- Nothing gets our dipsticks wet, like a classic muscle car
problem is, a lot of those classic muscle cars
are impossible to find at a reasonable price.
But I got some good news for you #greazynucklers
This is a list of 10 classic muscle cars
that you can still find for less than $10,000.
We've got some cars that you would expect
and some cars that you might not.
This is D-list.
Big thanks to Dr. Squatch for sponsoring this episode.
There was a time not too long ago when I was,
but a wee lad caught in the body of an internet car guy,
longing to spread my manly Eagle's wings and fly.
Just when I thought I'd never emerge
from my cocoon of childishness.
A creature of mythical proportions,
shared the secrets of becoming a real man.
He said to be a man is simple.
You need a few things, one to own an axe.
You need your own meat thermometer.
You have to have a favorite salad.
And finally,
you got to get rid of the box of hotel soaps
you have on your sinks and use some good soap.
I said, "Hey, how do you know what's under my sink?"
He said, "James, I know everything."
And I said, "Do you know how to play saxophone?"
And he said, "But of course."
(classic music)
Wow,
solid.
So soulful.
(gentle music)
- So now that I've ascended to the next level of manliness,
a quick word of advice from Papa James.
The soap you are using is probably not very good
and not made of things that you want on or in your body.
Head over to dr.squatch.com and use code donut,
to get 20% off site-wide on purchases, $20 or more,
and click the link below to check out
Dr. Squatch's best-selling bundle.
Chevy Nova
Everyone loves the 3rd gen Chevy Nova.
It's one of the muscle cars.
But, something, a lot of people don't know,
is the 4th gen Chevy Nova is.
(James mimics )
And I'm gonna go so far as to say,
that it is a classic.
So here's the thing, by the mid seventies,
these 4th gen Novas would have to comply with
all of these new environmental standards
from the freaking government.
And slap in a bunch of emission stuff
on the cars and reducing the horsepower,
which ultimately reduced stoke levels to an all time low.
I mean, 4th gen Novas had like 170 horse powers, okay.
Your medieval times has more horses into than that.
But to be fair,
medieval times does have more horses than most restaurants.
But even though they might not have had the killer engines
of the previous gens, it's still a Nova.
And I think it looks freaking cool.
It's a little kind of like a little square boy
in a good way.
It's like a SpongeBob.
I've actually looked at these quite a bit.
I think they're are real great value.
I think they look like a muscle car
and let's be honest, guys,
if you are building a muscle car,
you're probably gonna swap the guts out anyway,
maybe a 396 or 454, heck, you can buy an LS, crate motor
at Walmart.
And I know that this car doesn't have the same reputation
as that sweet early seventies, 3rd gen, but guys,
I'm calling it, 4th gen Nova slaps
and all you'll need to get started.
Is about 4,000 bones
Ford Galaxie.
The Galaxie was the name given to a bunch
of full-sized forwards from 1959 to 1974.
The name Galaxie, was supposed to cash in all the excitement
of the space rates to inspire a generation of gear heads
and stargazers alike to take humanity to the edge
of a new frontier, by going real fast in style.
The Galaxie was Ford's answer to the Chevy Impala
and this rivalry would kick off a race between Chevy
and the rest of America's top car makers.
But this race wouldn't be for space, but for pace,
one of the most popular Galaxie lines,
the 500 XL boasted,
a 425 horse power V8 with a top speed of 135 miles per hour.
It went from 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds nice,
And did the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds,
at 96 miles per hour, cein 96 is 69 backwards.
Now, you'd think that people will be scooping
these things up like freaking ice creams
from Baskin-Rabbins,
but, people slept on them.
And because of that,
you can still find a bunch of Galaxies
for less than 10 grand.
And I'm not talking about your uncle's
trashy project car either.
You can find these suckers in pretty mint condition.
Like, this one, it's sold for right under $10,000.
And this guy is cherry.
Cherry.
Dodge Polara.
The Polara was Dodge's answer, to the Ford Galaxie
and just like the Galaxie, the name Polara was all about
making people think about space.
It makes me think about my 8th grade crush, Polara.
The one that got away when she moved to space.
But names aside, it's what was under the hood
that made the Polara a good car.
The 1969, Polara had a hefty V8 engine
that held the Chrysler test track record
for the highest top speed,
for a factory built Sedan until 1994.
The first players were meant to bring out
your inner Don Draper.
They were big bodied, luxury, 50's
throwbacks complete with big old Chrome front bumper
and Jetsons taillights.
Dodge tried to slim the body down early on,
but Dodge fans, they weren't having.
The Polara Polar Reverse Gucci man
and traded away muscle and agility for size and luxury.
And it never quite shook that rep,
which is why I think so many enthusiasts leave it off
of their classic car muscled lists.
But plenty of Polaras are still around in great condition
with a bunch of engine options, like this one,
super clean 65 with a 383 V8.
