BY THE NUMBERS

MUSCLE CAR FANS have always been obsessed with numbers. Big numbers always impress — cubic inches, horsepower. But frequently, smaller numbers are better. Zero-to-60 sprints? Quarter-mile elapsed times? The smaller the number, the quicker the run, and the bigger the smile on your face. Half a century later, it’s as much about production numbers — how many were made, and how many have survived 50-plus years. If nothing else, it helps justify the amount of money you’ve spent — a number that, all too frequently, is not small.

There are sane limits to this line of reasoning, of course. Get deep enough into the options list, and nearly any muscle machine could be a one-of-one. “You mean it’s green with a blue deluxe interior, radio delete, and crank windows only on the driver’s side, built on the third shift at the factory in Wyoming? It’s a one-of-one!” When you’re talking serious production numbers, generally