Top 10 Muscle Cars by CNN

I have owned a few of these over the years.

- CNN Money has published a list of the "Top 10 Muscle Car Stars" as compiled by Kelley Blue Book. Some of the picks are obvious, such as the Hemi Cuda convertible, GTO Judge convertible, and the venerable Plymouth Superbird. More of a surprise is the presence of the Ford Torino Talladega, which is labeled as an up-and-comer in the muscle car marketplace. With values currently in the $30,000 range, the Torino is still attainable by those who do not have six-figure budgets to work with.

Also, despite lists like this one, it is always good to remember that one does not need a paddle at Barrett-Jackson to get into the game. Local newspapers and weeklies are always a great place to start. Sure, you may not find a concours-level, numbers-matching, rare-engined stunner, but you can find great bargains that are as much or more fun to work on and to drive.

All that said, here is the top 10 list as reported by CNN:

1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible - $2,000,000
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-454/LS-6 convertible - $369,000
1969 Pontiac GTO "Judge" convertible - $205,200
1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster - $329,100
1969 Dodge Charger R/T-440 hardtop - $170,000
1968 Shelby GT-500-KR convertible - $191,000
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28/SS coupe - $91,700
1970 Oldsmobile 442/W-30 hardtop -$85,960
1970 Plymouth Superbird-440 hardtop - $107,500
1969 Ford Torino-Talladega hardtop - $37,100

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