Muscle car enthusiasts are a breed apart. They possess a love of horsepower, can talk torque and modifications like a first language and will spend tens of thousands of dollars buying and restoring classic muscle cars like the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger. With the enthusiasm these muscle car fans show for their beloved cars, it only makes sense that there would be a museum dedicated to the muscle cars and their history.

The Muscle Car Museum is located in Sevierville, Tennessee, deep in the heart of the Smokey Mountains. The museum was founded in April 1996 by muscle car aficionado Floyd Garret. The muscle cars in the museum all come from Garret's personal collection, which began in 1975 when Garret bought his first muscle car, a 1970 Chevelle. Garret's collection now encompasses 90 muscle cars of various model years, manufactures and name plates.

Some of the cars that visitors see when they walk in the door of Floyd Garret's Muscle Car Museum are a 1961 an 1962 Super Duty Pontiac Catalina, the 1970 Hemi Challenger from the movie “Vanishing Point,” a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 and Elvis' first Limo. One of the more rare items on exhibit at the museum is an actual new Corvette fuel injection that has never actually been started. Garret also displays a 1970 GTO Judge.

Each car features an informational plaque featuring interesting tidbits about a car's history or specifications next to the car so each visitor leaves knowing a little more about muscle cars than when they came in. The building is full of 60s and 70s memorabilia, adding to the nostalgic feel of the museum. The museum even features a collection of antique jukeboxes.

In addition to collectible muscle cars, Garrett also has an impressive collection of cars engines, including an original 1955 GM Motorama 265 cib V8 engine.

Car Collector magazine said Garret has “One of the finest collection of American Muscle and Stock car -based race machines!” Muscle Car magazine agreed stating, “A spectacular landscape of wall-to-wall legends, the wildest, most outrageous American muscle cars ever to escape Detroit. And they shine like a new penny. each car could walk off with Best of Show Honors. All the great ones are here: Power Pack Tri-Year Chevys Early 60's, Lightweights Screaming Late 60's, Big-Blocks and a nice cross section of retired Nascar warriors. Never have so many superb muscle cars been assembled under one roof “

The gift shop is impressively stocked with a wide selection of t-shirts, hats, die cast cars and Nascar memorabilia. If you are in the Smokey Mountains, Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum is worth a stop. It is located at 320 Winfield Dunn Parkway. It's open seven days a week except for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Hours are  from 9 am to 6 pm. Admission is $8.95 for adults and $3.00 for children from 8 to 12. Children under 8 years old get in free.