12 Classic American Muscle Cars Worth Every Penny

Any classic American muscle car is going to be something worth buying. Many of them can even be considered investments with appreciation a foregone conclusion. The astronomical growth of classic cars recently is as astounding as it is concerning. The upward trajectory of the rarest and most valuable cars puts upward pressure on the prices of lesser cars. This makes it harder for someone without significant means to get into classic car ownership. Whether owning a classic car is a good idea — it certainly is not rational — is a discussion for another day. The fact is that people love classic cars for many reasons and that American muscle cars are among the most popular.

The most desirable American muscle cars have always been the exclusive Mustangs, Challengers, etc. However, a 1967 Mustang GT350 can cost more than $300,000 and a Plymouth Hemi Cuda recently sold for an astonishing $4.8 million. With these prices, few people can buy them. Furthermore, each mile driven can devalue the car and a wreck would be a devastating loss. Since cars are built to be driven, buying one you can drive — every day if you so wish — is far better. For these reasons, it would be better to buy one without such extreme appreciation without being a dilapidated pile. For the daily American muscle car driver, these are worth every penny.

Buick has a well-earned reputation for building solid and comfortable cars for upscale buyers. They have always been slotted just below other luxury marques while offering attractive, yet often conservative styling for buyers who value a good ride and excellent comfort. Yet, when the company tinkered with its 3.8-liter V6 by adding a turbocharger to it long before turbos were commonplace, Buick created something altogether different.

With its dark and solid colors and lack of shiny chrome, the Buick Grand National arrived looking something more sinister than your average grandma car, something of a Buick staple. This car was ready to run the streets looking for cocky frat boys in Mustangs and show them was boss back in the '80s when it came out. The Grand National is powered by a sequential fuel-injected V6 aided by a Garrett turbocharger and intercooler, which boosts power output to a range of 235 to 275 horsepower, which is impressive by 1987 standards. It could run from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds, making its acceleration quicker than contemporary Corvettes and Ferraris.

The Grand National was a sensation in its day and has since become legendary. Prices are on the upswing, with some cars hitting auctions for close to $100,000, but others in excellent condition are still more reasonable. So, for about $50,000, you could get a sensible new Volvo wagon, or own a piece of muscle car history.

Back in the late '60s, every carmaker needed to have a high-performance car in its lineup to compete with the onslaught of muscle car competition at the time. Even staid and conservative Buick had to compete, and one of those cars was the GSX. Buick had its Skylark model on offer in the mid-'60s, and base models on the lot looked nothing like a car ready to tear down any drag strip. But when one received the Gran Sport treatment, all bets were off that it was meant to do anything but go head-to-head with Pontiac's GTO.

The Gran Sport option package culminated in the 1070 to 1972 GSX, a stand-alone model meant for performance. Buyers of this car received bold colors with GSX graphics, front and rear spoiler, bucket seats, hood tachometer, and high-performance engine and suspension. Powering the car was Buick's 455 V8 with up to 360 horsepower and a whopping 510 pound-foot of torque. The engine was fed air through functional dual hood scoops, sending cold outside air directly into the intake. Posi-traction on the rear end was standard along with sway bars and heavy-duty shocks. In short, the car looked aggressive and had the power to match.

While the GSX competed directly with the likes of the GTO, 'Cuda, Trans Am, and others, it has not seen the exponential increase in value of those models. Today it is not cheap, but given the choice of a new BMW M2 for around $60,000 and a perfectly restored GSX, it makes for a very difficult decision.

In 1970, if the AMC Gremlin was too small and you wanted to stick with the brand, the Hornet was the next step up, though it was still a compact car and rode on the same platform. The Hornet was always meant to be an economical compact for the masses. However, AMC proved it could be made with a bit more of a sting in the 1971 Hornet SC/360.

While the base engine for the Hornet was an inline-six, a 5.0-liter V8 was optional. However, neither of these engines was powerful enough to make this compact much of a muscle car. For that, AMC installed the engine that powered its Javelin and AMX muscle cars and created an interesting compact car with enormous potential. The AMC 360 shared nearly the same dimensions as its 304, making it an easy fit. The engine in the SC/360 produced 245 horsepower with a healthy 365 pound-foot of torque that paired with the small car to make it a little rocket. For even better performance, AMC offered its Go Package, which installed a two-barrel carburetor fed by a working ram-air hood scoop to up output to 285 horsepower. In this car of 3,200 pounds, that much power made it properly quick.

