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Why do cars from the late 50's to the early 70's have such devoted fans?

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  • Why do cars from the late 50's to the early 70's have such devoted fans?

    When my Mother, who is not a gear head at all, talks about the '67 Chevy Malibu my parents had purchased new you can tell this car more than any other is remembered and missed.
    This even occurs with people from my generation (Gen X'rs) that had these same cars in our youth. In our case however these cars were pretty used up and typically not all that nice? And if they weren't used up when we got 'em they usually were when we were done with 'em. A coworker who is not a car guy still speaks fondly and often about how cool his early 70's dodge Challenger was that he had when he was younger.

    It's obvious that cars, mostly from the say 1955 to about 1972, have totally captivated anyone who has driven them and even those who have not. Not just American cars either, but also others including stuff from the UK and Italy. These things are still so popular some 40 years later that automakers are making new retro cars that emulate the original cars of that era from the Mini to the new Camaro.

    It does make sense for folks who had them new and enjoy the cars from a nostalgic standpoint, but the fan base for these things has transcended that generation.
    Why? ???

  • #2
    Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

    who gets excited about Camrys? after all, that is this generation-of-grandparent's current car...
    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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    • #3
      Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

      maybe they were neat cars, with nice styling and ever increasing performance. 55-72 was the time of the horsepower wars. Not much gov't regulation, carmakers were mostly free to do what they wanted. The cars had character, and you could easily tell them all apart. The economy was doing well for most of that time. etc.

      My fabulous web page

      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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      • #4
        Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

        Devil's advocate, these cars were far from perfect.
        • The car's build quality was fair at best.
          The brakes were pour.
          The cars cornered poorly.
          The bodies rusted quickly.
          The expected life of the car was just over 100,000 miles compared to today where cars routinely hit twice that.
          They use a bunch of gas.
          They didn't have much in the way of cool gadgets and power windows and AC were rare.


        I think in reality they are so cool that all these facts are overlooked ;)

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        • #5
          Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

          Originally posted by mike343sharpstick
          Devil?s advocate, these cars were far from perfect.
          • The car?s build quality was fair at best.
            The brakes were pour.
            The cars cornered poorly.
            The bodies rusted quickly.
            The expected life of the car was just over 100,000 miles compared to today where cars routinely hit twice that.
            They use a bunch of gas.
            They didn?t have much in the way of cool gadgets and power windows and AC were rare.
          Compare any mechanical thing today, to its roots 30-40 years ago and the same list applies. It's called evolution, works with humans too ;D.

          30-40 years from now, someone will make the same comparison to todays car, as you have. I would rather work on a crued, low-tech, non-gadgety old car than a modern one any day of the week.
          Jeremy George in Windsor NY

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          • #6
            Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

            Like I said, they had character.

            My fabulous web page

            "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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            • #7
              Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

              They had an overall purity to them that we will never see again. The only concern the stylists had was making them beautiful. The engineers weren't hobbled with conflicting objectives in their designs. By modern standards they are generally considered to drive "bad" yet they still have a sweetness about them-a more direct connection between the driver and the machine. They aren't pussified-they've got soul.


              There's a lot to it because they are also representative of their time. The sixties, for all that was bad, were a time of prosperity, optimism, and bold progress. About the same time that the cars lost their flavor the mood in the country turned to one of guilt, widespread unrest, and pessimism. They're a touchstone because they symbolize what is mostly regarded as the best of times, or at least a simpler time when it was easier to be happy-in retrospect at least.

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              • #8
                Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                They had these qualities:

                Style
                Class
                Character
                Individuality
                Chrome!

                Today's cars lack all of the above.


                Ron
                It's really no different than trying to glue them back on after she has her way.

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                • #9
                  Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                  You HAD to drive them, not just ride in them. Makes them an experience.
                  Originally posted by mike343sharpstick

                  • The brakes were pour.
                    The cars cornered poorly.
                    They didn?t have much in the way of cool gadgets and power windows and AC were rare.
                  Braking ability from one car the next could be dramatic, even in every day driving, same with cornering and acceleration. Now days most cars will at least brake similarly in every day driving. How many cars after 1990 (arbitrary date) are hard to stop from 70+mph? Turning a corner, the cars used to lean hard, that's about been removed. An experience, one that is apparently remembered.


                  Escaped on a technicality.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                    Originally posted by Ron Ward
                    Chrome!
                    and Yes!
                    Escaped on a technicality.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                      Originally posted by mustang13
                      Originally posted by mike343sharpstick
                      Devil?s advocate, these cars were far from perfect.
                      • The car?s build quality was fair at best.
                        The brakes were pour.
                        The cars cornered poorly.
                        The bodies rusted quickly.
                        The expected life of the car was just over 100,000 miles compared to today where cars routinely hit twice that.
                        They use a bunch of gas.
                        They didn?t have much in the way of cool gadgets and power windows and AC were rare.
                      Compare any mechanical thing today, to its roots 30-40 years ago and the same list applies. It's called evolution, works with humans too ;D.

                      30-40 years from now, someone will make the same comparison to todays car, as you have. I would rather work on a crued, low-tech, non-gadgety old car than a modern one any day of the week.
                      Agreed, I find it interesting that the newer "better" more evolved stuff is'nt remembered as fondly as the old junk :D

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                      • #12
                        Re: Why do cars from the late 50's to the early 70's have such devoted fans?

                        interiors with color - instead of grey or brown
                        Phil / Omaha

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                        • #13
                          Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                          When you stop and think about the 50's and 60's the body style changed every year and they were very easy to identify as opposed to the Cookie Cutter cars that are being built today.


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                          • #14
                            Re: Why do cars from the late 50's to the early 70's have such devoted fans?

                            The people that were building them must have put just a little bit of soul into each car they built..not so much with all the robotics today
                            Never kick a fresh Turd on a hot day.....Harry S Truman

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                            • #15
                              Re: Why do cars from the late 50?s to the early 70?s have such devoted fans?

                              Originally posted by mike343sharpstick
                              Originally posted by mustang13
                              Originally posted by mike343sharpstick
                              Devil?s advocate, these cars were far from perfect.
                              • The car?s build quality was fair at best.
                                The brakes were pour.
                                The cars cornered poorly.
                                The bodies rusted quickly.
                                The expected life of the car was just over 100,000 miles compared to today where cars routinely hit twice that.
                                They use a bunch of gas.
                                They didn?t have much in the way of cool gadgets and power windows and AC were rare.
                              Compare any mechanical thing today, to its roots 30-40 years ago and the same list applies. It's called evolution, works with humans too ;D.

                              30-40 years from now, someone will make the same comparison to todays car, as you have. I would rather work on a crued, low-tech, non-gadgety old car than a modern one any day of the week.
                              Agreed, I find it interesting that the newer "better" more evolved stuff is'nt remembered as fondly as the old junk :D
                              Totally agree with all of this. Yet their allure is so strong that I would rather drive a sixties car and have to fix it every week than drive a rock solid beige Camry ten feet. And if/when I get myself out of this hellish climate I will drive one every day.

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