Unless you are a tech billionaire or oil sheikh, you've probably resigned yourself to the fact that you'll never own a Ford Mustang Boss 429, Chevy Chevelle SS LS6, or Hemi-equipped anything, because top-tier classic muscle cars are officially out of reach for most people. That, however, doesn't mean you can't have a kick-ass Golden Age ride, you just have to look at ones with less collectible engines. Any given classic Mopar is just as awesome looking, whether it has 426 cubic inches or 383, and the price difference is actually quite astounding.Back in the day, defending your car's honor on the streets was paramount, but nowadays, it's all about being seen in a badass ride, so only having 335 ponies under the hood versus 425 doesn't matter that much. Also, there's very little chance anyone who buys a million-dollar+ muscle car is ever going to put any miles on it, while that same ride with a lessor engine can be enjoyed every day. Here are some marquee muscle cars, no need to slum it with off-brands, that enthusiasts are snapping up on the down low for pure old-school excitement at a bargain price. 1974 Plymouth ‘Cuda Average Used Price: $38,000 Bring a Trailer Despite some minor differences in the grille and body accents, the 1974 Plymouth 'Cuda looks every bit as amazing as the '70-'71 versions, and it goes for pocket change compared to its early Hemi and 440 Six-Barrel versions that can sell in the millions. Sure, this is a Malaise Era car, maxing out with a 245-horsepower 360 V8, but it's a slick daily driver, while the dude with a '71 Hemi 'Cuda is terrified of putting even a mile of driving on it, lest he lose some value. J.D. Power, which bases their values on real-world sales, tells us that the average price paid for a '74 'Cuda is under $40k, and that's a price too low to pass up for one of the baddest-looking Mopar classics. 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 383 Average Used Price: $35,800 Mecum The Plymouth Road Runner was launched with a mission to deliver a bare-bones street machine at an affordable price, but ironically, ones equipped with the super-engines are now multiple six-figure rides. The base model with the standard 383 V8, on the other hand, is still a budget-friendly beast. The 383 is the most underappreciated Mopar engine, that in the '69 Road Runner made 335-hp, could be tuned to a 13-secon car, and blew away everything Ford or GM had to offer that year. With an average used price of just over $35,000, there is no better deal on a classic Plymouth, and it's still scrappy enough to make Chevelle and Mustang owners cry. 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Average Used Price: $32,800 Mecum In 1971, the Ford Mustang got elongated and looked really weird, except in fastback Mach 1 form, which was frighteningly aggressive. A '71 429 Cobra Jet is a pricey ride, but a '73 Mach 1 with a 266-hp 325 V8 is just as intimidating, for a fraction of the cost. Hagerty sets a $25,600 good condition value on a 1973 Mach 1 351 Cobra Jet, which is much less than the average retail price of $32,800, but either way, this is the best deal for one of the coolest-looking Mustangs ever made. These prices are no lie either, as owners are practically giving them away, including that flawless red beauty pictured above that sold for $37,400 a few years ago. 1973 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Average Used Price: $31,100 Mecum The drop-off in performance from a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 to a 1973 model is a full second in the quarter-mile, which was huge back in the day but completely immaterial now. The difference in price, however, is gargantuan, as the '70s can sell for almost $100,000 in pristine condition, while a '73 has an average used price of barely over $30,000. Both cars are nearly identical and were each equipped with a 350 V8. The '70 jammed out 360 ponies while the '73 was down to 245, but the latter was measured in net horsepower, not gross, so it was more like 330. Also, there are so many aftermarket bolt-ons that can turn the '73 into 12-second car, and considering its low price, there's plenty left in the budget to make that happen. 