One of the best V8s Chrysler made at the time.
Plymouth Duster.
The Plymouth Duster is one of the coolest cars
named after a jacket.
And it was the smaller sportier version
of the Plymouth Valiant.
The Duster was marketed to compete with other teeny weeny
tiny cars at the time like the Chevrolet Vega.
But don't be fooled by its small size and logo
that kinda looks like the Tasmanian devil
doing a Doritos ad, but Duster offered a 340 cubic inch v8,
capable of 275 horse power,
which is pretty big for its size.
The Duster became so popular that Dodge,
like an annoying little brother,
wanted a Duster of its own,
and mama Chrysler obliged and gave Dodge
its very own Duster.
And in what was probably the biggest, good idea,
bro moment in car history,
Dodge decided to call their version of the Duster,
Demon,
instead of the first name that they thought of the Beaver.
That is not a joke.
That is, they were gonna call this car the Beaver.
Dust yourselves, held strong.
So the Demon name would become less of a staple
and more of a name Dodge could pull out
whenever they had a new limited bad-ass version
of something that they wanted to push.
And if you don't have 80 to a 100 grand to throw in
on a new Demon,
while you can have your own piece of Plymouth muscle
that started all like this super clean 73 with a V8,
no leaks dings or rust for less than $9,000.
Chevy Monte Carlo.
When Chevy introduced the Monte Carlo in 1970,
obviously had big plans for it.
Some might say that naming a NASCAR Chevy
after a formula one race is like naming your son Ronaldo,
but he ends up growing up to be like a LASO guy
or something.
Early eighties, NASCAR was dominated
by the fewer Thunderbird.
Around the track, he was nicknamed the Aerobird
because nothing came close to how aerobic the T-bird was.
That is until Chevy said, "Here, hold my LASO
and he came back with the redesigned Monte Carlo
Dale Earnhardt Jr's dad,
Dale Earnhardt drove one of these, and he won a ton.
This is the car that helped the Intimidator
become the Intimidator.
Now, of course, the consumer version of the money,
Carlo SS had an emissions choked 305 with 180 horsepower.
But to me, this boxy 4rth gen body
is the embodiment of 80's muscle.
I mean, look at this bad boy.
Slap some Iroc wheels on their, cow hood,
right there rear end bit fits some fat meats onto that butt
boom,
sexy looking car.
And this one, is in really perfect shape.
And it's only $10,000 and it looks sick
and it's not even clapped out or nothing.
You can smell this car through this ad.
And I know that this car might not be traditionally
considered a classic muscle car,
but what's classic today is completely different than
what was classic 10 to 20 years ago.
And what's classic,
(tense music)
10 to 20 years from now.
Well you gotta be smart, have some vision.
Chevy El Camino
The El Camino, the most infamous American,
you just so happens to be based
on the Chevrolet Chevelle platform IE,
one of the most expensive muscle cars around these days.
The super popular Chevelle body style was the perfect
foundation for the El Camino to be built on.
The sharp edges and sleek silhouette
gave it the look of a top of the line muscle car,
with the utility of a very small pickup truck.
Just in case you'd love burnouts.
But when I pick up a fruit tree, every once in a while.
What I'm saying guys is that you can get the same engine
options as the Chevelle.
And for some reason,
maybe because it's sort of weird looking or something.
This car is heavily slept on IE cheaper.
And it's also heavily slept in because you can fit
a queen size air mattress in the trunk
and you can get a queen sized motor up front.
I'm talking a 454 V8 making 450 horsepowers.
El Camino was not here to play games
unless the games is ripping faces.
And on top of that, the El Camino combines raw power
with that utility that we all creme for.
And Chevy continued to make the El Camino year
after year after year refining
and tweaking all the way into the 80's.
I like them all.
And you can find them all for, pretty cheap.
3rd Gen Camaro
For the next car on this list,
we're taking a field trip to CamaroLand,
get in line kids hold each other's hands.
This is a place where mountain Dew Code Red
flows like water.
There's a sunglass hut on every corner
and they're giving away free Oakleys.
Sonic drive driving actually exists.
I mean, sure we've all seen the commercials,
but has anyone ever been to one?
Has anyone ever really ordered tater tots
or slushie and a chicken sandwich with toast for buns
from the same place before?
No way, man Sonic does not exist.
Follow the money, follow the money.
And the two decades before they went fully Nieve Showman,
I'm talking to Cat Fish.
Chevy was turning out some of the baddest ass
and meanest looking cars to ever hit CamaroLand.
But unlike the rounder first and second chance,
the 3rd Gen was sharp, boxy and edgy, just like my knife.
Some people don't like this look, haters are gonna hate.
But if you asked me the 3rd gen Camaro is as classic
as an 80's muscle car gets, molder sold separately.
Part of the reason you can find 3rd gens for so cheap is
because they had smaller engines early on,
due to emissions regulations.
