Does anything command attention and respect on the road like rare muscle cars? When you drive one, you are sure to get noticed. Some might be impressed, some might be in shock, and quite a few will be downright jealous. However, in every case, you are going to turn heads.
5 Rare Muscle Cars
Muscle cars might be a rare breed among all passenger vehicles, but that doesn’t make all muscle cars all that rare themselves. However, Hot Cars lists a handful that are harder to find than the rest:
- 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454 SS LS6: While this carmaker is possibly better known for the Nova, Corvette, and Camaro, they also made the Chevelle and powered it up big time. A robust 7.4-liter V8 joined a four-barrel Holley carburetor for 450 horsepower. Only 20 of them wound up being made.
- 1967-1970 Dodge Coronet R//T 426 Hemi Convertible: Approximately 30,000 of these were made, which might make you question its status as a rare muscle car. However, what makes it a rarity is how it’s a convertible. Featuring a 7.0-liter Hemi V8, this car will put some real wind in your hair. They rarely come up for sale, and you’ll have to spend a lot to buy one.
- 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 R-Code: Originally a full-size model that turned into a midsize sedan, this wound up being the inspiration for both Cobra and Torino models later. Only 57 of the specific Fairline 500 R-Code were made, but they were race-ready with 425 horsepower and a 7.0-liter Cobra V8.
- 1970-71 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible: Another rare muscle car sporting a 7.0-liter Hemi V8, this car has serious power. Only 21 of these ever saw full assembly, making them a very rare treasure indeed.
- 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 Super Snake: In the footsteps of the very successful Ford GT40, Carroll Shelby rolled out several more iconic vehicles. The GT500 was probably the coolest of them all. With a 7.0-liter V8, this car can hit 170 mph. The car was so intimidating that only two ever got made. One of them has been ruined beyond redemption. The other sold at a 2019 auction for $2.2 million.
Arizona Is a Good Place to Look
Anyone can own a muscle car, but many rare muscle cars happen to be owned by retirees. Baby Boomers were big into these kinds of vehicles throughout their lives, and many of them never got the chance to own the great ones until their golden years. States popular for retirement such as Arizona, wind up being good places to look. No matter where you live, you can use car shipping companies in Arizona and other retirement capitals to deliver a muscle car to you anywhere in the country.
How to Acquire Muscle Cars
Getting your hands on a muscle car is really just a four-step process:
- Decide Your Make and Model: Having a specific vehicle in mind makes it much easier to narrow down your shopping and hunting. You might not know what you want until you do comparisons, and that’s okay. It’s also good to have some flexibility in terms of being open to several choices.
- How You’re Going to use the Car: Are you looking for something to drive regularly? Or are you just looking for a show car?
- Set Your Budget: The rarer the muscle car, the more expensive it will be. What can you afford? How will you pay for it?
- Dealing With the Details: Have a mechanic look over any car you might buy. Insure it as soon as you can. Arrange for transportation to you. Take care of the tax, tags, title, and registration.
Flex Yourself
You don’t have to be packing a lot of physical muscle in order to own a muscle car, but you might need to flex your finances a bit to afford one. Keeping it running is another feat given the rarity of parts for some models. Still, it’s worth it in the long run. These cars tend to appreciate quite well in terms of value over time.