Do you know the story about how 1964 muscle cars came to be?
In fact, 1964 muscle cars were almost never made and the muscle car era almost never happened.
Luckily, 1964 was the year when Pontiac, a division of General Motors, broke all of the rules and inadvertently kicked off the modern muscle car era.
By that year, General Motors was officially out of the racing game and had declared an edict that all models other than the Corvette would have no more than 1 cubic inch of engine displacement per 10 pounds of overall curb weight.
Pontiac Motor Division ad man Jim Wagner refused to listen, however, as he found that the 389-powered A-body Tempest could handle far more power with its full-frame and solid axle.
Sales were swift from the start for the car, which came to be known as the GTO, with nearly 32,500 of them rolling out the door that year.
GM officials soon raised their A-frame displacement limit to 400 cubic inches, opening the door for knockoffs from Buick and Chevrolet.
Suddenly, a new era was born starting with 1964 muscle cars.
GM officials soon raised their A-frame displacement limit to 400 cubic inches, opening the door for knockoffs from Buick and Chevrolet. Suddenly, a new era was born.
Table of Contents
The Pontiac GTO is Born
Officially released on October 1, 1963, the 1964 Pontiac GTO package included a 325-horse 389 V-8 with cylinder heads borrowed from the 421.
When combined with the Tri-Power carburetors an intake, it made 348 horsepower and 428 lb-ft torque propelled it to become the fastest muscle car of 1964.
Other standard features included a three-speed manual with a Hurst shifter, a blacked-out grille, dummy hood scoops, and GTO badging.
Popular options included a Muncie four-speed transmission and the Tri-Power 389 featuring three Rochester two-barrel carbs.
Oldsmobile Follows the Leader
Following the success of the GTO, Oldsmobile released the 4-4-2 in April 1964.
Translating to 4-barrel, 4-on-the-floor and dual exhausts, the new product featured a high-compression 310-horse Rocket V-8 and a beefed-up chassis with a rear sway bar.
Just as with the GTO, Oldsmobile’s first muscle car was available as part of a special options package.
Coded B09 and dubbed the “police apprehender pursuit package,” the 4-4-2 option was available for all Oldsmobile mid-size models and was reportedly even purchased as an option for three F-85 four-door sedans and seven F-85 Deluxe four-door sedans.
Chevelle Takes the World By Storm
Automotive News claimed in September 1964 that “The only complaint about the Chevrolet Chevelle was that dealers couldn’t get enough of them.”
With the new model accounting for 18 percent of Chevy’s production within three months of its introduction, the assessment seems to have had much truth behind it.
In fact, the car ultimately topped the intermediate sales race for the year, beating out Ford’s Fairlane by an impressive 60,000 units.
Both six-cylinders and V-8s were available as options for this new market arrival, with 67,000 customers choosing to go with more power.
Overall, nearly 23 percent of sales that year were Super Sport, or SS, which was available in both Malibu hardtop and convertible form.
The Malibu SS featured a four-gauge instrument cluster, bucket seats and a console with floor shifter for Powerglide. Popular options included metallic brake linings and the new Muncie four-speed gearbox.
Ford’s Mustang Joins the Race
The first appearance of Ford’s Mustang occurred in April 1964.
Ford’s new “Hi-Po” V-8 package was known by its “K” engine code, offering 271 horsepower and mandating the installation of the Special Handling Package.
In addition to offering more power, the package provided quicker steering, stiffer springs, shocks, and a sway bar.
There was no doubt that something new and exciting was exploding within the car manufacturing world.
Complete List of 1964 Muscle Cars
Given this was the first year that kicked off the muscle car era, there aren’t as 1964 muscle cars as in their heyday in 1970.
Here is the complete list of classic American muscle cars in 1964.
| Year | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Chevrolet | Chevelle SS |
| 1964 | Chevrolet | Nova SS |
| 1964 | Chevrolet | Impala SS |
| 1964 | Chevrolet | Biscayne |
| 1964 | Chevrolet | Bel Air |
| 1964 | Dodge | Polara 500 |
| 1964 | Ford | Mustang |
| 1964 | Ford | Fairlane |
| 1964 | Ford | Galaxie |
| 1964 | Ford | Thunderbolt |
| 1964 | Mercury | Cyclone |
| 1964 | Mercury | Comet |
| 1964 | Oldsmobile | 442 |
| 1964 | Plymouth | Sport Fury |
| 1964 | Pontiac | GTO |
| 1964 | Pontiac | 2+2 |
| 1964 | Royal Pontiac | Bobcat GTO |
| 1964 | Shelby | Cobra |
| 1964 | Studebaker | Avanti |
| 1964 | Studebaker | Daytona |
| 1964 | Studebaker | Lark |
There you have the complete list of 1964 muscle cars. Up next is the complete list of 1965 muscle cars. Be sure to subscribe if you enjoyed this article!
Ryan Wheaton
Ryan has owned muscle cars since 1986 and currently owns a 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye. He combines passion and experience to create engaging content for fellow muscle car enthusiasts. In 2018, he founded Muscle Cars Illustrated, authoring hundreds of articles on tips, history, and trends in the muscle car industry. He attends national car shows, auctions, and museums to stay current with the latest developments in the muscle car industry.
Get exclusive muscle car content, giveaways, and a FREE Report on 10 of the most powerful muscle cars ever made right to your inbox—absolutely free!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.