How Did We Ever Survive As Kids?

If you're old enough to remember the sixties and/or the early seventies, and you were under the age of twelve at any point during that time frame, can you recall anything cool but dangerous - let me clarify; what is considered "dangerous" in today's society - that you experienced in an automobile? One example that came to mind recently, I was going through some old photos taken back around 1970 (note: not the one on left) when I lived in northern New Jersey. We had a cool neighbor named Jerry that lived down the street who had a 1962 Chevy C-10 (he also had a 1957 Chevy that he built into an altered wheelbase drag car - that's why he was cool). With the company of his wife and about 8-10 kids from our block piled in the bed of the truck, we all trekked the mile or so almost every Sunday evening in the summer to go down to the local ice cream stand. Jerry drove - his wife Louise, tried to keep some resemblance of order. We all just laughed. Other neighbors used to wave at all of us as we cruised by. We thought nothing of it. Were we crazy, or was it a safer time with less cars and maniacs on the road, or were we just plain stupid? Try the kids in the pickup bed today, someone will call 9-1-1 on you and if you're caught, you'll probably end up doing jail time.

This also got me to thinking, just how on Earth did we survive as kids, or taking it further, how did people in general survive some of the muscle car offerings during this era as well as the heroes of drag racing when they got their start back in the 1950's? Another example from my childhood, was the 1967 Dodge Dart my Aunt Bea owned. It was a snazzy 2-door GT model with a 273 small block V-8 and bucket seats. Ah, those seats - not only were they vinyl, but they had these metal medallions sewn into the seats smack dab in the middle of where one would sit. In the summer time, the hot vinyl would burn your legs, but those medallions were like branding irons. It didn't matter that the car had A/C or if the windows were rolled down. The damage would already be done.

I can remember a few other firsts; like the first time I rode shotgun in a 1968 Plymouth GTX that had a modified 426 Hemi pushing about 600 horses under the hood. I ended up purchasing that car after the test drive, (I drove way more conservatively than the current owner did. Mainly because I didn't own it yet), but I remember thinking how mind-blowing it was that a Detroit manufacturer actually unleashed and sold a beast like this to anyone in the general public, brand new, if you had around $4000. An even scarier thought was back in the fall of 1967,

just about all these cars had crappy 14-inch bias ply tires (if you were lucky, some GTX's came through with 15-inch wheels), marginal steering & suspension, and drum brakes. I also recall when I went to a local drag strip for the first time in the late 60's and seeing a top fuel dragster up close. You see, back then, it was no big deal for the fans to mingle with the drivers and crew chiefs in the pits. I truly believe we were way smarter back then in regards to leaving them alone and let them do their work. By following some unwritten code of respect, you could literally watch over the shoulders of Don Garlits, Dick Landy, Don Nicholson, Butch Leal, Gene Snow, and many other greats. Today, that is unthinkable.

I still vividly remember looking inside the cockpit of a front-engine dragster. It blew my mind that the rear axle housing was literally between your legs, as well as the 1000+ horsepower nitro-fed engine and racing clutch were right at your feet. For some reason, even at the tender age of seven, I rationalized if the engine and/or clutch blew up, it was only your feet. But if the rear differential blew up, it was your oompa-loompa's that took the direct hit. My young mind obviously didn't make the connection that if any of these components blew up in a fiery explosion that the chances of surviving were pretty much nil anyways. It wouldn't be until 1971 when Garlits debuted the first successful rear engine platform dragster, that things started making a turn towards the safer.

Do I miss the old days? Yeah, sometimes I do. But I also realize the advances that we've made in the automotive world, not just in the arenas of muscle cars, drag racing, and speed parts. While I'll be the first to admit that you should turn in your drivers license and car keys if you think GM's new option for some 2017 models dubbed the "rear seat reminder" is the best thing since sliced bread. This is a message that will appear on the dash accompanied by an audible alarm reminding you to check the vehicle's rear seat so as not to leave your kids or dog in a stifling hot car. However, two years ago, I was following a co-worker one time when we both worked for a fleet vehicle company and a new Subaru cut him off at a plaza entrance leaving him no time to stop in the brand new Toyota Avalon he was driving and thus broad-siding the Subaru at 40 mph. All the air bags went off in both cars and both drivers walked away from the accident without a bruise or a scratch. That's saying something. Fifty years ago, both would have probably died, or at minimum, severely injured. Time marches on - and there is good in this modern stuff we call technology.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave