Top 5 American Classics Worth Bringing From the USA

American classics that are worth bringing from the USA — top 5 models

You can write books about classic cars from the USA, but we decided to present 5 models that are especially worthy of interest. Some are very popular due to the easy availability of parts on the market, while others represent an excellent investment of capital.

Ford Mustang

If we were to name the most important models in the history of the Ford brand, they would be the Model T, the F-150 and the Mustang. The legendary coupe first appeared in dealerships in 1964, the first generation was developed and sold for 10 years. Therefore, in the case of the Ford Mustang, classic vintage cars come in many configurations and it is worth searching the web and guides in advance for information to be 100% sure that you are buying the original.

The smallest engine had a volume of 2.8 l and a power of only 105 hp, and the most power was squeezed out of the 7.0 l V8 and it was as much as 375 hp. Many special versions also appeared, including models tuned by Shelby: GT-350, GT-350H, GT-500, very rare Shelby Europa (14 pcs.) and 1 copy of GT-500 Supersnake.

Ford Mustang, of course, starred in many films. His most famous performance was the role in “Bullit”, where Steve McQueen himself sat behind the wheel. In the 6th generation of the model, even a special version of the Bullit was created, which referred to this iconic car. The Mustang also appeared in the “60 Seconds” movies. It is worth knowing that the 2000 one was created on the basis of the 1974 production, where the scene of the chase after the Mustang lasts 40 minutes and 93 cars were destroyed at that time.

The second generation appeared in 1974, when inflation and the fuel crisis were raging in the United States. In addition, the new Mustang had to face up to Japanese competitors. The largest engine in the range was the 4.9 V8. Despite these limitations, the second-generation Mustang is a common sight in the garages of European collectors, as the lack of a claw makes up for in style.

Looking at American auction portals, the popularity of the Mustang is no surprise. Demanding a little love copies of the classic Ford from the USA are sold at attractive prices. In Poland, there are also companies that are engaged in professional restoration of this model, so you can safely buy a copy in a condition for restoration. Ford Mustang, old whether new, it will always please the owner and attract the eyes of other road users.

Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette model was created back in the 50s of the last century and quickly became a benchmark for other manufacturers. He inspired Ford, among others, to create the Mustang. In the first batch, only 300 cars were made, and they were all assembled by hand, and the fiberglass body was painted in Polo White. Under the hood, an in-line 3.9 engine with a capacity of 150 hp worked. Later, the V8 joined the offer.

In the case of the Chevrolet Corvette, the iconic generations are difficult to pinpoint, because each brought something interesting and unique. The C1 model had a fiberglass body. The Corvette C2 earned the nickname Sting Ray and was distinguished not only by its appearance, but also by the fact that it had air conditioning. C3, on the other hand, was produced for as many as 14 years and the base models can be purchased at attractive prices. They are not considered dynamic, but they steal all the glances wherever they appear.

For Corvette C3 Chevrolet from USA is an affordable threshold for entering the world of American classics. You have to pay a little more for the C2 and C1 versions, but they can be a better capital investment because of this.

Dodge Charger

Another famous American classic is the Dodge Charger — a muscle car with a soul. The first 3 generations had a coupe body. The car disappeared from the market in 1987, only to return in 2006 as a sedan. In our review, however, we focus on the classics and here the greatest interest is the generations of 1966-1967 and 1968-1970.

The car was largely based on another well-known model — Coronet. It was aimed at mature men. The base engine was 5.2 V8. Inside, there are clocks designed to resemble those of racing cars. Sales of the first generation were small, so there are not many copies on the secondary market. In the case of the next one, more than 96 thousand units were produced.

The car has appeared in many films. The second generation broke into the mass consciousness of Americans thanks to the series “The Dukes of Hazzard”. Dodge Charger also appeared in “Fast and Furious,” Quentin Tarantino's “Death Proof,” and “Bullit.” In addition, in 1970 Bobby Isaac won the NASCAR racing season right at the wheel of the Charger.

