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Home1950s

1950s

Quotes
Quotes

Car and Driver: Rambler was a ‘dreary’ protest car

March 12, 2021 Steve 0

“This nation’s car market has always supported a handful of what seem to be ‘protest cars.’ There were a lot more of them before World War II, but the post-war era has had it share: […]

Readings

Patrick Foster’s Hudson book emphasized pictures and boosterism

March 5, 2021 Steve 0

Patrick R. Foster’s Hudson Automobiles: An Illustrated History lives up to its title. If you are mainly interested in pictures, this is your book. The 128-page paperback is dominated by photographs, artist sketches and advertising, […]

Patrick Foster's George Romney biography
Readings

Patrick Foster’s George Romney bio is rose-tinted but valuable

February 12, 2021 Steve 1

Patrick Foster (2005) once lamented that he couldn’t find a publisher for a book on George Romney. “A typical rejection goes something like this: George Romney led an exemplary life, was honest in business, never […]

Watch for deer sign
Letters to the Editor

Further thoughts on a post-war Willys compact

January 25, 2021 Steve 3

Indie Auto readers can offer feedback either by submitting a comment at the bottom of a post or sending me a message (go here). Some messages initiate private conversations, but this one functions as a […]

Quotes
Quotes

Vance Packard: The quality of cars declined in 1950s

January 22, 2021 Steve 1

“In late 1958, Printers’ Ink conceded that ‘there is a widespread feeling that ‘they don’t make cars the way they used to’ — either mechanically or from the point of view of interior decor.’ And […]

1980 AMC brochure cover with picture of American Center building
History

AMC’s Roy D. Chapin Jr. succumbed to the illusion of bigness

January 8, 2021 Steve 0

When writing a story about the 1974 AMC Ambassador, I came across American Motors car brochures for 1979 and 1980 that took the unusual step of picturing the company’s headquarters in Southfield, Michigan. In the 1979 […]

1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Auto Paedia

Halo cars are popular but not always a good idea

January 8, 2021 Steve 0

Halo cars tend to quite popular — even wetness inducing — among auto enthusiasts. That’s because the mission of halo cars is mostly to generate a positive buzz about a brand rather than high sales. So […]

Readings

Hiott’s VW book captures essence of old Beetle better than new one

January 8, 2021 Steve 0

Andrea Hiott has written an engaging and nuanced automotive history that transcends the usual “car guy” narratives. Thinking Small: The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagen Beetle offers a wealth of background about the political, economic […]

Quotes
Quotes

Robert Bourke: Studebaker V8 ‘was a catastrophe’

January 8, 2021 Steve 1

“. . . 1950/’51 — was the first time that Studebaker had a V-8 engine, and it was a catastrophe. They had a terrible time. They kept eating up camshafts and millions of dollars. Studebaker never […]

1962 Plymouth and Dodge
Media Analysis

Did a rumor cause the downsized 1962 Plymouth and Dodge?

January 2, 2021 Steve 6

A few years ago Paul Niedermeyer (2017a) questioned the conventional wisdom that the downsized 1962 Plymouth and Dodge were an 11th-hour accident of history. In an epic essay, the Curbside Classic publisher poked holes in […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 28 29 30 … 35 »
  • 1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
    Speedreaders.info is a rare source of book reviews, but quality varies
    June 3, 2026 0
  • 1958 Lincoln
    1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game
    June 2, 2026 12
  • 1957 Nash Ambassador
    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • 1976 Tatra T-613
    Tatra was yet another automaker that deemphasized aerodynamics by 1970s
    May 22, 2026 12
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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