Variety is the Spice of Muscle Car Life
By Nick Licata – Photography by the Author
It’s been said many times by some very wise people (people way more intelligent than myself) that variety is the spice of life. I wholeheartedly agree, which is why I usually start my morning with a hot Grande triple Cappuccino and then work my way to one or two cold triples throughout the day, pretty much every day. OK, apparently, I could use a little more variety throughout my daily routine. I’ll work on that.
So, when it comes to the muscle cars featured in All Chevy Performance magazine, we are pretty much bound to Chevys for obvious reasons, but that doesn’t stop us from covering as many build styles as possible within the brand.
We here at ACP continue to keep our eyes open to report on the latest style of cars builders are working on, and with the large number of muscle cars being resurrected these days, enthusiasts are researching and navigating a way to make their ride just a bit different from the rest. We do our best to recognize those nuances so we too can stay on top of the latest trends within the industry. Constant change is what makes this hobby thrive. And things, well, they are a changin’… for the better.
The diversification of cars being built these days is vast—more so than in recent years. The Pro Touring build style is still hugely popular, and the cars are coming out better than ever. With that said, we’ve noticed a slight shift with Pro Touring cars taking on a stealthier, slightly less-pronounced appearance while retaining the all the proper elements of performance—it’s sneaky, and we like it.
Not new by any means, but the latest rendition of day two restorations is starting to shift the popularity meter in a positive direction. This build style takes a step back from the low-slung, ground-hugging cars we’ve become accustomed, yet is still able to take advantage of some modern suspension and brake components offered by the aftermarket for a superior, and more importantly, safe ride. The look pays homage to the days when the common suspension upgrades included slapper bars and Gabriel HiJackers (they still make them, by the way) to get the rearend up high enough to clear those burley white-letter meats out back. Good times!
Lest we ignore the latest incarnation of Pro Street builds being on the rise today, partly due to the cool factor and the fact that these cars are now able to incorporate today’s modern big-inch engines and street-friendly components for improved driveability. Remember, it wasn’t that long ago when cars with massive blown big-block engines would break into a hot sweat during a high-traffic summer cruise night.
And in the past few years we’ve enjoyed the explosion (not literally) of gasser-style builds hitting the streets. We dig the fact that these cars possess a timeless look and, and we appreciate those who put in the effort while giving up a bit functionality and driveability in order to preserve a style from years past.
So as muscle car build trends come and go, the diversity throughout the hobby today puts us in the front row of witnessing a great time in the muscle world.
So, I’ll just put my feet up, take another hit off my Grande Cappuccino, and enjoy the show. Just remember to pass the popcorn this way.
You in?
