American muscle cars: it's the American way

American Thinker ^ | 4 Jul, 2025 | Mike McDaniel

[MtnClimber]

It’s the Fourth of July, that most American holiday! Today we celebrate our independence; it’s our true “no Kings” day. There will be parades, barbeque, Americans pleased to be Americans, because being born in America means winning life’s lottery.

Among our uniquely American traditions is the American muscle car, a wide, low, two-door sports coupe propelled by increasingly powerful V8 engines. The Mustang, Camaro, Challenger and Charger typified them. Original models were unsophisticated by modern standards, designed for straight line acceleration, but as technology advanced, so did they, and handling dramatically improved.

Today, only the Mustang and Charger yet exist as newly manufactured vehicles. Ford has continued to build internal combustion engine--ICE--Mustangs which gather no dust on dealer’s lots. Dodge, however, has not been so canny.

Graphic: Dodge Challenger in more lucrative days. X post screenshot.

In August of 2024 I wrote Dodge emasculates muscle cars. In 2022, Dodge announced it would discontinue ICE Challengers and Chargers beginning in 2024. They’d be replaced with EVs featuring “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust” and “eRupt Multispeed Transmissions.” Considering EVs have no transmissions, nor do they produce exhaust (unused electrons?), what could those terms possibly mean?

Recognizing muscle car owners buy them for the sound and feel of powerful V8s, Dodge installed high-watt stereos that simulated the sounds of V8s. They combined that faux-authentic muscle car experience with software that would momentarily interrupt electric motor power transmission to simulate the feel of a transmission shifting gears. Potential muscle car buyers weren’t impressed.

Dodge started the deliveries of the new-generation Charger in the first quarter of 2025. However, things don't go well for EVs that broke American the muscle car tradition. The firm sold more Challengers and former-generation Chargers than the new Charger Daytonas. Dodge's total sales declined by 49%.

[MtnClimber]

An EV with fake V8 sound? Must have been one of their DEI transgender employees that came up with that bright idea.

[38special]

More and more old muscle cars are showing up on the market as baby boomers die off. Seems the younger generations don’t care much for them.

[Bob434]

it’s essentially a female car pretendign to be male

[Libloather]

Had a 1976 with a white vinyl top. 351 Windsor, I believe. Sexiest thing on four wheels. Not technically muscle. Got it. Close enough.

[grobdriver]

I seem to recall Harley motorcycles tried this ploy with their EV bikes.

Hilarious!

[hal ogen]

How about the newest Corvette...C8 ZR1...1064 HP...0-60 under 2 seconds?

[LastDayz]

Bah.... the 72 2dr Fastback with a 351CJ is one sweet ride.

[SaveFerris]

By 1976 was probably the 351M - Modified Cleveland

There was a 400M derivative if memory serves

1971 351 Cleveland had higher compression

My 1972 Mach 1 had a 351C 2 bbl but lower compression like 8:4-1

Converted it to a 4bbl with an Offenhauser aluminum intake Holley 780 vacuum secpmdaroes

The 351 Cleveland made it into the 1973 Mustangs and Cougars low-compression like my Mach 1

Those were great days - Bob Glidden was killing it in those days in his class

[Alberta's Child]

I live in the shadow of the Appalachians. I never owned a muscle car but I think it’s awesome to see so many of them stored under car covers in the rural area around me. And I do get chills when I hear the roar of a V8 in the distance when one of them is making its way through the mountain gap up the road in the gathering darkness.

[MtnClimber]

Yes, the ZR1 is a beast. I think I would rather have the C8 Z06. With the mid engine and rear wheel drive there is enough weight over the rear tires to handle 670hp. I have a car that is front engine and rear wheel drive with 668hp and it has much more power than the rear tires can handle. If you punch the gas at 60 mph it will break the rear tires loose.

[Made In The USA]

I think the movie, ‘The Fast and Furious’ was the sign things had changed. More so than the lifeless crap produced during the gas crunch. They fell for lighter cars with a turbo, cars that could handle corners, and regrettably some foreign brands that were more reliable. Kids realized these cars are cheap, Dad has a garage full of tools, and you can bolt on power and suspension easily.

[Z28.310]

Mine...

‘69 camaro ss
383ci @ 430hp
650 holley on top of edelbrock performer
Electrified with MSD
Aluminum ported polished heads with full roller cam & rockers.
Forged crank & pistons
Holley serpentine
Hydraulic brakes
5-speed tremec
373 posi
Flowmaster stainless dual exhaust with crossover
Vintage a.c.
200w stereo
Wilwood disc on all four corners
Fresh azure turquoise on black deluxe interior
Full Dakota digital retro-look guages
Restored to perfect.

Fun!
...especially sitting at the red light at idle, next to an oversized golf-cart driving karen, who tries to inch forward & away from the lumpy idle with her RBF.

[Z28.310]

Does not included;
*backup camera...gotta turn around and look (putting your hand behind the passenger headrest helps)
*key fob...gotta use the keys
*gps tracking...thank you!
*electric mirrors...gonna have to roll down the windows and stick your hand out to adjust.
*electric windows...crank it baby
*five way electric seats...there’s a knob and ya scoot yer butt forward or back
*auto dimming mirror...use the little lever right there.
*ABS...drive defensively
*Rain sensing wipers...there’s a knob for that too.

Cool factor IS included though

[Carry_Okie]

To me, a ‘71 Challenger with a 340 Six Pack and A-833 four-speed was the most awesome muscle car ever made, if only because of its handling capability.

[Alas Babylon!]

My 1967 Pontiac LeMans. I paid $125 for it in 1976.

[equaviator]

My bucket list muscle car

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Mustang is the last man standing.dodge had some foreigner running the show and canned the challenger and charger and went electric.that was a piss poor decision as was the so called ev mustang.

[circlecity]

“ To me, a ‘71 Challenger with a 340 Six Pack and A-833 four-speed was the most awesome muscle car ever made, if only because of its handling capability.”

My favorite muscle car of all time.

[LS]

I had a 350 SS Camaro with 4:56 gears, four speed, headers, bored out block, Erson cam, double 680 Holleys. Got it to 14.1.

I’m terrible at posting pics, but I was street racing, and for once, let my friend (a better driver than me) drive against a 440 six pac cuda and they crashed at 112. Both cars rolled, flipped, one went down a hill and into a brick wall.

Both drivers, wearing only seat belts, walked away without a scratch.

Then I took the insurance $ and bought a 450 HP 454 Chevelle!