Sports Car or Muscle Car

[norms72]

"sports car, n. A small car, usually with two seats, having a low center of gravity and often a folding or removeable roof. Its steering and suspension are designed for precise control at high speeds on curving roads."
-from Websters Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

The Vette seems to fit in this catagory although it's not exactly small (or light for that matter). It takes up a lot more real estate in the garage than my MG.

Even though I couldn't find "muscle car" in my copy, under "muscle" I found "strength, power or authority" and under "muscle-man" I found "aggressive, powerful or intimidating". Muscle car would fall under those definitions.

Hmmmmm. The Vette fits here too.

I guess what we have is the best of both worlds. A sports car with muscle and a muscle car that you are not afraid to take a corner with.

By George we can have our cake and eat it as well!!!!!

 

[CKA_Racing]

Based on the fact that even the lowest-HP-rated Shark could out-handle almost ANY American-made performance car in that time-period (1968-1982), I'd say that ALL C3s are 'Sports Cars'.

Having said THAT.....

how could you NOT consider 'some' of the radio-delete/heater-delete 427/454 CID, aluminum-head/aluminum-block, M-22 equipeed, 4.56:1-geared, side-pipe exhausted models of the '68-'70 era 'muscle cars'?
:confused

IMHO, a '69 L-46/'70 LT-1 can make claims for stature in BOTH categories.

Comparing 3rd generation F-bodies to C3-Sharks in drag-racing is interesting, but consider that some LS1-equipped Camaro/Firebirds are running quicker than a 1970 Pro-Stocker Rat-powered Camaro or Hemi-Cuda ran!!!

It is all relative.

Finally, some one who gets it. If the corvette being discussed "C3" was made within the "Muscle Car Era" it can be considered a classic muscle car even though it really is made as a sports car. Nothing made after around 1972 is a Classic Muscle car.

 

[Tom73]

Finally, some one who gets it. If the corvette being discussed "C3" was made within the "Muscle Car Era" it can be considered a classic muscle car even though it really is made as a sports car. Nothing made after around 1972 is a Classic Muscle car.

Looks as if we are getting close here but still not quite right. The Muscle Car is as much of an era as it is a car. A Muscle Car was a two door mid-sized sedan that was fitted with a big block engine. This was a car of the mid to late 60's and early 70's. These two door mid-sized sedans were cars like the Pontiac Tempest, Buick Skylark, and Chevy Chevelle. The Vette was not a mid-sized sedan and as such was not a Muscle Car. The Camaro/Mustang were not mid-sized sedans, they were not Muscle Cars, they were pony cars. But the pony cars were later grudgingly allowed into the Muscle Car group. The Vette was a Sports Car (but I personally prefer to call it a GT car) and its supporters did not want the Vette to be considered a Muscle Car. The Vette could stop and go around corners (something that a Muscle Car could not do), thus the Vette was much more than a Muscle Car.



tom...

 

[Stallion]

"GT" has been mentioned a couple of times here. What exactly does that mean? Is it a combination of power and handling? Can somebody explain "GT" for me?

 

[Edmond]

"GT" has been mentioned a couple of times here. What exactly does that mean? Is it a combination of power and handling? Can somebody explain "GT" for me?

I think it's kind of like a sports car with more refinement.

 

[Stallion]

Ah I see.

 

[JonM]

"GT" has been mentioned a couple of times here. What exactly does that mean? Is it a combination of power and handling? Can somebody explain "GT" for me?

GT= Grand Touring /aka/ Gran Turismo:Simply A car which combines the features of both the sedan and sportscar

 

[C3RVETTE]

GT= Grand Touring /aka/ Gran Turismo:Simply A car which combines the features of both the sedan and sportscar

Interesting that we have two JonM's on here! Yeah,GT is a pretty broad term...

 

[CKA_Racing]

Looks as if we are getting close here but still not quite right. The Muscle Car is as much of an era as it is a car. A Muscle Car was a two door mid-sized sedan that was fitted with a big block engine. This was a car of the mid to late 60's and early 70's. These two door mid-sized sedans were cars like the Pontiac Tempest, Buick Skylark, and Chevy Chevelle. The Vette was not a mid-sized sedan and as such was not a Muscle Car. The Camaro/Mustang were not mid-sized sedans, they were not Muscle Cars, they were pony cars. But the pony cars were later grudgingly allowed into the Muscle Car group. The Vette was a Sports Car (but I personally prefer to call it a GT car) and its supporters did not want the Vette to be considered a Muscle Car. The Vette could stop and go around corners (something that a Muscle Car could not do), thus the Vette was much more than a Muscle Car.



tom...

