first muscle car

[Buicks Rule]

In another thread, a game of who's on first may be starting concerning the first muscle car.

Here's my bid for first case of a manufacturer putting their largest, most powerful engine in their lightest chassis, then selling it at a price the average employed person could afford (my definition of a muscle car).

In 1936 Red Curtice had Buick stuff the largest Roadmaster/Limited engine into the lighter Buick Special bodies and created the Buick Century. So named as the first moderately priced car that could hit and hold 100 mph.

Maybe Earl, Fran or Nick will tell us more about this bid for the 'first muscle car.'

Merry Christmas and Happy 2005

[Dynaflash8]

At the time, Buick was joining Auburn in particular and some others perhaps, in producing a very fash high end speed car with their new CENTURY. However, in my opinion it was the 1941 Century which added the dual carburetors and ram air induction that was really the first true muscle car. There were no more Auburn's by then to compete for the honor, and nobody was even in competition for it. Yet, Curtice produced that innovative car. The 1941 Buick 320 cid engine produced 165 horsepower which was tops in the industry then and for some time to come.

[ex98thdrill]

What about those cars with the V-12's? Would that have been before or after this period?

[West Peterson]

If you don't lay down some perameters, you could go all the way back to the turn of the century to come up with the first muscle-car. I believe Buick introduced the first "mass-produced" muscle car, but will not ever believe for a minute that the first muscle car came out as late as 1936.

In 1930, Packard stuffed a modified Super Eight engine into one of their smallest chassis and built some 150 of the "Speedsters" for public consumption. It was Packard's first "production" 100mph car. But that production figure pales in comparison to Buick's 24,000 or so Centurys (1,600 in the first month).

West

[Guest Albert]

How about the 1909 Mercedes Benz, the Blitzen benz had one of the largest engines ever, 185mm bore and 200mm stroke, in inches thats 7.25 bore and almost 8 in stroke working out to 1,312 ci and over 200hp, reaching speeds of over 130mph

[Buicks Rule]

West, Albert,

I think West's comment about mass produced is a good one. To me part of being a muscle car is that it was priced so that it was affordable to the 'regular' working person. The comments that motivated me to start the thread were an off topic chat in another thread that seemed to center on which 1960's car was the first 'muscle' car.

While we might disagree on whether it was the 36 Century, the straight 8 Auburns, the 30 Packard or the 191? Hudson Super Six, we can probably all agree that 'first' puts us significantly before the 1960's.

It may be more realistic to consider that within any given narrow window in time there were HOT cars of that year/era that would qualify as muscle cars of their time period when compared with others of that same period but whose performance was eclipsed by later cars thanks to advances in technology and manufacturing.

It really is amazing how manufacturers tend to re-discover the idea of the muscle car about every 10 years or so. 36 Centurys, 49 Olds 88, 64 GTO, 84 Grand National, possibly 2005 Chrysler Hemi 300, etc....

[Steve Moskowitz]

Hey, I can settle the argument..'49 Oldsmobile! End of discussion!!! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> What, you expected me to say anything else? I was leaning towards the 1911 Olds Limited with the 703 cubic in engine. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest De Soto Frank]

How 'bout the mid-late '30s Grahams with their super-charged sixes & eights ?

I believe the eight was around a 264 cid straight-eight that whopped-out 140 HP @ 4,000 rpm

The blown sixes were a 199 cid that achieved 106 HP @ 4,000 rpm and a 217 cid that churned-out 116 HP @ 4,000 rpm...compare those numbers against other 1935 cars...

(Plymouth still had a 217 cid six as late as 1948 that was only wheezing-out some 90 horsepower...)

Not the biggest mills, not as sexy as the Auburn or Cord, but perhaps not as expensive either ?

Whaddya think?

[nearchoclatetown]

Is the Muscle Car display still a secret?

[Steve Moskowitz]

Advertised on the sign so I guess it is no secret! Go ahead and tell the masses! Gotta get some work done...

[nearchoclatetown]

I was wondering why it wasn't posted on their own site under coming events that the AACA museum is having a muscle car exhibit. I have heard that it's advertised on the radio. Anyone hear it?

[Rick Hoover]

Chocolate,

I've been hearing a lot about a place called "The Antique Auto Museum at Hershey" around here lately. It must be something new. Maybe that's where this muscle car exhibit is being held? I'm not sure where it is located though?

[Steve Moskowitz]

Ok, you two guys have two much time on your hands! Come on up to the AACA Museum located on Rte. 39 in Hershey, Pa. (ok, South Hanover) and see the new display of "early muscle cars". General Motors has loaned the Museum 4 cars which will be rotated on a quarterly basis (can't wait for the Corvette exhibit). After that, you two can come over and help me with my garage projects as penance! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Rick Hoover]

Can't remember when I last posted on here and when I do, you're on to me within minutes! More than happy to help with the projects, but will pass on the other.

[nearchoclatetown]

Steve, I heard rumors about such a display. I thought if they wanted anyone else to see it, they may have put it on their own site. Not everyone drives by to see the sign. And I have to pay for heat when I visit the garage in Middletown, but at least he has heat. No heat- No work!!