The early 1970s were a strange turning point for American muscle cars. Just a few years earlier, Detroit was locked in a horsepower war where every brand wanted bragging rights at the drag strip.

Everyone has an offbeat orunusual vintage car that really clicks with them for somereason. We have a penchant for them here at PHR. This slammed '71 was our favorite out of an impressive gathering of ...

Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions, Inc. The return of a 1971 Ford Ranchero 500 to the auction stage is a sharp reminder that Detroit once had no problem mixing muscle-car energy with genuine utility.

High-performance pickups would appear to be having a moment on the auction site Bring a Trailer, with two tempting examples up for auction right now: a 1971 Ford Ranchero GT and a 1991 GMC Syclone.