In the 1950s General Motors was the largest car manufacturer in the world, manufacturing more than half of all cars that were sold. GM was also the single largest company in all the U.S., building Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, GMCs, Cadillacs and Chevrolets. They had a reputation for building reliable cars in many price ranges for a variety of budgets. But up to the 1950s, they had only offered automobiles in the sedan, station wagon or coupe styling, as well as trucks. The American consumer was ready for something new.

While traveling abroad during WWII, many members of the U.S. Armed Forces were introduced to European sports cars, such as the Jaguar and MG. There was nothing offered like it in the States, so many shipped these little 2-seaters home with them when they returned form the war. GM’s chief designer, Harley J. Earl, began to conceptualize an American-made convertible sports car that could be sold for about the same price as a family car. He enlisted an engineer, Robert F. McLean, to work on the chassis design. To keep the car affordable, he designed it with existing Chevrolet components, including the chassis and suspension. The drivetrain and passenger area were pushed back and the standard 6-cylinder Chevy engine was used, but with adjustments for a larger output. Also because of cost considerations, the body was constructed of fiberglass rather than steel.

The concept car was named the “Corvette” by Myron Scott, Chevrolet’s assistant advertising manager. The name made reference a small, but fast and highly maneuverable, armed escort ship. The Corvette was shown at the 1953 New York Auto Show where it was very well received by the public. Within six months, and with very few changes, GM made the Corvette available to buyers.

The 300 cars made in the ’53 model year were mainly hand-built and cost considerably more then hoped. An intended $2000 price tag was now $3498, making the Corvette Chevy’s second most expensive car in the 1953 model year and nearly as much as a Cadillac. The car was only available in Polo White, with a Sportsman Red interior and black canvas convertible top. Reviews stated the ’53 Corvette didn’t compare well with the overall performance of European sports cars, but cornered better.

The 1954 model Corvette didn’t have any major changes made to it, except that it was made available in Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red and Black, as well as Polo White. GM planned to build 10,000 Corvettes for the following model. But lackluster sales caused only 3,640 cars to be made in the 1954 model year. Some cars sat in lots and were not sold for years. Potential car buyers objected to the high sticker price and the car’s disappointing performance. It’s difficult to imagine today, but GM gave serious consideration to ending the Corvette line.

Of the 1955 Corvette, only 700 units sold. GM engineers saved the Corvette in 1955 with the development of the small-block V8 engine. Chevrolet had stopped making a V8 engine back in 1919 when they turned to making more economical cars. Corvette was also aided by the rivalry ignited between Chevrolet and Ford after Ford’s introduction of the 2-seater Thunderbird in 1955. Despite the competition and development of the new engine, only 700 Corvettes were produced for the 1955 model year because car lots were still filled with 1954 Corvettes that hadn’t sold.

The 1956 model Corvette had changes made it that made it a real performance car for the first time. The engineers made sure it had power, reliability, great handling and a changed appearance that gave it a real sports car look. The car’s image was further enhanced when GM raced the ’56 Corvette at the Daytona Speedweeks in February of 1956 and the Ford Thunderbird was unable to match its speed. The 1957 Corvette was almost identical to the ’56. Fuel injection became an option available on the Corvette mid-1957.

The 1958 Corvette had the most chrome of all the Corvettes Chevy built and was considered by some to be ostentatious. There were four headlights rather than the former two, the bumpers were larger and chrome strips were added down the length of the fenders. Simulated louvers were added to the hood. The instrument panel was completely changed, grouping gauges rather than extending them down the length of the dashboard and a grab bar was added in front of the passenger seat. Seatbelts were now standard and more paint colors were now available (Panama Yellow, Regal Turquoise, Silver Blue and Charcoal). The design of the car did not have any major changes in the 1959 and 1960 model years, except that much of the chrome and the hood louvers were removed. In 1961, the rear of the car was completely changed, to a “duck” tail rear with four round taillights. The front grille lost its vertical bars and ’61 was the last year that wide whitewall tires were an option. By 1962 there was very little chrome on the exterior of the car and had been removed completely from the grille.

The second generation Corvette was released for the 1963 model year and ended in 1967. Both the chassis and the body were redesigned and the 1963 model was given the name “Sting Ray”. There were dramatic changes to the body including a split rear window and nonfunctional hood and fender vents, not to mention an entirely new form. The wheelbase was shortened by 4 inches and the car was given a new independent rear suspension. The 1963 Corvette was available in two styles: Roadster and Fastback Coupe. There were not many changes to the 1964, with the exception of the removal of the bar between the rear windows and some extraneous design features, like the hood vents, making it a cleaner looking vehicle. In 1965 Corvettes were offered with an optional “big block” engine and now had four-wheel disc brakes. The look of the Corvette continued to get cleaner through the 1967 model, resulting in a car that many regard as the best looking of the Sting Rays.

