Austin has been a muscle car enthusiast since an early age with his Dad having a collection including a 1965 Mustang, 1968 Mercury Cougar, and a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 among many others. Austin received a technical writing degree from University of Colorado Denver with the intentions of becoming an automotive journalist. His automotive knowledge, enthusiasm, and hands on experience allow him to craft detailed, accurate, and high-quality articles for the passionate Muscle Car Club audience.
America’s automotive identity is straightforward and raw. In the very infancy of our automotive aspirations, stateside car manufacturers understood a basic principle, Americans love to go fast. However, in the beginning, technology didn’t allow for fast. Flathead and straight engine designs, poor compression ratios, and low-octane fuel significantly stifled the pursuit of speed. Luckily, that…
The Chevrolet Corvette has always been the pinnacle of American sports car performance. Since the 1950s, the Corvette has represented the best that the US has to offer. When the C7 Corvette hit the streets in 2014, it borrowed elements of the generations before it while also defining a new direction. The flowing body lines…
The Buick 3.8L V6, otherwise known as the Buick 3800, was the result of the time from which it came. With efficiency and emissions compliance being a particularly dominant factor during the late 1970s, Buick wanted to prove that high-displacement V8 power could be achieved outside of the proven recipe. As a direct evolution from…
The late 1960s represented the peak of the American muscle car era. Before the oil crisis interfered in 1974, all of America’s car giants were hard at work trying to work harder than each other. Luckily for us, that meant that the cars kept getting better and better. Pontiac had some serious competitors in their…
The Ford small block catalog is both extensive and legendary. Ford FE, Windsor, and 335 engine series are all giants of the American V8 lore, and all played a significant part in establishing the United States as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to engine development. The Ford 335 engine family is…
When muscle cars come up in conversation, which are the ones that you hear most? Maybe the Plymouth Barracuda, Chevy Chevelle, Pontiac GTO, or perhaps the Ford Mustang. Well, I can tell you one that doesn’t come up very often, the AMC AMX. Some of that could boil down to the fact that American Motors…
There are a ton of reasons to drive a Corvette. The name alone is enough for some people. Other people appreciate the Corvette for what it represents. Since 1953, the Vette has almost singlehandedly represented the United States in the competitive sportscar segment. In many ways, the C6 Corvette took the famous model to new…
In many ways, the Cadillac CTS-V could be considered the American M5. When it comes to fast American luxury, what even comes close? Offered in three generations and with an assortment of Corvette power under the hood, the Cadillac CTSV has the reputation of being a schoolyard bully, picking on all of the German transfer…
Before the advent of fuel injection, cars needed a way of receiving both air and fuel as a source of combustion. As many people know, that is, at the most basic level, how an engine operates. In modern times, internal combustion engines work differently. With fuel injection, an engine relies on fuel injectors, a fuel…
While Chrysler wasn’t the first in the big block game, they certainly played it well. Ultimately, the Hemi comes to mind first when thinking about performance Chrysler engines. However, in 1966, a new engine entered the stable which disrupted the 426 Hemi’s dominant position. The Chrysler 440 V8 is the largest big block engine in…
When it comes to fender-bulging, tire-destroying, adrenaline-inducing V8 monsters, one nation, under god, undoubtedly comes to mind first: The United States of America. Muscle cars have been the lifeblood of American car culture since Harry S. Truman was in office. With such a rich and extensive history of cramming massive iron slabs into lightweight mid-size…
Typically, when you think of expensive cars, what comes to mind? A Ferrari 250 GTO, Bugatti Chiron, or McLaren F1 perhaps? European sports cars have topped auction sales figures for decades, but that has changed in recent years. As more time passes between the hay day of the classic muscle car and now, prices are…
