| Some of the Detroit Iron manufactured after | | | | 'instant on' instead of waiting for the tubes |
| WWII until about 1980 can be considered | | | | to warm up. In the sixties, FM radio |
| Rolling Art. Several Companies like Packard, | | | | appeared, and at first offered ad and DJ free |
| Hudson and Studebaker ceased building cars | | | | programming. That of course didn't last long |
| for one reason or another during the early | | | | once the bandwidth became entrenched. By the |
| part of this span, but they and the | | | | seventies there were 8 track tape players |
| traditional big 3, Ford, GM and Chrysler did | | | | which in fairly short order gave way to |
| turn out some masterpieces. As a kid just old | | | | cassettes. 1959 marked the pinnacle of the |
| enough to think about getting a drivers | | | | auto as jet sporting gigantic rear fins, the |
| license, I would sit in my tree house and | | | | ultimate appearing on the 1959 Cadillac with |
| fantasize about the latest crop of finned | | | | the 1959-60 Chrysler and DeSoto not far |
| behemoths pictured in the car magazines of | | | | behind. In another year the DeSoto would |
| the time. After careful consideration I would | | | | disappear from showrooms and go the way of |
| rank them according to style and features | | | | the Packard, Hudson and Nash. A sobriety of |
| that I could really relate to and desired to | | | | sorts gripped automakers after the fin and |
| possess. Always decisions. Should I have twin | | | | chrome extravaganza passed. Some really |
| rear antennas and dual spotlights or would | | | | classy designs were introduced in the early |
| one of each do. Wire wheels were really neat | | | | sixties like the 1960 Pontiac, 1961 Buick, |
| as were the two and three tone paint jobs. I | | | | 1962 Cadillac and classic 1964 Ford. Chrysler |
| ended up choosing the most streamlined and | | | | Corporation would, from time to time, |
| elegant looking as my favorites always | | | | introduce industry leading stratagems. Their |
| deferring to clean rather than clutter. I | | | | Hemi (hemispherical head) Motor during the |
| wasn't one for fuzzy dice hanging from the | | | | fifties was pure muscle and reliability as |
| rear view mirror, instead preferring power | | | | was their Torqueflight transmission. They |
| windows and air conditioning. Of course I | | | | introduced the 'Forward Look' in the later |
| always opted for the biggest V8 option and | | | | fifties which lead styling trends for awhile. |
| always dual exhaust both for easy engine | | | | Then again in 1965 they offered some really |
| breathing and the sound. The late 1940's and | | | | sturdy and classy cars that towards the end |
| early 50s saw the transition from stodgy, | | | | of that decade lead to the innovative |
| subdued and functional to a more sleek and | | | | fuselage cars. These were large sleek |
| powerful motif which, year after year during | | | | machines with an air frame sculptured look |
| the 1950's, became a size, power and chrome | | | | that I found quite attractive. Unfortunately |
| enhancement race. While some models went | | | | Chrysler quality control started slipping |
| overboard with various excesses making their | | | | badly during this period and didn't recover |
| designs overburdened or clumsy, others | | | | for many years. By the late seventies things |
| managed to integrate fins, masses of chrome | | | | started going downhill in Detroit. |
| and color schemes that were a delight. All | | | | Automakers, paying little attention to |
| the manufacturers had their winners and | | | | quality control and mechanical efficiencies |
| losers but American cars of the period were | | | | found themselves mandated by legislation to |
| all individually identifiable and definitely | | | | clean up their act, literally. As a result, |
| distinct and could roll down a super highway | | | | all manner of schemes were employed to reduce |
| without a care. The straight 6 and 8 motors | | | | engine emissions, most, in the early days, a |
| of earlier periods soon gave way in the more | | | | maze of vacuum lines and fuel injection |
| deluxe models to V8's, which couldn't pull | | | | designs that were cumbersome and mostly ill |
| stumps like the old high torque low rpm | | | | conceived, leading to a myriad of problems |
| straight eights, but could more lithely move | | | | and customer dissatisfaction. It wasn't long |
| a couple of tons of iron, glass and plastic | | | | thereafter that the Japanese stepped in to |
| down the road. By the mid 1950's all American | | | | fill the void and things have never returned |
| cars had settled on 12 volt electrical | | | | to the days of American auto manufacturing |
| systems, 14 or 15 inch wheels, wrap around | | | | preeminence. Granted American cars eventually |
| windshields, and with the V8 motor now the | | | | improved dramatically but market share by |
| entrenched favorite. It was a time in | | | | then was fragmented. I personally lost |
| American history when each new car year was | | | | interest in Detroit around the mid eighties |
| greeted with excitement and anticipation as | | | | although some really nice cars have been |
| each model sought to capture the limelight | | | | produced since. Now, I am afraid, because of |
| with its own distinct identity. Priorities | | | | the fickle nature of Americans, demanding |
| were simple if not naive. Dazzle the customer | | | | SUV's and consuming a hugely disproportional |
| with great expanses of sheet metal and | | | | amount of the worlds resources, the twin |
| chrome, brilliant colors and lots of buttons | | | | failings of overindulgence and lack of |
| to push. Although mundane items like seat | | | | foresight in the face of world realignment, |
| belts were introduced as selling features | | | | has pushed MoTown automakers to the brink of |
| from time to time, the consumer wanted none | | | | insolvency. The 1950s through the seventies |
| of that as it didn't add any value as a | | | | saw the apex and beginning of decline of the |
| status symbol. Slowly technological | | | | American auto as a distinct form of rolling |
| improvements did advance along with | | | | art. A combination of art deco and modern |
| convenience and power options. Radial tires | | | | gave way to downsizing and competition from |
| were a big plus adding smoothness, safety and | | | | abroad. Complacent management also failed to |
| longevity replacing thumping, rapid tread | | | | embrace, in a timely fashion, new concepts of |
| wear and numerous flats. Disc brakes were a | | | | quality control, preferring to market their |
| definite safety advantage replacing the | | | | vehicles through planned obsolescence. No |
| inferior drum and shoe method that could fade | | | | doubt, some of the greatest American |
| in emergency situations. Automatic | | | | masterpieces in rolling art were created |
| transmissions became the option of choice and | | | | during the 1920s and 30s, however, the height |
| then ultimately became standard equipment. | | | | of Auto Americana, where form and function |
| And of course, radios evolved. In the mid | | | | took on whole new dimensions of vim and |
| fifties, signal seek or 'wonderbar' AM radios | | | | verve, the 1950s, seems to have marked the |
| were introduced, followed soon thereafter by | | | | peak of empire as well as one of its most |
| the transistor models which allowed for | | | | distinctive products. |