As a millennial, born with a “1” in my birth year, I’ve now lived long enough to have experienced the “when I was young” phenomenon. You know the one that was once reserved for boomers and Gen X who imparted unto us stories of buying muscle cars for what seemed like next to nothing. And tonight, I’ve become just like my old man as I tell my kiddos about seeing classic cars sitting in driveways and yards everywhere I would go. Or how I bought my first ‘70 Chevelle, practically rust-free, for $900 as a teenager. And I see in their eyes the same thing my father must have seen in mine: dreams and longing for a time that will never come back.
It’s true, I swooped up my first Chevelle for $900 bucks. It was solid, nearly rust-free, and a near-perfect SS clone. I loved her and dreamed of what she would be. Those memories inspire me to go out and find a Chevelle to build with my son, just like I had with my old man. Only these days are much different than the days that have come and gone with a heartbreaking pace. Not only are homes, groceries, and gas unaffordable, but apparently so is a solid project Chevelle. Let alone a 1969 Dodge Charger or 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. In fact, I often feel like a sadist while cruising Marketplace or the Classifieds because all it does is hurt me, but I can’t stop.
Which is why today I’m taking a stand and writing this blog. To say to the world, yeah, muscle cars are costing a premium, and the dreams that made these cars great by being affordable, badass, heart-pounding, adrenaline-inducing machines on a budget seem to be far away, but if you’re savvy enough, you can have a hellbound monster on four wheels well within your budget. So, to my equally desperate comrades, read on with me as we learn how we might conquer our quest for the once again affordable hot rod. Our search for the underdogs begins now!
1968-1972 Pontiac Lemans or Tempest
There’s an infamous vehicle, one so spectacular, so special, that it has earned the label of starting the entire muscle car hysteria, the Pontiac GTO. Gran Turismo Omologato, or in English, a high-performance machine meant to kick ass and look good doing it. Only, a GTO is rare today, very rare. And those of us who lust after them are left with sticker shock and wondering which body part we could sell on the black market to obtain one. Luckily for many of us who love the coke bottle body lines, Enduro bumper, and the same timeless looks that won the GTO “car of the year” in 1968, we can have a near-identical vehicle for a fraction of the price. Snag yourself a Pontiac Lemans or Tempest for a fraction of the cost and decide whether you want to swap the bitchin’ chrome bumper for the famous dent and crowbar-resistant bumper that made the ‘68 GTO famous, and you’ll be one happy camper. Beyond that, the A-body platform includes more than just the GTO. You’re running a near-identical suspension, frame, and drivetrain options as the Chevelle, Skylark, GTO, and Cutlass. Which means, for you, an almost limitless list of badass restomod parts to turn that tired old Pontiac into one hell of a ride!
1970 – 1972 Buick Skylark
Much like its sister A-body cousin, the GTO, Lemans and Tempest, the Buick Skylark has an astronomical amount of aftermarket parts to take this typical grocery getter and make it into a menacing monster with LS swaps, overdrive transmissions and incredible suspension upgrades. The Buick GS 455 was an absolute street beast, producing a concrete-dissolving amount of torque that made it infamous. A gentleman’s muscle car with enough style and speed to make any gearhead in a suit smile. With sharper lines than its Chevelle counterpart, the Skylark shares everything that makes the Chevelle great for much less than you’re going to fork out for the legendary bowtie.
1977 – 1981 Chevrolet Camaro
Picking up a first-gen Camaro in today’s world is only going to require two things: loads of money or loads of experience repairing rotted carcasses. And while the Holy Grail of first-gen demand commands a high price, the second gen isn’t far behind. 1970-1973 Camaros looked more like a Muscle Car-European sports car hybrid with far superior suspension geometry that makes these F-body cars absolute animals on and off the track. Yet, you can still add a Camaro to your stable if you look just a bit further, to the end of the second gens, which offer killer geometry and a style that makes you say “hell yes” every time you see a Z28 pull into the parking lot. Inspired by NASCAR, Chevy built them as a longer, sleeker car, with side vents, plenty of room for fat rubber and an LS, this car makes an optimal choice for a restomod.
1968 – 1970 Dodge Coronet
There is nothing like a menacing Mopar, with its long, sharp lines, sitting on aftermarket wheels and meaty tires, a Hellcat motor groaning under the hood, making my heart race. Roadrunners, Chargers, Challengers, and Cudas are well-known hitmen on the road, and that street cred has pushed their values to astronomical levels. Good luck finding one and better luck affording one. If you don’t have a second mortgage or a spare kidney, you might be a dreamer instead of a driver, that is, unless you know what to look for. The Dodge Coronet rocks the “B body” name because of its beastly nature. This thing looks fast sitting still, with the same geometry and fun engine bay space as its Mopar family, without the heart-stopping price tag.
1970 – 1974 Plymouth Duster
I might give this car the most underrated hot rod award if there ever was one. This A-body is a lightweight fighter ready to drop you with a heavyweight punch. When speed is the name of the game, less is more. And the Duster weighs far less than its cousins, the E and B-body, and it’s much lighter on the wallet for a Mopar than you’d assume. These cars have tough styling, with a fastback and short-deck designs that force you to give up your lunch money without asking. Most importantly, they have plenty of go-fast goodies to build a restomod that is the envy of all who gaze upon it. The Duster is a badass bargain that is guaranteed to set you apart from all others.
1967 – 1970 Mercury Cougar
Since Steve McQueen and then Nicolas Cage tore up the streets in their ‘67 and ‘68 Mustangs, people have lusted over Blue Oval thoroughbreds. And to be honest, you can still pick up a coupe at a bargain. But while the Mustang is tough and possibly the most well-known Pony Car in the world, its sister, the Cougar, shares all the best features plus some. The Mercury Cougar is by far a gentleman’s car, with more flare and hideaway headlights that will make any Ford fan envious. Sharing the same platform as its Pony pal, this car is an absolute bargain, with all the style and aftermarket parts the Mustang offers. Scoop up one of these, update the suspension and brakes, and drop in a howling Coyote to have one hell of a car. The Cougar is nothing to look past while you are looking good in the driver seat.
1973 – 1981 Chevrolet Corvette
Last but not least, it might not register as an official muscle car, but it is the dream car of millions of Americans for nearly 70 years. She’s not just another sports car; she is the sports car. The infamous Chevrolet Corvette and, specifically in this article, the Stingray. With large swooping fenders, a sharp waistline, and an unapologetic stance, the Corvette has dominated our American culture since its inception. Yet, there’s one era, with the rubber as opposed to chrome bumpers, that seems to be left out when we discuss value and desire. Which is wild given their performance capabilities when a bit of horsepower is added to the engine bay. Independent suspension and a cockpit built for racing that inspires you to drop it into first, rev that newly transplanted LS engine, and let American freedom ring out of your side pipes as you rip through the very affordable gears of your restomod Stingray Corvette.
Hot rodding has never been about having the rarest car. It’s never been about having the most money. The honest to god truth is that hot rodding was built on the idea that you could take what most people would see as just another vehicle and turn it into something that represented who you were and how you lived your life. The best band for your budget street bruiser is hot rodding at it’s finest.
That’s why at BuyTheCar.com, we know that it doesn’t matter what you start with; it only matters what you end with. Beginning here will land you in that future dream car that ends up being your dream come true. Good luck and happy hotrodding.
