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Muscle Cars That Will Leaving You Begging For A Summer Joyride

Cameron Eittreim June 28, 2023

We’re right in the heat of summer as temperatures reach scorching heights. When you think of summer, car fans think of taking a joyride in a loud-revving muscle car. Classic muscle cars have a look and feel to them unlike anything else on the road, and that’s why they are so popular with automotive fans. These are the cars that you’ll routinely see at summer cruise nights and hot rod shows.

Cars like the Pontiac Firebird and the Chevy Camaro with their open-air T-Tops and fun characteristics make driving a pleasure. The summertime is the perfect season to take your car out on a warm Saturday and see what it can do. A fun muscle car is something that makes the summer season all the better. Some muscle cars are the epiphany of summertime, so we looked at the types of muscle cars that will make you beg to have a summer ride. Remember the best muscle cars for a warm summer night here.

Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

What’s the first thing that most people notice about the Trans Am? The T-Tops. The removable roof panels were innovated by GM and made popular during the 1970s with the Trans-Am sports car. The best things about the Trans-Am were its performance and styling. Some believed the removable tops were better than having a convertible. When you take the Trans-Am out on a date night, you had a completely different feeling (via Driving Line).

With the signature black and gold paint, accents, and the t-top, the Trans-AM was made for late-night cruising. The excellent styling of the car and the performance of the turbocharged engine were both unique features. There were also V8 versions of the car which were far more common and popular, but those in the know wanted the turbo.

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Ford Mustang Boss 351

Few cars need less of an introduction than the Ford Mustang Boss 351. The car was the stuff of legends during the muscle car era and it’s still one of the most well-known muscle cars on the road. The 351 V8 under the hood was the most prominent part of this car and gave it some real horsepower. Then you had the aggressive styling which was much more like a true muscle car and less like the pony car styling from before. The Boss 351 is one of the most highly sought-after Mustang models on the road and the performance is the main reason (via Car & Driver).

The Boss 351 competed with the fastest cars the muscle car era had to offer. There was no shortage of performance of style when it came to the Boss 351, it was the perfect Mustang in every way. The sales numbers were never that high, which made the car extremely rare, and to this day, it’s one of the rarest Mustangs. The sheer combination of power and muscular looks gave the car an iconic reputation like no other.

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1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 via Motor 1 — Photo Credit: Motor 1

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Second Generation

The second generation of the Camaro wasn’t the most popular car and definitely wasn’t the fastest. It hit the market during the fuel embargo of the 1970s at a time automakers were forced to downsize horsepower ratings. Yet the second-generation Camaro has still gone on to become a classic with a notable style and attitude that’s all of its own. There weren’t a lot of different trim packages to choose from like the Mustang, but the Z/28 is the standard for performance (via Classic Car).

1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 via Motor 1 — Photo Credit: Motor 1

With T-Tops and beautiful styling, the second-generation Camaro is a classic muscle car like no other. The second generation of the Camaro was also the only generation that wasn’t offered a convertible option. Thus, the second-generation Camaro was one of the most limited body styles of the iconic Chevy muscle car. Nevertheless, there were plenty of options that drivers could choose from to get a memorable hot rod.

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Plymouth Barracuda 440

The Plymouth Barracuda 440 is one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time. And for good reason. The unique styling of the car made it stand out from the crowd at a time when automakers were at the peak of innovation. The 440 V8 is highly regarded as one of the most influential Chrysler engines of all time. It had plenty of horsepower and performance for the price and its iconic styling was unlike anything else on the road (via GR Auto Gallery).

The Barracuda sold better than just about every other Plymouth muscle car from the same period. Its affordable price tag and styling of the car made it stand out far better than anything else that was coming out of Chrysler. For a long period, the Plymouth brand was known for performance cars and muscle and the Barracuda was one of the most popular cars.

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Plymouth Duster 340

The Duster was another well-known muscle car from this era and one that begs to be taken for a summer joyride. The big body and reasonable performance were things that set the car apart from the competition. Just the name invokes memories of doing burnouts on cruise night or pulling into a drive-in theater. The performance of the 340 V8 made the ground shake underneath you and the bench seating meant the whole crew packed into it comfortably (via How Stuff Works).

