Plymouth GTX Was Gentleman's Muscle Car

The Plymouth GTX is often referred to as the gentleman's muscle car all due to the fact that it possesses the sleekness and the suaveness of a true gentleman. Even though muscle cars were first thought to be rugged and brute, the GTX was more of the refined class. Maintaining the same platform to that of the Belvedere, the GTX sported a much slimmer body and a rounded one as compared with its initial release that appeared to be a little body and blunt on the edges.

This muscle car was introduced in 1967 and it was considered as a performance machine with a standard 440 cubic inch V8 engine, reliability and 375 horsepower. In 1969, the Plymouth GTX was restructured from all the renovations to the intermediate Belvedere line, exhaust trumpets, a performance cam, heavy duty battery, white or red reflective stripes, a tough underpinnings, huge valve and ports and durable Torqueflite transmission.

With the Plymouth GTX, this muscle car appeared in a 2-door convertible design as well as a 2-door hardtop class. This entire look had made many people turn their heads over the sleek details of the vehicle and even when they stopped producing these cars, they were still well thought of by consumers.

An unfortunate turn marked Plymouth's staying power in 1971 due to the government's heed for lower fuel emissions in cars. A lot of muscle cars suffered during this time and it was a big reason this once popular car met its fate. Production stopped and so did the sales. After a few more years, a new breed of sleek cars was developed by Chrysler but still, the image of the GTX was not forgotten.

The Gentleman's Car still lives in each and every one of the car models at Chrysler - from the hood scoops that were immortalized by the GTX to the kind of undulated sexiness that each sedan flaunted. True to its image, the Plymouth's version of the GTX will forever stay in the hearts of many.

Three Classic Models of the Muscle Car Era

Classy, fast, gas guzzlers, sleek - these are the best words to describe classic cars. They possess rarity, beauty and great engineering, which is what makes these cars so captivating. In addition, they are known for their history and for the memories they evoke.

Classic cars are those that were produced as late as the 70s. They were built with speed and eye-catching designs that made them so memorable to past generations and so appealing to today's generation. You can find a lot of these models and if you are in search for a classic car to purchase, here are just some of the top choices:

AMC Rebel

AMC Rebels were smaller compared to the big three producers of muscle cars in the 70s. They had introduced the SC Rambler that was patriotic colored in conjunction with Hurst in 1969 that was packed with 315bhp for fourteen-second quarter miles. AMC Rebel was considered as the most powerful stock car that was available in the late 1950s and it continued to make an impression through the 60s.

Dodge Charger

The line-up of the 1969 Dodge Charger introduced a wide variety of models including the more magnificent Special Edition 'SE', the base model, the 2 racing editions (the 500 and Daytona) and the R/T.

The Dodge Charger was manufactured by Chrysler and since its launch, it has captured the hearts of many, especially younger males. It featured 461 horsepower and had a V8 engine, which promised a top speed performance. Although a V6 engine was made for the Dodge Charger, it was never quite as popular as the more powerful engine..

Ford Torino

The Ford motor company produced the Ford Torino from 1968 to 1976. It was described as the newest bright idea from Ford and was actually made to replace the famous Fairlane model. Ford Torino featured an all new blend of power, beauty and style. Although the Fairlane name was still used by Ford up to 1971, Ford Torino was the name used on most of the body styles and was made with all new appeal and looks for the new generation of car enthusiasts.

The Plymouth RoadRunner

With the sudden emergence of the muscle cars in the market between the 1960s and the 1970s, car manufacturers produced muscle cars to help attract the market. The Plymouth Road Runner targeted the younger audience in putting a big engine in a cheap car to attract the demographic who could not afford the features presented in most cars during that day.

It was developed by the Plymouth division of Chrysler. The name originated from the cartoon character, Road Runner, which the company paid Warner Brothers $50,000 to use the name and likeness of that character for their own muscle car. Chrysler also paid $10,000 to develop the "beep beep" horn. Plymouth then began to develop a back to basics muscle car. Everything that was only related to the performance and handling was improved. The interior only had a basic bench seat. Only a few options were available such as power steering, front disc brakes, AM radio air conditioning and automatic transmission. This certainly was a muscle car packed with maximum excitement at a minimum price!

The very first engine put in the Road Runner was a 383 cid v8. A $714 option was also available for a 426 Hemi engine. The 68 model could blaze through ¼ mile of a track at 13.5 seconds. Which was quite a fast time for a low priced car. The Plymouth Road Runner was one of the best platforms to utilize one of the best engines at that time. The model was expected to only sell 2,000 units but by 1968, sales grew to 45,000. The only muscle cars outselling this model at that time were the Pontiac GTO and Chevy's SS-396 Chevelle.

Due to the success of the Plymouth Road Runner in 1968, Plymouth widened the consumer's choices. A convertible was added and also bucket seats were added as additional options. The decals were also now in color. 440 cid V8s engine was also available that provide Hemi-like acceleration for almost half the price. More than 82,000 copies were snatched by the consumers during this time. The Plymouth Road Runner was further improved and continued to be available in the market until its discontinuation in 1980