I agree 100% with you.
But my key word most are not noticing is "Classic" .
Do some research on the internet and read books on the subject. There was such a thing as the Classic Muscle Car era. Vettes that were made during that time frame are considered Muscle Cars for sure. Actually you can call some fast cars that were built in the 40's-50's Muscle Cars but the term "Muscle Car" was not introduced until the 60's with the introduction of the GTO. So when most think of Muscle Cars they think of the Classic Muscle Car Era and the cars within that time frame. Those are really the only true muscle in my book and in many historians books. But the Vette was made to be a sports car. So really you can call it a Muscle Sports car...

 

[BiggBrakefuelie]

I voted Sports car, it only has 2 seats and has independent rear suspension. Also class and style... muscle cars, to me, are bare bones dragging cars, cheap and powerful, big engine but nothing else. -Tatortot

I agree with this 100%.The Corvette is a sports car that can have a large engine but remember not all Vettes are big blocks.Remember the original LT-1?In 1970 an LT-1 Corvette actuallly outhandled and Porsche 911 in I believe a Car and Driver head to head test.Ofcourse those 370 ponies don`t hurt on the straight aways.

 

[Tom73]

I agree 100% with you.
But my key word most are not noticing is "Classic" .
Do some research on the internet and read books on the subject. There was such a thing as the Classic Muscle Car era. Vettes that were made during that time frame are considered Muscle Cars for sure. Actually you can call some fast cars that were built in the 40's-50's Muscle Cars but the term "Muscle Car" was not introduced until the 60's with the introduction of the GTO. So when most think of Muscle Cars they think of the Classic Muscle Car Era and the cars within that time frame. Those are really the only true muscle in my book and in many historians books. But the Vette was made to be a sports car. So really you can call it a Muscle Sports car...

I have to agree, but you may have not noticed where I said "The Muscle Car is as much of an era as it is a car." I grew up in the middle of the Muscle Car era (graduated HS in '66). Owned a 66 GTO, a 70 Dodge Challenger, and a few other non big block performance cars. The Vette fans back then did not want the Vette to be refered to as a muscle car in any shape or fashon. They felt that would be bringing the Vette down as it was MUCH more than a Muscle Car.

"GT" has been mentioned a couple of times here. What exactly does that mean? Is it a combination of power and handling? Can somebody explain "GT" for me?

A "GT" car (Grand Touring) is one that is designed to carry two people in comfort over long distances and at high speeds. Think the older Maserati. A "GT" is usualy a coupe (more comfort). To me a "Sports Car" is a no frills go fast machine. Think the early Cobra, with its side curtins and top that you have to assemble. Also something like the TR3 and the early (Colin era) Lotus cars.

tom...

 

[GotMy81@16]

I agree with so many points in this thread, I agree with the point that corvettes arent just cars that go fast in a straight line, but i also agree with the point that they are very powerful and have a deep tone that makes me think of them being MUSCULAR, so thats why i decided to agree with the Muscle Sports Car thing too!

 

[CKA_Racing]

I have to agree, but you may have not noticed where I said "The Muscle Car is as much of an era as it is a car." I grew up in the middle of the Muscle Car era (graduated HS in '66). Owned a 66 GTO, a 70 Dodge Challenger, and a few other non big block performance cars. The Vette fans back then did not want the Vette to be refered to as a muscle car in any shape or fashon. They felt that would be bringing the Vette down as it was MUCH more than a Muscle Car.
A "GT" car (Grand Touring) is one that is designed to carry two people in comfort over long distances and at high speeds. Think the older Maserati. A "GT" is usualy a coupe (more comfort). To me a "Sports Car" is a no frills go fast machine. Think the early Cobra, with its side curtins and top that you have to assemble. Also something like the TR3 and the early (Colin era) Lotus cars.

tom...

