Seeing vintage muscle cars languishing in junkyards never fails to generate an emotional response. Whether it's the desire to rescue the car and bring it back to its former glory, the want to strip it of rare parts for resale, or the memory of a similar car from one's past, the image of a car built for speed that's been laid to waste draws and keeps one's attention. In Rusted Muscle, noted author Steve Magnante takes us on a tour across the country, sharing his most memorable imagery that he's collected. Acquired over years of travel, Magnante's images are stirring, but he also shares important information about the cars when describing them. He may share production numbers regarding a particular year, make and model, or de-code the pictured vehicle's VIN number or data plate to discover how it was equipped when new. In some cases, the cars pictured are quite rare, whereas others are much more pedestrian. This adds another dimension to the book beyond the stirring images. While other books have shared junkyard photography in the past, none have been focused purely on domestic muscle cars, and none have included the level of information acquired about the subject cars like Rusted Muscle does. Considering the immense popularity of muscle cars today, seeing a collection of well-researched derelict examples like this assures enthusiasts that plenty of entry-level fodder still exists. It encourages the reader to search for buried treasure, and pursue their own muscle car dreams.
