Classic cars and vintage muscle can often be viewed through a set of rose-colored glasses for gears. The idea of owning a fantastic storied machine and the everyday reality of owning such a vehicle can often be worlds apart. In the minds of many gearheads, having a shiny piece of Americana parked in the driveway will be a soulful and rewarding experience. Although the truth may actually be the reliance on recovery trucks, unknown oil leaks and constant expensive maintenance. It’s a fact that some muscle cars are ready to bankrupt their owners.
However, tales of woe don’t have to be the result of self-indulgence, as there are several reliable classic cars that can be bought on a budget. Gearheads just need to realize that while maintaining some vintage muscle isn’t always easy, so is the way these cars drive. Which, in general, is not great. Old brakes, old steering and old suspension connected to excessive power may look fun, but on modern roads, it can be terrifying. So for those adventurous gears, determined to get your hands on something shiny and classic, here are 10 vintage muscle cars to avoid at all costs.
10 The 1962 Dodge Dart is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
Noted for its wild design at launch, the 1962 Dodge Darts are a strange sight. This is a muscle car whose looks haven’t aged well, and it’s head-scratching from every angle. There’s no street cred to buy and drive a 1962 Dodge Dart, so back off slowly.
By muscle car standards, the 1962 Dodge Dart was full of power The massive range of V8 engines could deliver up to 420bhp, which is a monumental amount of go. But the 1962 Dart wasn’t designed to handle that amount of grunt and behaved like a bronco.
9 The 1964 Studebaker Avanti is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
Some devoted gearheads like the way it looks, while most think it’s ridiculous. On the face of it, the 1964 Studebaker Avanti is a strange beast lacking in muscle. He squints and looks like a cute cartoon frog shaped like a car, and frogs aren’t meant to be tough muscle cars.
Quite advanced for its time, the 1964 Studebaker Avanti was a flagship model that boasted impressive technology but lacked muscle car prowess. With just 240bhp at the disposal of its 4.7-litre V8 engine, the Studebaker Avanti limped to 60mph in a rather embarrassing 8.8 seconds.
8 The 1969 Dodge Charger is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
Exaggerated by the media, the 1969 Dodge Charger has become an iconic legend. The star of countless TV shows and movies, it’s a car that has taken on an otherworldly demeanor. It is now a famous hero car that can apparently do impressive and unthinkable tasks.
Off the screen, most 1969 Dodge Chargers are indeed fast in a straight line, but when it comes to cornering and stopping things get messy. Driven with any gusto, an original 1969 Dodge Charger will leave fans underwhelmed, bitterly disappointed, and sold quite short.
7 The 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
The 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado isn’t a bad looking car, but it is huge. Similar in length to a 2023 Cadillac Escalade, it’s a coupe that takes up a lot of real estate. Inside, the Olds Toronado is covered in acres of supple leather, and everything still reeks of quality and luxury.
Having 385bhp under the hood meant the Oldsmobile Toronado could drag ass, and drum brakes ensured sweaty palms were standard. Unleash the power and prepare to pray that there is at least a mile of empty road ahead when you apply the anchors.
6 The 1970 Camino 454 SS is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
It must have seemed reasonable at the time, to stick the biggest engine offered in the most popular pick-ups. But what Chevy failed to work into the equation was that being rear-wheel drive, when empty, there was little to push full power to the asphalt.
So the 1970 El Camino 454 SS is a monster 7.4 liter V8 360 hp work truck that has no traction. Load the rear bed and it works fine, but then, who wants to go racing with a load of gravel on board? A flawed concept, the EL Camino 454 SS is a frustrating car to drive.
5 The 1970 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
Held in high esteem and so sought after by collectors, most forget that the 1970 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda was truly awful to drive. Blazingly fast in a straight line, it could shoot to 60mph in 5.2 seconds, but its handling was terrible and it got upset easily.
The 1970 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda makes a lot of money today and is a very rare dream car for many. What the die-hard fans who buy them don’t admit is that the car’s build quality was shockingly poor. Just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s good.
4 The 1974 Pontiac Ventura GTO is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
The Pontiac GTO badge usually comes attached to some of the models offered by the now-defunct manufacturer. Legendary machines like the infamous 1966 Pontiac GTO or the now highly sought after 1970 GTO Judge. What tarnished the name, however, was the 1974 Ventura.
A compact muscle car, the 1974 Pontiac Ventura GTO arrived at a time when muscle cars lacked power. A throttled 5.7-litre V8 put out 200bhp, ensuring it was no fun. The 0-60 mph sprint took 9.9 seconds, making this GTO a stinkin’ muscle car.
3 The 1974 Ford Gran Torino is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
Once again, it’s the TV’s fault. After appearing on the hit cop show Starsky and Hutch, the 1974 Ford Gran Torino was elevated to cult superstar car status. Devoted fans rushed to buy a Ford Torino, while others simply splashed a big white stripe on their own rides.
With the 5.8-liter V8 installed, a 1974 Ford Gran Torino mustered an uninspiring 168 hp. Getting to 60 mph took more than 12 seconds. On the road, lethargic performance, horrible handling and a choppy ride marked it as a car that was not suited to chasing bad guys.
2 The 1978 Ford Mustang King Cobra II is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
While there are many underrated cars from the 1970s, the 1978 Ford Mustang King Cobra II was not one of them. Powered by a 5.0-liter V8, the Mustang King Cobra II developed a paltry 139 hp. Gliding at 100 mph in 40 seconds, it was a snake with no real bite.
The Ford Mustang King Cobra II is a standout offering from Ford that is chilling to look at. It’s a car we wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot stick and has little to offer a muscle car fan. There are much better cars from this period that are better to drive.
1 The 1982 Chevy Camaro Iron Duke is a muscle car to avoid at all costs
If the Iron Duke had the power to back up its butch name, it would have been a half-decent car. But since this Chevrolet Camaro had a 90-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, there was very little to get excited about. The performance was underwhelming to say the least.
Getting the Iron Duke to 60 mph took about 20 seconds, which meant a small child on a tricycle could accelerate it. Which was a shame, as in the metal it was a beautiful car with a stunning interior. Muscle car fans should avoid the Iron Duke at all costs.
