SC: Where do you see the musclecar hobby heading in the foreseeable future?
Kyle Tucker, Detroit Speed and Engineering:
I think the musclecar hobby will continue to grow and steal some of the thunder from the OEM retro hot rods. People still want to have something with their own influence and something that their next-door neighbor cannot go out and buy from the dealer. The aftermarket will need to continue to develop new innovative parts for this buyer.
Gary Penn, Hardcore Racing:
The continued infusion of high tech. Fuel injection and electronic engine management. More boosted applications. Power adders, such as Nitrous, Turbos and Superchargers, continue to gain popularity on everything from classic musclecars to new Corvettes.
Alan Johnson, Johnson's Hot Rod Shop:
The purists are going to remain, and there will still be folks wanting a numbers-matching restored original car. Nothing wrong with that, to each his own, there are a lot of low-production well-equipped cars that need to be restored. But there's also a lot of plain-Jane cars or non-matching-number cars begging to be ultimate musclecars. You also have companies like Dynacorn that's reproducing complete bodies, what better starting point could you have--no rust, no damage and no one complaining about cutting up an original car. There will be more and more of these type of cars built. They are much more fun to drive, they're faster, handle, ride, stop better and are more comfortable than an original car. Most of the purists would have one in they're garage if they ever sat in the drivers seat of a well-built modern musclecar.
Chris Alston, Chassisworks:
The musclecar segment will get much larger than the street rod segment, simply because there are a lot more desirable vehicles. Most importantly, they will be a lot faster to build, primarily because many of the parts will bolt on.
John Hotchkis, Hotchkis Performance:
Even the cheapest 2005 cars dominate musclecars from the '60s and '70s in the handling department. They are gaining in popularity as the Baby Boom generation makes more money and reminisces about their childhoods. This new generation of enthusiast generally doesn't want '60s-type handling and braking performance. They want a cool, fast-accelerating old musclecar that drives with new-car sophistication.
Bill Mitchell, World Products:
The '32 Ford had a great run, but it needs to move over for the musclecars. The younger generation doesn't remember '32 Fords. The really cool kids were driving '60s and '70s cars around the local hamburger stands. Their dream cars are '57 Chevys or '68 Camaros. Musclecar kits will be as plentiful as '32 Ford kits. Musclecars are the future.
Glen Grozich, Billet Specialties:
I see it following the same route that street rods have evolved into; we are already seeing reproduction Nova and Camaro bodies on the street, so searching for the perfect vehicle to start with is no longer a problem. The level of building streetcars has risen considerably with the high-dollar suspensions, engines, and bolt-on power. The automotive aftermarket is right there to support it; take a look at the advertisements in this book. Plus, the really cool thing is that any car can be built into an attention-getter, from a Dodge Dart to an Olds '88. Put a big hammer in it and go!
Gary Heidt, Heidt's Hot Rod Shop:
Nobody can deny that the introduction of the brand-new '69 Camaro body has opened a new chapter in musclecar construction. As Hot Rod magazine said, "This changes everything!" Now I know that it is just one car, but first the convertible was available and now the coupe is done. Rumor has it that other cars are also in the works. As these new bodies become available, it just opens the doors to replenish the supply of cars that have been disappearing through the years. If this continues, I think it is conceivable that many of the '60s and '70s musclecars could be reborn. What a thrill!
Denny Terzich, ProRides:
The musclecar hobby is heading into the aftermarket body arena. With all the new bodies coming out like the '69 Camaro convertible, you are going to see the street machine world resembling the street rod market. The '32 Ford will be replaced with '55 Chevys and '69 Camaros. Companies are going to be jumping on the bandwagon, and I am sure there are many new bodies in the works today. The supply will definitely increase to meet demand.
Sal Solarzano, Total Cost Involved:
The musclecar industry is only going to get stronger with the new aftermarket complete body kits and bolt-on performance front and rear suspension kits. The industry is going to blow up just like the street rod industry has.
George Ullrich, Speed-O-Motive:
Because of the increasing resale costs of these cars, customers are more willing to spend money on higher-end components. More customers are having it done for them instead of building it all themselves. This explains the growth of the crate engines over the last several years. Customers are more willing to spend the extra money for a professionally built engine instead of doing it themselves.
Jeanette Ladina, Flaming River:
This market has a positive, up-tempo outlook. The musclecar market seems to be able to reinvent itself and yet retain the strength of its previous forms. The new g-Machine market has placed increased emphasis upon the handling portion of the equation, which obviously helps the steering component market. However, the classic musclecar still remains viable, as does the Pro Street market. The performance restoration marketplace, the pure restoration of classic musclecars or the "restomods," continue to grow. These all provide solid markets for performance parts of all types.
Brent Vandervort, Fat Man Fabrications:
I have two daughters, now 22 and 29. I used to do a little market research when their friends came over. All kids like cars, so I'd let them see my '32 Ford Highboy, '30 Buick big resto-rod, '49 Chevy fastback, '56 Ford Vicky daily driver, '68 Mustang resto mod, and my Chrysler Crossfire (what a great 150-mph car!). EVERY single one liked either the Crossfire or the Mustang. The others seemed to be cars they couldn't relate to. None of their buddies or heroes had them, just a bunch of old guys known as street rodders. I think we will see more unusual cars being built. Camaros, Chevelles, and Mustangs will always be the stars (just like '32s and '40 Ford coupes), but some will tire of a worn-out recording of their favorite song. Look for Firebirds, Rivieras, Cougars, Buick GS, and GTO buildups. It gets harder and harder to get noticed, so some will go vertically in terms of quality, while others will go horizontally to a more unusual body style. Of course, we all know that nearly every mechanical part for a Chevelle will fit a GTO. But many enthusiasts exhibit a surprising lack of knowledge about their own cars. That will be a big job for the magazines in the future. I expect to see a mini-trend in race replicas. Camaros painted in Grumpy's colors, Mustangs like Trans Am racers. Will the V-8 Vegas come out of the barns?
Craig Morrison, Art Morrison Enterprises:
The interest in building a Pro-Touring / g-Machine / Street Fighter-type car is going to continue. The refinement of these cars and this type of "build" will attract many to the hobby and people who could afford a higher-end BMW, Porsche, or even some of the exotics will be enticed to have a high-performance musclecar built for them. Enthusiasts will continue to push the definition of what a high-performance streetcar is. Like with the Pro-Street movement, more and more cars will be pushed beyond the limit and be more of a road-course car than a road car, but for the most part there is going to be a lot of exciting, performance vehicles being turned out across the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Phillip Gerber, The Roadster Shop:
We see the trend moving towards custom, high-end, and one-off musclecars showcasing the builder's skills and creativity, as well as the latest industry innovations.
Bret Voelkel, Air Ride Technologies:
I see model-specific horsepower, suspension, body, and interior packages to enable enthusiasts to build musclecar clones with all the modern trimmings. They will look like an original Z/28 or SS Chevelle, but drive like a new Corvette.