Muscle Cars Making A Comeback?

By Kim Oxford

With the inception of the fifth generation Ford Mustang the muscle car industry came back into vogue. Will it stick around? For years the muscle car has been symbolic of bad boys and street racing which lends them a romantic perception that is hard to deny.

Ford Mustang 2005 showed us a newly redesigned body style reminiscent of the popular 1960's models, thus we gazed upon the first all new Mustang in 26 years. Believe it or not there was a point where Ford considered ending the proud Mustang reign by castrating the stud and reintroducing it as a fuel efficient 4 cylinder pony. Mustang enthusiasts banded together to let Ford know what a mistake that would be and prevailed in keeping the Mustang studly.

Even the interior of the Mustang has a retro feel, with chrome accents and a steering wheel that looks suspiciously like it doesn't contain the safety of an airbag, although it does. The back seat boosts more headroom than ever before allowing you to put passengers back there without earning enemies. Bottom line, the Ford Mustang has always been a sex symbol in it's own right, the 5th generation keeps all its sex appeal and ads some cool into the mix as well.

Dodge Charger It's claim to fame being the 1969 model used on the Dukes of Hazzard as The General Lee, the Dodge Charger is the quintessential muscle car. In 2006 Dodge reinvented the model name with a strikingly retro looking car themselves. The newest Charger is only available in a four door sedan model which may slow some muscle car enthusiasts down. Many of the fans of the two door charger were disappointed to find that the Charger was not introduced as Dodge's answer to Ford's Mustang.

However the law enforcement seems to disagree, and when Dodge introduced their police version of the Charger in 2006 they found their customer base. From right coast to left Chargers are catching up to speeders and pulling them over on the highways. This alone says good things about the speed and agility of this snub nosed sedan. Dodge promises to come up with other options to race with the Ford pony.

Pontiac GTO The GTO has long been loved for its speed and sheer muscle appearance. Until the more recent models turned it into a family sedan type of car. It's most recent re-launch was in 2003, prior to the well received, 60's inspired design phase. It's redevelopment has met with unenthusiastic reviews, mainly due to aesthetics. Many fans feel that the boring body style is not fitting of a vehicle with such a rich history and that it's performance is the only jazzy part of the vehicle.

So poorly received was the newest GTO that production ground to a halt, the American market was simply not impressed and with the muscle car becoming a popular item recently Ford and Dodge managed to earn the market. This does not mean that the Pontiac GTO is dead, in fact rumor has it that in 2009 we may see a fully redesigned GTO, hopefully extending the life of the muscle car craze.

Frankly it's delightful that the youth directed muscle car culture has made its way into fashion again. Engines are being made more fuel efficient, allowing drivers to feel better about pressing (or stomping) on their gas pedals. Drivers on your mark.

Authors Info

Kim Oxford Kim is a Creative writer for Cash4UsedCars.com and loves to write about cars.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Oxford

A Muscle Car Enthusiast Community; Domestic Power

By Nick Steiner

Domestic Power is a community site for muscle car enthusiasts that allows like minded people to get together and talk about just about anything, admire each others cars, learn new things, and just have a good time. Domestic Power includes extensive information on the definition of the muscle car, the origins, the politics of the muscle car, muscle cars outside of the U.S., the modern muscle car, American classified muscle cars, Australian classified muscle cars, and detailed model information.

Members gain access to the message board and chat room and can submit photos to the online photo album to show case their car to everyone. Domestic Power is a free site and was built with the sole purpose of getting muscle car enthusiasts together. It doesn't matter if you don't know anything about them or if you know everything about them you just have to love them to belong here. Future plans for the site include; Muscle Of The Month, where one member will be selected from applicants and their Muscle Car will be spotlighted that month, a video page, members will be able to submit videos to the site as long as they are relevant to the site, merchandise will also come up for sale on the site with exclusive items such as hat's, shirts, stickers, etc., etc., etc., and last but not least members will be able to submit a classified ad for the sale of their car or a wanted ad for parts or a project car. I hope you stop by and give it a good look.

http://www.domesticpower.net Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Steiner

Green machine

by: Jason Tarasi

Power, speed and performance – those are the three major traits of a muscle car. When first produced, muscle cars were just pretty darn amazing because they combined the efficiency of a lightweight, mid-sized body with the performance of a high-power V8 engine and special design features that further increased the cars’ acceleration capabilities. Because muscle cars topped all other vehicles in terms of power, speed and performance, they were ideal for racing.

Muscle cars were produced from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s, but the production of such beasts fell drastically due to a number of factors. First was the controversy over whether it was wise and responsible to make such powerful vehicles available to the general public, primarily due to road racing. Because muscle cars were often used irresponsibly, liability relating to them was pretty high which forced insurance companies to increase rates for insuring muscle cars. Emission control requirements intended to curb pollution also played into the picture making it near impossible for automakers to produce muscle cars that met the standards they had to adhere to.

Needless to say, the muscle car industry changed quickly due to these influences. Demand decreased because many “would-be” buyers of muscle cars couldn’t fathom paying the enormous insurance rates for a high-power vehicle and automakers had to meet the challenges presented by pollution control standards.

Since muscle cars were produced for a limited number of years, they are valuable items for collectors and are still highly desirable to those who enjoy racing or desire a quick, powerful, mid-sized car. Since the decline in the production of muscle cars, some automakers have attempted to bring the muscle car era back to life by producing powerful vehicles that resemble the legendary muscle cars, but in my opinion, they don’t hold a candle to classic muscle cars like the GTO, the Road Runner or the Chevelle SS.