1968 saw the introduction of the third generation Corvette that lasted until 1982. This car was based on a concept car (Mako Shark II) designed by Chevrolet’s Larry Shinoda under the supervision of GM design chief William Mitchell in 1961. It was shown at the NY International Auto Show in 1965. By the early 1980s, sales of Corvettes wound down as people no longer wanted to purchase the “shark style” car. Because of production issues, only 44 prototype 1983 Corvettes were built. None of them were sold to the public and only one of them is known to still exist.

The fourth generation of Corvette was built from 1984 to 1996. The car had once again been completely restyled. It was the most dramatic change since the introduction of the ’63 Sting Ray. It had hideaway headlights, a rear window hatch, all new brakes, larger interior and digital LCD gauges. The car had improved handling, but was known for a very stiff ride. Nonetheless, the car sold so well that GM extended production of the 1984 model year, selling 53,877 Corvettes. A smoother suspension was offered on the Corvette the following year. The 4+3 transmission  (4-speed manual paired with automatic overdrive) was used on the 1984 to 1988 Corvettes. Beginning in 1989 they had a 6-speed manual transmission. Special editions were released for both the 35th and 40th anniversary years for the Corvette (1988 and 1993).

The fifth-generation Corvettes were produced from 1997 to 2004 and featured improvements that resulted in more power, better handling and more room. The car was a hit with buyers, so Chevrolet stuck to the formula through the 2004 model year without any major changes. Minor changes were the addition of a power passenger seat and dual-climate control in 2003. A 50th anniversary model was made for the 2003 model year.

We are currently witnessing the sixth generation of the Corvette with new body styling and still more improvements. The headlights are exposed, the passenger compartment is larger and it reportedly gets decent gas mileage. It is a more refined Corvette, intended to compete with foreign sports cars that sell for a lot more.

Chevrolet has promised a totally redesigned, seventh-generation Corvette for the 2011-year model. It will have a central engine (like the Ferrari and Lamborghini), yet promises good fuel economy. Concept drawings of the car look more like a Batmobile, but we’ll have to wait for its arrival next year.

The Thunderbird was produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1955 to 2005 and defined a new automobile category: the personal luxury car. Up until the release of the Thunderbird, car styles were limited to sedans, coupes and station wagons. The Thunderbird was designed to compete with the Chevrolet Corvette sports car that was first introduced in 1953, but ended up defining a whole new class of automobile. Design began in 1953 following the release of the Corvette and the 1955 Ford Thunderbird was introduced to the market in October of 1954.

With the Thunderbird, Ford was able to offer the styling and refinement that, up until then, had only been available with pricey import cars like the Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. But Ford’s offering with the Thunderbird was a less sporty, more luxurious car with American styling. It was a 2-seat, convertible coupe model with Ford design evident in the single lamp headlight and tailfins, but more sleek in style than the typical Ford. And whereas the GM Corvette was produced with a fiberglass body, and in 1955 only offered the V8 as an option, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird had a steel body and V8 engine that was standard. The ’55-‘57 models were 2-seaters, but in 1958 the Thunderbird was redesigned as a four-seater.

The Thunderbird was very well received in its first year and succeeded in outselling the ’55 Corvette by a wide margin (over 16,000 Thunderbirds vs. 700 Corvettes). Because of the car’s success, not many changes were made to it for the ’56 year model. Changes that were made were the availability of new paint colors and “portholes” added to either side of the fiberglass roof for enhanced visibility. The changes for the ’57 included a new front bumper shape, larger front grille and tailfins and larger taillights. Again the car sold very well, but Ford hoped to do even better, so they made considerable changes for the ’58 model, the second generation Thunderbird.

All told, Thunderbird went through twelve different generations. From 1955 through 1976 the car got increasingly larger. The sixth generation Thunderbird (the 1972 model) first released in 1971, was the largest model Thunderbird produced. It was downsized in 1977, still more in 1980 and even more in 1983. In the 1990s, larger 2-door coupes were less popular with the public and sales began to slump. In 1997 Ford stopped Thunderbird production. A 2-seat model Thunderbird was resurrected in 2002 and was manufactured through the end of the 2005 model year. This model played on the original design and appeal of the Thunderbird. It was available as a 2-seat coupe or convertible with modern appeal. Unfortunately, poor sales convinced Ford to halt production, and they currently have no plans to revive the model once more.

