Which Decade Was the High Point for Car Culture

[Pellice]

Reading the high-speed rail thread made me ponder whether Car Culture was over, and if so, when its apex was. I *think* this answer is easy - I think it was the 1950s, as my older sister maintained. But I might be wrong - there were certainly more songs about cars in the 1960s, and advertising took a bigger role in trying to get us to identify with our cars even later on. And maybe there are other considerations - because of longer commutes we probably spend more time in cars in this century. And when did AC really kick in?

So what do you think was the high decade for car culture in the US - the culture that defined a car as central and critical to our very identities to the point that we'd spend more in money and time on it than was ever really necessary? (In the US, because a large part of the world still is reaching for a vehicle.)

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I think a lot of it depends on when you grew up.

I'm partial to the muscle cars of the late 60's early 70's.

By the time I could afford a car it was well into the gas shortage and my first car had a small engine that couldn't climb a hill.

 

[38Chevy454]

I say 60s because by then the interstate system was mostly built and completed. Cars had more improvements in technology and reliability. Although it started in late 50s, car styling in early 60s still had the jet age theme as a strong influence. Remember the whole muscle car era in the mid to late 60s where a car became more than just an appliance to get from point A to point B.

 

[Gumby]

So many fantastic cars in the 1960's - Jaguar E-Type, Austin Healey 3000, MG-A, Triumph TR4, Corvette Stingray, Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, Plymouth Barracuda, Camaro SS. The 1970's, especially after the Clean Air Act of 1970 and then the Oil Crisis of 1973 neutered the muscle cars, was a great letdown. And, in my opinion, it has been pretty dull ever since. Perhaps the worst of all was the 1980s; the Chrysler K-car was a crime against humanity.

 

[Masquernom]

Really depends on how you define it. Late 1960's and very early 1970's were the horsepower wars. 1973 started the power decline.

 

[Qs Laptop]

When I think of car culture I think of family vacations, drive in movies, drive in restaurants with car hop window service, making out in the back seat, teenagers souping up cars. It's the 1960's, no contest.

 

[aja8888]

1960's....start of the muscle car era, etc. More modern styling, family oriented, TV advertising came into being in a big way.

 

[misanman]

I think cars started to lose their luster as they were subject to more regulations starting in the 70's.

 

[foxfirev5]

'60's no doubt. By '75 it was over. So was Detroit.

 

[Walt34]

As others said a lot depend on your age. I turned 16 in 1966 so that was right in the middle of the "car culture climb" for lack of a better term. A muscle car was beyond my budget but a 1971 650cc Yamaha motorcycle, a large bike at the time, was not.

On a long straight stretch of MD Rt 340 west of Frederick, MD I found out that it would go 120 mph. Scared the daylights out of me and I never did it again.

 

[Ronstar]

60's. No other decade comes close.

 

[Rocket Man]

Even though today’ cars have much better engineering and are much more reliable, they just do not have the cache of the cars from the sixties. I can remember as a grade schooler, walking with my buddies up town to the car lots to see the latest muscle cars they got in. Cars like the GTO Judge, Mustang Mach I, Corvette, Road Runner, Camaro, Chevelle Malibu, etc.. We would just drool over them. Then you had Doris Day singing “See the U.S.A. In your Chevrolet”. A jingle that is one for the history books. All great!

 

[OldShooter]

Quite funny, actually. I'll bet that the 60s was roughly the time that the average ER forum member was a teen-ager and young adult. I think it is quite common that a collector car tends to be of the same vintage as the owner's high school years.

 

[Ronstar]

Even though today’ cars have much better engineering and are much more reliable, they just do not have the cache of the cars from the sixties.....

Good point. I drove a 69 corvette in '72. Raw power and handling. I bought a new corvette in 2001 - refined yet didn't have the cache of the late 60's vettes.

 

[NW-Bound]

So many fantastic cars in the 1960's - Jaguar E-Type, Austin Healey 3000, MG-A, Triumph TR4, Corvette Stingray, Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, Plymouth Barracuda, Camaro SS. The 1970's, especially after the Clean Air Act of 1970 and then the Oil Crisis of 1973 neutered the muscle cars, was a great letdown. And, in my opinion, it has been pretty dull ever since. Perhaps the worst of all was the 1980s; the Chrysler K-car was a crime against humanity.

K cars like this Plymouth Reliant? I never owned one, but just now found out that they sold well, and were average in reliability.

Hey, perhaps it's time to see them again, but this time in an electrified version. Cheap transportation for the masses is what we need.

 

[RobbieB]

The 70's were horrible for "tack it on pollution" bandaids.

They finally got it figured out with fuel injection & oxygen sensors. And now we have production DOHC turbo and super charged engines that make the "muscle cars" of the 60's lame by comparison. Not only make more power from same displacement, but cleaner and more efficient too.

 

[Qs Laptop]

They finally got it figured out with fuel injection & oxygen sensors. And now we have production DOHC turbo and super charged engines that make the "muscle cars" of the 60's lame by comparison. Not only make more power from same displacement, but cleaner and more efficient too.

