1960s Muscle Cars That Aged Quite Well (Plus Five That Are Hideous)

Cameron Eittreim May 24, 2021

7: Shelby GT350

Carroll Shelby has always had his hand in something at Ford, and the GT350 was evidence of this. From a styling standpoint, the car was and still is gorgeous to this day. The overall look and appearance of the car were in line with the muscle cars of that era.

But the performance was another story, with a 289 V8 that delivered 306 HP. This was a Mustang model that meant business on the track. Production was limited and the special edition paint job was in line with the rest of the Shelby cars. Ford has done quite a few special editions Shelby GT350 models but this was the first and original model.

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6: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Finally, we have the original Camaro Z/28, which was slightly different from the SS models. The Z/28 had an appearance package that included ground effects and special edition wheels. On top of that, the car had a unique appearance that made it stand out from the ordinary Camaro.

Performance was better than you’d expect and the lightweight of the car helped things out quite a bit. In addition to that, the Z/28 had an upmarket interior that made things a lot more comfortable for the driver. To this day the Z/28 remains a hallmark of the Camaro line, incorporating speed and style in the same package.

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5: 1967 Mercury Cougar (Hideous)

We’re not sure what Ford was thinking with the design of the Cougar. A lot of the lines on the car are shared with the Mustang from the same era. While that’s all good, the overall frontal design of the car leaves a lot to be desired. We’re not sure if Ford was going for a luxury car or a performance car, because there is a mixture of both here.

The 390 V8 engine did make up for things in the looks department, but not enough to justify the confused styling of the car. It could be the main reason why the Cougar never attained the same type of popularity the Mustang did.

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4: 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 (Hideous)

The Firebird has gone through multiple renditions of the design over the three generations of the car. It was never as mainstream as the Camaro but it did manage to find success. Take the Firebird 400 out for a ride on the other hand and you’ll see something different. The Pontiac brand was at the pinnacle of design at this time, but the 400 just seemed to fall flat.

Perhaps the designers were stumped or focusing on performance alone. Few cars have managed to captivate enthusiasts as the Firebird did. There was just something about the car that resonated with consumers. It wasn’t as popular as the Camaro or the Mustang managed to become in such a short period.

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3: 1968 AMC Javelin (Hideous)

AMC was, at one point, one of the major automotive manufacturers in the country. Emphasizing design and performance the brand brought us some of the most iconic vehicles on the road, which includes the Jeep Cherokee. Sadly the Javelin didn’t get the memo when it came to the looks department.

This particular muscle car was just downright ugly from the exterior and the interior wasn’t much better. Collectors have been yearning for the Javelin in recent years as the classic car bubble heats up. With the basic bones of a muscle car, there is a lot of potential for this car if you’re willing to put the time and money into it.

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2: 1968 Dodge Charger R/T (Hideous)

The late 1960s were an iconic time for the muscle car industry and Dodge presented some changes to the Charger line. Unfortunately, the styling of the car just didn’t stand the test of time. For starters, the body panels of the car were just too large, which still stands true with the current Charger models.

They are just big, and that’s both good and bad. Still from a collector’s standpoint, the 1968 Dodge Charger R/T stands out from the crowd. Performance was at the top of its game and this was right on the heels of the new EPA regulations.

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1: 1968 Ford Torino 428 Cobra Jet

Ford kept the Torino line going for quite some time alongside the Mustang. There was a lot to like about the Torino but its styling wasn’t one of the reasons. From a performance standpoint, the 1968 Ford Torino 428 Cobra Jet handled business as well as you could expect. There were subtle upgrades that many owners would do to these cars but for the most part, it was a great ride.

We just wish that Ford could have done something different with the styling. It didn’t do the car any favors and shortly after this the Ford Torino was discontinued. The 1968 Ford Torino 428 Cobra Jet is by far one of the rarest and most controversial sports cars.

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