Through all the years that the Ford Thunderbird was produced, there were over 4.4 million made. Thunderbird succeeded in establishing a new class of automobile, but was unable to sustain a solid place in the car market. Yet, its classic styling will endure, making the Thunderbird a unique American automobile.

The Oldsmobile 442 was a response to the unexpected success of the 1964 Pontiac Tempest GTO. GM’s Oldsmobile division was the first major car manufacturer to respond with a model of their own. The 442 was a mid-size car that was equipped with a full-size engine, the Rocket V8. It was first released well into the 1964 model year and was an option on the Olds Cutlass and F-85 models. It had the top model engine produced by Oldsmobile. It was the 330 CID V8 with the police package (the B09 Police Apprehender). This car became known for its excellent handling and performance. The name “442″, or four-four-two, was derived from the specifications of the car, including a 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual transmission and dual (two) exhaust.

Despite the late introduction of the Olds 442 into the 1964 model year, 2,999 cars sold that year. In 1965 the four-door model was eliminated on the 442. The engine was replaced with a 400 CID V8. The marketing was improved over the previous year’s to specifically target young people and over 25,000 1965 442s were sold.

The 1966 model 442 was offered with two options for the engine and there were distinct changes to the body styling. There was an option offered called W-30, with a triple carburetor engine and a front bumper styled with openings to allow air intake for the air-induction cooling system.

In 1967 front disc brakes were added and the formerly optional automatic 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic was now standard. The triple carburetor engine was discontinued and replaced with the L66 Turnpike Cruising Package and the W-30.

From 1968 to 1971, the 442 was no longer an option on the Cutlass or F-85, but became a model of its own. In 1968 the body was changed to shorten the wheelbase by three inches and create a distinctive new styling. A new grill design was introduced in 1969 and GM now allowed the larger engine to return. But in 1971 GM made a demand that all GM cars be able to run on unleaded fuel. This was the beginning of the end for the muscle car, including the 442.

In 1972, the 442 reverted back to an option on the Cutlass models and this continued through 1980 when the 442 option was discontinued. The 442 was brought back in 1985 on the rear-wheel drive Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The “442″ now stood to define the 4-cylinder engine with 4 valve cylinders and 2 camshafts. In 1990 and 1991 the name 442 was applied to the front-wheel drive Cutlass Calais. Due to poor demand, the name was retired after the 1991 model year.

The Olds 442 remains a true American muscle car and can boast a loyal following to this day.

The Corvair joined an emerging group of compact cars for the 1960 model year. There were only a few other cars in this class including the Plymouth Valiant, Ford Falcon, Studebaker Lark and the Nash Rambler. Most of these cars were merely scaled-down versions of bigger cars. Not the Chevrolet Corvair, which had the most radical design in this group. The 6-cylinder engine, made completely of aluminum, was placed in the rear of the car, “where the engine belongs”, according to Chevy’s advertising. The luggage storage was in the front of the car, like in the VW Beetle, except that the Corvair had more storage space. It had 4-wheel independent suspension and was built on the first Unibody frame. The styling was elegant and understated, without tailfins or a chrome grille. It was named Car of the Year by “Motor Trend” magazine for 1960. Coupe and sedan models were available starting at only $1984, which made it the affordable car people were looking for.

The Monza, introduced for 1961, was a big hit with the public with its mix of American styling and European small car handling. It was a sporty car with bucket seats, a manual 4-speed transmission with a floor shift and an upscale vinyl interior. The 1961 Corvair lineup was greatly expanded and the car was available as a coupe, sedan, van, truck or a station wagon. Corvair was the first compact car to offer air-conditioning as an option in 1961. The Monza was the bestselling model of Corvair.

The 1962 year model was the first available as a convertible. A turbocharged engine was offered with the Spyder model. There was only one other production car offering a turbocharger the same year and that was the Oldsmobile F-85 Turbo Jetfire. The former great sales for the Corvair began to drop off as the other two major American car manufacturers began to compete with the Corvair with their own sporty models. In the 1963 model year Corvair managed to hold its own, but the station wagons were discontinued.

The rear suspension was improved and the engine was made bigger for the 1964 Corvair. But that was the same year Ford introduced their Mustang. Chevrolet’s response to the competition was a second-generation redesign of the Corvair for 1965 with modifications to the body styling, engine and suspension. Sales improved, but the Corvair was unable to compete with the brisk sales of the Ford Mustang.

The “death knoll” for the Corvair came with the release of Ralph Nader’s book, “Unsafe at Any Speed” in 1965. The book was generally addressing the auto industry’s poor safety record as a whole. Only the first chapter discussed the Corvair and his criticism was directed only at the discontinued rear suspension design of Corvairs made for 1960 to 1963, but that was enough to turn public opinion against the car. Corvair sales fell in 1966 and continued to drop during the next three years. Chevrolet released the Camaro to compete with the Ford Mustang in 1967, as well as the compact Nova and mid-size Chevelle. Sales of the Corvair just continued to fall in the last couple of years. After ten years of production, on May 14, 1969 the last Corvair was built.

