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Home1970s

1970s

1951 Ford convertible
Data Dive

Was the 1949-51 Ford the end of the sensibly-sized ‘standard’ American car?

November 12, 2025 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 4/26/2023) Reasonable people can debate when the Big Three automakers stopped building sensibly-sized cars during the postwar period. For example, one might point to the 1956 Ford because it was only slightly larger […]

Links

How far should AMC have gone to save the Hudson, Nash and Rambler brands?

November 11, 2025 Steve 14

(EXPANDED FROM 10/3/2023) Stephen Pellegrino has sparked a debate about the value of automotive brands by arguing that Hudson, Nash and Rambler were worth saving. His punchline is that “brand names mean something, and the […]

1974 AMC Matador Brougham coupe didn't do luxury very well
Design Notes

Should AMC have given the 1974 Matador coupe a luxury spin-off?

October 30, 2025 Steve 10

(EXPANDED FROM 8/21/2020) Patrick Foster (2024) illustrates how fanboy sentiment can undercut the quality of historical analysis by arguing that AMC should have offered a luxury spin-off of the 1974 Matador coupe — and that […]

Links

A sampling of Jim Dunne’s 1970 predictions that didn’t happen

October 28, 2025 Steve 9

(UPDATED FROM 8/30/2023) Predicting the future of the U.S. auto industry has always been fraught with peril. Popular Science’s Detroit Editor Jim Dunne got a lot of things right in his reporting during 1970, but […]

1962 Ford Mustang I concept car
Drive-By Musings

How might McNamara have influenced Ford if he had stuck around longer?

October 21, 2025 Steve 2

How might Robert McNamara have influenced Ford if he had remained company president for a few more years? This is a question that emerged from the comment thread in our recent Don Frey story. Let’s […]

1977 AMC Gremlin Custom
History

AMC buying VW four-cylinder engine was Roy D. Chapin Jr.’s last big mistake

October 17, 2025 Steve 15

(EXPANDED FROM 7/31/2023) American Motors’ purchase of a four-cylinder engine from Volkswagen was one of CEO Roy D. Chapin Jr.’s last big decisions during his 10-year leadership of the automaker — and arguably his final […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Trending Books: The inside story of The Studly One

October 16, 2025 Steve 0
1935 Pierce-Arrow
Links

Hudson’s radical WWII concepts and Pierce-Arrow’s downmarket pivot

October 14, 2025 Steve 20

(EXPANDED FROM 8/15/2023) I wanted to more significantly expand on my discussion about two articles posted at the Automotive History Preservation Society’s virtual library. Alas, I can no longer access either story. I can still […]

History

1933-42 Willys: A better template for an import beater than later compacts

October 6, 2025 Steve 29

(EXPANDED FROM 15/19/2023) The 1933-42 Willys gets far less attention than it deserves. The model 77 and its successors were important because they anticipated the American compacts of the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, the […]

1954 Ford ad
Data Dive

Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?

October 2, 2025 Steve 40

(UPDATED FROM 10/28/2022) If I had to pick a favorite Indie Auto story, this one would be in my top five. It is one of the longest pieces I have written — roughly 4,600 words […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 5 6 7 … 42 »
  • 1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
    Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
    July 17, 2026 8
  • 1956 Lincoln
    The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder
    July 17, 2026 18
  • 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
    1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
    July 14, 2026 6
  • 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado
    Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?
    July 10, 2026 16
  • J. 'Kelly' Flory Jr.
    J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable
    July 10, 2026 4
  • 1968 Pontiac Firebird green convertible
    1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations
    July 7, 2026 10
  • Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
    June 25, 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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