The Duster was sold for many years in several different body styles and it proved to be a popular muscle car. If you have the option of riding in one of these, you shouldn’t miss out because this car will have you begging for a summer cruise. From the style to the performance the car has everything and Plymouth is one of the most historic nameplates in the muscle car world.

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Chevrolet El Camino SS

The El Camino SS was a powerful, unique truck/car hybrid that came out of Detroit. The styling of the El Camino SS was something that didn’t look like anything else on the road, although Ford tried it with the Ranchero. Under the hood was the same power plant and performance you’d find in a Chevelle. From the outward appearance, the El Camino SS was everything that most drivers wanted (via Hemmings).

The El Camino ended up being one of the most popular cars for cruising down the Boulevard. The sleek styling and unique looks resonated with an entire generation of drivers, many of whom still love the car. Few muscle cars are as iconic as the El Camino and it continues to carve its own unique niche in the muscle car world.

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AMC AMX

AMC didn’t have a lot of hits when it came to muscle cars, but the AMX was the one that stood out. The stub-nosed styling and compact dimensions of the car made it a beast on the track thanks to a powerful V8 engine. That styling was unconventional especially when you compared it to other muscle cars of the period. Nevertheless, the AMC was a unique and rare offering that you don’t see too much of (via Hemmings).

The AMC AMX was and still is one of the most noteworthy cars that came out of AMC during this era. There was a lot to like about the car and it proved to be a power-packed model with a lot of performance to offer. The value of the AMX has continued to rise and this car is getting harder to come by. With the unique performance and one-of-a-kind nameplate, many drivers are simply curious as to what it is.

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Buick Riviera GS

Buick has never been known as a muscle car company but it did have some pretty unique muscle cars at certain points. The Riviera was one of the most popular models on the road at the time and nowadays, it’s an even more popular muscle car. The noteworthy styling and the powerful V8 engine made the car a stable choice for consumers who wanted a bit of luxury in the mix. The styling and the luxury features made cruising around in the car a breeze (via Hemmings).

The Riviera was not as popular of a car as the Chevelle or the Monte Carlo, but it had its fanbase. Nowadays the Riviera is one of the few cars that make having a summer cruise a memorable experience. With the excellent styling and the performance of the car, there isn’t much not to like about the Riviera. If you wanted to cruise in style this was the way to do it thanks to its one-of-a-kind look and performance.

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1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

The Camaro is one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time, rivaling the Mustang in terms of performance and looks. The Z/28 was the most notable trim package that was offered to all the brand-new Camaro fans in 1967. Its classic styling and road-ready performance gave the car an aggressive stance that drivers of the era went bonkers for (via American Muscle Museum).

The 1967 Z/28 car is iconic with cruise nights all over the country because few muscle cars were truly more iconic than the Camaro. When it comes to buzz and performance, the car has all kinds of looks to back it up. The modern Camaro wouldn’t be as popular as it is if it wasn’t for this early one.

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1969 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi

The Charger R/T Hemi was a noteworthy car that created a ton of buzz when it hit the market. Dodge was riding high during the muscle car era and the Charger took things to the next level. The performance of the car was exceptional, to say the least, and its trim packages were quite appealing (via Hot Cars).

The Charger will go down in history as one of the most influential muscle cars on the road. Its bold styling and performance were both trademarks of Chrysler back in the day. The fact that the car has stood the test of time is a testament to its great build quality. Today’s Chargers take a cue from this true classic that muscle car fans drove throughout those summer joyrides and nighttime cruises.

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Buick GSX

The Buick GSX was another muscle car that came out of Buick and the idea was to combine performance with luxury. Like any Buick from this period, the body of the car was rather large. But the performance more than made up for it with a supercharged engine and enough pep in its step (via Hemmings).

The Buick GSX was one of the most well-known cars to hit the roads during this period and a lot of great effort went into the design of it. Drivers remember the way that the car felt when it hit the road and what made it a great ride even back then.

