Ever heard of a 'MUSCLE HUSTLE' package?

-

- Marvin -

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2015
Messages
805
Reaction score
1,496
Location
Vienna, Austria
Some years ago I was told about a dealer nstalled trim option package called 'Muscle Hustle' - package.
Should have been available in the early 70s on Mopars.
The name itself reminds me on the 'Hustle Stuff'-Catalogue.
But I've found nothing more about it.

Has anyone here ever heard or read about it (or is it only one more Mopar legend...)?
 
i hung out at my local Plymouth dealer in Glen Dale, W.Va. from 1967 to 1974. i also went through a number of mopars during that time. i now have an extensive library of sales brochures, posters and other stuff from the "golden years" of mopar muscle. i have never heard of the option package "Muscle Hustle." HOWEVER, back during the classic auto company "muscle car" wars, Chevy, Ford and Mopar all had "special" marketing packages offered on some of their cars in different markets all over the U.S. most gear heads have heard of the "California Mustang" package that was only available on 67-68 Mustangs out in California. i have also heard that there was a special "all chrome" grill package offered by Plymouth on the 68 Barracudas out West. but i have never heard of the Muscle Hustle package. if i were to guess - having lived through the "disco 70's" i would say that if there were such a Mopar package as the Muscle Hustle package - it would have been on the 75-79 Chrysler cars.
 
i hung out at my local Plymouth dealer in Glen Dale, W.Va. from 1967 to 1974. i also went through a number of mopars during that time. i now have an extensive library of sales brochures, posters and other stuff from the "golden years" of mopar muscle. i have never heard of the option package "Muscle Hustle." HOWEVER, back during the classic auto company "muscle car" wars, Chevy, Ford and Mopar all had "special" marketing packages offered on some of their cars in different markets all over the U.S. most gear heads have heard of the "California Mustang" package that was only available on 67-68 Mustangs out in California. i have also heard that there was a special "all chrome" grill package offered by Plymouth on the 68 Barracudas out West. but i have never heard of the Muscle Hustle package. if i were to guess - having lived through the "disco 70's" i would say that if there were such a Mopar package as the Muscle Hustle package - it would have been on the 75-79 Chrysler cars.

Thank You for Your detailed answer.

The story, as it was told to me:

MUSCLE HUSTLE package should have been a dealer installed package (similar to the California or Twiste Special Mustangs as You mentioned) including performance hood treatment, hood pins, hood mounted tach and rear spoiler, at least available on Mopar A Bodies.
 
not sure on this answer, but it does ring a bell.. I want to say it was muscle car era AMC..
 
I never heard of it the way you have titled the thread.
I have heard of the "Hustle Stuff" catolog.
I never heard of it in a pacjage like Edelbrock does there advertised packages or as a package in a car.
 
I can remember seeing a display of Hustle parts at a dealer in 1969 when at Allentown Chrysler Plymouth. I was there with a freind. He was buying a left over Green 68 Hemi RR. They left him bolt his slicks on from a 63 427 ford to take it for a ride.

Those were the days I was 14 years old. Got my first 69 Coronet R/T in late 1972 at age 17. Owned several since. my favorate Mopar . also owned seveal RR's and Chargers, GTX's. One Bee. and the list just kept going. But I also had several different Brand X muscle cars. Farts, Chubies, and Indians.
 
I can remember seeing a display of Hustle parts at a dealer in 1969 when at Allentown Chrysler Plymouth. I was there with a freind. He was buying a left over Green 68 Hemi RR. They left him bolt his slicks on from a 63 427 ford to take it for a ride.

Those were the days I was 14 years old. Got my first 69 Coronet R/T in late 1972 at age 17. Owned several since. my favorate Mopar . also owned seveal RR's and Chargers, GTX's. One Bee. and the list just kept going. But I also had several different Brand X muscle cars. Farts, Chubies, and Indians.

Let someone drive my 69 R/T Coronet(a hemi car) the day I bought it in 1978. Boom. And they didnt make many.
 
I had a 73 road runner (my first car)
It was a 340 auto had the muscle hustle hood mounted tac.
 
If Google doesn't know about it, it didn't exist.
More likely someone miss spoke.
 
i think everyone here might be missing the original question that was asked: did chrysler ever have a "dealer installed trim option package called muscle hustle?" i believe the comments are talking about TWO different chrysler programs.

1. chrysler got involved in "factory backed" NASCAR racing as far back as the 1950's. their racing programs were expanded extensively in the 1960's with the addition of factory sponsored drag racing teams. starting in the late 1950's, chrysler started promoting its "racing parts" through the "parts departments" of their auto dealerships. these "racing parts" often came in special promotional "packages" that were hung on the wall beside the parts counter. the "muscle hustle" reference made in this post referred to the muscle hustle "parts catalog" that has been referenced in the on-line links above. in the late 60's chrysler racing parts became known as "Direct Connection." mopar racing parts today are found in "Mopar Performance Catalogs" for various vehicles. so years ago, chrysler had parts catalogs called "muscle hustle." AND there were no doubt race parts in blister pack packages hanging on the wall beside the parts counters in the 1970's with "Muscle Hustle" parts printed on the package.