My father had a 1963 Corvair 700, a 2-door hardtop in black with a red-and-white interior. It was an awesome car, and as kids, we loved to ride in it. Unfortunately, my mother became concerned after Nader’s book came out and wouldn’t let us ride in it after a while. My father continued to use the car into the 1970s and added a bumper sticker to the Corvair that read, “Ralph Nader was wrong”. The Chevrolet Corvair was a truly innovative American small car. It still enjoys a loyal following by many proclaimed “Covair Lovers” today.

The Edsel was an automobile that has become synonymous with failure. There are many reasons why the car was such a disaster. The Edsel failed because of a combination of planning, marketing and production problems.

There were internal changes at Ford that resulted in a lack of support for the Edsel division, as well as Continental, Lincoln and Mercury. Ford was struggling after the end of WWII and Henry Ford II had brought a group of executives onboard, known as the “Whiz Kids”, to help stop their losses. Among this group was Robert McNamara, who was opposed to having separate divisions under the Ford name. He succeeded in eliminating the Continental line and sought to do the same with the Edsel line.

Another problem with the Edsel was rooted in how it was produced. As a means of cutting costs on Edsel production, the planned wheelbase was eliminated and the car was built on Ford and Mercury platforms. Edsels were made in Ford and Mercury factories, rather than having a dedicated Edsel plant. Every 61st car on the assembly line was to be an Edsel. This caused difficulty with assembly because workers who had been assembling Fords or Mercurys all day had to switch parts and tool bins to put together the Edsel. This changeover resulted in mistakes and cars sometimes going unfinished to the dealerships, (supposedly with the extra parts and directions for the dealership mechanics in the trunk). Inconsistencies in manufacturing lead to problems with the car’s reliability. Word of its problems spread and tarnished the new model’s reputation.

The Edsel’s marketing was a flop as well. The car was literally kept under wraps, arriving at dealerships under a tarp. Ads featured a very blurry car, so people had no idea what is was going to look like. The price also left people confused. The Edsel was placed slightly above the top model Ford and slightly below the base model Mercury. They didn’t get where it fit in (whether it was a step up or a step down).

The name was also problematic. The car was originally referred to as the “E” car, for “experimental”. After doing extensive and costly research on names, the Ford execs continually came back to “Edsel”, the name of Henry Ford II’s father. The results were inconclusive when people on the street were polled, and ultimately, “Edsel” was the name Ford went with. Unfortunately, people began to joke that “Edsel” was an acronym for “Every Day Something Else Leaks”.

The design of the Edsel was another issue. What was originally intended by the designer to be an elegant grill design was modified by engineers, and resulted in what people called a “horse collar design”. The transmission was controlled with buttons placed on the steering wheel, rather than with a gearshift lever. This resulted in drivers changing gears when they had intended to honk their horn. The taillight design was also an issue. When the turn signal was used, the “boomerang” shape looked like an arrow pointing downward in the opposite direction of the driver’s intended turn.

The Edsel could have been a somewhat profitable car for Ford had it been given the appropriate marketing support and had the manufacturing been properly executed. It would never have been a very successful model, even given full corporate support, because of circumstances beyond Ford’s control. The car that had been planned in the prosperous early-1950s was designed and produced late in 1957, at the beginning of a recession. People were buying cheaper, smaller and more fuel-efficient cars. The Edsel was priced between $2,484 and $3,766, when a base model Ford Custom 300 sold for $1,977. The Edsel was fast, but it was also a big car and used premium gas.

Introduced in the 1958 lineup, the Edsel was made for only two more years before the line was completely dropped. The Edsel that was planned for the 1960 model year as the “Edsel Comet” had its name changed simply to the “Comet” and was distributed by Mercury dealerships. The Comet caught on with car buyers immediately, and more Comets sold in the first year of sales than Edsels did over three years.

The Chevrolet Chevelle was first introduced in the Chevy lineup in 1964. It was a mid-sized car, originally intended to compete against Ford’s mid-sized car, the Fairlane.

Many consumers choose the Chevelle as an economical alternative to the larger Chevy Impala. The Impala was more expensive to buy and operate. The Chevelle was large enough to seat a family of five comfortably and could seat six if necessary. The brochure for the 1976 Chevelle pictured here states the Chevelle was “comfortable for highway cruising”. It was also easier to maneuver in places like parking lots than were the larger cars. It was a car “ designed especially for people who no longer need, or want, a large car—yet who would not be truly comfortable with a small car”. It was intended as a paired-down version of the larger luxury cars, but without making the consumer give up much in regard to comfort or power, as the Chevelle came with a standard V-8 engine.

