The 10 Rarest American Muscle Cars in History

There are few things more American than baseball games, apple pie, and muscle cars. During their heyday, every car dealer in town loved to show off its newest muscle car to prospective buyers. These rigs most often had two doors, a hardtop, and a roaring engine. Of course, you might also find a car dealer with a four-door or even a convertible muscle car here and there.

There’s Just Nothing Like Classic American Muscle Cars

No matter how you define them, muscle cars earned their spot in American automotive history, even though new models are being built every year. From collectors to thrill-seekers, everyone loves the sound and style of a classic American-made muscle car.

Read on to take a peek into the past with the ten rarest American muscle cars in history, and no, you won’t find any of these models at your local car dealer.

10. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird

Only 135 Produced

Drivers born in the 60s, 70s, and 80s grew up thinking that a roadrunner was the fastest animal on the planet, thanks to Saturday morning cartoons. Oddly enough, it wasn’t Plymouth’s Roadrunner nameplate that had a unique horn that mimics the beloved Looney Tunes character; it was the Superbird.

The Superbird was a modified version of the Roadrunner muscle car that boasted a 426-cubic inch Hemi engine, tons of MOPAR performance parts, and a massive rear wing.

9. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1

Only 69 Produced

You can still find Chevy Camaros on the road today, but sighting a 69 ZL-1 is a bit less common, if not impossible. This beauty was based on the L88 model, but it made some serious improvements. For example, the engine was made of pure aluminum instead of metal. That means the entire car only weighs500 pounds. The mighty V8 could produce 560 horsepower, which is why the first 20 units to come off of the lot were used for racing.

8. 1967 Ford Fairlane 500 R-Code

Only 57 Produced

Until 1962, the Fairlane was a full-size Ford car. Then it became the 500 R-Code, which turned into a competitive muscle car in its day. This rig is the foundation for the Ford’s Torino and Cobra lines that followed. By 1967, the Fairlane had dual-quad carburetors and produced 425 horsepower.

7. 1967 Plymouth GTX R023

Only 55 Produced

At first, the 1967 GTX R023 was only available to professional racers. A few drivers, however, were able to order streetcar versions and get this beast on everyday roads. This monster came with a 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8. Thanks to opting away from things that aren’t needed on the track, like hubcaps, a heating system, carpets, etc., this rig was 500 pounds lighter than a regular model. It was able to blast off from zero to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds.

6. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible

Only 21 Produced

Having nearly half a dozen engine choices was almost unheard of for a muscle car in the 1970s. Shoppers could choose between five engines up to 440 cubic inches. As a convertible, it stands as one of the rarest muscle cars in the history books. At the time, it would cost you $870 more to grab this model over the base model. By today’s standards, that would be an absolute steal for the decked-out variant.

5. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88

Only 20 Produced

All the way from the Chevy factory in St. Louis, Missouri, came the sexy and romantic Corvette L88. This special version of the Corvette was part of the L88 racing package and came with a giant 427-cubic-inch big-block engine. Between 1967 and 1969, only 216 units were produced, but only 20 of those were from 1967. Chevy didn’t market this muscle car too heavily in order to discourage this racing ride from becoming a streetcar.

4. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6

Only ~20 Produced

The Chevelle 454 L56 is the rarest Chevrolet car ever made, especially the 1970 version. This is the only year it came out with the LS6 badge, which meant it received a massive 440-cubic-inch V8 engine. This upgraded engine throws out100 more horsepower than the base SS model.

3. 1971 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible

Only 17 Produced

The GTO Judge Convertible has an interesting story. The GTO Judge started as a convertible designed by the famous auto engineer John DeLorean. It was inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO and was an upgrade option for the Pontiac Tempest. Several years later, it was offered as a racing package for the GTO. From there, Pontiac worked to make this muscle car as light as possible to handle the meaty455-cubic-inch engine. There were a total of 207 GTO Judge Convertible units made, but only 17 came from 1971. It was cut from production to meet emission standards.

2. 1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1

Only 3 Produced

The ZL-1 was a completely original model that cost $3,000 more than any normal Corvette of its day. For Chevrolet employees, a brand-new ZL-1 started at $10,771. It came with a 427-cubic aluminum engine that created 500 horsepower. Rumor has it that there were only three of these amazing rides ever made. The only one left today has a certificate to prove its
Haynes 7/01/22authenticity and is worth over $1.5 million. If you happen to find one at your local car dealer, snatch it up!

The Rarest of American Muscle Cars: 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T 426 Hemi Convertible

Only 2 Produced

The rarest muscle car in American history is the 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible, equipped with a 426 Road and Track (R/T) engine that produced 425 horsepower. Technically, the 1967 version would be rarer as there was only one made that year. Two of these muscle cars came off the production line in 1970. Of course, the 1970 version was the first time Dodge upgraded one of its cars with a Road and Track engine.