2. now to the second point - was there a dealer installed trim option package called "muscle hustle option package" installed on chrysler CARS in the 1970's? i suspect that there WAS NOT - at least not a "factory originated" marketing package. now there may very well have been "muscle hustle" DECALS at the 1970's parts counters which might have also been in the muscle hustle parts packages. during the hay-day of "muscle cars" when "after market" parts were initially growing in popularity, EVERY part that you bought for your car came with a decal - Hurst Shifters, Cherry Bomb mufflers, Highjacker Air Shocks, Milodon engine parts, Cragar Mags, American Mags, Torque Thrust Mags, STP oil treatment, Hooker Headers - i had decals from all these companies in my 1972 high school drag racing magazine collection. there were scores of other companies that gave you a free decal. so some mopar guy could easily have had a "mopar muscle hustle" decal on his 75 dodge dart or 78 plymouth "road runner."

but again, i have to say that i do not believe there was ever a mopar muscle hustle "trim" package put on a chrysler car in the 1970's that changed any aspect of that car over the stock production car. remember, the "California Mustang" which was only available in California had the original OEM tail lights replaced with "Shelby style" tail lights by the dealer as part of that "package." the "Twister" package on the 1975 Plymouth Duster was only a decal package. and the 1978 "so-called" "Road Runner" - was nothing but a Duster with "Road Runner" decals and a few other plastic parts.

sorry to be so long-winded... but i hope these distinctions help...
 
Nope, I answered the original question. :D


i think everyone here might be missing the original question that was asked: did chrysler ever have a "dealer installed trim option package called muscle hustle?"
 
If Google doesn't know about it, it didn't exist.
More likely someone miss spoke.
Google does not know everything - especially about things, that happened long before the invention of the www.

The Hustle stuff Catalogue do I know - I mentioned it at the start - and I have a reprint of it.
 
i think everyone here might be missing the original question that was asked: did chrysler ever have a "dealer installed trim option package called muscle hustle?" i believe the comments are talking about TWO different chrysler programs.

1. chrysler got involved in "factory backed" NASCAR racing as far back as the 1950's. their racing programs were expanded extensively in the 1960's with the addition of factory sponsored drag racing teams. starting in the late 1950's, chrysler started promoting its "racing parts" through the "parts departments" of their auto dealerships. these "racing parts" often came in special promotional "packages" that were hung on the wall beside the parts counter. the "muscle hustle" reference made in this post referred to the muscle hustle "parts catalog" that has been referenced in the on-line links above. in the late 60's chrysler racing parts became known as "Direct Connection." mopar racing parts today are found in "Mopar Performance Catalogs" for various vehicles. so years ago, chrysler had parts catalogs called "muscle hustle." AND there were no doubt race parts in blister pack packages hanging on the wall beside the parts counters in the 1970's with "Muscle Hustle" parts printed on the package.

2. now to the second point - was there a dealer installed trim option package called "muscle hustle option package" installed on chrysler CARS in the 1970's? i suspect that there WAS NOT - at least not a "factory originated" marketing package. now there may very well have been "muscle hustle" DECALS at the 1970's parts counters which might have also been in the muscle hustle parts packages. during the hay-day of "muscle cars" when "after market" parts were initially growing in popularity, EVERY part that you bought for your car came with a decal - Hurst Shifters, Cherry Bomb mufflers, Highjacker Air Shocks, Milodon engine parts, Cragar Mags, American Mags, Torque Thrust Mags, STP oil treatment, Hooker Headers - i had decals from all these companies in my 1972 high school drag racing magazine collection. there were scores of other companies that gave you a free decal. so some mopar guy could easily have had a "mopar muscle hustle" decal on his 75 dodge dart or 78 plymouth "road runner."

but again, i have to say that i do not believe there was ever a mopar muscle hustle "trim" package put on a chrysler car in the 1970's that changed any aspect of that car over the stock production car. remember, the "California Mustang" which was only available in California had the original OEM tail lights replaced with "Shelby style" tail lights by the dealer as part of that "package." the "Twister" package on the 1975 Plymouth Duster was only a decal package. and the 1978 "so-called" "Road Runner" - was nothing but a Duster with "Road Runner" decals and a few other plastic parts.

sorry to be so long-winded... but i hope these distinctions help...

This is a long statement, but I think it is the truth....

Nevertheless, MUSCLE HUSTLE would have been a fine name for a performance trim package...
 
-
Back
Top