If there is one car that has to be considered as the Godfather of American muscle cars, no vehicle can make a better case than the 1967 Pontiac GTO.
Conceptualized by the dynamic trio of Russell Gee, Bill Collins and John De Lorean, the GTO rose into prominence for creating a car that paved the way for future muscle cars to grow somewhat of a cult following among the speed-induced, thrill-seeking youth market of the 70’s. While the car is universally lauded these days as a true American icon, it actually was developed in the mold of a Pontiac Tempest, the difference being the GTO – which incidentally was named by De Lorean as a tribute to the Ferrari 250 GTO – included a 389 CID (6.5L) Pontiac V8 engine, as opposed to the 326 CID (5.3L) standard Tempest V8. Despite drawing criticism for the use of the ‘GTO’ tag, which in Italian stands for, Gran Turismo Omologato, Pontiac went ahead and put the car in its production line with modest expectations. Suffice to say, Pontiac had no idea the car would hit over to the market so much that it has since become a classic masterpiece, and a cultural icon to boot.
Over the course of the American automotive history, few cars have captured the hearts and minds of American car fanatics as much as the 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda. The cars are so rare that only 100 of these models were ever released – seven of them being convertibles – and up to this day, still remains the most expensive muscle car money can buy.
While the car doesn’t distinguish itself much in terms of build quality – it bears a striking resemblance to any mass-produced Plymouth – the Hemi Cuda’s mythical status as one of America’s most sought-after vehicles lies on what’s under its hood.
From 1966 to 1071, Dodge brought in their fabled Hemi engines and put it under the hood of the Barracuda. The result was a car for all ages.
Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auctions have announced that the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino from March 27-29 will be the host of the 2008 auction. The company will feature more than 150 highly collectible European sports, American muscle, hot rods and customs at Russo and Steele Florida.
With all the events taking place in Monterey, California every August, the Russo and Steele event is a must go. It is much smaller than the Scottsdale auction but it is certaintly Monterey styled for the VIPs. Nonetheless, there were over 150 cars running over the auction block for a combined total of over $10 million in sales.
Full story