Plymouth Barracuda

Next on our list is the Plymouth Barracuda — unique for collectors. Only 3 generations of this car were created. The first was produced between 1964 and 1966 and was based on the Valiant model, being almost its two-door counterpart. The fact that the car was treated a little after the stepfather is evidenced by the fact that in the advertising brochures it was presented as a car for any driver, of any age.

In 1967, the second generation hit the market, which became more muscular and streamlined. A convertible has also been added to the offer. Initially, the largest engine was 6.3 with 280 hp, but in 1968 50 cars with a 7.0 V8 Hemi engine were produced, which did not have road homologation. They were created for 1/4 mile races.

The last generation saw the light of day in 1970 and completely severed ties with Valiant. The car was offered, among others, with a 7.0 V8 Hemi engine from the second generation. The largest in the range was the 7.2 V8 engine. In 1972, the car underwent a facelift due to the need to adapt it to the new safety regulations. Production ended in April 1974. In 2007, 2012 and 2015, there were rumors repeatedly that Barracuda was about to return, but they did not find coverage in reality.

Which generation is best to invest in? Looking at prices, you have to pay the most for cars manufactured after 1970. Dodge from USA can cost more than $100,000 for copies in perfect condition. Meanwhile, prices for well-maintained cars of the first and second generations start at $30,000.

Pontiac Firebird

The last on the list is presented for the first time in 1967 Pontiac Firebird. The glory years of American design fall precisely on this period. It was then that the body was created in the style of a Coca-Cola bottle (the so-called Coke bottle styling). It was characterized by a narrow center with wide fenders.

In the first generation (1967-1969), the fenders were integrated into the front of the body, which gave streamlined shapes. The taillights were inspired by the GTO and Grand Prix models. The car was created on the basis of the F-body platform, which it shared with the Chevrolet Camaro. The offer was opened by an in-line, six-cylinder 3.8 engine, and the largest was the 6.6 V8 engine. In total, more than 170 thousand cars were produced.

The second generation was produced and refined from 1970 to 1981, the main thing was the appearance of the premium variant with the Esprit designation. In 1973, the manufacturer began to develop the Trans Am variant, which began to gain popularity. It was offered, among others, with a manual transmission, in a variant with a more comfortable suspension, in 1974 air conditioning was added as part of the standard equipment. Suffice it to say that in 1970 only 3196 units of this variant were sold, and in 1979 sales exceeded 100 thousand units. In 1977, Pontiac Firebird Trans Am starred in the film “Master Steering Flee”, which contributed to the growth in popularity of this model.

The Pontiac Firebird sold excellently during the production period, and this translates into a high availability of cars and parts in the aftermarket. However, the multiplicity of offers does not mean that the car is cheap. If you are interested Importing a car from the USA, then you need to be prepared to spend about 100 thousand PLN for copies in very good condition.

Why buy a classic from the USA?

The vintage car market in the US is very buoyant, because Americans love automobiles, whether we're talking about modern sports cars or just classics. This makes it easy to buy new or used spare parts for many models, which helps in the restoration process. Buying a base overseas and restoring it in Poland is a common practice, but there is also no shortage of people who want cars in perfect, collectible condition. If you think about further resale, then it is worth looking for buyers in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

Bringing a classic from the USA — step by step

Import of classic cars from the USA not much different from buying a modern car. Detailed rules you will find on the website Bryki from America. The whole process can be divided into several stages:

• setting expectations and finding a car;
• car auction;
• completion of documents after winning;
• shipping to US port and freight to Europe;
• settlement of customs and treasury formalities and fees;
• transportation of the car to the indicated address;
• preparation of the car for registration, in the case of classics registered as a monument will require verification by an appraiser and entry into the register of movable monuments;
• vehicle registration and insurance.

American classics - it's worth making dreams come true

Although European roads and car parks are completely unprepared to accept cars as large as most muscle cars, this does not deter drivers from bringing them from the USA. Drivers and passers-by look at these cars with dreamy eyes. In turn, their owners buy not only the car and the legend, but also part of the American way of life and the American dream. Therefore, it is not worth postponing dreams for later, because with the professionals from Bryka from America you will bring your dream car and you will be able to enjoy the life and freedom of the best times of American motoring.