Classic Muscle Cars That Cost Too Much (But Aren’t Worth A Dime)

Cameron Eittreim August 12, 2021

5: Buick Riviera (1966-1970)

Buick also had its fair share of successes with the muscle car market, and the Riviera is one of those well-known entities. The car had a lot going for it with unique styling and a powerful engine, coupled with the fact that it was luxurious. Sadly the Riviera has been hit especially hard by the current muscle car “bubble” and the prices are outrageous.

You can expect to spend a good chunk of change for one of these in reasonable condition. And that’s including the massive investment you’re going to have to put into repairs and the eventual engine replacement.

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4: Pontiac Grand Prix (1973-1977)

Pontiac had massive success with the GTO and the Firebird during the muscle car era, but there was also the Grand Prix. This big boat of a Pontiac was based on the same platform as the Monte Carlo, and it offered a decent package. The Grand Prix was never worth the same as the Monte Carlo but the current muscle car bubble would lead you to believe it is.

You’ll spend quite a bit of money on a Grand Prix, and that doesn’t even factor in the condition of the car. Even a rolling chassis is going to be a big price tag because of the way that people are trying to snap up these muscle cars.

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3: Ford Thunderbird (1967-1971)

What we have here is a unique piece of automotive history as the Thunderbird was quite a car. Unfortunately, the Thunderbird was also a very common car, and the fact that the price tag has been so vastly inflated is a bit concerning. The car didn’t have any breakthrough performance features that would make it stand out from anything else on the market.

Likewise, the Thunderbird was also a prime example of Ford engineering around this time and there were a lot of reliability issues. Is the Thunderbird a great classic car? Yes, but the price that these are going for right now is way overvalued for what the car is.

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2: AMC Hornet (1970-1977)

AMC had a tough run even when the company was still in business, and the Hornet just couldn’t compete with other muscle cars of its era. Being underpowered was only one of the problems that the Hornet faced during its span. The styling was questionable at best, especially in the muscle car era.

Nowadays there is an aftermarket community that thoroughly enjoys the Hornet. But the pricing has gone through the roof, on a car that didn’t sell all that well when it was new. The fact that it is dubbed a “classic” has made the pricing go through the roof.

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1: Ford Mustang II (1974-1978)

Finally, we have what is considered the low point in the history of the Ford Mustang. This Pinto-based Mustang II was a travesty for several reasons. The car was small and the performance just wasn’t there at the time. Ford had relied on market researched instead of focusing on the traditional Mustang demographic.

While the interior is a bit upscale and the car had a lot of features, the design is just minuscule when you take a look at it. The later Fox Body Mustang would address a lot of these issues but at that point, the Mustang II had already put a dent in the brand’s reputation.

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Classic Muscle Cars That Cost Too Much (But Aren’t Worth A Dime)

5: Buick Riviera (1966-1970)

4: Pontiac Grand Prix (1973-1977)

3: Ford Thunderbird (1967-1971)

2: AMC Hornet (1970-1977)

1: Ford Mustang II (1974-1978)

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