10 Classic Sports Cars

In the 1960s and 1970s there were a slew of sports cars, but here are the ten classic sports cars from that era. The different manufacturers designed them to compete with each other for the younger market of buyers who were interested in speed.

1. 1970-1973 Nissan 240Z. This car was produced and reasonably priced to compete with the best cars from Europe and America. It performed and had a sexy look. The engine was a 1.6 liter, OHC four with two more cylinders grafted on to make it a 2.4 liter that had 151 hp. It had a four-speed manual transmission and front disc brakes.
2. 1964-1974 Dodge Charger. With everyone flocking to buy the Pontiac GTO, Dodge decided since it couldn’t be first it had to be the best. They embodied the new era and built a show car that was functional and had a high-performance driveline. Exterior design was influenced by Dodge’s drag racing cars. A scoop, stripes, roll bar, a rolled pan in the rear, two true seats, and a dual headrest mount were added. The car was lowered, and a full-length console was added to give it the feel of a jet fighter.
3. 1964-1974 Pontiac GTO. Pontiac found a way to design a car that focused on street performance to appeal to the younger market. The first GTO was the option package for the LeMans which included a 389 engine, four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, hood scoops, larger front sway bar, three-speed floor shift, and wider wheels.
4. 1970-1974 Dodge Challenger. The Challenger was designed to compete with the Cougar. The wheelbase was longer and the interior was more luxurious for young more affluent buyers. Four hardtop models were offered. The R/T was the performance model with a 383 engine, 3-speed manual transmission, in either a convertible or hardtop. The body style stayed the same but the grille and taillights were changed through the years.
5. 1958-1976 Chevrolet Impala. The 1958 Chevy Impala changed its whole body structure from the windshield back. There were five generations of Impalas that followed, each with dramatic changes. From 1961-1969 the Impala SS (Super Sport) was sold but was often outsold by other cars in its class. The rare Z24 is the most desired Impala by collectors.
6. 1967-2002 Pontiac Firebird. The first Firebirds (1967-1969) were built to compete with the Mustang. They blended unibody and separate body, had similar styling to the Camaro, but had a split grille and different taillights. Where they differed was under the hood. They came in a variety of engine sizes, carburetors, types of transmissions, and axle ratio.
7. 1964-1973 Chevy Chevelle. From 1966 through 1969, the popular Chevelle went through many changes making improvements along the way. In 1970 the most powerful Chevelle appeared on the market. In 1971, Chevrolet detuned its cars to run on unleaded fuel and sales declined from 1971 to 1973, the last year of production.
8. 1953 to 2011 Chevy Corvette. The Corvette entered the market in 1953, but the 1957 fuel injected 283 V-8, the 1963-1967 Sting Ray, the big blocks from 1965 to 1967, and the LT-1s of the early 1970s are the most memorable. The Corvette still remains today and is available at about one-fourth the price of its European counterparts.
9. 1964-1973 Ford Mustang. The Mustang was the original pony car. It entered the market in 1964 and immediately became a hit. The 1964-1/2 model was available in only the coupe and convertible, and the fastback model was introduced in 1965. Major restyling was done in 1967. In 1969 major changes occurred. The fastback was discontinued and the Mach I, Boss 302 and “E” were introduced. The last major restyling was done in 1971 when the Boss 351 and 429 replaced the Boss 302.
10. 1967-2002 Chevy Camaro. In answer to the Mustang pony car, the first Camaros came out in late 1966. The First Generation from 1967-1969 sold successfully, and included the sought after Z28. The Camaro went through four generations and stopped production in 2002.