Hot Rods AMERICA’S VERY FIRST MUSCLE CAR CELEBRATES ITS 75th ANNIVERSARY!

Personally, I'm not too concerned. I bought a brand new 427 in '63 but didn't call it anything other than "the car".

 

Hello,

If the first “muscle car” was the 50 Oldsmobile, what about my brother’s 51 Oldsmobile sedan with the same v8 motor? And, during that same model year of 51, the first Hemi motor arrived. Perhaps, not as fast as the 50-51 Oldsmobile sedans, but a Hemi none-the-less.

The term, “muscle car” was a magazine writer’s title, just to sell articles and copies of magazines. No one actually walked around telling others… “I have a muscle car…” ha! It may have fit in the venice beach muscle beach topics and associated the car with muscle power. But, over time, there were other cars that fit the bill of “muscle car.” But, not in the late 40s. It was more of a mid to late 60s thing from a magazine writer’s point of view. Not labeled topic that everyone was using as a topic of discussion.

My brother’s teenage group started driving in the 1955-56 era. No teenagers talked about “muscle cars.” At least in our early Long Beach, Bixby Knolls era, including Lion’s Dragstrip, where Gene Adams ruled the classes with his Oldsmobile. But, not a muscle car. A modified gas coupe for that particular group of cars.

As a matter of fact, the term muscle car was not in anyone’s vocabulary until much later. Similar to some magazine writer that coined the term “gasser.” It is a quicker way to write Gas Coupe and Sedan Class hot rods… But in automotive reporting newspaper’s results and record setting times/recorded for specific classes… there were no “gassers” as generated classes for records. A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, etc.

No one had A/Gasser, B/Gasser on the side of the window or on the painted surfaces.

As far as comparing the early big ohv v8 motors to other brands, yes, advantage Oldsmobile. There was not too much at the time, except for the early Hemi. So, that Chrysler was not a cruising hot rod style of car for most teenagers. More of a family car for the masses. So, the Oldsmobile sedans did win a lot of different classes.

Jnaki

But, as a few years rolled in, what about 283 hp from a 283 c.i. Chevy motor? We can all talk about the history of so called, muscle cars time period, if there was a noted time period. But the term cannot be labeled in 50s cars as the 60s-70s cars had bigger builds and more power for both street and drag strip classes. Although most fast v8 cars in the 50s happened to be Oldsmobile coupes/sedans.

Also, by the time those high power motors and cars were on the public streets, they were gone from the weekend dragstrip classes we all knew and loved, without any ideas of being called “muscle cars.”

So, as magazine writers have to come up with something for readers to associate with interesting writing facts, the term muscle car probably came to light. “It takes a lot of muscle to move that fast…” a GTO was known as a leader of a muscle car movement. But, a GTO? Leaving out the 57 Chevy Fuel Injected Sedans and later, 409 Chevy Cars? What is this world coming to, anyway? YRMV

 

What model year is this?
Racing Head Service NHRA U/Stock (!) record holder.

 

1951 88 series II. Series I looks just like the 1950 model.

 

The 51 88 A looked like the 1950 model. They only built it in 2 body styles, the 2 dr sedan was the most common. I think they built it to use the leftover 50 chassis and body parts. 1952 was the first year for a 4 barrel and better ratio rocker arms on the 303 engine.

 

308 Hornet was my first thought.

The 8-cylinder Essex Terraplanes made a big enough impression to form the basis for the Railton, arguably a spiritual ancestor of the AC Cobra.

 

You woman have heard of jalopies
You heard the noise they make
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88
Yes, it's great, just won't wait
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Baby, we'll will ride in style movin' all along

 

They are beautiful, I've owned them before, but they are not a true Muscle Car

 

Bill Haley Oldsmobile video...

 

Futuramic …yesterday…today and tomorrow!

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Well, my 49 88 doesnt feel like a "muscle car" despite its 324 engine ,code 10 heads and twin pipes!
Its Hydramatic and i wish it was on the stick.
But Rocket 88s do look rather handsome.

 

"Muscle Car"....well it does provide the muscle for my '40 rag top.

 

I don't remember a Fabulous Oldsmobile.


The Rocket motor still is a great hotrod motor.

I think the off brands had better HP to weight ratio than the boring base cars like Chevy and Ford of those years.

 

I never realized Hudsons were fabulous.

 

At 308 ci, the sixes were actually larger than the contemporary Olds Rockets, and had the advantage of factory supplied "Twin-H Power" (dual carbs) and an optional "High-Altitude" head. Plus, throw in the good handling provided by the low "Step-Down chassis", and they ruled the roost in early fifties stock car racing. Look up a couple of guys named Marshall Teague and Herb Thomas sometime.

 

An Olds works for me!
View attachment 6299946

 

"Muscle cars" are just engine/drivetrain donors for pre-war rods.

 

My 50 Club Coupe...it has most of its 75 year old paint!

 

Don't forget Smokey Yunick

 

The term Muscle Car refers to a mid-size car fitted with a big block engine. The 64 GTO is widely claimed to be the first. Full size cars aren't Muscle Cars.

 

Well then....I guess that settles that!

 

. . . 'cept the Olds 88s were Chevy and Pontiac size with the 98s in a different category (or not).

 

It amazes me how much better the early fifties GM and shoebox Ford coupes look than their two door sedan brethren. I like everything about your car except for the ...