"The Muscle Car is as much of an era as it is a car."
I also agree very much so. Hmmm.. I'm failing to see where my thinking is any different than yours.
But the fact remains that the vettes made during the CLASSIC muscle car era are considered CLASSIC muscle cars. The fact that we both believe the vette to be a sports car does not change facts and history, even regardless of what vette fans thought at that time.

 

[brit_trader2003]

The C3 was undoubtably a Sports Car.

However that is a pretty broad range, there were some pretty gutless British Cars of the 60s and 70s which were 2 seater sports cars, i.e.; Triumph Spitfire, MG, TR7 etc. Also there were some pretty enormous 2 seater sports cars such as the Jaguar XJS and Aston Martins. Then there were the high performance 2 seater sports cars such as the Ferraris, Lamboghinis and even the MacLaren F1.

So to call the Vette a 2 seater sports car is not very descriptive.

Cars with Big Block engines in the 60s and 70s were Muscle Cars. Of course some C2 and C3 Vettes had Big Blocks, so they can qualify as Classic Muscle Cars as well. The whole point of Muscle Cars is enormous engines pumping out oodles of power with a lot of noise. Again the C2s and C3s qualify.

I think the point is that the Vette is unique, being American it could have muscular tendencies. The problem with european and japanese sports cars is that they had small engines which were tuned, turbocharged, supercharged and generally fiddled around abit to produce sporty performance. The Vette is none of that, the smallest engine is pretty large and normally aspirated.

So the C3 Vette is unique and is a 2 seater sports car and early big blocks are also muscle cars. I like the sound of Muscle Cars and the style of the Shark. I have a 69 Big Block so I have both. With the Side Pipes I emphasize the Muscle Car sound.

 

[johnd]

I would classify it as a sports car...just due to the fact muscle cars are considered to have two sets of seats as in front and back...ours are just two seaters...atleast that is what was said on "the greatest muscle cars in history" said not that long ago...just so ya know 1967 GTO won it...

John Dykstra

 

[MaineShark]

This site has a pretty good definition, along with examples (and reasons why each example is or isn't really a musclecar).

I'd also add that a big block V8 really isn't a true requirement. More accurately, as long as the size is right, what really matters is that the performance is similar to that of a big block V8. That is, lots of torque, not peaky top-end horsepower. If that sort of power curve can be accomplished otherwise (eg, a bored and stroked small block) and the engine is fitted to an appropriate chassis, the car probably still qualifies as a musclecar. Not a classic musclecar, but a variant on the theme...

Ability to do burn-outs is also a requirement that many people fail to mention. If you can't light 'em up, then you clearly don't have "muscle" in your car

Joe

 

[Roy]

C3 Corvettes Are Neither "Sport" nor "Muscle"

Let's face it. By the time the C3 Corvette lumbered onto the sceen, it was neither "sport" nor "muscle" car. With few exceptions, C3 Corvettes are fat, heavy, sluggish, smog-laden, poor handing, gas guzzling, inefficient, water-leaking, drafty, hot and poorly ventilated, not really a convertable, overly long, overly wide, poorly designed and manufactured pigmobiles.

Having said all of that, they are fun despite their numerous shortcomings, much like Harley Davidson motorcycles. Corvettes owners drive Corvettes because thet are cool, every kid age 3 to 90 stares at your car and points and other Corvette owners always want to talk to you about your Corvette and their Corvette.

The C3 Corvette is, in my opinion, neither Sport nor Muscle car but is definately a "social" car that everyone recognizes and many enjoy.

 

[Corvette-Dave]

I'd hate to have to clasify my vette into one of those categories. I dont think its a muscle car because it looks way to fast just sittin there. And the sound of that american v-8 dosnt really make me think of a sports car. So I'd say the vette has its own category. the question should be is it A Muscle Car, Sports Car, or is it the most unique car in the world.... A Vette

 

[mac495]

I voted sports car...

I do think that the 63 to 67 looked much more like a muscle car than a sports car...

call corvette what ever you want--I call them sweet

 

[Stallion]

I voted sports car...

I do think that the 63 to 67 looked much more like a muscle car than a sports car...

call corvette what ever you want--I call them sweet

Agreed.