Standard equipment on the ’76 Chevelle included power steering and brakes, automatic transmission, air-conditioning and a stereo radio. When it was first introduced, the Malibu was the top trim model of the Chevelle. In 1976 the Malibu Classic was the top trim on the Chevelle. Features exclusive to the Malibu Classic included thickly padded seats covered in a rich knit-cloth and optional all-vinyl swivel bucket front seats. Exterior features on the Malibu Classic included an optional vinyl top, dual sport mirrors, full wheel covers, whitewall tires, dial stacked headlights and the signature diamond-patterned grill.

1977 was the final year that the Chevelle was produced. The following year the model name was changed to just “Malibu”.

Models available in the 1976 Chevelle lineup included:
Malibu Classic
Malibu Classic Landau
Laguna Type S-3
Malibu
Chevelle Coupe
Chevelle Sedan
Chevelle Station Wagon

One of America’s favorite cars, often referred to simply as the ‘57 Chevy, was the upscale trim model of the Chevrolet line made by General Motors in 1957. The Bel Air made its debut in the Chevrolet lineup in 1950 as their first hardtop model.

In the 1957 model year, the Chevrolet was offered in 3 trim levels. There were the base model 150 series and also a mid-range 210 series. The Bel Air series was the top-of-the-line luxury model with anodized gold trim on the grille and hood, fenders and the trunk. There were optional trims for the 1957 Chevrolet lineup, such as the upscale Delray option on the 2-door 210 sedans as well as a limited edition Nomad 2-door station wagon in the Bel Air series. To finalize the 1957 lineup, there were an extremely limited number of custom-made El Morocco models produced, known as “the poor man’s Cadillac”. (Comedian and television host, Jay Leno is the proud owner of one.)

The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was manufactured from late 1956 and continued through a good portion of 1957. The ‘57’s design was based on the 1955 Chevrolet; a car that had the first V8 offered on a Chevy since 1918. This engine has become known as the Small-Block V8 because of its compact design. At first GM execs wanted a whole new design for the 1957 model year, but delays in manufacturing forced them to carry over the 1955 look for another year. Despite production concerns the Chevrolet Chief Designer, Ed Cole, made changes that resulted in a significant increase to the price of the car. His changes were to put in a new dashboard, windshield and other structural changes that necessitated the design of the hooded chrome headlights. These changes, in addition to the long tail fin design, gave the ’57 Chevy its distinct appearance. It also had a longer and lower look than both the ‘55 and ’56 Chevys.

There were many options available on the ’57 Bel Air, including power windows, seats, brakes, steering and antenna. Also optional were a signal-seeking radio and fuel injection. In 1957 a brand new Bel Air sold for between $2238 (for a Bel Air 2-door) and $2757 (for a Nomad station wagon), depending on the particular model and purchased options. Approximately 702,651 Bel Airs were produced and sold in 1957 (nearly 50% of total Chevys sold that year). Although sales were good, they were below General Motor’s expectations and for the first time since 1935, Ford outsold Chevrolet.

As the years went by, the popularity of the ’57 Chevy Bel Air increased greatly, eventually becoming one of the most recognizable cars ever. Its popularity has not only made it a classic but also a very desirable collectible car among car enthusiasts. They have been restored to original condition by classic car lovers, as well as customized in innumerable ways as hot rods. It is and will continue to be America’s favorite muscle car.

The 1957 Bel Air came in the following styles:
Bel Air Convertible
Bel Air Sport Coupe
Bel Air Sport Sedan
Bel Air 4-door Sedan
Bel Air 2-door Sedan
Bel Air Townsman 4-door Station Wagon
Bel Air Nomad Station Wagon

The Chrysler 300 Letter Series automobiles were produced between 1955 and 1965. This series consisted of high-performance luxury cars built by the Chrysler Corporation. They were manufactured in limited numbers and after the 1955 C-300 model, each succeeding year was indicated by a different letter of the alphabet (beginning with “B” and with the exclusion of the letter “I”). Chrysler had not planned on making this a series, hence the original C-300 designation. The last model released was the Chrysler 300L in 1965.

