unfinished business: to recover his stolen Mustang, he drives a ’70 Chevy Chevelle. But the saga’s third installment (2019) was noticeably lacking in the muscle we’d come to associate with the character. Thankfully, John Wick: Chapter 4 makes it up to us when John—out of nowhere—ends up in a ’71 Cuda while he fights for his life in Paris.

As it turns out, credit goes to podcast host Joe Rogan not just for the return of muscle cars to the franchise, but for the selection of the Cuda specifically. Stahelski met Rogan at the shooting range Taran Tactical Innovations in Simi Valley when they were introduced by its owner, Taran Butler. Rogan immediately complained to Stahelski about the dearth of muscle cars in John Wick’s third chapter.

“Look, I love the movies,” Rogan said, according to Stahelski. “But what the f***, man? Why were there no muscle cars in [Chapter 3]? I love muscle cars.” Stahelski confessed, “Actually, we had done a sequence but I just ran out of money, I ran out of time. So we had to lose an action bit, and that was the car chase.”

The filmmaker made a mental note of the encounter. Cut to a year later, Stahelski was working on Chapter 4 and texted Rogan: “We’re getting ready to do the next thing. If you could pick any car to put in a movie, what would you pick?” Without hesitation, Rogan replied: “’71 Barracuda.” Stahelski explains, “He sent me a picture. And I still have it, the exact Barracuda that’s in the movie is what he sent me.”

The Cuda is the star of a sequence set in the world’s most hellish place to drive: the roundabout surrounding the Arc de Triomphe. The bounty on John’s head keeps increasing, and one of the Parisian goons who wants it rams into John Wick with his Cuda; unfortunately for this hopeful henchman, John survives and lands on the car’s hood. As per usual, things do not end well for John’s opponent. John shoots him through the windshield and then commandeers the car, using it like a battering ram and ripping the doors off in the process.

The doorless Cuda only makes John deadlier, allowing him to drive circles around his adversaries, shooting them with ease. Eventually, though, the car flips, helpfully becoming John’s shield from gunfire (and oncoming traffic).

Keanu Reeves is in that driver’s seat for real, by the way. It took about five months to train him for this sequence: “We took the car-driving to the next level, which I really enjoy,” Keanu Reeves told Total Film. “There’s 180s, forward-into-reverse 180s, reverse-into-forward 270s, drifting … so it was really fun to get a chance to learn those skills, and to play.”

In Chapter 4, the roundabout around the Arc proves an even more harrowing labyrinth than usual, the sequence evolving into a Frogger-like game where everyone involved has to avoid getting shot and hit by vehicles. Planning this scene was a logistical nightmare. The roundabout was recreated to the inch at Tegel Airport in Berlin. To avoid miscommunications and overcome the language barrier, Stahelski’s stunt team planned for every worst-case scenario imaginable. Different-colored cones were used to divide lanes. So Keanu Reeves, Marko Zaror (Chidi), Shamier Anderson (the Tracker), the stunt drivers, and the camera crew knew where to be at all times. If they stayed in their lane, they wouldn’t get hit.

“It’s literally like playing Twister,” Stahelski said. “They know exactly where to step. Our cars know exactly what lane, they’re all color-coded. We’re taking any miscommunications out of the system. You just have to go, ‘look at blue, blue, stay in blue.’ And then we get that, and we rehearse and rehearse, and then you figure out, what if somebody still gets confused? Where’s the outs, so every other car is staggered, so everyone’s always got room to swerve? And then it’s rehearsed and rehearsed, and rehearsed, and rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed, with the camera team with it.”

And the production doesn’t simply have to worry about the stunt guys getting hit by just one car — if someone had been hit, forty more cars would be hurtling their way. To prevent this, “we put them on these wires, we have a big grid above so the guys are actually taking a car hit with the wire to make sure he doesn’t go too far, and then we put him down,” Stahelski said. “And if they do [get hit], we can stop him from being run over by another.”

Thanks to this thorough, careful planning and all the safety precautions they put in place, no one was injured beyond a few bumps and bruises. The cars weren’t so lucky, however: five cars heavily modified for stunts were used, but unfortunately, only one survived.

The Cuda is a bit of callback to John’s Mustang in Chapter 2’s opening sequence, though only one of the Mustang’s doors is ripped off, not two. It feels like the Mustang’s avenging ghost. It also evokes Christine, the possessed Plymouth Fury in John Carpenter’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel. With John Wick at the wheel, the car feels possessed, fearsome, a glossy-black demon with Cragar-style wheels, a twin scoop rally hood, and dual headlights. Considering Reeves had to stay on top of the car while it was in motion, the twin scoop rally hood was probably a little more comfortable and easier to hold on to than the shaker hood that denotes a 426 Hemi.

The Barracuda began its life as a riff on the Plymouth Valiant made with a small-block engine. Released just two weeks before the Ford Mustang in 1964, it was technically the first pony car. By 1969, though, Plymouth had beefed up their humble machine and launched the Cuda, their performance package: the fastest and most powerful that they had to offer, capable of speeds up to approximately 130 mph. And those outfitted with a 426 Hemi engine could close in on speeds of 144 mph. Like the Dodge Challenger, it was built on Chrysler’s E-body. (Sometimes they used a Chrysler B-body to fit the biggest V-8 engines.)

The car was beast-like by design, modeled after its namesake: the new grille was designed “to suggest barracuda fish teeth,” according to Chrysler designer Diran Yazejian, and the front fenders’ “simulated chrome inset louvers suggested gills.” That makes 1971 perhaps the most aggressive-looking model year of the Barracuda, and menace is an essential characteristic of any car driven by John Wick. The aesthetic of the car coupled with the power under its hood make this ideal for John to drive—and to weaponize.

These movies have never featured a straightforward car chase. But it feels right for the character: John Wick fights in close quarters, his kills are intimate, up close and personal. The car feels like an extension of John’s body. As Stahelski explained, this was born of an ethos espoused by self-defense expert Marc MacYoung: “…anything you pick up or anything you use as an extension of your will, the will to conquer another, the will to win, the will to kill, the will to survive dominates anything and you will use anything in your reach, power, grasp, opportunity to use that to survive. I always thought that was a cool thing. If you describe John Wick in one word, it would be ‘willpower.’ Anything he touches—from a pencil to a Mustang to a Barracuda to a staircase to a waterfall—this guy’s using it to survive.”

From a budget perspective, a car chase is never an easy sell. It didn’t make sense even for the first John Wick, which only had a $20 million budget. “For your audience out there, cars become very expensive because you’re not moving quickly, and every car is anywhere from ten to hundreds of thousands of dollars per what you’re using,” says Stahelski. “Once you get up to 40 to 50 miles an hour you’re covering city blocks, you have to lock it off, you have to light it late at night. Car chases are logistically more complicated and more expensive than most other action sequences. Even without visual effects, they’re expensive. If you really look at most car chases, it’s a lot of what we call ‘shoe leather.’ It’s going straight fast, wiping by, tracking, or turning corners. You’re trying to tie the chase together. Even to do the simplest car chases, they take time and money. They’re really not worth the bang for their buck unless you have the money to do something cool.”

And doing something cool is Stahelski’s priority, his filmmaking raison d’être. Credit a philosophy that blends Marcus Aurelius (“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way”) as well as Jackie Chan’s approach to action (“make it hard!”), Chad Stahelski and his stunt team create action sequences that push the envelope: like the aerial view of a gunfight involving dragon’s breath rounds, a chase through New York on horseback, or swordfighting on Yamaha MT-09 motorbikes.

This is how Stahelski and co-director of the first John Wick David Leitch came up with what they dubbed “car-fu,” opting for car fights instead of car chases. “When we did the first [John Wick], we knew we didn’t have much money, but we wanted to do something cool. So we’re like, F*** it, we’re just gonna do gun-fu, we’re gonna do car-fu. We’ll make it bumper cars, demolition derby. John Wick is gonna use the car as a weapon. And we’ll limit ourselves to just this one stretch, and we’re just going to bash everything with it. [ . . . ] We’ll just contain it, and make it very violent.”

Inventive, brutal fights that showcase classic cars ensued. The Arc de Triomphe showdown might just be Stahelski and his team’s best work yet, boasting some truly transcendent vehicular action. It’s an unforgettable spectacle that establishes its star Cuda as a new icon in the pantheon of cinematic cars.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post <em>John Wick 4</em> delivers muscle “car-fu” in a Cuda appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Independence Day is a logical time to focus on the vehicles that scream “America.” Of course, this is a subjective category, and an exhaustive list is impossible. We put our heads together to find five exceptionally patriotic vehicles, from military trucks that helped win wars to race cars that put the U.S. on the world stage, but the exercise would be incomplete without your input.

Don’t agree with our choices? Want to add some all-American automotive heroes of your own? Share them in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you.

5. 1946–80 Dodge Power Wagon

The original Power Wagon was based on a WWII vintage ¾-ton pickup truck. In 1946, the flat-fender trucks became the first mass-produced civilian 4×4 vehicles, paving the way for some of the earliest 4×4-equipped half-ton trucks in the 1950s.

Though Ram still makes an off-road-oriented pickup with the same name, the O.G. Power Wagon is the true granddaddy of every serious 4×4 pickup. (Like the early Bronco and FJ Cruiser, it has even spawned high-dollar restomods, like this one by Legacy Classic Trucks.) That, combined with its military lineage, makes it one very patriotic truck.

4. 1967 Gurney Eagle-Weslake Formula 1 car

Formula 1 has always been a European-dominated show. American drivers like Phil Hill, Peter Revson, Masten Gregory, Eddie Cheever, and Brett Lunger were rare, but Dan Gurney not only competed in Formula 1 but did so in a car of his own construction.

While not particularly successful, the Eagle-Weslake T1G is generally regarded as one of the most beautiful race cars ever and its single victory at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix in the hands of Dan Gurney himself remains the only Formula 1 win for a U.S.-built car.

3. 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda

Dan Gurney is perhaps the most patriotic American to have competed in international motorsports, even if his debut at the Indianapolis 500 was in a Lotus. Few other race-car drivers, wrote Sam Smith, “embodied the distinctly American notion that anything is possible because … well, why not?”

The All American Racers, or AAR, ‘Cuda was the street version of the car that Gurney campaigned in the SCCA Trans Am road racing series. The 340-powered, Six Barrel ‘Cuda was one of the most charismatic cars of the muscle-car era, and among the least common: Only 2724 were built, all in 1970. You’ll know an AAR ‘Cuda by those unmistakable strobe side-stripes.

2. 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible

For 1976, the final year of the full-size GM convertible, the Eldosaurus was available in a special edition of just 200 cars that became known as “Bicentennial Eldorados” because of their Cotillion White paint and red accents (to which many dealers added blue pinstriping). Except, perhaps, for a race-liveried AMC Javelin, a car doesn’t get much more patriotic than a red, white, and blue Cadillac.

1. 1941–45 Willys MB “Jeep”

Synonymous with The Greatest Generation, the Willys Jeep spawned countless versions of the civilian CJ. However, it’s the original WWII- and Korean War–era vintage military vehicles that are among the most patriotic vehicles of all time.

Want to know more about this scrappy vehicle? Check out this feature story from 2019, when Aaron Robinson retraced the D-Day trail in a Willys on the 75th anniversary of the Allies’ Normandy invasion, and flip through the pictures of this beautifully restored Korean War veteran. If you’re curious about buying a WWII-era Willys of your own, brush up on values on the Hagerty Valuation Tool.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post 5 of the most patriotic cars and trucks ever appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Clones of special cars are manna for the masses. Built to resemble classic models, they can fill a void for the enthusiast who pines for the real thing but finds it unavailable or unreachable. Some of the best are near-perfect copies. Then there’s another class of clones, or tribute cars, as some like to call them. These are idealized versions of a classic, meant to better the original and project the owner’s idea of what that car could be given their vision and today’s technology. The copy may overleap the classic in one or more ways, including style, craftsmanship, power, and handling. Mike Smith’s reimagining of a 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R is just such a machine—and he built it single-handedly, in his own garage.

Even a cursory inspection of Smith’s Mustang leads one to believe that he must have been an automotive restoration pro in the years before he retired. In truth, he spent most of his working life on the floor. A finish carpenter, he created artistic wood floors featuring elaborate designs for wealthy customers. You might say the floor was his birthright. His grandfather and father had both been in the hardwood flooring business, but on the sales side of things. Mike, on the other hand, was built with the psyche of an artisan, so while sales pitches didn’t come naturally to him, crafting very special hardwood floors did. Over the years, creating custom flooring became more than a job. It was artistic expression, a precise and well-executed process that culminated in a beautiful result, and it’s an aesthetic that guided him in building his dream car.

As a teen, Smith was a car guy, cruising Metro Detroit’s storied Woodward Avenue in his 340 Mopar and doing a bit of stoplight racing. In later years, he added a wife, kids, and obligations, so cars became appliances rather than toys. But cars—fabulous, fast cars—were always in the back of his mind.

Around 2014, as Smith approached retirement, he spotted a pair of ’65 Mustang taillights peeking out from under a pile of junk in a neighbor’s garage. The nascent car guy in him took note, and Smith asked the owner if he might be willing to sell. The guy said no, but he would let Smith know if it ever came to that. Well, several years later, it came to that, and Smith became the proud owner of a rusty, beat-up C-code ’65 Mustang, your basic wreck.

“Although I drove a Mopar as a teen,” Smith says, “I came from several generations of Ford owners. I had always liked the Shelby GT350R, so I decided to build my own version, but with better suspension and more power—a lot more power.”

Smith examined the dusty, rusty old car that would be the starting point for this ambitious project, and the perfectionist in him took over. If he had been asked to create a beautiful, elaborately bordered hardwood floor in a fabulous house, the first step would be to rip out the old flooring. Translating that kind of thinking to the Mustang project—his very first attempt at automotive restoration and modification—the obvious starting point was complete disassembly. So, with impact gun in hand, he took the car apart, trashing all the old suspension parts before ripping out the powertrain and interior. In a matter of days, only the shell of the Mustang remained. Everything else went to the curb.

The kind of total remake Smith had in mind would be difficult with the Mustang’s bare bones sitting on his garage floor, so he put his carpentry skills to work and built a dolly on which the car could be easily moved. While he was at it, he built a wooden rollover jig that would enable him to work on the car from any angle.

He used a dustless blasting machine to strip the car of paint and detritus, revealing a multitude of holes and rust. The right door was rotted out and had to be replaced, as did the upper and lower parts of the cowl. Mouse urine had wrecked the floor pans, and there were rust holes in the sheetmetal here and there, so Smith cut out the bad stuff and patched in new metal with a MIG welder.

“I had done a bit of welding here and there in the past, but working with metal day after day was new to me,” says Smith. But for someone who had spent a lifetime working with his hands, welding proficiency came quickly. Bit by bit, old, damaged metal gave way to new, and Smith’s Mustang took shape.

The front fenders from the ’65 were junk, so Smith purchased flared fiberglass ones from an aftermarket supplier. “It took me six days to hang one fender,” he says. “Nothing fit right. Had to cut the incorrectly sized fender to fit the doors. I made mounts and glassed them in. Once I had it figured out, I installed the second fender in three hours.”

Some body parts, including aerodynamic mods and a panel that covers the rear side window to make the standard pony more closely resemble a Shelby Mustang, were attached with solid rivets using an air hammer and bucking bar, just as in aircraft construction. Why? “Because I like the look,” says Smith.

Structural integrity is critical in a high-performance car, so Smith stiffened the unibody and welded in a roll cage. Rather than spending a lot on preformed wheel-well tubs, Smith made his own by combining sections of stock tubs. A pair of 2 1/2-inch rear fender flares were added to the body to further stretch the wheel well dimensions, providing ample room for stout 285/35 ZR18 Nitto rubber in the rear and 275/35 ZR18 in front.

Building a car on an empty shell offers a multitude of options, so Smith took full advantage and installed a Global West dual-wishbone coil-over front suspension in place of the Mustang’s stock components. A Street or Track three-point Watts-link rear suspension with coil springs and Bilstein shocks replaced Ford’s heavy non-adjustable leaf-spring setup in the rear. A 9-inch rear differential and axle housing are supported by the links. The sum total of the suspension upgrades is a sea-change improvement over what was basically a Ford Falcon chassis.

In keeping with his desire to build a car that invoked the best of the Shelby GT350R, Smith decided to plant a small-block Ford engine under the hood, but it had to be a small-block with big power. With an overbored Dart 302 aluminum block and Scat stroker crank, the Mustang’s new engine displaces 363 cubic inches. Mahle pistons on Scat connecting rods provide a compression ratio of approximately 11:1. Atop that stout bottom end are SBF Renegade 220cc Competition cylinder heads, a high-rise aluminum manifold, and an old-school, 750-cfm Holley double-pumper four-barrel. Smith, a devout perfectionist, matched all the ports to the gaskets. On a chassis dyno, Smith’s gem of a small-block knocks out 582 horsepower at the rear wheels. A Tremec five-speed manual transmission delivers that power to 3.50:1 gears in the rear axle.

All those numbers and parts are impressive, but the most amazing thing about Smith’s Mustang is that he didn’t turn to anyone for help. He worked on the build every day for over a year and never had to rely on outside suppliers. He used all the skills he had developed over many years of working with wood and learned some new ones as well. For example, he learned how to paint cars. He had hoped to hire someone to apply the final finish, but after checking prices, he built a paint booth in his garage, wet down the floor, and sprayed the Royal Maroon paint—a 1968–70 Mustang color—applying three coats each of color and clear coat.

The stunning red Mustang that Smith rolled out of his garage in September 2018 is a potent race car and a road warrior in equal measure. He doesn’t plan to compete with his pony car, but he has taken it to track days at M1 Concourse on Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan. He’s not sure how well his steed performs versus similar cars, but he says that on track days he always seems to catch up to the traffic ahead of him and then must back off to get room to play. Sounds like well-earned fun.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post This stunning Mustang was one man’s first DIY car project appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Welcome to Original Owner, a new series showcasing—you guessed it—people who bought a classic car new and still own it. The cars don’t need to be factory-original, just still in the hands of the first owner and still getting driven. —Ed.

In the summer of 1969, Ray Eugenio was 19 and nearing the end of his army service in Vietnam. He was stationed at the 29th Evacuation Hospital on an airbase in Bình Thuy, near the city of Can Tho. Like other GIs, he was focused on getting home, in his case to Brooklyn. His thoughts often turned to cars. He planned to buy a new muscle car for life after Vietnam but didn’t have to wait, as he could order it through the base’s post exchange (PX).

Although he had initially planned to buy a Mustang, Ray ultimately chose a 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda, the performance version of the third-generation Barracuda, introduced for 1970 and known within Chrysler as the E-body.

1970 Plymouth ’Cuda: Factory basics

In typical Mopar fashion, the car came built for speed from the factory. For $3164, just $300 over a base Barracuda, the ’70 ’Cuda delivered a huge performance upgrade. Standard equipment included a 335-hp, 383-cubic-inch big-block V-8 (the standard Barracuda featured a 318), a four-barrel carburetor, dual exhausts with tailpipe tips poking through the rear valance, heavy-duty suspension with front and rear antiroll bars, larger drum brakes, a dual-scoop hood, and front “road lamps.”

For extra cost, the buyer could step up to the optional 440 four-barrel (375 hp), the 440 six-barrel (390 hp), or the mighty 426 Hemi (425 hp). Also on the list as a no-charge option, and featured prominently in the 1970 Barracuda brochure, was the 340-cube, four-barrel small-block that debuted for 1968. While some at the time likely viewed the 340 as a downgrade from the 383, it was anything but.

A member of Chrysler’s LA-series family of V-8s, the 340 was built only as a high-performance engine. It featured a forged crankshaft, a double-roller timing chain, a 10.5:1 compression ratio, a hot cam, 2.02-inch intake valves, a dual-breaker distributor, and a Carter AVS 650-cubic-feet-per-minute four-barrel carburetor with a no-snorkel air cleaner. That list helped produce a factory rating of 275 hp. Car Life magazine ran an automatic-transmission 1970 340 ’Cuda like Ray’s car down the quarter-mile in 15 seconds flat at 94 mph.

Of the 55,499 Barracudas produced for 1970, 18,880 were ’Cuda hardtops. About one third of those got the 340 four-barrel, making it the most popular engine. (There were also 2724 AAR ’Cuda hardtops, which used the 340 six-barrel engine exclusively.)

Ray Eugenio’s car

A long option list enticed ’Cuda buyers with 12 exterior colors and a slew of upgrades focused on performance, comfort, and cosmetics. Ray ordered his car in Black Velvet paint. On the performance side, he chose the TorqueFlite automatic over the standard three-speed stick and paired the standard 3.23:1 rear-axle ratio with the optional Sure Grip differential.

Because he intended to daily his ’Cuda, Ray also chose power steering (but not power brakes), air-conditioning, tinted glass, a floor console with Slap Stik shifter, a rear-window defogger, an AM solid-state radio, dual color-keyed racing mirrors, body side moldings, and the lighting package. His out-the-door cash price was $4050.83.

The Plymouth hasn’t been Ray’s daily in many years, but as he’s retired and living in Florida, he still drives it frequently. The ’Cuda also earned its 15 minutes of fame (12 minutes and 27 seconds, to be precise) by starring in a video on the “Muscle Car Campy” YouTube channel. (MCC is run by Jim Campisano, former editor of the magazines MuscleCars, Super Chevy, and Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords.

Ray’s ’Cuda memories

Hagerty: When did you order the car through the base’s PX?

Ray Eugenio: September 1969, and I was going home that December. There was a catalog, but no cars, obviously. I picked out the car I wanted, the color and options, and the salesperson wrote it up.

Hagerty: How long did you have to wait to take deliver?

RE: They told me it wouldn’t be built until I left Vietnamese airspace. When I got my orders, I brought them to the PX, and the salesman said they’d put the order through on the day I left. That was December 15, 1969. I picked the car up at Flatlands Plymouth in Brooklyn on January 30, 1970. I have the bill of sale from when it was delivered, and I still have the original window sticker and build sheet.

Hagerty: The E-body Barracuda was brand new in fall of ’69. Did you know right away that you wanted one?

RE: My original choice was a Mustang Mach 1. When I got drafted, I had a Thunderbird with the 390. I was familiar with that engine, so I wanted a Mustang with it. They told me the 390 had been discontinued for the Mustang and mentioned the new 351 Cleveland. But I didn’t want an engine I knew nothing about.

I also looked at the Mustang Boss 302, but you couldn’t get air-conditioning with it. So, I looked at other cars—Chevelle SS, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Buick Gran Sport, and Camaro. Then I saw the Barracuda and thought, That’s what I want.

Hagerty: Have you ever considered selling?

RE: By the late 1980s, the driver’s seat was starting to rip, and there were some [bodywork] dings, so I thought maybe I should get something new. I put a for-sale sign in the window, asking $5000. The phone didn’t stop ringing, so I figured I’d made a mistake and decided to keep it.

Hagerty: Have you made any changes or modifications?

RE: I had it repainted in 1996 in the original color. The red “hockey stick” stripes were not available with black paint when the car was new, so I added them. That’s when I had new carpeting put in and reupholstered the front seats.

The rest of the interior is original. I upgraded to Mopar electronic ignition and changed the Carter carburetor to a Holley. The exhaust has different mufflers, and I added Mopar Performance valve covers and of course radial tires.

Hagerty: Tell us about the Rallye wheels.

RE: When the car was delivered, it had black steel wheels with dog-dish hubcaps and whitewall tires. It was supposed to come standard with Rallye wheels and white-letter tires, but I was told those had been made optional after I ordered the car. I freaked. Nobody told me, or I would have ordered them.

They said they could add them for about $250. I said, “I’m not paying that, and I’m not driving this car with whitewall tires. You’ve got to reverse them as blackwalls and balance the wheels.” So they did that.

I drove around with the steel wheels for a few months. Then my girlfriend was driving it, because my job came with a company car. That April, for my birthday, she surprised me by having Mr. Gasket chrome slotted wheels mounted, and they stayed on the car until I had it repainted. I picked up a set of Rallye rims, but with the 1972 center caps, because I liked those better.

Hagerty: How often do you drive it?

RE: Almost every weekend. My daily driver is a 2000 Corvette.

Hagerty: What’s your favorite memory with it?

RE: There are so many! I took the car on my honeymoon in the Poconos in the winter and got stuck in the snow. My two oldest kids came home in it after childbirth. I have a real emotional relationship with this car.

__

Car: 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda 340

Owner: Ray Eugenio

Home: Brandon, Florida

Delivery date: January 30, 1970

***

Are you the original owner of a classic car or do you know someone who is? Send us a photo and a bit of background at editor@hagerty.com—you might get featured in our next installment!

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Original Owner: A young soldier buys his dream car in a war zone appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Pontiac built its last car in 2009, yet fans remain committed to the glory days that brought athletic styling, powerful engines, sporty suspension, and fun marketing to bear from the muscle car era all the way until the G8 GT and Solstice GXP at the end of the brand’s run. Some fans, like the crew at Trans Am Depot, were so dedicated they refused to let the triumphant muscle car days end after the Pontiac was shuttered. Take, for example, this 2013 Camaro that was transformed into a 6T9 GTO with custom body panels and graphics that evoke one of the most exciting muscle cars ever built, the 1969 GTO Judge.

The body modifications made to create the GTO look were extensive, with a custom hood, front fascia, grille, quarter panels, and decklid, as well as a rear fascia that incorporates the 1969 GTO’s signature twin-bar taillights. The custom grille features quad hidden headlights and the new, twin-scoop hood also features a Pontiac trademark hood-mounted tachometer. Completing the theme, 20-inch aluminum wheels are a modern verison of Pontiac’s Rally IIs. Inside, custom upholstery on the bucket seats features a nod to the stitch pattern on the ’69 GTO’s buckets. There are also several Hurst Judge emblems and a healthy dose of the same tangerine paint found on the exterior, which is like a modern take on Pontiac’s Carousel Red.

Of course, this car had to uphold Pontiac’s tradition of performance, so it rides on a lowered Eibach suspension. The first of seven planned 6T9 GTOs, this example is also fitted with the Stage II engine performance package, which includes a positive displacement supercharger that boosts the 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 to 580 hp, more than enough to back up its muscle car persona, even against the legendary Ram Air IV.

We admit it’s a little strange seeing a 1969 GTO face on a 2013 Camaro, but it all sort of makes sense if you look at the history of Pontiac’s archetypal American muscle car. While the GTO spent much of its life as a mid-sizer on GM’s A-body platform—with a brief stint as a compact X-body—it also made a comeback from 2004 to 2006 as an Australian import that was built on GM’s Zeta platform. That same platform gave us the Canadian-built fifth-generation Camaro that Trans Am Depot has used to build this homage to the GTO Judge.

Bidding on this custom convertible is off to a good start. If you’d like to make this brute a part of your collection, there’s still time, however. The final hammer falls on June 8 at 4:20 p.m. Eastern.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Auction Pick of the Week: 2013 Camaro “6T9 GTO” replica appeared first on Hagerty Media.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American automakers began offering suitably psychedelic and wild exterior paint colors for their muscle cars—a perfect match for the era.

Commonly referred to as “high-impact colors,” these shades appeared in the spring of 1969, when Chrysler’s Dodge and Plymouth divisions introduced one of the first and rarest high-impact colors. For Dodge it was known as Bright Green and for Plymouth it was Rallye Green; each division had its own name for the same color. Additional colors were orange—Go Mango for Dodge and Vitamin C for Plymouth—and a yellow that Dodge called Butterscotch and that Plymouth named Bahama Yellow.

Chrysler’s color palette expanded for the period from 1970 to 1971. One of the most desirable hues was a purple known as Plum Crazy for the Dodge products and In-Violet for Plymouth. Other color names included Lemon Twist/Top Banana, Tor-Red/Hemi Orange, Moulin Rouge/Panther Pink, and Sassy Grass/Green Go, to name a few. These high-impact colors lasted until 1974.

Not to be left behind, other Detroit automakers got in on the trend. From 1969 to 1970, American Motors offered Big Bad Blue and Big Bad Green; its most popular color was Big Bad Orange. At General Motors, in 1969, Pontiac introduced Carousel Red, which was a popular color for the GTO Judge. In 1970, Pontiac also offered Orbit Orange, again exclusive for the GTO Judge model; Chevrolet called the color Hugger Orange. The Buick division had Saturn Yellow and, for one year, a conservative Apollo White color for its GSX model. Oldsmobile had a special 1970 Cutlass Rallye 350 model in a vibrant Sebring Yellow hue with color-keyed yellow bumpers. Last but not least, Ford had its bright Grabber Blue, Grabber Orange, Grabber Green, and Grabber Yellow in 1971.

In 1969, the AMC Hurst SC/Rambler was a special model with a red, white, and blue patriotic paint scheme. An option for a toned-down paint job was available as well. The SC/Rambler featured a conservatively rated 315-hp, 390-cubic-inch V-8 (AMC’s largest engine in 1969) and a Hurst four-speed manual shifter. The following year, AMC featured a special 390-cubic-inch, 340-hp V-8 engine in the Rebel Machine. It had a special red, white, and blue stripe on a white body and an option to paint it in any AMC color that was offered in the Rebel.

The high-impact colors added more excitement and flash to the muscle car era; combined with a dual-exhaust rumble and neck-snapping acceleration, the paints made these cars truly stand out among other vehicles of the period.

High-Impact Colors is one of 20 classes to be featured at the 2023 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, on June 2-4, 2023. Download the 2023 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance event program to learn more about Sunday’s other featured classes, Saturday’s Concours de Sport, our judges, sponsors, non-profit partners, 2022 winners and more!

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post High-impact colors: When hot muscle cars got some crazy paint appeared first on Hagerty Media.

“Dana Mecum’s Spring Classic” auction—aka Mecum Indianapolis—is one of the largest auctions of the year, and there is always something for everybody. Last year’s sale featured over 2000 vehicles, and prices ranged from $1100 to $2.2M. Quite the spread.

Given the venue and the timing of this 36th annual event (May 12–20, the week before the Indy 500), rare muscle and significant racers always fill the docket. These include a group of Ram Air IV Pontiacs, Bruce Springsteen’s Chevelle, and a bunch of Shelby Mustangs, but below are the cars we’ll be keeping a close eye on.

1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16

The Z16 is a significant step in the Chevelle story. Marking the first time a big-block made its way into showroom Chevelles, the Z16 arrived in mid-1965 as a two-door hardtop that was hot on the heels of Pontiac’s GTO. With its 375-hp 396-cubic-inch V-8, it was potent but expensive and not actively promoted, so Z16 production only amounted to 200 units. In addition to the big-block engine, Z16s came with a Muncie M20 wide-ratio four-speed, a 12-bolt rear, heavy-duty suspension, a front sway bar, a rear stabilizer bar, 11-inch drum brakes, and stiffer frame rails. This Z16 is represented as one of just three in Crocus Yellow over white and has been body-off restored. It has sold before, first for $89,100 at Mecum Kissimmee two years ago, then for $165,000 in Scottsdale the year after. For Indy, the estimate is even more ambitious, at $250,000–$275,000.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88/ZL1

Built by GM as an L88 coupe, prepared by legendary Corvette racer John Greenwood, and decked out in stars and stripes by his brother Bert, this big-block bruiser is a race-winner and record-breaker. One of three built by Greenwood and sponsored by BFGoodrich to promote its new line of T/A radial tires, it was initially meant for promo duty, but the crash of another one of Greenwood’s Corvettes meant that it was pulled off the bench and prepped for racing.

Part of that prep involved swapping the already-potent L88 engine for a race-spec aluminum ZL1 mill. Driven over the course of its career by John Greenwood, Bob Johnson, Dick Smothers, and Don Yenko, it won its class at the 1972 Watkins Glen 6 Hour race. It also ran at Sebring and Daytona. At Le Mans in 1973, it set the GT class speed record of 215 mph on the Mulsanne straight, before engine trouble took it out of the running at the four-hour mark. Given a concours restoration more recently, it’s one of the most in-your-face American cars to ever lap Le Mans, which celebrates its centenary this year.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

While that Greenwood Corvette was lapping road courses, other ZL1s like this Camaro were burning up the quarter-mile. Ordering the ZL1 in your Chevrolet pony car, COPO 9560 in GM-speak, got you a race-derived aluminum 427 that the factory rated at 430 hp, but in reality it likely made quite a bit more.

Just 69 ZL1 Camaros were sold, and this Fathom Green car is one of the 50 that went through Fred Gibb Chevrolet in Illinois. It has a mostly unknown early history but was restored with correctly dated and numbered parts and sold at auction in 2007 for $603,750. At Indy, Mecum estimates it will bring between $700,000 and $900,000.

1969 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham “CadMad”

Named for promoter Don Ridler in 1963, the Ridler Award is essentially best-in-show for the annual Detroit Autorama, and it’s something that every hot rod builder dreams of winning. This Cadillac, built by the team at Super Rides by Jordan in Escondido, California, and known as “CadMad,” won the Ridler in 2019.

A 16-year project that reportedly cost $2M, it started life as a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham but now has a tube frame chassis, no rear doors, and a Chevy Nomad roof. It has go to match its show, too, with a 632-cubic-inch twin-turbo big-block V-8 that makes a reported 1025 hp. Auctioned off in 2020 for $302,500 (and profiled by us here), it has a $350,000–$450,000 estimate at Mecum Indy.

1971 Chevrolet Corvette ZR2 Coupe

To the uninitiated, classic Corvettes all look pretty similar, but the right combination of letters and numbers can really peg the price meter. “ZR2” is certainly one of those combos. In 1970, the Corvette got an optional “LT1,” a saucy small-block with solid lifters and 370 hp. A “ZR1” package combined that engine with beefed-up suspension and brakes, an aluminum radiator, and an M22 “Rock Crusher” four-speed, while deleting air conditioning, the radio, and power steering/windows. For 1971 only, Corvette added the “ZR2,” which was essentially a big-block LS6-powered version of the ZR1. The solid-lifter 454 was rated at 425 hp, and just a dozen ZR2s were produced.

Built at the St. Louis plant and delivered new in Toronto, this car is reportedly the last of that dozen. The coupe, in Brands Hatch Green over a dark green interior, last sold in Scottsdale nine years ago for $495,000, and at Mecum Indy it has an estimate of $475,000–$600,000.

1970 Dodge Challenger “Black Ghost”

Although it’s primarily “legendary” if you were part of the Detroit street racing scene 50 years ago, this Hemi Challenger is nevertheless famous enough to be in the National Historic Vehicle Register, and for Dodge to name one of its “Last Call” Hemi models this year. That it is being sold from the same family that bought it new has also caused quite a buzz in the car media world.

The “Black Ghost,” as this triple-black Challenger R/T SE Hemi is known, haunted Woodward Avenue in the first half of the 1970s, beating lesser cars between the lights and then disappearing into the night. The disappearing act was partly because the owner was a police officer who wanted to keep his street racing hobby on the down low and avoid a super-awkward traffic stop. He stopped racing it in 1975, and in 2015, just before his passing, he signed the title over to his son. The current condition #1 (Concours) value in the Hagerty Price Guide for a ’70 Hemi Challenger R/T four-speed is $414,000, but an unrestored and very famous example like this could bring a hefty premium.

1960 Chevrolet Corvette

Casner Motor Racing Division, given the Italianate name “Camoradi,” was the outfit of American airline pilot Lloyd “Lucky” Casner. Camoradi’s best achievements were with its Maserati Birdcage, which won at the Nürburgring twice, but the team also campaigned with America’s sports car, the Corvette. Camoradi was allocated two factory-prepared Vettes for 1960, which supplemented the three given to fellow American sportsman Briggs Cunningham’s team. On its maiden outing in Cuba, this car won the GT-only race in Havana and three days later won its class at the Cuban Grand Prix (Stirling Moss won overall in Camoradi’s Maserati).

At Le Mans, it finished second in class behind Cunningham’s Corvette and 10th overall, but it didn’t actually cover enough distance to be officially classified. At the Swedish Grand Prix GT race, this Camoradi Corvette took the checkered flag but, while in Sweden, it got into a nasty wreck that smashed up the front end, hardtop, and windshield. The engine somehow wound up powering a speedboat in New Zealand, but the rest of the car remained in Scandinavia until the 1990s, when it was brought back to the U.S. and restored. Another piece of Le Mans history up for grabs during the race’s centenary, it has an oddly specific presale estimate of $2.0M–$2.1M.

1970 Plymouth Cuda 440 Rapid Transit show car

In 1970, Plymouth launched its “Rapid Transit System Caravan” promotion and toured the country with “Supercar Clinics” in partnership with the Sox & Martin drag racing team. A big part of the party were the four customized Plymouths given wild paint jobs and body modifications. Three of them wound up in the collection of Steven Juliano, whose estate sold them via Mecum in 2019 for $236,500, $264,000, and $341,000. Juliano tried to buy the fourth one, this wild Cuda 440, but its owner would never budge, and it has only recently seen the light of day after almost 50 years in a garage.

Designed by Harry Bradley and built by Chuck Miller at Styline Customs, the Rapid Transit Cuda has a custom steel grille and lower fascia, as well as a custom rear and a little electric motor that rattles the shaker hood for car shows. Originally finished in red, it was painted green, blue, and white for the 1970 Rapid Transit System program and got its current red, orange, and white job with that lovely fade in 1971.

It was then purchased by a private owner who drove it around for a bit, didn’t like all the attention he got (what did he expect?), and stuffed it in the garage. The odometer shows just 976 miles. This marvelous Mopar has a $500,000–$750,000 estimate for Mecum Indy.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post 8 American classics to watch at Mecum Indy 2023 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

This article first appeared in Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Click here to subscribe and join the club.

Mine is a story about a victory for the little guy—the guy who doesn’t have the resources to have a car restored by professionals.

Growing up, my family always owned Oldsmobiles—a 1956 98, then a ’61 Dynamic 88, and finally a ’66 Toronado. In 1975, while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Southern California, I bought my own, a 1968 Hurst Olds, because I needed to pull a 21-foot ski boat. No surprise this 10-mpg car was on the used-car lot just after the first oil crunch. But it was cool and came with the very reasonable price of $1350.

After my honorable discharge, the Olds and I towed the boat to Colorado, and from there, we trailered a 1926 Model T to Atlanta, where I resided. The Olds was a workhorse in Atlanta, and I towed many yards of concrete for various projects with this car. Finally, after several years as a daily driver, with 51,688 original miles on the odometer, I parked it in my garage, where it sat for over 20 years.

A while back, I started researching the car. I found my Hurst Olds to be a rare one, with only 515 produced and only 146 with air conditioning, which is my case. So I decided to restore the car in my garage. On July 15, 2013, I started the restoration, along with a journal. Five years, three months, and three days later, I finished the restoration and the journal, which contained 45 pages of handwritten documentation, plus a tally of the hours I spent on the job: 1046.

The ’68 Hurst Olds was the first car to carry the Hurst badge. Mine has a numbers-matching four-barrel 455-cubic-inch V-8 with under-bumper scoops, Tic Toc Tach, Hurst dual-gate shifter, front disc brakes, a Turbo 400 transmission, and factory air. I did 90 percent of the restoration myself, with my wife, Susie, and son, Justin, helping along the way. Of course, in anticipation of someday restoring the car, I had been buying parts for over 20 years, including many new-old-stock bits.

My restoration included completely rewiring the car, replacing all the fluid lines, changing the headliner, installing a new gas tank, removing the seats, adding a new air conditioner (from R12 to R134a), installing a new heater core, refurbishing the dash, reinstalling windows, replacing the front end (including new coil springs, tie rods, shock absorbers, and a rebuilt steering column), installing new brakes, mating the rebuilt engine to the rebuilt transmission, installing the driveshaft to the refurbished rear end and axles, installing the front and rear bumpers, and polishing all the exterior trim. Just about everything, in other words.

All of that was child’s play, however, because this project also had a scary part: removing the body of the car from the frame. By myself. With an engine hoist, a floor jack, four sawhorses, and two 8-foot four-by-fours. I accomplished this feat by first lifting the front of the body with the engine hoist and stabilizing it with various sizes of wood and shims. I then lifted the rear of the car using the floor jack and stabilized that with wood and shims. I inched the body high enough to slide in the sawhorses and the four-by-fours for support. Only then could I roll out the frame for a good cleaning and painting.

Then came reassembly, which meant rolling the frame back under the body and the precarious job of lowering the body onto the new body mounts. It was a slow, painstaking, inch-by-inch affair, with plenty of shuffling back and forth from the engine hoist to the floor jack to remove shims and wood blocks along the way. But by some miracle, the body slipped onto the frame like a glove.

The car then spent 14 months in the body and paint shop. The only rust was under the trim pieces of the windshield and the rear window, and once that was addressed, the Olds was primed, sanded, and painted in the correct paint scheme—including pinstripes and clearcoats. The shop finished up by installing the engine and transmission.

Back in my garage, I took a deep breath and began to reassemble the interior—new insulation, new headliner, window mechanisms, door panels, carpet, seat belts, that great Hurst shifter. I rewired the dash with the restored gauges, then put in the front bucket and rear bench seats.

I took it back to the shop to have the experts double-check my work, and on October 18, 2018, at 3:40 p.m., I fired up my ’68 Hurst Olds for the first time in more than 20 years. I was so proud to drive it home.

