Muscle cars. The mere mention conjures images of freewheeling youths in factory hot rods, unleashing their machines on Woodward Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard. The sound of loping camshafts, burbling exhaust and screaming tires; the scent of gasoline, hot vinyl seats and burnt rubber. Muscle cars, like other forms of youth entertainment of the swinging 60s, provided relief from the sobering realities of the Vietnam War. With a winning combination of affordability, speed and racy good looks, they offered young people a taste of the American Dream, and sated their desire for youthful rebellion.

Traditional muscle cars were intermediate-sized and powered by big-block V8 engines; prominent examples include the Dodge Charger, Plymouth Road Runner and Pontiac GTO. Some of the most popular were the most Spartan, with rubber floor mats, bench seats and crank windows. The lack of options not only made the cars lighter, but also made them more affordable. Young buyers, the lifeblood of the performance market, could find themselves behind the wheel of an entry level muscle car for just under $3,000. On the other end of the spectrum, high-end divisions such as Buick and Oldsmobile offered lavish amenities in their tire-fryers to attract more affluent consumers. Billed as the "gentleman's hot rod," the Olds 442 was one of the fastest and most opulent cars on the road in the late sixties. The brawniest big blocks produced over 400 horsepower, and could reduce a set of Polyglas tires to dust at the drop of a pedal; many consider the Chevrolet LS6 454 and Mopar 426 Hemi to be the most powerful.

Smaller cars with hot small-blocks were referred to as "pony cars," including the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Plymouth Barracuda. These models were not only popular on the street, but were the preferred vehicles for Trans Am racing. Although most pony cars could also be ordered with big blocks, the small block cars were known for superior handling and braking, and therefore better exemplify the breed. The most celebrated of the high-winding small blocks include the Chevrolet 350, Ford 302 and the Mopar 340.

While the glory of the muscle car era goes to its intermediates, there were also a few full-size cars that could bury a driver in his seat at wide open throttle. The Chevrolet Impala SS is the most widely renowned, and surprised more than a few stoplight contenders in its day. The Plymouth Sport Fury GT could be specially ordered with a 440 Six-Pack (three two-barrel carburetors inline) pumping out 390 horsepower; its stablemate, the Chrysler 300 Hurst, was a luxury car with a 375-horsepower 440 under a functional cowl-induction hood. Ford offered a number of hot engines in its full-size Galaxie, including the 427, 428 and 429.

The muscle car era lost its momentum after 1971 due to the fuel crisis, emissions regulations and rising insurance rates. Although new cars with "performance" packages were touted throughout the 70s and 80s, none could hold a candle to the supercars of the late 60s. A new generation of young drivers came to appreciate the rugged appeal of American muscle, this time finding them on second-hand car lots nationwide. Youth continued their love affair with the muscle car until collector prices rose beyond their grasp in the 1990s. While modern high performance cars have risen to take back the streets, the appeal of vintage iron will never fade. A muscle car, in the universal sense, is any car with the power to pin you back in your seat, drown the world's grievances in a snarling exhaust note and restore the passion of youth to even the most taciturn of drivers.

Learn more about this author, Joseph Varkle.
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