What's the cheapest muscle car to buy and maintain?

[Jesda]

I'd love to fix up a Dart/Duster but I hear Mopars have hard to find parts and body integrity issues.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY6e_EZnZtE[/youtube]

Preferably, I'd like something from the 60s or 70s, pre-malaise, though I'm sure some of that smog stuff could be removed.

I don't want anything too alpha-male (or expensive) that says "small pen1s" either. The nice thing about the Duster is that it's a compact car with a V8 with an underdog personality. There's a handful of clean slant-six examples out there:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/2911217909.html
Could always swap the motor later while putting time and money into appearance and maintenance.

Another clean one with a 360:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/ctd/2850070032.html



I've never been big on Fords but Mustangs seem plentiful and fairly affordable, like this 1965 for $13k:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/ctd/2910603521.html


Opinions?

[bigbadberry3]

Older mustangs just don't have that muscle appeal unless it's a boss or something different than the base. Think bigger like the duster

[alms24sebring]

Plymouths were cool but I agree about parts and how expensive and difficult they could be.

Personally I would get a 67-69 Camaro. Its a common make and model and a good looking muscle car. I dont like Mustangs either but I like the 69 and 70 Mustangs, really the only ones I like. Good luck finding anything for a good price without 50% rust.

[MinisterofDOOM]

My favorite musclecars:

1966 or '67 Impala SS. It's hard to choose a favorite between the years. '66 is ultra-clean and sharp, but '67 is more muscular and aggressively angled.

Get it with a 396 or a 427 and you're set. Two of the best sounding engines in history, particularly the latter.
Proof here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9xpksUeR64[/youtube]

1968 Galaxie XL (XL was known as the 500 XL in earlier model years, which is the distant origin of the short-lived modern FiveHundred name)

Get the 390 or the 428. Both sound heavenly.


Then there's the Chevelle, which was pure sex from its birth in 1964 until the last non-emissions-strangled year in 1970. After that it got a little fat, a little short on power, and increasingly ugly unless you got a Laguna package to fix that horrible front end. My favorite Chevelle years are 1969, with its body-sculpted tail lights, and 1966, with very similar looks to the '66 Impala: simple but sharp and clean.

I'm also fond of the Falcon, and the Nova.

Oh, and early Cougars. A nice alternative to a first-gen Mustang.

My dad had a green one (this color) when I was about 3 years old. I vividly remember sitting on his briefcase and pretending to drive it in the garage.

For some reason most Mopar stuff has never really tickled my funnybone like GM and Ford stuff did in that era. I like the Buttressed Charger and the Roadrunner, but I'd much rather have a Galaxie fastback or an Impala.

[bundy26]

1969 BARRACUDA , not that expensive to restore.

[Jesda]

Goodness. The Cougar is gorgeous.

[Bubba1]

I'd love to fix up a Dart/Duster but I hear Mopars have hard to find parts and body integrity issues.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY6e_EZnZtE[/youtube]

Preferably, I'd like something from the 60s or 70s, pre-malaise, though I'm sure some of that smog stuff could be removed.

I don't want anything too alpha-male (or expensive) that says "small pen1s" either. The nice thing about the Duster is that it's a compact car with a V8 with an underdog personality. There's a handful of clean slant-six examples out there:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/2911217909.html
Could always swap the motor later while putting time and money into appearance and maintenance.

Another clean one with a 360:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/ctd/2850070032.html



I've never been big on Fords but Mustangs seem plentiful and fairly affordable, like this 1965 for $13k:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/ctd/2910603521.html


Opinions?

I have a friend that restores them. He's a mopar guy so he has a garage full of them. As info, his fleet includesas a clean 6 cyl survivor Duster with factory air that he drives locally. He will not restore it or transplant a V8 into it. He said its not worth the cost to restore. You'll have trouble recouping your investment even if you're a mechanic doing the labor yourself.
The problem with those dusters/demons is they look cool, have cavernous trunks, and he demons can accelerate briskly/loudly, but at the end of the day, they are not good driving cars. From numb recirculating ball steering, weak drum brakes, unsupportive seats, and spongy suspensions, methinks you'll tire of them rather quickly, and not want to take them very far.