Many regard the 300 Series as the forerunner of what became known as the “muscle car”. The release of the 300 Series post-WWII brought a renewed interest in high-powered performance vehicles, although this group of cars were more exclusive and pricey than the performance cars that followed. The Chrysler 300 was the first American production car whose engine had a 300hp rating. This made the Chrysler Letter Series cars the most powerful car in the world. There was nothing comparable for many years to come. The engine design was based on that of a 331hp racecar engine, but was modified in order to be within the designated road safety standards. The 1951 Chrysler was the first car to have the Hemi engine, originally called the Chrysler FirePower engine. With a lot of potential for improved performance, the engine was made more powerful each year.

The 300 Series was designed specifically to house the Hemi V8 within a 2-door hardtop model. In order to produce this design within their budget, the Chrysler Corporation used components of existing car models. They used a New Yorker body and Windsor rear end with an Imperial nose. After exchanging the Imperial nose for that of the base Chrysler, the design was finalized and they began production of the 300. The result was one of the most classic auto body styles ever manufactured. Even in the base models, the interior included leather upholstery. Among the options offered were power seats and windows, tinted glass, a radio and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. (The Kelsey-Hayes Corporation made stylish chrome-plated wheel covers for other cars, including Cadillac, Ford Thunderbird and Buick.)

The first model of the 300 was the 1955 C-300. It was an “order and deliver car” and was not put on car lots. It sold for $4,109 base and only 1,725 were sold, despite the fact that this powerful car produced a lot of interest, both on and off the road. This car made a big impression at NASCAR in 1955 and was given the name “Beautiful Brute”. The Chrysler C-300 was also breaking speed records at the Bonneville Slat Flats. This car was not a typical muscle car, since normally they were made as the smallest car possible to house the largest engine. This car not only had the largest engine, but the biggest body to go with it.

The 1956 Chrysler 300B was very similar in styling to the ’55, with restyling of the taillight fins and a larger engine. Both a 340 and 355hp engine were made available. Only 1,102 cars were sold that year, despite improved performance.

The 300C that was released in 1957 had all new styling and a bigger engine as well as being offered as a convertible for the first time. Sales amounted to a total of 2,251 cars. The 1958 300D was the last year the Hemi was offered. Due to an economic recession, only 809 cars were manufactured. In the 1959 300E the Hemi was replaced by a new Chrysler V8 engine called the “Golden Lion”. The new engine produced similar power output to the Hemi engine, but in combination with the recession, resulted in poor car sales of only 647 automobiles.

In both the 1960 300F and 1961 300G there was yet more restyling. The car was moving away from the “Brute” look of its past to a more lean, sleek style. The body was redone with a “unibody” construction and longer tailfins. The grill on the 1961 300G was dramatically changed with a design that appeared to be inverted from the original design. The headlights were no longer vertically aligned, but at an angle and the bumper shape was changed.

When the Chrylser stylist, Virgil Exner left the Chrysler Corporation in 1962, the tailfins were eliminated. In addition, the 300 Series lost its place in the Chrysler lineup. The 300H was now merely a designation as the top model in the line. In 1963 the 300J was released with a luxurious interior although the exterior design minus the tailfins had little in common with its predecessors. It also came with a quirky “square-ish” steering wheel design. A convertible model was not made available that year, but returned the following year in the 1964 300K. Leather interiors were no longer standard on the ’64 model. This change dropped the price tag by more than $1000, which in turn caused a big increase in sales. More 300Ks sold in 1964 than any other “letter” car in the Chrysler series had in a single year, totaling 3,022 coupes and 625 convertibles.

1965 was the last year of production of the Chrysler letter series. These cars were completely restyled. It had a very linear appearance, as did other cars in the same year. With many formerly standard features still optional, ’65 sales were strong, totally 2,845 cars.

The 300 name was resurrected in 1999 for the Chrysler 300M and in 2005 for the 300, but my heart belongs to the early Chrysler models from the letter series. My father bought a 1955 Chrysler Windsor Nassau shortly after meeting my mother. He had that car long enough that I remember riding in it and watching the road pass below through small rust holes. My brother had a passion for that car, and when he was old enough, bought a 4-door version for himself. He used to drive me to and from school in it and made me sit in the back because the car didn’t have safety belts. (It may also have been that it was very un-cool to drive your sister around as a senior in high school.) My brother still owns his first 300, in addition to a breathtaking red 1955 New Yorker St. Regis. These cars are not only special due to their rarity, but also for their incredible style and beauty.

In the years following WWII, Americans were increasingly drawn to the smaller size and unique styling of European sports cars. But foreign cars weren’t selling in the US in great numbers and American carmakers didn’t offer anything to compete with them until the late 1950s. Eventually car manufacturers started to realize there was an increasing demand for smaller, less expensive cars. Americans began to purchase Volvos and Volkswagens as smaller, cheaper alternatives to American vehicles. These foreign cars were easier to handle so they appealed to women. Because they were cheaper than big American cars they appealed to families as second cars. The two-car family was a new and growing trend among the middle class. In 1961 Plymouth introduced the Valiant while Ford released the Falcon Futura to compete with the sporty and successful Chevy Corvair Monza.

