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Bitcoins Of Classic Muscle Car Scene

Vukasin Herbez December 12, 2024

Legendary muscle cars were among the first cars from the 1960s to gain significant value on the collector’s market. In the early ’90s, well-to-do fans started paying high sums for cars from their youth and looking for rare, limited-edition models. Some models regularly achieve over six figures at auctions, and seeing a classic muscle car sold for over $1 million is not rare. That being said, let’s see what the Bitcoins of the muscle car world are.

Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible – $3.2 million

1967 Chevrolet L88 Corvette Stingray Convertible 6 — Photo Credit: Mecum

The C2 Corvette was produced from 1963 to 1967, and collectors highly sought after all examples. The big-block models, introduced in the 1966 model year, are the most expensive since they combine enormous power with unique styling. Amongst those cars, the L88 has mythical status and massive price tags. The 1967 Corvette L88 was produced in just 20 examples, and one was recently sold for an impressive $3.2 million.

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Shelby GT500 Super Snake – $1.3 million

1967 Ford Shelby Gt500 Super Snake Continuation Car 100652430 — Photo Credit: Mecum

This unique Shelby GT500 was produced as a rolling laboratory to showcase the possibilities of the Mustang platform and test Goodyear’s “Thunderbolt” tire line. It had a Le Mans-winning GT 40 race engine, extraordinary transmission, suspension, and tires, and it was produced in one example. There were plans for a limited production run, but the proposed price was over $8000, which was an enormous sum in the late ’60s. Recently, this sole example was sold for $1.3 million.

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Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi – $900,000

©2012 Courtesy Of Rm Auctions — Photo Credit: Pinterest

In 1969, Dodge decided to create a racing car with a unique front end, flush rear glass, and a prominent rear spoiler. The Charger Daytona was a one-year-only model, and 504 were produced, most with 440 V8 engines and only a handful with a 426 Hemi engine option. If you want one of those cars, be prepared to pay almost one million dollars.

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Shelby GT 500 Elenor “Gone in 60 Seconds” Movie Car – $1 million

Eleanor From Gone In 60 Seconds 1 1600x900 — Photo Credit: Pinterest

Cool million for a Mustang? Sometimes, something like this would be considered impossible, but the most expensive and fantastic cars have already exceeded that number. So, in May of 2013, the famous car from “Gone in 60 Seconds” remake was sold for a million bucks, making history for Mustang fans everywhere. This car wasn’t the only Elenor made for shooting, but it was the car used for filming and promotional shots.

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Shelby GT 350 R – $990,000

Carroll Shelby built only 36 fire-breathing pure racing Mustangs for the 1965 model year. Each of those examples had numerous wins, and every R model is considered an extremely valuable piece of Mustang and racing history. They rarely come for sale, but they achieve astronomical prices when they do. That was the case in 2012 when a highly original GT350 R was sold for almost $1 million. With only 4900 miles on the clock, this car was well-known and famous among Mustang fans with its original transmission, engine, and all-important parts.

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Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – $1 million

1969 Chevrolet Copo Camaro Comes In Fathom Green Price Matches Pristine Looks 11 — Photo Credit: Mecum

The COPO Camaro ZL1 was a secret Chevrolet drag racing special designed to fly under the radar and corporate ban on racing. It was sold only as a special order throughout performance dealerships at a hefty price tag. But the car was unbeatable on the track and famous for its all-aluminum ZL1 427 V8 engine. Chevrolet only built 69 of those cars, and if you want one to add to your collection, be prepared for a 1 million dollar price tag.

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Shelby Cobra 289 – $1.6 million

289 Shelby Cobra Csx 2000 Large — Photo Credit: Edmunds

The story of Shelby Cobra 289 is a widely known one, but it’s still interesting enough to be told again. In 1962, Shelby used the AC Ace body and installed the Ford 289 V8, creating one of the first Anglo-American hybrids and one of the period’s best sports/racing cars. Cobra has become an enormous legend amongst all car enthusiasts, and due to its limited production and high collectivity, auction prices go well over $1 million.