The next April, I entered it in the Peach Blossom BOPC (Buick-Olds-Pontiac-Cadillac) show. To my surprise and delight—in the first car show I’d ever entered—the Olds took first place. Since then, I’ve taken it to several other shows across the state and gathered another four awards. The Atlanta Concours d’Elegance even invited me to the event because I have the only 1968 Hurst Olds in Georgia.

With the five-plus years of work and restoration finally over, I love driving my Hurst Olds again, attending shows, and telling my story.

Victory, indeed.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post This ’68 Hurst Olds was a laborer before it was a labor of love appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Cars slathered in eye-catching colors never fail to garner attention. The degree to which those colors impact value, however, can vary wildly from model to model. Corvettes, perhaps unsurprisingly, are most valuable when coated in red, white, or blue. For Porsches, warmer colors tend to do better than cooler ones. That said, Corvettes and Porsches often come in a variety of configurations, and when it comes to values their other options can outweigh the color’s importance. For vehicles with few trims or minimal differences, color can be a much more important consideration.

Such is the case with the 2012–13 Ford Mustang Boss 302. There weren’t many options, and the car was only offered with a manual transmission and only as a coupe. One option package featured Recaro seats and a Torsen limited-slip differential. Another was the track-focused Laguna Seca package (Rapid Spec 501A). In contrast to the rather sparse option sheet, 10 colors were available: Black, Competition Orange, Gotta Have It Green, Grabber Blue, High Performance White, Ingot Silver, Kona Blue, Race Red, School Bus Yellow, and Yellow Blaze. In the Boss 302, those hues are the biggest differentiators (we do factor in the additional value of the Laguna Seca package, so we are able to isolate each color’s impact). Some were only available one model year, and some, like Black and Ingot Silver, were only available on the Laguna Seca edition.

Looking at auction transactions from the past several years and comparing them to the Hagerty Price Guide condition-appropriate value while noting the color, we’re able to determine the premium (or discount) the market attaches to each of those 10 shades.

In another case of rarity resulting from something not selling well when new, the 252 Yellow Blaze cars built (all for the 2012 model year) have an average Hagerty Price Guide condition-appropriate discount of 11 percent. Conversely, common colors such as Competition Orange and Performance White sell for a typical premium of 17 percent. Another highly sought-after color is Gotta Have It Green, with a 16 percent premium.

If you’re looking for a cheaper way to have fun on the track, along with the Yellow Blaze cars, the Laguna Seca cars in Black and the base 302 in Kona Blue both tend to sell at an average discount of between 9 and 10 percent, respectively.

The colors that put the Boss 302 nearer the average value are Race Red, School Bus Yellow, and Grabber Blue.

What’s your favorite late model Boss color? Are you willing to pay more for it, or, armed with this knowledge, would you refine your Boss 302 search to find one at a discount? Or… is your favorite color only available on a Camaro?

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Which Mustang Boss 302 paint color is worth the most? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The Hagerty Price Guide Indexes are seven stock market-style indexes that average the values of notable segment movers, or “component” cars. They help provide a broad overview of how different segments of the collector car market are performing.

We’re over a quarter of the way into 2023 and much has happened. With thousands of cars on offer in January in Kissimmee, Florida, and in Scottsdale, Arizona, along with higher-end offerings at February’s Rétromobile in Paris and at Amelia Island, Florida, in March, there is plenty of data to give us a read on the market’s pulse. What’s that pulse telling us? The collector car market is less defined than it has been in a long time.

Although some indexes presented no movement from the last time we discussed them in early January, others reversed previous losses or even gained ground. This illustrates just how nuanced the market is and often how difficult it can be to accurately predict where it is headed. With that in mind, let’s explore how the different segments performed with our last price guide update.

Blue Chip

The end of 2022 was slow for the top of the market, but the beginning of 2023 saw renewed activity following the Scottsdale, Paris, and Amelia Island auctions. The results culminated in a one percent increase to Hagerty’s Blue Chip Index. This bump doesn’t tell the whole story of the top of the market, however.

Results for component cars were active yet mixed, with seven vehicles posting gains and four of them losing ground. The largest increases were a 14 percent gain by the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and a nine percent increase by the Alfa Romeo TZ-2, both at the very top end. The mid-range, meanwhile, saw a six percent gain by the Shelby GT350 and a 7 percent bump by the 1953 Corvette. Increases were tempered a bit by the 1967 Corvette 427/435, which lost 12 percent, and the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I, which lost four percent. What we’re seeing at the top of the market is indicative of what we’re seeing elsewhere—results are mixed but there is clearly still steam in the market.

British

Following the previous quarter’s one percent loss for Hagerty’s British Car Index, the index settled in and stabilized to start 2023. But this doesn’t mean that nothing is happening with British cars, and the segment is far more active than the overall number suggests. In fact, of the 10 component cars, all but one saw a notable change.

Most cars gained value, with the Austin-Healey 3000 leading the way with an eight percent increase, followed by the Series I Jaguar E-Type and Austin-Healey 100 BN2 Le Mans, with five percent and four percent increases, respectively. There was also more modest growth for the Mk I MGB as well as the Triumph TR3A and TR6. That broad range of modest increases, however, was tempered by a 10 percent loss to the Mk II Sunbeam Tiger and a five percent drop to the Jaguar XK 120. As with previous updates, the market for British cars remains strong, yet incredibly nuanced.

Ferrari

Following a quiet end to 2022, Hagerty’s Ferrari Index posted a mild one percent increase this past quarter, partly thanks to the ramping up of auction season from January to March. Most component cars remained steady, while the ones that did move saw only modest changes.

There were two clear winners, however—the 250 LM gained three percent and the Dino 246 GTS grew five percent. The 250 LM’s increase is due to the model’s first public offering in years, when one hit the block at Artcurial’s Rétromobile auction. Though the car went unsold, had it cut loose at the high bid of €20M ($22M), the total would have signaled an increase. The Dino’s rise comes from a handful of surprisingly strong sales at Amelia Island. What we see in the Ferrari market is similar to the broader Blue Chip market—inconsistent results but with a generally positive outlook.

Muscle Car

On the heels of a one percent loss to Hagerty’s Muscle Car Index in 2022, results from Scottsdale and Kissimmee in January pushed the index up by two percent to a new all-time high. That said, not everything in the muscle car segment is looking up. Sure, some top-tier muscle cars posted truly impressive increases this past quarter, but the broader market is far more mixed, with some models only regaining value they lost late in 2022 and others continuing to trend downward.

The biggest surprise was the 23 percent increase by the Buick GS 455. These cars have been lagging behind sister cars like the GTO and Olds 4-4-2 but have finally caught up. Another notable gainer was the 1969 Dodge Charger 500, which increased by 20 percent. Other leaders were the 1970 LS6 Chevelle, which climbed 12 percent after a weak showing at the end of 2022, and the Hemi Superbird, which posted a six percent increase. Several Superbirds came up for sale in January—at the risk of oversaturating the market—but the risk paid off, with strong prices almost across the board. Meanwhile, the 1965 Pontiac GTO continued its slide, losing another 14 percent. The 1970 4-4-2 also lost six percent, even as its Buick GS sibling surged. The takeaway here is that there is still strength in the muscle car market, but its many inconsistencies could point toward a rapidly-approaching ceiling.

German

German classics were the clear winner with this price guide update, posting the strongest quarter-over-quarter gain, at three percent, and putting the German Index at a new all-time high. Results here were also less mixed than other market segments, with five component cars gaining value and just one losing.

Standout movers were the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing’s 14 percent increase, followed by the 280SL’s 12 percent gain. Porsche 356 coupes climbed at a more modest rate of two percent, while the BMW M1 posted a five percent increase. The one loss was the Mercedes-Benz 190SL, with a 10 percent drop. Outside of our component cars, much of the same story seen in the rest of the German market is being played out. Instead of wider gains or losses, movement is targeted and erratic, making the segment’s future much more uncertain than it might seem on the surface.

1950s American

American classics of the 1950s posted another positive quarter, gaining an additional percentage point. As with many of the other indexes, the gain comes as the result of very mixed movement. Following the January auctions in Scottsdale and Kissimmee, however, it is apparent that there is still room to grow for some vehicles.

The 1957 Ford Thunderbird rose by an impressive 13 percent, while the less discussed Hudson Hornet gained 10 percent. Notable losses in this segment were the elegant Continental Mark II at a 10 percent loss and the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner, which softened by seven percent. With seven component cars gaining value and six losing, there is nothing clear about the future direction of 1950s American cars.

Affordable Classics

For the second update in a row, Hagerty’s Affordable Classics Index has posted no appreciable movement, proving that last quarter’s pause is no fluke. Though the term “affordable” in the context of the component cars has changed, the index’s rise since 2017 perfectly outlines just how much the market has expanded, especially since 2020.

Surprisingly, many component cars posted modest gains. From the Corvair Monza’s five percent bump to the Studebaker Lark’s nine percent increase, eight of the 13 component cars saw growth. However, the Datsun 240Z’s slide continued, with a four percent loss, and the 1967 Volkswagen Beetle decreased by eight percent. These two decreases sucked away any forward momentum. Results are too varied to confidently predict a leveling off at the lower end of the market, but continued performance is hard to ignore.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Buying and selling in 2023 is getting increasingly unpredictable appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Plymouth hit the road in 1970 with its “Rapid Transit System” and put on clinics with drag racers across the country, highlighting the performance potential of its various V-8 engines. However, there were more than just elapsed times to brag about, as a quartet of customized muscle cars was also a part of the reverie. Three of those special cars wound up in Steven Juliano’s collection and went up for sale four years ago. The final custom, designed by Harry Bentley Bradley and built by Chuck Miller at Styline Customs, is this 1970 ’Cuda that’s bound for Mecum’s Indy 2023 sale.

It features a custom steel grille and lower fascia, along with a gorgeous custom paint job sporting a luscious fade. Originally finished in red, the car was painted green, blue, and white for the 1970 Rapid Transit System program and received the paint you see here in 1971. In our opinion, the second custom color scheme is superior. While the style is similar, the lines are more complex and the addition of the front-to-rear fade makes it absolutely striking. It’s audacious and loud, but given that it started life as a 1970 440-cubic inch ’Cuda with a shaker hood, subtlety was never really an option.

After retiring from Rapid Transit Service, this car was purchased and hardly driven, as evidenced by the 976 miles currently on the odometer. The brawny 440 and custom paint and bodywork drew too much attention, and the car was garaged in 1976, where it would remain, nearly unseen until early last year.

Ryan Brutt, the Auto Archeologist, has a video with Chuck Miller that goes into some of the history of the car.

Despite spending almost 50 years in storage, the lacquer paint survived amazingly well, with only a few chips and scratches (and some cat paw prints). Inside, the upholstery and carpet appear to be in great shape.

Like the three other custom Rapid Transit cars, this one’s sure to bring a premium when it crosses the auction block this May. Juliano had tried to purchase this car and knew the owner, but never actually got to see the car in person. Perhaps now that it’s out of hiding and back in the limelight it can once again join its fellow Rapid Transit System partners.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Long-hidden Rapid Transit System ’Cuda unearthed after nearly 50 years appeared first on Hagerty Media.

John Wick is a rarity in the modern movie landscape. Though it is a successful Hollywood franchise, there was no prior source media for the 2014 film that kicked off this action-film craze. The tale follows Keanu Reeves’ titular character, a legendary retired hitman who, while mourning the loss of his wife to cancer, suffers considerable indignity: The ignorant son of a Russian gangster kills his Beagle puppy, a gift from his late love. Adding insult to injury, the perpetrator also steals his car.

This premise isn’t the point, of course. In many ways this is a variation on the classic revenge flick trope, in which the protagonist sets out on a bloody path of vengeance. The movie won fans with its mix of beautifully choreography, over-the-top sequences, and Reeves’ dedication to tactical detail and gruff demeanor. He’s called “Baba Yaga,” the Russian folk version of the Boogeyman, for a reason. (Though Wick’s house does not, to our knowledge, grown gigantic chicken legs and walk around.)

At this moment, John Wick: Chapter 4 sits in the second slot of the domestic box office. That has us revisiting some of our favorite moments from the series, particularly Wick’s fondness for hot American metal. Check out John Wick’s impeccable taste in cars:

Mustang Boss 429

The main plot of the 2014 original film kicks off with Wick’s chance gas station meeting with Iosef Tarasov, played by actor Alfie Allen. Tarasov, emboldened by his status as the child of a Russian mob boss, takes a shine to Wick’s car—what purports to be a 1969 Mustang Boss 429. (Experts will recognize some errors in the bodywork, a lack of badging, and an automatic transmission,  but for the purposes of a suspension-of-disbelief action flick, it checks the box.) Tarasov plays up the tough guy act to intimidate Wick into selling, to no avail.

Instead, the problem child assembles a crew that marches on Wick’s home, kills his dog, and steals his Boss. Little did they know, they poked the wrong bear.

If it were real, Wick’s Boss 429 would represent one of just 857 that were pressed in the first of two years of production to homologate Ford’s 7.0-liter NASCAR motor. These monster ponies represented the high-water mark of non-Shelby ‘Stangs and were, according to many, underrated at 375 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque.

Chevelle SS 396

While visiting a performance shop belonging to Wick’s friend, we catch a glimpse of some tasty rides, including a Porsche 993-gen GT2 and a Gulf-livery Ford GT40. There, Wick takes delivery of his replacement ride, a 1970 Chevelle SS 396.

The Chevelle sees minimal screen time in the original film, receiving a stay of execution when Wick opts instead for a modern 5.7-liter Dodge Charger for his final assault on the Russians. But there is something fitting and sinister about that green-painted Chevelle—a custom hue that is too dark to be the factory Forest Green—rumbling through Manhattan that leaves an impression.

As with any car in this franchise, it’s best not to get too attached. The SS 396 becomes the tank that Wick rides to battle to recover his (also ill-fated) Mustang in the stunning opening sequence of Chapter 2.

Rolls-Royce Ghost (Series II)

After destroying some classics, John takes a well-advised break old metal and, for the rest of Chapter 2 he’s mostly seen on foot, riding public transit, and, at the very end, behind the coach door of a Series II Rolls Royce Ghost. While the Ghost is too new for collector value data, it might be the most suitable ride for the Boogeyman—at least one that looks dashing in a suit.

Range Rover (LP)

Car-wise, John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum is the low point of an otherwise excellent quadrilogy, but it isn’t without its vehicular merits. It also introduces the audience to Halle Berry and her pair of Belgian Malinois attack dogs to make up for its lack of large-bore V-8s.

Around the halfway point, Wick, Berry’s character, and the show-stealing pups escape into the desert aboard a second-generation Range Rover, the film’s only real automotive star. According to the wonderful Internet Movie Car Database, it is a ’95 model. These Brit rigs are treated as collectibles primarily among the top-condition examples (roughly $54,000–$68,000), but the Rangie in the movie looks to be more of a driver-condition beast.

1971 Plymouth Cuda

Baba Yaga returns to form in Chapter 4 at the helm of a menacing ’71 Cuda. Unfortunately, John Wick does John Wick things to the poor Plymouth. The critical Cuda scene takes place at night, so it isn’t immediately clear what’s lurking under the hood, but given the amount of criminally-sourced gold coins at his disposal, his track record for good taste, and the magic of prop acting, we’re wagering it’s the pricey 440 Six Pack or Hemi.

With the continual success of the Wick franchise, Reeves no doubt would hit another home run in a fifth installment. Maybe he’ll trash an AMX to round out his game of classic muscle-car BINGO (GM, Ford, Mopar, AMC). As it stands, in four outings, the Boogeyman has amassed an on-screen car resume to rival some of the greatest silver-screen stars.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Cars of <em>John Wick</em>: The Boogeyman and American muscle appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Most digital content is built for quick consumption, but there’s still a place for more involving stories and thoughtful exploration. Pour your beverage of choice and join us for another Great Read. –Ed. 

What do a 35-inch lifted Ram pickup and a race-prepped 1990s Ford Fox-body have in common? Both represent the patience and passion of their 29-year-old owners, identical twin brothers who apply the same discipline, 70 hours a week, to the rotating cast of Ford Mustangs in their family’s restoration shop.

Preston and Cody Ingrassia are the heirs to the world’s largest Mustang restoration business, measured by builds completed annually. The Chicago company is at an inflection point. The Ingrassias’ father, Christopher, founded it in 1980 with a yellow Mustang given to him by his father, who had brought the family over from Italy.

Christopher can still be seen on the shop floor seven days a week, in his cowboy hat and white coat, but he’s preparing to hand the business down. The most obvious change is in the name: once Mustang Restorations, now The Mustang Brothers.

“We love bringing something back to life,” Cody says. He freely acknowledges that his show-worthy Ram, nicknamed Goliath, once belonged in a junkyard. “Anybody can go out and buy a clean truck and build it. I’d rather put the money into that and bring it back to life.”

Preston butts in. “It’s huge. He gets gas at night because he doesn’t want anybody to take a video.”

Cody laughs, not denying the jab. “I wasn’t blessed with height.”

Christmas Day, 1920, the Ingrassia family came to America from Italy. After getting kicked out of Oklahoma for bootlegging, they moved to Queens, New York, where the father bought a Sunoco gas station. He taught his son, Christopher, to pump gas and change oil and swap wiper blades. When the father’s job took him—no legal prompting this time—to Chicago, Christopher eventually followed. The younger Ingrassia was the last of his family to leave New York. He took with him the yellow 1960s Mustang coupe that his father had passed to him when he started high school.

“If he had bought a Corvair,” Christopher says, “This shop would be filled with Corvairs.”

Christopher worked as a stagehand at the Chicago Opera House before quitting to start his own business, setting up a small shop near the Chicago riverfront, where the casino boats are now. Today, Mustang Brothers occupies an expansive warehouse in the suburban town of East Dundee.

The five full-time employees who round out the eight-man crew have each worked there longer than Preston and Cody have been alive. One currently lives in an apartment that the family built for him above the shop; he’s suffering through double kidney failure, and travel to and from work had become miserable. Cody and Preston trade off telling the story.

“We’ll tell him, ‘Don’t come in,’ and he’s—”

“—he’s down here at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.”

It was these people to whom Christopher and his wife showed their newborn twins, going straight from hospital to shop before taking their babies home. Amazingly, Mrs. Ingrassia didn’t object—either to the detour or to the black Mustang limousine (yes) in which they made the trip.

“When you’re a little kid, what do you want to be? You want to be rich and famous,” Christopher says. “What comes with that? A limousine. Well, when the rich-and-famous part wasn’t coming along, I could [at least] make my own limousine, and voilá.”

That car, built around 35 years ago, now sits in the shop’s back room, near Christopher’s high-school Mustang, the space doubling as unofficial museum. Neither brother has children yet, but each plans to recreate the hospital trip when the time comes. Preston and Cody call the limo a “legacy car”—they clearly love its glamour and delight in pointing out the quality of the stretched Ford’s bodywork, how its long flanks lack the waviness of most aging limo conversions. “We’re Italian,” one told me, “so we had to have the gangster whitewalls on it.” (Forgive the lack of attribution on that quote—as twins, the men sound so alike on an audio recording that you can’t always tell them apart.)

The Ingrassias may have a taste for flash, and the sons a penchant for tattoos and slim-fit shirts, but the shop doesn’t steer away from more humble projects. It accepts Ford’s most famous model in any vintage and condition, from barn-find to well-loved.

Over there is the 1968 Casca Ford, a big-block 428 race car and a $120,000 restoration, the car bought sight-unseen and its work commissioned by a man who had never met the brothers or visited East Dundee, only read reviews online. Near the limo is a six-cylinder automatic coupe from the early 2000s; the owner loves it so much that she recently contracted for a thorough freshening costing more than the car is worth. Nor is the patience only for the mechanical. A 1969 Mach 1 has hunkered in the back of the parts room for close to 20 years, its owner long since disappeared.

Many customers, the Ingrassias say, sneak their rides in for work without telling family. Illinois law lets a shop take possession of a vehicle with no contract after 30 days, but the brothers don’t want to file a lien—and anyway, they add, the work is paid for.

In 43 years of business, the shop’s best were 2021 and 2022. Some of that boom came in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—in the family’s estimation, because owners were working from home and around their vintage cars more often. But many more commissions came because, when faced with a Mustang flooded to the doors by Hurricane Ian, the brothers pulled out their iPhones before starting the engine. The video they posted to TikTok showed seawater blowing out the exhaust and pouring from the cylinders when the spark plugs were removed. It racked up 400,000 views in a day.

“We are now getting calls from around the world,” Preston says. “People have seen us out there, seen the company out there.”

When either man picks up a phone during work, then, it’s usually to document a build, texting photos to the owner or posting to TikTok a tastefully cut video overlaid with electronic music or hip-hop. Customers love it, they say, but perhaps more important, the choice reflects a conviction that classic cars belong in modern pop culture, that the greasy work of restoration is worthwhile and cool.

Nobody needs an appointment to visit. Customers who happen to be in the area can simply walk in. The brothers send build-progress pictures and videos to those who can’t.

They are not nervous about the future. They don’t have much in the way of competition, they say, have never seen the business slow down. What do they think of the modern iterations of Ford’s pony car? They’re good-looking cars, they say, and fast. Sound great. But not, Christopher specifies, “the Mach-E one. Not the electric.”

“Preston and I have talked about eventually maybe putting electric motors in these older cars,” Cody says. “Is this something that we want to do? Definitely not. I love the carburetors…”

“…but if you don’t innovate,” Preston adds, “you’re left behind.”

“Yeah,” Cody says, nodding.

“Talk to my dad about fuel injection and stuff like that. It’s like talking to a wall.”

The two men have not said a word about the work that waits as we chat. When I ask if they need to get back to it, they are unflappably polite. Preston walks to a red GTA convertible on a lift, reaching into the engine bay. Cody kneels by a weathered white coupe, test-fitting a bumper. Each picks up a wrench.

“If you need us, just let us know, okay?”

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Twin brothers, the world’s largest Mustang shop, and . . . TikTok? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

There’s an implied truth to the Chevy Camaro that applies to any example across its six generations. An honesty about what it is, along with just a touch of “I-can-back-up-my-looks” self-assuredness, endears the Camaro to legions. As new cars, Camaros have always offered an excellent performance entry point. As collector cars, most models still represent affordable fun from eras gone by. We’ve noticed some value trends lately across a few of the Camaro’s generations, so we decided to share from the perspective of cars you should buy, sell or, hold.

The Gold Standard of Camaros—the first generation—escapes judgment here. And while two the most recent generations offer a mix of old values and new technology, their positions on the late-model depreciation curve make data a bit too murky. Let’s see where the other three generations of Camaro fit in our assessment.

Buy: 4th gen SS and Z/28

The T-top F-body at its most evolved, the fourth-gen Camaro offers a unique middle ground: modern power and ’90s styling with quintessential Camaro character. The distinctive hood scoop, rear wing, and extra performance goodies added by SLP engineering help the SS stand out further.

“They represent good value for the performance, especially later cars with the LS1,” notes Hagerty Price Guide editor Greg Ingold.

Values for the Camaro SS in #2 and #3 condition stayed fairly flat for years, but like many vehicles they saw a pandemic bump in early 2021. There’s definite room for growth still, and it’s not just because an LS1 engine and available T-56 six speed manual are a blast to drive. The fourth-gen SS and Z/28 in particular feel a bit ahead of the curve; they have yet to take off in value like third-gen IROC-Zs, and 1990s performance cars continue to rise in popularity.

“I don’t see a world in which these don’t keep going,” said Ingold.

Sell: Late 2nd-gen Z/28 (1978–81)

The Z/28s from the end of the second generation have experienced a heroic upward trajectory, likely thanks to a substitution effect related to the Bandit Trans Am’s exploding value. There are only so many flashy Pontiac F-bodies from the Malaise Era to go around, after all. Though the Z/28 made do with a 350-cubic inch engine instead of the 400 (or Olds 403 in automatic-equipped models) found in the Trans Am, that difference matters less these days than it did in period. V-8 rumble, aggressive looks, and assertive stickers make the Z stand out regardless of displacement.

Values in the last few years reflect the late ’70s Z/28’s increased popularity. 2023 has seen a noticeable downturn, however—a result of several months of mixed public sales. “Often, vehicles that appreciate this rapidly are among the first to reset values as part of a market correction,” notes Ingold.

That in and of itself is not a reason to unload—you did buy your collector car to enjoy it, right? Just the same, the market has softened on these, and if you are considering selling, now be the best time to maximize your return on your F-body investment rather than waiting toward the end of this year’s driving season.

Hold: 3rd-gen IROC-Z and Z/28

The third-gen IROC and Z/28 Camaros are represent a more stable play from a valuation perspective. After a healthy 50+ percent increase for #2 Condition cars over the last few years, values have settled somewhat. The 305-cubic inch examples have taken a 5 percent loss recently, but IROC values are strong when equipped with the iconic 350-cu-in powerplant. These don’t benefit from a substitution effect—the third gens are sought after for what they are.

“Third-gens are still relatively affordable in comparison to other generations of Camaro,” said Ingold. “Given their age, and the fact that Gen-X and older Millennials are steadily growing as the dominant force in the collector market, there is still potential for these to go up.”

We’ve made our choices, but which Camaro would you add to your stable? Which would you unload? Which would you keep? Let us know in the comments.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Which Camaro should you buy, sell, or hold? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

April is here, bringing with it a fresh quarterly update to our vehicle valuation data in the Hagerty Price Guide. After a lull in auction activity at the end of every year, major sales in Scottsdale, Arizona and Kissimmee, Florida in January, as well as on Amelia Island in March, fill the first quarter with anticipation. After the final car rolled across the block, we began digging through the resulting heaps of data; this annual spurt of activity often sets the tone for the collector car market in the first half of the year.

So, what did we learn?

Frankly, the results this year were mixed, providing data that don’t point clearly in any one direction (at least compared with the past three years of spring season Price Guide updates). There was still plenty of positive movement, but it did not occur across quite as broad of a spectrum as we’ve been seeing lately.

Our usual lists of individual-model winners and losers are coming, but for now take a gander at some overall trends from the bird’s-eye view of the collector car market.

Separation within segments

A split is emerging between top-tier cars and the rest of the market. The muscle car market is a poster child for this trend. While the muscle segment overall appeared to be softening toward the end of last year, a number of desirable models have performed incredibly well since. Most visibly, Boss 429 Mustangs, first-generation Z/28 Camaros, and LS6 Chevelles reversed some of the losses we saw over the past few months. Plymouth Superbirds continued to rise despite a market that risks oversaturation.

It’s not roses for every muscle machine, however. 1964–67 Pontiac GTOs continued to lose ground and are approximately back to a point where they started in 2022. Value losses are more prevalent among lower-tier trims and less popular drivetrain options, but regardless, it’s a microcosm of a less buoyant segment than the headline-grabbing cars suggest.

Growing complexity in JDM-land

While muscle cars have long been a staple collector segment, the Japanese collector market is still developing. White-hot though it was during the peak of the pandemic, it’s now showing a few signs of maturation and deepening complexity. Trends appear to be more specific and model-centric than before.

Titans like Mk IV Toyota Supras and U.S.-legal R34 Skyline GT-Rs remained steady, but other staples have cooled off a bit. Long-term growth of cars like the 300ZX Twin Turbo has been tempered after losing 13 percent this quarter, and FD-series RX-7s have similarly cooled by ten percent. Even darlings like the 240Z, which has had a longer collector trajectory, continue to soften. The Mitsubishi 3000GT, a car that’s been something of an afterthought for collectors until recently, gained ground, posting 14 to 25 percent increases. Amelia showed that big prices can be had for front-wheel drive cars, too, with a world record sale of a low-mile Acura Integra Type R at $151,200.

Blue-chips going strong and steady

The most consistent performer, as we discussed above, was the top of the market. Blue-chip automobiles had a strong showing in the beginning of the year and sale prices show that collectors are still willing to pay top dollar for exceptional cars. From Gullwing Mercedes and Ferrari Dinos to Duesenbergs, the high six- to seven-figure market is still going strong. That said, some notable no-sales at Amelia demonstrated that even for elite cars, buyers and sellers are doing business lately with more rationality and less exuberance. We expect this to continue, though our next big opportunity to glimpse top-market buying trends is at Pebble Beach this August.

Our biggest takeaway after three months into 2023? The collector car market might not be as predictable as before, but it is by no means screeching to a halt. Buyers are becoming more discerning with regard to quality and model choices, resulting in a far more nuanced market than we have seen in a long time. Until these behaviors coalesce into a more appreciable trend, the direction of the broader market may remain elusive to pin down.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Top-tier cars are flourishing. Are the rest floundering? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

This article first appeared in Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Click here to subscribe and join the club.

Back when I was a kid, I was fascinated with new muscle cars, but they were much more expensive than I could possibly afford. A lot of guys I knew lusted after the Ferraris, MGs, and Austin-Healeys that I would discover later. At the time, I had much more interest in hot rods and muscle.

My interest in powerful Detroit iron intensified after I saw a television commercial for Sunoco with Trans-Am champion Mark Donohue driving a Camaro Z/28 and shifting it at 8000 rpm. More than ever, I wanted a street version of the Trans-Am Camaro with its high-revving V-8, and every week, I’d make a visit to the Chevy dealer. I specifically recall a green Z/28 with a houndstooth interior and dog-dish hubcaps.

My first personal experience with a pony car came when I bought a near-new but stripped Pontiac Firebird that had been repossessed by a local bank. It was sitting in the parking lot without its six-cylinder engine, and Dad and I got it for $500. We found a transmission, a 400-hp V-8, and the rear end from a totaled GTO for it. In prepping it to be a formidable street machine, I added traction bars, along with narrow front tires and big rears. I mounted one seat and went street racing. Insurance wasn’t too bad, because I had registered it as a six-cylinder. I did all right with it, though a guy with a Hemi-powered Dart sometimes showed up and cleaned my clock.

That was the total of my period muscle-car experience. Just before I left for college, I sold the Firebird to my brother-in-law, and my focus changed to VWs and Minis. I never did get a Z/28, although many years later, I had a Boss 302 for a short time.

When the new generation of Mustangs, Challengers, and Camaros arrived starting in 2005, my interest in muscle was rekindled. All three cars were great-looking but cramped. With the right engine, however, they just got better and better. A 500-hp Mustang was unbelievable. Then the Hemi Challenger graduated to almost 500 horsepower by 2011. The wild thing was that you could fill it with pump gas and run the air and the stereo and power windows.

My eyes went wide when Chrysler came out with 707 horsepower in the mildest Hellcat. You could even get the Widebody Jailbreak version with 807 horsepower, which was tame enough for everyday driving but rowdy enough to scare you if you put your foot in it, too. Then, right from the factory, you could get up to 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque from the Dodge Demon version of the Challenger.

Although I’d never been a new-car guy, I bought a Demon. I keep telling people that my primary reason was to show my grandson how to pop wheelies. These new cars are intriguing because they make huge power, but the eight-speed automatic transmission minimizes gas usage. In the old days, muscle cars were all about how much horsepower could be stuffed into a car for straight-line speed. But this new generation of muscle cars really handles well, with their precisely tuned suspensions and big tires. They are superior to their predecessors in every department, except for nostalgia.

They are also bringing in a new class of buyers without cutting into sales or interest in classic muscle. Instead, these recent models are exposing new people to the allure of muscle cars—and many of those people end up turning into fresh enthusiasts who find themselves collecting original muscle from the 1960s and 1970s.

Finding the attraction to modern muscle irresistible, in 2020, I bought a Mustang GT500 with 760 horsepower, and a year later, I dived in again with a 526-hp GT350R, which has a flat-plane crank and revs to 8500 rpm. Equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and a competition-tuned suspension, it is a great track-day car. One of the reasons I bought it is that Ford said it will be one of the last with a manual transmission.

The fact that I like so many different kinds of cars helped get me where I am today. And that has put me in a position to buy the modern muscle cars that come complete with all the amenities—and a warranty. Nowadays, given the option of restoring yet another car or buying a new one, that warranty looks awfully attractive.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post Carini: Modern muscle cars are an irresistible thrill appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

Like most things Hellcat-adjacent, my first memory of in-person Hellcattery is visceral. I was a summer intern at a major car rag and followed a cluster of coworkers power-walking toward the back lot, all excitedly jabbering about a new press car that just landed. The sun glinting off the then-new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat tester in verdant Sublime Pearl was greener than a kale smoothie. The jaded crowd was unusually effusive; 707 horsepower! Can you believe it? Will Ford respond? Will Dodge add more power?

Then, right there and then, a consensus:

These are going to be a million bucks someday.

“Someday” has yet to arrive—the only seven-figure Hellcat we’ve seen thus far is the $1.65 million charity sale of the first production example back in 2014. The Hagerty Price Guide shows most iterations of the supercharged Challenger might have further to drop before appreciation takes the reins. Yet as the Challenger and Charger Hellcats rush down the straight toward their expiration date, slated for the end of 2023, we thought it only appropriate to check in on their collectability.

Let’s start with the standard O.G. “narrowbody” 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat. That 707 hp isn’t enough to escape depreciation, with the essential Hellcat experiencing a 7.5 percent drop in value since 2018—examples in Condition #2 (Excellent) trade for an average of $54,600. However, Dodge’s continued confirmation of the Hellcat’s looming discontinuation might have turned the tide, as it’s up 10 percent since last January. The story is similar for the 2018 Challenger SRT Hellcat and the thicc-nasty 2018 Hellcat Widebody—down overall but showing a boost since 2022. Mind you, a great many used cars have appreciated in recent months amidst widespread inflation, so it’s too early to tell whether Hellcats are marching upward for good.

Things are different for the mighty and limited-production 2018 Challenger SRT Demon, the dragstrip weapon which Hagerty contributor Don Sherman called “your first tongue kiss, plunge off a diving board, and tequila shot rolled into one.” After a brief drop, it bounced right back up and today is worth 4.6 percent more than in early 2018. Said appreciation has accelerated quicker than for other Hellcats, to the tune of an 18 percent jump when compared with values in January 2022.

At the other end of the spectrum, even normally aspirated, non-Hellcat Challengers are up, albeit only marginally. The 2014 SRT8—the final model year before the major lineup-wide refresh that bequeathed the Hellcats—is up 8.3 percent since 2018 and is now worth around $36,400 average. Even the standard-issue 5.7-liter 2014 Challenger R/T has gained slightly, worth some 1.2 percent more since 2018. Here it’s particularly important to keep in mind inflation: The current $24,800 average value of a 2014 Challenger R/T has the same buying power as $20,640 in 2018.

Given the messiness of parsing inflation from appreciation, it’s perhaps more instructive to measure interest than values. Calls to our insurance center—often an expression of a model’s popularity and a leading indicator of appreciation—hint that Hellcats are on a lot of enthusiasts’ minds. Hagerty fielded 20 percent more calls about them last year than during the year prior.

What’s driving this? The obvious answer is probably the right one: The Hellcat is going away, a fact Dodge hasn’t exactly tried to keep secret. It has been hawking a series of Last Call cars—a run capped with the new 1025-hp SRT Demon 170. Those who might not be able to afford a new one or score a dealer allotment may be looking for the next best thing.

How this bodes for the Hellcat’s long-term collectability, we can only speculate. As owners of 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertibles and 2002 Chevrolet Camaros can attest, “last of” cars don’t automatically fetch big bucks. There will almost certainly be more fast Dodges—the Charger Daytona EV concept gives us hope there—and there have been loud rumors that the next generation will also be offered with gas engines, namely the turbo “Hurricane” inline-six that is slowly but surely supplanting the Hemi V-8 across the Stellantis lineup.

And yet this really does feel like the end of something, doesn’t it? The unapologetically brash Hellcats scratch a car culture itch in a way that little else will. It’s also safe to say that there are plenty of people who lusted after but couldn’t afford Hellcats when they were new who will, as these things tend to go, make more money as they get older. The uptick in interest we’re observing right now is being led by Gen-Xers, but somewhere out there are a bunch of Gen-Zers who have worshipped Hellcats their entire childhood. (Yes, there are Gen-Zers who like cars.)

A combination of increasing demand and fixed supply is a solid recipe for appreciation. Whether or when that reaches “a million bucks” as my colleagues predicted all those years ago is anyone’s guess, but hey, it wouldn’t be the first time.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider 

The post Infernal Interest: Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats are slowly on the rise appeared first on Hagerty Media.

March 6, 2023: Good day, fellow gearheads. There is a lot to report on coming out of the recent festivities at The Amelia, and much of that content features luxury brands and European marques. So we thought we’d treat our muscle fans to an old favorite article (September 4, 2019), lest you think we’ve lost our taste for tire-smoking Detroit iron. -Eric Weiner, Executive Editor

Want to impress your friends? Outsmart some loudmouth on Facebook? Just wanna get in the good graces of a certain tribe? Then take this here list to your local cruise and throw one at every faction under the Ambassador Bridge. Inspired by Steve Magnante’s 1001 Muscle Car Facts, this list an indispensable resource for any aspiring muscle-car know-it-all. In no particular order:

AMC

• Yes, there still are folks who think the 390 commonly found in AMXs is a Ford engine. It’s not.
• An urban legend suggests that the Trans Am-inspired 1970 Mark Donohue Javelin built with the standard 360 received stronger internal webbing (a feature of the 390) than run-of-the-mill 360s, but there’s no evidence of a special 360 having been factory-installed. AMC expert Ian Webb offers an explanation: AMC offered a service block with the aforementioned reinforcements but with the smaller bore of the 304 that is colloquially referred to as the “Trans Am block.” It is still unsubstantiated that this block was installed at the factory.

Buick

• The 1968-69 GS California was based on a regional model built in 1967. Interestingly, all were based on the Special series and not the Gran Sport.
• 1966 was the only year that there were three Gran Sport series: Skylark, Riviera, and Wildcat.
• The last year for an available four-speed for full-size cars was 1965.

Chevrolet

• It was possible to order a 1966–67 Chevelle with the 396 that wasn’t an SS 396. All you had to do was visit a Canadian dealership and order a Malibu coupe or convertible with the A51 package. It was called the “Sports Option” and included Strato-bucket seats, console (when paired with four-speed or automatic), rocker trim, contrasting rear cove trim (for 1966), and Malibu SS identification. An A51-equipped Malibu was the only way to score the 396.
• “Band-Aid” stripes for 1967–69 Camaros were an exclusive Z/28 feature. Exceptions: 1969 Z11 pace cars and the Z10 hardtop promotional model.
• For the 1968–69 Camaro SS and Nova SS, the L78 396/375 was more popular than the L34 396/350.

Dodge

• The Dodge Dart Swinger 340 was only available in 1969–70 in the U.S. but, due to the efforts of two dealerships, a handful of special-order Dart Swinger Specials with the 340 were available through 1972 in Canada.
• For 1970, if you wanted a 340 in a Dodge Challenger, you ordered the base model. In 1971, you could get the 340 in the Challenger or Challenger R/T.
• The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona’s nose was made of sheet metal, not fiberglass.

Ford

• In 1971, the 429 Cobra Jet Mustang was the only Ford Motor Company product that officially offered the Drag Pack.
• The 429 Police Interceptor for 1971 full-size Fords was similar (but not identical) to the 429 Cobra Jet, including heads and camshaft.
• Despite the name, the 429 Cobra Jet was not standard for the 1970 Torino Cobra.

Mercury

• Ram air was not available with the 428 Cobra Jet for 1969 Mercury Montegos—only the Cyclone was available with air induction.
• The 1969–70 Marauder X-100 could have other contrasting rear two-toning besides matte black. It also was optional for the base Marauder.
• Mercury generally used the same engine codes in the VIN as did Ford but, for 1970, both the 428 and 429 Cobra Jet with ram air was designated differently by Mercury.

Oldsmobile

• Besides the Corvette, the 1971–72 Olds 4-4-2 was the only GM vehicle that offered a dual-disc clutch.
• The 4-4-2 package went from being based on F85 and Cutlass models in 1966 to the fancy Cutlass Supreme in 1967.
• The 1970 Cutlass SX had a confusing array of available engines: L33 2bbl. 455/320 was standard through March, replaced by the L31 4bbl. 455/365 from the full-size series. The W32 455/365 (the same engine standard on the 4-4-2) was optional throughout the year.

Plymouth

• Both the side stripe for the 1970 Duster 340 and the optional “Hockey Stick” stripe for the 1970 ‘Cuda were only available in black from the factory.
• Three Barracuda models were available with the 340 in 1969: standard, Formula S, and ‘Cuda 340.
• Strangely, the standard engine for the 1970 Sport Fury GT was not the same 375-horse 440 found in the GTX—it was the 350-horse version of the big-block.

Pontiac

• Black grilles were not a part of the Judge package for 1969. Rather, all ram air cars received black grilles. Since all Judges are ram air cars, black grilles have long been associated with the Judge.
• The last full-size four-speed was in 1968. Only 755 were built, with most being Catalinas according to the GM Heritage Center.
• All of the 1969 Grand Prix Model J’s four-barrel engines were available with a standard three-speed. The Model SJ shared some of the same engines but required a four-speed or automatic.

Shelby

• The initial run of 1967 Shelby Mustangs had driving lights in the middle of the grille. However, some states had rules on the close proximity of lights, so Shelby made a running change and later cars received lights at the outer edges of the grille.
• Ford’s Grabber colors got their start with the 1969 Shelby Mustang.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

The post 28 little-known muscle car facts appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

Chevelle—it’s the bread-and-butter muscle car from GM’s bread-and-butter brand. The midsize Chevrolet is the fourth-most insured car on Hagerty’s policies by make and model. That’s at least a little bit surprising, isn’t it? You haven’t been able to buy a new Chevelle in 46 years. You haven’t been able to buy a fast one for even longer. Yet they’re always in demand, still relevant in the hobby, and have cross-generational appeal. Few defunct badges in the muscle-car world carry as much cachet as C-H-E-V-E-L-L-E.

Changes for this midsize Chevy over its 14-year life were rarely dramatic, often more evolution than revolution. Because of this, as well as all the body styles, trims, and engines available, telling one from the other can be a little tricky at times. These subtle differences can have a huge impact on performance and price, though: The cheapest first-generation (1964–67) Chevelles in the Hagerty Price Guide don’t even crack ten grand in #2 (Excellent) condition, but the most expensive ones can be worth 15 times as much. (Read the Buyer’s Guide on 1964–67 Chevelles here.)

From the standpoints of styling and speed, the car’s apex was probably 1970, at the height of the muscle-car wars. Mention a classic Chevelle in conversation and most will probably conjure a ’70 Sport Coupe with bright paint, contrasting stripes on the hood, and a honking LS5 or LS6 454-cubic-inch V-8 rumbling underneath.

Or maybe that’s just what this writer thinks. For Mike Walsh, who graduated high school in 1967, his ’67 SS 396 that he restored with his son is all the Chevelle one would ever need. He’ll probably never sell his Marina Blue big-block, and after spending a few hours with it, it’s easy to understand why.

Debuting in 1964, the Chevelle was Chevy’s pitch to the burgeoning midsize segment. Touted by ads as “The Quick-Size Chevelle for the Driving Man,” it slotted in above the Corvair and Chevy II but under the full-sized Impala. Looks were handsome if a tad conservative, with a straightforward three-box design and fashionable four-headlight setup. Although the “first muscle car” honorarium is often bestowed on its A-body platform-mate, the Pontiac Tempest GTO, the Chevelle was pretty quick on the scene with various 283- and 327-cubic-inch V-8s and Super Sport models with “Malibu SS” badges on the rear quarter panel. Though the 396-cubic-inch V-8 was an incredibly rare option in 1965, the SS 396 rolled out in 1966 as its own more comprehensive, muscle-oriented trim level (or “series,” in Chevrolet-speak).

That was also the year for the Chevelle’s first big facelift, with new sheetmetal almost top to bottom. The fenders cut forward towards the headlights for a more aggressive, motion-implying front end, while the fenders got rounder and bulged at each end for the “Coke bottle” styling that became all the rage for American muscle in the second half of the ’60s. The bulging hood scoops didn’t do anything functional but they looked the part, and the roof on the coupe models swept back more gracefully than the roof of the ’65.

The SS 396 was the hottest model offered, and came in three different outputs with a few available transmissions. All engines displaced, you guessed it, 396 cubic inches. Starting with the 325-hp L35, buyers could move up to the 360-hp L34 that sported a more aggressive cam, or the 375-hp L78 that had solid lifters, 11:1 compression, rectangular-port heads, and an aluminum intake manifold. A three-speed manual, close- or wide-ratio four-speed, and Powerglide automatic were available.

You’ll need a Chevelle spotter to tell a ’67 apart from a ’66: The chrome lip along the front got thinner, the hood gained a power bulge toward the windshield, and the rear end was restyled with standard backup lights. But under the skin there were two significant updates. The stout three-speed TH400 automatic, beloved by drag racers and hot rodders, joined the transmission lineup as an extra-cost option. Disc brakes also became available for the first time as a $79 option, as GM finally realized that even the optional sintered-metallic drums weren’t up to the task of stopping its big-block bruiser.

Walsh’s Chevelle is from the first generation’s final and arguably best-looking year. It’s a 350-hp L34, four-speed with a Positraction limited-slip rear end. There’s nothing shouty about it—the in-your-face scoops, decals, and various decorative appendages that would embody peak muscle car were still a few years out. This ’67 is straightforward mid-’60s muscle with understated angles and bulges. Indeed, that’s part of the appeal of the Chevelle. Is it sexy? Not exactly. But it sure is handsome.

That word wouldn’t have always described this particular Chevelle, however. It was a $1000 hulk when Mike’s son Chris bought it in the mid-2000s, with not much left from the firewall forward. Chris’ plans to gift it to his dad moved forward a bit when the storage situation suddenly changed.

“[Chris] just called me up one day and said, ‘Hey, are you gonna be home Saturday?’” Mike remembers. “Then he says, ‘Good, just want to make sure you’re there when I bring her by.’ I thought he was bringing home a girl.”

The car had obviously led a hard life, but research revealed it was a genuine SS 396. Although the Walshs’ stable includes a Buick restomod, a C6 Corvette track car, and a handful of other modified machines, they aimed to keep the Chevelle classic and mostly correct. It was originally finished in Royal Plum, a rare shade, but neither Mike nor Chris cared for it, so Mike picked Marina Blue with black vinyl roof instead. It’s a clean choice that shows off the car’s lines well. The Rally wheels and beefy Radial T/As don’t look bad, either. The original, unused plates from 1967, which are available and legal on classics in Texas, are another nice touch.

Speaking of the vinyl roof, it’s practically the only job this father-son pair didn’t tackle. From mechanicals to paint, they did nearly everything themselves to bring the car back to factory specs. The effort stretched out several years, as these things tend to do when you’re restoring something in your spare time and not to pay the bills. Mike is retired now, but was still working when Chris surprised him with the car. They’ve made minor tweaks and improvements since they finished it, but is always ready to drive and enjoy. This Chevelle lives up to the original SS396 ads that promised “a severe compulsion to go driving.”

The roomy interior has the usual bucket seats, and they afford a commanding view, though the upright position is not quite what you’d describe as “Super Sport[y].” Other than the sheer number of cubic inches combusting in front of you, nothing else about the car feels particularly big or beefy. This is a midsize, after all.

Another thing the old ads promise is that the SS 396 “maneuvers like magic.” Perhaps that was the case in the ’60s, but certainly not by the standards of, say, anything after 1980. That charmingly thin, almost delicate steering wheel, the kind you only get in a car made long before airbags, takes a lot of input before the car actually turns. It gives little in the way of feedback, and you more float through a turn than power around it. If you’ve ever driven a hefty American car from the ’50s or ’60s, though, none of this is unfamiliar stuff. And it’s never the steering wheel that’s the star of this show, anyway. It’s the thundering bits under the hood.

This SS 396 makes it easy to see why people pay up for a big-block. It’s got all the noise and burble of any good pushrod V-8, but also shoves you in the back with the kind of thrust that is still a hoot even through twenty-first century eyes. The old suspension and primitive perimeter frame underneath you only amplify that feeling—between the buoyant ride and the all-day torque, it’s a piece of work in the best possible way. The Muncie four-speed is a good one, smooth and predictable in its shifts, and the clutch is only mildly heavy. This car is great for cruising, and for stomping on it when you get the urge.

The Walshes use their Chevelle exactly how most other owners use theirs—casual driving and the occasional car show. That there’s a big world of others doing the same is a big part of the appeal. The exclusivity of a rare, unusual, or extremely pricey car is nice for some, but there’s a real draw to the sense of community, leagues-deep knowledge base, endless resources, and easy parts availability that come with every Chevelle.

With over 72,000 Chevelle SS 396s built in 1966 and more than 62,000 in 1967, they’re not hard to find, but they have pretty much always been cool. And cool is always in demand, which is partly why clean examples tend to fetch prices consistent with rarer muscle cars and other common but perennially in-demand favorites like Corvettes and high-spec Mustangs. The #2 (Excellent) value in the Hagerty Price Guide for a ’67 SS 396 L34 Sport Coupe is $66,900, and the #3 (Good) value is $57,200. The equipment and condition of the Walsh’s car put it somewhere in the middle.

Another big part of the appeal is versatility. With 1.6 million first-gen Chevelles built, trims ran the gamut from barebones to near-luxury, engines ranged from stodgy sixes to monster V-8s, and body styles from sunny-day convertibles to utilitarian station wagons. The engine bay is big enough to accommodate a variety of classic or modern powertrains, and the aftermarket for Chevelles is bigger than almost any car we can think of that’s no longer in production.

And since so many people either own one, used to own one, or know somebody who owns one, driving a Chevelle means you’ll never run out of enthusiasts to share stories with. After my day with the Walshes and their SS 396, I was reminded that that’s a big part of why we’re here, and why we keep cars like the Chevelle alive.

Data Dive: No, Chevelles aren’t just “boomer cars”

You’d think a 1960s muscle car with a badge that disappeared nearly fifty years ago would hold little interest to younger collectors. That would be incorrect. Although baby boomers do account for a slightly higher-than-average share of those calling us for insurance on them, interest among Gen-Xers and millennials is strong. That widespread interest helps explain why values have steadily risen in the past decade.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Chevelles just won’t quit appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Dodge drops first “Last Call” teaser video for the last Hemi sportscar

Intake: Dodge has posted a new video teaser leading up to the global debut of the “ultimate Dodge performance vehicle,” which will take place during the Dodge Last Call Powered by Roadkill Nights Vegas event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 20. The next full video teaser is set to premiere on March 1. Each teaser reveals clues to the identity, and performance DNA, of the final special-edition “Last Call” vehicle. This first teaser, called “Runnin’ Hyde,” features a sinister-looking leprechaun that morphs into something even more sinister-looking. “Last Call” is all about the pending end of the Dodge Challenger and Charger production. Six Dodge “Last Call” models have already been introduced: the Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee, Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger, Dodge Charger King Daytona and Dodge Challenger Black Ghost.

Exhaust: A leprechaun? Does it mean the car will be green? We’ll need more information. — Steven Cole Smith

BMW X5 M and X6 M jump to 617-hp hybrid setup

Intake: BMW has announced a raft of changes for its 2024 X5 M and 2024 X6 M SUVs. The two SUVs will now be offered exclusively as higher-performance Competition models, a designation BMW uses to denote the sharper of its M products. The pair will get a new 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 that uses a cross-bank exhaust manifold, revised turbos, a new intake, and a few other tweaks that help it develop 553 lb-ft of torque between 1800–5800 rpm and 617 hp. Joining that new eight-pot is BMW’s first application of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system on an M car, which features an electric motor that can deliver 12 extra ponies and 147 lb-ft of extra torque integrated into the bell housing of the updated eight-speed transmission. BMW says that the new powertrain enables 0–60 times of just 3.7 seconds. Massive brake discs measuring 15.6 inches in the front and 15 inches in the rear are squeezed by six-piston calipers and single-piston calipers, respectively.

There’s a new 27.2-inch curved display in the cockpit to handle infotainment and instrumentation duties and new ambient lighting to adjust the mood inside the SUVs. The new X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition will debut at The Amelia in early March, and production will begin at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina in April. The X5 M Competition will start at $123,295 and the X6 M Competition will start at $128,195.

Exhaust: It was only a matter of time before hybrid power came to the aid of BMW’s Big performance SUVs. Expect similar tech to start to trickle down to the smaller X3 and X4 SUVs eventually, although those models will likely stick with their twin-turbo straight-six engines. — Nathan Petroelje

GM to shut down truck plant for two weeks

Intake: GM is shutting down one of its truck plants for two weeks in March as the manufacturer “works to manage inventory levels,” said the manufacturer. The plant affected is the Fort Wayne truck plant, which builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, says Automotive News. The downtime is “an effort to maintain optimal inventory levels with our dealerships,” GM spokesman Dan Flores said. “The plant constantly reviews and adjusts production schedules according to customers’ needs,” he said. “Our production is up over the past month while demand remains fairly consistent, leading to an increase in inventory. Therefore, as we stated on our earnings call, we are going to proactively manage inventory levels, including plant downtime.”

Exhaust: Welcome to the new way of doing things in Detroit. In the past, GM and other manufacturers would just keep building trucks, and offer incentives and discounts to keep them moving. Now, with trucks and many other vehicles selling for list price or close to it, manufacturers will actively manage inventory to keep prices up. GM CFO Paul Jacobson told analysts on the automaker’s fourth-quarter earnings call in January that GM ended 2022 with a roughly 50-day supply of dealership inventory. GM is planning to have a 50- to 60-day supply at the end of 2023. — SCS

Mercedes E-Class: Take selfies, do Zoom calls, play Angry Birds

Intake: Owners of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class and their passengers may never need to leave their car. According to Mercedes: “The software experts at Mercedes-Benz developed a new compatibility layer that allows the installation of third-party apps. The following apps are available on the central display at launch of the E-Class: TikTok, the game Angry Birds, the collaboration app Webex, the video conferencing app Zoom and the web browser Vivaldi. In addition, the optional ZYNC entertainment portal offers video streaming, on-demand content, interactive experiences, sports, news, games and much more on the central and passenger displays, via one user interface.” In addition: “Another new feature is a selfie and video camera (part of the optional MBUX Superscreen) on top of the dashboard. When the vehicle is stationary, the driver can participate in online video conferences via Webex or Zoom, and take photos and videos.”

Exhaust: Selfies? Zoom calls? TikTok? This is definitely part of the new Mercedes philosophy, which also includes wild collaboration projects with fashion brands. — SCS

Will electric car prices reach parity with ICE cars by 2026?

Intake: The cost of making electric cars will reach parity with internal combustion cars by around 2025 and 2026, the head of Envision Racing’s Formula E team said. Sylvain Filippi, managing director of Envision, said it will soon become more expensive to manufacture traditional cars than their electric counterparts, given that the cost of manufacturing ICE vehicles is increasing. “In 2025 and 2026  you’ll start to see parity on the supply side, in developed countries,” Filippi said during an interview with Reuters at the Reuters IMPACT climate conference on Tuesday, adding sticker price parity meant the total cost of ownership would be lower. “That’s the tipping point. When that happens and we can manufacture these cars at scale, then the floodgates will open,” Filippi said. “At that stage, buying an internal combustion car will be a very bad idea because the original value of these cars will be nothing. It will become a really bad asset and I think the transition will accelerate really rapidly.”

Exhaust: Is price what’s keeping you from buying an electric car? Filippi, a longtime industry EV advocate, believes it is. If parity in price is indeed reached by 2026, there’s little doubt that electric sales should accelerate. — SCS

Florida bill would ban dogs from sticking their heads out the car window

Intake: A bill filed in Florida—where else?—last Friday by Broward County Democratic state Senator Lauren Book would prohibit dogs from sticking their heads out of car windows. The measure includes various animal-welfare regulations: penalizing cat declawing, banning certain animal testing, prohibiting rabbit sales before Easter, and requiring the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to post an online registry of convicted animal abuses, according to USA Today. The bill would prohibit drivers from holding a dog in their lap, and dogs wouldn’t be allowed to put their head “or any other body part” outside a car window. The bill calls for pets to be restrained with a harness, seat belt, or if possible, to be held by a passenger. If a dog is being transported in the bed of a truck, it must be restrained by using a crate that is safely secured and large enough to allow the dog to turn around normally.

Exhaust: Presumably, people and other livestock can still hold their heads out the window. — SCS

The post Dodge teases final Hemi build, play Angry Birds in your E-Class, BMW’s M SUVs go hybrid appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The automotive market went through a series of sweeping changes in the early 1960s. Not the least of these was the rise of small-to-intermediate-size cars, vehicles that were cheap to build, affordable to buy, and popular with drivers who needed basic transportation at a reasonable price.

Chevrolet’s answer to the entry-level question was the 1964–67 Chevelle, a car that built on the lessons learned from the smaller Chevy II and ahead-of-its-time Corvair. Larger than both, but more modestly proportioned than full-size fare like the Impala, the intermediate Chevelle was an immediate homerun for the brand, with 1.6 million first-generation cars sold. (Click here to read about our recent drive of a ’67 Chevelle.)

Helping to propel Chevelle sales was its extreme versatility. Here was a car that could be ordered as a coupe, sedan, convertible, and a pair of wagons (two-door and four-door), outfitted with equipment ranging from barebones to respectably comfortable. Riding on GM’s all-new A-body platform, the Chevelle also birthed the reborn El Camino pickup, which added a cargo bed (and which is outside the scope of this buying guide), as well as the Malibu, which served time as a Chevelle trim level before graduating to its own nameplate. Most body styles featured the choice between frugal six-cylinder power or an upgrade to either small-block or big-block V-8, with the latter powering the iconic Malibu Super Sport and the SS396.

A big part of the Chevelle’s continuing popularity among collectors also has to do with how easy it is to modify. Capable of receiving nearly any small-block design in its capacious engine bay, and bolstered by an incredibly deep aftermarket, there are nearly as many customized Chevelles out there as there are numbers-matching originals, a fact underscored by just how cheap it can be to buy a rolling shell or even complete base car to use as a template for building an SS clone.

Charting the changes

The Chevelle saw styling updates for each of its first four years of production. The 1964 models are easily identifiable by way of their upright, egg-crate grilles, a feature that was replaced by a chrome bar that bisected the front end of the car for 1965. Both the ’64 and ’65 feature a rounded grille surround that encapsulates the headlights, with the ’65 adding a kink at the far edge. Changes are equally prominent at the rear, with the original split taillamps being replaced by one-piece units and the trunk filler swapping from chrome to black and adding C-H-E-V-R-O-L-E-T lettering across the center instead of across the top of the trunk lid.

The 1966 Chevelles have a canted front end, with the the front of the hood angled above the bumper and the bottom of the grille recessed into the fenders. Headlights are no longer flush but instead stick out, and the grille loses its center trim in favor of small horizontal bars. These bars become more prominent for 1967, which also loses the ’66 bumper cutouts in favor of one large cutout that slices across the entire unit and houses the turn signals. The hood is also smoothed back for ’67, and the fenders pushed forward to erase the previous year’s diagonal slice.

Angles are also the order of the day at the rear of the Chevelle. The 1966 edition features protruding fender edges that house curved rectangular taillights, while 1967 frenches those lights into the fender edges themselves and transforms them into triangles. A full-across trim piece is also present for ’67 in place of the ’66 model’s body-color backstop with chrome surround and Chevrolet logo center trim. Wagons feature different tailgate and taillight setups for each of the four first-generation model years.

Chevelle trim levels (called “series” by GM) were fairly restrained. For 1964, buyers could choose between the base 300, the mid-tier Malibu, and the muscular Malibu SS. The latter two featured their own unique badging but otherwise matched lesser models in terms of styling. The following year the 300 Deluxe was added to the mix, and by 1966 the SS396 had replaced the Malibu SS. The final change of note is the Concours trim for 1967, which was wagon-only. Malibu SS and SS396 cars were sold exclusively as coupes or convertibles.

Equipment ran the gamut from stripped-down Taxi fleet cars all the way up to plush Malibus with full power accessories, power steering, air conditioning, and bucket seats. Optional gear included a Positraction limited-slip rear differential, a four-speed manual transmission (which replaced the column-shifted three-speed with a floor-shifter), and a two-speed PowerGlide automatic.

Engine choices for the 1964 Chevelle consisted of a pair of straight-six engines (a 194-cubic-inch unit good for 120 horsepower, and a 155 horsepower, 230-cu-in design), as well as two versions of the 283-cubic-inch small block V-8 (195-hp, two-barrel carburetor, and 230-hp four-barrel), and a pair of 327-cubic-inch V-8s (250-hp two-barrel, 300-hp four-barrel).

It’s important to point out that the Malibu SS was available with both V-8 and I-6 engines, and that ordering the model did not guarantee a high-performance engine under the hood. Similarly, in all years SS cars came standard with the three-speed manual, with the four-speed optional, as it was on nearly every other Chevelle.

Horsepower fluctuated somewhat for the I-6 and 283 for 1965, with the 327 gaining a third, 350-pony version, but the big news was the new 396-cu-in big-block L37 V-8 that added 375 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque in a very limited number (only 200) of Malibu SS models (also known as Z16 cars). This hydraulic cam motor was unique to 1965, and differed from the L78 396 offered by the Corvette that same year, and the Chevelle SS396 the following year.

A 396 big-block became standard in the newly created SS396 trim for 1966, available in 325-hp (L35), 360-hp (L34), and 375-hp (L78) editions, while the 327 returned to a single, 275-hp option on non-SS cars. For 1967, buyers were given an extra 325-hp, 327-cu-in V-8 to choose from, while the L34 big-block lost 10 hp and 5 lb-ft of torque. Only 612 L78-equipped SS396 cars were built that final year, due in part to the engine not being available until late April/early May 1967.

Who to know before inspection

If you’re looking for comprehensive online information about the Chevrolet Chevelle, it doesn’t get much better than Chevelle Stuff, which offers decoders for VINs, warranty cars, and trim tags; full lists of all options, features, and trim levels; and deep dives into every model year. It also features registries for a vast array of specific Chevelle models.

As with many muscle cars, those who have built companies dedicated to keeping these vehicles on the road are also excellent resources when it comes to digging into their history. We spoke to Roger Ausley of Ausley’s Chevelle Parts to get a better understanding of how to identify a ’64–67 Chevelle when looking at its VIN plate (located on the front hinge post of the driver’s door) and trim tag or body plate number (driver’s side firewall).

In 1964, the VIN was 11 digits and 1 letter, and for ’65–67 it shifted to 12 digits and 1 letter. In ’64, the first digit of the VIN is 4 to represent the model year. Canadian-built cars kept this going for 1965 and ’66, but American models shifted to a 1 as the first number from ’65 onwards, which indicates that the vehicle is a Chevrolet. The second number pair represents the series and engine type of the vehicle, with the next two digits indicating body style. In 1964, the letter that follows denotes the assembly plant (there were five in the United States), but for ’65–67 cars a number is inserted before the assembly-plant letter to show the production year. This is followed by the serial number, which always begins with a 1.

“The thing to keep in mind about serial numbers is that GM couldn’t do them sequentially,” Ausley explains. “Each number is specific to the plant where it was built, and that particular vehicle’s position on the assembly line.” This means that a Super Sport with serial number 00004 doesn’t mean it’s the fourth SS ever built, it just means it’s the fourth Chevelle—and even then, it’s the fourth Chevelle built at that specific plant.

There are also some details that only an expert would know that will help when inspecting a potential purchase.

“Prior to 1965, the VIN numbers were attached with two spot welds onto the door frame post, or they had rivets,” he continues. “In ’65, a federal law was passed that all VIN plates had to be attached with a rosette rivet. However, some 1965 model year cars were built in late 1964, so only ’65 model year Chevelles constructed after January of that year have this type of tag. This can lead to DOT claims that a VIN tag was removed and reinstalled, but it simply isn’t true, so you have to check the actual build date of the vehicle to authenticate the plate.”

Given that the Chevelle Malibu SS and SS396 are very easy to clone, it also helps to be prudent when inspecting the details that set these more desirable models apart.

“We have a series of videos on YouTube showing where the emblems on these cars are supposed to be,” says Ausley. “Badges in the wrong spot is one of the most common discrepancies you’ll encounter when looking at a clone car. We also have a tech-tips series that goes further into year-to-year changes between the cars.”

Sometimes the clues indicating you’re looking at a real Super Sport are so hidden as to be practically invisible.

“All SS models had a set of small brackets mounted to the rear lower control arms that weren’t on the regular Malibus, or any other Chevelles,” explains Ausley. “These were for 12-inch support bars that you won’t find anywhere else.” He also says that there were no SS El Caminos (just cars featuring optional big-blocks), and that while no Chevelle came with a 427-cubic-inch V-8 from the factory, some dealers did install them after delivery to skirt GM rules about big-block engines in intermediate platforms in that era.

Ultimately, according to Ausley, the best way to authenticate a potential purchase is to ask for as much documentation from the seller as possible. This includes the original bill of sale, a build sheet, and any paperwork available from the original owners, all of which are considered the gold standard when paying for a high-dollar car.

Before you buy

Mechanically, the 1964–67 Chevelle is rock-solid. With a choice between basic small-block Chevy engines, stout straight-sixes, and well-understood big-blocks, the only issues you’ll encounter in the engine bay are related to age and mileage and can be addressed as they would in any other vehicle. Suspensions, rear ends, and transmissions are similarly uncomplicated, and parts availability is excellent across the board (including a strong market for reproduction pieces and sheetmetal).

“Keep an eye on the floorboard on the passenger side, as that’s where leaking heater cores tended to trigger rust,” Ausley says. Other areas with rust related to poor drainage include the rear corners of the back window, behind the rear wheels, and the bottoms of the front fenders. He also points to the door bottoms (where drains were blocked by pieces of the fuzzy window sweeps falling into the door) and later cars that used butyl tape instead of a gasket to seal the windshield as further areas of concern.

“Keep in mind, GM was not interested in a car that lasted 30 years,” he explained. “They wanted to build a car that lasted three years, so you’d have to buy a new one.”

What to pay

For up-to-date values of the exact Chevelle you’re shopping, consult the Hagerty Valuation Tool. For a breakdown of Hagerty’s 1-to-4 vehicle-condition rating system, click here. 

The original Chevrolet Chevelle remains a popular choice with collectors. With prices for sparsely equipped six-cylinder sedans hovering just above the $10,000 mark for Excellent, or #2 condition, examples, the Chevelle provides an easy entry point into the hobby, especially when looking at even more affordable #3 (Good) condition driver-quality examples.

That being said, coupes and convertibles featuring V-8 power can easily double or triple that price in #1 (Concours) or even #2 condition, to say nothing of the Super Sport, which can range from $50,000 to over $100,000 (not including outliers like the ultra-rare Z16 V-8 SS models that jump to nearly $200K). Values have risen nearly 20 percent across the board for the Chevelle over the past three years, based on Hagerty quotes, with strong interest from both baby boomers and Gen X representing the majority of those making inquiries.

As with any classic, it’s in your best interest to purchase the best-condition vehicle you can afford rather than target a cheaper, project-level Chevelle. Although you won’t have any trouble locating new or used parts, outside of investment-grade blue-chip models, the labor and investment required to restore an old automobile almost always eclipses its actual value.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters. 

The post Your handy 1964–67 Chevrolet Chevelle buyer’s guide appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

Thought experiment:

Two distinctly modern Shelby Mustangs, produced during parallel model years with a set of stripes and goosed-up V-8s. One was a Shelby-licensed Ford factory effort: a comprehensively engineered, 500-hp, supercharged, stick-axle snake that was, for a moment, the most powerful production muscle-car on the planet. The other is a true Shelby-modified ’Stang, marginally more than an aesthetic package with some quality bolt-ons.

Which would you expect to be more collectible? The 500-hp monster, right? Correct!

Well, kind of. Maybe. It’s complicated.

As you probably gleaned from the headline and that pretty pony in the lead image, these mystery Mustangs are the 2007–2009 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the 2007–2008 Shelby GT (SGT). And, if you determine collectability by which trades hands for more cash, then yes, the GT500 is the obvious winner with overall higher values across all conditions, according to the Hagerty Valuation Tool.

The money favors the big, beefy GT500, but something’s happening with the lesser-known Shelby GT. Both ’Stangs have increased their values since 2020, but the understudy SGT has outpaced the GT500 in appreciation.

Pause for a moment—here’s some context before we get nerdy with the numbers. In the mid-2000s, the Mustang brand was arguably the strongest it’d been in decades, with the newly-launched S197-generation Mustang (2005–2013) ushering a surge of sales from a horde of new and returning Mustang owners looking to mainline a fat dose of nostalgia with the S197’s neo-retro design.

The time was right for a Shelby resurgence. Despite a successful turn at hopping-up Omnis, Chargers, and Dakotas for Chrysler, Carroll Shelby’s surname hadn’t graced the decklid of a Mustang in any capacity since Shelby legally re-VIN’d 789 unsold 1969 GT500s as model year 1970. The S197 reawakened Shelby’s relationship with the Mustang, first with the rare 2005 CS6 and CS8 Mustang packages, and shortly thereafter with a 21st-century rekindling of his bonds with Ford and Hertz. The two corporate giants teamed up with the famed Mustang maestro for the 2006 Shelby GT-H, a limited 500-unit run of Shelby-fied black-and-gold Mustang GTs exclusively for Hertz’s rental fleets that recalled the original Shelby-Hertz partnership from 1966.

A year later, Ford and Shelby collaborated again on the 2007–2008 Shelby GT as a commercially-available production version of the former GT-H—which, by the way, returned to Hertz’s fleet for the 2007 model year configured only as a convertible. For SGT production, Ford followed in the spirit of the Shelby Mustangs of 1960s yore by shipping new Mustang GTs straight from the factory to Shelby’s facility in Las Vegas for the hop-up kit.

A new intake, ECU, and exhaust squeezed another 19 hp and 10 lb-ft of torque out of the GT’s 4.6-liter V-8 for a total of 319 hp and 330 lb-ft. Upgraded springs, dampers, and thicker sway bars from a Ford Performance suspension kit significantly improved handling. Aesthetically, the rear spoiler was deleted and a new retro-style hood scoop, chrome five-spoke American Racing-style wheels, a new grille, and rear diffuser were added. Inside, the requisite Shelby commemorative plaque sits on the dash above a classic cue-ball shifter.

So, it’s best to consider the SGT a “Mustang GT-Plus” with Shelby bona fides. It never had its time at the top of the hierarchy however, as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 also landed on U.S. tarmac in 2007. Developed almost entirely in-house by Ford’s Special Vehicles Team (SVT) with only consultation and licensing from Shelby, the new GT500 was fully built by Ford at its Flat Rock, Michigan, plant. Differences over its siblings were substantial: a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 ripped the rear tires with 500 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, bigger Brembo brakes, and an aggressive suspension with revised springs and dampers to manage the added heft and power. It also sported a vented hood, different front fascia, and rear spoiler, along with its own unique wheels and tires.

But was it a Shelby? Well, according to some diehard Shelby supplicants, no. Despite the name on the decklid and window sticker, some claim this was more SVT than Shelby and had little to do with the “real” cars built in Vegas—nevermind that Ford contracted with Shelby for the later 2008–2009 GT500KR. The SGT, on the other hand, was as Shelby as they come.

Back to valuation. According to our Price Guide, $30,000 will buy a 2007 GT500 in Condition #3—what we consider “Good,” or a, driver-condition car. You’ll find that shopping for a SGT saves you about eight grand over the GT500: $21,800 garners a same-condition Shelby GT.

That delta shrinks to $7000 when comparing Condition #2 cars: $35,600 fetches a SGT while the GT500 averages $42,600. That’s a relatively thin margin compared to the massive gulf in performance and—if we’re being honest—recognition. In Mustang history, the SGT is a well-thought-of B-side to the GT500’s top-40 hit.

Despite that, the SGT does have a few things going for it, principally that it’s dramatically rarer than its big bro. Just 7865 SGTs were built between the 2007 and 2008 model years, compared to the 22,989 GT500s built from the 2007 to 2009. Also, the SGT’s values are gaining traction. Up 44 percent since January 2022, the SGT has outstripped the GT500’s 33 percent increase over the same period.

We’re primarily focused on the two Mustangs available to consumers when new, but Hertz’s GT-H does help provide a little context on what collectors prioritize. With only 500 units produced, it’s rarer than the other two. The nostalgia-advantaged GT-H is up 36 percent over the last year and has surpassed even the GT500 in value. Though they’re very nearly the same car, the values of the two naturally-aspirated GTs bookend their brawnier, supercharged stablemate.

What gives? We get some clues from who buys these hopped-up Mustangs. We don’t break down demographic data for the SGT, but interest in the GT500, as determined by who calls Hagerty for quotes on insurance, disproportionately comes from Baby Boomers. On the whole, they represent just over a third of those calling about insurance—but nearly half of those calling about a GT500. Millennials, on the other hand, don’t seem as interested in the muscle-bound GT500—their share of quotes lags their total market share by seven percentage points. We also see a decent number of GT500s—10 percent in the garages of serious Shelby collectors.

Assuming the breakdown for the rarer Shelby GT is similar—and Hagerty Price Guide editor Greg Ingold thinks it is—then the values make sense. Rarity and authenticity might be more likely to matter to a serious older collector—particularly one who has curated a specific marque—than raw numbers. “Yes, the Shelby GT makes less power and is priced appropriately for that, but it carries the Shelby name and is still quite prized among Mustang and Shelby enthusiasts,” added Ingold. Besides, someone who is really in it just for the power has plenty to choose from. The 2007 GT500 sparked a modern horsepower war that continues to this day with 650-hp Camaro ZL1s, 707-hp Challenger Hellcats, and 760-hp Shelby GT500s.

Will the Shelby GT will cross the Rubicon and join the GT-H with values above the GT500? Time will tell. Whether you choose rarity and Shelby-built provenance or the supercharged powerhouse with a moniker steeped in history, it’s hard to go wrong.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

Via Hagerty Insider

The post Why is the 319-hp Shelby GT hotter than the 500-hp GT500? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Want a better understanding of what’s driving collector-car values? Sign up for the Hagerty Insider newsletter.

Can there ever be too much of a good thing? It’s a well-worn question, but one we ask quite a bit at Hagerty Insider, particularly when applied to supply, demand, and old cars. Sifting through the intricacies of this hobby all day will do that to you. It’s surely a question that auction companies ask themselves, too. I even overheard passersby utter it a few times last week at Mecum Kissimmee, the world’s largest collector car auction. They could have been referencing anything—from the over 4000 vehicles that crossed the block to the abundance of certain models. Indeed, we noticed several instances of high-spec, perfect cars selling strongly while lesser cars experienced more no-sales and mixed results relative to their estimates.

In this context, couldn’t help but think of the 20(!) Mopar aero cars (the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Road Runner Superbird that briefly dominated NASCAR in 1969-70), most of them from a single collection. Some were perfect. Others weren’t. Some had desirable colors, which can make a surprisingly big difference in the Mopar muscle world. Others didn’t. Over three percent of all the Hemi-powered wing cars ever built were available to the highest bidder. So, can there be too much of a winged thing?

There are all sorts of factors that go into how we price cars for the Hagerty Price Guide, but there are even more variables when you throw vehicles into an auction setting. Timing, marketing, makeup of consignments, even the weather can affect who’s bidding. What auction companies have the most control over is what goes across the block and when, so they put a lot of time and energy into this bit of car choreography.

Which brings us back to our age-old question and group of pointy-nosed muscle machines. On the one hand, bringing 20 of these rare cars (comprised of 503 Daytonas and about 2000 Superbirds) certainly grabs the attention of those shopping for a wing car. And, theoretically, it sets a bidders against each other, pushing prices up and up. On the other hand, so many of the same car in one spot also means bidders can choose to be picky. With all choices of color, options, transmission and engine, lesser cars might get passed over.

It appears that some of the latter happened in Kissimmee. Of the 11 Dodge Daytonas, two stood fairly clearly above the rest. Both cracked the world-record price and tied each other at $1.43M each. One was an ex-Bobby Allison NASCAR racer, and the other was a pristine, super low-mile Hemi four-speed car, the same one that comedian David Spade bought in 2015 for $990K. Only three Daytonas have brought over $1M at auction before. Meanwhile, seven of the Daytonas sold for well under their presale estimates, including one for $308K against a $375K estimate. It was a 440/375-hp car with an automatic (the least desirable drivetrain), and although its color combination of Yellow over Saddle is apparently one-of-one, it’s not the kind of loud shade that Mopar fans typically pay a premium for.

Most of the Superbirds sold under their estimates as well, including some of the Hemis. But to show just how much details matter, let’s point out that a Limelight Green Hemi four-speed with its original drivetrain sold for $852,000, while a Lemon Twist Hemi with an automatic and a replacement engine brought $517,000. That Lemon Twist Superbird might have been the star attraction at another auction. Here, it faded into the background.

Granted, none of the 20 brought bargain-basement numbers, and all the prices were well above what they would have been a couple of years ago. But after 2022’s nearly nonstop growth, the more nuanced results for this group made for a compelling spectacle. Will top-shelf cars still fly high and lower spec rides start to soften? It’s something we’ll be keeping an eye out for as we pick apart the numbers from Kissimmee and Scottsdale in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. 

Via Hagerty Insider

The post How many winged wonders is too many? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

It’s two words composed of six letters and if you are of a certain age the term is synonymous with great racing: We are talking Trans-Am. Not the Pontiac, but the race series that gave the Poncho its name. Starting in 1966, Trans-Am events became a proving ground for muscle and pony cars as manufacturers attempted to ratify the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mantra. While the on-track action did indeed help sales figures, there is a whole lot more to the story. To discover the rest of the tale, Jay Leno gathered a trio of Trans-Am race cars and invited race announcer Mike Joy and racer Ken Epsman onto the show to discuss the history of the series and its cultural impact on the American automotive scene.

The Trans-Am series spooled up in 1966 thanks to John Bishop and the SCCA. The class was designed as a professional series for sedans and was governed by a rulebook that required the competing cars to have more similarities with showroom cars than with the high-powered racers people might have been used to during an era of high-downforce, wildly designed Can-Am cars and all sorts of experimentation in other racing disciplines. As current NASCAR commentator Mike Joy points out when chatting with Jay, teams could remove the carpet and headliner, but otherwise, the interior had to stay. That meant race cars with back seats and roll-up windows—things that are all but unimaginable in today’s competition machines.

Changes were more common under the hood, but not how you might expect. The displacement cap was set at 305 cubic inches (5 liters) for V-8 cars and 122 cubic inches (2 liters) for four-cylinder cars. Competitors had to get creative to squeeze extra juice out of their engines. The rulebook stated that as long as the displacement didn’t change, any part that had a manufacturer part number on it was fair game, so some of the top teams quickly began swapping heads, adjusting oiling systems, and more.

The series eventually split the two displacement classes into separate races held on the same weekend at the same track. The relatively stock nature of Trans-Am allowed amateur drivers to upgrade to a professional license and run with the factory-backed teams if they had a car that met the loose technical requirements. Thanks to exciting racing and perfect timing with manufacturer support, the Trans American Challenge Series took off and quickly became a household name.

What really helped with the name recognition was Pontiac’s introduction of the model bearing the name in 1969. Using the Trans-Am name came with a $5 per-car fee that Pontiac would pay to the SCCA. The car sold well, and that naming fee became the largest single source of income that the SCCA had. In fact, that revenue stream lasted far longer than the series did. In 1972, the largest stock-bodied race series in the U.S. changed the rulebook, and the cars that rumbled through every car person’s daydreams for six years were suddenly obsolete.

Although the series burned hot and fast, its long-tail impact eventually precipitated a race at Lime Rock Park in 1990 that featured 20 historic Trans-Am cars. The success of that race prompted similar events on the West Coast, helping return these cars to their nostalgia-soaked glory. Now, the thundering Camaros, Javelins, Mustangs, and Firebirds are staples of big motorsports reunion events like the Monterey Historics, where period-correct cars still run wheel-to-wheel, just like the old days. The cars might be a little older, but the racing is just as strong as ever. And we love that.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post Get up to speed on Trans-Am racing history with Jay Leno appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If you were a part of the Detroit street racing scene in the ’70s, or if you’ve been a muscle car fan at any point since then, there’s a good chance you’ve heard tales of the Black Ghost, a street-racing 1970 Dodge Challenger that would prowl Woodward Avenue, show its opponents its taillights, and then disappear. The triple-black Hemi-powered Challenger R/T SE was stealthy and, at the same time, distinct thanks to its black “Gator Grain” alligator-print vinyl top.

Now, after more than 50 years with the same family, the Black Ghost will be offered for sale as part of Dana Mecum’s 36th Original Spring Classic event held May 12–20 in Indianapolis. Mecum made the announcement at its Kissimmee, Florida event going on right now.

Godfrey Qualls, a United States Army veteran and Detroit police officer, was the driver behind the mysterious 426 Hemi racer. The fact that he was a cop explains why he kept his after-hours street racing shenanigans quiet. Qualls retired the car from racing in 1975 and didn’t brag about his exploits. In 2015, just before he passed away, he signed the title over to his son, Gregory. The story of Quall’s racing prowess received national attention thanks to the Hagerty Drivers Foundation, which helped the Black Ghost enter into the National Historic Vehicle Register. Gregory shared his father’s story with Hagerty:

How big of a deal is this car? Aside from its place on the National Historic Vehicle Register, Dodge chose to pay tribute to the Black Ghost as one of its seven “Last Call” models that honor the brand’s Hemi muscle cars. The Black Ghost is the only individual car to earn such a distinction thus far (there’s still one more Last Call car announcement coming).

A Hemi-powered 1970 Challenger R/T SE four-speed in #2 (Excellent) condition is currently valued at more than $350,000, although this car’s near-mythical status and history will certainly elevate it above its brethren.

How high, you may wonder? Hagerty valuation specialist John Wiley explains how the car’s unique history will come to play when the Black Ghost hits the auction block.

“Unrestored, culturally iconic muscle cars such as the 1968 Bullitt Mustang sell for well over seven figures, and it’s not unreasonable to expect the Black Ghost might do the same,” Wiley said.

Mecum hasn’t published any other consignments for its Indy sale besides the Black Ghost, but we can’t imagine any that will eclipse this legendary muscle car. We’ll certainly be watching to see where this car lands, hopefully in a collection that will put it on display and share its fascinating story.

The post Legendary “Black Ghost” Challenger up for sale by original family appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Ram’s Revolution electric truck will offer a gas-powered range extender

Intake: At a round table event during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares confirmed that the forthcoming Ram Revolution electric pickup will offer a gas-powered range extender, according to Car and Driver. Rumors of the range extender surfaced as early as last February, when EVPulse sat down with Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. and first heard about such a plan. Not every Ram Revolution will come with the extender, but it looks like it will be an option for those who may be concerned about their truck’s overall range or what will happen to that range if they try to tow anything of substance, which substantially reduces an electric truck’s range. Information on the range extender itself was scant, but don’t expect some big Hemi V-8 to be pressed into service here; we might be talking about an engine smaller than that used in any other Stellantis product so as not to impede the available space of the Revolution EV, like the trick pass-through that extends from the frunk all the way through the cabin out the back of the bed.

Exhaust: Ram hasn’t made available any details on torque, power, or range for its new EV, but the mere fact that it’s choosing to ponder a range extender lends credence to Ram’s claim that the Revolution will be “the leader in a combination of areas customers care about the most: range, towing, payload and charge time.” The Chevy Silverado EV, the GMC Hummer, Ford’s F-150 Lightning, and Rivian’s R1T all go without a range extender, so perhaps this is Ram’s idea of a unique selling proposition. — Nathan Petroelje

Mercedes to bankroll 10,000 chargers

Intake: Mercedes-Benz announced Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it plans to roll out a global network of 10,000 high-speed battery chargers powered by green energy. The rollout will begin this year in the U.S. and Canada and expand to Europe, China, and other major markets by the decade’s end, says Automotive News. Unlike Tesla’s network of more than 40,000 Superchargers, the Mercedes chargers will be open to other automakers’ vehicles “from the outset.” Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said, “This is about adoption. “We want to give Mercedes customers around the world yet another reason to join us on the journey towards electrification.”

Exhaust: Mercedes plans to go all-electric by 2030 and investing in chargers seems like a smart way to spend money. Mercedes and MN8 Energy will invest about $1 billion in the North American network over the next six to seven years. “We believe this is a bankable asset,” Källenius said. “This is something that you will be able to monetize when you come out of the investment phase.” — Steven Cole Smith

Dodge “Last Call” performance festival will celebrate the end of the Hemi era

Intake: A “Last Call” event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 20, 2023, will usher in the seventh and final of the brand’s “Last Call” commemorative models that signal an end of Hemi-powered muscle cars from Dodge. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept will be on hand to symbolize the passing of the torch from Hemi to EV power. “The Dodge ‘Last Call’ event will be a celebration of Dodge performance,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand’s chief executive officer. “While the ‘Last Call’ special-edition model we will reveal at Las Vegas and the electrified Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept represent different performance eras for our brand, both are linked by a commitment to delivering the Brotherhood of Muscle a vehicle that drives like a Dodge, looks like a Dodge and sounds like a Dodge. No matter the era, Dodge will always be about muscle, attitude, and performance, and that’s what this event will celebrate.”

Exhaust: The previous six “Last Call” models—the Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee, Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger, Dodge Charger King Daytona, and Dodge Challenger Black Ghost—have all been noteworthy and instant collectibles. The final car is bound to be something truly special, as Mopar has not let its muscle car fans down lately. We can’t even venture a guess as to what might be in store, as Mopar has resurrected most of the greatest muscle car trims and options this side of mod tops. — Brandan Gillogly

Heat belts could be the hottest in-car tech of 2023

Intake: Auto parts supplier ZF, which makes everything from transmissions to autonomous valet parking systems, has a new way to warm drivers and passengers of electric vehicles without sapping precious range. The Heat Belt, as the name suggests, is a heated seat belt with built-in conductive wires that can warm up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s been designed to be compatible with existing restraint systems, and, when used in combination with a heated seat and steering wheel, ZF claims it could improve EV winter range by up to 15 percent. Directly warming the body instead of the cabin air is more energy efficient and it would also encourage drivers to shed bulky winter coats, making for a better and safer seatbelt fit.

Exhaust: It’s not the first time the idea has been floated, with Mercedes-Benz showing a version in 2019, but the exponential rise in EVs now makes it all the more appealing. ZF doesn’t have any confirmed customers for the Heat Belt yet but says it would cost the same as adding heat to a steering wheel. For EV drivers in cold climes, it could be a game changer. — Nik Berg

More than 2000 motorcycles up for auction at Mecum’s upcoming Las Vegas sale

Intake: Even as Mecum Auctions’ Kissimmee event is underway in Florida with over 4000 vehicles, the Wisconsin-based company announced that it’s also hard at work readying a Las Vegas auction January 24–28 with more than 2000 motorcycles consigned. The auction will take place at South Point Hotel and Casino, and will feature a number of collections, perhaps most notably one from Mike Wolfe’s “As Found” inventory. Wolfe, of the TV show American Pickers, will be selling 70 barn-find cycles at Mecum’s 32nd annual Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction.

Exhaust: Also up for grabs: The BMW Centennial Selection from the Black Forest Collection, and Jim’s Forever Collection from Ohio-based Harley-Davidson dealer Jim Godwin. More information is available at Mecum.com. — SCS
 

The post Ram’s EV will offer gas range extender, Mercedes bets big on chargers, heated seat belts: so hot right now appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If you own a motorized vehicle, chances are it’s worth more right now than it was this time last year. That, in a nutshell, is the story of 2022—widespread appreciation mixed in with inflation. Yet even in a year when practically everything gained, there were some hits and misses. Here are segments that stood out to us in 2022.

We thought 4x4s couldn’t get hotter … and they didn’t

Old-school 4x4s were hot even way back in 2018–19, when the rest of the market was flat. Then came the pandemic, and owning a fun classic that could in a pinch carry your entire family through a post-apocalyptic landscape understandably became highly fashionable. By the end of 2021, six-figure Broncos were commonplace at big auctions.

Perhaps it was inevitable that these vintage trucks would regress toward the mean. Average #2 (Excellent) condition values for first-gen Broncos, as of the third quarter of 2022, are down 12 percent since the start of the year. The same is true for values of Toyota’s venerable FJ40. Squarebody Blazers and Jimmys fared a bit better, with their values only slipping nine percent since January.

That hardly means collectors are over the whole truck thing. Rather, we suspect many would-be Bronco buyers are realizing that America has no shortage of cool old trucks, from 1990s GM pickups to nearly modern Toyota FJ Cruisers.

The sky’s the limit for Skylines

The shorthand description of Skyline GT-Rs for the uninitiated is “Japan’s Porsche 911.” Built in three generations between 1989 and 2002, Skylines carry just as much racing heritage, engineering prowess, and trickle-down street appeal.

The analogy also applies to their collectibility. Skylines have in this decade done what air-cooled 911s did in the previous one—transition from neat old sports cars coveted by in-the-know enthusiasts to a hugely valuable classic. During 2022 in particular, Skylines garnered attention from a broader audience, including those who might not consider themselves hardcore JDM collectors. However, speculative sellers are learning quickly—sometimes, painfully—that the customer base for Skylines is highly educated. These buyers have a keen eye for spotting repairs and modifications; devoted and deep pocketed though some may be, they expect transparency.

Values for the R32 generation Skyline GT-R skyrocketed 60 percent since the beginning of 2022, and race-bred, lighter-weight specials like the NISMO and N1 variants were a big factor in that. Their trajectory has boosted cars with less factory fettling, too: Standard GT-Rs gained 30 percent. In the bigger picture, the same money that three or four years ago would have gotten you a decent GT-R would, in 2022, land you a bad car with issues.

The two later generations of GT-R, produced between 1995 and 2002, are only beginning to qualify for U.S. import under NHTSA regulations, and their status as previously forbidden fruit may be pushing values higher. Values for U.S.-legal R34s increased by 37 percent in 2022, while R33s went up 13 percent. Meanwhile, the younger collectors who most frequently pine for these cars are steadily becoming more active in the market.

All to say, as big as the last 12 months were for Skylines, the best is likely yet to come.

Analog supercars

Manual transmission, mid-mounted engine, little to no electronic “nanny” systems—high-performance coupes with this trifecta had a big year.

Most are poster cars of the ’90s and early 2000s: Ferrari’s wedgy, V-8-powered F40, Bugatti’s V-12 EB110, Porsche’s V-10 Carrera GT, Lamborghini’s Countach. As their 21st-century counterparts grow ever more complex—though this often means they’re tamer to drive—these turn-of-the-century models are seen as purer, harder-core. Many of these “analog” supercars don’t have ABS or stability control, let alone the emissions-friendly hybrid systems now mandatory for traversing Europe’s low-emissions zones.

Just six days into 2022, a 2005 Carrera GT smashed Bring a Trailer’s sale record with a $1.907M result. That followed a year in which the model set three successive auction records. The V-10 monster ended the year with a 25 percent average increase, with #2 condition values sitting at $1.5M, up from $1.2M.

Just last week, we saw a new world-record price for a Ferrari F50, which was sold by RM Sotheby’s in Miami Beach, Florida: $5.395M. The result capped a 23 percent increase in average value for the F50, with #2 condition cars leaping from an average value of $3.5M to $4.3M. Its predecessor, the F40, didn’t need to set a world record to have a poppin’ year: #2 values for Ferrari’s first 200-mph production car went from $2.35M to an even $3M.

Minimalist performance appeal … used to maximum effect?

Muscle cars

2022 for muscle cars was, in a word, “confusing.”

Old-school American muscle saw a big ramp-up following the January auctions, shooting to heights it hadn’t seen since 2008. However, through the rest of the year, values for many models began to creep down. Values of first-generation Pontiac GTOs, for instance, shot up 30 percent in the early months of 2022 but slipped mid-year. The cars are still are closing the year with a net gain of 15 percent, showcasing a trend: of the muscle cars that posted gains in 2022, most have seen a subsequent dip but finished the year above where they started. Their spikes in value are simply not as aggressive—or as widespread—as January suggested.

Mopar brands are generally faring better than Ford and Chevy, but the gains we’re seeing are isolated. For example, 383-powered Challenger R/Ts and ’Cudas are on the upswing. These mid-level performance models aren’t equal in value to their top-dog, 440- or Hemi-packing brethren, but the gap is much narrower than it was at the close of 2021.

The up-and-down performance of this segment makes more sense when you zoom out and consider the economy as a whole. Muscle cars appeal to a huge swath of the general population across a wide income range—including the sort of upper-middle-class consumers who snapped up all manner of goods through 2021 and much of 2022 before inflation forced them to tighten their belts.

Malaise Era

Most vehicles in the sub-$50K price bracket gained value over the last year. Volvo 240s, for example, went from commuter to collector; values went up 74 percent on average across the two-, four-, and five-door flock of reliable, unpretentious “bricks” from Sweden.

One group totally surprised us, however: Average values for the notoriously lackluster American cars of the ’70s rose between 10 and 40 percent in 2022.

Emissions regulations forced automakers to saddle their carbureted engines with catalytic converters, air pumps, and exhaust-gas recovery valves. Adding insult to visual injury, safety regulations meant that erstwhile performance nameplates, like Pontiac’s Grand Prix and Chevrolet’s Corvette, grew protuberant impact bumpers and plastic “beaks.” Today, they have little to no support in the aftermarket.

And yet.

1973–77 Pontiac Grands Prix are up by 41 percent and Chevrolet Monte Carlos of the same vintage by 35. The average value of a mid-’70s Oldsmobile Cutlass ticked up 11 percent. Even the Mustang II, loathed by most pony car purists, posted a 6 percent gain in 2022.

Even with these moderate upswings, most Malaise Era metal remains affordable, which may be part of what’s driving the interest: The average value of the biggest gainers in that short list, the Grand Prix, went from $20K to $30K. Still cheap-ish, then—but no longer cheaper than dirt.

2022’s stand-out segments show that, though we may spend five days a week soaking in collector-car data, we’re never writing the script. And sometimes, that’s the larger part of what makes this fun.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post 2022’s stand-out collector-vehicle segments appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Kevin Hart’s Caddy-swapped Grand National goes Gotham

Intake: Kevin Hart has been known to keep a wild hot rod or two kicking around his collection. The movie star/ comedian is a huge car guy, and his newest project, dubbed “the Dark Knight” is a restrained retro-modern take on one of our favorite muscle cars: a 1987 Buick Regal Grand National. Magnaflow, HRE, and a few other companies collaborated with Hart to make the Dark Knight a reality. There’s a bespoke Magnaflow exhaust system, a new carbon fiber hood and splitter, and a custom front fascia to tweak the Grand National’s visual presence in all the right ways. Blessedly, some of the best ’80s traits of this car, like the T-Top, remain.Hart and the builders decided to replace the 3.8-liter single-turbo V-6 with a 3.6-liter V-6 from the Cadillac V-Series. (Although it’s hard to tell, it looks like they retained the single-turbo set-up instead of going with the Caddy engine’s twin-turbo arrangement.) The whole business rides slightly lower and on a new set of HRE wheels that mimic the basket-weave shoes worn on the original Grand National. The Dark Knight and a few of Hart’s other builds will be at the Magnaflow booth at SEMA through Friday.

Exhaust: We love Hart’s passion for American muscle—and his interest in exploring creative, modern adaptations of the segment’s most beloved cars. Whether it’s his ’69 Roadrunner custom, his 1000-hp Charger, or past machines like this ’77 Ford Bronco restomod, the superstar sets an example of genuine enthusiasm—and great taste. — Nathan Petroelje

Legendary Ferrari engineer Mauro Forghieri dies at 87

Legends last forever.
Remembering Mauro Forghieri. 1935 – 2022. 
 
It’s been an honour making history together. Ferrari and the world of motorsport will never forget you.
 #essereFerrari @FerrariRaces @Ferrari pic.twitter.com/5CcWju2dPI

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) November 2, 2022

Intake: Mauro Forghieri, the Italian engineer best known for his work with Ferrari in the 1960s and ‘70s, died Wednesday. Forghieri was 27 when asked by Enzo Ferrari to take over the technical side of the team in 1961 after joining as an apprentice from the University of Bologna with a degree in mechanical engineering, said Reuters. “Legends last forever…It’s been an honor making history together. Ferrari and the world of motorsport will never forget you,” the Ferrari team tweeted. He moved to Lamborghini in 1987 to work on that company’s F1 program before opening his own company.

Exhaust: John Surtees (1964), Niki Lauda (1975, 1977) and Jody Scheckter (1979) all won championships under Forghieri and Ferrari. He made many contributions to the sport, including introducing the first designed rear wing to Formula 1 at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix, as well as developing the first successful transverse-mounted gearbox. He was 87. — SCS

Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition claims eco creds

Intake: Bentley has wheeled out what it claims to be the most sustainable example of its behemoth Bentayga SUV. The Odyssean Edition, of which just 70 will be produced, is based on the Bentayga Hybrid and combines a 3-liter V-6 with an 18 kWh battery, and a 100 kW motor for a combined output of 426 hp and the ability to travel around 28 miles on electricity alone. That’s old news now, however, so what makes the Odyssean Edition different is an interior that’s a little kinder to the planet. Open pore Koa wood veneer on the center console uses 90 percent less lacquer than other high-gloss woods, and woolen tweed panels are used extensively. Bentley says its leather is sustainable and natural, which is a good job as there’s lashings of it. A palette of six different specifications are offered, or buyers can go full custom from Bentley’s bespoke options list.

Exhaust: A bit less lacquer and a few natural fibers isn’t going to save the planet—especially when applied to just 70 cars. Really this is just some stopgap virtue signalling until Bentley’s electric in 2025.—Nik Berg

2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona will feature completely maxed-out field

Intake: Officials for IMSA, the sanctioning body for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, have been working hard to find room in the race for all the teams that want to compete. The 2023 race, the opening event for IMSA’s season, may have to turn cars away. “It’s a nice problem to have, frankly,” IMSA President John Doonan said. One of the limiting issues is the number of pit stalls that can be carved out of the space available on pit road. The 2022 race had 61 entries, which very nearly maxed out the room. “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of momentum for the sport—for IMSA and all the fans of IMSA—and I think 2023 is not going to be any different,” Doonan said. “Even compared to a year ago at this time, we’ve had another lift in interest from competitors wanting to run the Rolex 24 and the WeatherTech Championship season as a whole. New cars aside, it’s a really special time for the sport.”

Exhaust: The new cars Doonan is referring to is the hybrid-powered GTP class, which is debuting at Daytona. The GTP class is made of prototypes—which are cars that are designed from the ground up, as opposed to GT cars that start out as production models—that are replacing the DPi prototypes that are now relegated to historic racing. Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche are expected to field two factory-backed cars each in GTP at Daytona, with the probability of an additional entry from one of those manufacturers, most likely Porsche. The race is set for January 28–29. – Steven Cole Smith

Friends reunited: Lotus and Fittipaldi are back on track

Intake: Five decades after Emerson Fittipaldi claimed the Formula 1 World Championship, the blisteringly-fast Brazilian was back at Lotus driving the future. Fittipaldi was reunited with a Type 72, just like the one he raced to five victories in 1972 before unveiling the Evija Fittipaldi electric hypercar, which has been named in honor of the title he won 50 years ago. “The Lotus 72 would be the most important car for my life,” recalls the champion. “The Evija Fittipaldi is going to be as iconic as the Lotus Type 72. It has beautiful handling, incredible power, the next level of performance for hypercars and different from all the other cars I’ve tested. It is a beautiful piece of art. Look at the outside, look at the technology—to have my name on the car is an honor for me.” The first eight Evijas built will be Fittipaldi Editions, each wearing the distinctive black and gold livery in tribute.

Exhaust: Nostalgia aside, there does appear to be a genuine link between Fittipaldi’s Type 72 and the Evija. Specifically, the aerodynamics that transformed F1 have continued to be developed by Lotus ever since, leading to the ingenious porous design of the Evija. “The things Colin Chapman was doing 50 years ago we’re still doing at Lotus today,” says Lotus boss Matt Windle. –Nik Berg

The post Kevin Hart’s Caddy-swapped Grand National, Bentley’s eco-friendliest Bentayga, IMSA’s packed Daytona field appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Peak Muscle. 1968 to 1972. Muscle cars were honed in stoplight drags on streets and strips across America. The fastest car won. Manufacturers were in on it, too: Each competed to outdo its cross-town rivals and corporate cousins. Enthusiasts then and now have debated who fielded the strongest muscle cars during this golden age.

Of course, car to car, the easiest way to find an answer is to line them up at a drag strip. Yet the conversation gets more complicated when you try to determine which manufacturer “won” the muscle car wars.

Does the highest average horsepower win? Possibly, except many cars had underrated horsepower back then. What about the highest production numbers? If small-displacement Mustangs far outnumber COPO Camaros, what does that tell us? Not much. Besides, these numbers fail to take into account the legacy of these cars—what they mean to enthusiasts.

Another solution: Study values in the collector car market to determine an overall “winner.”

The Hagerty Price Guide has more than 1900 vehicle-body-engine combinations for cars built by the Big Three for the model years 1968 through 1972. Since we’re talking about muscle cars, we zoomed in on two-door cars with V-8s. No convertibles.

Next, we lined up model years and market segments to avoid apples-to-oranges comparisons. For 1968, for instance, we compared values of the Dodge Dart to those of Plymouth Valiant, Chevrolet Nova, Ford Falcon, and Mercury Comet. We also aligned the trim levels for those, so the ’70 Charger R/T is compared to the 1970 models of the GTX, Chevelle SS 454, Buick GSX, GTO Judge, Torino Cobra, Cyclone GT, and 4-4-2 W-30. All combined, we use 26 groups of models, trims, and model years.

For each of those 26 groups, we find the most valuable vehicle from each make and rank the entries accordingly. For example, in group 6, which has the 1968 Plymouth Barracuda, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 1968 Pontiac Firebird, 1968 Ford Mustang, 1968 Mercury Cougar, and 1968 Shelby GT350, the Camaro is ranked first with the COPO, Pontiac second with the Ram Air II, and Ford third with the 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet in the Mustang Fastback GT.

Finally, we averaged those ranks across all 26 groups to determine the manufacturer with the highest average.

By this specific analysis, Dodge has the most sought-after muscle cars, with an average ranking between second and third in each group. Chevrolet is just a little behind, with a ranking closer to third than second. Plymouth, Pontiac, Shelby, Oldsmobile, Ford, Mercury, and Buick follow those in that order.

The Mopar fans in the audience surely need no more convincing. For everyone else, a few rationales exist for Dodge’s high ranking. First, VINs. They’re not as sexy sounding as Hemis or as eye-catching as the High Impact colors, but the fact that Dodge had decodable, accurate identification numbers long before this became industry-wide practice is an important factor in why they tend to fetch more money. It means the bidder on, say, a 1970 Charger R/T can be sure the car in question really came from the factory with a 440 Six Pack and a four-speed manual.

Other things to consider are the sheer range of colors and options and smaller production numbers overall. Also, Dodge has a wide range of (currently) sought-after models, with the Challenger and Charger ranking well, but also the Dart and Coronet.

Dodge also benefits from being late to the pony car game. The Challenger debuted in 1970, and thus ducks the heavyweight slugfest of the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 and 1969 Chevrolet Camaro COPO (the 1969 Plymouth Barracuda 440 was around and placed third).

Note we’re talking highest average ranking. Dodge doesn’t win everywhere. The 1969 Dodge Charger R/T, for instance, is second in price guide value to the 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, while just behind those two is the 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS 396. Also note these rankings are based on current price guide values as of this writing. In another year with different valuations and evolving consumer interest, the crown could easily go to another manufacturer.

One more critical caveat: This is all in good fun. No metric—not dollars nor horsepower nor even quarter mile times—can possibly quantify the passion (and partisanship) people feel toward muscle cars. On that note, we’d love to hear what you think in the comments. And if you’re the sort who likes to read footnotes, you can peruse all the groups we used to determine our rankings, below.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post Who made the most coveted muscle cars? Values suggest a victor appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Tesla-themed-and-sold child’s ATV recalled

Intake: The Cyberquad for Kids, styled after the Tesla Cybertruck, is being recalled for safety violations, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Administration. Though built in China by Radio Flyer, 5000 Cyberquads were sold exclusively through Tesla’s website. Owners are being told to remove the product’s motor controller and send it to the manufacturer for a full $1900 refund. If the owner is willing to destroy the entire ATV, there’s another $50. The Cyberquad features a full steel frame, cushioned seat and adjustable suspension with rear disc braking and LED light bars. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery with up to 15 miles of range and a top speed of 10 mph. Though made for kids, there are videos online of adults riding them. The issue, says the CPSA: “The Cyberquad fails to comply with the federal mandatory safety standard requirements for youth ATVs, including mechanical suspension and maximum tire pressure. Additionally, the Cyberquad lacks a CPSC-approved ATV action plan, which is required to manufacture, import, sell, or distribute ATVs.”

Exhaust: Not a good look for Tesla, which could likely be responsible for injury lawsuits resulting from crashing the Cyberquad. Interestingly, Radio Flyer has only one report of an incident, where the single-seat Cyberquad “tipped over when driven by an eight-year-old child and a 36-year-old adult female, resulting in a bruised left shoulder to the adult female.” While the refund is $1900, aftermarket resale is reportedly as high as $3500. Meanwhile, Tesla just had its own recall of 24,000 2017-2022 Model 3s in the U.S. over a seat belt issue. The firm is also facing a criminal probe into the misleading name of its Autopilot assisted driving hardware. —Steven Cole Smith

NADA study: Dealership employees happy, well paid

Intake: A study by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) suggests that automobile dealership employees are happier than in any time of the 11-year old study’s history, and one reason is that average employee pay at dealerships has topped $100,000 a year, according to Automotive News. Annual turnover at dealerships was 34 percent in 2021, which may sound high but is down significantly over past years, which averaged about 46 percent, which was the rate in 2020. The drop in turnover and the increase in compensation were directly connected, said Ted Kraybill, president of ESi-Q, a research company that conducts the study for NADA, in the Automotive News story. “As much as they may not be happy about certain things about their job, like the hours and all the time they put in and everything, there’s a point at which your compensation kind of outweighs those other negative aspects that normally might cause a sales consultant to leave,” said Kraybill.

Exhaust: The combined effects of the pandemic and the chip shortage led to a backup of available vehicles, and a waiting list of potential buyers. We suspect the 2022 survey, when it’s completed, will show this happy-employee trend will continue, especially if average pay remains a healthy $103,000, as the study shows. —SCS

A facelift for Alfa Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio

Intake: Alfa Romeo has announced a suite of updates for the Giulia sports sedan and Stelvio SUV. Most immediately noticeable is a new-look front end, which brings the duo in line with the new family face introduced with the Tonale. Adaptive headlights are configured in a triple lens configuration inspired by the SZ, while there are also tweaks to the Trilobo grille and main air intakes. Inside, the biggest change is the introduction of a 12.3-inch TFT screen with three different layouts for its digital instruments. Evolved is a simple, yet futuristic look with both digital and analog speedometers and a rev counter, Relax simplifies the screen to concentrate on a central numeric display of speed, and Heritage recreates the analog dials seen of Alfas of the Sixties and Seventies. Sprint, Veloce and Competizione trim levels are offered, and all are available with an NFT which records the car’s history—a tech trick that Alfa hopes will shore up residual values.

Exhaust: Nothing much changes under the hood with power still coming from a 280-horsepower two-liter turbo motor driving the rear wheels in the Giulia or all four in the Stelvio, so this is essentially a technology upgrade, which is pretty welcome as it’s one area that Alfa was lagging behind. —Nik Berg

BMW adds features and tech to 2023 R 1250 R with no price increase

Intake: The R 1250 R is BMW’s naked roadster that often gets overlooked for more specialized machines, but savvy shoppers now have a reason to give it a second look as the bike now comes stacked with standard features that were previously upcharge options. Included in the list are dynamic traction control, dynamic brake control, BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, a TFT display with “Sport” Core Screen and connectivity, three riding modes with a new “ECO” mode, and an on-board power socket and USB socket for powering GPS, phones, or heated gear. All this comes without a price increase over the 2022 model, which is a pleasant surprise.

Exhaust: While it might appear that most of these new standard features are tech-based, that should not to take away from the value proposition as a buyer. This big boxer twin might not have a front fairing, but with standard options that cover a rider like these, the wind is just a little more enjoyable since you have some extra dough still in your wallet to help weigh you down. Pricing is at $14,995 plus $695 destination charge which gives a rider a lot of capability for the dollar. —Kyle Smith

Some assembly required DB5 for sale

Intake: If you’re handy with the spanners you could snap up this 1964 Aston Martin DB5 for a song. The car is mostly restored, there’s just the small matter of putting all the pieces back together. The Superleggera alloy and steel body has been stripped back to bare metal from its original Black Pearl, giving the new owner a free choice when it comes to color, new panels have been hand-fabricated where required, and the suspension restored or renewed. Five wire wheels in original unrestored condition come with the car, and the interior will need to be re-trimmed as well. The engine has been upgraded to 4.2-liter specification at Bell Sport & Classic, so that’s one less thing to worry about. If you fancy building your own Bond car, then pay a visit to Collecting Cars to bid.

Exhaust: When everything is reassembled in the right order, this DB5 could be worth up to $1.3 million according to Hagerty’s valuation data. At the time of this writing, bidding had reached $350,000, so if all the pieces are there it could be quite a deal. We do wonder why this potentially very profitable project was abandoned, however. —NB

Dodge offering a “horsepower locator”

Intake: Dodge continues to keep the 2023 Challenger and Charger in the news, despite it being the last model year for the venerable but popular vehicles. All the builds for the cars have been allocated to dealers, and the Horsepower Locator, found at Dodgegarage.com, lets you punch in your zip code and see what cars your local dealers have in their allocations. We keyed in our zip and checked “Challenger:” Our local dealer will have 43 available 2023 Challengers, from a bunch of V-6 models to some 485-horsepower R/T Scat Pack Widebody 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 cars. Hellcats? Sorry, none en route at this dealership.

Exhaust: Dodge’s marketing team is doing a commendable job in keeping a focus on some lame-duck cars. Yes, the Challenger and Charger have been around forever, but they will be missed more than we know. —SCS

The post Tesla-themed ATV recalled with prejudice, Dealership employees happy, Alfas get a facelift appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Fans of vintage racing flocked to Laguna Seca for the Velocity Invatational’s return to the storied track, the second year the event was hosted at the hilly, 11-turn circuit. Retired Formula 1 cars screamed down the Corkscrew, and century-old Ragtime Racers chugged up and down the hills, but for us, the tight packs of ’60s and ’70s Trans Am racers with their 5.0-liter V-8s roaring along the straights made for the best sounds at the track. Not only do they sound amazing, but they’re a feast for the eyes as well. Here are our five favorite vintage Trans Am liveries, as seen at the Velocity invitational.

The Gray Ghost

This subtle 1964 Pontiac Tempest was campaigned by Herb Adams, Pontiac Special Projects Lead Engineer, as well as other Pontiac engineers—along with hotshoe drivers Bob Tullius and Rusty Jowett—during the 1971 Trans Am season. Adams had been the hot-rodding brains behind many of Pontiac’s performance innovations, including the shaker hood scoop, first seen on his OCH-six-powered pet project. Adams turned the mid-sized Tempest, formerly owned by his father and then his wife, into a racer after it served as a daily driver for years. The scrappy underdog team suffered a couple of DNFs but also traded blows with cars at the front of the pack on occasion. The older Tempest, in its understated silver, certainly stands out among second-gen F-bodies and Sportsroof Mustangs.

Sam Posey 1970 Challenger T/A

Mopar muscle cars are known for their over-the-top graphics, names, and, of course, High Impact/High-Performance colors. Sam Posey’s 1970 Challenger, finished in Sublime Green, is a legend at Laguna Seca, and not just because it wears a one-year-only paint. As the story goes, Posey’s car had just passed tech for the season opener at Laguna Seca when the inspector leaned on the roof of the car and it caved in far too easily. The race car body had spent a bit too long in its acid-dipping bath as part of the team’s effort to shed weight. It would not be allowed to race without a new roof, so Dodge found a donor car at a nearby dealership and its roof was cut off and grafted onto Posey’s ride so that it could race the following day. The #77 1970 Challenger looks great, naturally, but the story of its roof makes it even more special.

Mark Donohue 1968 Sunoco Camaro

The 1968 Trans Am season started out looking good for Ford when George Follmer took the season-opening 24 Hours or Daytona by a 64-lap margin over the next-best finisher, Mark Donohue. However, the rest of the season didn’t go that way. Mark Donohue’s simple 1968 Trans Am livery, blue with yellow lettering, became iconic after the 1968 season, when he won eight straight races against the likes of Sam Posey, George Follmer, Jerry Titus, and Parnelli Jones, often by several laps.

School bus yellow 1970 Boss Mustang

Parnelli Jones made the school-bus-yellow 1970 Mustang a hero for the 1970 Trans Am Season, and when Bud Moore built similar cars in 1971 they were still formidable. Drivers George Fullmer and Peter Gregg finished 1-2 during the second race of the 1971 season at Bray Motorsports Park, and then first and third the following week at Mid Ohio (that’s Peter Gregg’s number 16 shown above). The combination of factory graphics and a big gumball on the door helped make the Boss Mustangs in the showroom even more impressive in 1970, but as we know, 1971 was not Ford’s year.

Red, white, and blue Sunoco Javelins

AMC certainly wasn’t going for anything subtle when it gave its Trans Am pony cars bold, tri-color paint jobs. First-gen Javelins, as seen in the number 6 car above, used vertical banding. The later livery added a more dynamic look by going with forward-tilting stripes. Maybe it was the new paint scheme, or maybe it was Mark Donohue, lured over from rival Chevrolet for the 1970 season, but the 1971 car was nearly unstoppable. The number 2 Sunoco Javelin was an absolute juggernaut with Mark Donohue behind the wheel, winning seven of the 10 races of the 1971 season, easily giving AMC the manufacturer’s championship.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post 5 Trans Am race liveries that look sweetest at speed appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Dodge brings back Super Bee for Hemi’s final year

Intake: Dodge just showed off the second of seven “Last Call” models that will be used as a sendoff for the Challenger and Charger. This one, the Charger Super Bee, will be limited to 1000 models, just like the previously announced Shakedown. Each is based on the 392-Hemi-powered Scat Pack and will come with the Plus Group (power tilt/telescope steering wheel, auto-dimming mirrors, Nappa/Alcantara seats, and more) and the carbon/suede package (suede headliner, real carbon-fiber dash inserts). To set these new Bees apart, each will receive Super Bee graphics and badging inside and out along with adaptive dampers configured with a Drag Mode. To help the suspension on the strip, 500 will be built in B5 blue with 20×9.5-inch rear wheels sporting 275-series drag radials, and 500 Plum Crazy units will be built using widebody hardware and 18×11-inch wheels with 315-series rubber.

Exhaust: Mopar has always been good with delivering on muscle car graphics. The Plum Crazy widebody with the strobing hockey stripe on the quarter panel and Super Bee on the hood is just the right amount of over-the-top. The quick-shifting automatic gearbox and the ability to launch hard off the line will make these a blast to drive on the dragstrip. —Brandan Gillogly

Ariel Hipercar gets 1200 hp of electric oomph … and a gas turbine

Intake: First there was the amazing ultra-light Atom, then came the awesome all-terrain Nomad. Now England’s Ariel Motor Company has unveiled its first electric car, and it’s every bit as insane as you’d expect. The Hipercar uses a Cosworth-designed 800-volt, 62-kWh battery pack with a 300-hp inboard motor driving each wheel for a total output of 1200 horses. Given the full beans, the Hipercar will reach 60 mph in 2.09 seconds and 100 mph in 4.4, but Ariel reckons some torque-vectoring tweaks will drop those times below two and four seconds, respectively. The batteries provide up to 150 miles of driving range; if you want to go further, a small gas turbine engine (also from Cosworth) to extend the range will be offered as an option. You’ll also be able to choose between all-wheel- and rear-wheel-drive models, the latter offering more palatable price tag. In both configurations, the car’s, er, daring styling is the same. Even in a stealthy black paint scheme there’s a lot to process, with all manner of fins and vents suggesting that aerodynamic function was definitely ahead of form on the design agenda. Production isn’t slated until some time in 2024, with price estimated to fall under $1.2 million.

Exhaust: It’s another brilliant example of Ariel’s out-of-the-box thinking and goes to show you don’t need a huge mass of batteries to take EV performance to the extreme. We’re looking forward to seeing the Hipercar chase the record-smashing McMurtry Spieling up Goodwood’s hill as soon as possible. —Nik Berg

Toyota pumps another $2.5B into new Liberty, North Carolina battery plant

Intake: Toyota has announced an additional investment of $2.5 billion into its new battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, North Carolina. The plant, which got its start thanks to a $1.29B investment in 2021 (as part of a broader $70B, global investment from Toyota in electrified powertrains), will produce batteries for hybrid-electric- and fully electric vehicles. Toyota expects production at the plant to start in 2025. “This plant will serve a central role in Toyota’s leadership toward a full electrified future and will help us meet our goal of carbon neutrality in our vehicles and global operations by 2035,” said Norm Bafunno, senior vice president, Unit Manufacturing and Engineering at Toyota Motor North America. The plant initially promised around 1750 new jobs to the Liberty area, and the new investment will add another 350, bringing the total job count to roughly 2100.

Exhaust: Note that mention of future hybrid vehicles: Toyota, along with other Japanese automakers, has expressed doubts about the feasibility of an EV-only lineup. Aside from the GR86, the Supra, the Tacoma, and the 4Runner, the latter two of which are due for a new generation (and likely some hybrid tech), every vehicle in Toyota’s lineup currently offers the choice of a hybrid powertrain. (The new bZ4X, a collaboration with Subaru, is a pure BEV.) Late last year, Toyota unveiled 12 new electric vehicles as part of a preview for the future of the automaker and its luxury arm, Lexus. Expect the batteries from this Liberty plant to be central to the arrival of those forthcoming models, and for hybrid vehicles to carry on to at least the end of the decade. — Nathan Petroelje

Polestar 6 L.A. Concept sells out in a week

Intake: The first 500 examples of the pretty Polestar 6 convertible have found owners a full four years before deliveries begin. Known as the L.A. Concept Edition, these first 500 cars will be slathered in the gorgeous Sky Blue paint seen on the original O2 Concept, unveiled earlier this year. Even though final pricing hasn’t been confirmed, 500 EV enthusiasts slapped down $25,000 deposits to secure a build slot as soon as Swedish/Chinese brand confirmed the 6 would enter production. It’s estimated that a further $175,000 will be required to take ownership when deliveries begin in 2026. “The high interest from our customers shows that a stunning electric roadster like Polestar 6 has high relevance in the sports car arena,” announced CEO Thomas Ingenlath.

Exhaust: Ingenlath’s assertion that “The open-top-plus-electric combination is clearly one that appeals to even the most diehard petrol heads,” might be pushing it, but there’s no doubt that a market exists for emissions-free, top-down driving. We wonder how many canceled Tesla Roadster orders are among that first 500. –NB

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post Charger Super Bee returns, Toyota pumps (more) billions into batteries, Polestar’s sell-out stunner appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Monterey Car Week might best be best known for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and auctions of exotic cars fetching seven- and eight-figure prices. We’ll have eyes on those sales for sure, but our tastes are varied. For every curvy Pre-War French coupe or post-war Italian road racer we drool over, there’s also an American car packing a pushrod V-8 that steals our attention. We scanned Mecum’s deep Monterey 2022 catalog and chose eight such Detroit bruisers to highlight. Some are historic, others iconic … and some we simply wish we could slide into our personal collection.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Mecum (Lot F45)

Estimate: $150,000 – $165,000

1967 was the first year of Chevrolet’s high-revving 302 (5.0-liter) V-8, an engine made especially for the Z/28 Camaro. Unlike the 1969 Camaro with its stylized fenders, the early Z/28s subtly hinted at their Trans Am roots. As one of the earliest Z/28 engineering test cars, it’s possible that every Z/28 that would follow owes this one a debt of gratitude.

This unassuming ‘Maro spent time at Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, Michigan where Vince Piggins, the man behind much of Chevrolet’s late’60s racing glory, put it through its paces. Chevrolet General Manager Pete Estes also reportedly racked up some of the car’s first miles before it was sold on to its next life where it became a drag racer. Once a part of Reggie Jackson’s extensive muscle car collection, this nicely restored coupe features a period-correct 302 with cowl-induction ducting, although the listing notes that it is a replacement engine.

1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda

Mecum (Lot F28)

Estimate: $200,000 – $225,000

You may remember this car from its former life when it was painted Moulin Rouge and served as a promotional model for BF Goodrich. In 2018, it was restored to its original Alpine white. Its painted wheels and hubcaps give it an understated look, but it’s sort of interrupted by the shaker hood scoop that tells the world that there’s a 426 Hemi lurking underneath. Just 652 Hemi Cuda hardtops were built in 1970, about half of them with an automatic like this one. Not quite a sleeper thanks to that hood scoop, this is still a rather unassuming street car that packs one of the most legendary street engines of the muscle car era.

1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Mecum (Lot F70)

Estimate: $90,000 – $110,000

Pontiac marked a number a milestones in 1967. It was the first year the brand offered its 400-cubic-inch V-8, a staple of its performance lineup through the core of the muscle car era. It was also the year that four-barrel carbs would take up the mantle of high performance with the departure of Pontiac’s Tri-Power. GM decided that only Corvette would use multiple carbs, but Pontiac was ready, creating the 400 HO. This high-output variant used a manifold that was based on the earlier 421, which proved its mettle in NASCAR and NHRA racing. The result was a fantastic street engine with 360 hp, the same advertised output as the 389 tri-power of the previous year. The single Rochester Quadrajet didn’t have the same visual appeal, perhaps, but it was certainly easier to tune. It was a popular choice among GTO buyers, with more than 13,000 selecting the 400 HO.

This beautiful drop-top also boasts a four-speed manual transmission and Saf-T-Track differential with a 3.55:1 ratio. For a first-gen GTO, it doesn’t get much better.

1968 Ford Mustang GT/CS

Mecum (Lot F30)

Estimate: $60,000 – $80,000

The California Special package was cooked up by Ford to give the Mustang a bit of Shelby flavor. It included a louvered hood, blacked-out grille with rectangular fog lamps, side scoops, and a tail panel with 1965 Thunderbird taillights and an integrated spoiler. Additional adornment included a unique gas cap, side stripes, and script emblems on the quarter panels.

This particular GT/CS is equipped with the 1968-only J-code 302 which was rated at 230 hp. Paired with a C4 automatic and a 3.00:1 rear axle, as well as air conditioning and the Décor Group luxury interior, this pony car is built for highway cruising. What’s not to love about a California Special at a California auction?

1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda Convertible

Mecum (Lot F60)

Estimate: $950,000 – $1,200,000

With their one-year-only fender gills and quad headlights, ’71 ‘Cudas are instantly recognizable, but seeing one with the top down is a rare sight. They’re even harder to find with a 440 six-pack like this one. Just 17 examples of 440 six pack convertible ‘Cuda were built in ’71, so the opportunity to buy one doesn’t happen often. This one was a part of the Steven Juliano Collection and its odometer reads 21,026 miles. In addition to its gorgeous F55 Bright Red paint, the vibrant pony car has some great options, including a heavy-duty automatic and A34 Super Track Pak rear axle with 4.10 gears, perfect to aid the off-the-line punch of the big-block. It also comes with a six-way adjustable driver seat, power brakes, deluxe seatbelts, and the Rallye instrument cluster. This could be one of Monterey Car Week’s biggest Mopar sales.

