Hazy Days Of Influence & Indifference

Usually the ideas for the weekly blog come from one particular avenue - an article I read, a video I saw, or someone I talked to. This week, it came from multiple articles, and I'm going to deviate from the normal format for a bit here. One article I glanced at in particular was written by fan of performance vehicles who happened to loathe 60's era muscle cars. At first I thought, "How can one appreciate the present without some level of respect to the past? Without the muscle cars of the 60's, there wouldn't be the muscle cars of today. Heck, if there wasn't the yen for speed equipment starting in 40's, we wouldn't be where we are today." Case in point - the advertisement to your right is for Edelbrock equipment... from 1948.

The article was penned by a guy from England who basically trashed muscle cars, but unfortunately missed their main reason for existence in the first place. His entire diatribe was on how modern performance (mainly tuner cars) was far superior to 1960's iron. And because of this, he could not fathom as to why these automotive icons were still so popular. First off, comparing modern muscle cars, super-tuned import rigs, or any new vehicle for that matter to muscle cars from 50 years ago, is like comparing a horse cart to the space shuttle. We've all heard the same arguments before - old muscle cars don't handle and brake as well, the quality control was

lousy, blah, blah, blah. Guess what - they are correct. Almost EVERY car built in the 60's (and especially the 70's) suffered these problems. There were hardly any computers and zero robots on the assembly line. Technology was pretty nil. Vehicle owners manuals were approximately 30 pages in length, not the thickness of a Harry Potter novel like they are today. They were also built by humans - and humans make mistakes... lots of them. Ever seen a modern BMW F10 M5? In a nutshell, it's a $100,000+ vehicle with a 560 horsepower twin turbo V8 that can not only zip you around any German city in 3 minutes or less, but serve you a latte while massaging your butt cheeks. There's more technology in that car than Neil Armstrong had when he went to the moon in 1969.

Thankfully, we have something called memories and nostalgia. 60's muscle cars were an American cultural phenomenon. There are people in countries today that hate America, but they absolutely love our old  muscle cars. I feel the reason is simple: Muscle cars are icons because they’re entire concept is straightforward. They never really attempted to be anything but straight-line performance machines. Up until very recently, there was no better way to destroy a 1/4 mile than with an old muscle car. Unlike uber high-end European models, 60's muscle cars were (and mostly still are) two-ton, gas guzzling middle fingers to braggart types and they also happen to accomplish it with beautiful styling. They were and still are the alternative for those who don’t agree that all fast cars, have to be light, composed of some quirky engineer’s wet dreams, and be expensive to maintain.

There were a few models that broke the mold 50 years ago that one could order from a dealership that not only tackled the 1/4 mile with gusto, but could also handle and brake with the best of them. One particular vehicle that comes to mind is the Camaro Z/28, starting in 1968. While there was no variable valve timing for better emissions, or traction and electronic stability controls for adverse weather conditions, I've seen some incredibly optioned models where someone had the money as well as a very good understanding of the option sheet. Equipped with not only the dual-carburetor DZ-302 engine and associated drive-train, but also outfitted with beefy front and rear sway bars, 4-wheel disc brakes, and more. Sounds pretty standard for a modern vehicle, but that was extreme high-end back in the psychedelic era.

I also believe there's a certain mindset when dealing with muscle cars (or any other vehicles built between the 1930's through the mid 70's). I feel the same is true in regards to people who are hard-wired towards tuning a modern muscle car or super-tuning a Honda or Toyota to perform at a certain level. For example, I went into my local supermarket last night, I saw a white 1967 AMC Rambler American 4-door sedan parked under the lights. I naturally gravitated towards it and parked diagonally behind it. It had the ubiquitous 6-cylinder engine, 3-on-the-tree transmission, dog-dish hubcaps, and looked stock right down to the original patina emblems. While it was far from being mint, it wasn't a basket case either with very little surface rust and a slightly worn interior. I instantly had visions of making it a killer sleeper with the stock hood but having a stout big block between the fenders. I also envisioned a nice stance, aftermarket wheels, slightly bigger tires, and upgraded brakes, steering, and suspension. It wasn't even for sale, but my brain instantly went into overdrive. Does the same scenario play out with guys and their diesel trucks? Or peeps with dreams of tricking out a stock 1963 Impala into a low-rider? Or the owners of turbo Honda's? I believe it does.

There - I got it out of my system. Let the hate mail commence...

Drag racing (as well as other types of racing) also has a deep history of influencing modern vehicles, not just muscle cars. If your car has the following, you can thank a racer -
- Fuel injection
- Flex fuel system
- Dual clutch transmission
- Aerodynamics
- Forced induction
- Serpentine belts
- Four wheel and all-wheel drive
- Drilled & slotted brake rotors... the list goes on.

Strength is in diversity, people. Embrace it - united in performance we stand. Divided we fall.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave