If someone had put $3,000 or $4,000 into Tesla stock when it debuted in 2010, thanks to splits and an increase in value, that investment could be worth almost a half-million bucks today. While that’s certainly a sweet return, if a person had invested that much money into the right Hemi-equipped classic Mopar muscle car, it could potentially be a multi-million dollar payday. Obviously, the classic car portfolio is a longer-term investment, but the bonus is being able to drive a totally badass ride, accruing value, while things like stocks and bonds just kind of sit there doing nothing.
Classic performance rides from the ’60s and ’70s have become big-money collectibles, representing an awesome investment opportunity. The kicker is that there are regular production Chevrolets, Dodges, Fords, and Plymouths that originally cost next to nothing, which are now million-dollar-plus auction stars. Probably nobody ever had the foresight to purchase and sit on a bunch of classics for a half-century, but if they did, it would be one of the smartest investments of all time. The point here is that some originally affordable regular production cars that anyone could have ordered at any dealership in the U.S. are now worth a million dollars or more.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including Mecum, Barrett-Jackson, and Classic.com. The models you see here have been ranked by their estimated value from lowest to highest.
The 1964 Pontiac GTO launched the Golden Age of American Muscle, but it, like all GM cars, was limited to 400 cubic inches or less thanks to a ridiculous corporate big engine ban. In 1969, Pontiac seemingly beat this silly edict with the 370-horsepower 400ci Ram Air IV V-8, which made both the Trans Am and GTO the first 13-second GM cars of the classic era. In 1970, GM lifted its pointless moratorium, and the 455ci V-8 was available for Pontiac muscle. The thing is, the 400 Ram Air IV was more powerful, and in 1970, as it was being weaned from the lineup, it made for the fastest GTO ever.
Original MRSP
$4,387
Production Years
1970
Units Produced
17
Unique Features
Rare drop top and Ram Air IV combo
Displacement
400ci Ram Air IV V-8
Power
370 HP
That yellow 1970 GTO Judge convertible pictured above was one of fewer than 20 produced with the 400 Ram Air IV engine. The ’70 GTO Judge originally cost $3,604 for a hard top, while the convertible went for $3,829. The Ram Air IV option added $558 to the price for a grand total of $4,387, which is $36,631 in today’s dollars. That’s approximately what an entry-level car costs in 2025, but in its day, it was one of the highest-performing vehicles available. In another fast-forward to modern times, that killer Judge convertible sold at Mecum Kissimmee 2023 for $1.1 million dollars, representing a nearly 250 percent return on the initial investment.
For 1966, “Mustang” was dropped from the Shelby GT350 name, but it was obviously still a high-performance variant of the iconic pony car. Shelby made 1,365 GT350s in ’66, with another 1,000 GT350Hs for the Hertz “Rent-a-Racer” program in which anyone could get behind the wheel of a sporty ‘Stang. Of those produced that year, only four were convertibles, making them real-deal unicorn cars, but they started out rather humbly priced. Actually, a ’66 GT350 originally cost $4,428, which is around $44,000 today and not super cheap in any era, but the drop top had a surprise.
Original MRSP
$2,870
Production Years
1966
Units Produced
4
Unique Features
Displacement
298ci V-8
Power
306 HP
The four convertibles were not considered regular production models, so they didn’t follow the standard pricing format. The only one that could be found with any kind of price was invoiced to a dealer for just $2,870. Presumably, there was some dealer markup on that, but it’s still pennies compared to what the car went for at Mecum Indy 2020. That car pictured above sold for $1.1 million because it’s an extra-special version of a special car. It’s the first GT350 by serial number, the only one known to still exist with its original engine, and a rare Ivory Green with gold stripes that wasn’t a Hertz Rent-a-Racer.
1963 was the beginning of the Chevrolet Corvette C2 second generation, and for one year only, featured the split rear window, which is considered the most gorgeous version of the legendary American sports car. These ’63 split-windows are already collectible, but with the Z06 performance package, they are extremely rare and desirable. The Z06 was the first real performance Corvette and Chevy’s attempt to create a track-ready factory ride. Originally listed for over $6,000, they weren’t exactly cheap back then, but it looks like pocket change to us now, especially considering what they go for.
Original MRSP
$6,518
Production Years
1963
Units Produced
199
Unique Features
Split window masterpiece
Displacement
327ci V-8
Power
360 HP
A ’63 Corvette Z06 was listed at the Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island 2022 auction and was expected to bring between $750,000 – $900,000 based on previous sales, as well as condition and rarity. When the final gavel dropped, this amazing ‘Vette sold for $1,242,500, setting a record for the model. There’s no way that somebody had the foresight to buy one of these babies in 1966, sit on it for 56 years, and then cash in on the greatest car flip of all time, but it’s safe to say that the seller made a tidy sum off of this incredible auction sale.
Unleashed in 1970, the Dodge Challenger was late to the classic muscle car era, and realistically, it only had two good years before detuning robbed all the Golden Age rides of their power. It did, however, make an impact in those two years, becoming an instant street legend when equipped with either the 440 Six Pack or 426 Street Hemi. With a Hemi under the hood, a ’70 Challenger is a high six-figure collectible, and in convertible form, into the millions. The 1970 R/T convertible listed for just $3,535, plus another $871 for the Hemi upgrade, but still came in for the 2025 equivalent of $36,789.
Original MRSP
$4,406
Production Years
1970
Units Produced
9
Unique Features
Rare Hemi convertible
Displacement
426ci Hemi V-8
Power
425 HP
There were only 963 Challenger R/T convertibles built in 1970, with a mere nine leaving the factory with a 426ci Hemi V-8. That Plumb Crazy gem pictured above is even rarer as one of only five that came with a four-speed manual transmission. This car certainly caught the attention of bidders at Mecum Phoenix 2019, eventually crossing the block at $1.45 million. This is the top-selling classic Dodge that isn’t a Daytona, beating all second-gen Charger Hemi R/Ts by at least a million bucks. For a car that was only around for a short period of time, the Challenger left an amazing legacy.
The 1970 Superbird was Plymouth’s Road Runner-based version of the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Aerocar that dominated NASCAR before getting banned for being too fast. To qualify for competition, Plymouth needed to build one unit for every two dealerships, which worked out to 1,935. While not exactly mass-produced, it was a car that anyone who wanted one could get. The problem was, that it wasn’t in high demand at the time, with some collecting dust on dealer lots for years. The $4,298 base price was reasonable in 1970, and, as it turns out, a solid investment.
Original MRSP
$4,298
Production Years
1970
Units Produced
1,935
Unique Features
One-of-135 Hemi cars
Displacement
426ci Hemi V-8
Power
425 HP
Just 135 Superbirds were equipped with the 426 Street Hemi, so clearly those are the big-money versions. A ’70 Hemi Superbird sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2022 for $1.65 million, which is astounding, but then things got weird. According to Classic.com, that exact same car was then sold at Mecum Indy 2025 for only $418,000. That has to be a typo, because there is no way someone would take a $1.2 million loss on a flip, or that a car like that would drop so dramatically in value. The VINs match for both auctions, so it is the same car, but it’s still mind-boggling how such a perfect Hemi-powered classic like this could crash in price like that.
The hierarchy for collectible Mopar muscle cars starts with a matching numbers 426ci Hemi V-8, then goes up with a four-speed manual transmission, and tops out with a convertible. Combining all three elements generally means it’s a car in which fewer than 10 were ever produced, and maybe half of them still exist. For a 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda, there aren’t many cars rarer than a one-of-14 convertible, which is a guaranteed million-dollar ride. Obviously, a Hemi ‘Cuda didn’t need a 426 upgrade, so the base price of $4,048 was a good deal in 1970, and the extra $352 for the convertible was still doable for most people.
Original MRSP
$4,400
Production Years
1970
Units Produced
14
Unique Features
Ultra-rare Hemi ‘Cuda drop top
Displacement
425ci Hemi V-8
Power
425 HP
For what was just over $36,000 adjusted for inflation, the ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda convertible was an absolute steal. This was the baddest ride of the Golden Age and, into modern times, one of the most valuable collectibles. A Lemon Twist ’70 drop top sold at Mecum Kissimmee 2024 for $1.9 million, which was impressive. Then, in another kind of twist, it was sold nine months later at Mecum Monterey 2024 for $2.3 million. The sale versus the original price is killer, but the $400k same-year flip is nothing short of brilliant. That’s a testament to the power of a rare Hemi-equipped Mopar classic, and chances are, this car will hit another auction high in the near future.
The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was certainly a sight to see when it first came out with a long nose cone and wild flying wing in the rear. This unconventional design actually had a purpose, and that was to be the most aerodynamic and fastest car on the NASCAR circuit, which it was. It was eventually banned, but before that, it utterly dominated the racing series. To homologate it for competition, Dodge had to sell 500 of them to the public, and they allegedly had a 503-unit run. There are, however, rumors that many of the VINs submitted as proof of sales were from Charger 500s and R/Ts, so there could have been substantially fewer actually produced.
