Still, most of us at the time were more into old cars. You'd stop wrenching on your '40 Ford coupe long enough to admire someone's new '66 Plymouth Satellite with a 426 and a four-speed, make a mental note to get one someday, and get back to wrenching the Forty.

We always just assumed that new cars would always be desirable and affordable. Their simplicity relative to today's new cars was just the way it was done — no big deal. And we also assumed that we'd always be able to buy a new car we really liked and could work on ourselves, and have the thing paid off pretty soon.

Well, looking at most of the new cars today makes these beasts look pretty good. Except for some of the current sports cars like the C6 Corvette and the Dodge Viper, there aren't many that are appealing. I like big-blocks and I like four-speeds. Here's a compilation of some of my all-time favorite muscle cars, listed in chronological order.

1957 Chevy "Black Widow" 210 business coupe
1961 Chevy Impala two-door hardtop
1961 Ford Starliner two-door hardtop
1963 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt two-door sedan
1963 Ford Galaxie fastback
1963 Plymouth Sport Fury two-door hardtop
1963 Pontiac Grand Prix, Catalina and Bonneville two-door hardtop
1964-1966 Ford Mustang fastback
1964-1966 Pontiac GTO
1966 Shelby GT-350 fastback
1966-1967 Chevy II Nova SS 327 two-door hardtop
1966-1967 Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi two-door hardtop
1967 Corvette 427-435 coupe
1968-1969 Dodge Charger R/T
1969 Camaro Z/28 Rally Sport
1969 Dodge Daytona
1969 Plymouth GTX
1970 Camaro Z/28 Rally Sport
1970 Chevelle LS-6
1970 Plymouth Superbird
1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda

Now that was performance.

American Performance Products
http://www.oldcarparts.com/

AMX Files
http://www.amxfiles.com/

JavelinAMX.com — John Rosa has put together a Web site called "The American Motors Shrine" that's filled with information and includes a good section about the "Car Stars of Film".
http://www.javelinamx.com/

Buick Club of America
http://www.buickclub.org/

Buick GS Club of America — Chicagoland chapter
http://www.chicagolandbuick.org/

Buick Performance Group
http://www.buickperformancegroup.com/

Buick Street — classic Buick showcase
http://www.buickstreet.com/

CARS, Inc. — Buick parts
http://www.oldbuickparts.com/

Kirban Performance Products
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/

Legendary Auto Interiors, Ltd.
http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/

Original Parts Group
http://www.opgi.com/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Turbo Regal Web Site — Grand National and T-Type Performance Enthusiasts
http://www.gnttype.org/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Callaway Cars
http://www.callawaycars.com/

Camaro Club of San Diego
http://www.camaroclubofsandiego.org/

The Camaro Homepage — "The definitive page for first-generation Camaro information"
http://www.holisticpage.com/camaro/

Camaro, Untold Secrets
http://www.camaro-untoldsecrets.com/

Camaro.com — Camaro parts, clubs and dealers
http://www.camaro.com/

Camaro Research Group
http://www.camaros.org/

Camaros Limited
http://www.camaroslimited.com/

CamaroZ28.com
http://www.camaroz28.com/

Classic Industries
http://www.classicindustries.com/

D&R Classic Automotive — Camaro and Firebird restoration parts
http://www.drclassic.com/

The F-Body Organization
http://www.f-body.org/

Firewheel Classics — first-generation Camaro parts
http://www.firewheelclassics.com/

High Performance Salvage, Inc.
http://www.hpsalvage.com/

Legendary Auto Interiors, Ltd.
http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/

MBM Disc Brakes — disc brake boosters and kits
http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/

Motion Performance, Inc.
http://www.motionperformance.com/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Rik's First Generation — 1967-1969 Camaro parts
http://www.firstgen.com/

Robert Riley's Camaro Performance Web Site
http://www.z28.com/

Second Generation Camaro Site
http://www.nastyz28.com/

Spohn Performance, Inc.
http://www.spohn.net/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Big Block Chevy Engines — Roadsters.com
http://www.roadsters.com/bbc/

