Chevrolet has been one of the most popular car brands in America for over a century. Most people have owned and driven cars with the bowtie badge on them at some point in their lifetime. And while the brand is mostly focused on family cars and pickups today, back in the day, Chevy was synonymous with fast muscle cars.Some of them are now extremely expensive, such as the big-block Chevelles or the ridiculously fast L88 Corvettes. However, several relatively rare Chevrolet muscle cars are currently selling for surprisingly cheap. These rare Chevy muscle cars could be exactly what you’re looking for when you want something unique to show off and rebuild.The information and production numbers presented in this article were sourced from GM and Chevrolet and other authoritative sources, including Classic.com, Chevy Hardcore, and Hemmings. This list is sorted by the number produced from highest to lowest. 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 (LS5): $44,088 Number Produced: 5,000 Bring A TrailerThe 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS with the 454-cubic-inch engine is a hot commodity. Across the Chevelle and El Camino platforms of the time, 5,333 units were built (Hemmings). The average price of a Chevelle SS 454 in good condition is $44,088 (Hagerty), but you should be able to find models in average or project condition for well under $40K. Of course, that's still a lot of money, but not considering the fact that you're buying one of the most iconic big block muscle cars ever.The 454 cu-in engine is an incredible power plant and one of the most respected big-block engines from the Muscle Car Era. It was rated at 270 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, which reached the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage: $18,875 Number Produced: 4,057 Hip Rides The 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage looked a lot like the Camaro of the time, but not quite as stunning as its corporate sibling. This rare Chevy muscle car brought elements to the drive that were beloved in the Ford Mustang from the 1960s, which could have made it a much more popular choice, had Chevy built more of them.The 1977 Monza Mirage utilized a 305 cu-in V8 engine and a four-speed manual transmission to give this little car the power and speed desired. It produced 145 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque, which allowed the car to finish a quarter-mile sprint in 16.9 seconds. It wasn’t the fastest Chevy muscle car of the time, but it’s attractive and fun to drive. 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Turbo: $9,361 Number Produced: 3,027 Mecum Auctions The 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Turbo shared several parts with the Chevelle and was built on the same G-body platform as the Pontiac Grand Prix of the time. This made the Monte Carlo an excellent choice when you wanted good power and a high-end interior. This was a bit of a one-year wonder with its turbocharged engine, but that made it unique and desirable to some enthusiasts.The Buick-derived 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 engine was capable of producing 170 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. This power reached the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic transmission, which was the standard setup across the lineup. At the time, the sprint time of 9.0 seconds to reach 60 MPH was respectable. As you can see, this Chevy muscle car was a bit of a mashup of other GM brands. 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS 427: $41,300 Number Produced: 2,455 Mecum AuctionsIt might not seem like a desirable car to some, but the 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS with the 427-cubic-inch engine has an average price of $35,129 when fully restored. For an average model in good condition, Hagerty claims you'll pay roughly $41,300. You should be able to find a project and partially restored models for less than $25,000, too. 1969 happened to be the last year you could get the 427 big block in the Impala, which is why it’s valuable and has a greater following than you might expect.The 427-cu-inch big-block V8 engine sends power to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual transmission, making it possible for the Impala SS to hit 60 MPH in 6.0 seconds. That power amounts to 425 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The top speed for this car is 134 MPH, and it is capable of completing a quarter-mile sprint in only 14.5 seconds, making it a seriously fast car for its era. 1996 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS: $15,879 Number Produced: 2,263 Mecum Auctions The 1996 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS was the first SLP-built fourth-generation SS, and it came with a functional hood/airbox and improved exhaust to give it more power than its predecessor. The body style of the 1990s shone through with this Camaro, which was part of a generation that transitioned from an older style to the futuristic, and somewhat plasticy, look of many Chevy models of the time.The Camaro Z28 SS is powered by a 5.7-liter LT1 V8 engine attached to a six-speed manual transmission, which sends power to the rear wheels. It produces 305 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, making it a relatively powerful car for its time, as proven by its 5.2-second sprint to 60 MPH and top speed of 165 MPH. 1968 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 (L72): $43,800 Number Produced: 2,124 Classiccars.com It’s easy to find this car for a much higher price, but if you can find one that hasn’t been restored, you’ll have a chance at a great muscle car that can bring impressive value. The 1968 Chevrolet Impala 427 can reach as high as $76,000 depending on its condition and originality. This big-block full-size muscle car is an excellent choice and is often much cheaper to own than a Chevelle. However, Hagerty claims a good-condition '68 Impala with the legendary 427 big block V8 is worth about $43,800 – about as much as a new V8 Mustang.There were two versions of this Impala SS with the 427-cubic-inch engine under the hood. The L36 model made 385 horsepower while the L72 version increased horsepower to 425 ponies. The L72 is much rarer and fetches a higher price than the L36. The L72 version gives this Impala SS enough power to hit 60 MPH in only 5.4 seconds and finish a quarter mile in 14.1 seconds, but it’s unlikely you would drag race this rare Chevy muscle car. 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS: $37,600 Number Produced: 1,919 Coyote Classics The 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS was the last year the SS package could be ordered with the 454 V8. The average price for a good-condition model is around $37K according to Hagerty, but some have recently sold for as little as $23,500 on Bring A Trailer. This sought-after car was a subtle “luxury muscle” car with rear anti-roll bars and heavy-duty suspension, making it a performance car with a comfortable feeling.A massive 454-cubic-inch engine sends power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission, making the 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 454 a fast and furious car on the drag strip. The powertrain produced 425 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque, which was enough to send the car to 60 MPH in 6.5 seconds and through a quarter mile in 14.8 seconds. 1980 Chevrolet Malibu M80: $18,300 Number Produced: 1,901 Chevy HardcoreA group of Chevrolet dealers collaborated to design a car that wasn’t the product of GM’s designers. At least, that’s how the story goes. There were only a small number of the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu M80 models made, and they were primarily sold in the Carolinas with the dealer-only package that made them special. The M80 package was mostly an appearance package, but it was made to bring the spirit of street-stock racing to the market in the early 1980s.The 5.0-liter V8 engine powering the M80 sent 155 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque through a four-speed manual transmission. The M80, which sounds like it came from a famous firecracker, was packaged to focus on stripes, a spoiler, and wheels, with mild performance tweaks to the already impressive V8-powered Malibu. 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe: $21,320 Number Produced: 200 Survivor Classic Cars Services The average price for the Aerocoupe version of the 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS is a bit higher than that of the regular models, but for a car that was only produced in 200 copies, it’s not nearly as expensive as you might expect. The Aerocoupe model was a homologation special version, and it had bubble back glass to cheat NASCAR aerodynamic restrictions, making it a fascinating car.This Monte Carlo used a 5.0-liter HO V8 engine that sends 180 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. This allowed it to reach 60 MPH in 8.9 seconds and finish a quarter-mile in 16.9 seconds, while posting a top speed of 119 MPH. These don’t sound like impressive figures, but for the middle of the 1980s, they were pretty impressive. 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1LE: $22,794 Number Produced: 33 Cars & Bids The rarest car on this list is the 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1LE. Only 33 versions of this car were made with the 1LE package. This package was so uncommon that many dealers weren’t aware of it, but the 1LE name dates back to 1988 as a track package to make the Camaro Z28 more competitive in Showroom Stock road racing.The 2001 Camaro Z28 used a 5.7-liter V8 engine to produce 310 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque, which went to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. This was enough power to rocket the Camaro to 60 MPH in 5.0 seconds and finish a quarter mile in 13.7 seconds at 101 MPH.Sources: Classic.com, Hagerty, Chevrolet, Hemmings.