The 1950’s and 60’s marked the height of two decades of American automotive history and manufacturing. The 50’s signaled the adolescence of the modern automobile while the mid sixties was the beginning of the American “muscle car” era. This was an era of automobile design and manufacturing that was distinctively “American” embodying many cultural, political and social overtones. These “muscle cars” built during the mid sixties to the early seventies (spanning a period of less than ten years) were masculine, big, loud, rude, powerful, environmentally unfriendly (by today’s standards) but, most importantly, undeniably sexy. Henceforth, the name “muscle cars”. While the Europeans were building sleek and elegant BMW’s, Mercedes Benz’s and Ferrari’s and the Japanese polishing the art of the “economical” automobile, the American’s philosophy was “big is better”. Yes, perhaps, on hindsight this period of automotive history was excessive and a bit immature it, nevertheless, spawned a generation of passionate and diehard muscle car afficionados. I am one of those people. If you’ve watched Tom Cruise’s “Vanilla Sky” then you’ll notice him driving a Highland Green late 60’s Ford Mustang Fastback through the streets of New York. A few years back, another car flick called “Gone in Sixty Seconds” starring Nicholas Cage featured a customized dark gray Ford Mustang Fastback by the name of “Eleanor”. These cars took on a personality by themselves and often stole the scene from even the leading ladies in the films. Almost 40 years ago, there was a movie that started it all starring Steve McQueen titled “Bullit”. It was a fairly typical cops and robbers movie but the legendary car chase scenes were what made it something unforgettable. I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I first watched the movie (maybe 7 or 8 years old?) but I never forgot the car chase scene through the hilly streets of San Francisco. Steve McQueen drove a Highland Green Mustang fastback chasing the bad guys who drove a mean black Dodge Charger. The entire car chase scene was probably fifteen minutes long but somehow it just didn’t feel long enough. While the cars careened through the tight and twisty alleys and streets after flying over the deep crests and dips of the rough San Francisco metropolis, the seeds of automobile lust were deeply planted in my young mind. The muscle cars of that era typically all had large displacement V8 engines starting from four to five liters (4000cc to 5000cc) and upwards. Your typical four to six cylinder engines of today usually range from two to four liters. Horsepower ranges were typically from 250hp all the way up to 400hp plus! In comparison to today’s modern cars, these muscle cars from almost 40 years ago still hold their ground though today’s cars are much more efficient in both performance and gas mileage. A modern car may have a smaller engine and still be quicker than a larger displacement muscle car, however, the experience behind the wheel is grossly different. True, the cars of yesterday handled quite poorly compared to modern cars loaded with technology such as ABS brakes and traction control devices. However, it was the crudeness and rawness of the muscle cars that made them dangerous, soulful and exciting. The technology we have today only widens the distance between man and the machine. Yes, cars now are safer, more reliable and efficient but they are also infinitely boring and merely transportation devices. I clearly remember one warm 28 degree day in LA when I was driving my Mustang Fastback that didn’t have power windows, power steering, power brakes, GPRS satellite navigation, air conditioning, cup holders, xenon lights, or bluetooth in-car telephone systems, etc… Yes, the brakes and steering were hard to operate and my face and back were wet with sweat but the sensation and indescribable high I got from driving the car down the highway was something you’d never experience from driving a modern sedan or sports car. Sure, opening your laptop and sending out a Valentine’s card to your wife is convenient but wouldn’t she rather receive some beautiful flowers and a hand-written note from you? So much for technology and convenience, right? This bygone era of the muscle car has forever gone and will probably never return again. With the scarcity of crude oil, constant rise of gas prices and focus on environmental awareness, these muscle cars are now considered impractical and “unfriendly” to us. However, they symbolize an era of design, passion and personality that will forever inspire us if we allow it to. While most of the world insists on driving computer engineered square boxes with four tires attached, I’d rather spend just one hour in a ’70 Mustang fastback with a 428 cu. in. Cobra Jet engine “laying some rubber” on the asphalt from an intersection. If the driver behind me ever catches up to me then all he’ll see is the big grin on my face…
