Pony Cars That Made Jaws Drop
The pony cars which became hugely successful in the 1960s were known for their compact size, rugged exteriors and sporty feel. Pony cars were the line of cars that came into prominence in the United States in the swinging 60s. These cars were manufactured keeping the youth in mind. The affordable prices of these powerful and compact cars became an instant hit with people from all walks of life. The variety of pony car manufacturers sought inspiration from the 1964 Ford Mustang, which truly revolutionized the way for these cars. There were different car manufacturers that came into the limelight with their brand of pony cars.
Pony cars consisted of two doors and a seating capacity for four, which was a very encouraging sign for small families. Pony cars were easy to park and had the style and substance that people were looking for. Most of the cars manufactured came with a three speed manual transmission. Ford offered accessories such as the Cruise O Matic auto transmission to its customers who could customize with their 1964 Ford Mustangs.
Car manufacturers offered a whole lot of accessories that included, air conditioning, four speed gear boxes, convertible hoods in different colors. It was the "Corvair Monza" model by Chevy that popularized the use of bucket seats and turbocharged engines. Each pony car had characteristics that appealed to the people from different backgrounds. While the 1964 Ford Mustang and the "Plymouth Barracuda" appealed to the youth, families preferred the "Pontiac Tempest LeMans" and rambler Americans. Each pony car had a striking feel and resemblance when it came to the body of the car. While some car manufacturers chose sloped curves for car exteriors others preferred straight signature lines.
The revolutionary design of the 1964 Ford Mustang, which was derived from the Ford Falcon, consisted of sublime body design that is talked about even today. The "Plymouth Barracuda" was known for the broad curves on the rear of its body. As there were many competitors in mid-size car segment, manufacturers cut production costs and offered pony cars at relatively affordable prices. Most people could own a pony car in the 1960s. These cars being small were easy on maintenance and fuel efficient even with the presence of powerful engines. Sales of pony cars soared, with many car manufacturers bringing out newer variants of their cars. These compact and amazingly powerful cars were, and will be the pride of the United States of America. Pony cars, which were an American phenomenon, soon caught the eye of people in other parts of the world.
Here's a list of pony cars that made jaws drop:
* 1964 Ford Mustang
* The Plymouth Barracuda
* Chevy Corvair
* Buick Special Skylark
* Pontiac Tempest LeMans
* Plymouth Valiant Signet
* Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass
* Lark Daytona
* AMC Javelin
* Rambler American
* Mercury S-22
It was only in 1969 that the sales of pony cars began to decline, but resurged in the later years. Collectors are ready to shell out enormous amounts to own pony cars, which have nostalgic value.