Classic muscle cars are high-dollar collectibles that are now reaching into the millions for the best and most rare examples. Even models that were fairly common and affordable a few years ago are now six-figure rides during this boom. Things like a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429, a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6, or any Hemi-equipped Mopar are so far out of most collector’s price range that they are looking elsewhere for a classic muscle fix.
There are plenty of models and years outside the traditional kick-butt classics that meet all the criteria for awesomeness, but once collectors start latching on, they too will explode in price. Predicting which models are about to go up in value is a bit like playing the stock market, but identifying rare, cool muscle cars that are tragically undervalued is a solid method. Here are some muscle cars, both recent and classic, that are poised to be worth a fortune in the near future.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including Hagerty, Mecum, and Classic.com. Cars are ranked by model year, from the most recent to the oldest.
10 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Final Ride For An Iconic Pony Car
The Chevrolet Camaro has sold millions of cars across seven generations since its introduction in 1967, but, sadly, 2024 will be the final year for this iconic pony car. It is, however, going out like it came in, with power and fury. The top-performance trim for 2024 is the Camaro ZL1 with a mighty 650-horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V-8, that can also be paired with a six-speed manual and optioned as a convertible. All of this adds up to a potential rare car that could be worth a mint in the next few years.
2024 Camaro Prices
- Camaro ZL1 – $75,395
- Camaro ZL1 Convertible – $81,995
- Camaro ZL1 Collector’s Edtion – $89,990
- Camaro Garage 56 Edition – $87,390
Additionally, Chevy is sending the Camaro out with a pair of special models: The ZL1 Special Edition, limited to 350 units, and the ZL1 Garage 56 Edition, limited to just 56 copies. It’s likely that most of these will be garaged after purchase, and after a few years without a Camaro, buyers will be climbing over each other to get behind the wheel of one. Even that Plain Jane ZL1 is going to go up in value, simply because it’s the last great Camaro ever made.
9 2023 Last Call Dodge Challenger And Charger
Last Of The Mopar Muscle V-8s
Dodge discontinued the Challenger and the Charger in 2023, and while the Charger will live on as the Daytona EV and Sick-Pack turbo I-6, it marks the end of V-8 Mopar muscle. To commemorate, or mourn, this tragic turn of events, Dodge issued a series of “Last Call” vehicles that pay homage to classic Mopar performance.
The Challenger Shakedown, Charger Super Bee, Challenger and Charger Swinger, Charger King Daytona, Challenger Black Ghost, and the insane Challenger SRT Demon 170, were all made in extremely limited numbers that were collectible before they even left the dealer lot.
Dodge Last Call Vehicle Production Numbers
- Challenger Shakedown – 1,000 units
- Charger Super Bee – 1,000 units
- Challenger Swinger – 1,000 units
- Charger Swinger – 1,000 units
- Charger King Daytona – 300 units
- Challenger Black Ghost – 300 units
- Challenger SRT Demon 170 – 3,300 units
Most of the Last Call rides come equipped with a 485-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, except the King Daytona and Black Ghost, which are rocking the 807-horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi Hellcat V-8. Then, there’s the matter of the Demon 170, which super-supercharges the Hellcat to blast out 1,025 horsepower. It hasn’t even been a year since these cars were released, and they are already selling for over MSRP on the secondary market. Classic Hemi-powered Mopar muscle cars are some of the most expensive collectibles, and the last of the V-8s will certainly join them in the top tier.
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8 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Fastest ‘Stang Of The Whole Gang
The Ford Mustang has been in continuous production since 1964, and in that time, has produced some amazing performance rides, like the GT350, Boss 429, and SVT Cobra. The distinction of the fastest and most powerful pony in the stable, however, belongs to the 2013 Shelby GT500. The fifth-gen ‘Stang was equipped with a 662-horsepower 5.8-liter supercharged V-8 that rockets it from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and down a quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds. It also has a manufacturer’s claim of a 200+ MPH top speed, so this really is the most ferocious Mustang ever built.
2013 Shelby GT500 Values
- Classic.com average auction price – $66,613
- Edmunds Outstanding Dealer Retail – $29,335
- Hagerty Concours condition – $84,800
- J.D. Power clean condition – $26,375
- Kelley Blue Book fair price – $31,851
It is also a woefully undervalued muscle car, with some examples selling for as low as $35,000. It costs $54,995 when brand new, which is $74,315 adjusted for inflation, and in 2024, a 15,000 mile, perfect condition 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible is selling on Autotrader for $56,000. Only 4,885 GT500s were built in 2013, so in addition to being awesome, it’s also a fairly rare Mustang. Sooner or later, collectors are going to realize what an insane bargain this car is, and the prices are going to explode with the sudden rush of demand.