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Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 – $1.2 million

727720 1970 Chevelle Ss 454 Chevrolet — Photo Credit: Pinterest

Chevrolet Chevelle has always been a very popular muscle car, and its combination of affordable price, excellent design, and powerful engines was a hit with buyers. In 1970, Chevrolet offered an expanded line of engines, including the famous 454 V8 big blocks. The regular version was called LS5, and it was very powerful, but there was an even stronger LS6 variant which was installed in just 3,700 cars. The LS-6 had almost racing compression of 11.25:1 and used a bigger carburetor and much stronger engine internals. It was rated at 450 HP, but it is more likely that it produced over 500.

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Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible – $2 to 4 million

Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible 24 — Photo Credit: Auto Wp

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. Prices for those 17 cars ranged from $2 to a staggering $4 million.

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Ford Mustang Boss 429 – $605,000

Stunning 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Goes For Almost 200k At Auction 143939 1 — Photo Credit: Flickr

Getting 605 thousand dollars for any car is a fantastic achievement, let alone for Boss 429. Despite its rarity and mystic allure, the Boss 429 never achieved such a high amount. This number is a record for Boss 429 cars, and a particular example had a NASCAR engine with special Ford C9AE-A heavy-duty half-inch bolt rods, forged pistons, and steel crank, among many other factory options. Of course, it was perfectly restored and well-documented.

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Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible – $440,000

By 1971, the end of the crazy muscle car segment was in sight. The government started tightening its grip on the segment, and cars began losing power and appeal. One of the last true muscle car convertibles was the 1971 Pontiac GTO Judge with a powerful 455 V8 engine and ragtop. The Pontiac made only 17 of them, and this is why it is worth so much money.

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Plymouth Superbird Hemi – $1 million

As one of the craziest muscle cars ever produced, the Superbird has one of the most recognizable graphics packages ever presented to the general public. The Superbird attempted to win the famous Aero Wars in the late ’60s to early ’70s NASCAR championship. To homologate the car for racing, Plymouth built just under 2000 road-going Superbirds and sold them all over America. Most came with a 440 V8, but those with a 426 Hemi were expensive.

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Pontiac Catalina 421 “Swiss Cheese” (1962) 1 million

Pontiac Catalina Super Duty 421 Factory Lightweight — Foto Credit: Hagerty

In 1961, Pontiac engineers manufactured numerous aluminum parts like bumpers, fenders, hoods, and so on, saving 159 pounds from the heavy car. Moreover, the vehicle was nicknamed “Swiss Cheese” since they also drilled holes in the car’s frame to save a few more grams. These Catalinas were lightning quick with a high-compression 421 V8 engine and 410 HP. Needless to say, “Swiss Cheese” Catalinas proved to be the fastest on the strips and won numerous races, earning Pontiac some much-needed publicity.

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Shelby EXP500 Green Hornet – Price: $1.8 million (not sold)

04 1968 Shelby Exp 500 Green Hornet Bj — Photo Credit: Barrett Jackson

Although it wasn’t the only one, the Green Hornet features the most innovative features, like a 390 V8 with fuel injection, unique disc brakes on all four wheels, and independent rear suspension. With this layout, the Green Hornet was a capable car that handled and stopped better than any other sports car. Unfortunately, the cost of producing those features was too high, and Ford and Shelby decided to go with more conventional technology.

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Ford Mustang GT390 Bullitt – Price: $3.74 Million

Original 1968 Bullitt Mustang — Photo Credit: Ford

One of the biggest Mustang legends is the Bullitt movie car. In 1968, the legendary actor Steve McQueen starred in the detective flick Bullitt as a detective who drove a mean-looking ’68 GT390 Fastback. Two cars were used during the shooting. The second car was later sold and owned by several owners and finally settled on the East Coast of America. The owner was initially reluctant to sell, but in 2019, the car did cross the auction block for almost $4 million!

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