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Yenko Camaro 427

The Camaro didn’t have a lot of special editions as the Mustang did but there were a few that were worth noting. The Yenko 427 was a powerful offering that was built as a special order vehicle. The package was not produced in high numbers which made the Yenko a very rare car (via Motor Trend).

There were elements of styling on the Yenko that made it completely different from the standard Camaro that you might see. The sleek styling and the lack of side skirts gave the car a much taller appearance. GM sold the Yenko for a few years until the package stopped being offered.

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Chevrolet Corvette L88

Most people don’t consider the Corvette a pure muscle car but it actually is. The L88 was a special edition of the car that made it a lot faster. The body was lighter and the L88 V8 engine was a lot more powerful than anything else that was in the Corvette prior (via Super Cars).

Because the L88 was a special limited package it wasn’t advertised often. Instead, it managed to catch on with dedicated Corvette owners who were seeking it out. Those who wanted pure power in a Corvette went for the L88 model because it offered more value for the price.

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Shelby GT 500

Carroll Shelby has a long-standing relationship with Ford, and it benefitted the Mustang. The GT500 was a rare variant of the Mustang that offered far more performance. The sleek styling of the car was unlike the production models of the period (via Revology).

It managed to offer the kind of performance that true gearheads wanted. Although the Shelby GT500 was rare they have been making their way onto the auction block. There are a few of these Shelby models around and this is the ideal summer cruise vehicle.

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Plymouth Superbird Hemi

To ride in a Superbird is unlike anything else in the world. The Plymouth Superbird was the car that revolutionized the NASCAR circuit as we know it. Richard Petty made a name for himself in the Superbird, and it was one of the most iconic muscle cars (via Auto Evolution).

1970 Plymouth Superbird — Photo Credit: Hot Rod

Given the rarity of the car, you are going to spend a pretty penny to even sit in one. The Superbird is not your average muscle car by any stretch. The price of the Superbird is high and the performance is even better, although there is a lot to like about other aspects of the car as well.

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COPO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Yenko was a well-known Camaro outfitter during the muscle car era, and COPO was as well. The COPO Camaro was a bit different because it was a bare-bones racing model. The sleek black paint and the almost unnoticeable wheels were the most obvious differences (via Super Cars).

The real prize was found under the hood where the car shined thanks to increased performance and design. The COPO Camaro was and still is one of the most highly sought-after models. The unique styling and the one-of-a-kind performance left a mark on the Camaro for generations to come.

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Pontiac Catalina 421 “Swiss Cheese”

Pontiac had a lot of well-known cars during the Muscle car era, and the Swiss Cheese was well-known. The Catalina was not your average muscle car, but the 421 V8 under the hood made it unstoppable. Likewise, the comfortable interior made it the perfect car for a summertime cruise (via Barrett Jackson).

The Catalina wasn’t the most common muscle car offering on the road, but there are a few of them around. The great styling and the one-of-a-kind performance were a lot better than most people expected. Packing a group of friends into the Catalina and hitting the road was a fun time.

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Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6

You can’t mention the Chevelle and not think of the muscle car era. The SS 454 LS6 was a very rare and high-performance model that was sold as an option. When you were ordering the Chevelle you had the option to order all of the features to create the SS 454 (via Motor Trend).

With all the right options, this car was a beast that blew all kinds of records on the track. It had something for just about everyone to offer and it did it right. There are a lot of rare Chevelle models from the muscle car era and this is one of the most notable ones to hit the road.

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Muscle Cars That Will Leaving You Begging For A Summer Joyride

Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Ford Mustang Boss 351

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Second Generation

Plymouth Barracuda 440

Plymouth Duster 340

Chevrolet El Camino SS

AMC AMX

Buick Riviera GS

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

1969 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi

Buick GSX

Yenko Camaro 427

Chevrolet Corvette L88

Shelby GT 500

Plymouth Superbird Hemi

COPO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Pontiac Catalina 421 “Swiss Cheese”

Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6

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