1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351

Mecum (Lot F69)

Estimate: $85,000 – $95,000

There was a time when late first-generation Mustangs didn’t get much love, but we think that time is over. The lines and profile of a 1971 Sportsroof are unique and, according to some enthusiasts, amazing. Pair this with a 330hp 351 Cleveland V-8 backed by a four-speed manual and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an early ’70s muscle car. This understated ride was purchased new by Mike Smith, who owned the car for 35 years. Its original engine was replaced by Ford in 1971, but the total mileage of the car remains just under 12,000. Mecum’s estimate is just below the current #2 (Excellent) price, we’ll have to see how many Ford fans will line up to bid on such a well-preserved piece of muscle car history.

1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro

Mecum (Lot S46)

Estimate: $180,000 – $205,000

You probably have heard all about COPO Camaros, but in case you haven’t, the Central Office Production Order was a way to sneakily get a solid-lifter 427 big-block in certain Chevy cars when they weren’t officially offered with the engine. Somewhere around 1000 COPO Camaros were built, with many making the Chevy Bow Tie proud on the drag racing circuit. Currently, a 1969 COPO Camaro is valued at $200,000 in #3 (Good) condition, so its sale price will likely reflect how well its 12-year-old restoration has been handled.

1979 Pontiac Trans Am

Mecum Lot T40

Mecum didn’t have an estimate on this Olds 403-powered Trans Am, and we took that as a sign that it may be a bargain in the making. (That may just be wishful thinking on our part.) The late second-gens are so often represented in the special edition livery made famous by Smokey & the Bandit that it’s refreshing to see one that’s different. The white and red color combo on this example is rather striking, with the red of the interior spilling out onto the hood bird and snowflake wheels.

Are you planning to attend Monterey Car Week? Keep up to date on the latest news and events by subscribing to our special edition newsletter or text Pebble22 to 227588 (CAR LUV) for real-time event updates straight to your phone.

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

The post 8 muscle cars to watch at Monterey Car Week 2022 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

On a moody fall Saturday, the last bit of sunlight flitted between Rocky Mountain peaks, flashed across the glacial valley and through thick aspens crowding the Trans-Canada Highway, and exploded through the water-streaked windshield right into my retinas. Kaleidoscopically orange, green, white, black—the sunset was backed by the primal 3000-rpm beat of the 1967 Pontiac GTO’s 400-cubic-inch V-8. The wipers added no rhythm though, because, naturally, they were broken. Instead, the afternoon showers, dispersed by Rain-X, formed rivulets that wobbled up the windshield to gather in pools, fluttering in the airflow like the vocal sacs of chirping frogs. From here, they leaked onto our laps, courtesy of the weathered 55-year-old top seal. But the wipers weren’t the only system on strike; so were the temperature and oil pressure gauges, the brake-light switch, the driver’s door lock, and the parking brake, plus, eventually, something even worse. We were flying fast and loose in a powerful and achingly loud muscle car, and it felt sketchy, exciting, and alive. And suddenly damned familiar, because I’d been here before, 40 long years ago.

Summer 1981: In a rural backyard near a stand of sweet-smelling conifers in South Lake Tahoe, California, sat the sorry ragtop. Running but crippled by a blown clutch, it had been pushed into the meadow like an old glue horse led to pasture and left to wither three years prior. Only by chance had I seen the classified ad in the Tahoe Daily Tribune: “1967 Pontiac GTO convertible. Manual transmission. Needs work, $650.” Random travels had stranded me with a one-speed Schwinn Cruiser, an unlikely candidate to ride 450 miles over 8000-foot mountain passes to Los Angeles. I needed a car, and the GTO needed a savior. Sold!

Entering my life between a 1965 Cadillac hearse, a 1976 Checker New York City taxi, and a raging case of wanderlust, the GTO stood little chance of becoming a long-termer. To use a social analogy, it was like hitching a ride home with somebody you met on vacation, having a one-nighter, and never seeing that person again. “I used her, she used me but neither one cared/We were gettin’ our share,” sang Bob Seger in 1976’s “Night Moves.”

Midmorning on that Tuesday, August 4, a tow truck hoisted the front of the GTO, plowed through the tall fescue and up to the street, hooked a right and then a left onto the local highway, and ambled three miles to Kingsbury Automotive & Supply. A new clutch for $217.40, an F70-14 bias-ply whitewall pulled from a gas station’s used tire stack for $15, a check of radiator water, engine oil and tire pressures, and I was on my way, with the Schwinn stashed in the trunk.

Barely into my 20s, I’d already owned two dozen cars and motorcycles, and thus I knew the GTO was special. Which is why, two months later, after a summer of surfing, partying, and burnouts, a nagging feeling accompanied selling the convertible. But there was stuff to do, namely retrieving my possessions from the Big Apple, and a taxi purchased from a Haitian cabbie seemed way better for that job. But that’s another story. Anyway, the GTO vanished like that one-night stand.

Nearly four decades after dispatching the GTO, I answered the phone. “This is Andrew,” a voice said. In 1974, I met Canadian Andrew Morin in an English youth hostel while vagabonding around Europe. Both crazy about cars, bikes, and adventure, we got along great and stayed in touch afterward. “I found your GTO,” he said. “It’s in Calgary.”

The words froze me like a door hinge creaking in the night. “Are you kidding me?” I answered, grasping for focus. “Who? Where? How?” As Andrew rolled out the info, I could see it clearly. The guy I’d sold the GTO to in British Columbia parked it for 28 years before selling it to another Canadian, an engineer named Rob who is coincidentally a friend of Andrew’s. One day last year, Andrew asked Rob about the car. The story goes that after Rob and another owner, it went to Steve Bacovsky, a Canadian collector, whose email Andrew tracked down and provided. After connecting and sending Steve my vintage photos, I found myself typing the words every car guy knows: “If you ever want to sell it …” The letters—common ones, not even decent Scrabble points—coalesced into words slowly, haltingly, like forbidden fruit budding on that ancient tree. The GTO was tempting but a temptress, virtuous but a vixen. I knew it was right. I knew it was wrong. I clicked “send.”

Months passed, and the GTO reversed to back of mind, just as it had many times before. But one morning the creaky door blew open when Steve wrote back. He’d found a Hemi Belvedere and, on his game board, a Mopar trumped a Poncho. The GTO’s sudden availability forced some deep soul-searching; I’d long hungered for the car but really didn’t need it. Money’s always a thing, space is always limited, and there’s never enough time. I walked into the garage, sat on the stairs, and pondered my internal-combustion geode. And the more I thought about it, the more complicated the GTO seemed.

In your 20s, life is simple. If you want it, make it happen—and if it can’t happen now, well, you can always do it later. But now that it was later, well, the opportunity seemed rather pressing. Candidly, I felt selfish pursuing the car. The unknowns, including whether an old Goat could drive 2000 miles and across an international border, were also concerning. It all seemed like a big hassle. But contemplating who I’d become if I didn’t at least try was more terrifying. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be loose on the land in a Pontiac GTO, thundering across the Rockies and down the Pacific coast? As it turns out, “YES” earns more Scrabble points than “LATER.” I said yes.

During that long-ago summer, I had liked the GTO immediately. It was fast, the Muncie four-speed shifted great, and the new clutch made sublimating the rear tires into heinous, glorious, acrid smoke easy and fun. On the two-lane linking Tahoe and LA, all was bliss, despite the torn original top flapping overhead, the rear window yellowed to opaqueness, and the rusted exhausts rumbling below decks. Yes, the GTO was wounded and probably so was its driver, in between school and jobs and searching for direction in life. Weirdly, we were perfect together, two castoffs on an open road. And the Pontiac’s big-block omnipotence made this freedom even better.

Driving through the eastern Sierras felt divine. Jagged snowcapped peaks thrusting to 14,000 feet above my right shoulder, sharp sunlight on my face, and the effortless torque produced an unexpected sense of command. Maybe that was life’s tonic, being in command. However, the car drove like a bus with a race engine, meaning fast in a straight line and elephantlike in the turns, thanks to its manual steering and brakes. But so what? Because GTO.

Reuniting with the car in a Calgary storage facility, I was surprised to see the Route 66 water transfer I’d placed on the right vent window in ’81. It still had the same convertible top that Robbins Auto Top in Santa Monica had installed for me, and a small crack in the steering-wheel rim, a flaw felt every time the wheel was shuffled during one of the GTO’s long, lazy turns. But the biggie was a charred edge of the woodgrain instrument panel where, years earlier, a driver’s cigarettes in the ashtray below had exacted their toll. These oddities, which would mean demerits in show judging, heartened me because I craved evidence that the car had lived, that it had a past, that I had been a part of it, and it had been a part of me. Largely, restoration had erased those signs in pursuit of perfection. I was glad a few remained.

When I first bought the Pontiac, it was just 14 years old and its odometer showed under 90,000 miles. Now it read 92,894 miles, meaning it was about to drive farther than it had since Richard Nixon was president. On a sunny morning in late 2021, the old Goat steered west, from flat-as-a-pancake Calgary toward the Canadian Rockies, those formidable sedimentary bulwarks softly wooded by spruce, fir, and trembling aspens now at peak foliage. The forests and roadway here are sculpted by numerous lakes and rivers, some spectacularly green from suspended minerals. Road signs warn of moose, deer, mountain goats, and avalanches. It’s a wildland here; nature still runs the show.

The car needs a five-speed to soothe the big motor on the highway, so copilot Andrew and I kept it to about 3300 rpm, or 65 mph. That was just as well, because with the vainglorious mufflers, the interior sound pressure measured 89 decibels, a perfect cocktail for hearing loss. The rebuilt, hot-rodded engine also occasionally misfired, a disconcerting hiccup in an otherwise stout mill. Despite assurances that the car was road-ready, it had a lot of other issues from the get-go, including the non-op temp and oil pressure gauges and dead wipers. With care and diligence (and some luck) we got to Vancouver, 650 miles down the road, in two days. There, Andrew and I stayed at a mutual friend’s house and spent Day Three of the trip tackling problems. New sending units rectified the temp and oil pressure gauges. I drained the supposedly clean oil to find really dark, old oil instead, and so we replaced that and the filter. A disconnected wiper-switch ground under the dash explained the stalled blades, so I soldered up a shunt using a copper washer and grounding wire that worked. At last, we were in motion again.

At the U.S. border near Vancouver, the agent questioned why the GTO’s Alberta plate didn’t match my U.S. passport. After I explained, he asked, “So you’re buying it?” Then he sent me inside an office that seemed frighteningly paramilitary. But I had the right paperwork, and Customs clearance took only about 10 minutes. Then we were free to go.

After inching through crowded Seattle and Tacoma, we happily swung west toward the Washington coast and soon were among calm Northwest waterways, woods, and farmland, with tidal flats to the right and hay bales standing like the Queen’s Guard in autumn fields to the left. Rain again struck the windshield, this time great, fat drops that spattered like miniature asteroid strikes.

All the while, in fits of indecision, the two-lane threaded left and right, up and down, and finally to the Pacific. Lazing along in third gear, the GTO passed groves of stunted cedars, hunched over rock faces in the onshore wind like toiling peasants, and forsook tangles of plump blackberries, ripe for picking. Among the sporadic oceanfront towns, some looked purposeful, prosperous, and well-maintained, while others seemed poorly planned, seedy, and disjointed, their raison d’être, fishing or logging, long since abandoned. The Goat could make mincemeat of this humble highway, but there was no point. As with a photographic image slowly emerging in a darkroom’s developer tray, when traveling, a sedate pace deepens appreciation.

Pontiac GTO s/n 242677B108879 drove off Pontiac Motor Division’s Baltimore, Maryland, assembly line in early November 1966, destined for Lawless Cadillac-Pontiac in Worcester, Massachusetts, and carrying a sticker price of $3834.80. Painted Silverglaze over a black vinyl interior, it had the 335-hp, 400-cubic-inch V-8 with a four-barrel Rochester carb, bolted to a wide-ratio gearbox powering through a Safe-T-Track differential with 3:55 gears. The black roof was power-operated, and inside, under the dash and optional Rally gauge cluster, hung a factory eight-track tape player. “Eighty minutes of uninterrupted stereophonic sound-in-depth,” promised Pontiac’s 1967 brochure.

Quick-ratio steering, manual drum brakes, and Rally I wheels were fitted, along with special ride and handling springs and shocks. Whoever ordered the car was likely a good-time Charlie who wanted the most fun for his money. Or maybe a good-time Charlene; I don’t know which.

But I do know that on March 14, 1970, the gent I first bought the Goat from purchased it used from Bancroft Motors, likewise in Worcester. He paid $1995 and traded in a 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 hardtop, for which the dealership kindly credited him $1395. In early 1973, the GTO migrated to San Jose, California, where it lived until moving to Lake Tahoe. Soon afterward, its clutch scattered and it got parked, its race run. From hero to zero in a decade, such was the life of ’60s muscle cars.

Almost without warning appeared the Columbia River, where Lewis and Clark culminated their long trek from St. Louis in 1805. The Big River is eponymous in that it looks more like a bay, but we sailed easily over it thanks to the Astoria-Megler Bridge, North America’s longest continuous truss and coincidentally one year older than the GTO. Mercifully, the daily rain showers abated in the afternoon, which brought dappled sunlight, raking through the forest canopy and dancing off the lissome fender lines and hood scoop. Occasionally, the winding route allowed glimpses of the craggy coastline, the ocean restless and pounding against obstinate rocks, attacking the continent and tearing it apart, grain by rocky grain, a century at a time. Once, when Andrew arced through a long sweeper, still wet in the shade, the back end stepped out. He countersteered quickly but it was a good reminder: There’s no stability control here—just the BFGs and the driver.

From Alberta and British Columbia to Washington, Oregon, and finally California, the Beaver State definitely showed the GTO appreciation. At the Tillamook Air Museum, middle-aged Barbara made a beeline to the car, her hippocampus redlining as she recounted driving her boyfriend’s ’66 GTO with a 389 and a console shifter, and how just tipping the gas pedal had snapped her head back. Then, later that afternoon, a young, burly and wildly inked Jason at a gas station commented, “Nice Goat!” Although sighting a GTO in the wild is rare today, people still know and remember.

Coos Bay, a former logging town, is on a protected inlet along Oregon’s southern coast. We found that Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine’s boyhood home was just a few miles off our route, and being a masochist—er, being a runner myself—I was drawn to seeing it. In front, neighbors were talking. One was Pre’s friendly sister Linda, once a nationally ranked athlete as well. She revealed her famous brother was a car guy, too. He had two MGBs, and earlier, a black Tri-Five Chevy with a Hurst shifter, in which he enjoyed cruising Coos Bay with his high school buddies. “A lot of people run a race to see who is the fastest,” Prefontaine once said. “I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then, at the end, punish himself even more.”

The GTO’s niggling problems—including the persistent misfire, the driver’s door lock that failed when a linkage clip slipped off inside the door, a barely working parking brake, and the leaky top—meant that maybe this trip had something in common with Pre after all. That afternoon, under pastel skies, we proceeded farther south, still hugging the coast. Inspired by Pre’s life, Oregon’s spectacular bluff-top views, clear streams flowing seaward, and driftwood piled on the wild beaches, I parked and scrambled down a trail to run on the sand, smooth and hard-packed, pitching gently toward the Pacific.

Entering California soon brought us to Trinidad for gas (12.8 mpg trip average), a fish and chips dinner, and a Steelhead ale. Unexpectedly, the GTO attracted more attention here. A fast-talking surfer fueling his diesel rig announced with hubris that he wanted to steal it. Sketchy but whatever; insured! Then a hippie lady, Sandi, floated up to us. Wearing a tie-dyed shirt and curly Janis Joplin hair, she wanted to know what year the Goat was. Then while we were dining, a slickster wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a gray ponytail, and a smile approached. “I don’t have a business card,” he cooed. “But I have cash and would like to buy your car.”

Good thing the Redwood Highway was constructed in the early 1900s, because it would likely be impossible today. Call it sacrilege or spectacular—or maybe both—but driving through this living cathedral with the top down was simply otherworldly. So was the realization that 40 years ago, I’d headed north beneath the same trees in this same car to deliver it to its next owner. Same road, different directions, different centuries. My mind whirled trying to comprehend it all.

Now as then, it’s dead silent in the forest, where tree canopies stretch skyward to mesmerizing heights. The cool and damp air, the deep, cushiony duff underfoot, and the shadowy light filtering to the ground are surely Tolkien-esque. And the dimensions of the old-growth redwoods are equally mind-bending, with trunks up to 20 feet in diameter, reaching 28 stories high and surviving since the Middle Ages. Comparatively, man counts for nothing—except for our historic ability to screw nature over. GTO Owners & Tree Huggers, unite! Nearing wine country, we hatched a plan to peel toward Bodega Bay (to hunt for the Aston Martin DB2/4 from Hitchcock’s The Birds), navigate San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and, in one more day, glide home. The Goat never made it. Negotiating a parking lot in little Garberville, the GTO’s retrofitted power steering pump suddenly groaned, low on fluid. I killed the engine, shimmied under the front bumper, and found the circlip, dust washer, and seal displaced from the Saginaw steering box, and the pitman arm covered in fluid.

After consulting with two repair shops, I decided to remove the pump’s V-belt and proceed. At this point, the GTO felt reminiscent of the famous World War II B-17F named All American, which, after colliding with an enemy Messerschmitt over North Africa in 1943, managed to limp home to base with her tail nearly severed. Our strategy worked acceptably until a gas stop in equally tiny Hopland, a few hours hence, where the steering coupler alarmingly began ratcheting on the steering box’s splined input shaft.

While we investigated, Craig Frost of nearby Shadowbrook Winery stopped in his pickup. He owns a classic 1966 Toyota FJ40 and, recognizing that an old car with its hood up meant trouble, kindly offered the GTO safe haven in the winery’s nearby barn. Here, further inspection revealed the steering coupler’s pinch bolt was inexplicably loose. At this point, recalling how a broken steering column caused Ayrton Senna’s fatal accident, and an ambulance ride of my own after a brake failure caused a racing crash, I called the trip. I’d been OK driving sans power steering, but not with potentially damaged steering splines. We’d made it 1600 glorious miles, and my only regret was seeing the Pontiac on a flatbed. But the roads are still there, the Goat is still in one piece, and, most important, so are we. As Chuck Yeager drawled, “If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing.”

Poetically, the GTO’s failure perfectly restarted our relationship, because it entered my life wounded in 1981 and it reentered my life wounded in 2021. So perhaps this little GTO actually still needs me. Which is good, because now, I definitely need it.

1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Engine: 400-cubic-inch V-8
Power: 335 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 441 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm
Weight: 3522 lb
Top speed: 124 mph
Price when new: $3834.80
Hagerty #2-condition value: $82,250–$105,500

The post Reunited with my GTO after 40 years, I began the 2000-mile drive home appeared first on Hagerty Media.

You could say that Dirty Mary Crazy Larry bade a fond farewell to The Great American Muscle Car, its 1974 release coinciding with federal regulations that brought an end to a decade of power-wars among the Big Three manufacturers. As a legacy to that magical era, this full-throttled, bombastic heist movie ticks all the right boxes.

Amateur race driver, Larry Rayder (played by aviator-wearing Peter Fonda) and his long-suffering mechanic, Deke Sommers (Adam Roarke) want to hit the big time. Motorsport is an expensive business, so they concoct a plan to fast-track their ambitions, extorting $150,000 cash from a local supermarket manager by holding his wife and daughter hostage.

With the theft executed, Mary Coombs (Susan George), Larry’s one-night stand, convinces the pair to let her tag along. But there’s a fly in the ointment: Captain Everett Franklin (Vic Morrow), who defies regular cop protocols as he attempts to cast a net around the fast-moving trio.

What ensues is effectively one long car chase, with director John Hough happy to let a raft of V-8-powered cars take the aural center-stage in the absence of any incidental music. Larry, Mary, and Deke initiate their escape through California to the Mexican border in a ’66 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan, but soon switch to the film’s poster-boy, a 375-hp Citron Yella 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440, wearing American Racing Sprint wheels and snazzy black side stripes applied by the film crew. Three cars were supplied, including two regular Charger coupes dressed to appear as R/Ts, but the main film car was the real McCoy.

Shot mainly in San Joaquin County, California, in the autumn of ’73, the flick primarily features the fast driving of Fonda, with legendary stuntman Cary Loftin (Vanishing Point, Duel) covering off the more extreme gags, of which there were plenty. Hurtling towards an opening drawbridge, Mary exclaims: “Hey … why aren’t we slowing down?” as the Charger smashes through barriers and vaults the gap, landing sideways with an heroic save on the other side.

But in their fictional pursuit of the trio, all six of the real-life, ex-California Highway Patrol Dodge Polara 440 police cars were destroyed in increasingly imaginative ways during filming. One careens backwards into a ravine, and another, swerving to avoid a rolled car in Larry’s wake, is jettisoned through a giant billboard that proclaims: “There’s a name for people who don’t wear seatbelts: STUPID!” Naturally, neither cop is strapped in.

However, one hot-shot cop driver is confident he can nail the quarry (“Keep going, partner, because my top-end is unlimited!”). Even Larry is surprised at the lawman’s turn of speed, but jinking off the blacktop and on to a broken track, he realizes how to defeat him: “I’m going to powder his face …” Rendered blind by the Charger’s 80-mph dust cloud, the interceptor strikes a telegraph pole and bites the dust.

As with all films in this series, the car action is frighteningly authentic and shot in real time and at real speed, and never more so than in the final chase scene. Franklin eventually realizes that Larry is using a CB radio to plug into the police channels, helping him to evade cops on the ground, so he takes to the air. Riding shotgun in a helicopter, he tracks down the Charger. Actor Morrow demanded $1M (roughly $5.86M today) insurance coverage for the scene, which required him to be the passenger of legendary film pilot James Gavin in a Bell 206B JetRanger.

As the Charger swerves violently from side to side down an arrow-straight, tree-bordered and power-lined road, Gavin first taps the chopper’s skids on the roof of Larry’s car at high speed. The interiors clearly show Morrow’s perspective, and there’s clear evidence that no stand-ins were used. Gavin then places the craft broadside, in front of the speeding Charger, with its skids almost scraping the road’s surface; this would look dramatic in CGI, but as a masterful piece of stunt work it’s probably the finest you’ll ever see.

Of course, crime doesn’t pay, but with the chopper out of fuel and no more pursuit-spec Polaras breathing down their necks, the trio hopes to arrive home safely: “Hey mister,” says Larry to Deke, as they motor away from the law’s clutches. “Ain’t nothing going to stop us.” But life is about to stop them, quite literally, dead in their tracks, as the Charger impacts an Alco S-1 locomotive at a level crossing and is immediately engulfed in flames.

In reality, the film crew used an engine-less Charger packed with explosives, which was towed by a cable passing beneath the tracks, attached to a pulley, and then to the train itself. Like an automotive Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the protagonists all meet a bitter end, perhaps not unlike that of the genre of car they were driving.

(Too soon?)

Via Hagerty UK

The post 1974’s <em>Dirty Mary Crazy Larry</em> paid fitting farewell to the muscle-car era appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Do you find yourself lost when trying to learn concours-caliber details about cars? Are you filled with self-doubt when checking out a car for purchase, especially from afar? You’re not alone, fellow enthusiast! But rather than focus on the nitty gritty that’s out of your league, why don’t we hone on the things that are easy to discern and go from there?

Below are several examples of common restoration mistakes that crop up with popular cars, particular in the muscle car world. Some may be considered negligible, but even the smallest thing that doesn’t add up with a car could be a sign that some deeper scrutiny is in order.

1967–68 Pontiac Firebird and its many stripes

The 1967 Firebird was introduced several months after the Camaro. Unique to the Firebird was five models marketed for different kinds of drivers:

• Firebird
• Firebird Sprint
• Firebird 326
• Firebird H.O.
• Firebird 400

Within these five there was the Magnificent Three, a trio of Firebirds to garner the most desire from enthusiasts: Firebird Sprint, Firebird H.O., and Firebird 400. The sleeper of the bunch was the Firebird H.O. (“High Output”), which consisted of the 4-barrel 326 H.O. for 285 horsepower; for 1968, the H.O.’s engine was bumped to 350 cubic inches and horsepower rose to 320 horses. For both years, the H.O. came standard with a longitudinal stripe with “H.O.” script on the front fender. A similar stripe was optional for other Firebird models but it was continuous without any script.

In recent years, you may have happened across a 1968 Firebird 400 with the H.O. stripe—even in books—but that would be incorrect for the period. The reason for this blunder may have something to do with a new engine upgrade introduced for the 1968 Firebird called the 400 H.O. As the first step-up option for the Firebird 400, this 335-horse engine was essentially equal to the 360-horse 400 H.O. available for the GTO.

However, the Firebird H.O. was its own distinctive model, so the application of the H.O. stripe on a Firebird 400 would be a no-no for purists.

Pontiac decals that never appeared on Pontiacs

Mecum’s recent auction in the Phoenix, Arizona, suburb of Glendale featured a first-generation Firebird with an air cleaner decal that’s commonly seen on Pontiacs at cruises and shows. You may have seen it on Pontiacs with engines ranging from 350, 400, 428, and 455 cu. in.

Perhaps it will surprise you to learn, then, that Pontiac never ever used a decal like this back in the day.

It gets even stranger. If the decal looks somewhat familiar yet you can’t put your finger on why, there’s a reason for that: it was adapted from a Buick design that first appeared in 1969 and lasted through the mid-1970s.

Despite this fact, many restoration catalogs feature this decal for a myriad of Pontiacs, though such example concedes that, “These air cleaner decals for Pontiacs are aftermarket-style only.” Other catalogues are not so forthcoming.

1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 stripe

Nineteen sixty-eight was a big year for the 4-4-2 for a number of reasons: a complete redesign brought all-new styling while becoming an actual model instead of a performance package. Additionally, a new long-stroke 400 replaced the short-stroke 400 that had been used since 1965, plus 1967’s Turnpike Cruiser option jumped from the Cutlass Supreme to the 4-4-2 series.

Visually, there was a nifty “W36” Rallye Stripe that was standard on cars equipped with the W30 package and optional for other 4-4-2s. This interesting stripe, which was available in white, black, red, and orange, ran vertically on the front fenders. In recent years, when people apply or paint the stripe, they often do it incorrectly. Witness this example:

Notice how it hits the wheel arch at the bottom? The factory never did it that way. In fact, for cars equipped with the stripe, Oldsmobile moved the 4-4-2 badges slightly towards the door so the stripe could extend uninterrupted to the bottom of the fender. A properly applied stripe will never hit the wheel well, though even that is no guarantee the stripe has been applied to factory specs. Just do an online search and notice the variations.

1969 Plymouth and Dodge 383 engine colors

It seems every other Mopar guy or gal will tell you that the 383 as installed in a 1969 Road Runner was painted orange. Ditto the Super Bee. However, that’s not quite true.

Let’s begin with some history. Both the Road Runner and Super Bee came standard with a 383 rated at 335 horsepower. It was painted orange. Non-performance models like the Belvedere, Satellite, Sport Satellite, and the Coronet Deluxe, 440, and 500 could be equipped with a 383 4-barrel rated at 330 horsepower, and this engine was painted turquoise. The main difference between the two engines was the camshaft.

However, if you ordered a Road Runner or Super Bee with air conditioning, Chrysler downgraded the engine to the milder version, meaning AC-equipped Road Runners and Super Bees featured a turquoise 383. This fact was hardly publicized (though the Dodge dealer album mentions it), but today we have supporting documentation from build sheets and the enthusiasts who understand the archeology. Even more interesting—Chrysler handled this dynamic differently in 1968 and 1970 … though perhaps a story for another time …

What other common, model-specific restoration gaffes can you think of that may serve as red flags? Post them in the comments below.

The post Know these 4 common muscle car restoration gaffes to save yourself a costly mistake appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Ask the average person to name five American car companies: American Motors (AMC) isn’t likely to be on the list. Ask the average young person what they think about AMC, and they’ll probably start talking about movie-theater recliners. Too bad, because AMC is a carmaker worth remembering.

Formed in 1954 through what was then largest corporate merger in U.S. history, American Motors mostly paid the bills with smaller, lower-priced cars like the Rambler. And although money was always tight for the company from Kenosha, Wisconsin, it was the only American company standing against the Big Three in an era when Detroit was nearly all-powerful. AMC built one of the first true crossovers in the 1980 Eagle 4×4, and from 1970 until the buyout by Chrysler in 1987, AMC owned Jeep and oversaw some of Jeep’s greatest hits like the Scrambler CJ-8 and the original Grand Wagoneer. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, AMC also had a brief but memorable streak building performance cars.

It’s been over 30 years since the AMC brand went defunct, and the cars from Kenosha have generally possessed limited appeal, typically for people looking for an eccentric muscle car (or those who frequent Concours d’Lemons). Indeed, there aren’t many of the cars to go around. For every insurance quote that Hagerty gets for an AMC, we receive 70 for a Chevrolet. AMC values have also stayed lower and steadier than their Big Three rivals for years. For some, their affordability may be tempting, but parts are harder to find. Plus, AMCs haven’t generally been worth enough money to justify restoration, so pristine examples are rare.

Even so, with most classic cars appreciating over the past year, muscle cars included, the American Motors underdogs have been making more noise in the market. And with a big AMC collection set to cross the block at Mecum Indy next week, now seems like a good time to check in on what’s happening with the company’s most popular models.

1968–74 Javelin

Early AMC brochures didn’t have much to get excited about. Think “sensible,” not “sexy.” By the mid-1960s, though, the company needed an image boost. Enter the 1968 Javelin, a brash V-8 two-door built on a compact platform (from the Rambler American) and aimed squarely at the Mustang, Camaro, and Barracuda. AMC was several years late to the pony car party but, hey—better late than never.

Available with several V-8s ranging from a 290-cubic-inch/225 hp mill to a 401/330 one, the Javelin got a facelift in 1970 and a thorough redesign in 1971 that gave the car its famous front wheelarches and long hood. Motor Trend called it “blatantly big, bold and brassy.” On track Roger Penske’s Javelins won the Trans Am title in 1971 and 1972, and in the showroom the Javelin was a success … at least for AMC. About 55,000 Javelins sold in 1968. That was cause for celebration in Wisconsin, but the same year Chevrolet sold 235,000 Camaros and Ford moved 300,000 Mustangs.

Almost 50 years after the last Javelins left Kenosha, they’re still significantly cheaper than their rivals from Detroit. The median condition #2 (Excellent) value is up 16 percent over the past five years but still sits at just $21,800. #2 values only range from the mid-teens for later, 1973 through ’74 base V-8 models to the mid- to high-20s for the high-performance SST and Javelin AMX.

Desirable options include the popular “Go Package,” which wasn’t identical year-to-year but typically included heavy-duty suspension, dual exhaust, power front-disc brakes and an available limited-slip differential. (Add 10 to 30 percent for Go Package-equipped cars.) Starting in 1969, the “Big Bad” series of paint colors was introduced. (Add 25 percent to the price of a car with Big Bad paint.) The 1970 Javelin was also available with the Mark Donohue package, which was a special rear ducktail spoiler fitted to 2500 Javelin SSTs to homologate the spoiler for racing. (Plus 15 percent.) Even the nicest and most loaded Javelin, then, won’t break the bank—at least if you’re used to looking at household-name muscle cars.

1968–70 AMX

The second strike in AMC’s one-two performance punch in 1968 was the AMX. Though derived from the Javelin and powered by the same engines, the first-gen AMX was a distinct model. For one, AMC lopped a full foot from the Javelin’s greenhouse to make the new model a dedicated two-seater. This creative thinking made the AMX America’s only mass-produced two seater coupe other than the Corvette. The AMX was also a much cheaper option than America’s sports car, with a price of about $3500 compared to $4500 for the Vette. AMC played this up in a cheeky 1968 ad that sandwiched a new AMX between a 1957 C1 and a 1957 Ford Thunderbird, proclaiming “the first American sports car for under $3500 since 1957.”

After a short 1968 through 1970 production run, the AMX was discontinued as a separate model to become a performance package on the regular Javelin. The OG AMX remains one of only a handful of home-grown two-seaters.

Super-rare variants of the AMX, like the AMX SS built by Hurst for racing, or the AMX 500 Special, which was built for Southern California AMC dealers, are holy grail cars for the AMC faithful (one 500 Special sold for $94,600 last year), but for the most part AMXs aren’t expensive cars. As when new, these cars remain performance bargains. The median #2 value for a 1968–70 AMX is $33,600; #2 values range from $27,200 for a 1968 model with the 290/225 engine to $52,100 for a 1970 model with the 390/325 hp engine. Add 20 percent for cars equipped with the “Go Package,” 25 to 30 percent for “Big Bad” paint schemes, and dock 20 for an automatic transmission.

Like values for most muscle cars, AMX prices dipped sharply during the Great Recession. They haven’t recovered their pre-2009 levels, either. Even so, the last few years have seen renewed interest in these offbeat two-seaters, especially over the last 12 months, and they’ve had a more pronounced upswing than their four-seat Javelin stablemates. Over the last three years the median #2 value is up 23 percent. With the latest update of the Hagerty Price Guide, #2 values are up anywhere from 8 percent to 17 percent depending on engine. With the number of insurance quotes and quoted values also nosing upward, it’s clear that more eyes are on the AMX—but they aren’t exactly new eyes. Millennials and Gen Zers quote fewer than 10 percent of AMXs. The renewed interest in AMC’s short-lived sports car is likely coming from boomers who either had an AMX when they were younger or are looking for a more affordable or more interesting alternative to the Big Three classics.

1969 SC/Rambler

There are a few reasons why the SC/Rambler is so cool. It’s the concept of muscle car distilled to its purest form: The biggest V-8 available smashed into the smallest, lightest body in the lineup. Its sparse equipment didn’t simply keep the weight down; it also kept the SC/Rambler cheap. In 1969, this was the only car you could buy for under three grand that had over 300 hp and could pull 14-second quarter-miles. And just look at it. Is there anything more delightfully outrageous than a red, white, and blue look-at-me-mobile with decals that say “AIR” and a massive arrow pointing into a mailbox of a hood scoop?

Produced in conjunction with Hurst Performance Products, AMC’s smallest muscle car was based on a standard Rambler, which was endowed with a 390-cubic-inch/315 hp V-8 from the AMX, front sway bar, 3.54 limited-slip differential (called a “Twin-Grip” in AMC-speak), four-speed manual, heavy-duty brakes, and heavy-duty suspension. And so the Rambler became the SC/Rambler (the “SC” stands for “Super Car”). “With this car you could make life miserable for any GTO, Roadrunner, Cobra Jet or Mach 1,” ran a period ad. Indeed, the SC/Rambler, which was aimed at NHRA F-Stock drag racing, was both seriously fast and seriously affordable. Although AMC only planned to build around 500, the company ended up selling over 1500. About 80 percent of buyers chose the loud and proud “A” paint scheme with the decals, although a more conservative “B” scheme was available.

SC/Ramblers are the most valuable regular-production AMCs in the Hagerty Price Guide, but for four years their values didn’t move at all. Then, with the latest update of our pricing last month, #2 values jumped 12 percent to $62,200. About two-thirds of buyer interest comes from boomers, which makes sense given the SC/Rambler’s high price and its birth at the height of the muscle car era.

1970 Rebel Machine

The one-year-only 1970 Rebel Machine is larger and less outrageous than the SC/Rambler that came before it, but that’s kind of like saying that Canada is colder than Finland. The Machine is still a bold bruiser with a gaping hood scoop and a patriotic paint scheme that shouts Francis Scott Key’s best from a mile away.

Based on AMC’s midsize Rambler Rebel, which competed with the likes of the Chevrolet Chevelle and Ford Torino, the Machine was developed by Hurst and was essentially a Rebel SST with a 390/340 hp engine and four-speed manual as well as hood-mounted tach, heavy-duty suspension with taller springs from a station wagon, a 3.91 Twin-Grip differential, and power disc brakes. After a little over 2300 examples of the factory hot-rod sold in 1970, AMC discontinued the model but kept the “Machine” name going on the new-for-1971 Matador with an available “Machine Go package.”

Another muscle car that dipped majorly during the Great Recession, the Rebel Machine has come back in a big way, particularly in the past three years. Its #2 value, currently at $55,900, is up 40 percent over the last three years and 72 percent over the last 10 years.

1970–78 Gremlin

Humbly marketed as “the first American-built import,” the Gremlin was an economy car that shared the roads with such distinguished company as the Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, and the onslaught of imports vying for the attention of newly fuel-conscious American drivers in the 1970s.

Named after a mythical creature that breaks machinery, the Gremlin was supposedly first sketched out by designer Dick Teague on the back of an airline barf bag. Even worse (or better?), the car’s official debut was on April Fool’s Day in 1970. The Gremlin seemed destined to be a four-wheeled punchline, but it was cheap and reasonably practical in a time when that’s exactly the kind of car Americans wanted. AMC sold over 670,000 Gremlins from 1970 through 1978.

How many of those are left? Well, not many. You’d have to be a special kind of person to be driving a Gremlin in 2022, but these little rolling doorstops do have a following. It’s a surprisingly young crowd, too. Maybe because Gremlins are cheap—or maybe because the youngest set relishes irony—but Gen Zers, who make up just 6 percent of the collector car market, account for 17 percent of insurance quotes for Gremlins. Millennials count for 22 percent, too. That’s unusual for a car this old, which few from either generation remember.

Although values remained essentially flat from 2017 until the beginning of last year, they shot up 17 percent over the last 12 months. Now, the median #2 value is $11,600. Gremlins with the “X” package (stripes and decals, body color front fascia, bucket seats, road wheels) are most desirable and add a 30 percent premium to Gremlins equipped with the available 304-cubic-inch V-8. Another kitschy ’70s option that can add 20 percent to the price of a Gremlin is the Levi’s package, which included spun nylon upholstery that looks like jeans.

1975–80 American Motors Pacer

Following in the Gremlin’s footsteps, the Pacer debuted in 1975 with an ad claiming: “When you buy any other car, all you end up with is today’s car. When you get a Pacer, you get a piece of tomorrow.” Even though it was blessed with some clever features, like a longer passenger’s side door to facilitate back-seat access, the Pacer is mostly remembered as a car from yesterday that wasn’t very good and got too hot thanks to those huge windows.

Aside from Garth’s light blue, flame-decaled ’76 Pacer from Wayne’s World (which sold for $71,500, over four times its condition #1 value and almost double what it sold for back in 2016), Pacers are still among the cheapest of cheap classics. That said, the median condition #2 value in the Hagerty Price Guide is up 13 percent over the past three years to a nice round $10,000. Add 15 to 20 percent for special models like the Bicentennial edition or Limited package as well as a hefty premium for the 304-cubic-inch V-8 that arrived in 1978.

The post AMC values are finally stirring, but most remain Big Bad bargains appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Outside of a few European manufacturers, automakers have strayed away from offering half a dozen body styles of each model they produce. In the ‘60s and early ’70s, however, just about every manufacturer gave buyers multiple versions of cars. We’re not just talking about two-door, four-door, coupe, and wagon, either. Plymouth gave us two hardtop versions of the Barracuda for a few years; GM offered more formal A-body coupes like the Monte Carlo, Cutlass Supreme, and Grand Prix; and Ford and Mercury brought fastbacks by the ton.

Many of the most famous Mustangs were fastbacks. While the Cougar didn’t’ get the same treatment, Mercury wasn’t shy about offering the stylish silhouette on plenty of other models. The Parklane and Monterey a adopted sleek roofline that smoothly transitioned to the decklid. Our favorite Mercury fastback, perhaps, would have to be the Cyclone.

In the late ‘60s, Mercury’s Cyclone and Ford’s Torino went to battle on high-speed NASCAR tracks. They each spawned more aerodynamic versions, the Talladega and Spoiler II, as part of the aero wars with Chrysler Corp. Those long-nose versions were built in much lower numbers, but the regular fastback versions of both models are much easier to come across. They also happen to be, in our humble opinion, among the best-looking muscle cars to ever roll off a Ford Motor Company assembly line.

One of the top engines offered in those speedy Fords was the 428. Not as wild as the big-bore 427, the 428 was also built on the FE V-8 architecture that powered everything from work trucks to Le-Mans-winning GT40s. The four-barrel version of the 428 installed in performance models starting in 1968 was dubbed Cobra Jet, which has become one of the most storied monikers in Ford drag racing history. The 335-hp engine was a good foundation for drag racers and street cars alike, earning a reputation right off the bat when the engine took the Super Stock Eliminator class by storm at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals.

If you’re in the market for a 428-powered fastback, your options include various Mustangs, the 1968 Shelby GT500KR, the Torino Cobra, and the Mercury Cyclone. Of those, the Cyclone is easily the most affordable. The #3 (Good) value of a 1968 Cyclone fastback is $23,000, a $3000 premium over the still quite good-looking hardtop. The 1969 Cyclone CJ (for Cobra Jet) is just a bit more at $26,800. However, the #3 (Good) value of a similar 1969 Torino Cobra is nearly $40,000. It goes without saying that the Shelby is considerably more valuable.

Perhaps it’s because we love a bargain, or that we have a soft spot for orphan brands, but the Cyclone seems like an underrated piece of the muscle car story. No doubt it’s great way to get your hands on a very cool machine that few seem to remember.