As far as what are the cheapest muscle cars? Probably the cars 1974 or later, the ones choked with emissions stuff and ugly bumpers. I know that's not what you want, but that's what's cheapest. most of the major model parts availability should not be an issue. Each model tends to have its stronger and less strong years. If you're talking mustangs, for example, and not interested in the much unloved Mustang II, the least pricey ones include the Fox body (dirt cheap now), or the 71-73 (the long sleek ones you see behind you in).

[frapjap]

A lot of the solid options have been pointed out. I had forgotten all about how cool the Impalla used to look. Man, thats a sexy car.
Heres some other cheap, easy to maintain options:

The late 60's early 70's Chevelle and Nova




I could honestly see you rockin' a 442 convertible:




Or an early 60's Fairlane convertible:

or from the same era- the much forgotten about Falcon:



For some reason I'd REALLY like to own an AMC Javelin one day. The looks are unique and dare I say, sexy?



Edit: forgot to mention, these look awesome. My dad used to have a '74 that I remember vividly. The front and rear fender lines are sweet, swooping stylish lines. It also had T-Tops, swivel bucket seats that were leather appointed, and 454 that sounded like God was angry at the world. The only cool car he ever owned. I think this is why I like automobiles. I even 'drove' it once because he was doing an oil change and I climbed into the drivers seat and moved the column shifter to neutral and backed it out of the driveway. He dove through the window and pushed the brakes in spectacular fashion.
I'd love to get one some day.



If you want to go cheaper (MUCH cheaper) you can pick up an 87-89 Monte Carlo SS with T Tops for some pretty short change. They sound beastly and look badass just crusin' the streets in style. Not enough of these around.



On rare occasion, you can also find a Buick Grand National for a fair price of what you'd pay for some of the older muscle cars. I see them up here for $4,000-6,000 fairly often. It'll need a little work at that price, but they're a piece of muscle history and will be collectible one day. They also come in T Tops

[hannibal]

I love 67-69 Camaros, particularly the 67-68. And I have a soft spot for most GM muscle cars. I used to craze the 80s Monte Carlo. Big wheels, loud stereo. Perfect cruiser!

[numbnuts240]

the most bad a** car on hydros

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJOZpn8Moh4[/youtube]

[krash]

Goodness. The Cougar is gorgeous.

Seriously.

On a side note:

[alms24sebring]

LOL! Its perfect!

+1 on Grand National

[OriginalWheelman]

This is pretty much my dream car. The only way to go for an old Mustang, IMO.

http://classiccars.com/listing/201312.html

But I think Jesda needs a Jensen Interceptor.

http://classiccars.com/listing/290149.html

[Bubba1]

Jenson Interceptors are very cool cars, but not so easy an clean affordable example these days..if you're looking to keep the cost down, may I suggest C4 Corvette? I know it's not 60's-70's, bit it's cheap muscle car performance plus it can actually handle and stop.

[Dattebayo]

lol

Ray's post was like watching him fap.

And as far as OEM equipment like brakes, bubba, there are plenty of conversion kits available for that stuff. I wouldn't keep the original stuff on anything like that. Hell, I even converted my S12 because of that old BS tech...

[Jesda]

Goodness. The Cougar is gorgeous.

Seriously.

On a side note:

I would never live in such a neighborhood!

[Bubba1]

lol

Ray's post was like watching him fap.

And as far as OEM equipment like brakes, bubba, there are plenty of conversion kits available for that stuff. I wouldn't keep the original stuff on anything like that. Hell, I even converted my S12 because of that old BS tech...

I'm aware of that but to modernize requires money, of which Jesda implied he didn't want to spend a lot.

[Dattebayo]

Well given that he was asking about cheaper 60's and 70's stuff, how many of those cars are gonna have original equipment anyway?

[flohtingPoint]

Skip the older cars if you are not wanting to spend money on maintenance, as you'll probably have to do a LOT of rust repair/prevention among other things. Save time/headaches by getting a 4th gen Fbody. No stress, all smiles with LS/LT1.

[Bubba1]

Well given that he was asking about cheaper 60's and 70's stuff, how many of those cars are gonna have original equipment anyway?

