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