7 Obscure Old American Muscle Cars

• Steven Symes

• February 3, 2016

There’s nothing quite like old American muscle. The beautiful simplicity in styling, raw power and rumbling exhausts simply cannot be recreated today, as much as automakers are trying these days. Sure, modern muscle cars are fun and all, but they’re just different.

If you’re like a lot of people, you’re a big fan of old American muscle cars. While pretty much everyone knows about the Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Charger, ‘Cuda, etc. there were plenty of other muscle cars you might not have ever heard about. See how many of the following are new to you.

But if you want something a little more mainstream, and recent, here’s a list of some of the best muscle cars of the 80s.

1. DeTomaso Pantera

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Okay, so this is an Italian car, and yet this list is about American muscle cars, but let me explain the rationale here. Wedged behind the seats is a fire breathing Ford 351 Cleveland V-8, so it has a heart of pure American muscle. That midengine layout also helps the Pantera handle like a champion, which is really something since so many other options on this list weren’t exactly tight handling machines.

Back in the 1970s the Pantera was a hot car in more ways than one. Quite a few celebrities owned them, but some design flaws meant they had the propensity to overheat, a lot. The early models really weren’t rust proofed, so owners had to battle that problem. Oh, and the safety cage was pretty much nonexistent, making crashing one not recommended. But just firing up that V-8 engine was enough to put smiles on a lot of faces.

Even a lot of people who’ve heard of the Pantera have no idea that production ran all the way until 1991, 20 years after the first one rolled off the production line. Just over 7,000 units were made, which is why the car is pretty rare.

2. Studebaker Golden Hawk

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Even though Studebaker was circling the drain as a brand, it gave drivers one last great vehicle with the Golden Hawk. The model was a little early on the muscle car scene, but it was billed as a more comfortable performance option than the Corvette and Thunderbird.
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Crammed under the hood was a 352 cubic inch V-8 engine, which belted out 275 horsepower. That doesn’t sound like much today, but it was impressive back in 1956. Enthusiasts took to the Golden Hawk back in its day, but with the march of time it’s been largely forgotten today.

3. Mercury Cougar Eliminator

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Kids these days probably don’t even know the name Mercury, let alone the Cougar. Even a fair number of adults likely remember the pathetic Cougars before the line was finally put out of its misery. The thing is that back in the day the Eliminator was actually a great American muscle car.
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Made in 1969 and 1970, the Mercury Cougar Eliminator was a great sleeper. Essentially, the car was a longer and dressed up Mustang, with leather upholstery, a wood-trimmed steering wheel and other creature comforts. The suspension was better than on the Mustang, making it better for driving on twisty country roads.

Mercury offered the Eliminator with two different engines. One was the 302 V-8, and the other was the earth-shattering 428 Cobra Jet V-8. The latter boasted 335 horsepower and 440 lb.-ft. of torque, making the car a real monster. Mercury offered several performance accessories, including dual quads, 4.30:1 gears, headers, quadruple Weber carburetors and an oil cooler.

4. Buick GSX

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Instead of a stripped-down muscle car, Buick got in on the craze in 1970 with the GSX. It was a pretty plush ride, which fooled many people about what the vehicle was all about. In fact, the Buick quickly earned the nickname “Velvet Hammer.”
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At the heart of the GSX was a 455 cubic inch V-8. It thundered out 360 horsepower and an almost unbelievable 510 lb.-ft. of torque. The exhaust note along was bone-rattling, and plenty of drivers were scared to really push the car. Adding to the GSX’s legend are claims that Buick seriously underrated the potency of the engine’s horsepower.

By 1972 the shift in the automotive industry brought about the end of the Buick GSX.

5. Chrysler 300 Hurst

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Even though many think that the Chrysler 300 was the original American muscle car, many have forgotten about this model. In 1970 Chrysler came out with the ultra-long coupe, which stretched on for 18.5 feet.
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Stuffed under the fiberglass hood (with a non-functional scoop) was a 440 cubic inch V-8 engine that cranked out 375 horsepower. Even though the Chrysler 300 H was big, it could dash from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.1 seconds, surprising quite a few people.

Unfortunately, only 500 of these cars were made. A miscommunication between Hurst and Chrysler doomed the project, making it an American muscle car few realize ever existed.

6. Shelby S.P. 360

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Plenty of people know all about Shelby’s muscle car exploits, because they’ve become legendary. Although, one car has slipped through the cracks and out of the awareness of many enthusiasts: the S.P. 360. While this vehicle wasn’t from the heyday of American muscle, it’s worth including.
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Shelby took a Dodge Durango, kept the stock engine, and threw in a Kenne Bell 2,200 Blowzilla, which provided 13 psi of boost. Not stopping there, Shelby also applied a Ram Air induction kit, Kenne Bell Extractor dual exhaust headers that were equal in length, and an Optimizer ECU. All that pushed the V-8 to 360 horsepower, instead of the stock 250 horses.

7. Stutz Blackhawk

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The final obscure American muscle car is a rare gem from Stutz, a nameplate that was resurrected in 1969. Many were shocked when they actually drove the car, because the Blackhawk looked regal and nothing like muscle cars of the time. Among the unique exterior features were side exhaust pipes, freestanding headlights, a spare tire embedded in the trunk lid and a swooping beltline.

Despite its more luxurious feel, at the heart of the vehicle was a Pontiac 455 V-8, giving the Blackhawk a real wicked streak. It pushed out 320 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, which made for some explosive acceleration.

If you’re lucky enough to see a Stutz Blackhawk today, they’re quite the thing of beauty and raw power.