Original MRSP
$4,591
Production Years
1969
Units Produced
503
Unique Features
Original Dodge Aerocar
Displacement
426ci Hemi V-8
Power
425 HP
Assuming that the 503 unit number is legit, only 70 of those were blessed with a 426ci Hemi V-8, making them the top draws in the collector world. There are fewer than a handful of ’69 Hemi Daytonas that have shown up for auction, with only two that are major players. One, a Copper (brown) Daytona that was previously owned by actor/comedian David Spade, has been flipped a few times recently, ending with a $1.43 million sale at Mecum Kissimmee 2023. The other, in Dark Green, went for $1.3 million in 2022, then blew up the auction block, selling for an even $3 million at Mecum Monterey 2023. It’s hard to find a one-year flip that lucrative, and this may be the best of all time.
In 1971, the already badass Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda got a little badder with the revised sawtooth grille and fender gills, fitting for an aquatic apex predator. It also got way more collectible, with overall production down to just 114 units versus 666 (no, really) in 1970. As with all Hemi-equipped Mopars, the drop tops are the rarest, with a paltry 11 ’70 Hemi ‘Cudas leaving the factory that year. This was the car that ended up being the quickest accelerating ride of the Golden Age, with a 13.1-second quarter-mile time, and it was relatively affordable at just over $4,000. The fastest muscle car of any year in the modern era would likely be close to $100,000.
Original MRSP
$4,348
Production Years
1971
Units Produced
11
Unique Features
One-of-seven built for the U.S. market
Displacement
426ci Hemi V-8
Power
425 HP
Suffice it to say, a 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda convertible is the most desired classic Mopar collector car, and at Mecum Seattle 2014, one set the world on fire by selling for $3.5 million. This is the most paid for a regular production classic era muscle car that has yet to be topped ten years later. The thing is, one almost bested that price. In 2021, a Winchester Gray ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda convertible went up for auction and was bid to $4.8 million, but didn’t hit the reserve and failed to sell. If someone was willing to drop $4.8 million on the car, then that’s what it is worth, even if it didn’t sell. Just the idea that a nearly $5 million Mopar exists is mind-blowing, as is the fact that the car was bought new for around four grand.
This entry is a bit misleading because, as cool as a 1968 Ford Mustang GT is, they are only worth about $40,000. When that car happens to be the Mustang Steve McQueen used to battle the evil ’68 Dodge Charger R/T in the classic action film Bullitt. However, it becomes a multi-million dollar Mustang. This list is supposed to be about cars anyone could have bought new at a dealer, and while that’s clearly not the case here, at one point, anyone could have obtained this piece of history for next to nothing. It was amazingly listed for $3,500 in 1974 in a Road & Track ad, which was picked up by a man named Robert Kiernan.
Original MRSP
$3,123
Production Years
1968
Units Produced
17,458
Unique Features
Used in the film Bullitt
Displacement
390ci V-8
Power
325 HP
Keirnan sat on the car, with plans to fix it up, but that never happened before he passed away. His family eventually put it up for auction at Mecum Kissimmee 2020 in completely unrestored condition, where it sold for $3.75 million. While that seems excessive, Steve McQueen was a legend, and Bullitt is an iconic film with arguably the best chase scene in cinematic history. Again, this was a dirt-cheap ride that anyone who wanted it could have bought in 1974, but only Robert Kiernan was bold enough to pull the trigger. As it turns out, that small investment paid off in a big way and may be the most lucrative car flip of all time.
The C2 Chevrolet Corvette is the odds-on favorite generation among enthusiasts, and while the ’63 split-window is considered the most beautiful, the ’67 was the best ass-kicker. Optional with several versions of the 427ci V-8, the ’67 ‘Vette was not only the highest-performance Chevy up until that point, but the fastest production car of any make that year. The crown jewel was the Corvette L88, which was a track-focused variant that cranked out 430 ponies. That was five times better than any Hemi-equipped Mopar, and it was under the hood of a lighter, more aerodynamic car, making for an unbeatable street machine.
Original MRSP
$6,500
Production Years
1967
Units Produced
20
Unique Features
True unicorn ‘Vette
Displacement
427ci V-8
Power
430 HP
1967 was also the last year for the C2 Corvette, and production was down because many people were waiting for the C3 generation to come around. With the L88, only 20 were ordered, so it is one of the rarest Corvettes and a big-money draw at auctions. At a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2014, a red ’67 Corvette L88 sold for a record $3.85 million dollars. That same car was later sold at Mecum Kissimmee 2024 for $3.2 million, which is some serious depreciation, but still remains the top-selling regular production Corvette. A different L88 sold for $2.69 million at a 2021 auction, proving these cars are among the most valuable classic era rides.
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