If you're talking what you see at those televised Mecum auctions that features lotsa restomods, quite a few. But in the real world, at the prices Jesda is willing to spend, most are likely not going to be upgraded.

[MellowZ32]

1967 Pontiac GTO. do it now!

[Jesda]

It looks like I can score a daily-driver 60s Mustang for 10 grand, at least based on what I see on eBay. Of course, that wouldn't be a muscle car. It would be a comfort cruiser.

[alms24sebring]

^^ My fav GTO of them all

[Bubba1]

It looks like I can score a daily-driver 60s Mustang for 10 grand, at least based on what I see on eBay. Of course, that wouldn't be a muscle car. It would be a comfort cruiser.

Which year? I have a good friend who owns a few 69's, one of which is a GT vert with a 390 ci 4bbl car and 4 speed. Fun cars, but I'm not sure you'd tolerate a 60's era mustang for long as a DD.

[Jesda]

It looks like I can score a daily-driver 60s Mustang for 10 grand, at least based on what I see on eBay. Of course, that wouldn't be a muscle car. It would be a comfort cruiser.

Which year? I have a good friend who owns a few 69's, one of which is a GT vert with a 390 ci 4bbl car and 4 speed. Fun cars, but I'm not sure you'd tolerate a 60's era mustang for long as a DD.

1964-1968

Were there any issues with comfort and seating? I'm a bit spoiled by the tall captain's chair in the Saab. It seems like lots of aging boomers take these on road trips and get 20-25mpg with the 289.

[frapjap]

Jesda, the seats are just that- seats.
In highschool I had a friend who had (still has) a 1965 GT. It was his first car and daily driver for many years before a valve let go and got mashed up in a cylinder on an engine he built. Anyway, I rode and drove that car a lot over the years.

By way of comfort and seating, it honestly isn't anything to write home about. The seats are firm, but not supportive, especially in the lower back. I attribute this to the "flatness" of the two planes, vertical and horizontal. The seat bottom is okay and long enough to rest your thighs, but the seat back just plain sucks. No bolstering, no lumbar, no head rest. most of them are vinyl or leather covered and you will find yourself sliding all over the surface. Women b**** about it a lot. Sitting in the Mustang is like sitting in one of the older style booths from the 90's at Denny's. This is consistent with many vehicles of the era, but don't ever expect to get comfortable unless you swap one out.

However, driving one is like being in a Miata- everything communicates with you very well; the steering wheel, shifter knob, gas pedal, brakes, rear axle and chassis are all very chatty.

None of this is meant to sway your opinion one way or other other about purchasing one, but you should try for a convertible.

[Bubba1]

Jesda, the seats are just that- seats.
In highschool I had a friend who had (still has) a 1965 GT. It was his first car and daily driver for many years before a valve let go and got mashed up in a cylinder on an engine he built. Anyway, I rode and drove that car a lot over the years.

By way of comfort and seating, it honestly isn't anything to write home about. The seats are firm, but not supportive, especially in the lower back. I attribute this to the "flatness" of the two planes, vertical and horizontal. The seat bottom is okay and long enough to rest your thighs, but the seat back just plain sucks. No bolstering, no lumbar, no head rest. most of them are vinyl or leather covered and you will find yourself sliding all over the surface. Women b**** about it a lot. Sitting in the Mustang is like sitting in one of the older style booths from the 90's at Denny's. This is consistent with many vehicles of the era, but don't ever expect to get comfortable unless you swap one out.

:

Comparing those mustang seats to an old Denny's booth seat is very funny...., and true!!

[Jesda]

Damn. Looks like I'd need one of these lumbar pads in red:


Maybe this is a rebellious phase I'll grow out of. The itch for an older car is driving me nuts at the moment.

I should hold out for a cheap Insight with a dead battery (with which I'd order a new unit). That would save me 3-5 grand a year, but that's thinking like a practical married man with kids, which I am not.


I do think this actually sounds cheaper and more practical than a used Porsche Boxster or Audi TT.

[danshaz82]

1967 Pontiac GTO. do it now!

na, do this

[MellowZ32]

the Judge is too flashy IMO and it's also a bit pricey