The Golden Era of muscle cars began in the mid-’60s and lasted about a decade before the oil crisis and more stringent emissions standards ruined the fun.

All the American carmakers produced a selection of highly desirable models during the muscle car heydays, and picking just a few is no easy task.

Our list includes muscle and pony cars, but we’ve excluded American sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Shelby Cobra.

1964 Pontiac GTO

Pontiac didn’t invent the muscle car, but the 1964 GTO was undoubtedly one of the models that started the muscle car craze. It had a stylish design and a powerful engine, so we’re not surprised that it set the standard for a whole generation of muscle cars.

Under the hood, the GTO had a 389 cu-in V8 engine producing 325 wild stallions. When equipped with the “Tri-Power” option, which included three two-barrel Rochester 2G carburetors, power was bumped up to 350hp.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T

Dodge first introduced the Charger in 1966, but it wasn’t a runaway success. After a thorough redesign, they returned with the all-new second-gen Charger in 1968, and even Dodge didn’t expect to sell nearly 100,000 units in its first year.

Built on the Chrysler B platform, the Charger saw some cosmetic changes during its production run, but it was always available with some excellent engines. The 440 Magnum V8 produced a very respectable 375 hp, but the star was the legendary 426 Hemi with 425 thoroughbred American stallions.

1968 Plymouth Road Runner

We’re not sure how or why someone at Plymouth came up with the idea of blending cartoons and muscle cars, but we’re glad they did, as it worked surprisingly well. In 1968, Plymouth reached out to Warner Bros and negotiated a licensing deal that let them use the popular Road Runner cartoon character for one of the brand’s muscle cars.

Plymouth built the Road Runner on the Chrysler B-platform, and it was available with a range of V8 engines, including the 426 Hemi. What’s not to love about a muscle car with 425 hp, bold styling, and a horn that made a “meep meep” sound?

1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2

Oldsmobile introduced the 4-4-2 muscle car as an option package for the F-85 and Cutlass models in 1964. It wasn’t until 1968 that the 4-4-2 became a standalone model.

Oldsmobile used a rather weird naming technique when coming up with the 4-4-2’s name. It’s derived from its 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed transmission, and 2 exhausts. W-30-equipped Oldsmobile 4-4-2s with the 400 cu-in V8 engine produced a very respectable 360hp, but those who wanted even more power could opt for the Hurst/Olds, which had a 455 engine with 390 horses.

1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

We know some readers will argue that the Mustang was a pony car, not a muscle car. Well, with a massive 429 under its hood, it was packing more muscle than many actual muscle cars. Ford introduced the Mustang Boss 429 in 1969 as a NASCAR homologation special, and only 859 cars were built. Today, restored examples can fetch half a million dollars at auctions.

The 429 V8 produced a whopping 375 horsepower, making it Ford’s most potent engine at the time. It was a massive unit, and Ford had to revise the Mustang’s front end to shoehorn it into place. Thanks to all the changes, the Boss 429 handled better than other big-engine Mustangs.

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona / 1970 Plymouth Superbird

Nowadays, you need to squint really hard to see any resemblance between NASCAR racecars and the actual road cars they’re supposed to represent. That wasn’t always the case, though, as it used to be possible to stroll into a dealership and purchase a virtually identical car.

By the late ’60s, NASCAR rules stated that manufacturers had to homologate the race cars, and Dodge had to build 500 Charger Daytonas to satisfy the requirement in 1969. It had a massive wing at the rear and a sharp nose cone at the front. Those aero upgrades, along with a powerful 426 Hemi V8, made it the first NASCAR racer to break the 200 mph barrier. The following year, Plymouth copied the formula with its Superbird, and after the two Winged Warriors dominated the 1970 season, NASCAR banned aero cars in 1971.

1969 Pontiac GTO Judge

Following the original GTO, Pontiac had to create something truly special to keep customers interested, so in 1969, they offered the Judge package (among other customization options).

There certainly wasn’t a shortage of excellent muscle cars at this point, but the ‘69 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV was one of the meanest of them all. It had a high-performance 400 cu-in V8 engine with 370hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. That kind of power meant it would sprint to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, had a 122 mph top speed, and could do 13.6-second quarter-mile runs.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454

In 1970, Chevrolet released a Chevelle SS that would become the most desirable of all the Chevelles. Even the “regular” Chevelle SS 454 had a 360-horsepower V8, so it was certainly no slouch, but that was nothing compared to the beastly 454 LS6.

With 450 stampeding horses sent to the rear wheels, the ‘70 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 was one of the most powerful and desirable muscle cars money could buy.

1970 Buick GSX Stage 1

Those who added the optional GSX Stage 1 package to their 1970 Buick GS 455 became proud owners of one of the most well-specced muscle cars from this era. It included an appearance, performance, and handling package, and while other muscle cars could be ordered with basic options, that wasn’t the case with the GSX Stage 1.

Literally every available factory performance and handling part was included. The Stage 1’s 455 V8 produced a respectable 360 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, had a 135 mph top speed, and ran a quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds.

1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455

By 1973, the muscle car segment was a mere shadow of its former self, and most manufacturers didn’t offer the most ridiculously high-powered versions anymore. Pontiac wasn’t quite ready to give up yet, though. Firebird sales were nowhere near what they used to be, and GM execs considered axing it, but instead, someone convinced them to give the Trans Am the power it deserved.

With the SD-455 engine under its hood, the 1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am became the most powerful American car on the market. This lightning-quick pony car could even keep up with the legendary Corvette. As it turned out, its 455 cu-in was no run-off-the-mill production engine; it was a race-derived unit jam-packed with high-performance parts.