These 3rd gens were the first Camaros to be built with.
(tense music)
4 cylinder engines.
(tense music)
But with each model year,
Chevy pumped in a little bit more muscle.
And by the late 80's with performance options,
like the Z28 and the Iroc Z,
the 3rd gens offered a 350 cubic inch V8
capable of 330 horse powers.
Not bad.
And of course, the 350 cars never came with a manual,
which we learned a couple of weeks back,
but that doesn't stop them from being certifiably
bad to the bone marrow.
Look to some, if it ain't in classic pony,
looking charger or Trans Am and it ain't classic,
but 3rd gen Camaro is a solid piece of 80's muscle
that you can find without selling a kidney.
And it looks like a car that you would drive to buy
someone's kidney.
Mercedes E55 AMG
Now you might be saying,
"James, what the heck you put German car just listed
and the muscle boys on the list.
Heck no brother."
Well, I got news for you.
Succboi.
Muscle cars don't have to be from America.
Look at fucking Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He's got more muscles than anybody and he's Australian.
And even though this muscle car was made this century,
I guarantee it's classic.
Now, if you kindly let me explain.
When Mercedes introduced the AMG E55 in 2003,
it turned a lot of hits.
At the time, the fastest Benz on the road,
we're putting out 350, 400 horsepower tops.
But somehow the stars aligned and Mercedes released this,
a Sedan that came loaded with a 5.4 liter supercharged V8
making 469 nice screaming German ponies
and 516 pound fleet of Twix.
Does that put enough muscle on your pretzel pal?
The E55 had a 0 to 60 time of 4.5 seconds making it
the quickest Sedan in the world as the time.
Mercedes step, the horsepower game all the way up
at that time when car makers,
weren't really focusing on big old engines and speed.
This car changed all of that.
You know how you can find a bunch of cars now,
with like 800 horsepower.
You can thank the E55 for that.
And shockingly, you can find a super solid one like this one
for right around 10 grand.
Dodge Magnum R/T
Speaking of cars from this century,
I got another curve ball for you.
The Dodge Magnum R/T.
Sure.
It gets a lot of hate for looking the way that it does,
but gosh, dang it.
It's still a Dodge and I will always, with Dodge.
Even if it is your uncles station wagon,
the Magnum ain't your daddy's station, wagon.
When R/T version too butted in 2005.
It came with a 340 horse power, 5.7 liter Hemi V8.
Have one of the most iconic Dodge car muscles of all time.
- What do you got in out there?
- I got amp, guitar, surfboard, ladder and 12 2 by 4.
This big booty wagon was surprisingly responsive
for its 4,295 pound curb weight.
I mean, it's an American fast wagon.
So why is this car a classic you can ask.
Well Dodge in the early 2000's,
wasn't known for horse power the way
that they are today, right?
They didn't have the Hellcat, they didn't have the Demon.
They didn't even have the scat pack.
The Magnum is a classic because
it's an important stepping stone in Dodge's history.
A stepping stone towards the high horsepower Sedans
that they become known for
and based their entire brand around today.
The Magnum delivered a powerful Heny V8 in a car that
didn't lack any utility or practicality.
So next time you see a Dodge demon,
sheet the Magnum, a text and say,
"Hey, thanks for being you."
And you can get one for like $6,000 right now.
Ford Mustang.
Now it's only fitting that the number one muscle car
on this list is one of the most iconic cars ever.
And I know a lot of you are going to say,
"James, this isn't a muscle car."
but I'm gonna say, "Pony cars muscle car."
I'm not gonna get into that fight with you.
(James laughs)
The Mustang is a car that car people
and non-car people think is a cool car.
You know people like don't like Mustangs or Camaro owners.
Think about a car that you like.
It's probably a response to the Mustang, Supra, Camaro,RX7.
None of these cars would exist if it weren't for the Stang.
James Bond had one.
Steve McQueen had one.
That kid from Tokyo drift had one.
I Am Legend Will Smith, Nicholas Cage, John Wick
so many Stangs.
It's a freaking icon.
So, you may be surprised to know that you can still find the
most iconic first-generation for super cheap.
And this is because they made a ton of them.
And with every new revision came a slew of new
interchangeable parts so that staying fans could build the
Ford of their dreams.
That means not only can you still find first gen Mustangs
for under $10,000,
you can still find a bunch of different parts for them.
You can buy parts for this car at freaking AutoZone.
You can own a bad ass muscle car without breaking the bank.
You may have to step outside of the box a little bit,
take a stab at something you might not
think of as a classic right away.
Find a big name on an off year,
but it's possible.
If you stumbled across any cool classic muscle cars
that were surprisingly affordable.
Let me know down in the comments,
the coolest comment, and we'll get pinned baby.
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Learn more about affordable, fast cars.
Check out this episode of wheelhouse.
I love you.
(upbeat music)