What is a muscle car?

This can be argued all day long. No one will agree with any single definition, but...

The standard definition is a muscle car is a 1964-1972 American intermediate-size car with a larger than standard engine for that platform.

But you will be murdered and/or go insane trying to enforce that definition.

When I have set up local shows with classes, I put intermediate and full size American cars in a "muscle" class. And divvy it up by years, 1964-1969, 1970-1974, and 1975 - new. And the '75 and newer class always causes complaints.

Corvettes get their own class = sports car, not a muscle car.

Pony cars like Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Barracuda, 'cuda, AMX, Javelin get their own class, also divvyed up by year.

Resign yourself to the fact that you will never make everyone happy. And people will get nuts over this stuff.

 

I agree and ou made me happy

Best

Lee

 

I think the categories should serve the show, not the other way around. I would base the groups on what cars people have to show.

 

I believe Jeff nailed it and what Thomas said is a good rule of thumb. If it is a show for all car types then Jeff's outline should be your breakout categories. If for instance it is an Italian car show with other types allowed then you could group the Pony cars, vettes and muscle cars into one group. No matter what everyone will not be happy.

 

I run 22 car shows every summer (one per week May-September) - this is my 6th year of doing it - and I go to about 15 other car shows every summer. I have grown to hate the whole award thing at the various local shows and don't do awards at my shows. It's supposed to be fun!

afwrench, will there be participant judging or will the show organizers be judging?

 

Basically any car from the 60's and 70's that has a good power to weight ratio and can easily leave two nice long patches of rubber on the road, along with the criteria below;

One tire fire non-posi = not a muscle car
2bbl = not a muscle car
4 door = not a muscle car
Anything past '74 = not a muscle car