- 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 ax.
You need your own meat thermometer.
You have to have a favorite salad,
and finally, you gotta get
rid of the box of hotel soaps
you have under 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."
(soulful saxophone music)
Wow.
Solid.
So soulful.
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 drsquatch.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.
- [Computerized Voice] Chevy Nova.
- Everyone loves the third gen Chevy Nova.
It's one of the muscle cars,
but something a lot of people don't know
is the fourth gen Chevy Nova
is not...it's pretty good.
It's not, you know, it's not that bad.
And I'm gonna go so far as
to say that it is a classic.
So here's the thing:
by the mid '70s, these fourth gen Novas
would have to comply
with all of these new
environmental standards
from the frickin' 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, fourth gen Novas
had like 170 HRSPRS, okay?
Medieval Times has more horses 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 freakin' 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 a 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 a 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 '70s
third gen, but guys,
I'm callin' it.
Fourth gen Nova slaps,
and all you'll need to get
started is about 4,000 bones.
- [Computerized Voice] Ford Galaxie.
- The Galaxie was the name
given to a bunch of full
sized Fords from 1959 to 1974.
The name Galaxie
was supposed to cash in all the excitement
of the Space Race,
to inspire a generation of
gearheads and stargazers alike
to take humanity to the
edge of a new frontier
by goin' real fast in style.
The Galaxie was Fjord's
answer to the Chevy Impala,
and this rivalry would kick off a race
between Chevy and the rest
of America's top carmakers.
But this race wouldn't be
for space, but for pace.
One of the most popular Galaxie lines,
the 500/XL boasted a 425 HRSPR V8
with a top speed of 135 miles per hour.
It went from zero to 60
in 6.9 seconds. Nice.
And did the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds
at 96 miles per hour.
C-E-N.
96 is 69 backwards.
Now, you'd think that people
would be scooping these things up
like freaking ice creams
from Baskin-Rabbins,
but people slept on 'em.
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 sold for right under $10,000.
And this guy's cherry. Cherry!
- [Computerized Voice] 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
eighth 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-a.
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 Polaras were meant to bring out
your inner Don Draper.
They were big-bodied,
luxury '50s throwbacks
complete with a big
old chrome front bumper
and "Jetson's" taillights.
Dodge tried to slim
the body down early on,
but Dodge fans, they weren't havin' it.
The Polara polar-reversed 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 the time.
- [Computerized Voice] 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 of the time
like the Chevrolet Vega.
But don't be fooled by
its small size and logo
that kind of looks like
the Tasmanian Devil
doin' a Doritos ad.
The Duster offered a 340 cubic-inch V8
capable of 275 HRSPRS,
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 the 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.
Duster sales 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 hundred grand
to throw in on a new Demon,
well you can have your own
piece of Plymouth muscle
that started it all,
like this super clean '73 with a V8,
no leaks, dings, or rust
for less than $9,000.
- [Computerized Voice] Chevy Monte Carlo.
- When Chevy introduced
the Monte Carlo in 1970,
they obviously had big plans for it.
Some might say that naming a NASCAR Chevy
after a Formula 1 race is
like naming your son Renaldo,
but he ends up growing up
to be like the lasso guy or somethin'.
Early '80s NASCAR was dominated
by the Fjord 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 lasso"
and 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 Monte Carlo SS
had an emissions-choked
305 with 180 horsepower.
But to me, this boxy fourth gen body
is the embodiment of eighties muscle.
I mean, look at this bad boy.
Slap some IROC wheels on there, cowl hood,
rig that rear end a bit, fit
some fat meats under that butt,
Boom! That's a good lookin' car.
And this one is in really perfect shape
and it's only $8,000,
and it looks sick and it's not
even clapped out or nothin'.
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 10
to 20 years from now.
That's why you gotta be
smart, have some vision.
- [Computerized Voice] Chevy El Camino.
The El Camino, the most
infamous American ut'
just so happens to be based on
the Chevrolet Chevelle platform,
i.e. 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 you 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 wanna pick up a fruit
tree every once in awhile.
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 sorta
weird looking or somethin',
this car is heavily
slept on, i.e. 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 talkin' a 454 V8 makin' 450 HRSPRS.
El Camino was not here
to play games
unless the games is rippin' faces.
And on top of that, the El
Camino combines raw power
with that utility that we all cream for,
and Chevy continued to make
the El Camino year after year
after year, refining and tweakin'
all the way into the '80s.
I like 'em all,
and you can find 'em all for purty cheap.
