Re: 'The Last Budget Economy Musclecar'
 

After reading thru this thread, & being a Pontiac guy, I began to think of what Pontiac models might best fit this thread.
I have no idea what the price was.

But I've read that the '71 T-37 was a "Poor man's GTO". Quite a few stripped down 455HO powered T-37's were bought for drag racing. The 455HO was also available in a '72 Lemans, without having to buy a GTO or Bird. The price was probably closer to $4000, than $3000. But the 455HO engine had some power.

The '74 X-body GTO was probably cheap enuff, but the little 350 low CR engine was sorta weak. Don't know if it would even qualify as a Musclecar.

The low CR 350 came in a base model Firebird, in '77. Don't know how a '77 base model Bird was priced, compared to other '77 model cars that might be considered Musclecars. That 350 engine was not strong. But in '77, don't think there were a lot of high powered engines in factory produced American made cars.