Muscle Cars
The Sleepy Fifties To Now.
By Mark Weisseg
If you were alive in the 1950’s in America this scene was played out everywhere. Men back from War, suburbs popping up all over the place, shopping malls replacing the little general stores and people started to have spending money.
The T Bird in the picture was a prime example of that time period. Yes, it was a two seater and some had some ponies under the hood but for the most part it was a quiet, relaxed time in America. Women wore white gloves to go out and men wore suits and Fedora hats. Everything seemed to be going along just right. But the turning point was coming and few saw it coming at them.
The turning point was first a recession in the late 1950’s and a President was elected that was young and full of youthfulness. But, war was around the corner and we got ourselves in a fight half way around the world that divided the nation. Next, the young President was dead and the nation was in turmoil. Nothing seemed right anymore and the young people of the country started to rebel. Yes, protesting, drugs, disrespecting the elders and many more changes that seemed unheard of just ten years earlier.
The Car Revolution
Now, the entire car industry was changing from these big, gigantic cars with fins to cars that had power, were different looking and could do much more. A revolution was going on inside our own country. From the way we dressed, to the way we talked, acted and reacted. Suddenly everything was being questioned and re-evaluated. Our clothes and hairstyles were first to change and then after a bit our automobiles were different.
From sleepy T birds to now GTO, Camaro, and Mustang. Remember, Mustang started out as a young, hip little car built on a Falcon frame with a little six cylinder engine. Very quickly like everything else the ‘Stang dropped in a big engine and others followed along. What was to be a grocery getter turned into a street monster and from there all the folks who built cars kept coming up with bigger engines and more power.
Even today the fight is still on. We are half way around the world fighting battles and the young people are beginning the protesting again over a variety of topics. The car makers are making the cars faster, stronger, safer, and more reliable. Anyone see a trend?
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