Nothin’ revs up a cruise like Muscle Cars FrontPage pays tribute to an American legacy
Let me start by saying this: “This piece is going to be about as anti-‘green’ as you can get.” No disrespect to the whole “Go Green" movement but even with all of the concerns over the cost of gas and the environment (all legit, I’d like to note), there’s still a deep passion for Muscle Cars. And it’s all rooted right here in the Motor City.
Mention American Muscle Cars anywhere in the world and the first place that’ll likely come to mind is Detroit. No other spot on the planet has had the legacy of the “D” when it comes to Muscle Cars.
Chances are you’ve been seeing a lot of them rollin’ around Detroit revving up for the Woodward Dream Cruise, which officially takes place on Aug. 16.
Muscle Cars have always been a favorite of the cruise, which has become one of the world's most recognized official tributes to the automobile.
"The Muscle Car was born in Detroit so it's always going to be a part of this city," said Michael Zavislak of the Motor City Marauders, a Detroit-based group of Mercury Marauder owners. "Whether they are part of the Woodward Dream Cruise or any of the other car events, it's just more of a tradition that has not really died. It's part of the culture in Detroit."
Rex Roy, a Detroit-based author and car enthusiast, says Muscle Cars represent a sense of pride for Detroiters. “Detroit feels a sense of pride in creating things that are now such icons,” Roy says. “When somebody sees a ‘67 Chevelle go by they say, ‘That’s from the town I’m from.’”
Even a lot of women have developed a deep appreciation for American Muscle.
The Chicks With Classics car club boasts a membership of 40 or so female Muscle Car fanatics many of whom likely will be flexin’ their high-powered wheels on Woodward Avenue for Saturday's Dream Cruise. So exactly what constitutes a Muscle Car? Well, a lot of it depends on whom you ask. But there are some basics that everyone pretty much agrees on, such as horsepower, speed, performance and design. Oh yeah, and “American.” You’d be hard pressed to find anybody who would disagree with that element.
The history of Muscle Cars can be traced back to the sixties with rides like the 64 ½ Mustang GT, and big block cars, named for the size of their engine and power, such as the 426 Hemi Cuda, the Boss 429 Mustang, the Shelby 427 Cobra or the 440 Roadrunner. Some of the other Muscle Cars of the sixties include the 351 Mustang Mach 1, 302 Z28 Camaro, Corvettes, Boss 302 Mustang, 340 Duster, to mention a few.
Perhaps no car has had as much influence on Muscle Cars than the Mustang. The “Pony” cars of the mid to late ‘60s had a huge influence on creation of the Muscle Car era.
Ford released a more streamlined Mustang in 1969 with an improved 302 motor. Soon after, Chevy brought out the Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird, Chrysler produced the Barracuda/Cuda and Plymouth released the Duster. The period also saw the birth of Trans American Racing (Trans Am), which solidified its place in pop culture as the ride of choice for actor Burt Reynolds in the 1977 flick “Smokey and the Bandit.”
Some of the more modern-day Muscle Cars in recent years have included rides like the reincarnation of the Marauder, the current Mustang designed as a "throwback" to the sixties, and the reincarnation of the Dodge Challenger.
One of today’s pinnacles for American Muscle is the 2009 Corvette ZRI which, with an acceleration from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph, makes it one of the fastest production ‘Vettes ever built.
The first ZR1 built on the assembly line went to a collector for $1 million, which speaks to an appeal for American Muscle that goes well beyond the boundaries of Woodward Avenue. Zavislak's group, Motor City Marauders, has grown from roughly 35 members –20 in Detroit – in 2004, to about 2,100 national members from areas as far away as California, Nevada and Florida.
"Everybody still recognizes Detroit as the heart and soul of the automobile," says Zavislak. "There is a lot of history here so when you have a Detroit club like ours that wants to go national it works because Detroit gets a lot or respect when it comes to muscle cars."
Brian Scotto, editor of the national automobile magazine O – 60, says Detroit is still the cornerstone of American Muscle even with a lot more foreign automakers vying for a spot in the game.
"We may have hit the apex of the new horsepower wars, with everyone from Mercedes to Nissan to Chevy in the fight, but when it comes to building power, no one does it like the Americans," Scotto says. "They do it with brute force."
Even with gas hovering around four dollars a gallon Muscle Cars still have a diehard fan base.
"You have the hard-core muscle guys who really don't care how much gas cost," Zavislak says. "You might drive a little less or park more when doing the cruise, but you are still going to have your Muscle Car."
Scotto probably puts it best.
“While people may become reluctant to fill the tanks of their SUVs as gas prices continue to rise, there will always be that guy willing to pay the price for good ol’ American Muscle,” he says. “A 400-horsepower, fire-breathing hunk of metal might not be practical, but it sure is fun."
We agree.
Comments
Comment #1
(Posted by Shamontiel) Rating
Considering I am all about "going green," but at the same time, I will stop quickly to admire a muscle car (don't take me to a car show; I'll stay from beginning until the end), this article caught my interest. I completed an interview recently on hybrid cars, and even the car salesman said as good as the idea was, he's a drag race driver and prefers performance vehicles. I'd rather save the environment than drive fast, but that still doesn't make me turn my head any slower when I see a handsome muscle ride.
Side question: Why is the text centered? It's a little weird to read like this.
