CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot Year End Wrap-Up; The 70′s OPEC Inspired Cruisers

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, the 1970′s OPEC Cruisers. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So what is your favorite Muscle Car dominated by 2 OPEC Oil Embargos, as well as the Disco Era?
- The 1977 Pontiac LeMans Can Am. This was suppose to be the new GTO!
- The Mercury Marauder X-100, and this turned out to be one of the more popular posts in this series!
- The 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst, one of the last of the Full Sized Muscle Cars.
- The 1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350, or what it really was, the 442 Light!
- The 1971 AMC Hornet 360 S/C, a follow-up to the S/CRambler.
- The 1971 – 72 Plymouth Sport Fury GT. This was a full sized Muscle Car that sold in small numbers.
- The 1974 AMC Matador 401 Coupe. A New styling direction for AMC.
- The 1970 AMC Rabel Machine. Just as cartoonish as the S/CRambler, but even bigger!
- The 1977 – 79 AMC AMX. An anemic AMC, built off the Hornet platform.
- The 1974 Pontiac Ventura GTO, built off the Chevy Nova Platform. This would be the last domestic GTO.
- The 1973 – 74 Ford Grand Torino Cobra Jet, the very last CJ equipped Torino.
- The 1973 – 74 Chevrolet Laguna S-3, equipped with a 454 Big Block.
- The 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Wagon, built in very limited numbers.
- The 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon with the 429 Cobra Jet!