FReeper Canteen ~ The 20 Rarest Muscle Cars ~ Feb 26, 2007

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[StarCMC]

 

 

The 20 Rarest Muscle Cars

Among muscle cars, there always were a few that, for whatever reason were a little more rare than others. This list shows the rarest factory built production muscle cars. These are cars that ANY buyer could walk into ANY dealer and conceivably order. One off cars for company executives, dealer modified cars (Yenkos, Baldwin-Motion, etc.) and purpose built race cars (427 Cobras) are not included. Cars are ranked by total built by year, model, body style, and engine. Transmission breakouts are also shown, if known. Further breakdowns (by color, options, accessory) are either impossible to get or impractical. Note that by their nature, Hemi Convertibles are widely represented on this list. Convertibles represented everything that the typical muscle car buyer didn't want - a higher price, more weight, and generally lower top speed. Add to that the high performance (and high price tag) for the Hemi engine, and it is no surprise that Hemi Convertibles are the most rare of all muscle cars. In fact, throughout the Hemi era (1966-1971), Chrysler built 8,420,000 cars, yet only 179 of them (1 out of every 47,000) were Hemi convertibles. Truly, as a group, these were the most rare of the rare.

 

RAREST MUSCLECARS
#	YEAR/MODEL	BODY STYLE	ENGINE	TOTAL	MT	AUTO
1	1967 Dodge Coronet R/T	Convertible	426 Hemi	2	1	1
1	1970 Dodge Coronet R/T	Convertible	426 Hemi	2	?	?
3	1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1 427	2D Coupe	ZL-1 427 V8	3	?	?
3	1970 Plymouth Road Runner	Convertible	426 Hemi	3	1	2
5	1970 Dodge Super Bee	2D Pillared Coupe	426 Hemi	4	4	0
6	1966 Dodge Coronet 400	Convertible	426 Hemi	6	?	?
7	1971 Plymouth 'Cuda Hemi Covertible	Convertible	426 Hemi	7	5	2
8	1969 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am	Convertible	400 RA IV	8	4	4
9	1968 Dodge Coronet	Convertible	426 Hemi	9	1	8
10	1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 Hemi Convertible	Convertible	426 Hemi	9	5	4
11	1966 Plymouth Belvedere II	Convertible	426 Hemi	10	4	6
11	1969 Dodge Coronet	Convertible	426 Hemi	10	4	6
11	1969 Plymouth Road Runner	Convertible	426 Hemi	10	4	6
14	1969 Plymouth GTX	Convertible	426 Hemi	11	5	6
15	1970 Dodge Coronet	2D Hardtop	426 Hemi	13	4	9
16	1970 Plymouth 'Cuda	Convertible	426 Hemi	14	6	8
17	1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX	Convertible	426 Hemi	17	7	10
17	1971 Pontiac GTO Judge	Convertible	455	17	?	?
19	1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88	Coupe & Convertible	427 L88 V8	20	?	?
19	1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6	Convertible	454 LS6 V8	20	?	?

 This list from MuscleCars.com

Remember folks, the reason we are here in the FReeper Canteen is to honor our heroes - the members of the United States Military and their families - and to show appreciation for what they do for us every day.  Please remember to say thank you to them today!  As usual, check your politics at the door and let's have a good time!

 

[GrandEagle]

Ping to #418. Accidentally sent to Beachn'

[GrandEagle]

One has to have their priorities straight.
LOL!! So true... Unfortunately the guy who's name appears on the bottom line of my Paycheck doesn't share my priority!

[Tamar1973]

LOL!! So true... Unfortunately the guy who's name appears on the bottom line of my Paycheck doesn't share my priority!

Well, I'm off to earn my paycheck, too. : ) Glad to see you're in good spirits.

[MosesKnows]

The 20 Rarest Muscle Cars

There is good reason for them to be rare; many of them are pitiful examples of a muscle car. As an example, the 1971 GTO was but a mere shadow of the 1964 and 1965 GTO it had replaced. I can well imagine the 1971 was rare, the GTO era had passed.

[HiJinx]

Awwww...that's real purty, Valerie.
You didn't really have to explain the name change, it's obvious after the first picture!

It's good to see you, hope life is treating you well.

[GrandEagle]

Personally I think 69 was the peak of the muscle car era.
Beginning in '71 some smog issues began, '72 was worse, and it all ended in '75.
Nearly anything from around '55 to '69 had serious potential.
My in my '62 Chrysler you never floored it unless you were racing. If you needed to pass you just cracked about 2/3 throttle, it downshifted, and before you knew it you were doing 100.

Just an opinion...

[Sensei Ern]

How the mighty have fallen! A majority of those cars are Mopar, yet the Mopar name was sold to Dr. Z because they stopped making cars worth buying, especially with decent trannys.

That 67 Vette...love those rail pipes.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

It was a production car... few built or sold...

The Buick Special was very similiar...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

You know what a Bristol is... you should know what this is...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

'64 Pontiac Banshee...

[devolve]

FERRARI TESTA ROSSA
modified Corvette engine conversion 196O
street driven by an architect in south Florida



often seen at lunchtime on the Federal Highway
not exactly considered to be a subtle sleeper



the engine was from a modified Corvette
that was wrecked in a race in Nassau

[devolve]

Not a big fan of Jensen styling

They did good bodywork but their own designs were awkward looking cars

I looked Jensen-Healey for about 10 seconds that was for sale once - Not worth restoring or converting and the worst rustbucket I've ever seen

--

The AC Bristol convesion was after a friend went thru three expensive rebuilds by a former Indy mechanic after welding up and lineboring the Bristol after the bearings spun.

The Chevy engine swap was done in a shop that mostly repaired cars, trucks, tractors, and built some custom swamp buggies and a 3 speed PU truck transmission was used with a floor shift.

The only thing that seemed to need occasional attention was the bearing and seal in the stock AC differential.

Acceleration was blinding as was wheelspin and rumor had it that it set a land speed record from Miami to Pompano one hot summer night on the Sunshine State Parkway.

Chevys were swapped into TR3s, Austin-Healeys, a Triumph Mayflower (Crane cam and headwork), a Lister-Jaguar that raced at Daytona.

An modified Olds aluminum V8 was swapped into a rear-engined Lotus long before Chapman ever got his Ford V8 sorted out.

[luvie]

Maybe the school computer thought that she was threatening to bring mines to the school. Terrorist and all....yeah...she is soooooo dangerous!

Very cynical tagline, Tann. :D

[luvie]

Missed ya this morning!

Here is a delayed ((((hug))))

....and a "hi"!

[luvie]

You guys play waaaaaaaaay too early in the morning! :D

But, howdy anyway!

[StarCMC]

Oh yeah!! Great song, great car!!

[luvie]

(((((Valerie)))))...by any name! I am soooo glad to see you!

We've missed you!

How are things in Austin?

[Tanniker Smith]

Very cynical tagline, Tann. :D

LOL! I was watching Abbott and Costello over the weekend, in particular, "A Night in the Tropics", which was based on a story called "Love Insurance". A&C are actually just supporting characters in their first movie.

By the way, here's a great "Abbot and Costello" bit, sort of . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-7-F0rpZkc

[luvie]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....

That made my hair hurt! LOL! It is a funny bit coming out of the Star Wars characters' mouths. Yoda and....whats-it's-name.

Good to see you!

[luvie]

Hi, Star! You never get to do much more than drive-by posts any more huh? We miss your company! ((((hugs))))