C.A.R.S. — '53-'72 Chevy parts
http://www.carsinc.com/

Chevy II Only
http://www.chevy2only.com/

ChevyMania
http://www.chevymania.com/

Classic Industries — Camaro and Nova parts
http://www.classicindustries.com/

Corvettes — Roadsters.com
http://www.roadsters.com/corvette/

Danchuk
http://www.danchuk.com/

Harmon's
http://www.harmons.com/

J&W Nova Parts
http://www.novaparts.com/

Last Chance Classics
http://www.lastchanceclassics.com/

Legendary Auto Interiors, Ltd.
http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/

MBM Disc Brakes — disc brake boosters and kits
http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/

Mr. 409
http://www.mr409.com/

NoNeck's Chevelle
http://www.noneckschevelle.com/

Original Equipment Reproduction
http://www.oerparts.com/

Original Parts Group
http://www.opgi.com/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Shiftworks
http://www.shiftworks.com/

Super Chevy Show
http://www.superchevyshow.com/

Team Chevelle
http://www.chevelles.com/

True Connections — '64-'72 Chevelle and El Camino parts
http://www.true-connections.com/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Alternative Auto Performance — late model Mustang specialist
http://www.alternativeauto.com/

Aussie Coupes — importers of Australian Ford muscle cars and parts
http://www.aussiecoupes.com/

Auto Krafters — new and used parts
http://www.autokrafters.com/

Branda Mustang & Shelby
http://www.cobranda.com/

Central Valley Mustang Club
http://www.cvmustang.org/

The Classic Mustang Page
http://www.vintage-mustang.com/

Classic Mustang Parts of Oklahoma
http://www.mustangokla.com/

The Corral
http://www.corral.net/

Dearborn Classics — Fairlane, Falcon, Ranchero and Torino parts
http://www.dearbornclassics.com/

Fairlane Club of America — for '62-'76 Fairlane and Torino owners
http://www.fairlaneclubofamerica.com/

Ford Galaxie Club of America
http://www.galaxieclub.com/

K.A.R. — 1964-1973 Mustangs for sale
http://www.karmustang.com/

Last Chance Classics
http://www.lastchanceclassics.com/

Moto-Lita — Shelby Mustang steering wheels
http://www.finishlineaccessories.com/

Mustang Barn
http://www.mustangbarn.com/

Mustang Club of America
http://www.mustang.org/

The Mustang Works
http://www.mustangworks.com/

Northern California Region Shelby American Auto Club
http://www.norcal-saac.org/

Northwest Classic Falcons
http://www.nwfalcon.com/

Original Parts Group
http://www.opgi.com/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Racer Walsh
http://www.racerwalsh.com/

SEMO Classic Mustang
http://www.semomustang.com/

Shelby American Automobile Club
http://www.saac.com/

Shelby Cobras — Roadsters.com
http://www.roadsters.com/cobra/

Carroll Shelby Enterprises
http://www.carrollshelby.com/

So-Cal Galaxie Club
http://www.so-calgalaxies.com/

Vintage Mustang Owners Association
http://www.vntg-mustang.com/

Aero Warriors — Ken Nofsinger has put together a Web site that's filled with information on the incredible 1969 Dodge Daytona and 1970 Plymouth Superbird.
http://www.aerowarriors.com/

AllPar — by Steve Boelhouwer
http://www.allpar.com/

American Hemi Speed Center — in Australia
http://www.hemi.com.au/

BigBlockDart.com — big block A-body tech
http://www.bigblockdart.com/

Chrysler 300 Club International, Inc. — for '55-'65 Letter Car owners
http://www.chrysler300clubinc.com/

Dodge Vipers — Roadsters.com
http://www.roadsters.com/viper/

El Hemi — 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T
http://www.elhemi.com/

For Hemis Only
http://www.forhemisonly.com/

FourForty
http://www.fourforty.com/

Galen's Tag Service
http://www.gvgovier.com/

HEMInet
http://www.heminet.com/

Jim's Auto Parts — restoration parts
http://www.jimsautoparts.com/

Koller Dodge — crate engines and parts
http://www.kollerdodge.com/

Mo-Power Events
http://www.mo-powernow.com/

Moreparts North
http://www.moreparts.com/

Mopar
http://www.mopar.com/

Mopar Alley
http://www.moparalley.org/

Mopar's Infamous Hemi
http://www.thehemi.com//

Moparts
http://www.moparts.com/

Northern Mopars Auto Club
http://www.mopars.org/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Power Play Hemi
http://www.powerplayhemi.com/

