Photos by Dean Larson

Crisp macho styling, big horsepower and rich history at America's stop lights, drag strips and cruise-in spots — muscle cars will always be cool. Early muscle cars have been around since the very beginning of the SEMA Show back in 1963, and we just can't picture the show without ’em. Whether period-correct, day-two modified or a wild fat-tire pro street, we love muscle cars and could have sold our souls to the devil 50 times over again in exchange for some of the cars at this year's show.

There were amazing cars everywhere, from Steve McQueen's Bullitt Mustang, to a fantastic Ringbrother's Camaro and a few GT350s. But for me personally, it was a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T in the TOYO Tires tent that had me smitten. I don't usually go for the low-ride-height and modern wheels look, but graced in black paint and a red R/T stripe, this B-body was impossible to resist. Who knows if it's an original R/T, and it's probably better if it's not, but I was (and still am) fixated on this car.

Another remarkable muscle car was a black-over-red Chevrolet Bel Air fitted with a 409 and a four-speed. Dressed period-correct with black steelies, dog-dish caps and an aftermarket tach on the column, this Chevrolet was undoubtedly the baddest car on the block in it's day.

Whatever your preferred form of muscle, there's bound to a few to suit your taste at the show. I'm just happy to see that there's still a place for relatively stock muscle cars at the show, like the 409-powered Bel Air.