The post ’68 Cyclone: Honoring an unsung 428 on 4/28 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Meet AMG’s first four-cylinder C-Class

Intake: A new age has dawned for Mercedes-Benz’ C-Class, and you’re looking at its first emissary. As announced in February of 2021, all variants of Mercedes’ compact sedan will use a four-cylinder powertrain—including the high-performance AMG models. That four-pot story starts with the C 43 AMG that debuted yesterday. It’s powered by a 402-hp version of the AMG-tuned, 1991-cc, turbocharged inline-four (M139) that first appeared in summer of 2019 boasting 208 hp per liter. In the C 43, the engine boasts a fancy new turbocharger design and makes 402, rather than 416 hp. That’s still enough to improve over the 2021 C 43’s 385 hp, though torque drops from 384 to 369 lb-ft. This newest C 43 has two fewer cylinders and one turbocharger instead of two, but it compensates by using a shaft-mounted electric motor to spool the single turbo more quickly. Like many Benzes in recent memory, the 2023 C 43 uses a 48V mild-hybrid system that essentially subs for the alternator and, in this car, can even produce a temporary 13-hp boost. You’ll need to wring the thing out, though, to achieve those higher output numbers: peak hp at 6750 rpm rather than 6100, not 2500, and max torque now arrives at 5000 rpm.

Exhaust: We had suspected that the C-Class prototypes running around the Nürburgring previewed the range-topping C 63 model, which is currently powered by a twin-turbo V-8 and, like all other C-Classes, is set for a four-pot transplant. However, Mercedes has made the advent of four-cylinders a bit more palatable by starting with the C 63’s little brother, whose outgoing model is a twin-turbo, V-6 affair starting around $57K. The C 43 is traditionally the bargain performance play of the C-Class lineup, aimed at those who want real performance gains (not just some AMG-Line appearance package) but don’t want to stretch to the roughly $70K top-of-the-line model. There’s no denying that the M139 is a potent little mill … but much weighs on its proverbial shoulders. Can it court enough newcomers to replace the alienated AMG faithful?

Dodge’s Chief Donut Maker is the coolest executive position in the industry

Intake: While an all-wheel-drive, all-electric muscle car may be in the works at Dodge, the folks who were wild enough to stick a Hellcat V-8 in just about everything with four wheels aren’t letting gas-powered, tire-smoking machines go out with a whimper. After receiving more than 173,500 applicants for its newly founded Chief Donut Maker position, Dodge announced a winner on April 26, fondly known as Hemi Day among car enthusiasts. Preston Patterson of North Carolina will earn $150,000 over the next year, along with the keys to a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat that he’ll bring to some of the industry’s biggest events, such as Detroit’s Roadkill Nights later this summer. Patterson won out over nine other finalists from all over the country, all of whom were flown out to Radford Racing School in Arizona for a series of elimination challenges that ranged from driving exercises to Dodge trivia.

Exhaust: Only Dodge could come up with a position as wild as Chief Donut Maker and be taken seriously. The Mustang has morphed into a track-slaying sports car, and the Camaro—wait, does Chevy even still sell it? Dodge has kept the spirit of muscle cars front and center with models like the Challenger Hellcat Redeye, the Demon, and even the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. Kudos to Patterson, who seems appropriately geeked about his gig. We’re looking forward to seeing him fly the muscle flag amid clouds of vaporized rubber.

Live-action Hot Wheels movie will be produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company

Intake: Mattel, Inc. and Warner Bros. Pictures have announced that J.J. Abrams’ production company Bad Robot will produce Hot Wheels, a live-action motion picture featuring the iconic toy cars. Mattel describes the project as a “high-throttle action film [that will] showcase some of the world’s hottest and sleekest cars, monster trucks, and motorcycles.” Mattel Films and Warner Bros. Pictures are also partners on the upcoming motion picture featuring another Mattel icon, Barbie. Abrams has written, produced, or directed a long list of motion picture blockbusters, including a pair of Star Wars films and the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Exhaust: Even if we don’t know much about this production beyond that the details above, count us in on any live-action film that promises awesome cars—especially with J.J. Abrams involved. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine if this becomes Warner Brothers’ answer to Universal’s Fast and Furious movies. If that’s the plan, WB and Bad Robot will likely pull out all the stops. Buckle up and bring it on.

This LaFerrari Aperta set a BaT record on its first day

Intake: A 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta took just a day online to set a new price record for auction site Bring a Trailer. Originally sold for $2 million between 2016 and 2018, just 210 Apertas were made, and this Rosso Corsa example saw bidding rapidly rise to $4 million. It has just 161 miles on the clock so the 6.3-liter V-12 isn’t yet run in, the Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes show no wear, and the electric powertrain has barely buzzed into life. The combined forces of internal combustion and electricity send 950 hp to the car’s rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and electronic differential. Electromagnetic dampers suspend the car at each corner, it wears 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels on Pirelli P Zero tires, and the Aperta’s extra party piece is its removable carbon roof panel, providing a potential for 200 mph wind in the hair moments—not that this car has ever seen such action.

Exhaust: If ever there was an example as an automobile as a pure investment vehicle, this it. Despite its minuscule mileage, the car has had three owners; it was delivered new to The Collection of Coral Gables in Florida, then registered in Ohio before the current seller took ownership, with each owner profiting nicely along the way. Why can’t they just buy NFTs instead and leave cars to drivers?

Nismo pipes up for the 2023 Nissan Z

Intake: The U.S. launch of the Nissan Z may be delayed until summer, but that just gives you a little more time to choose your spec wisely. As it happens, Nismo has announced a stainless steel exhaust system which you’ll definitely want to add. The Nismo sports muffler is designed to provide “a light and comfortable exhaust note from normal driving to high-speed driving,” according to Nissan’s in-house tuning brand. The system does reduce the Z’s ground clearance by 0.2 inches, but that’s a small price to pay for the extra aural pleasure and sweet looks of the new pipes. The upgrade is already available in Japan, priced at an equivalent of around $2,400.

Exhaust: No doubt this is just the first of many Nismo parts for the Z, proving that Nissan truly understands the needs of its customers to personalize and add performance to their cars. If these pipes make the Z sound better than it looks, a few more months of waiting will be worth it.

Justin Lin steps down as director of Fast X, stays on as producer

Intake: The Fast and Furious franchise has delivered plenty of on-screen spectacle, but theatrics usually end when the credits roll. Unfortunately, the drama appears to have spilled over into the real world as filming for the Fast and Furious franchise’s final saga, Fast X, gets underway—Justin Lin has stepped down as as the film’s director, citing “creative differences” as the reason behind the move. He will stay on as a producer, but the move certainly comes as a surprise. Lin co-wrote Fast X, and has held the director role for four of the franchise’s prior films. A report from Deadline indicates that while some second-unit shooting will continue, the main portion of production will undergo a pause while Universal executives search for Lin’s replacement. Fast X is expected to debut in May 19, 2023 and as of this writing, no news of delays due to Lin’s role-change have been announced.

Exhaust: A director walking away from a film is hardly new, but when someone so tightly tied to a franchise like Lin is to the Fast and Furious films makes the move, it’s hard not to get worried. We can only hope that the final product still includes Dom’s black Charger, even if it has to be morphed into a spaceship to fight aliens.

The post Mercedes-AMG’s first four-pot C-Class, Dodge’s Chief Donut Maker, and Hot Wheels’ new movie appeared first on Hagerty Media.

I was 19 years old in 2004, when I picked up my first Rambler after seeing it for sale on the side of the road in Homeland, California.

It was a 1969, and I traded it straight across for my partially operational Ford Bronco II. During the process of working on the Rambler, I had just rebuilt the carburetor and thought it would be cool to do a big burnout in reverse. Well, my friend happened to pull up behind me as I was doing that, and I smashed the whole rear of the car. In the end, I sold it for $500.

Throughout the years, I kept my eyes open for a replacement, and in 2018, I came across a 1968 Rambler. Going through a tough divorce, I purchased the car from a 95-year-old woman in El Segundo, California, to help keep my mind right. I planned to spend all the free time I had focusing on something positive—this new project.

My mission was to completely rebuild the car. In less than two years, I got my Rambler roadworthy. I had all the bodywork and paint done professionally, sticking close to the original paint scheme but with some added touches—I used BMW’s water-based two-stage Donington Grey metallic, which really stands out. I also tinted the windows and painted the window frames black to mimic a hard-top Rambler.

I had all the seats redone in tweed and replaced the vinyl floor with a carpet kit I found on eBay. I then added some American Racing wheels I picked up from a 1965 Ford Mustang. To top it all off, I have a 383 stroker motor waiting for the day the original 232 AMC six gives up—which might never happen, so I may have a running 232 for sale in the near future.

It has been a fun, therapeutic build, and I look forward to seeing some of you at upcoming Southern California car shows.

The post Restoring my AMC was more than fun; it was therapy appeared first on Hagerty Media.

For more than a decade, it seemed like the muscle car’s best days—at least in narrow, collecting terms—were behind it. Following the cratering of the collector car market alongside the Great Recession, muscle cars more or less recovered, but then remained stuck in neutral even as other segments blasted ahead. Until January 2022 happened, that is. Observing sales at Mecum’s Kissimmee sale and the Scottsdale auctions, along with private offerings and Hagerty data, it is clear that muscle cars are back to where they were at their last peak, in 2008.

So what’s happening in the muscle car world? Here’s the short answer … everything. We observed movement at nearly every level. Let’s dig in and take a look at some of the highlights.

Big-block MOPARs post big gains; Hemis relatively restrained

Talk about collectible muscle cars usually starts with 426 Hemi–powered cars. Rightfully so—they are peak MOPAR performance, and original Hemi cars are pretty scarce. Yet Hemis, although no doubt valuable and desirable, are not the big movers at this moment.

Rather, the biggest winners were MOPAR’s “other” big V-8s, the 383 and the 440. Chargers posted some of the most notable gains, rising 30 to 40 percent on average since late 2021. ‘Cudas and Challengers posted a more modest 20 percent gain on average. The beloved Hemis? They still grew; however with the exception of Chargers, their growth has been a steady upward march, rather than an explosion.

GM cars do best of the Big Three

If we were to call a clear winner in the muscle car market, it has to be General Motors—specifically Chevrolet. Unlike MOPAR muscle, vast increases in value were shared across most levels of performance. Strong showings of ultra-rare 1970 LS6 Chevelle Convertibles pushed values up over 50 percent while Yenko Camaros rose 40 percent in value. Meanwhile, first generation Camaro Super Sports (1967–69) exploded in value by 35 percent and Z/28s by nearly 40 percent.

Of course, General Motors consists of more than Chevy, and it certainly wasn’t the only GM marque seeing action. 1966–67 Pontiac GTOs, a 2022 Bull Market List pick, increased an average of 24 percent, and later non-Ram Air GTOs rose by a similar rate. Oldsmobile 4-4-2s and Buick Gran Sports experienced more modest increases on average, but the less-loved 1972 Olds 4-4-2 has caught up in in value to 1971 models. Buick Gran Sports powered by 350s, though they remain affordable, saw substantial gains for the first time.

The biggest gainers from the GM camp were from cars made after the so-called muscle-car era. It’s pretty well accepted that the era came to a close in 1972; however, Pontiac fans are quick to point out the company produced viable muscle cars after that point, and it seems collectors increasingly agree. Smokey and the Bandit Trans Ams were the biggest gainers of any American performance cars, with increases of 40 to 70 percent.

FoMoCo brings up the rear

If we had to call any division the least active in this review, it would be Ford. But that’s more a testament to the heat of the market than it is a commentary on the value of fast Fords. The big players like Boss Mustangs gained upwards of 20 percent while Mach 1s grew by 12 percent. The rest of the Mustang market rose by a few points, which on its own is noteworthy considering how saturated the market is with great examples.

The biggest winner in the FoMoCo camp is the Mercury Cougar. Whether this is a case of rising tides raising all ships or long-overdue recognition is hard to say, but they outperformed everything. We observed ultra rare GT-E to Cobra Jets being offered and sold at noticeably higher rates than in the previous market. Small block–powered cars saw more modest moves, but 390 and 428 cars rose by 30-40 percent.

What’s next?

The natural question—at least, if you’re a pessimist—is how long muscle cars can keep up this pace. It is hard to tell if there is more 110 octane in the tank or if we’re running on fumes. It’s still early in the driving season and Mecum’s huge sale in Indianapolis next month is a good temperature check of the market. Regardless of what happens in May, though, the gains in the past year are not merely speculative. Muscle cars enjoy a vast fanbase comprised of diverse age groups. Although the recent gains may be painful for those of us who see our dream cars climbing out of our budget, growing values also insure that these cars will continue to be cared for and preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The post Big-block Mopars, GM star in hottest muscle-car market since 2008 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Hagerty readers and Hagerty Drivers Club members share their cherished collector and enthusiast vehicles with us via our contact email, tips@hagerty.com. We’re showcasing some of our favorite stories among these submissions. To have your car featured, send complete photography and your story of ownership to the above email address.

Shawn Baird has been a Pontiac fan ever since his brother’s friend visited his family’s home in a 1970 GTO. “As the blue Pontiac GTO pulled up with a rumble, my heart started to race,” baird writes. “It was love at first sight!” He was only 14 at the time, but the menacing look of the dual headlights and Ram Air scoops made Baird a convert, and he has been hooked on muscle cars ever since.

As the youngest of seven in his family, Baird was surrounded by many classic cars, including his brother’s ’65 Impala, his sister’s ’69 Charger, and his mother’s 428-powered ’67 Catalina. Baird’s own cars included some memorable muscle as well, including a pair of Plymouth Roadrunners and a Dodge Demon powered by a 340 and a four-speed. Still, those cars didn’t quite scratch the itch. “In my mid-20s I restored a ’67 Malibu with a 283, but nothing matched that Ram Air GTO!” Baird’s first Pontiac, a 1968 Firebird 400, was purchased with the proceeds from selling that Malibu, but he wasn’t done. He’s owned several Pontiacs since, including some rarities, but this 1972 LeMans holds a special place in his heart.

When Baird first came across this car—a 42,000-mile survivor with the Endura bumper option that included the same hood and fenders used on the GTO—his first impression was that someone had swapped in a GTO drivetrain into a run-of-the-mill LeMans. There was a four-barrel 400 V-8 under the hood, along with a Turbo 400 transmission. After sending the VIN to Pontiac Historic Services, Baird learned that this LeMans wasn’t a Sport or a GT, and certainly not a GTO, yet it had been optioned with the performance V-8 from the factory. But that wasn’t all. The car was also equipped with a Positraction rear differential and dual exhaust. It even had the same handling package used on the GTO that included springs and shocks. It was a GTO in virtually everything but badging.

Despite knowing that the car’s list of options made it a bit of a rarity in the world of Pontiacs, Baird had to part ways with the car. When the new owner asked his thoughts on turning it into a GTO clone and painting it a bit flashier color, Baird suggested that it was more interesting, and likely more valuable, if it remained in its original Wilderness Green metallic hue.

His advice was heeded and the results speak for themselves. The car won awards at numerous shows, and the current and former owners remained in touch during the 12 years that have passed since Baird sold the car. This winter, Baird was given the first chance to buy back the car and he jumped at the opportunity.

“I once again own another rare piece of Pontiac history!” Baird says. This understated coupe, optioned just right to keep its performance a tight-lipped secret, makes it a fantastic sleeper and a great example of the muscle car era’s vibrant history.

The post Rides from the Readers: Carefully chosen options turned this LeMans into a clandestine GTO appeared first on Hagerty Media.

In lieu of rounding up our favorite pink (or red) color schemes, or writing a teary-eyed ode to our own classics, we decided to do something different for this Valentine’s Day: Hand the microphone to you. This being a family-friendly site, we know better than to ask for vivid memories of automotive-adjacent romance: Instead, we asked you to show us your wedding “getaway” cars.

You responded with great enthusiasm, sharing treasured memories and faded photos of the cars that whisked you and your spouse away from your wedding ceremony. The submissions span bucket-list American classics, including a 1964 1/2 Mustang, and eclectic imports, like an 1969 Renault 8 Gordini. It’s the unlikely heroes, however, that might be the most romantic—the “it’s just what we had then” vehicles, like a borrowed ’90s Chrysler Sebring or a 1988 Toyota Camry.

Without further delay, here are ten of our favorites from your submissions.

1964 1/2 Ford Mustang

Mustangs were one of the most popular vehicles included among your responses. This 1964 1/2 coupe, however, wins the award for best (or most thoroughly) decorated. Can you have enough carnations on your bench-seat getaway chariot? For user FlyingD in 1971, the answer was clearly “no,” and we approve. 50 years later, they paid homage to this decked-out pony car by celebrating their anniversary with a 1965 coupe. Bravo!

1978 BMW 320i

The Chevrolet referenced in user 79Corvette’s internet handle is now his “fun car,” kept company by his wife’s 2021 Paddy Hopkirk Mini Cooper S. The two set a standard for automotive excellence early in their relationship—before their marriage was official, in fact. They bought this maroon 1978 BMW 320i new and cruised through their honeymoon in it autobahn-style, driving from Quebec to Toronto in five hours. “My wife is still putting up with me,” he writes. We’d hazard a guess that the spicy little Mini Cooper can also keep up with that Corvette …

Mercury station wagon

User BobinVA draws attention to a common threat faced by any high-zoot getaway car: The white shoe polish inevitably used by friends of the happy couple to advertise their newly married status on the vehicle itself. Several of you, wise to the plots of your groomsmen and bridesmaids, used a bait-and-switch tactic. BobinVA was one such crafty fellow. He protected the silver paint on his 1965 Mustang fastback with the sacrificial lamb above, a far more humble Mercury station wagon owned by his newly minted brother-in-law. The woodie wagon escorted the couple to a super-secret shopping mall where the Mustang had been stashed, and all was well: The bride and groom rode off in style, and the Mustang’s paint remained unmolested.

1972 Corvette

These are the before-and-after pictures we love to see: The faded vintage shot of the getaway vehicle—whose decorators here thoughtfully eschewed shoe polish—and a shot of the same car, decades later, looking to be in fine fettle. User EdVette72 puts it simplest and best: “Still have the car, still have the wife, still having fun.”

1966 Volvo 122 S

Here’s another vintage ride that’s stayed with the couple for years since the ceremony: “Just in time for my 10 year anniversary this month!” writes user r32rennsport. “We set off into the sunset in a 1966 Volvo 122s coupe back in 2012. Still have both and love them more with every passing day (and mile!)” This 1966 Volvo 122S is sitting pretty on what appear to be tastefully upgrade Cragar-esque rims. Old school charm brought into the 21st century—we couldn’t approve more.

1957 Chevrolet

User Racer50 and his wife were married in 1984 but they didn’t know which vehicle would usher them away from the ceremony until they walked out the church doors and saw a classy, red 1957 Chevy waiting by the curb. A friend of Racer50’s father-in-law had volunteered his classic and drove the couple from the church to their new house. Now, years later, Racer50 is giving back in similar fashion: “I have used my ’66 Mustang for my son’s wedding and for my niece’s wedding!”

1965 VW Bug

A first-gen Mustang might be peeking out of the garage in this photo, but it’s the humble VW Bug that gets the shoutout for post-wedding chariot. The decorating team was evidently quite committed to the Bug’s celebratory ensemble … hopefully the weather cooperated and didn’t turn it into a soppy mess. “Still have it,” writes STOGIE. “It’s part of the ever-growing car family!”

1959 Ford Country Squire

User Squire can trace his history with this 1959 Ford Squire—which he owns to this day—well before his wedding day in 1980. His family bought it new, and gifted it to him upon his high school graduation in 1968. His bride arrived in another classy vintage: her uncle’s 1953 Hudson.

1970 Mustang Mach 1

Several among you rolled away from your weddings in some serious street-fighting muscle, and user SeaX5 is among them. The 1970 Mach 1 pictured here was this lucky fellow’s first Mustang, and in 1979 he and his wife rumbled away to their honeymoon in this brawny beast. Just imagine the smell of tire smoke and lightly toasted rice … so romantic.

1964 Chevelle convertible

User RSLarson chose a more laid-back cruiser for him and his bride in 1965. This 1964 Chevelle convertible carried him and his wife to their honeymoon in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—and speaking as Michiganders ourselves, a red-over-white droptop in an Up North summer sounds like one heavenly road-trip recipe.

The post 10 of Hagerty readers’ fondly remembered getaway cars appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The dust is finally settling after a superheated Scottsdale Auction Week. The grandaddy of the Arizona car auctions—Barrett-Jackson—held its event January 28th and 29th, but if you weren’t able to be there, we’ve done all the hard work for you. In addition to a recap of the entire, expectation-smashing week, we spent extra time scouring B-J’s tents, checking out every single car.

Below, some of the highlights: 13 American classics, hand-picked by our experts, that stand out from the usual fare.

1931 Cord L29 Cabriolet

Lot 1292.1

Sold for: $275,000

Cord entered 1929 battling prestigious brands, but within reason—this Cabriolet’s $3500 price had it nestled between similar Cadillac V-8 and V-12 models. The Cord’s trump card was front-wheel drive, a huge curiosity at the time. The car also offered a more rakish design, its long and low lines assisted visually by a 137.5-inch wheelbase. Next to anything from the period, the Cord’s height (or lack thereof) makes it seem more modern. Power came from a 299-cubic-inch Lycoming straight-eight.

1932 Ford B-50 Sport Coupe (Harry Jackman’s “Wild Cherry-Ette”)

Lot #1096.1

Sold for: $82,500

Ford sold fewer than 3000 Sport Coupes for 1932. The model didn’t return for 1933 and is still relatively uncommon. This Sport Coupe in particular is an award-winning hot rod from the pastime’s heyday, and it appeared in many publications between 1959 and 1962. The original car no longer exists, but its body was found and used as the basis for a recreation by Harry Jackman, the original builder. Power comes from a 312 Y-block V-8.

1956 El Morocco

For 1955, GM design chief Harley Earl tried to inject some Cadillac-flavored style into the Chevrolet lineup. Customizer Reuben Allender took the idea one step further. His El Morocco brand gave this ’56 Chevrolet “Dagmar” front bumperettes, gold DeSoto wheel covers, and fiberglass tailfins. In 1956, a new El Morocco commanded a $1000 premium over an ordinary Chevy Bel Air. Around 30 are believed to have been built for 1956 and 1957.

1958 Pontiac Parisienne

Lot #1326

Sold for: $192,500

In the 1950s, duty taxes caused imported, American-spec Pontiacs to become somewhat pricey in Canada. As such, General Motors Canada built Pontiacs on Chevrolet chassis—so-called Poncheauxs—and gave the cars names with cultural connections. The Parisienne is the best-known of the bunch. This particular example shares trim with the Pontiac Bonneville, but it’s more like a Chevrolet Impala with Pontiac styling and power. Power came from a 348 with tri-carbs and a four-speed transmission.

1958 Thunderbird “Kopper Kaballero”

Lot #180

Sold for: $41,800

“Squarebirds” are a dime a dozen in the vintage-car world, popular with collectors for eons. This one is a bit different. While the general vibe is straight from the 1970s custom scene, the build is a modern California creation and has even appeared in Custom Rodder magazine. There are no drastic changes here, just a quality paint job, light custom touches, and fine detailing. Imagine a hot rod you can hop in and drive anywhere. At this price, someone left Scottsdale satisfied.

1961 Chevrolet Biscayne Fleetmaster

Lot #1291

Sold for: $110,000

Chevrolet’s legendary 409 V-8 debuted in 1961. Examples of that engine built that year are rare enough, but most seem to have been installed in “bubbletop” Impalas. Low-grade Biscayne Fleetmasters with the W-block are hen’s teeth by comparison. This example, claimed to be the only one built, was bought new by Oregon racer Allen May. He ordered it without radio or heater and began setting SS/S drag-race records almost immediately. This car is seminal early Chevy muscle and worthy of the best muscle-car collection out there.

1968 Chevrolet Chevelle 300

Lot #698

Sold for: $46,200

It’s easy to forget that the relatively tame 300 and 300 Deluxe supported the bottom end of Chevelle production through the 1960s. At that point in history, big-blocks clearly commanded the attention, but small-block performance fans could still order the L79 327 through 1968 (built since 1967, rated at 325 hp). Only 4082 L79 Chevelle 300s were produced, and finding one in the less-expensive “post” hardtop model—the term connotes the presence of a B-pillar—is a mean feat. Now imagine one with a floor-shifted three-speed. Unbelievably rare.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Lot #1043

Sold for: $126,500

Oh boy, another Chevrolet. And a Camaro at that. At Barrett-Jackson? Ho-hum. But check out how this Z is trimmed: white vinyl top, white stripes (though the restorer admitted it had black stripes from the factory), white houndstooth interior. White trim is far from unusual in a Camaro, but when paired with Daytona Yellow, it makes for a pony car different from all the others. The perfect example of how a belly-button car … doesn’t have to be one.

1969 Mustang Mach I

Lot #1469

Sold for: $181,500

Speaking of belly buttons, 1969 Mach Is are a dime a dozen at Barrett-Jackson and seemingly everywhere else. Even Cobra Jet Mustangs are not rare, with over 13,000 built for 1969, most of them Mach Is. Even Mach Is with the Drag Pack are not particularly rare. But check out the color: Midnight Orchid was a Thunderbird color that was special-ordered here, and the gold stripes are the perfect complement. Falling in love yet?

1969 Plymouth Road Runner

Lot #469

Sold for: $52,800

383 Road Runners used to be reasonably affordable, but these cars are starting to get pricey. A ton of them were built with that engine—this coupe is one of a whopping 32,368 to leave the line so equipped. That said, this particular example is one of just 583 featuring two-tone paint. A black car with a white top is a sharp combination. Mix in flat-black “V21” hood stripes, you have yourself an attainable but unique muscle car, different from every other vehicle at the local drag.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS/RS 350 “Cutaway Car”

Lot #1369

Sold for: $385,000

It should be easy to see why we singled this one out. Built on the first day of ’69 Camaro production, this Le Mans Blue hardtop cutaway is one of just two Camaros sectioned like this at the factory. It was delivered to GM Creative Services, the department tasked with creating custom promotional displays for auto shows. This very machine was a hit at the 1969 Detroit Autorama, and it finished its tour of duty at the ’69 New York Coliseum auto show. Despite all the traveling, the odometer shows just 2.4 miles.

1970 Mustang Convertible

Lot #1336.1 (blue), Lot #1336.2 (green)

$220,000 (blue), $192,500 (green)

Haters are gonna hate, but here’s another Mustang—two of ‘em! But these are Mustangs with a story. 428 Cobra Jet ragtops are rare enough, with 47 built and only 33 of those equipped with shaker hoods. This pair represent two of the five that were prepared for pace-car duty at tracks owned by American Raceway, Inc. (ARI). Those five cars went to Atlanta and Riverside International Raceways, and to Eastern, Michigan, and Texas International Speedways. All were automatics, and these feature two of Ford’s strongest hues: Grabber Blue and Grabber Green.

1982 Buick Grand National

Lot #672

Sold for: $33,000

Those big, bad, black 1984-87 Grand Nationals turned the American performance world on its ear when they were new. That said, few people know that the first year for the GN Buick was 1982, or that the model skipped 1983 altogether. As homage to Buick’s 1981 and 1982 wins in NASCAR’s manufacturers cup, 215 gray Regals were sent to Cars and Concepts for paint and trim highlights, plus front and rear spoilers and special seats. It was long believed that these cars received only Buick’s naturally aspirated, 3.8-liter V-6, but we now know that a handful of turbos were built. This one has been modified with a 6.0-liter LS2 and several other upgrades.

The post From subtle to shouty: American treasures at Barrett-Jackson 2022 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Considering this is the second (and final) installment covering the 2021 Muscle Cars and Corvette Nationals, it would seem appropriate to continue with the Day 2 display. That means plenty of cars featuring period modifications from back in the day. As you’ll see, the collection of cars we selected appears to be Chevy-heavy, but even the most jaded Brand Xer has to admit it’s the presentation, and not the brand, that makes Day 2 cars so special.

Here’s the very first 1967 Yenko Camaro, looking great in Rally Sport trim. Though it may not look Day 2 in many ways—no mag wheels, fancy tires, rake, etc.—it’s an example how some companies and dealers were clued in on a packaged supercar. Of course, being a 1967 Yenko, it has a transplanted 427.

So perhaps this 1967 Camaro Z28 is more in the vein you were expecting. The Z28 (it didn’t officially receive the “/” till mid-year 1968) was somewhat obscure in the Camaro’s debut year, with 602 built, but it was the Camaro for the enthusiast who fancied himself a road racer. Note the cowl plenum, which was an available option from the factory, as were the headers.

I’m not totally sure about the modifications on the 440 Six-Barrel under the hood here, but you can see this 1971 Plymouth GTX features a spectacular “World of Wheels”-like paint job nicely preserved from back in the day. The GTX had been redesigned for 1971, the last hurrah before compression was lowered across the board.

This 1970 Buick GS, known as 3 is the Charm, reflects a different period, as in 1977 it was painted and customized and, several years later, was a World of Wheels show winner. Yes, it features rolled and pleated Naugahyde, Lakewood ladder bars, and such names as Crower, Hooker, Poston, and TA Performance under the hood.

You may have heard of Baldwin-Motion before, but some people don’t realize it was a venture between a dealer, Baldwin Chevrolet, and Motion Performance. Just like the Yenko above was subtle, B-M cars were in your face, and when it came to its Phase III series, chances they were out of your sight because they were guaranteed to run 11s. Most of them were big-blocks, but this 1972 Camaro is a Z/28 so that means it started with an LT-1 350 and Motion took over from there.

MCACN gives individuals and restoration shops an opportunity to debut freshly restored cars with the Official Unveiling displays scattered throughout the convention center. That, combined with some new finds that also making their debut at the show, are what we will see next.

A perfect example of the latter is this 1970 Oldsmobile F85 with the W31 performance package. Only 207 were built, but what makes this one truly exceptional is that the original owner special-ordered it in a Cadillac color called Nottingham Green Firemist. Firemist pigments were originally developed by Engelhard Industries and exhibit “an intense sparkling and depth in a wide range of interference effects” to convey a “brilliant, star-like glitter.” Stripes were originally black but were enhanced at the dealership. Does it get better? Sure—it has an aluminum W27 rear.

The Coronet R/T was introduced in 1967 to be Dodge’s “image car” to compete with the GTO. However, with the 1968 redesign, this model was overshadowed by the spectacular Charger R/T. As such, cars like this Hemi car tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Speaking of Coronet R/Ts, here’s the 1969 version of that vehicle, but this one is a Hemi ragtop. You may notice the all-new Ramcharger air induction scoops that were available that year (and standard with the Hemi). Out of the 10 built to U.S. spec, only four had the four-speed.

A 1969 Camaro Z/28 is far from a rare car, yet some examples stand out more than others. It seems there’s this “thing” with a special-order color generically called “Carolina Blue” (think of the school colors for UNC) that has dotted the Chevrolet landscape in the twilight of the era. This Z/28 is one of those special cars.

You may remember that comedian and auto enthusiast Dick Smothers joined forced with Oldsmobile to run the Smothers Brothers racing team. One of the actual race cars, originally campaigned by Florida-based King Olds and driven by Jim Waibel, has been restored to as-raced condition. If that alone is not cool enough, get this: the 1969 Cutlass S convertible is one of 26 built with the W31 package.

Everyone knows about the 1970 Buick GSX, which were available in Saturn Yellow or Apollo White. The package continued into 1971, now available in six colors, though only 124 people were interested in one. Styling was slightly tweaked, especially the grille (including matching scoop) and taillights, so here you can compare this Stratomist Blue one with the iconic ’70 version.

Dodge offered some bright colors for the Challenger in 1970, but there also were colors on the palette that would be more at home on a four-door Dart. “BL1” Beige is one of those colors, and approximately 41 Americans ordered a Challenger R/T in this totally drab color. How many were Hemis? No one knows, but this stripe-delete example is nicely complemented with a tan interior.

Hemi ’Cudas came standard with the Shaker hood scoop, but it was an option for Dodge Challenger R/Ts. It seems Six Packs are the most common, with Hemis running a distant second. But finding one on a 440 Magnum seems to be a needle-in-a-haystack proposition, with only two documented examples known to exist. Late availability in the model year seems to be the culprit.

The Mustang has always played the role of once and future King of the pony car world (and, arguably, the 1960s as a whole). However, by 1970, production had fallen drastically as the sporty and performance market was changing due to shifting demographics (with a bit of insurance surcharges thrown in). Nonetheless, cars like this Cobra Jet-equipped 1970 Mach 1 carried the Ford performance banner with aplomb.

“FM3” Moulin Rouge (Dodge called it Panther Pink) was a mid-year hue that was not very popular, but today it is quite popular with the Mopar cognoscenti. For this 1970 Road Runner hardtop, approximately 47 U.S.-spec cars were built in this color. Note the white vinyl top and lack of stripes (only the trunk stripe was standard on hardtops), which nicely set this one off.

Ram Air was optional only for the new-for-1970 455 on the GTO. But what is most noticeable about this Goat is the dual-stripe white walls and poverty caps. When was the last time you saw one like that? Add the Burgundy paint (only 1246 built) and contrasting vinyl top and you have a stand-out.

Performance may have been dying a slow death starting in 1971, but this 1973 Road Runner tried to keep the flame alive. When you ordered the 440 engine, all Road Runners received GTX badges as a nod to its stablemate that last appeared in 1971. Approximately 749 cars were built with the 440, and this one has a sunroof to boot.

By 1977 performance was a thing from the past, but Pontiac’s perseverance and a certain Hollywood movie helped keep the flame alive. These “Bandit” Trans Ams started to get pricey a few years ago, so now it’s possible you will be seeing more and more of them restored to the level of this example.

Moving on, how about this 1965 Shelby GT350? The first year of the Shelby Mustang, and the most pure iteration of the series. Though number 003, it’s considered the first Shelby Mustang because car 001 was a “street prototype” used for promotional purposes, and then the Venice factory mistakenly skipped number 002. This car features several transitional items that were considered for production but didn’t last, like “GT350” decals on the front fenders. Plus, it was converted by the factory to R-model racing configuration and raced as such for several decades. Among 1965s, perhaps none have the provenance of this one.

A car that had lots of folks chattering was this 1965 Chevelle 300. You may be familiar with the Z16 Malibu SS 396, of which 201 were built with a unique L37-spec big-block putting out 375 horses, but this lowly black Chevelle was a Central Office Production Order (COPO) vehicle ordered with the 425-horse L78 that was available on the Corvette and big cars. Likely it’s the only one built.

Walking on, you’ll find an assemblage of Buick GSs, mainly 1970–71. There are a few standouts here worthy of highlighting.

To the casual observer, this 1970 Stage 1 is maroon, but it’s really a special-order color normally reserved for the Riviera called Titian Red. It has a hint of rose that gives it a feminine quality that belies the power of its 455.

The Gran Sport series was reshuffled a bit for 1971, now encompassing three engines (versus the 350-based GS and GS 455 for 1970). As such, this was the first time for a 350-based GS convertible. However, the Stage 1 was still available, of which 81 were built like this one.

Another 1971, this Stage 1 is painted in Burnished Cinnamon, a color that was initially introduced for both the 1970 Camaro and Firebird as Classic Copper and Castilian Bronze, respectively. It was instituted across the board for 1971.

Next up is the Ram Air Invitational, a Pontiac Firebird display that contains prime examples of top Pontiac pony cars. Only 65 1967 Firebird 400s were built with the 325-horsepower Ram Air engine, and it is believed only eight were convertibles. Can you believe the luck in such a rare car was ordered in this color combination?

That engine was continued into 1968, generally called “Ram Air I” by Pontiac folks. Only 321 hardtop and convertible four-speeds were built, though this one marches to a different beat thanks to having its original engine, transmission, and differential, and its unusual mix of options including headrests, fold-down rear seat, rear defogger, exhaust splitters, and no radio.

In April 1968, Pontiac introduced a replacement for the Ram Air engine and called it Ram Air II. Rated at 340 horsepower, the RAII featured Pontiac’s first use of the vaunted round-port heads. Only 110 were built, but this one is even sweeter due to its special-order Chevy Rallye Green paint.

So the Ram Air II had a brief existence from April till the end of the model year, but Pontiac was already working on improvements for 1969. That replacement was called the Ram Air IV—not because it was fourth in line but because it initially was planned to have four intakes. This Midnight Green example is one of 17 built.

Like the Judge was to the GTO, the Trans Am was to the Firebird 400, both introduced in the new 1969 calendar year. While the Judge was a cultural put-on, the Trans Am seemingly had legs and would prove to last into the millennium. The car pictured above is the very first Trans Am of the 697 built.

A year later, Pontiac introduced a redesigned Firebird. The Trans Am was beefed up, going from a quasi-poseur to an honest-to-goodness road car. Thanks to some engine programs that didn’t materialize (like the Ram Air IV Super Duty and the Ram Air V), Pontiac was late to introduce a hot engine for the Trans Am and belatedly released the “regular” Ram Air IV engine. Only 88 of those were built like this one.

So if you’re not a Pontiac guy or gal, you’ve learned that the round-port Ram Air II was followed by the Ram Air IV. The 455 HO from 1971-72 continued the round-port goodness, which culminated in the Super Duty 455 of 1973–74. Only 232 Trans Ams were built with this engine, with 72 being four-speeds. Only three colors were available: Buccaneer Red, Cameo White, and Brewster Green. The latter—a good green, for once!—is the most desirable among Pontiac aficionados.

Nearby you’ll find one of the largest displays at MCACN: the 1966-67 W30 Invitational organized by the “W30 Syndicate.” You’ve seen some of the evergreen 1970s in Part I of Hagerty’s MCACN coverage, but the genesis of Oldsmobile’s force-air hi-po package was in 1966. Oldsmobile already had made a name for itself with the 4-4-2 thanks to competitive horsepower and a rear-sway bar that made it the best handler of the crop of muscle cars. The L69 option added tri-carbs with 360 horsepower on tap.

But the W30 package added a hotter camshaft, better valvetrain, mandatory four-speed and 4.33 gears, and a nifty air-induction system that consisted of tubes running from a unique air cleaner to the lower-bumper cavities. Only 54 were built by the factory, though a handful of kits were available at dealership parts counters to allow owners to upgrade theirs. NHRA C/Stock was the aim, and Oldsmobile won that championship.

What’s interesting about the 4-4-2 package in 1966 was that it was available on the F85 Club Coupe (with B-pillar), F85 Deluxe Holiday (hardtop) coupe, Cutlass Sports Coupe (with B-pillar), Cutlass Holiday Coupe, and Cutlass Convertible. The W30 package was available on all but the latter, with this interesting two-tone example being the former.

Compare that to this Cutlass 4-4-2 Holiday. While it too could come with poverty caps and few options, it would be distinguished by a fancier interior than the basic F85-based 4-4-2 plus some trim, the most noticeable running along the sides. This one with vinyl top and Super Stock I wheels is about as fancy as they come.

In 1967, Oldsmobile moved the 4-4-2 package upmarket, now based on the Cutlass Supreme series. General Motors killed tri-carbs except for the Corvette, so the W30 package made do with the new Rochester QuadraJet. New details included scoops surrounding the parking lights and what would become a W30 trademark: red plastic front fender wells. Just over 500 were built, but documentation is key in proving a real one. Note the white painted top and American Racing 200S mags.

Chesrown Oldsmobile in Columbus was arguably the most famous campaigner of the Lansing rockets. Ron Garey was the racer who made a name for the dealership, and Tweed Vorhees was his teammate. Today. Tweed shares his experience, knowledge, and history with Olds enthusiasts, including his Chesrown replica. However, Brainbeau Oldsmobile out of Massachusetts was the dealership that won the NHRA championship in 1966.

Let’s move on to the Judge’s Chambers. While small, there were examples of the GTO Judge that stood out from what you normally may see, such as this Mayfair Maize 1969. Compare the stripes to the Starlight Black Judge—Pontiac had several stripe colors to match a particular paint.

The stripe thing was true for 1970 too. In fact, if you ordered a Polar White Judge, you received blue/yellow/red stripes. But if you ordered the WT7 option on top of the Judge package, which included a flat black spoiler, the stripes were superseded by yellow/black/red stripes. Only 51 Judges were built with the WT7 option.

When the 1970 model year began, Pontiac determined that a WT7-equipped Judge would be a signature configuration, and that’s what you’d find in early ads. But white doesn’t necessarily scream “look at me!” so, sometime after production, Pontiac introduced Orbit Orange, which came equipped with orange/blue/pink stripes. This Ram Air IV example also features an unusual Sandalwood vinyl top.

Now how about some AMCs? The local American Motors club has had some spectacular displays in the past, chock full of old dealer items, literature, and models. Possible winner of “Car with Neatest Paint Job” may go to the Trans-Am Javelin, a red-white-blue pony car that was only available with a 390 4-speed and unique spoiler. Only 100 were built.

Interestingly, the T-A Javelin was not the homologation special for the Trans-Am circuit—that honor went to the 1970 Mark Donohue Javelin. Prevailing wisdom says they all were SSTs with the Go Pack which included either 360 or 390 with ram air, but there are some AMC experts who feel even the base Javelin could receive the Donohue treatment. Other equipment included front spoiler and C-stripes but the defining item for this car was its rear spoiler that was designed by Mark Donohue himself. Note how it differs compared to the Trans-Am Javelin.

American Motors started getting serious with high-performance in 1967 with the introduction of the 343. The Javelin and AMX followed in 1968, but for some reason AMC didn’t produce a “proper” muscle car until the 1970 Rebel Machine. All of them came with a 340-horsepower 390 with ram air, and the bulk were produced in this nifty (what else?) red-white-blue paint scheme. However, they were available in other colors like Bittersweet Orange.