R/T Specialties — restoration parts
http://www.rtspecialties.net/

Restorations by Rick Kreuziger
http://www.restorick.com/

Tube Technologies, Inc. — headers for Mopar muscle cars
http://www.ttiexhaust.com/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Brothers Automotive Products
http://www.oldsparts.com/

Bryceman's Oldsmobile Page
http://www.442.com/

Fusick Automotive Products, Inc.
http://www.fusick.com/

Legendary Auto Interiors, Ltd.
http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/

Mondello Performance Products, Inc. — Oldsmobile performance legend Joe Mondello offers cylinder head work, street and strip engine building and a cylinder head porting school
http://www.mondellotwister.com/

Oldsmobile Club of America
http://www.oldsclub.com/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Billions and Trillions — NOS and reproduction parts
http://www.billionsandtrillionsinc.com/

Classic Industries — Firebird and Trans Am parts
http://www.classicindustries.com/

Classical Pontiac
http://www.classicalpontiac.com/

Goat Herd GTO Club of Oregon
http://www.goatherd.com/

Grand Prix Net
http://www.grandprix.net/

Kaufman Racing Equipment
http://www.krepower.com/

Legendary Auto Interiors, Ltd.
http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/

Little Big Chief — 1960s Pontiac drag racing
http://www.littlebigchief.com/

Original Parts Group
http://www.opgi.com/

The Paddock
http://www.paddockparts.com/

Performance Years Pontiac
http://1pontiac.com/

Pontiac Historical Services
http://www.phs-online.com/

Pontiac-Oakland Club International
http://www.poci.org/

Pontiacs.org
http://www.pontiacs.org/

Shiftworks — shifters for GTO and LeMans
http://www.shiftworks.com/

The Ultimate GTO Picture Site
http://www.ultimategto.com/

Wallace Racing
http://www.wallaceracing.com/

WS6.COM
http://www.ws6.com/

Year One, Inc.
http://www.yearone.com/

Classic Performance Products
http://www.classicperform.com/

Classic Reaction — used muscle cars for sale in Iowa
http://www.classicreaction.com/

Classic Restorations — muscle car restoration in Virginia
http://www.classicrestoration.com/

Detroit Speed and Engineering — Pro Touring chassis parts
http://www.detroitspeed.com/

E-Muscle, LLC — muscle car restoration
http://www.everythingmuscle.com/

Engine Factory — rebuilt muscle car engines
http://www.enginefactory.com/

Goodmark Industries, Inc. — steel body parts and trim
http://www.goodmarkindustries.com/

Greater Vancouver Street Machines
http://www.gvsm.ca/

Just Dashes
http://www.justdashes.com/

Kassabian Motors — used muscle cars for sale
http://www.myhotcars.com/

Jeff Lilly Restorations, Ltd.
http://www.jefflilly.com/

Midwest Car Exchange, Inc. — used muscle cars for sale in Illinois
http://www.midwestcarexchange.com/

Ohio George Montgomery
http://www.georgesspeedshop.com/

Motown Speedsport — muscle car restoration
http://www.motownspeedsport.com/

Muscle Car Restorations — in Wisconsin
http://www.musclecarrestorations.com/

Northwest Classic Auto Mall
http://www.northwestclassicautomall.com/

Performance Suspension Technology
http://www.p-s-t.com/

Pro-Touring.com
http://www.pro-touring.com/

Pure Vision
http://www.purevisiondesign.com/

Silver Collector Car Auctions, Inc.
http://www.silverauctions.com/

SMASA — The Street Machine Association of South Australia
http://www.smasa.com.au/

SMS Auto Restoration — hood hinge restoration
http://www.sms-auto.com/

There are a lot more links to restoration-related Web sites on this site's Classic Cars page.