1970 Mercury Cyclone GT Average Used Price: $31,000 Bring a Trailer Because the 1970 Mercury Clyclone GT is the most tragically slept-on Golden Age ride, it is also the greatest big-block bargain of the classic era. A '70 with a 429 Corba Jet V8 sells for, on average, just over $30,000, but that's a fairly inflated price. That black beauty pictured above sold for only $15,750 on Bring a Trailer in 2024. The car appears to be in great condition with the only issue being some paint coming off the front. Losing a little color actually makes it seem like this car was trading paint in the corners, which adds to its performance credibility, and, honestly, that price can't be beat for such a cool ride. 1970 Buick GS 455 Average Used Price: $30,600 Bring a Trailer The 1970 Buick GS 455 is another underrated classic with a collector-friendly price tag, averaging around $30,000 on the used market. A GS 455 with the Stage 1 performance upgrade is a pricey ride, but without it, it is in everyone's budget. There's only a slight decrease in horsepower for a non-Stage 1 car, but it still has 510 tree-vaporizing pound-feet of torque, which is an acceptable trade-off for such an affordable street machine. A '70 GS 455 Stage 1 or GSX variant is a six-figure ride, while that 44k-mile green car pictured above went home with some lucky bidder for only $30,750, almost hitting the average retail price exactly. 1970 Dodge Coronet 440 R/T Average Used Price: $28,000 Mecum When it comes to classic Dodge Muscle cars, it's all about the Challengers and Chargers with the 426 Hemis and 440 Six Packs dominating the auction block, selling in the hundreds of thousands. By contrast, a 1970 Coronet R/T with a 440 Magnum V8 is the Mopar Muscle deal of the century, with an average used price under $30,000. The '70 Coronet is the best-kept Golden Age secret, because for one year only, it got awesome Coke bottle curves and a positively wicked front fascia, making it almost as gorgeous as a second-gen Charger. A restored '70 440 R/T sold for $29,000 recently, and while it isn't a numbers-matching car, it was in perfect condition and, at that price, it's hard to care when so little money can deliver such an incredible set of wheels. 1972 Pontiac GTO Average Used Price: $27,200 Bring a Trailer After launching the Golden Age of American Muscle in 1964, the Pontiac GTO fell out of favor with speed freaks and was discontinued after 1971. It did, however, continue as an option package for the LeMans, wrapping up the second-generation in 1972. It looks almost identical to a '71 GTO Judge, but doesn't have the same power, though a detuned version of the 455 V8 was available. Only 5,811 GTOs were built in '72, making it semi-rare, but also fully affordable, with an under $30,000 average used price. BaT has sold several '72s ranging in price from $11,250 to $73,900, so somewhere in between is a budget muscle car enthusiast's dream GTO. 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee 383 Average Used Price: $26,400 Mecum The Dodge Super Bee ceased to be its own model after 1970, but that killer mechanized bumblebee continued on as a trim for the third-gen Charger. Keeping true to its roots, the 1971 Charger Super Bee was a no-frills speed machine at an attractive price. A Hemi-equipped Super Bee is a 1-of-22 car and the right one has the potential to, if not break the million-dollar barrier, at least flirt with it. The base model Bee with a 300-hp 383 V8, on the other hand, is almost free with an average retail price of just $26,400. As the absolute coolest-looking third-gen Charger, the '71 Super Bee should be a no-brainer for Mopar nuts of normal means as the best way to put a raging classic in the driveway. 1972 Dodge Challenger Average Used Price: $25,200 Mecum The Dodge Challenger, introduced in 1970, was an immediate success and even a sensation, landing the leading role in the classic chase film Vanishing Point. As hot as the Challenger was, it went ice-cold after two years and many people probably thought it was discontinued. It did, in fact, last for a little while longer, and it's among those forgotten years that the ultimate Mopar muscle car deal can be found. The 426 Hemi and 440 Six-Pack big-blocks were no longer available in 1972, but the 240-hp 340 V8 didn't completely suck, and the car still maintained its aggressive stance as well as slick styling. With an average price of just over $25,000, this is a car that's hard to resist. Sure, it's not the 13-second street dominator like the '70 Hemi R/T, but it's going to get attention wherever it goes, which is what ruling the streets means today.Sources: Hagerty, J.D. Power, Mecum