The 1961 Falcon Futura was a great seller as a compact car. It was inexpensive to buy and to operate. But it didn’t answer the public’s demand for a sports car with European styling with features like bucket seats, a floorshift, tachometer and tight handling. The people at the Ford Motor Company, including the Ford Division chief Lee Iacocca, noticed this trend and proposed Ford produce its own sports car.

The new car design was conceptualized by the Ford product manager Donald N. Frey and was supported by Lee Iacocca. Many names were considered for the car. Some of those considered were “Thunderbird II”, “Colt”, “Bronco” and “Cougar”. The first prototypes even had a cougar on the front grill. “Mustang” was backed by Ford Division chief Lee Iacocca and engineer Donald N. Frey and was the name to prevail.

The Ford Mustang premiered on April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair. To keep down development cost, the car chassis, suspension and drive train were based on the Ford Falcon but the body was a completely new design. The body length of the Mustang and Falcon were the same, but the Mustang had a slightly shorter wheelbase. As Iacocca described it, “It stood out, yet it was everyman’s car.” The 1964 Mustang had a six-cylinder engine and a three-speed manual transmission. It was available as either a hardtop or a convertible. Other options were a V8 engine, Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission or a 4-speed manual transmission, in addition to A/C, power steering and radios.

Ford had projected first year sales to amount to less than 100,000 Mustangs. In the first eighteen months of production, more than 1 million cars were built. This is a sales record that hasn’t been beaten by any other car since. Demand was incredible. Car buyers had found the sports car they were looking for, at a price they could afford. The Ford Mustang was the first of a group of cars to be known as “pony cars”. This was a new class of affordable American sporty sedans with extensive options that was marketed directly to the younger driver (or those young at heart).

In 1965 the Mustang 2+2 fastback coupe was introduced. It was a hardtop with a sloping roofline, swept-back rear window and stylish ventilation louvers; all adding to the aerodynamic look of the vehicle.  The first generation of Mustang lasted from 1964 to 1973. Mustangs grew heavier, bigger and more powerful with each new model through 1973. The 1967 model Mustang saw the addition of an optional big-block V8 engine. The 1967 performance-model Shelby Mustang was enhanced with a longer fiberglass nose and spoiler. Beginning in ’67 the Mustang’s interior and cargo space were made larger. The 1967 and 1968 models no longer had the “pony interior” with more sporty styling, but had a new deluxe interior package added with special trims, including stainless steel and woodgrain accents. In 1969 the body length increased almost 4 inches, and the car width almost a half-inch. The grill was restyled with the “corralled pony” giving way to the “pony and tri-bars” logo. Also in 1969 the high-powered Cobra and Boss models were offered to answer the demand for more powerful performance cars.

1974 brought about the second generation of Mustang, which was more of a return to its original pony car styling. It had the smaller shape and similar styling to the original 1964 Mustang. Larger cars were falling out of favor as America dealt with the gas rationing due to the oil embargo and car manufacturers had to address stronger pollution and safety regulations. The car produced was actually smaller than its predecessor. Due to safety regulations it was heavier, resulting in the loss of some of its performance. It was made available in both coupe and hatchback models. The performance was improved with the modifications made in the 1976 Cobra II and the 1978 King Cobra.

The third generation of the Mustang began in 1979, which personally, I think was the low point of the Mustang, at least in regard to styling. The sharp angles and smaller size had no resemblance to the original pony car America had fallen in love with. It was built on a Fox platform, which was designed for the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr. The interior and exterior were both completely restyled. This obviously was a car designed to meet the challenges presented to the automotive industry by the energy crisis. There was a significant redesign of the Mustang in 1987, and then few changes made to it through 1993 as Ford was gearing up for a major redesign for the 1994 model.

The 1994 fourth generation Mustang saw the biggest changes to that model in 15 years. The body had sleeker lines and the car came with a more powerful engine. The interior was newly designed with sweeping curves and options like power windows, A/C, cruise control, CD player, door locks and remote keyless entry. Many of the options later became standard equipment. The fourth generation went through several modifications through 2004.
In 2005 Ford released a newly redesigned Mustang that paid major tribute to the fastback models of the late 1960s. The Group VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at the Ford Motor Company, J Mays, called the look “retro-futurism”. It came with a standard V6 engine and a standard 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic transmission (offered for the first time on a Mustang). The model was revised again for the 2010 model, giving it a more aerodynamic appearance. A major change was made to the car’s logo; the pony was back and positioned in the center of the grill. The car’s interior had a modified styling to better reflect the “athletic” exterior of the car.