The SC/360 received mild styling modifications that could make it hard to spot among other Hornets. With only one year of production, only 784 were made, of which 304 received the Go Package. Despite this extreme rarity, prices are not completely unreasonable. Recent auctions have them selling, when they come up, for between $30,000 and $50,000, a relative bargain for being an original.

While Ford's Mustang is the perennial center of attention among American sports car enthusiasts, its Mercury Cougar cousin should always get another look. Specifically speaking of the first generation, which is built on the same platform, the Mercury Cougar from 1967 to 1973 is an upscale and more comfortable version of the pony car available with just as much punch. However, it is not just the same car with different adornments, the Mercury is slightly larger and its overall dimensions make it a completely different car.

Marketed as a luxury sports coupe, the Cougar offered buyers the brute force of Ford's powerful V8 engines with a more refined ride and nicer interior. Furthermore, the Cougar styling is unique and somewhat more elegant, and the first generation's defining feature is the disappearing headlights, a fan favorite. The initial Cougar was a successful model, possibly aided by the choice of engines, including four engines ranging from 289 to 429 cubic inches. The second generation saw that cat get a little larger, further expanding the idea of sports luxury, again offered with a range of powerful engines, though power declined as 1973 approached and EPA regulations sent horsepower ratings into freefall. In 1974, the Cougar became a twin of the much larger Thunderbird.

When buying a classic Cougar, it is possible to shell out a ton of cash on one of the special edition cars, such as an Eliminator 428 Super Cobra Jet. But as long as you have more modest tastes, you can pick up an extremely nice example for less than the price of a new Nissan Sentra, which is $21,745 and a lot less fun.

When discussing classic American muscle cars, the Mercury Comet probably does not come up all too often. That is unfortunate because it is an overlooked contender. With its roots in the failed Edsel brand, the Mercury Comet started as the first foray into the compact car segment for Mercury and ended up an intermediate with big power potential.

The first generation is a plucky little car with lots of rounded corners and accents that stem from the burgeoning space age design of the time. It originally only came with a six-cylinder engine, but Mercury eventually gave it a V8, then moved it to a bigger platform that would later allow for big block power. Beginning in 1966, Comets shared a platform with the Ford Fairlane, moving it into the intermediate segment. This allowed for several body styles, and, more importantly, big engines. The top Comet option package was the Cyclone GT, featuring a big 390 V8 that produced 335 horsepower.

Buying a Comet today brings a lot of choices and decisions. The early small cars look fantastic, but could hardly be called muscle cars due to the weak engines. However, one could also engine swap for a fun little cruiser. Later models are true American muscle with added amenities from being upscale versions of Ford, making them very desirable options. That said, a few of them get into a range near $100,000, but others offer classic car ownership for as little as $6,000. This makes it a good car for novice buyers and collectors alike.

As one of the last independent automakers, AMC was always creating unique products, usually making more from fewer resources than the competition. Though it had some limitations, it did not let that stop it from developing enough horsepower to keep up, especially during the muscle car heyday. Perhaps the best example of its horsepower efforts is the AMC AMX.

The AMX pony car differentiated itself from all of the competition by only allowing for two occupants. This gave it a short wheelbase and sporting credentials, but may have turned away a few buyers in the showroom. Nonetheless, it was a striking car that came with four V8 engine choices: 290, 343, 360, and 390. Peak horsepower came from the 390, which offered up to 315.

Even with good performance, great handling for the era, and attractive styling, AMC was unable to sell even 20,000 units, exponentially fewer than any of the competition. This model only lasted for three years, and the AMX name became an option package for the Javelin beginning in 1970. Thus, fewer AMX cars are available today. However, they have not appreciated as much as some contemporary muscle cars. Few sales of them on Bring a Trailer break the $40,000 mark, while many can be had for a bit more than a new Corolla.