Select a Replica from Detroit’s Muscle Heyday

We at Petrolicious HQ aren’t only into classic European cars, we also love a good muscle car from time-to-time—particularly rare, limited-production, and/or ridiculously powerful models. With prices for original, matching-numbers, high-end muscle reaching the outer stratosphere, though, we don’t typically have a problem with well-executed replicas based on lesser models of the same vintage. It’s in that spirit that we present to you this week two such replicas, a Mustang and a Camaro—the greatest of all Detroit cross-town rivals.

First up is a ’68 Shelby GT500 clone Mustang, resplendent in correct trim and sequential Mercury Cougar taillights. Under the vented and pinned-down hood resides a Police Interceptor-sourced 428, as you’d find in an original car before the 500KR supplanted it with the Cobra Jet 428 early in the model year. With more black vinyl than a leather jacket sale at Kmart and more wood paneling than an LTD wagon, the interior couldn’t possibly be more of its time—we dig it, and relish the idea of twirling that big, brown wheel and stirring four big, strong gears with its spindly, chromed stick.

Next up is a COPO Camaro tribute based on a 1969 base model car. COPO stood for “Central Office Production Order”, and provided a way of speccing non-standard equipment for GM executives or dealerships that held a lot of pull with Detroit.  Equipped with an all-aluminum 427 ZL-1, its 597 HP is said to propel the shiny orange beast through a sub-11 second, 144 MPH ¼ mile—that’s Bugatti Veyron territory. In contrast to the Mustang’s flash, detail-heavy style, this Camaro offers little in the way of visual distraction, and is fitted with simple body-colored wheels with small hub caps and absolutely no body addenda—it could almost be considered a sleeper if it weren’t for the thundering rumble it no doubt emits.

Which stirs your coffee?

1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Click here for the Camaro details.

1968 Ford Mustang GT

Click here for the Mustang details.