I for one, hope the retro styling of the Mustang is here to stay. At least as long as there are those of us that remember the early days of the pony car and remember how exciting it was to ride in one or to own one. I remember in the late 1970s when my brother’s best friend drove up in a used Shelby Mustang that he had just bought and how we all ran out of the house to see it. It was exceptional even then. Well into her fifties I had an aunt that collected Shelbys and took them to car shows to meet with other Mustang enthusiasts. There’s nothing that compares with the Mustang for its American sports car styling. The Ford Mustang is still known as the greatest success story to come out of Detroit. We probably won’t see another success story like it.

The Camaro was manufactured from 1966 (for 1967 model year) to 2002. It was originally released in 1967 by GM’s Chevrolet division to compete with the Ford Mustang. It was classified as a pony car, like the Mustang, because of its relatively smaller size. Compared to other cars produced in the same year, the Camaro was technically a compact. It was also classified as a sports or muscle car. The Camaro was never considered the flagship for Chevrolet, but has always been one of their most popular models.

General Motors marketing people evidently thought up the name, without any apparent meaning attached to it, because it doesn’t translate to anything else. But there are a few stories attributing meanings, such as it translating to “friend” or “companion” from the French. When automotive journalists asked the Chevrolet people what a “Camaro” is, they were told, “A small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs”.

There were four generations of the Chevrolet Camaro produced. The first generation began with the 1967 model released on September 29, 1966. It had the same platform and major components as the Pontiac Firebird, also introduced in ‘67. The car was made available as a 2-door, 4-seat sport coupe or convertible. The sport coupe was available in 3 models: base, the Super Sport (SS) and the Z28. The convertible was available in both the base trim and SS models. The engine was a 3-speed V-8, available in 4.9, 5.0, 5.4, 5.7 or 6.5-liter sizes. It was a rear-drive vehicle with a front-end engine, unlike the controversial Chevrolet Corvair, also in the Chevy line-up at the time. There were nearly 80 factory and 40 dealer options available, allowing the buyer to customize their car to their particular taste and price range. The first generation model was manufactured through the end of 1969.

Beginning in 1970, the second-generation Camaro was manufactured for 11 years. Its styling included a heavier, larger and wider size and a modified body design. It had a sleeker look than the previous generation and an improved suspension. After the 1970 ½ model, convertibles were not offered again until the third generation was well under way. In addition to the base model, there was Rally Sport option that had a unique front-end bumper and the Z28 Special Performance package equipped with a 360hp V-8 engine. The SS was discontinued after the 1972 model.

Chevrolet introduced the third generation of Camaro in the 1982 Z-28 model. The third generation continued for ten years, through 1992. These hot rods had fuel injection, and either a four-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. It featured updated styling with a hatchback. The IROC-Z was introduced in 1985 (named after the International Race of Champions). There were two commemorative models released: the 20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition in 1987 and the 25th Anniversary Heritage Edition in 1992.

The fourth generation of the Camaro was introduced with the 1993 model. It had many of the same characteristics as the 1967-year model: 2-door, 4-seat coupe or convertible (available on the ’94 model). In addition to the ‘67 options there was a new optional T-top roof. The rear-wheel drive transmissions were available with either a 6- or 8-cylinder engine. Design changes for the ’97 included a restyled interior that was modified again for the ’98. The engine was replaced with the same all-aluminum LS1 that was in the Corvette C5. From 1999 to 2002 there were very few changes to the Camaro. The fourth generation model was manufactured through the 2002 model, making for 35 years of continuous production of the Camaro. There was a 35th Anniversary Edition offered on all three models (base, Z28 and SS), available only as a convertible or T-top. Sales of the Camaro had dwindled, while the demand was increasing for 4- and 6-cylinder cars. Production of the Camaro ended after the 2002 model.

But, for anyone who hasn’t yet heard, there is a hot new fifth-generation Camaro being released this spring. The design inspiration for the 2010 Camaro is based on the original, first-generation Camaro. It will be offered as a sport coupe in three trim levels: LS, LT and SS. The LS and LT models will be powered by a 300hp V-6 engine, and the SS by a 422hp V-8 engine. In addition, Bluetooth wireless technology and USB connectivity will be available on some models. Quite marked a development since the release of the 1967 Camaro! Once again, the Chevy Camaro will be competing with the Mustang. Ford introduced the fifth-generation Mustang in 2005, taking the famous pony car back to its roots as well. It should be quite a showdown as these two muscle cars compete once again.