Photo from Velocity Modern Classics

Originally Posted On: Why We Love Muscle Cars – Velocity Restorations

 

You felt it in your bones.

Looking back on the muscle car era, it’s all so very clear why muscle cars became one the biggest symbols of American freedom and individualism. Our country was drastically changing, becoming more encompassing, more dynamic, and more daring year after year. We were sending people to the moon, and developing life-saving medical technologies that would change the world, while also fostering a growing movement that put human rights and racial equality at the forefront of our story as a country.

Yes, the 1960s were an incredible time to be alive. Every single moment vibrated with possibility and right at the center of this decade was the muscle car. Every ounce of the muscle car experience was meant to infiltrate your bones with the feeling of freedom and excitement. From the smell of the exhaust to the feeling of a rumbling, carbureted V-8 engine; there is simply nothing like the feeling of a muscle car in the 1960s. At Velocity, we know this feeling all too well.

In 2021, the world has changed but our love for muscle cars has only gotten stronger. In fact, muscle car restorations and classic car restorations have seen a massive increase in popularity. This is especially true with restomods like our recently commissioned Dodge Super Bee build. The Super Bee is perhaps the greatest embodiment of the muscle car formula and it has become infamous for its shocking performance and overall attitude. Put this class into the hands of world-class builders like Velocity and the result is simply stunning.

So what gives? Why are we looking for slices of the past in an age of instant information and modern technology? We’re going to cover everything you to know about the reasons why we love muscle cars:

• Your Youth Is Calling
• Visceral Thrills
• Cool Factor & Timeless Style
• Restored Muscle

Ready to dive into muscle cars the Velocity way? Let’s get after it!

Your Youth Is Calling

If there’s one thing most of us wish we could do, it’s to go back and relive the days of our youth. Whether it be to take those chances you didn’t take or to relive your life with the experience you have now, part of our older souls will always wish to be young again. Sure, we may not have a literal time machine to take us back into time but we do have an incredibly powerful mechanism to make us feel like we’re going back in time. Nostalgia.

From the song that you danced to at your wedding, to your parent’s old station wagon that you rode in on road trips out to the coast; these key events in your life are imprinted on your brain like a stamp. When it comes time for American muscle cars, these feelings and memories can be equally as strong since they remind us of the times when we cared a little less about the status quo and a little bit more about having a good time. After all, muscle cars were all about living life to the fullest! Why else would they be packing massive V8 engines, beautifully sculpted bodies, and low slung, coupe designs? I mean, come on, the Super Bee came from the factory with a 6.3L engine and 335 horsepower in the BASE car!

To be frank, the cars from this era were downright maniacal in every way possible. They were sporting engines like the Super Bee’s HEMI that were pushing out obscene amounts of horsepower through chassis designs that were crude, at best. They were a far cry from our new Super Bee restoration with its independent rear suspension and meaty performance tires. Back in the day, skinny radial tires and drum brakes really didn’t help the overall driving dynamics of the muscle car either but no one really seemed to care back then. They were wild, dangerous, and literally, anyone could buy one of these machines right off the showroom floor for not a lot of dough. For younger people, it was simply addictive. Today, companies like Velocity strive to dial this old-school experience up more than just a few notches.

We think you’ll agree that driving a Velocity built restoration instantly transports you back in time to when a younger version of you threw just a little more caution to wind. Don’t you miss it?

Visceral Thrills

Let’s just get this out of the way – muscle cars like the Super Bee are absolute monsters.

Whether it be today, or back in the 1960s & 1970s, muscle cars are all about straight-line speed coming from huge, naturally aspirated V8 engines. Horsepower ranged anywhere from 271 horsepower in the 289 Ford Mustang to an easy 400+ horsepower in applications like the Super Bee or the 427 Stingray Corvette. What’s even more absurd is that the horsepower ratings of this era were often blatant lies that were designed to fool the insurance companies into believing that these machines were less powerful than they actually were.

Make no mistake, muscle cars of this era were blindingly quick. How quick? How about 0-60 in under 5 seconds and 0-100 in under 12 seconds! Yes, cars with this kind of speed could be purchased right off the showroom floor and be taken straight to a drag strip for some serious thrills. Sure, modern cars can easily reach these numbers but they lack the raw, hair standing on end, visceral feel of classic muscle car restorations like those done by Velocity Restorations. When it comes time to rolling yourself back in time, there’s just nothing like leaving the insulated cocoon of modern vehicles for something a little wilder.

The Velocity touch means taking all this old-school speed and bringing it into the 21st century. We specifically built out our Super Bee restoration to not only be a monster in a straight line but also to handle in the corners with a custom chassis and fully independent rear suspension.

Cool Factor & Timeless Style

At Velocity, we don’t think there’s anything on the planet that’s cooler than a muscle car.

This is not some kind of marketing nonsense either, this is the kind of thing that transcends decades and age groups. Why? Simply put, Muscle cars are not practical in the least and they were never designed to be that way. They are designed to look good and give their owners a huge dash of automotive fun that basically eschews any sense of responsibility.

How many times in our life do we get to throw practicality out the window and explore the more fun side of our souls? Every single time you step into a muscle car, you get to do exactly that. Vehicles like the Super Bee simply oozed cool, and toughness like no other vehicle could ever dream of.

Muscle cars were gas-sucking, smog belching machines that had little to no interest in the safety or environmental impact that modern cars must take into account today. There is simply no way that government regulations would allow a small block breathing through twin Holley carbs to be sold right off the showroom floor. Most Americans simply didn’t think of all the things we need to consider today back in the muscle car era and that allowed a carefree level of coolness that manufacturers are still trying to show off today. A task that is a lot more challenging today than it ever was in the past.

To this very day, automotive manufacturers are still trying to capture the lightning in a bottle of the muscle car era. Vehicles like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger (heavily inspired by the Super Bee) are still sold today by banking on capturing that timeless style and effortless nature of those original muscle cars. Let’s be real though, as cool as these vehicles are, they are copies of an original.

Restoration builders like Velocity specialize in taking real mc-coy, the true original, and giving them a brand new lease on life. You can say we build time machines, nostalgia rockets, or whatever else you want to call them but when you step on that throttle, you won’t care what it’s called. You’ll be too busy holding on for the ride of your lie.

Restored Muscle

Velocity has perfected the muscle car feel without muscle car era sacrifices. Want to see a perfect example? Look no further than our newly commissioned Dodge Challenger Super Bee!

We’ve taken one of the all-time great muscle cars, and applied a huge dose of modern engineering and bespoke luxury that takes this incredible build over the top.

Just take a look at this list of upgrades:

• Custom chassis w/ fully independent rear suspension
• Custom fabricated roll cage inside
• Fully upgraded drivetrain
• 6-speed manual transmission
• Fully custom interior

There’s more on this build to come but trust us, this is not something to be missed.

Our classic car restorations are not simply brought back to their original glory; they completely redefine the muscle car experience by bringing it right into the 21st century. We provide the timeless design, effortless cool, and visceral thrill of old-school muscle cars with thoroughly modern chassis designs, reliable yet powerful powerplants, luxurious interiors, and up-to-the-minute electronics like Air Conditioning and touchscreen audio systems. Yes, you can really have a classic, 1960s / 1970s muscle car with ice-cold air conditioning and a stereo that works with your modern smartphone!

Whether you’re looking for the rugged cool of a classic Ford Bronco or Toyota FJ, or the low slung, drag strip hunting power of a Super Bee; the Velocity team can help make your modern muscle car dreams come true.

If you can dream it, we can build it! Reach out today and let us start making your dream a reality.