Believe it or not, I got the idea for this week's blog from a discussion I had with a customer at the automotive repair garage where I work. While the gentleman and I called it a
"friendly. thought provoking conversation" (his words), his wife thought of it as an argument. Especially when I told them that the Prius they drive will not save the planet. In fact, if we all drove hybrids, it still would not make a difference. Needless to say, she got a little pissed off. It's been proven that driving any
hybrid or even an all electric vehicle still will not save Mother Earth from our carbon footprint. The modern human lifestyle encompasses way more than just car and truck emissions. There are too many other irons in the fire - everything from the manufacturing of hybrid and electric cars, especially when it comes to the batteries that power them, (the carbon dioxide emissions from the manufacturing are more than double that of a gas-powered vehicle), to big corporations and airplanes (which contribute approximately 70% of the carbon footprint). In my humble opinion, the picture on the right is one of the best things you can do to a Prius. I'm not saying these cars are junk. If an owner takes care of one, with proper maintenance and repairs, I've seen these things clock over 300,000 miles. I'm just growing tired of all the "green talk" surrounding these things and how wonderful people feel with the fact they think they are helping save the environment.
It reminds me so much of circa 1970. This was when the automotive industry as well as the car buying public saw a
HUGE shift in all things regarding vehicles. Everything from ushering in the use of unleaded gasoline, to vehicles being restyled every three to five years (nowadays it's more like ten) instead of every year, to climate change. But it's always been a learning curve. I can remember when so-called "experts" throttled the calamities of global cooling - yes, cooling, not warming - and that we only had 20 years of oil left in the ground, down our throats. Both of those "facts" turned out to be total bullshit. I do agree we need to lower our carbon footprint. Face it - we all need clean air to breathe and I'd like to have trees around for my great grandkids. But it always kills me that the consumer and their automobile, especially the high performance models, as well as vintage American iron more recently, seem to be the ones taking things on the chin. The big culprits whether it be big corporations or the air transportation industry, go unpunished.
If you're old enough, remember the 1970 model year muscle cars? Numerous people have said that 1970 was the zenith year for these classic machines. My personal opinion places the high point at 1969, but that's another story. I can see their argument for 1970 because that was the year GM finally threw their ridiculous engine mandate for mid-size cars out the window. As a result, we had some of the most powerful Chevy Chevelle SS, Buick GS, Olds 442, and Pontiac GTO's ever produced. That same year debuted the completely restyled (and best looking) Plymouth Barracuda and the new Dodge Challenger.
Also entering deja-vu territory are the impending CAFE requirements that will be begin to make V-8's all the more rarer. In fact, there's already talk about killing the Dodge Hellcat vehicles and the Hemi engines after the 2018 model year. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Just like 1970 going into 1971 when numerous big blocks were in their final year before being killed in the name of emissions. So - if this happens, what engine will take the place of the Hemi? There's rumors of a very potent twin-turbo V-6. Sounds cool, but just doesn't seem the same.
Oddly enough, with all this gloom and doom, I find it ironic that Chevy finally re-released a mid-size muscle car, even if it has four doors. With all the hype of the new Corvette and the Camaro, the 2015 SS received little fanfare, but has received rave reviews. Here is an honest-to-goodness 415 horsepower V-8 powered vehicle that is docile in traffic, handles well, is rather comfy, and can hold more than two adults. It's also available with a standard transmission as of this writing! If you want a car that screams mid-life crises, then this rig isn't your bag. You can drive the SS to church and no one will think you've sinned. Admittedly, it's not the fastest new vehicle out there (nor the cheapest; around $47,000), but it's rear wheel drive with a limited slip and pretty well balanced. It also screams for you to pop the clutch just like back in 1970.
The thing is, none of these issues are new or a novelty. Throughout the history of the automobile, similar issues have always been with us; everything from safety, to the manufacturers building too many vehicles resulting in traffic clogged roads. A friend of mine just came back from visiting in California. He mentioned that almost every road is a four-lane highway, and any vehicle that is over four years old is considered a beater. Many people he talked to while he was out there hated the amount of traffic - they said
"I'm sure things were so much simpler way back when." You think so? The picture above was taken around 1940. I bet those drivers were thinking the exact same thing...
Now that were into September, and the car shows are starting to wind down, I would like to thank all those people out there who chatted with us at Vintage V8 Photography while we photographed all kinds of vehicles this summer. We had a blast! We may all be different, but we have that common thread of the American hot rod. We all have gasoline running through our veins and a respect for vintage Detroit iron. We need to be banded together in order to keep this hobby alive. In regards to our hot rods and muscle cars - use them or lose them. Gas is still cheap, the weather is still warm, and good times await. Hope to see you soon before the snow flies!
Until next time, peace out.
Dave
If you're old enough, remember the 1970 model year muscle cars? Numerous people have said that 1970 was the zenith year for these classic machines. My personal opinion places the high point at 1969, but that's another story. I can see their argument for 1970 because that was the year GM finally threw their ridiculous engine mandate for mid-size cars out the window. As a result, we had some of the most powerful Chevy Chevelle SS, Buick GS, Olds 442, and Pontiac GTO's ever produced. That same year debuted the completely restyled (and best looking) Plymouth Barracuda and the new Dodge Challenger.
Oddly enough, with all this gloom and doom, I find it ironic that Chevy finally re-released a mid-size muscle car, even if it has four doors. With all the hype of the new Corvette and the Camaro, the 2015 SS received little fanfare, but has received rave reviews. Here is an honest-to-goodness 415 horsepower V-8 powered vehicle that is docile in traffic, handles well, is rather comfy, and can hold more than two adults. It's also available with a standard transmission as of this writing! If you want a car that screams mid-life crises, then this rig isn't your bag. You can drive the SS to church and no one will think you've sinned. Admittedly, it's not the fastest new vehicle out there (nor the cheapest; around $47,000), but it's rear wheel drive with a limited slip and pretty well balanced. It also screams for you to pop the clutch just like back in 1970.
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