The Javelin was redesigned in 1971, and the AMX was demoted from two-seater specialty car to a performance model upgrade for the Javelin. That style was carried through 1974 and—get this—sales were stronger in those final two years. There still were neat options like cowl-air carburetor induction system, as evidenced by this 1973 Javelin AMX in Copper Tan metallic with cinnamon vinyl top and tan Domino cloth interior.

If Pro Stock or the 426 Hemi is your thing, you will dig the Motown Missile and California Flash race cars that reflect glory days gone by. The Motown Missiles present are the 1971 Dodge Challenger and its 1974 Plymouth Duster stablemate. But if your tastes run more towards factory racer, then Butch Leal’s California Flash 1965 Plymouth “A990” Belvedere should check the right boxes. Of course, Pro Stock evolved, as did Butch, as evidenced by his 1975 Plymouth Duster.

Now it’s time for Vintage Certification, the place to bring your car if it’s a survivor (and we don’t mean like in the way people on eBay abuse the word). The MCACN website describes it as  a “…program [that] provides status, recognition, provenance and appreciation to unrestored vehicles. The certification team provides each owner with a detailed listing of our findings in a comprehensive report. Our goal is to uncover new information, share it with you and act as a repository for factory standards and processes.” If original paint and chalk marks make your body tingle, this section is for you.

Here’s a 1968 Camaro Z28 that is trying to earn its stripes. Every Z should come with twin band-aid stripes front and rear, but this one is a stripe-delete car, which is quite uncommon. It’s also painted British Green, which was originally a Corvette color introduced in January. Also note the 302 badges before the Z/28 badges were phased in. It also has dealer-installed 2×4 intake and rear disc brakes, both dealer-installed options. Now go find a more spectacular Camaro!

This 1969 Ford Cobra has barely over a thousand miles. The Cobra model trips people up—even Ford folks—because it was called the Torino Cobra in 1970–71, but the 1969 Cobra was based on the cheaper Fairlane. To add to the confusion, Ford produced several ads touting its racing success by calling it a Torino Cobra. Why? One theory would suggest the Torino was Ford’s new top mid-size model and the Fairlane was slowly being phased out, but it’s anyone’s guess. Eventually, the Cobra-based Torino Talladega took over NASCAR duties from the Cobra.

While a six-cylinder is more SCCA racer than muscle car, this is a Yenko Stinger, the first of Don Yenko’s concoctions. Yenko ordered 102 1966 Corvair Corsas via COPO order (his experience with this led the way for the 1969 Camaro with 427s). They came with special suspension, Posi 3.55 or 3.89 gears, four-speed manual, special steering equipment, independent brake unit, and Cadillac dual master cylinder. Several stages of tune were available, from 160 to 250 horsepower. Most were white and blue, American racing colors, but this was the only red one built.

Both these look like basic Chevelle SS 396s. The 1970 on the left is the standard configuration, without stripes or Cowl Induction. And note the wheel covers of the Mountain Green 1967, which is something you don’t see too often. If you took a peek inside, you’d notice it also features the standard three-speed transmission on the floor.

Another fancy pants judged class was Pinnacle Certification, “reserved for the absolute best of the best in the Shelby and Ford Mustang world.” All submissions must have previously won their gold status in several competitions before being able to qualify. The usual suspects, like Boss Mustangs, were there, but a nice 1971 Mach 1 with the 429 Cobra Jet and ram air.

Mopars have always had a strong presence at MCACN. There also were a number of Mopars not part of any display in particular, and some of them were quite outstanding unto themselves, like this 1965 Chrysler 300-L. As the swan song of the 300-Letter series, the L only came in one configuration: 360-horsepower 413. This hardtop is one of 76 U.S.-spec hardtops built with a four-speed.

Also from the same year, this Satellite is notable for several reasons: the first year the B-body played the role of mid-size series, and the second and final year for the 426-S engine. Sometimes known as the Street Wedge, the 365-horsepower 426 was the forerunner of the 440 Super Commando that appeared several years later in the 1967 GTX. It was a worthy competitor to the GTO, 4-4-2, and Gran Sport, but it lacked the image that ended up being necessary for mass appeal.

This 1966 Charger played the dual role of fancy fastback with personal-luxury pretensions and muscle car with the new-for-1966 426 Street Hemi. Contemporary fastback styling, high-zoot interior (with a dose of utility), hidden headlights, and King Kong under the hood? A landmark car in a post-Mustang and GTO world.

So maybe Plymouth took too long to come up with an answer to the GTO, but it reconciled its misgivings thanks to marketing. Austere performance was nothing new, but the Road Runner was different: its image was strong, and hit the sweet spot for kids bagging groceries. Adults dug it too.

A year later, tons of refinement without losing its soul. The Road Runner featured several striping options, some able to be used in conjunction with each other, as you can see here. But what’s truly neat about this 1969 Road Runner is the “Q5” Seafoam Turquoise with red “V6R” tapered sport stripes.

This 1970 ’Cuda (originally a 440-6 car) was parked in 1973 with 149 miles. It acquired a Hemi from a 1967 Hemi GTX convertible (!) not long into its drag history. Both cars were rescued several years ago, but the ‘Cuda here is in as-raced condition.

Opie Stark bought this 440-6 1970 GTX 18 years ago. He found a registration form from 1976 in the ashtray, and his wife wrote a letter to the name on that document. Turns out he was the original owner, and both he and the car were reunited at MCACN. Opie and his family, including wife, daughter, and brothers, completed the restoration.

Right when Pontiac takes all the credit for being THE performance brand in the early 1960s, here was Studebaker setting speed record after speed record. And while the 11th-hour Hail Mary of the Avanti’s creation fell short of saving the South Bend manufacturer, it was not for naught.

Only nine Avantis were built with the R3 engine (304.5 cid/335 horsepower), but they were all 1964s. This 1963 is a prototype known as “Car #8” and is one of the Bonneville test cars used to set records at the 1963 Speed Week, though (identical) Car #9 is the one that set a production land speed record at 170.8 mph and #8 was the backup.

Here’s a stock 1963 Avanti painted Avanti Gray. It’s equipped with the R2 engine, which means it has a supercharged 289 putting out 289 horsepower. Out of the 4647 Avantis built for the 1963–64 model year, 1842 were supercharged.

Hot engines were not limited to the Avanti. This 1963 Lark Daytona convertible has the R2 engine, but it’s also one of five convertibles equipped with the Super Lark package, which included the R2, Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed, bucket seats, 160 mph speedo and 6000-rpm tach, front disc brakes, HD springs and shocks, rear stabilizer bar and radius rods, and HD Twin-Traction rear axle. A salesman at an Indy dealership raced this car in C/FX and C/Gas Supercharged through 1964.

Nineteen sixty-four was the last year for the GT Hawk, Studebaker’s personal-luxury car. Originally sold in California (and retaining its original sheetmetal), this GT Hawk is one of 70 with the R2 engine, and the only one of those to be painted in Horizon Green. Powershift three-speed automatic paired with a Dana 44 with 3.54 gears complete the package.

For several years, the Pure Stock Musclecar Drag Race folks have had a display at MCACN for marketing purposes, as there’s always someone out there with an itchy trigger finger who wants to see what his or her can do.

But it’s the quality of the cars that are the highlight. Every one of these cars would be at home at MCACN, race or no race. You will find something for lovers of any brand . . . and, yes, that’s an AMC in the back. (We heard you, commenters!) Yet the race is not about fast times as much as how fast an ET can you pull, as there’s skill and dexterity in learning how to tune your car for improved times.

There’s a great opportunity to learn from the diversity of cars in attendance. Even the most common of cars, like this SS 396 with wheelcovers, may have a story behind it, like how it has Buick Skylark seats due to a UAW strike.

Now you’ve arrived at the most popular display at MCACN: Barn Finds and Hidden Gems. Organized by roving photographer Ryan Brutt, this assemblage of blemished vehicles may be lacking in condition, but they have a certain magic that all the rest of the original and restored cars lack. For example, check out that 1968 Ranchero GT. Recognize the paint scheme? It’s a Bill Stroppe car. Apparently it was at Bonneville powered by a Boss 429, but nothing else is known at the moment. Maybe you can help the owner fill in the blanks? And that Daytona is a real Hemi car that has been in storage for 45 years.

This 1960 Ford Galaxie Starliner was one of the most stylish cars from that year, and it also ushered in Ford’s commitment to NASCAR thanks to its sleek shape and the introduction of the high-performance 352 with 360 horsepower. This solid-lifter engine was only available with a three-speed on the column. That scoop you see is from a late-1960s Ford.

The 1964 Studebaker Lark received a handsome facelift from Milwaukee industrial designer Brooks Stevens. This Lark Daytona, which was found on Craigslist 20 years ago, has the R1 engine, which was the first step in Studebaker high performance. It put out 240 naturally aspirated horses, and the package also included rear-sway bar and radius rods. A Dana 44 with 3.54 gears are out back. All told, 69 Daytona hardtops were built with the R1. Dig the Halibrand magnesiums!

Even though only 374 1971 ‘Cuda ragtops were built, there are some that are still waiting to be discovered. This ‘Cuda 383 is even more interesting because it’s triple white, an unusual combination for any car that Boss Hoss isn’t driving.

The 1969 Charger 500 was Dodge’s first NASCAR homologation special, the car that spurred the Torino Talladega and Cyclone Spoiler II for an all-out aero war. This car has the standard 440 like a basic R/T, though in early literature the 426 Hemi was going to be the only engine available.

The L72 was Chevrolet’s top street big-block, a 427 rated at 425 horses and the same one powering COPO Camaros. Only 546 were installed in full-size Chevys, but it’s unknown how many were installed in four-doors like this Impala sedan. Painted in Burnished Brown with Champagne painted top, it was ordered with F41 suspension, 3.73 gears with Positraction, and new-for-1969 TH400 (previously, all L72s required manual transmission), among other options. The original Virginia owner put on almost 65,000 miles in two years, but a collision with a horse put the Impala in a barn until recently.

You may have seen a number of AAR’Cudas in Part I of this tour, but none of them have the bad stance of this one.

If you want to find a 1965 Chevelle worth more than an equivalent 396 Corvette, look no further. This Z16 Chevelle was left in an Oklahoma junkyard in 1976, but the proprietor knew something was special about this car and removed the Z16-specific pieces for storage. Several years later, a restoration was undertaken, but the body sat on dirt for almost 40 years till it was saved two years ago.

This black 1970 Cutlass Supreme has the “Y79” SX package, which included a 455, automatic, dual exhaust (with those nifty trumpets like on the 4-4-2), and cruising gears—think of it as a personal-luxury highway cruiser. There was an available W32 engine available, which gave the SX the same 365-horse engine as the standard 4-4-2. Less than 800 convertibles were built, with an unknown number of W32s, but it may be equally as rare as this 4-4-2 W30 convertible, of which 264 were built with the W30 package. Of those, 96 had a four-speed, so this car is at the top of the totem pole for Oldsmobiles. But, like the ‘Cuda above, it’s an unusual triple white car, plus the red stripes are a nice change from the usual black or gold stripes.

You may have noticed in the news how Hertz is experiencing some pains, like many companies, but in the 1960s Hertz Rent-A-Car was #1 without trying. Of course, Hertz had a program where you could rent one of 1000 Shelby GT350s (rebadged as GT350-H) and experience the vehicle that had owned the Sports Car Club of America National Championship. But that wasn’t the only fancy car that Hertz offered to enthusiasts during the era—there also was a handful of 1968 Cougar XR7-Gs (188 out of the 622 built) earmarked for rental. Cougar folks like to think of the XR7-G as a Shelby-ized Cougar, as once they left the factory, they were shipped to A.O. Smith.

The Shelby contractor (1968–70, not to mention the fabricator of Corvettes through 1966), located approximately 130 miles west of Detroit, performed the “G” conversion which included: fiberglass hood scoop, emblems, fog lamps, side-view mirrors, and Rader aluminum wheels, although the latter were soon recalled. Finished cars were then sent back to ASC in Detroit for sunroof conversion before being distributed through Ford’s channels. The “G”, of course, was a reference to Dan Gurney, who was racing for Mercury.

We’ll close this tour of MCACN with some Corvettes. Lest we forget, MCACN used to be a Chevy and Corvette show, you’ll find several displays of some of the best Corvettes in the country. Sometimes it’s amazing to see how many original Corvettes there really are out there.

If you’re a fan of 1967s (like everybody else), you’re bound to find one that you really like. What’s noticeable is how the design has aged so well, coming into the world when the Beatles were just picking up steam in the States and exiting after Sgt. Pepper made an impact.

And it’s not just big-blocks that receive the love, as evidenced by this 1969 Stingray with a 350. Next to it is a 1970 with an LS5 454 with 390 horses. Interestingly, that was the top horsepower for the Corvette that year—yes, the Corvette never received the LS6 till 1971, and it went missing for the Chevelle that year. Funny stuff!

Even Malaise-era Corvettes get their due like this original, unrestored 1976. No, no red-headed stepchild among Corvette folks.

The post MCACN 2021 Part II: Back for more appeared first on Hagerty Media.

“Courage will now be your best defense against the storm that is at hand—that and such hope as I bring.”

We are not actually living in the final book of J.R.R. Tolkein’s epic fantasy trilogy. But, facing the advent of battery-powered cars, many old-school muscle car aficionados feel as though they face a storm destined to uproot all that they love. If you count yourself among such a group, take heart: The GT500KR has returned.

This is the third appearance of the “King of the Road” (KR). The original, based on the 1967 Shelby GT500, appeared in mid-1968 as a chest-thumping gladiator ready for the muscle-car fight ring. Though Ford had recently taken over Shelby American, shuttering the California shop and relocating all engineering personnel and conversion operations to Ionia, Michigan, under A.O. Smith Corporation, Carroll Shelby still made his voice heard. 1968 had seen the introduction of the GT500, packing a 428-cubic-inch “Cobra Jet” rated at 355 horsepower from the factory—and widely considered to be underrated at that figure.

Mr. Shelby wasn’t above hyping up this already formidable beast. He heard a rumor that Chevrolet wanted to advertise the ’68 Corvette as the “King of the Road,” and decided that the title would suit the GT500 quite nicely. His team did a bit of fact checking. Neither “King of the Road” nor “KR,” they discovered, were yet copyrighted. Shelby pounced on the title. He commissioned a run of 1053 GT500 fastbacks decked out with fiberglass hoods boasting function scoops—and, of course, a dozen NASCAR sponsors’ worth of King of the Road and KR badging.

The GT500KR wouldn’t return for another 40 years. When it did, in 2008, Ford’s SVT division decided to add some spice to the nostalgic recipe. Not only did the S197-based GT500KR wear a carbon-fiber hood with functional scoops (and the obligatory KR swag)—its supercharged 5.4-liter Triton V-8 also got a 40-hp bump courtesy of four vales per cylinder (rather than three), the cylinder heads from the contemporary Ford GT, and a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack. Translation: a cold-air intake complemented by revised ignition timing and a throttle recalibration. The reborn KR got a goodie bag of performance hardware besides: a 3.73:1 (vs. 3.31:1) rear axle, a Ford Racing suspension tune, and a short-throw shifter. The only fly in the ointment was the eye-watering, eighty thousand dollar pricetag. Even so, Ford ended up adding 712 2009 models on top of the 1000 units it had initially slated for the 2008 model year.

The second return of the King is no less impressive—and no easier on the wallet, either. For $54,995, Shelby American will give any 2020 through 2022 GT500 a 900-hp, carbon-fiber-festooned makeover. (That’s an extra 140 hp—the largest power difference yet between a GT500 and its KR-ified sibling.) The biggest change is a new supercharger, a 3.8-liter affair built for Shelby by Whipple and complemented by a high-volume intercooler and heat exchanger. (The Eaton TVS R2650 unit on the stock GT500, for those keeping score, is a 2.65-liter unit.) The best part? You can enjoy all 900 hp on 93 octane pump gas.

The chassis gets the appropriate reinforcements for this Christmas-dinner-helping of performance: heavy-duty half-shafts and Ford Performance sway bars front and rear. Shelby American also swaps in a full set of its own adjustable springs and recalibrates the existing MagneRide suspension. Shelby forged-aluminum wheels (20×11-inch front and 20×11.5 rear) shod in Michelin rubber put the power to the ground. The press release plays coy on tire specifics, but judging from this car’s obvious Michelin footware, we expect some flavor of Pilot Sport Cup. Notably, there don’t appear to be any changes made to the GT500’s stopping hardware: 16.5-inch vented discs up front, clamped by six-piston monobloc Brembo calipers, and 14.6-inchers with four-piston units in the rear. Slavering already? Be warned that the third GT500KR is also the most exclusive of the breed: Only 225 will be built.

All this go-fast awesomeness is clad in a suit to match: a pre-preg carbon-fiber hood with the appropriately functional vents, a front splitter and rear diffuser made of the same material, Shelby rocker stripes and badges, and a bit of new leather upholstery inside. If you crave a widebody kit, a polished supercharger, painted stripes, or a harness bar instead of a rear seat, Shelby can make that happen as well.

High-dollar, high-performance, high-drama. It’s what Shelby American does best—and for those who can’t imagine of shredding tires without hearing a V-8 song, the return of the king offers hope indeed.

The post For the second time in Mustang history, the Shelby GT500KR returns appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Hagerty’s Automotive Intelligence team analyzes thousands of auction sales each year. Although they all help inform our view of the market, some of them stand out and can tell us something more. We call these “Sales that Teach.”

In the craziness that was the collector car market of 2021, a few clear themes stand out. Newer enthusiast cars became “collectible,” vintage pickup/SUV prices kept on trucking upwards, and cars that are traditionally cheap or at least affordable became increasingly less so. The demographic shift toward younger collectors hit with full force, a healthy high-end market was confirmed in Monterey, and online auction platforms matured as a permanent fixture of the classic car ecosystem.

One area that didn’t get as much attention as it deserved amidst all that change was the traditional muscle car-heavy live auctions from the likes of Mecum and Barrett-Jackson. But this isn’t to say the muscle car market is sleepy, or that the pandemic has dampened enthusiasm for the live auction spectacle. On the contrary, muscle cars are as hot as they’ve been in a long time, and live sales brought many record prices just like the ones on the internet did. Mecum, which has become something of the Muscle Car King in the auction world, is perfect evidence of that. Although the volume of vehicles sold hasn’t quite bounced back to pre-pandemic numbers, prices are up.

After a few years of softening prices, Hagerty's Muscle Car Index hit its all-time high twice in 2021. Some of the biggest reversals and biggest gains were for cars at the top of the muscle car market. Think Hemi Cuda convertibles, LS6 Chevelles, or Boss 429 Mustangs, including one that sold at Mecum Dallas 2021 for $357,500. While not a record, the price was nearly 60 grand above the Mustang's condition #1 value at the time of the sale.

Boss 429s are collectible for the usual reasons—big engine, high performance, racing pedigree, and, by muscle car standards, rarity. In order to homologate its 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) "semi-hemi" engine for NASCAR racing, Ford decided to stuff the near race-spec V-8 into its volume-selling pony car. But the Boss 429 couldn't just drop into a standard production Mustang, so Ford contracted with Kar Kraft in Dearborn to make it fit. In part because of their high price, Ford sold only 1360 Boss 429 Mustangs in 1969 to '70, and today they're the most valuable Mustangs not wearing a Shelby snake.

The Mecum Dallas car, finished in Grabber Green (one of five colors offered), is a high-dollar restoration with some show awards to its credit. None of that is exceptional for one of these Mustangs, but the price is, and it's part of a general rebound for these Mustang royalty after prices started dipping in the late 2010s. Mecum offered 10 Boss 429 Mustangs in 2021, eight of which were reported sold for an average price of $272,571. In 2019, the average auction price of a Boss 429 was $217,343. Hagerty Price Guide values for the Boss 429 are also up from where they were a year ago. Far from the biggest increase in the world, but notable for a high-dollar car that had been slipping prior to the surges of 2020–21. In short, the past two years have been a big growth period in prices all across the hobby, and that is almost as true for mature segments of the market like American muscle as it is for newcomers like JDM and late-model exotics.

The post Year in Review: Muscle cars roared back in 2021 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Ryan Brutt is a muscle car aficionado with a bloodhound-like ability to track down hidden Mopars. He’s literally written the book on Muscle Car Barn Finds. We’re not entirely sure how he does it, but a wide web of contacts keeps Brutt informed about all sorts of automotive gems like the amazing stash of rare muscle he was recently allowed to explore in Missouri.

His video walkthrough shows three of Mopar’s winged NASCAR homologation Chargers as well as a 1968 Dart GTS powered by a 383 and a four-speed, a Little Red Express, and some beautiful B-body and C-body Mopars for good measure. In the short video, Brutt walks around a few cars and gives us some photo highlights but it’s just a taste of what this particular collector has amassed. Unfortunately, Brutt had another stop scheduled: “I had to start driving to a junkyard full of vintage cars and I didn’t have time to hang out like I’d hoped,” Brutt told us. That trip will be featured on his Auto Archeology YouTube channel, and he also plans a return trip to this location for more discoveries.

If you want to keep up to date on Ryan Brutt’s exploration and barn finds, you can also follow him on Instagram. We’re definitely going to be keeping our eyes open for the next batch of discoveries.

The post Three Charger Daytonas and more Mopar muscle turn up in Auto Archeologist barn find appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Welcome to the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, otherwise known as MCACN! As your tour guide, I will be giving you a tour of the impressive muscle that was on display late last month at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center. This was an important show for 2021, particularly because last year the pandemic canceled the event. This year, Bob Ashton and his team of behind-the-scenes enthusiasts work to make up for lost time all while celebrating the 50th anniversary of the cars of 1971.

Let’s start the tour here at the entrance—here is a rather unusual 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. Why the goofy bird coming from the Air Grabber? Because this is the recently-found-and-restored car that was used in a popular advertisement in period. Notice the hood, which shows it to be equipped with the 440 six-barrel engine.

Next to the Road Runner is this 1970 Boss 429. Boss 429s are among the most desirable Mustangs, if not muscle cars, but this one is different even among Bosses: in 1970, this car was campaigned as the Lawman, performing for servicemen overseas as part of a cavalcade of promotional Ford vehicles that toured Southeast Asia. Besides putting on a show, Ford treated our troops to driving safety courses and other things to whet enthusiasts’ hope for what awaited them when they returned.

Continuing on to the GM “Top Dogs” display, we see that 1970 was a very significant year for General Motors performance cars. Previously, the big guys in the office upstairs forced each GM brand to limit cubic-inches to 400 cubic inches for anything other than full-size cars and the Corvette. In 1970 that edict was eliminated, giving GM’s performance cars an opportunity to compete cubic-inch-to-inch with Ford and Chrysler. As a result, 1970 can be seen as the high-water mark for General Motors performance offerings . . . well, except maybe Pontiac.

The Pontiac 455 was not developed for maximum performance the same way Buick and Oldsmobile’s 455 and Chevrolet’s 454 was. Why was this? Perhaps it was new management that wasn’t keen on performance the way John DeLorean was, or maybe it was because Pontiac had planned to introduce the Ram Air V (which never happened). Despite this, a 455 GTO like this convertible was no lightweight. This example is one of the few ordered with Ram Air as an option.

GTOs with the 400 carried Pontiac’s top performance banner in 1970. Any car equipped with the Ram Air III (standard on the Judge, like this one) and Ram Air IV had enough suds to bring a smile to most enthusiasts—think of them as the little engines that could. For 1970, 168 Judge convertibles like this one were built, with a handful in the signature Orbit Orange paint.

But don’t let that bright paint fool you, because the most famous “Goat” in this display is this striped silver hardtop because it is documented as being the actual car in the “Humbler” TV commercial introducing the 1970 GTO and demonstrating the vacuum-operated exhaust that Pontiac briefly offered. Baffles allowed the driver to modulate back pressure and, hence, exhaust tone, but it ran afoul of some state-government authorities and was discontinued mid-year.

The 455 was new for the 4-4-2 series in 1970, though Oldsmobile fans had a preview in 1968–69 with the Hurst/Olds. Like all of GM’s A-bodies, the F85/Cutlass series received a heavy, handsome facelift, with the Cutlass Supreme two-door hardtop and convertible receiving a unique roofline. Ram air induction ditched those scoops under the bumper and migrated to a new fiberglass hood, which then became optional on regular 4-4-2s. Several new colors like Rally Red were available for extroverts wanting to be noticed.

If you liked your 4-4-2 without a top, the body style was shared with the Cutlass Supreme convertible, giving the 4-4-2 series the possibility of both semi-fastback and notchback styling, which was unique among GM’s A-bodies. Add the W-30 package to the 4-4-2 and you’d have among the most desirable Oldsmobiles in its 100+ year history. Out of the 96 four-speeds made, precious few came with a split-bench seat like this one.

Buick had quietly been building torquey muscle for several years (though the reputation for high-speed cruisers developed in the 1930s), but the stars aligned for Buick in 1970. The GS series was reshuffled with the GS (formerly GS 350) and GS 455 (formerly GS 400), but it was the optional Stage 1 engine for the GS 455 that caught the attention of buff books and enthusiasts. Unlike other manufacturers, Buick engineered the engine for top performance out of the showroom, as the typical Buick customer didn’t get greasy like others. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the rest of the muscle car world learned what Buick fans already knew: The Stage 1 was capable of upstaging the heaviest of muscle machinery.

As we move on to this Stage 1 convertible (one of 232 built), this Gran Sport stands out more than others because it was ordered with a non-regular production color called Tealmist Gray, which was a color exclusive to the Riviera. For around $100 extra, the original buyer specified this color to make a very unique vehicle. Wouldn’t you rather have a Buick?

Over at Chevrolet, things operated similarly to how they did at Pontiac: keep the 396 (though adjusted to 402 cid) and introduce the 454. The L35 396/325 was ditched, making the 350-horse L34 standard and 375-horse L78 optional. After the model year began, the 360-horse LS5 454 was introduced, which was then followed by the 450-horse LS6 that replaced the L78. No car from the era was rated higher than the LS6. A convertible SS 454 with the LS6, like this Cranberry Red example, commands tons of prestige within the Chevrolet community and among general enthusiasts.

Need something hauled fast? The SS 454 package was not confined to hardtop and convertibles—it also was available for the El Camino, both in LS5 and LS6 forms. And see how this one doesn’t have stripes? Stripes were optional on both SS packages, but standard when Cowl Induction was ordered.

When it comes to hot Corvettes, 1970 strangely was not the year. In fact, for all the hubbub about the LS6, it never appeared in a 1970 Corvette. However, in 1971 appeared with 9.0:1 compression and 425 horsepower. Only 188 were built, with 12 having the road-racing ZR2 package like this one.

Back to Pontiac, we have an unusual attendee with the Grand Prix, which was more personal-luxury than muscle. Nonetheless, a 455 HO was available with 370 horsepower. With a four-speed, it’s a sleeper of a muscle car, and quite rare with 199 built. In some ways it foreshadowed what the mature performance enthusiasts would gravitate to a few years later.

Now let’s move on to the Class of 1970. It’s not just General Motors that enthusiasts think had its best year in 1970, so how about we take a gander at the market as a whole?

Chrysler introduced the all-new E-body: Challenger for Dodge, Barracuda for Plymouth. Now enthusiasts could have a proper Mopar pony car with the best engines in the line-up, all the way up to 440s and the Hemi. This Hemi Orange Challenger R/T was racer Bobby Isaac’s personal car, while the Top Banana car is an R/T SE, which was a luxurious edition of the R/T that included a vinyl top with smaller backlight, leather seating surfaces, and special trim. Notice there’s no stripes on this one—Dodge gave the buyer many ways to equip a Challenger R/T. To the right of that is a Vitamin C Hemi Cuda and a 500-mile Shelby GT500.

The Challenger was big news, in part because Dodge never had a pony car. These two are perhaps the most infamous because of their unique histories. The “Black Ghost” was a legendary Detroit street racer with the 426 Hemi, though it’s uniquely optioned with the “Gator Grain” top. The Hemi Orange car is known as “El Hemi” because it was bought new by a Venezuelan Chrysler engineer while working in Detroit, then went back to Venezuela in 1972 for 24 years. The son of the original owner is a long-time U.S. resident who brought the Challenger back to the States a number of years ago. The ET Team III wheels were added in the car’s youth, as was the “N94” hood.

Compare those cars with this sedate version, a regular Challenger that is not an R/T but is equipped like one thanks to the 383 four-barrel. The Gator Grain top adds to the allure, but if you look inside you’ll notice a three-speed shifter—unusual!

Chrysler’s B-bodies received a restyling so they appeared fresh for 1970, though a redesign would come the following year. The GTX continued as Plymouth’s upscale muscle car with standard 440 power. New was an Air Grabber vacuum-operated scoop that was flush with the hood when not operating. This GTX has the optional 440+6 and is painted in a color called Moulin Rouge.

Dodge’s version was called the Coronet R/T. The restyle was more polarizing, playing on the delta motif that Dodge had used since 1965. Was there a more aggressive look in the market? It lent itself well to a performance car, we’d say!

The Charger remained relatively unscathed in comparison, though designers added a loop bumper and fake scoops on the doors of R/Ts. The changes were enough to make all three years of this generation distinct, plus the 1970s featured more wild colors and new bucket seats with integrated head restraints, among other improvements that make the 1970 a favorite.

Over at Dearborn, Ford had a redesigned Torino, now with an even slicker “SportsRoof” fastback roofline. The Cobra became a Torino Cobra with a standard 429 4V while the Torino GT remained the upscale sporty model that was available with muscular options mimicking the Cobra’s. This one here is a Torino Cobra equipped with the 429 Cobra Jet and ram air, one of the optional engines for this model. But notice that Twister Special decal on the rear fender, as well as the long black stripe! This car is one of 90 used in a Kansas City promotion.

Mercury generally followed Ford’s lead but sometimes did things differently. This Competition Blue car is a 1970 Cyclone Spoiler, of which there was no Ford equivalent loaded for bear. Standard was the 429 Cobra Jet with ram air, which reflected an impressive list of standard equipment. Other Cyclone models was the base Cyclone and the Cyclone GT, but they were targeted at different enthusiasts at the time.

The Cougar Eliminator was similar to the Cyclone Spoiler in that stripes and spoilers defined it, and it was available in the same limited set of colors. Standard engine was a 351 Cleveland, with the 428 Cobra Jet being an option. Not only does this example have the latter, but it’s also equipped with the Drag Pack, making it a Super Cobra Jet. If that’s not enough, it was special-ordered in black.

It wasn’t just E-bodies that were new in the pony car world—Camaros and Firebirds were all-new for 1970. Now only available as a two-door hardtop, their introduction was delayed until February due to a UAW strike. The revamped Trans Am continued to feature a Ram Air III 400 standard and, unlike the GTO, the 455 never was available. Next to it is a Camaro Z/28, which now featured a 360-horsepower LT1 350.

The Super Sport continued, but 1970 was the first year where it started to fall out of favor with buyers. Standard continued to be a 300-horse 350, with a 350- and 375-horse 396 (402) being the only other choices. Only 600 of the latter were built, which was a big change from several thousand the year before.

If you think this looks like an Olds 4-4-2 W-30, you could be forgiven as this is a Cutlass S with the W-31 package, which included a 325-horse 350. These cars would give big-blocks a run for their money. Some people thought highly tuned small-blocks were the wave of the future but  enthusiasts continued to gravitate to big-blocks. One of the unique features of W-Machines was this nifty W-27 aluminum rear axle that was available as an option. (Apparently this one scored 998/1000 in MCACN judging.)

Nineteen seventy-one was a year of transition depending on the manufacturer. General Motors lowered compression across the board and trimmed many high-performance variants. Oldsmobile’s 4-4-2 still had a W-30 package, though horsepower fell by 20 to 350 thanks to 8.5:1 compression. The W-31 package for the F-85 and Cutlass S was discontinued.

The Pontiac GTO received a facelift that was somewhat polarizing, but notice how the air induction system was influenced by the Firebird Formula’s forward-thrusting scoops. What was interesting about the optional 455 was that while it was carried over into 1971 (down 35 horses to 325), a new 455 HO added the (then-discontinued) Ram Air IV’s round-port heads for 335 horses; however, despite the low compression, it was faster than 1970’s 455. Ram Air was an option for this engine, though this Goat doesn’t have it as evidenced by the lack of decals on the scoops.

The Mustang was all-new for 1971, clearly influenced by the 1969–70 Shelby. The 428 Cobra Jet was discontinued, replaced by the 429 Cobra Jet. While a powerhouse (especially with the Drag Pack), some diehards feel this 330-horse Boss 351 was the fastest of the bunch. While the regular 351 4V had compression cut a hair (and a loss of 15 horsepower to 285), a low-compression 280-horse 351 Cobra Jet was introduced mid-year that would carry the Ford high-performance torch through 1974.

The Torino GT continued to handle mid-size duties for enthusiasts. 351 4V and 429 Cobra Jet options remained, as did the optional Shaker hood and “Laser” stripes. Unlike other brands, 1971 would be the last year for a hot mega-inch Ford. This one has the 351 backed by a four-speed, making it less than 100 built—yes, even engines lower in the totem pole declined severely in popularity.

Chrysler knew the end was near, which is why the 383 was detuned to 8.5:1 and 300 horsepower, but all other performance engines continued relatively unfettered (though the 440 featured a slight compression cut to 10.3:1 and a loss of five horses). All-new was the redesigned B-body, with the Dodge Charger being expanded to handle two-door duties for the Coronet. Pictured is the Charger R/T and, in the background, the Plymouth Road Runner. Which one do you prefer? Not only do both have the Hemi, but they also have the rare Elastomeric bumpers.

The Super Bee now was part of the Charger series for 1971. The 383 was standard, but mid-year the 340 was introduced. Note the Super Bee’s unique, standard hood, though the Ramcharger air induction system was available (and standard with the Hemi). This one has the standard bumper compared to the blue one but is unique because black was the only stripe color available, giving a “ghost stripe” effect.

The Barracuda received a facelift that included quad headlights and a “cheese grater” grille that could be color-matched with certain hues. The performance ‘Cuda model also received non-functional fender extractors. Perhaps most controversial was the “Billboard” stripes, available in white or black. Total ‘Cuda convertible production was 374, with the In Violet ‘Cuda 383 featuring the standard bumper and Shaker air induction system while the Curious Yellow example features the standard twin-scooped hood and Elastomeric bumpers.

Next up is a 1970 Mustang Boss 302. A number of colors were available for this special homologation model, but black wasn’t one of them. Marti Auto Works has determined that 64 were special-ordered in a paint not on the palette, but this is the only Raven Black one known.

Nearby we see the legendary Hurst Under Glass 1968 Barracuda that is being hosted by its driver and fabricator, Bob Riggle. Though not the original one from the 1960s, this one is the Under Glass with the longest tenure of the bunch built since the 1960s.

Last year was the 50 anniversary of the Plymouth AAR Cuda and Dodge Challenger T/A twins. These were the homologation specials for the Trans-Am racing series. Though the race cars featured engines no larger than 5.0 liters, the street-going Mopars featured a 340 small-block with 3×2 carbs for 290 horsepower. Unique fiberglass hoods, striping, spoilers, and staggered tire sizes distinguished these cars from their respective Cuda and R/T brothers.

This red AAR Cuda demonstrates much of the “candy” that was available at the time. Notice the Elastomeric red bumpers, color-keyed side mirrors, and rear window louvers—this car has it all! The AAR’s strobe stripe is trick, as they used to say. Can you dig that?

This blue AAR was originally bought by the company Olsonite, a Swedish supplier of steering wheels and plastic auto parts that also was a sponsor of Dan Gurney’s racing team. The black car is a latter-day ’71 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb racer inspired by the AAR.

The Challenger T/A’s major distinguishing feature was the trumpet exhausts exiting from the sides. Notice how “340 Six Pak” is spelled compared to the 440 Six Pack that was available for the Challenger R/T. Though Panther Pink (the same as Plymouth’s Moulin Rouge) tends to be among the rarest colors for a Mopar, the Challenger T/A is possibly one of the most common in this hue.

Let’s move on to the Cobra Jet display. The CJ was available as a 428, 429, and low-compression 351. This display included a little bit of everything in this lineage, including the 1970 Cougar Eliminator above.

Cobra Jet history begins with the “135” Mustang, so named because all of the 50 built in 1968 had 135 in their VIN sequence. All were white fastbacks, none with the GT package, built several months before production truly began. Twenty of the batch were built without seam sealer and sound deadener. Car #41 is one of those cars, one of three sent to Tasca Ford in Rhode Island. In fact, this is the car that Mario Andretti used in a match race and, irony of ironies, it’s had a 427 for most of its life. Over time this Mustang has acquired the hood stripe and side C-stripe that was a part of the regular production GTs with the Cobra Jet.

When the Cobra Jet reached regular production (which included the Cougar, Fairlane/Torino, and Comet/Montego/Cyclone), it became available on any Mustang GT, including coupes and convertibles. The most popular CJ in 1968 was the Shelby GT500KR, while a paltry 221 Mustang GT coupes were built.

The 428 Cobra Jet helped Ford’s image on the street, and the Fairlane-based 1969 Cobra model played the role of Ford’s mid-size image model AND competitor of the Plymouth Road Runner. Standard was the 428 CJ, though this one has optional ram air and the Drag Pack.

Mercury’s version of the Cobra was the Cyclone CJ, but mid-year you could buy this racing-inspired Cyclone Spoiler, available in Cale Yarborough (white/red) and Dan Gurney (white/blue) editions. Only 57 were built with the 428 Cobra Jet with ram air. The flush-nosed homologation special that you may have seen are often called the Spoiler II, but those only had a 351.

If you liked the Cougar and wanted to go racing, you’d order a base model (not the XR-7) with the 428 Cobra Jet and 4.30 gears courtesy of the Drag Pack. With an automatic transmission, only 24 other people did that. Since the NHRA factored this engine as 340 horses, and 360 with ram air, the original owner felt the Cougar would be more competitive without ram air and ordered it that way.

The 1969 Mach I was the image-car companion to the Cobra, but what image do you think is imparted by this plain SportsRoof? Cars without ram air received a flat hood, though this one was ordered with the Shaker, somewhat disrupting the Q-ship aspect of this vehicle. Do you prefer your cars dressed up or ready for business?

Speaking of the unusual side of Mustangs, the Mustang Grandé was introduced in 1969 as a luxurious pony car coupe. This 1970 Grandé is one of 14 built with the 428 Cobra Jet, but only one of those had a four-speed. If there is a true 1-of-1 car, this is it.

The 1970 Shelbys were leftover 1969s but with added black stripes on the hood and front spoiler. The GT500 featured a standard 428 Cobra Jet (GT350s had the new 351 Windsor) but only 98 featured the Drag Pack with 3.91 gears. The look was distinct from Mustangs but Ford was likely wise to put the special series of Mustangs to rest considering where the market was headed.

Remember that El Camino we saw earlier? Here’s the Ford version of that. The Ranchero GT’s engines mimicked the Torino GT’s, so things started with a 302 and only got interesting with the 351 4V and beyond. This original paint example has the 429 Cobra Jet without ram air plus the Drag Pack, making it one of 10 built. Why Ford distinguished between cars with and without ram air is anyone’s guess.

The 429 Cobra Jet was finally introduced for the Mustang (and Cougar) for 1971. Most were installed in the Mach I, but this car is one of 20 coupes built with the 429 CJ without ram air. Look how sedate 370 horsepower can appear! The convertible next to it is one of 32 built with the CJ and ram air, with nine having a four-speed. Some may think Mustangs are “belly-button” cars but the truth is the rarest Mustangs are as uncommon as anything else.

The standard engine for the Torino Cobra was downgraded to a 351 4V for 1971. Nonetheless, the 429 Cobra Jet was still available, including this Grabber Blue example with ram air. The Laser stripe, once proprietary to the Torino GT, was now available for the Cobra. After 1971, the high-performance 429 would be gone.

The Cyclone continued into 1971 with three distinct models, with the GT now featuring “GT” nomenclature in the gunsight of the grille. A 351 2V continued to be standard and were most popular, so 429 Cobra Jet cars like this are truly special—this “C-code” without ram air is one of 77 built.

It may be hard to believe, but black was not a regular color on the roster for the 1973 Torino. The original owner of this Gran Torino Sport thought he’d correct the oversight with a special order, plus he added the 351 Cobra Jet for performance. This engine was rated at 246 net horsepower.

Eyes watering with the sheer majesty of MCACN 2021? Now’s a great time for a little break. We’ll resume more coverage of this fantastic show in another article to come soon.

The post MCACN: Back for 2021 and muscled as ever appeared first on Hagerty Media.

When my father, George Carroll, was 18, he purchased a 1969 Chevelle from Zele Chevrolet in Torrington, Connecticut. He was too young to get the $3800 loan himself, so his father cosigned. Around this time, Dad and a few other gearheads founded the Speed Syndicate Car Club. They rented a garage to hold weekly meetings and tune their cars. There was a strong rivalry between the members’ Chevys and Fords, so part of the weekend was spent settling bets racing on nearby Norfolk Road. My father formed many lifelong friendships during those years, and many of those folks are some of his closest friends to this day.