- [Computerized Voice] 3rd gen Camaro.
- For the next car on this list,
we're takin' a field trip to Camaroland.
Get in line, kids, and
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-In 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,
a slushie and a chicken
sandwich with toast for buns
from the same place before?
No way, man, Sonic does not exist.
Follow the money, all right?
Follow the money.
In the two decades before
they went fully Nev Schulman,
I'm talkin' "Catfish,"
Chevy was turnin' out
some of the baddest-ass
and meanest lookin' cars
to ever hit Camaroland.
But unlike the rounder
first and second gens,
the turd gen was sharp, boxy and edgy,
just like my knife.
Some people don't like this
look, haters are gonna hate.
But if you ask me, the third gen Comoro
is as classic as an '80s muscle car gets.
Mullet sold separately.
Part of the reason you can
find third gens for so cheap
is because they had
smaller engines early on
due to emissions regulations.
These third gens were the
first Camaros to be built with
(creepy violin music)
four cylinder engines.
But with each model year,
Chevy pumped in a little bit more muscle.
And by the late '80s,
with performance options
like the Z28 and the IROC-Z,
the third gens offered a 350 cubic-inch V8
capable of 330 HRSPRS.
Not bad.
And of course, the 350 cars
never came with a manual,
which we learned a couple weeks back,
but that doesn't stop 'em
from being certifiably
bad to the bone marrow.
Look: to some, if it ain't a
classic pony-lookin' Charger
or Trans Am, it ain't a classic,
but the third gen Camaro is
a solid piece of '80s muscle
that you can find
without sellin' a kidney.
And it looks like a car
that you would drive
to buy someone's kidney.
- [Computerized Voice] Mercedes E55 AMG.
Now you might be sayin',
"James, what the heck,
you put German car on this list
of 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 frickin' Armhold 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 a classic.
Now, if you'd kindly let me explain.
When Mercedzes introduced
the AMG E55 in 2003,
it turned a lotta heads.
At the time, the fastest
sedans on the road
were puttin' out 350, 400 horsepower tops,
but somehow the stars aligned
and Mercedzes released this:
a sedan that came loaded with
a 5.4 liter supercharged V8
making' 469 nice screamin' German ponies
and 516 pound-fweet of twerques.
Does that put enough mustard
on your pretzel, pal?
The E55 had a 0 to 60 time of 4.5 seconds,
making it the quickest sedan
in the world at ze time.
Mercedes stepped the
horsepower game all the way up
at a time when carmakers
weren't really focusing
on big ol' engines and speed.
This car changed all of that.
You know how you can
find a buncha 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.
- [Computerized Voice] 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 lookin' the way that it does,
but gosh, dang it,
It's still a Dodge, and I
will always (beep) with Dodge.
Even if it is your uncle's station wagon,
the Magnum ain't your
daddy's station wagon.
When the R/T version debutted in 2005,
it came with a 340
HRSPR 5.7 liter Hemi V8,
had one of the most iconic
Dodge commercials of all time.
- What do you got in that thing?
- I got an amp, guitar, surfboard, ladder,
and 12 2-by-4s.
- 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 ask?
Well, Dodge in the early 2000s
wasn't known for HRSPR 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 (beep) 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'd become known for
and base their entire brand around today.
The Magnum delivered a powerful Hemi V8
in a car that didn't lack
any utility or practicality.
So next time you see a Dodge Demon,
shoot the Magnum a text and say,
"Hey, thanks for bein' you."
And you can get one for like $6,000.
- [Computerized Voice] 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 gonna say,
"James, this isn't a muscle car,"
but I'm gonna say pony car's a muscle car,
I'm not gonna to get into
that fight with you guys (laughs).
The Mustang is a car that car people
and non-car people think is a cool car.
The only people that don't like
Mustangs are Camaro owners.
Think about a car that you like.
It's probably a response to the Mustang.
Supra, Camaro, RX-7,
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 frickin' 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 'Stang fans could build
the Fjord 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 frickin' 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 somethin'
you might not think of
as a classic right away.
Find a big name on an off
year, but it's possible.
You stumbled across any
cool classic muscle cars
that were surprisingly affordable,
let me know down in the comments.
The coolest comment will get pinned, baby.
Thanks for watchin' this
episode of the "D-List."
If you liked it,
make sure you hit that subscribe button
and that notification bell.
We make a new video almost every day.
Learn more about affordable, fast cars:
check out this episode of "WheelHouse."
I love you.
(regal orchestra music)
