MUSCLE CARS!

When did the muscle car era start? Well some say 1964. I say it started in 1957. That is when cars were equipped with BIG engines, fuel injection, multi carburetors and superchargers.

        Examples like:

1957 Corvette 283 FI

1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk with supercharger

1957 Chrysler Hemi with dual carbs

1957 Oldsmobile J2

1957 Ford Thunderbird with supercharger

And the list goes on…

        In the mid 1960’s is when they put BIG 380 plus cubic inch motors into intermediate bodies, could be called the second generation of muscle cars with the 442, GTO, Road Runner, Charger, Chevelle.

        Later they started to put even BIGGER engines into smaller bodies like the Mustang, Camero and Cudas.

        They were stuffing 427-455-426 Hemi's into light weight cars.

This was the height of the Muscle Car Era 1967-1972.

        In the mid 1970’s it call came to an end with restrictions that were put in place by emissions standards and government regulations.

        So ended a great or in my opnion the greatest time in automotive history.

        Now almost 50 years later these cars are revered and sought after by car buffs all over the world. Some of the cars that were built in 1957 have reached that lofty status – “a true MUSCLE CAR”!

Keep Them Rolling!

Bill

DRAMA! DRAMA! DRAMA!

Well, the drama keeps coming on TV. It seems every few weeks there is a new car building show. They air a new group of car builders that build more DRAMA than cars!

They manage to set themselves on fire, break stuff, and forget to do something important to the build just to add to the drama.

Is this good for the Industry? Maybe yes and maybe no. It’s like pro-wrestling or as they call it “Sports Entertainment”. So is this now called “Car Entertainment”?

All these car building shows have help promote the Industry on one hand and on the other have hurt it.

They find some wreck for $1,000 – spends $7,000 to fix it up and sell it for $15,000. And they do this in 8 days!

But in reality any one who has built a car, knows this is not a realistic formula!

This is nothing more than “Car Entertainment”!

But it IS FUN to watch. The only two shows’ I enjoy are 'Overhaulin' and 'Wheeler Dealers'. Chip Foose is the BEST! And those two guys in England have a great show. The rest just fall into the “Car Entertainment” slot. They try to outdo one another in the DRAMA department.

In my opinion, the car building Industry has benefitted from these shows AND these shows have also hurt the Industry with false hope and unrealistic expectations, not to mention unrealistic time frames.

It’s a 50/50 deal. If you enjoy watching the DRAMA keep watching, if you want a car built do some real extensive car builders search online and talk to some real car builders, not the “DRAMA kings”.

Hey, that’s a great name for a car building TV show!

Keep Them Rolling!

Bill

Drama Drama Drama

Some of these car building TV shows are all about the drama.

Two stand out against the dramatic chaos:

• +Overhaulin +Chip Foose is a no nonsense car builder and designer. He's the best there is on TV. His drama is fabricated to surprise his Overhaulin Client.
• +Kount's Customs +Danny Koker builds some great cars and there isn't a lot of goofy drama. Just serious car building.

Here are the over the top drama Car shows:

• +Grave Yard Cars is the #1 drama car builder. He's a joke, I don't even watch his show anymore.
• +Fast n Loud. Everything they do is drama! Once in a while they accidentally build a good car.

Funny thing is some of these guys think they are doing something uniquely special. I was doing this stuff 45 years ago. 

But if you like drama in car building I guess this the way to go.

Keep them rolling!

Bill Abatecola

Old Iron

www.oldironaz.com