7 1989 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary
Retro ’80s Track Champ
The 1989 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary is another high-powered American muscle car that is criminally underappreciated. Unlike every other car on this list, the Trans Am didn’t come equipped with a V-8, but it did have an unreal, for the time, 3.6-liter turbocharged V-6. The ’89 Pontiac could accelerate from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and eat up a quarter-mile track in 13.4 seconds. Those are the same kind of numbers a classic Hemi-powered V-8 car made, but they came from a six-cylinder in the 1980s.
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Top Sale Price Of The Fastest Muscle Car From Each Decade:
1960s: 1969 Plymouth Road Runner – $275,000
1970s: 1971 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda – $3.5 million
1980s: 1989 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary – $82,500
1990s: 1993 Pontiac Firebird SLP Firehawk – $121,000
2000s: 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – $112,500
2010s: 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon – $260,000
2020s: 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 – $275,000
Only 1,555 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary cars were built, and that was 35 years ago, so these suckers must be worth a fortune, right? Well, not so much. Auction prices for these rare Trans Ams range from $35,254 to $82,500 for an immaculate, low-mileage car. Hagerty sets the value of a non-20th Anniversary 1989 Trans Am V-8 car at $37,400 in Concours condition, which is another steal. The Trans Am 20th Anniversary was the baddest car of the entire 1980s, and it’s extremely rare, so this is one that is ready to take off.
6 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS
Overlooked Bowtie Bruiser
Though a bit smaller than the Chevelle, the Chevrolet Nova is every bit as cool and just as aggressive-looking. While the 1970 Nova SS didn’t have access to the 454 V-8 engine like the Chevelle did, there was no lack of performance options for this underrated muscle car. With available V-8s from 307ci to 396 ci (actually 402ci), a properly-equipped ’70 SS jammed out 375 horsepower, which is a hell of a lot for such a small ride. That’s good enough for a 14.2-second quarter-mile, which ain’t that far off from the Chevelle SS 454 LS6’s time of 13.8.
1970 Nova SS Values:
- Bring a Trailer sales range – $11,000 to $75,000
- Classic.com average auction price – $54,595
- Hagerty Concours condition – $29,400
- J.D. Power high retail – $36,600
To land a ’70 Chevelle SS, even one with a 396, is going to break the bank, running in the six-figure range, but a Nova SS is still doable. A perfectly restored black four-speed 1970 Nova with a 396 sold on Bring a Trailer earlier this year for $75,000. That’s actually a great price for such a kick-butt classic muscle car, and there are even better bargains out there. This seems like a model that’s ready to pop because it has been undervalued for too long. Another indication that the car is waiting to explode is the prevalence of resto-mods and tribute cars, of which there are many for the ’70 Nova SS.
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5 1971 Pontiac Lemans GT-37
It’s a GTO, Only Affordable
The Pontiac Lemans started out as a trim for the Tempest in 1962 and the GTO was first introduced as a Tempest trim in 1964. They both went on to be their own models, but then, in 1972, the GTO became a trim for the Lemans. In the interim, came the 1971 Lemans GT-37, which was marketed as the “GTO for kids under 30” because, apparently, the GTO became a geezer-mobile in the ’70s. The GT-37, was a performance package, every bit as lethal as the GTO Judge, and was available with the vaunted 455ci V-8 engine.
1971 Lemans GT-37 Values:
- Classic.com average auction price – $36,777
- Conceptcarz high retail – $47,000
- Hagerty Concours condition – $28,200
- J.D. Power high retail – $31,200
While collectors are gobbling up GTOs, the GT-37s, which are the same basic car, are much more affordable. ’71 GTOs average $76,190 at action and have a high sale of $440,000 for a rare convertible Judge, while ’71 Lemans cars average $36,777 with the top-selling GT-37 with a 400ci V-8 going for only $26,000. A ’71 GT-37 with a 455 in immaculate condition was sold by Gateway Classic Cars in 2022 for $39,000. Once collectors figure out that the GT-37 is every bit as killer as the GTO, this car’s value will soar.
4 1970 AMC Javelin SST
Forgotten Classic Muscle
All AMC muscle cars are underappreciated and underrated, but the 1970 Javelin SST in particular is also severely undervalued. With aggressive styling to match anything from Chevy, Dodge, or Ford, these cars were bargains in their day and continue to be in modern times. The 1970 model actually exists in limbo between the first generation, from 1967-1969, and the second generation, from 1971-1974. It’s a no-gen Javelin, which had, by far, the coolest look, and the SST with the “Go Package” performance upgrade had a 390ci V-8 that generated a respectable 325 horsepower and an impressive 425 pound-feet of torque.
1970 Javelin Values:
- Classic.com average auction price – $56,777
- Hagerty Concours condition – $33,000
- Hemmings highest list price – $60,000
- J.D. Power high retail – $58,500
Maybe it’s because AMC isn’t a current automaker that has collectors ignoring the ’70 Javelin SST, but it is the best value in classic muscle. Most of the top-sellers are Mark Donohue special editions which were sold to the public to homologate them for competition in the Trans Am racing series. For a regular Javelin SST, the most expensive example sold is $44,000. AMC only made 26,866 Javelins of any kind in 1970, and clearly, the SSTs are super-rare because Classic.com has only tracked 11 sales in the past five years, so this is a car that could really take off.