This is so true. My 1970 'Cuda with modified 340 engine was plenty fast, but a stock 2021 Dodge Challenger with the hemi engine would blow it's doors off, while steering one-handed, sitting in air conditioned comfort with the cooled, ventilated seats running, and USB drive blasting tunes through 9 speakers and subwoofer.

 

[eytonxav]

While I am fond of the sixties with all the muscle cars, with my all time favorite car that I owned being a 67 SS396 Motion Performance Chevelle, there is no comparison with the performance and reliability of our present day cars, so if I am honest with myself, it would have to be today's cars, although I still appreciate seeing the old ones at car meets for all the good memories that brings back.

 

[Midpack]

I don't know how to answer as I wouldn't want to own any car from back then even if I could afford to. But since my favorites are all from the 60's I guess that would have to be my answer.

• 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California
• 1963-67 AC Cobra
• 1963-67 Corvette C2 Sting Ray
• 1963-71 Mercedes 230/280 SL
• 1965-68 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce
• 1965-69 Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider Veloce
• 1968-71 BMW 3.0 CSi
• All years Porsche 911

I owned a 1975 Corvette, it was a POS, so I won't vote 70's.

 

[Qs Laptop]

While I am fond of the sixties with all the muscle cars, with my all time favorite car that I owned being a 67 SS396 Motion Performance Chevelle, there is no comparison with the performance and reliability of our present day cars, so if I am honest with myself, it would have to be today's cars, although I still appreciate seeing the old ones at car meets for all the good memories that brings back.

Agree with all of this, but the question was about "car culture" and which decade embodied it the most. Got to be the 60's.

Are there pop bands writing songs about cars nowadays like they were in the 60's? (Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Little Old Lady from Pasadena, GTO, Mustang Sally, Drive my Car, etc.)

Where are the drive-in movies nowadays? The drive-in restaurants? The interstate highway system was built in the 1950's and spawned the motor lodge inns.

Cars are like appliances nowadays. They all look basically the same, either the SUV look--Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Outback, various Jeeps, Chevy Equinox, Hyundai Santa Fe, etc. etc. or else the basic 4 door sedan--Nissan Altima, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, etc. Does anybody make an (affordable) convertible in 2022?

Ask a 20-something or even a 30-something about cars and get ready for a blank stare.

Now consider that Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Plymouth, Rambler, AMC, all viable car companies in the 1960's are no longer here.

 

[aja8888]

65 Vette

This was my fun car back in 1969 - 1972:

1965 Vette
Glen Green
327 300 HP
4 speed Munci trans.

I had the hard top too.

 

[Gumby]

This was my fun car back in 1969 - 1972:

1965 Vette
Glen Green
327 300 HP
4 speed Munci trans.

I had the hard top too.


View attachment 41676

A real beauty, that one.

 

[Qs Laptop]

This was my fun car back in 1969 - 1972:

1965 Vette
Glen Green
327 300 HP
4 speed Munci trans.

I had the hard top too.

Very nice.

<jealous>

 

[OldShooter]

Are we doing "my cars" now? From memory/in rough order:

Sunbeam Rapier sedan
Austin Healy 3000 3-carb roadster
Porsche 356B Normal
Porsche 911 Solex Carbs
Volvo 123GT
Shelby/AC 289 Cobra
Lotus Elan SE Coupe
Three or four Merkur Scorpio sedans
Miscellaneous 122, 222 and 6 cyl. Volvos
a couple of Suburbans
Tiga Formula Ford
Swift DB1 Formula Ford
Benz 300SEL 6.3
1966 Shelby GT350 bought and flipped for a few $K profit
1968 Shelby GT500KR Convert bought and flipped
Jensen Interceptor bought and flipped
Mazda RX-8
Soob WRX

Lots of fun!

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Agree with all of this, but the question was about "car culture" and which decade embodied it the most. Got to be the 60's.

Are there pop bands writing songs about cars nowadays like they were in the 60's? (Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Little Old Lady from Pasadena, GTO, Mustang Sally, Drive my Car, etc.)

Where are the drive-in movies nowadays? The drive-in restaurants? The interstate highway system was built in the 1950's and spawned the motor lodge inns.

Cars are like appliances nowadays. They all look basically the same, either the SUV look--Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Outback, various Jeeps, Chevy Equinox, Hyundai Santa Fe, etc. etc. or else the basic 4 door sedan--Nissan Altima, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, etc. Does anybody make an (affordable) convertible in 2022?

Ask a 20-something or even a 30-something about cars and get ready for a blank stare.

Now consider that Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Plymouth, Rambler, AMC, all viable car companies in the 1960's are no longer here.

+1. I fully agree.

I voted for 1960's (in fact, mine was the first vote on this poll!). I do think that an argument could be advanced for the 1950s along these same considerations ("Hot Rod Lincoln," beginning of drive-in everything, explosive growth of motels, etc.). However, the '60s "perfected" these trends and totally overwhelmed the 50's in these aspects.