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