School Project on Muscle Cars

[Synyster]

Hey y'all, my class has a project to do about the 60's and I chose the topic of muscle cars. Basically, how they impacted the decade, evolution through the decade, introduction, etc.

I was wondering if anyone had any incite on the subject. It's not due for a long time, but I'm pretty excited to get on it lol

Anyway, thought I'd share because I think it'll be really fun and for those that are interested, I can share the completed project lol.

[The Stig]

wikipedia? I mean it's not a "realiable" source, but many of the wiki pages have reference lists at the bottom.

[Russell James]

Cliff notes:

John Delorean developed the '64 GTO... and it was game on from there.

[orangejuice]

Originally Posted by Synyster

Hey y'all, my class has a project to do about the 60's and I chose the topic of muscle cars. Basically, how they impacted the decade, evolution through the decade, introduction, etc.

I was wondering if anyone had any incite on the subject. It's not due for a long time, but I'm pretty excited to get on it lol

Anyway, thought I'd share because I think it'll be really fun and for those that are interested, I can share the completed project lol.

From my experience through college, if your library has a database you can pretty much anything and everything in there. I would try CNN or Time Magazine too. They worked out well when I did papers on past events or decades, etc. My college professors were very iffy on the reliable sources.

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by Russell James

Cliff notes:

John Delorean developed the '64 GTO... and it was game on from there.

Lee Iacocca was lead on the Mustang ...


Having grown up in Detroit during that time frame, there was more to it than just the cars. There was a whole social movement during that time frame. we had most of our friends being shipped off to fight a war they didn't believe in, with 25% not coming back alive. We had race riots, Presidents being shot, students being shot, and a total distrust of government.

I know we aren't to talk about street racing, but that was a big part of life during that time period. All the engineers at the Big Three were very active on the street scenes. In Detroit the main roads we hung out at were Gratiot Ave, Woodward Ave, and Telegraph. I spent most of my time on Gratiot Avenue between 13 mile and 8 mile ... There were several shopping centers the cars would stop at and hang out. The police were rather tolerant considering the times.

[Moriartii]

Iacocca may have been lead on the Mustang however that began the Pony car. The muscle car came about from Delorean taking a mid-size family car (Tempest) and stuffing the large tri-motor into it thereby creating a "muscled up" vehicle to go after the Corvette.

Some good info can be found by checking out the Pontiac Historical Society.
Cheers
K

[upflying]

Insurance companies, emission controls and rising gas prices killed off the muscle car by 1972.
Research Ralph Nader too. He published "Unsafe at any Speed" dealing with Corvairs but he had a lot of influence on Detroit and government promoting safety.
Muscle cars were not seen as safe.

[Synyster]

well I'm including pony cars in my project too because most 18 year old kids don't know the difference lol

thanks y'all for the feedback so far, I appreciate it

[Mr Twisty]

A good place to start with muscle, is the muscle itself... Investigate GM's porcupine motor

[9.8m/s/s]

insight?

[buzzy56]

If I were you I would try to personally interview some guys and gals from that era. Gather there thoughts, memories and compile them .When I was a younger man I always relished talking to the older generation and enjoyed hearing their experiences both good and bad.First hand is always the best.Books are good but always edited leaving out some of the real meat of things.I can tell you personally those were some of the best times of my life and many others.So many choices in cars, girls, and places to go and so many ways to enjoy life.Cars , dances ,grassers , cruising the GUT , hanging out at the drive in theater's on the weekend.Hanging at our favorite drive in Sully's , where everyone had a designated parking spot based on performance.Parking space #1 for the fastest and baddest that week.Man it is hard to describe.An almost care free time at least for me.Yea we had the war,the protesting , the lunies ,the mis-trust of government .Those times were like no other.I had a 55 ford that I swapped a 312 thunderbird engine into.a 56 chevy belair c/modified drag car,a 70 Mach 1 mustang with a 351 Cleveland w/ c6 tranny.55 Chevy 210 2 dr. wagon.My buddy's cars were a 64 gto tripower, MG with a 301 ci Chevy with 4 speed Muncie,a 59 Chevy impala with a 348 tri power w/4 speed,40 ford with a 283 Chevy with a Cadillac lasalle 3 speed on the floor.Oh and one buddy whom's older brother owned a speed shop built his little brother a 64 ford fairlane with a 427 in it.Bad Bad Bad.
Yes those were the days ! Good luck.
sorry for sharing but your post brought all of those sweet memories back.