It will be interesting to see how the history of muscle cars plays out. Will present day automakers renew production of true muscle cars that are fast and powerful? Will there be enough demand to make muscle car production worth it to them? Or, will muscle cars continue to be limited to those classic models that were produced in the 60s and 70s?

Classic muscle cars are pretty amazing pieces of machinery. One that is restored and in cherry condition is really worth a lot of money. As time goes on, there are fewer muscle cars available which makes them even more valuable to classic car collectors and muscle car enthusiasts.

About The Author

Jason Tarasi is a muscle car enthusiast who runs the Muscle Car Monster Website, where members can buy and sell muscle cars for free through the site's online classifieds. http://www.musclecarmonster.com.

Look like a great project car.

2006 Dodge Viper: Endangering the Competition

By Joe Ratzkin

Entering the automobile world in 1992, the Dodge Viper has had undergone many changes as well as many obstacles. This year, 2006, the Dodge Viper is already on its third generation of vehicles. This time around, the vehicle is introduced as an all-new coupe.

Dan Knott, the director of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) for the Chrysler Group states, “Demand for a Dodge Viper Coupe started the day we introduced the Dodge Viper SRT10 Convertible for 2003. The all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe is a natural evolution of the heritage of the Dodge Viper, and gives enthusiasts exactly that they’re looking for in the ultimate American sports car.” He also adds, “Dodge Viper SRT10 customers want to go beyond the level of the regular enthusiast, to the level of outrageous performance. Our all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe gives our customers that performance in a stunning new package.”

The most obvious change for this new vehicle is that it now holds the aerodynamic “double bubble” roof. This roof holds a unique shape that provides a smooth airflow over the vehicle as well as assists in accommodating a large amount of space inside. Other new things for this new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe include the door glass, the rear quarter panels, the integrated rear spoiler, and the wraparound tail lights. It is very much similar to the original Dodge Viper GTS coupe’s look but this new one owns up to a more contemporary flair. Also added in are a set of unique alloy wheels which measures 18 inches for the front end and some 19 inches on the back.

The 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe holds an 8.3 liter all-aluminum motor that works with ten cylinders. This engine has the power to produce some 500 horsepower and around 525 pound feet of torque. To help it all up is a six speed manual transmission.

Backing up Knott’s statement regarding this new vehicle, Trevor Creed, Chrysler Group’s senior vice president for design exclaims, “It was important for us to sustain the emotion in the design. We wanted the 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe design to include a nod to the original Viper GTS coupe, but in a contemporary way. The Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe owner is often a racer, and the car has to scream that, even when it’s idling at the stoplight. The bottom line is that the new Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe’s design says a lot about its unique character, and the car’s performance is the payoff.”

Car Parts Rush
Dodge parts

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Joe Ratzkin is an avid fan of anything automotive. This 34-year old bachelor wanted to be a mechanic when he was a kid but changed his mind and became a freelance writer and researcher instead. He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Ratzkin

Modern Muscle. Viper

Muscle Car Restoration 101
by: Jason Tarasi

Restoring muscle cars is a hobby for some and a profession for others. There’s just something about the classic high-performance cars that collectors, racers and general car enthusiasts find fascinating. If you are a hobbyist who is interested in restoring a muscle car, you will probably benefit from a few restoration tips. The restoration of muscle cars begins with shopping for a muscle car that can be restored. Prior to buying a car for the purpose of restoring it you need to make sure that the parts needed for the restoration are available and you can get your hands on them, and that you can afford to complete the project once you start it.

Before going shopping for a muscle car to restore, decide what your purpose is for restoring a car. Do you just want a great muscle car to drive? Will you be racing? Are you restoring the car so you can participate and compete in classic car shows? Do you intend to sell the totally restored muscle car for a profit?

Once you’ve determined the purpose behind your muscle car restoration you’ll have a better idea about what type of muscle car you want to get. Before you go shopping, read up on different muscle cars and learn all about their performance, their value and so forth to make sure that the car you choose is appropriate for you intentions. To make sure that you don’t get ripped off in a muscle car transaction, find out what the muscle cars you are looking for are worth “as is” and what they are worth once they are restored. Having this information at your fingertips will help you to determine whether or not you are really getting a “great deal” when you begin to negotiate to buy a muscle car.

Before you buy one, make sure that the parts needed to restore your muscle car are available and affordable. Set your budget and your timeline for restoring the car so you know how much you can afford to spend for the muscle car itself and for the parts and other expenses that will be incurred in the process of the restoration. Following these simple suggestions at the beginning of your muscle car restoration project will prevent you from starting a project you can’t finish and will ensure that your muscle car restoration project is enjoyable and that you meet your goals for muscle car restoration, whatever those goals may be.

About The Author

Jason Tarasi is a muscle car enthusiast who runs the Muscle Car Monster Website, where members can buy and sell muscle cars for free through the site's online classifieds. http://www.musclecarmonster.com/.

Photographed in Toronto's Liberty Village, 2006.

Photographed near Queen street, 2006.

Photographer in Toronto's Kensington Market, 2006.

Musle Cars

1971 DODGE CHARGER
Transmission: Manual
Interior: White Exterior: Yellow
Engine: 8 - Cylinder.
383 Magnum, four speed