General Motors’ Pontiac division was founded almost a century ago, but GM’s bankruptcy and restructuring forced the brand to be discontinued in 2009. Pontiac’s demise was hastened by the launch of the Aztek SUV, whose quirky design hid advanced features and became the butt of many jokes. In its final years, Pontiac also produced the Solstice Roadster, a model that showed promise but is now worth less than it was new. However, two Pontiacs have risen in value significantly. The first is the 1964 GTO, a pioneer of the muscle car that initially sold for around $2,500-2,800 but is now worth nearly $60,000, according to sales data collected by Classic.com. The more enigmatic, but equally impressive, 1967 Firebird has also risen in value significantly since its launch. According to Classic.com, the base price was about $2,700 (about $26,000 in today’s money), but surviving examples in good condition can now sell for more than $40,000.
The Firebird spawned a high-performance sibling, the Trans Am, which debuted in 1969. The Firebird was very much a product of its times, with its powerful V8 engines and aggressive styling that made it look fast even when standing still. Other automakers produced several models that shared a lot with the Firebird, until the 1973 oil crisis and new emissions regulations that followed soon after put the brakes on the muscle and pony car market.
Featured image by Riley, taken from Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC-By 2.0)
The Camaro was a sibling to Chevrolet’s F-body Firebird.
The Firebird and Chevrolet Camaro are often confused because they are very similar. Both cars debuted as 1967 models, with the Camaro coming out about five months before the Firebird. Generational changes for both F-body muscle cars occurred in 1970, 1982, and 1993. The Camaro outlived the Firebird, which ended its 30-plus year history in 2002. The Camaro nameplate went on an eight-year hiatus that same year, but was revived in 2010, after which Chevrolet announced that the final sixth-generation Camaro would be available in January 2024. The first-generation Firebird and Camaro were the most similar in terms of styling and performance, with both models producing high-performance models.
In the Firebird’s case, that was the sporty Trans Am, which first appeared in 1969. The Camaro has been offered in Super Sport (SS) and Z/28 versions over its long history, but both special models skipped a generation: the SS wasn’t offered in the third generation, which ran from 1982 to 1992, and there was no Z/28 in the sixth generation.
Values of classic Camaros vary greatly depending on the generation. Classic.com has sold over 2,500 first-gen Camaros in the past five years, with an average price just under $75,000. During the same time period, fewer than 500 third-gen Camaros have been sold, with prices just over $21,000. The most valuable examples are rare 1969 COPO (Central Office Production Order) Camaros, which today sell for more than $163,000.
The Chevelle was another impressive Chevrolet model.
The Firebird had another Chevrolet cousin that rivaled the Firebird in terms of performance and style, but the Chevelle had a short production run and was built on the A-body platform. It debuted in 1964 alongside three GM siblings, the Pontiac Tempest, the Oldsmobile Cutlass, and the Buick Skylark. The following year, the Chevelle Super Sport (SS) was released with a 350 horsepower V8 engine, and this variant became a standalone model in 1966. All A-body models were extensively redesigned in 1968, and the following year the Chevelle SS reverted to being an engine option only. The Chevelle eventually fell victim to the 1973 oil crisis and GM’s need to consolidate its lineup, and was replaced by the Malibu in 1977.
Chevelle values also vary by generation. According to Classic.com, more than 500 first-gen Chevelles have sold in the past five years, with an average price of about $61,000. More than twice as many second-gen models have sold in the same time period, with an average price of just over $76,000. Third-gen Chevelles are far less common, but paradoxically, they’re also much less valuable. According to Classic.com, just 19 1973-1977 Chevelles have sold in the past five years, with an average price of just under $23,000.
(Featured image by MercurySable99 and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC-By 4.0)
Oldsmobile 442
Oldsmobile introduced the 442 as an option package for the Cutlass and F-85 in 1964 in an attempt to tap into the emerging muscle car market. The name came from the four-barrel carburetor, four-speed transmission, and dual exhaust pipes running from the V8 engine. For the second model year, the 442’s motor was upgraded from 330 to 400 cubic inches, and the suspension and clutch were upgraded. The 1967 W-30 option package added a new air induction system, stronger springs, and chrome valve covers.
In 1972, the 442 returned to its original position as an option package for the Cutlass. As the 1970s progressed, the enactment of emissions regulations and the oil crisis reduced the 442’s power, but in 1975 a 455 cubic inch big block V8 became available.
The 442 officially lasted through the 1991 model year, but Oldsmobile officials applied the name to the 1992 and 1993 Achieva SCX. The second-generation 442, built from 1968 to 1972, is the most popular, with 350 sold in the past five years, according to Classic.com, for an average selling price of nearly $70,000. Only eight third-generation models (1973 to 1977) were sold during the same period, and all but one were under $20,000. The first-generation 442 (1964 to 1967) falls somewhere in the middle, with an average selling price of just under $43,000.
(Feature Image by Greg Jördingen via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC-By 2.0)
Dodge Charger
Once outside the GM umbrella, we would encounter another model with thematic and aesthetic similarities to the Firebird. Dodge introduced the Charger in 1966, built on the Coronet platform with a new fastback body. The Charger was available with one of several V8 engines, including a 426 cubic inch HEMI that produced an astounding 425 horsepower. The Charger 500 and Charger Daytona were introduced in 1969 and were so successful on the NASCAR circuit that both submodels were banned from racing. The HEMI option was dropped after 1971, and by 1975, changing sensibilities of American car buyers led Dodge to restructure the Charger to emphasize luxury instead of performance. The fifth generation, introduced in 1981, was based on the mid-range Omni and offered neither performance nor luxury.
Dodge revived the name as a muscle car in 2006, paying tribute to the older generation, which remains valuable today. Of the original Chargers, the second-generation models from 1968 to 1970 are the most popular. According to Classic.com, just over 300 of these models have been sold in the past five years, with an average price of about $138,000. The third-generation models (1971 to 1974) are the next most expensive at just under $57,000, and the 54 first-generation models (1966 and 1967) sold since 2019 have sold for an average of about $41,500.
(Feature Image by Greg Jördingen via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC-By 2.0)
AMC AMX
American Motors has produced a number of memorable yet underrated muscle cars, including the AMX. The model debuted in 1968 as a shortened version of the Javelin that eliminated the rear seats. The 1968 AMX was equipped with one of three V8 engines with a four-barrel carburetor. The largest of these was a 390 cubic inch version that produced 315 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, thanks in part to forged connecting rods and pistons. For the 1969 model year, the AMX used coil springs up front and had an updated dashboard to match the new paint scheme. A major suspension upgrade came in 1970, the last year the AMX was sold as a standalone model. The following year, the badge was used as an option package for the four-seater Javelin.
Hagerty claims fewer than 20,000 of the two-seater AMXs were made, but the current market doesn’t reflect the model’s relative rarity. Classic.com has recorded 101 sales of 1968-70 AMXs over the past five years, with an average price of just over $41,000. The cheapest was a black 1969 model that recently sold for $12,750, and the most expensive was a 1969 Super Stock model in red, white and blue “Patriot 1” paint that sold for $181,500.
(Feature image by CZMarlin and sourced from Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public domain)