Throughout my childhood, I heard countless Chevelle stories. Like the time my mother took the pickles off her hamburger and threw them out the window. A friend found them stuck to the side of the car hours later and said, “Hey, you guys saving these pickles for anything?!” Or about the time they drove to Misquamicut, Rhode Island, where the car overheated in the long lines of beach traffic. Perhaps most common were the stories of how every Sunday from 1969 to 1980, he and my mother drove 140 miles round trip to Lebanon Valley Dragway in New York with racing slicks in the trunk. The more time he put in on the track, the bigger his collection of NHRA Class Winner stickers became. He started displaying them on the rear windows, which now offer a look back in time at what he and his Chevelle were capable of.

My parents have always said those days on the dusty track were long and hot but definitely worth every minute; good thing Mom always packed chicken salad sandwiches! And, of course, I’ll never forget Dad teaching me to drive stick, how to pull a holeshot, or go through the gears on his car. Talk about sweaty palms …

Over the years, a lot has changed. As Dad got married, bought a house, and had two children, he contemplated selling the car to help with finances many times. Luckily, as time went by, he realized the car was an irreplaceable member of the family. But there is also plenty that hasn’t changed. The Chevelle is still almost completely original, including the 31,000-mile SS 396/375 high-performance L78 engine with solid lifters, the four-speed M21 transmission, and the original 4.10 Posi rear end. It has not been gutted, restored, repainted, or had anything major replaced since it came from the factory. The Le Mans Blue still shines in contrast with the black bucket seats and original vinyl top.

My father’s story is of a hardworking, blue-collar gearhead who saved his money for years to purchase a car and pursue his passion for racing. Even after 52 years, it brings him great joy, and you’ll still find him under the hood, tinkering whenever he can.

The post This family’s ’69 Chevelle made memories, a quarter-mile at a time appeared first on Hagerty Media.

An electric revolution may be on the horizon for the horsepower maniacs at Dodge’s SRT team, but that doesn’t mean they’re sitting around idly in the meantime. Meet the 2022 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak siblings, which promise to be as powerful as their names are long. Thanks to a revised powertrain calibration, output from the Hellcat Redeye’s 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 jumps from 797 hp to a whopping 807 hp. The “Jailbreak” moniker comes from all of the personalization options that springing for these models can unlock, says Dodge.

“We are going to let customers run free through the styling archives,” says Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer. “We’re taking most of the parts and pieces we’ve used over the years, adding a few new ones and letting customers build their own ‘One of One.’ So, if you’re dreaming about owning a Stinger Yellow Challenger with Brass Monkey wheels, Hammerhead Grey seats, blue Brembos and red badges, I’m not sure we should, but we’ll build it for you.”

We like the sound of that! He’s not kidding about the possibilities, either. On the Challenger Hellcat Redeye version, opting for the jailbreak gives you the green light to choose from the following: seven options for seats, stripes, and wheels; six options for brake caliper colors; five different exterior badging finishes, and four options for steering wheels, seat belt color, and floor mat color.

If you’re in need of four doors, the Charger Hellcat Redeye variant still gets an absurd amount of stylistic options, though not quite as many as its Challenger brother. On tap for Charger Jailbreak customers: seven wheel options; six exterior stripe and brake caliper color choices, five varieties of seats; five exterior badge finishes; and four choices apiece for seat belt colors, steering wheels, and floor mats.

More than just a wide-open book for existing options, the Jailbreak models also introduce a handful of exclusive new options. There are new Hammerhead Grey Laguna leather seats, similarly-colored floor mats and seatbelts, two additional seatbelt tones, new 20 x 11-inch Warp Speed Satin Carbon wheels, fancy new Brass Monkey, Satin Chrome, and Red exterior badging finish, and more.

Perhaps you’re worried about paralysis by analysis with the order books for the Jailbreak twins. Fret not, because Dodge has also seen fit to offer a few pre-made combinations courtesy of the Dodge Product Design office. Will you have your Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak [gasp] in “Old School” (pictured below on the Challenger) or “Brass Funkey” (shown on the Charger below)?

Dodge says that orders for the new Jailbreak variants of the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody will begin late this quarter. It also says that specially-designated “Power Broker” dealerships (part of Dodge’s returning Direct Connection program) will have access to order and stock Jailbreak models on their showroom floors, independent of a special order from a customer.

Regardless of your stylistic takes, it’s genuinely impressive to watch Dodge continue to invent interesting variants of cars on a platform that is more than a decade old. The Jailbreak duo are part of a new two-year campaign from Dodge called the “Never Lift” campaign, which Dodge says will help launch new models and initiatives over the next 24 months. (We’ve already seen one such effort—the aforementioned Direct Connection program.) Hell yeah, Dodge. Smoke ’em if you got em.

The post Dodge Challenger and Charger get fully unlocked with 807-hp Jailbreak models appeared first on Hagerty Media.

“There is more than one way to skin a cat.” You’ve probably heard this folksy proverb before, and it holds weight in the automotive world. During the high-performance sweepstakes of the 1960s, manufacturers developed their own approaches to go from Point A to Point B—often 1320 feet at a time.

With 375 horsepower, the 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS and the Plymouth ’Cuda 440/Dodge Dart GTS equipped with the 440 Magnum may not have garnered as much attention as their more popular brethren, but they offered performance above and beyond the usual fare. These two performance cars may seem similar on paper, but make no mistake: In execution, Chevy and Mopar’s compacts couldn’t be more different.

In 1968, Chevrolet introduced a redesigned Chevy II on a 111-inch wheelbase—an inch shorter than the Chevelle coupe’s—that featured a separate front subframe assembly shared with the Camaro, which allowed a big-block to fit nicely. Unlike in previous years, the Nova SS now only featured performance engines, with the Camaro’s 350/295 standard. Optional were two big-blocks: the L34 396/350 and the L78 396/375. The latter was only available with a manual transmission, though a run of 50 with a special version of the TH400 automatic was commissioned by Fred Gibb Chevrolet via Central Office Production Order (aka COPO). For 1969, the standard 350 mill was upped to 300 horses and the TH400 became an official L78 option.

The L78 was Chevrolet’s flag-bearer on the street for much of the 1960s. When introduced for the Corvette and full-size cars mid-year 1965, the 11.0:1-compression Turbo-Jet was rated at 425 horses at 6400 rpm and 415 lb-ft at 4000. With a solid-lifter cam, it was a high-winding big-block in a sea of low-end torquesters. When the L78 was introduced for the Chevelle SS 396 in 1966, it was rated at 375 horses at 5600 rpm. As General Motors famously had a cubic-inch limit for certain models, the L78 did the trick for Chevrolet (if not GM) until the edict was rescinded in 1970.

The L78 served its purpose even better in the Nova SS. Available through 1970, the L78 Nova SS was not a car that you messed with—even in a world of Cobra Jets and 440 Mopars, Chevrolet’s disadvantage didn’t seem all that conspicuous. And the Nova SS was the model in which the L78 was the most at home.

Compared to the beefy Nova, the Barracuda and Dart’s origins lie entirely in the compact class. As such, while a 383 big-block was available in 1967 for the redesigned A-bodies, it was a very, very snug fit, which resulted in compromised breathing (thanks to restrictive exhaust manifolds) and 280 horses (compared to 325 for a comparable midsize B-body 383). New heads added 20 horsepower in 1968, and another 30 arrived in 1969 thanks to a new camshaft.

But only a fool would think Chrysler was resting on its laurels, as the 440 eventually became a legitimate option in March 1969. The genesis for the 440 A-body can be found at Grand-Spaulding Dodge in Chicago, as “Mr. Norm” Kraus was instrumental in getting Dodge, in conjunction with Hurst, to produce around 50 Dart GTSs (renamed GSS for Grand Spaulding Sport) with the 440 Magnum in 1968.

For 1969, Chrysler installed the engine at the factory without Hurst’s involvement, and it is interesting to note how Plymouth and Dodge approached the project: The new, Road Runner-inspired ’Cuda package (versus the fancier Formula S package) was mandatory, and was available as a fastback or coupe; the high-spec Dart GTS hardtop (versus the cheaper Dart Swinger) was the only configuration from Dodge. All were built with console-shifted automatic transmissions, 8¾-inch axles with 3.55:1 or 3.91:1 Sure-Grip, 10-inch manual drum brakes, and limited 12-month/12,000-mile warranties. Power steering was not available. Add headers and you’d have to modify the fender wells.

The 440 was mostly the same unit that was standard for the Plymouth GTX and Dodge Coronet and Charger R/Ts. Available since 1967, the 440 four-barrel was rated at 375 horsepower at 4600 rpm and a prodigious 480 lb-ft at 3200. For the midsize stormers, the 440 was as good as any for no-fuss performance. In the A-body, however, the lack of power steering and disc brakes meant these interesting half-year specials were targeted at enthusiasts who had asbestos fingertips and only cared about going in a straight line.

So there you have it: 375 horses of highly tuned solid-lifter BBC goodness, or too much car with too much torque. All things being equal, the ’Cuda 440 and Dart GTS with the 440 Magnum lacked the basics off the showroom floor to be true monsters, though roasting their thin tires still resulted in a 14.01-second quarter-mile run at 103.81 mph, according to Car Life. Slap on some Hookers and 15-inch Goodyears and Car Craft claimed you’d have a “Street/Strip stormer with performance second to none” capable of a 12.70 at 112 mph.

The post Why Chrysler and GM’s hi-po ’69 compacts are similar on paper only appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Interested in the Mustang’s longtime rival? Check out the most valuable Chevrolet Camaros, here.

Of the more than 10 million Mustangs Ford has produced in the last six decades, the vast majority have been affordable and remain so to this day. And thank goodness for that. Mustangs are the lifeblood of the collector car hobby precisely because they’re genuinely cool and genuinely attainable. They’re consistently among the most popular cars we get calls about insuring, and it comes from collectors of all ages—millennials love ’em as much as baby boomers do. They’re also highly sought after by collectors abroad.

However, in the same way you can find thousand-dollar pairs of blue jeans, there are some truly expensive ponies out there. Here are the most valuable Mustangs from each generation, per the latest edition of the Hagerty Price Guide.

First Generation (1965–73): 1969–70 Boss Mustang 429

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $259,000

Let’s start by acknowledging the omission here: The most valuable Mustang from the first generation—or any generation, for that matter—is the 1965 Shelby GT350R, which currently has an average condition #2 value of $898,000. But let’s also acknowledge that the ‘Stangs turned out by Carroll Shelby’s outfit are a whole other ball of wax, with their own legend and lore.

What the Boss 429 illustrates is that Mustangs are to be taken seriously in their own right. That was the general idea behind the car back in 1969. By that point, the pony car craze that Ford had started with its 289-powered compact had spun wonderfully out of control, to the effect that every Detroit automaker was exploring how big a V-8 it could offer in its small two-door model. To re-assert dominance—and meet homologation rules for NASCAR—Ford stuffed its beastly 429 V-8, replete with aluminum heads, into 1360 Mustangs in 1969 and 1970.

The Boss 429 option brought a near 40 percent surcharge over the more streetable Boss 302, meaning those who bought them in era needed relatively deep pockets and a one-track mind. Nevertheless, a young street racer who bought one new and held onto it would now find it has matured into a nice retirement nest egg. One brought to auction earlier this year (pictured) sold for $385,000.

Second Generation (1974–78): 1976–78 Mustang II Cobra II

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $31,900

“Wasn’t the ’70s a drag, you know?” So observed John Lennon in an interview just hours before his death. Considering the drop off in performance and coolness from the Boss above to the peak Mustang from the following generation, it’s hard to disagree with him. Yet the Mustang II was—in its way—ambitious. Whereas other manufacturers allowed their muscle cars to slowly fade through the Me Decade with progressively weaker engines and bigger fenders, Ford attempted to reinvent the Mustang as a smaller, more accessible car and, in so doing, bring it back to its roots. Kind of like punk rock. Of course, the Mustang II isn’t exactly Sid Vicious, which is why even well-preserved examples of the most powerful version, the Cobra II, can be had for used-car money. That said, Mustang IIs are appreciating faster on a percentage basis than any other car on this list. Perhaps collectors living through the 2020s—which, if we’re being honest, have also been a drag so far—finally appreciate these miniature Mustangs.

Third Generation (1979–93): 1993 5.0 SVT Cobra R

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $93,900

We’re on the record as calling the SVT Cobra 5.0 a poster child for rising values of 1990s cars. And why shouldn’t they be? The Special Vehicles Team’s take on the 5.0 was both a fitting swan song for the Fox-body and a foreshadowing of the absurdly capable special-edition Mustangs sold today. The SVT-version of Ford’s famous mighty mouse got an aggressive camshaft and special cylinder heads, lifting output to 235 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Since by this point Mustangs were as much about handling as straight-line speed, the Cobra also got seventeen-inch wheels (a big deal in ’93) and four-wheel disc brakes The race-ready Cobra R ditched the rear seats, radio, and A/C while adding larger brakes, engine oil cooler, power steering cooler, and Koni shocks and struts.

Fox-body Mustangs have been appreciating across the board in recent years, thanks largely to the fact that the people who grew up with them, Gen–Xers, are now the prime movers on the collector car market. Due to the R’s extras and rarity—just 107 were built—it’s at the head of the pack.

Fourth Generation (1994–04): 2000 Cobra R

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $53,200

One of the secrets to the Mustang’s success over the decades has been its engineers’ unerring ability to do more with less. The fourth-gen Cobra is a prime example. By the year 2000, state-of-the-art sports cars from Japan and Germany bristled with turbocharged engines and sophisticated chassis electronics. Even the Mustang’s crosstown rivals, the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, were benefiting from some trickle-down updates courtesy of the C5 Corvette. In contrast, Mustang partisans at Ford had weathered an attempt to replace the car with a front-driver by updating the Fox-body platform on a tight budget.

It’s hard to imagine anything that shared origins with a ’70s Fairmont keeping up with contemporaries like the Mark IV Toyota Supra, yet the Cobra R does and then some. Thanks to a 385-hp, 5.4-liter V-8 and a serious diet, the car hits 60 mph in well under 5 seconds. It also acquits itself well on a race track, courtesy its beefed-up Bilstein dampers and independent rear suspension. Those credentials hold up even today, making this most-valuable of SN-95-chassis Mustangs something of a performance bargain, to boot.

Fifth Generation (2004–2014): 2013–2014 Shelby GT500 convertible*

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $76,200

With apologies to Hellcat lovers, it was really this supercharged Mustang that hurtled us into the gonzo era of muscle car performance. Its 500-hp V-8 is the prime attraction—those who want a true track focus can find that in spades in the contemporary Boss 302. The GT500 is all about the cacophony of supercharger whine, exhaust, and tortured rubber. No wonder, then, collectors are willing to pay a premium to be able to put the top down and hear more of that wonderful noise. The convertibles, on average, bring some $7000 more than the coupes.

*We included this Shelby on our list in recognition of the fact that the modern GT500 is a Ford effort, through and through. In the interest of splitting hairs, we didn’t include the GT500 Super Snake, which benefits from a bevy of Shelby American-developed aftermarket upgrades and is, as such, worth a bit more.

The post The most valuable Mustangs from every generation appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Interested in the Camaro’s longtime rival? Check out the most valuable Ford Mustangs, here.

Rumors of the Camaro’s approaching demise have been circulating for a while now, and with General Motors’ announcement of its electrification plan, that rumor looks more realistic every day. If all indications are correct, 2023 could be the last year for the Camaro. A sad end to a pillar of Chevrolet performance.

Introduced in 1967, “Camaro”—per GM’s marketing department— stood for a “a small, vicious animal that ate Mustangs.” Fifty four years and six generations later, the Camaro and Mustang are still trading blows for dominance of the performance market. Much like it’s brother, the Firebird, which we covered previously, values can range from affordable to the seven-figure territory. Let’s take a look at the most expensive Camaros from the first through fifth generation.

First Generation (1967–1969): 1969 Camaro ZL1 427cid/425hp

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $705,000

Easily the most recognizable of any year of Camaro, the face lift the car received in 1969 was just part of what made that year so iconic. This was also a watershed year for performance in the Camaro. Widespread use of the COPO program meant that the powerful 427 big block would be ordered if your dealer had the right connections within GM and your pockets were deep enough.

Through the COPO program, famed tuner Fred Gibb convinced GM brass to offer the race bred, all aluminum ZL1 427 in the Camaro. With a price tag that usually ran over $7,000 (the engine option alone cost over $4,000), these were very expensive cars. In fact, Gibb ordered 50 units to sell and had to send 37 back to GM due to low sales. In total, only 69 ZL1s were produced and are extremely coveted today.

Values run in the high six-figure territory, with a couple sales breaking the $1 million mark. This puts the ZL1 Camaro at the top of the list for most expensive Camaros and among the most expensive muscle cars on the market. Compared to its sibling the Firebird, only the Trans Am Convertible is comparable in value, although it is a far rarer car, showing just how much clout the ’69 Camaro carries in the muscle car world.

Second Generation (1970–1981): 1970 Camaro SS 396cid/375hp

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $86,500

Second-generation Camaros are most remembered in their later iterations. The Camaro didn’t have it’s Smokey and the Bandit moment, but it did have Fast Times at Ridgemont High. There wasn’t a “Screaming Chicken” on the hood but the later Z/28s had some pretty wild graphics. But just as with the second-gen Firebird, serious collectors lean toward the early cars.

The logic is pretty simple: It all comes down to horsepower. While you couldn’t get a 427 or a 454 in your 1970 Camaro, you could get a 396 making 375 hp. Only 600 cars ordered with this option, and the L78-code engine disappeared from the Camaro order books the following year. The Camaro’s horsepower would begin to slip and 1972 would be the final year for a big block Camaro. Pontiac managed to hang onto horsepower and cubic inches through 1979 in the second generation F-Bodies making them, on average, more valuable than their Camaro brethren.

Third Generation (1982–1992): 1990 Camaro IROC-Z 350cid/245hp

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $28,000

The third-gen Camaro, which debuted in 1982, was a revelation in terms of its design and also earned praise for its steering and handling. What was missing, though, was some real grunt. Over the 10-years of production, horsepower would finally come back to the platform, especially with the addition of Tuned Port Injection in 1985. The same year would see the addition of the iconic IROC-Z (named after the International Race of Champions).

To third-gen Camaro fans, it should come as little surprise that the 1990 IROC-Z would be the most valuable. It was the final year the IROC-Z name would grace the side of a Camaro, and the 245-hp 350 engine would be the most powerful engine fitted to the third-gen Camaro. If you opted for the G92 performance axle and chose to live without air conditioning, your hot 350 equipped IROC-Z would automatically come with the 1LE special performance package. 1LE cars received a lot of goodies to prep the car for SCCA racing such as a heavy duty suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes and an aluminum drive shaft. Camaros equipped with the 1LE package are quite rare and sought after, and can boost values substantially.

A 350 powered IROC-Z with the 1LE package could expect to see a noticeable boost in value above base pricing in the Hagerty Price Guide, but otherwise, Camaros from this era have remained on the affordable side. Credit high-production and blame the sometimes less-than-savory reputations of second-hand owners. Also, the 350 wasn’t offered with a stick. Still, on average, Camaros from this era carry higher values when compared to the Firebird, with the exception of the 1989 Turbo Trans Ams and the SLP tuned Firehawk. It goes to show that the Camaro came back into its own and regained its performance reputation through the ’80s and early ’90s.

Fourth Generation (1993–2002): 1997 Camaro SS 30th Anniversary LT4 350cid/330hp

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $50,100

The fourth-generation Camaro can be best summed up with the word “evolution”—it changed more throughout its run than during any other era. This is most evident in the engine room. The motor it debuted with, the 5.7-liter LT1, represented serious performance in 1993, but is these days often maligned for its finicky Opti spark ignition. This likely has quite a bit to do with the fact that later fourth-gens got the completely redesigned, LS1 small-block V-8. This engine brought the performance to a whole new level and allowed sub $25k Z-28s to run with some of the hottest sports cars of the day.

With the LS1 being such a solid performer, it is a bit curious that the most expensive fourth gen Camaro is not a LS1 based car. To be fair, it isn’t an LT1 car either. For 1996, the legendary Camaro SS badge returned with the help of Street Legal Performance (SLP), the same people responsible for the Pontiac Firehawk. Like with the Firehawk, a Camaro SS could be ordered directly through your Chevrolet dealer, technically making this a regular production Camaro. In 1997, like with the Firehawk, SLP offered a small number of cars with the LT4 engines plucked from the Corvette program.

These cars came only as 30th Anniversary edition Super Sports and were limited to 100 cars. These cars come up for sale infrequently and often fly under the radar, but they can bring strong prices, making them the most valuable Camaro you could’ve ordered from your Chevy dealer (GMMG built a run of tuned-up ZL1 Super Car Camaros, which can bring up to six figures). Compared to Firebird prices, the Camaro and Firebird run neck-and-neck in value, with a slight edge to the Firebird, but it’s hard to argue with pop up headlights and nostril hood scoops.

Fifth Generation (2010–2015): 2012-2015 Camaro COPO

#2 (Excellent) condition average value: $80,800

Following an eight year hiatus, Chevrolet brought the Camaro nameplate back, this time based off of the Holden Zeta chassis. Following the Mustang’s lead, the styling has many retro inspired cues from the ’69 Camaro. Many of the old, familiar option packages came back as well: the SS package got you the base V-8, a Z/28 came along as a track focused street car, and the ZL1 offered a supercharged V-8 as the high-horsepower option.

Most anticipated though was the COPO.

This track-only package was first offered in 2012 and was made as exclusive and hard to get as the original COPOs. Only 69 units would be produced per year and prospective buyers had to enter a lottery to get the opportunity to purchase one. At that point, you could choose your engine and power level, or opt to buy the other engines as spares to swap at will. Many of these cars were bought as collector items and due to the nature of these being race cars, none of them are legal for street use and therefore have little to no usage at all. A handful have been raced successfully in NHRA Super Stock class as well.

Since the majority of these cars have no use, it can be challenging to determine the a hierarchy of collectability (as can be the case with many “instant collectibles”). Cars ordered with every engine option can be worth substantially more than a COPO ordered with just one engine. As with any race car, examples with exceptional racing history can help value more than condition and miles. Due to the COPO’s success, Chevrolet is still producing the package in the sixth-gen platform and has even made an all-electric E-COPO to prove the capabilities of electric cars in racing. For the time being it looks as if the COPO package will stick around as long as the Camaro will, which, *sniff* might not be all that much longer.

The post The most valuable Camaros from every generation appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Many people regularly check in on the stock market, even if it’s just a brief glance at the Dow Jones and Nasdaq en route to perusing sports box scores. But have you ever really thought about what it is we’re keeping tabs on, and why? After all, relatively few are personally issuing buy-and-sell orders based on minute-to-minute market gyrations, and even fewer, technically speaking, are invested in many of the companies represented in the popular indices (think S&P 500). In the broader sense, as the past 18 months have made crystal clear, the performance of these indices can at times bear little resemblance to the overall economy. So, why do we care? And what can it teach us about muscle car values?

This story comes to us from Hagerty Insider, our sibling site where we focus on market trends and data for collector car values.  

What the tickers actually provide is a simple measure of volatility and risk. Someone nearing retirement might steer clear of stocks that are swinging wildly; someone willing to tolerate risk for a chance at a big profit might jump in when the seas are choppy.

The same investment principles apply when it comes to classic cars. Even though most enthusiasts aren’t out for short-term profit, it’s natural—and prudent—to wonder if the car you’re buying today will be worth the same if you had to sell tomorrow. Hagerty has long tracked changes in the collector car market, and we produce several indices that give a sense of the returns an owner can expect over time. Yet these indices have previously lacked the frequency of a daily stock market ticker because they’re anchored around periodic auction events or Hagerty Price Guide updates. Strictly speaking, they don’t answer the question, how has the value of my car changed today?

Until now, that is.

What you’re looking at, above, is a daily index of muscle car values. It draws from our book of insurance policies—that is, people calling us to add cars to their policy using the agreed value for them. In aggregate, these actions reflect the market for enthusiast vehicles. By carefully compiling policy changes for certain cars (“endorsements,” in insurance-speak), we can get a picture of a segment. Since people are calling us every day to make changes to their insurance, the index likewise updates daily.

As with all indices, this one requires some subjectivity and lots of math. To keep things as focused as possible, we defined muscle cars here as American V-8 coupes and convertibles built between 1963 and 1973. No Corvettes, no Shelby Cobras, no late-model Hellcats and the like. Even by this narrow definition, the segment is huge: Hagerty gets a couple of dozen policy changes for muscle cars every day.

We match these policy changes to period-appropriate price guide values for that year, make, model, sub-model, body, and engine (e.g., a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 Sport Coupe with the L78). We assume that most cars are insured for condition #3 values because most cars are in Good condition—of course some are worse, but some are better, too. Cars marked as “under restoration” on the policy are excluded.

Of course, we don’t hear about every kind of muscle car in any given day. Here’s where the math comes in. We weight each value change on the index according to the total value of sales of that particular vehicle in a year. 1965 Ford Mustang? Big weight. 1969 American Motors SC/Rambler Hurst? Small weight. Note that many stock indexes, including the S&P 500, work the same way, weighting companies by their market capitalization.

Looking at the index we see, on the whole, that muscle cars make for rather safe investments. We can quantify that by calculating something called a Sharpe ratio, which adjusts the (excess) return of the investment according to its volatility. Lots has been written about Sharpe ratios and how they work, but generally speaking, a higher number means a better risk-adjusted return. Here’s how the Daily Muscle Car Index stacks up against the Nasdaq and S&P 500.

Note, we're not saying muscle cars will make more money than the stock indices. In fact, since 2017, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 have seen higher average returns—17 and 22 percent, respectively, versus just 6 percent for the Muscle Car Index. What the Muscle Car Index and the Sharpe ratio do tell us is that returns on muscle cars are safer. In other words, as exciting and wild as muscle cars can be to drive, they make wonderfully stable investments. That sounds like a great combination to us.

The post Is your muscle car a safe investment? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Muscle cars have long been subject to booms and busts. They hit their first peak in 1970, when practically every American make from AMC to Oldsmobile offered a coupe with a rip-snorting V-8. A few years later, amid the gas crunch, they couldn’t be given away. Collectors sparked buying frenzies in the ’90s and the 2000s that, ultimately, cycled into more dips and rebounds.

Yet none of that quite compares to this summer. Hagerty’s muscle car index has reached an all time high, and we’ve seen several top-tier cars attract spectacular seven-figure bids at auction.

The natural question is, How long can this last? Conventional wisdom would have you believe that another bust is only a matter of time, especially as the collectors who coveted these cars when they were new slowly leave the market. The actual answer, however, is more complicated.

Historic highs

First, let’s define “all-time high.” Our Muscle Car Index tracks the biggest movers and shakers of the market segment, such as the 1970 Chevelle SS LS6, Mustang Boss 429, and of course the Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible. Just about all these major cars moved upward in our latest pricing update. (The Hagerty Price Guide is revised every four months.) The one that shone the brightest was the Hemi Cuda Convertible. A stellar example of a ’71 Hemi Cuda Convertible was offered by Mecum Auctions back in May, and it brought a reported high bid of $4.8 million. That’s the highest price we’ve ever seen offered on a muscle car. Others, like 1970 LS6 Chevelles have yet to see anywhere near their pre-2008 prices, but we are still seeing the highest prices in 10 years or more.

There is, of course, a big difference between these six and seven-figure muscle cars and, say, a 289 Mustang. Yet the trends are, for the most part, quite similar. The latest update to the Hagerty Price Guide includes double-digit percentage increases for the likes of small-block first-generation Camaro Super Sports (up 14 percent), '70–72 C-code (289cid/200-hp) '65–66 Mustangs (up 10 percent).

The last big push?

Let's address the elephant in the room: baby boomers. They were the kids for whom these car were originally built, and they have been the driving force behind every spike in muscle car values. So what happens as these collectors decide it's time to downsize their collection, or drivability becomes more of a concern? Will this be the last high water mark?

Our insurance quote data, which can be used as a barometer for interest, says no. The most expensive muscle cars naturally skew older—there are only so many 30 somethings who can afford a million-dollar Mopar—but for bread-and-butter vehicles like '68–72 Chevelles and '67–69 Camaros, the majority of callers are Gen-Xers and millennials.

That's not to say focuses in collecting won't inevitably shift. Younger collectors dig muscle cars, but they also love 1980s German sedans and 1990s Japanese coupes. What happens when the people for whom muscle cars represent the red-hot center of their passion gradually age out of the market? Prewar cars may hold some of the answers we seek. If conventional wisdom held true, that later generations won't be interested in the cars of their fathers, then the prewar market must be rock bottom, right?

Actually, no. Ford Model As consistently rank among the top 10 vehicles Hagerty insures, right alongside the Ford Mustang. In the meantime, top-tier prewar cars like Duesenbergs and blower Bentleys maintain a following and are desired centerpieces of serious collections.

Driving a muscle car is something every car enthusiast should experience at least once in their life. Nothing compares to the grunt of a large displacement V-8 with no driver aids to keep the tires from going up in smoke. Or the smells of unburned high octane fuel emanating from as set of dual tailpipes. For many of us—and not just the ones who remember watching the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show—muscle cars represent a golden age when manufacturers made cars the average enthusiast wanted and could actually afford.

That sentiment, ironically, is likely to keep muscle cars expensive for some time. Chances might be good that top-tier muscle cars may settle down at some point. Their highly volatile nature in the market has shown this has happened before. But staples like Camaros, Mustangs, and Chevelles have enough interest from younger buyers that it is safe to say they'll hold their ground, even as new segments like Japanese sports cars join the ranks of desirable collectibles. Just like the Model A, muscle cars will always be there for an enthusiast ready to make that leap to "collector."

The post Is this the last hurrah for muscle car values? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

In the early spring of 1963, during a “what if” session at GM’s Milford, Michigan, Proving Grounds, a small team of Pontiac engineers led by John Z. DeLorean realized the 389-cubic-inch V-8 from the full-size Bonneville would fit easily in the new midsize Tempest. A week later, they were doing burnouts in the first prototype, and the car widely accepted as America’s first muscle car, the 1964 Pontiac GTO, was born. Though the marque is deceased, the model remains as popular as ever. Here’s a look back at the GTO’s many milestones during its initial 10-year production run.

01: Gas, tires, and oil

To name his new creation, DeLorean—welcoming a little controversy—took the name of a Ferrari legend. Although guys on the street said GTO stood for “Gas, Tires, and Oil,” it actually means Gran Turismo Omologato, or, in English, Grand Touring Homologated. The term was owned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) sanctioning body, which dictated how many cars a manufacturer had to build for the model to be legal, or homologated, for Grand Touring competition.

“Ferrari never built enough GTOs to earn the name anyway,” wrote Car and Driver in 1964. “Just to be on the safe side, though, Pontiac built a faster one.”

02: GOAT

GOAT Over the years, the GTO did gather quite a few nicknames. Many, including “The Tiger,” “The Great One,” and “The Humbler,” were created by Jim Wangers and his team of advertising copywriters responsible for the muscle car’s marketing. The Tiger campaign began in 1964, with The Great One appearing in 1967. The Humbler copy launched in 1970. Somewhere along the way, the guys on the street began to call GTOs “Goats.” Only it wasn’t a reference to “Greatest of All Time,” it was a play on the letters and a term of affection. By 1969, it even appeared in a corporately controversial GTO advertisement championed by DeLorean and Wangers.

03: Hidden headlights

In the late 1960s, hidden headlamps were all the rage, appearing on cars from brands including Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet. In 1968, along with GM’s other A-body models, the GTO received its first major redesign. Unlike the Chevy Chevelle, Olds Cutlass, and Buick Skylark, the Pontiac got hidden headlamps. The optional feature lasted just two years, but the GTO’s impact-resistant color-matched Endura rubber front bumper stuck around through 1972. Developed by the Dayton Rubber Company in cooperation with Pontiac, it was exclusive to the GTO, but Pontiac also used the Endura bumper on the 1970–73 Firebird.

04: Most powerful

Unlike many of the GTO’s competitors, Pontiac never built a GTO with an output rating of over 400 horsepower. In fact, the most powerful production GTOs were the 1969–70 models with the optional Ram Air IV 400-cubic-inch V-8, which made 370 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 445 lb-ft of torque at 3900 rpm. During the final days of the Pontiac brand, the reinvented Holden-based GTO of 2005–06 was powered by GM’s 6.0-liter LS2, which was rated at 400 horsepower at 5200 rpm.

05: First functional hood scoop

“We find the GTO quite handsome, except for those phony vents that GM Styling’s Bill Mitchell insists on hanging on everything. Unlike the Stingray, the GTO has only the ones on the hood, so we can say it could be much, much worse,” wrote Car and Driver in that first road test back in 1964. Although every GTO from 1964 to ’74 had factory scoops, most were not functional. In 1965–66, however, you could order Pontiac’s Ram Air kit over the counter at dealers, and it came with a functioning scoop. GTOs with open hood scoops were available from the factory beginning with the 1967 model with the Ram Air 400 option. It cost an extra $263.30, and just 751 were built.

06: Least powerful

In 1974, you could still buy a true muscle car from Pontiac. It just wasn’t a GTO. It was the 290-hp Trans Am with the Super Duty 455. The ’74 GTO was packing only 200 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, down from the 230-hp 400 and 250-hp 455 offered in 1973—making it the least powerful GTO. Interestingly, it had near-identical performance to the ’64 GTO; famed Poncho tuner Nunzi Romano ran the quarter-mile at 15.72 seconds at 88 mph in a ’74—a hair off the 15.64 seconds and 90 mph he did in a ’64.

07: Last convertible

When the GTO was launched in 1964, three body styles were available: coupe, hardtop, and convertible. Although the 1972 GTO was much the same as the 1971 model, the convertible version was discontinued. However, buyers could still get a LeMans Sport convertible with the same engines offered in the GTO. Both the 1973 and 1974 GTOs were one-year-only body styles, with no convertible offered, but you could order a rear-mounting tent for your ’74 hatchback, which—theoretically—converted it into a camping rig.

08: Worst-selling year

After a slight sales rebound in 1968 with the new body style, GTO sales continued to fall. In 1970, just over 40,000 GTOs were sold. And that number dropped sharply in 1971, to fewer than 11,000. The muscle car thing was winding down quickly. Only 5807 GTOs were sold in 1972, and the new 1973 model failed miserably, selling only 4806 and making it the worst-selling GTO of all time. Surprisingly, with sales of around 7000, the 1974 model, which was offered as a coupe or a hatchback, sold better than the two previous model years.

09: Best-selling year

From 1964 to 1966, the GTO basically owned the muscle market, while everyone else was playing catch-up. In 1967, however, the competition began to get fierce. Chevy launched the Camaro, and its big-block SS Chevelle had found its legs, along with Oldsmobile’s 4-4-2. Pontiac also had the new Firebird, and the Dodge Coronet R/T and Plymouth GTX were now in showrooms. The Plymouth Road Runner was a year away. As a result, Pontiac sold more GTOs in 1966 than any other year—96,946. In 1967, despite its larger 400-cubic-inch engine, sales fell to 81,722.

10: The Judge

Like the Plymouth Road Runner, The Judge was meant to be a budget GTO, a street racer special. But The Judge, launched in 1969, actually became the most expensive GTO. It was introduced to the press at California’s Riverside Raceway on the same day as the first Trans Am, December 8, 1968. The name, taken from a popular skit on the hit NBC TV comedy Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, was another DeLorean deal. It was originally going to be called the GTO E/T, as in Elapsed Time, but DeLorean thought that name was silly. The Judge lasted three model years, and a 1970 Judge painted Orbit Orange, provided by Pontiac, starred in the 1971 car flick classic Two-Lane Blacktop.

11: No replacement for displacement

For its initial 10-year production run, the GTO used four different displacement versions of Pontiac’s iron-block V-8. Unlike Chevrolet, Ford, and the Mopar brands, Pontiac did not have small-block and big-block engine architectures. From 1964 to ’66, the GTO’s engine displaced 389 cubic inches, or 6.4 liters, as it said on fender badges. In 1967, it grew to 400 cubic inches (6.6 liters). The 400 remained through 1973, along with a 455-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) version, which was optional. In 1974, only a 350 (5.7-liter) engine was offered.

12: Little GTO

In the early 1960s, many groups had hit songs about cars. Ever the marketer, Jim Wangers wanted a song about the GTO and started pitching the idea to record labels. John Wilkin, an employee at Buckhorn Music in Nashville, loved the idea and wrote a song. After a few suggestions from Wangers, Wilkin formed the group Ronny and the Daytonas with some studio musicians and released the single, “G.T.O.,” in spring 1964. By September, it was No. 4 on the charts, and more than 1 million copies sold.

13: The GTO that never was

On June 28, 1972, Pontiac announced the 310-hp Super Duty 455 engine and said it would be available in the Grand Am, the Grand Prix, the Trans Am, the Formula, and the GTO. Later that year, after driving a prototype SD455-powered GTO at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, Martyn L. Schorr and Joe Oldham from Hi-Performance Cars magazine were so impressed, they selected it as the magazine’s Top Performance Car of the Year. They put it on the cover of the April 1973 issue and called it the new King of the Street. Schorr even ordered one for himself. But the car never happened. Pontiac never built a production SD455 GTO in 1973, and the magazine had honored a car that didn’t exist. The engine did see production, but only in the Trans Am and Formula in 1973 and 1974.

14: Most affordable

The average value of a 1973 GTO with the base 400 engine is $9700 in #3 (Good) condition, making it the most affordable classic GTO in today’s car market. Most buyers chose the automatic, so add 10 percent for four-speed cars and another 10 percent for air conditioning. Also expect to pay more for cars with the optional 455 under the hood. Only 544 were made, all with the automatic.

15: Most valuable

Today, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is the most valuable car in the world. One sold privately in the past couple of years for a reported $70,000,000. The most valuable Pontiac GTO is the 1969 Judge convertible with the 370-hp Ram Air IV engine. A mere five were built, all with a four-speed transmission. Today, they have an average value of $430,000 in #3 (Good) condition, while the best in the world is worth about $550,000.

The post 15 GTO facts you might not know about America’s original muscle car appeared first on Hagerty Media.

In the early 2000s, the rise of muscle car values was headline news. Seemingly overnight, these examples of wretched excess went from being nearly worthless, especially in the eyes of sophisticated collectors, to being the hottest commodity in the market. It was not unlike the great Ferrari boom of the late 1980s, but rather than being fueled by Japanese investors, financial market wizards, and old money, the muscle boom was powered by the nouveau riche, including plenty of construction contractors who’d ridden the new-housing surge across the country.

But then muscle cars proved that they, and their values, were no flash in the pan. They continued to appreciate and gain acceptance in the greater collecting world—no shock to the late Otis Chandler, a collector who saw the importance of low-production muscle cars long before the headlines.

Hemi-powered Mopars led the charge. One sale in particular, a 1971 Hemi Cuda convertible, shocked everyone when it was advertised for a million dollars. More shocking was that it sold quickly and became the inspiration for my 2006 book titled, wait for it, Million-Dollar Muscle Cars. At auctions such as Barrett-Jackson and Mecum, common muscle cars previously valued way south of $100,000 regularly began selling for $250,000-plus. Mega muscle collections were popping up all over, and there appeared to be no end in sight.

Until the financial crisis of 2008, that is, when muscle car values took a big-block hit. To the uninitiated, it was a case of fools and their money. Looking at the course correction analytically, however, as you would a stock market correction, when something appreciates 500–1000 percent and then falls, it isn’t unpredictable. If anything, good muscle cars actually held up pretty well, especially for those owners who kept them and didn’t fall into the trap of lamenting their unrealized gains.

When the dust finally settled in 2011, muscle car prices hit bottom somewhere around 30–40 percent of their peak prices. Like the 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that sold at Barrett-Jackson in March 2008 for $121,000, then sold again at Barrett-Jackson in October 2008 for $71,500. Or the 1968 Shelby GT500 KR that sold for $154,000 in January 2007 at Barrett-Jackson, then sold for $60,500 in January 2011 at Russo and Steele. There are plenty of examples, but you get the point.

After 2009, muscle values began to regain their footing, with a noticeable resurgence from 2012 to 2015 (during which the above GT500 KR sold again, this time for $99,000). There have been ups and downs since, including some truly stagnant values during lockdown, when live auctions were shuttered and buyers couldn’t inspect cars up close.

Which brings us to today and what feels like a sudden, triumphant return of muscle car prices. How triumphant? In many cases, they’re back to the peak numbers of 2007–08. That same GT500 KR sold, yet again, in January at Mecum for $165,000. The same ’69 Mach 1 that was $121,000 in 2008, then $71,500 a few months later, and then $95,700 in 2009, also sold at Mecum in January, this time for $137,500.

Those aren’t even the real shockers. At Barrett-Jackson in March, a 1967 Chevelle SS 396 convertible sold for $242,000, against a Hagerty Price Guide #1-condition value of $88,300, and a 1967 Corvette 427/435 convertible sold for $396,000, far above its HPG #1 value of $231,000. Sure, these could be considered outliers, but the market is producing more by the day from private sales, online auctions, and returning live in-person auctions. Outliers don’t make a market, but there’s a point where enough of them do become the market. I think we’re headed there.

People still want to own muscle machines. To many, they are the last unique American collector cars. And when prices have bottomed out, many see value in getting back into a market they had been previously priced out of. Burning rubber in loud, obnoxious cars will never get old. Personally, I’m glad to see muscle getting a little attention again.

The post The muscle car market has seen its highs and lows in the past 15 years appeared first on Hagerty Media.