3 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
Mustang’s Killer Alter-Ego
The name Mustang carries a lot more weight than Cougar, but the Mercury car is basically the same thing as the Ford. In many ways, especially in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Mercury Cougar was the superior ride. Take, for instance, the 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator, which has a way more badass name, and could run circles around almost anything the Ford Mustang had to offer that year. The base ’69 Eliminator was Mercury’s version of the Boss 351, but came with a Ram-Air 428 Cobra-Jet V-8 option that made it a rival of the Mach 1.
1969 Cougar Eliminator Values
- Bring a Trailer sale price range – $25,000 to $127,500
- Classic.com average auction price – $86,014
- Hagerty Concours condition – $147,000
- J.D. Power high retail – $65,000
While a ’69 Mach 1 can go from almost half a million bucks, the highest price paid for a non-resto-mod Cougar Eliminator 429 was $176,000. While that sounds like a lot of dough, only 2,250 Eliminators were built in 1969 with just 302 equipped with the 428. This is one of the rarest muscle cars ever, and its potential as an investment is immense. As collectors’ dreams of owning a Mach 1 or Boss 429 die, the demand for a ’69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 will send the value to Mustang levels of collectability.
2 1969 Plymouth Barracuda
Second-Gen Sleeper ‘Cuda
Only 10,669 426 Street Hemis were ever produced between 1966 and 1971, which is why any Dodge or Plymouth muscle car equipped with one costs more than a moderate mansion. While Hemis may be the do-or-die engine for Mopar collectibles, there’s an insider secret that some 440-equipped cars are just as fast and badass. The 1969 Plymouth Barracuda could definitely hang with the 426 cars, as is illustrated in the next entry, and is tragically slept on. Most of the attention goes to the third-gen Hemi ‘Cudas, but the second-gen was an amazing-looking, muscular ride.
Barracuda Auction Market:
- 1967 average auction price – $35,371
- 1968 average auction price – $42,192
- 1969 average auction price – $47,566
- 1970 average auction price – $132,530
- 1971 average auction price – $172,972
1970 and 1971 Hemi ‘Cudas are multi-million dollar rides in the right configuration, so the price of a 1969 Barracuda seems mighty cheap. A great condition matching numbers ’69 Barracuda 440 sold at Mecum Harrisburg 2024 for $47,000, which is an insanely low price. The entire second generation of Barracuda (1967-1969) is a collectors’ bargain market, waiting to erupt. The only expensive models are the 1967 Hemi Under Glass exhibition drag racer and the 1968 426 Hemi-equipped Super Stock factory drag cars. Everything else, including 440s, are budget-friendly for the time being.
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1 1968 Dodge Dart GTS
Mopar’s Aggressive Little Brother
At this point, only oil barons and tech billionaires can afford a second-gen Dodge Charger R/T Hemi, and even the third-gen ’71s are getting out of reach. There is, however, hope for collectors who want a badass Mopar that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. For the price of a pinky toe, maybe, a killer 1968 Dart GTS can be added to any collection. The muscular compact, especially when equipped with a 440ci V-8, is just as quick as a Hemi-powered Charger or Coronet, and has the aggressive styling to match. There is no doubt that when a ’68 GTS comes roaring up to a stop light, people take note.
Fastest Accelerating Classic Mopar Muscle Cars
|
Car |
Engine |
0-60 Time |
Quarter-mile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1971 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
4.7 seconds |
13.1 seconds |
|
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
4.7 seconds |
13.3 seconds |
|
1969 Plymouth Road Runner |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
4.9 seconds |
13.3 seconds |
|
1968 Dodge Charger R/T |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
4.9 seconds |
13.5 seconds |
|
1967 Dodge Coronet R/T |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
4.9 seconds |
13.5 seconds |
|
1964 Plymouth Sport Fury |
426ci Max Wedge V-8 |
4.9 seconds |
13.5 seconds |
|
1966 Plymouth Satellite |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
5.6 seconds |
13.6 seconds |
|
1968 Dodge Dart GTS |
440ci V-8 |
5.2 seconds |
13.7 seconds |
|
1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
5.7 seconds |
13.7 seconds |
|
1969 Plymouth Barracuda |
440ci V-8 |
5.6 seconds |
13.9 seconds |
1968 was the year that Dodge teamed up with Hurst Performance to cram 426 Hemis into Darts for some quasi-street legal dragsters, and those can be quite expensive, but a regular production GTS is affordable, for now. The average auction price is $58,871 and that is skewed high because of a couple of six-figure Hemi Darts, but a GTS with either a 360 or 383 V-8 goes for between $30,000 and $40,000. In a weird twist of fate, there are no recent 440 Dart GTS car sales, making it more rare than a 426, of which only 80 were made. Look for a 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440, to be the next big-money classic muscle car.
