Most popular classic muscle cars have been sold in tens of thousands (or more) of examples. This means that those models can be found for sale easily. However, in the muscle car heyday, Detroit presented several pretty rare models, and none of them exceeded production figures of 1000 copies. If you wonder what those cars are, here is the answer.
1. Buick GSX

Backed by steady sales and outstanding reception of their muscle models, Buick decided to introduce the ultimate muscle car: the legendary and scarce Buick GSX. The GSX stood for Gran Sports Experimental and was, in fact, the visually upgraded Gran Sport with a Stage 1 performance package.

The GSX debuted in 1970 with an aggressive graphics package that was not typical of Buick products. It was available in two bright colors—Saturn Yellow and Apollo White—with front and rear spoilers, functioning hood scoops, side stripes, and Rally wheels. Buick produced only 678 examples that year.
2. Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The Trans Am model became popular and mass-produced in later generations, but in 1969, it was a rare and special limited edition car. In 1969, Pontiac wanted to present a model that could be homologated for Trans Am racing, but the company was under a racing ban from GM. To mask its intentions, Pontiac introduced the Firebird Trans Am as a loaded version that featured considerable block power from the famous 400 V8 engine equipped with a Ram Air III or IV intake system.

The difference between those engines was significant since Ram Air IV featured many improved engine internals and components, but they were both rated at 366 hp, which was pretty underrated. However, this special version with signature white paint, blue stripes, Rally II wheels, and other equipment proved to be a tough seller, and only 634 Firebird Trans Ams were sold. Among those, only 8 were convertibles.
3. Mercury Cougar Eliminator Boss 302

Despite being a twin brother to the Mustang, the Mercury Cougar gained a cult following and created a name of its own in the late ’60s. But for the 1969 muscle car wars, Mercury had something special—the Cougar Eliminator.

The Cougar Eliminator was a top-of-the-line model with several interesting engine choices. You could get a Boss 302 engine, a high-revving 5.0-liter V8 in a slightly bigger body with more luxury features. However, more buyers opted for bigger 351 or 428 Cobra Jet engines, making the Eliminator Boss 302 rare. In 1969/1970, Mercury made only 638 of those great machines in two years.
4. Ford Torino Talladega

In contrast to some models from our list, which were produced for 12 months or so, Torino Talladega was made for only a couple of weeks in early 1969. This car was Ford’s answer to Dodge Daytona and Mopar’s efforts to win in NASCAR.

The idea behind the Talladega (named after the NASCAR track) was to take a standard Torino, give it a unique front end and a few slippery details, and homologate it for superspeedways. A total of 754 Talladega were built in such a short time, and many of them were used for racing.
5. Chrysler 300 Hurst

Introduced in 1970, the special limited edition 300 Hurst was a special model based on the new full-size Chrysler platform. It was built in minimal numbers, around 500, with the help of the famous transmission company Hurst.

It featured an exceptional white and gold paint job, a similarly styled interior, and a rear spoiler integrated into the rear deck lid. Under the hood, a mighty 440 V8 engine with 395 hp could propel the 2-ton beast to respectable acceleration times.
6. Dodge Charger 500

Most muscle car fans know the Dodge Charger lineup well, including the wild Charger Daytona from 1969. But Daytona’s predecessor, the Charger 500, was far less known and less successful. The standard Charger, with a deep grille and concave rear glass, wasn’t very aerodynamic, and despite powerful engines and good drivers, it just couldn’t achieve the speeds required for winning.

Dodge decided to introduce a limited-edition Charger 500 (named 500 because it was produced in that many examples) with a flush grille, fixed headlights, and regular rear glass to improve the car’s aerodynamics. The Charger 500 had two engines, a standard 440 and an optional 426 Hemi. Since the Daytona was much more successful and interesting, the Charger 500 was soon forgotten by all except for hardcore Mopar muscle guys.
7. Chevrolet Chevelle Z16

What exactly is the Chevelle Z16? Basically, it’s a fully loaded regular Chevelle with all go-fast options, a 396 V8 engine with a Muncie 4-speed gearbox, and heavy-duty suspension and equipment.

Some dealers weren’t even aware that this option existed, and Chevrolet refused to market the Z16 for some reason, making this Chevelle kind of a secret model.The Z16 was fast, but it was also expensive for a Chevrolet. That is why they made only 200 of them.
8. Dodge Charger Daytona

In the late ’60s, Dodge was desperate to enter NASCAR racing, and the Charger was the perfect candidate. However, since NASCAR cars already approached high speeds of almost 200 mph on newly constructed superspeedway tracks, aerodynamics played a key role in a car’s performance and results.

So Dodge decided to go all out and create a racing car with a special front end, flush rear glass, and a prominent rear spoiler. The Charger Daytona was one of the first cars to be developed in a wind tunnel, and new materials were used in its construction. It was a one-year-only model, and 504 were produced.
9. Plymouth Barracuda Hemi

Two of the biggest Chrysler legends from the classic days of muscle car culture are the Barracuda and the 426 Hemi engine. All through the ’60s, those industry icons didn’t mix, at least not in street-legal cars. In 1970, Plymouth offered this legendary engine in the Barracuda body style, immediately creating one of the fastest and most desirable muscle cars ever made.

The mighty Hemi engine was an expensive top-of-the-line option for 1970 and 1971, available in coupe or convertible form. It cost around $900 more than the standard Barracuda, and it was installed in just about 600 coupes and only 17 convertibles during a two-year production period. The power was rated at 425 HP, but everybody knew that the orange monster delivered more than 500 HP straight from the box.
10. Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1

The Camaro ZL-1 was the same as the regular 1969 Camaro on the outside, but it was so fast it was barely street-legal. The official 1969 Chevrolet literature doesn’t mention the ZL-1 option for the Camaro, but if you were a successful drag racer or a dealer, you knew about this expensive option. That is why only 69 Camaros ZL-1 left the factory.

The secret of the Camaro ZL-1 was its engine. It was a high-revving 7.0-liter V8 with around 550 hp in mild tune. Chevrolet produced about 200 of those engines, and while most of them went to Can-Am racing teams, 69 ZL-1 engines were installed in C.O.P.O Camaros and sold to drag racing teams.