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I continue the story about american cars presented in the Museum of Retro Cars on Rogozhka. Today we will look at the Americans of the 60s, 70s and 80s. In my opinion, one of the best eras of the automotive industry.

I already wrote about the history of many American car brands in the last post (), so I will not repeat myself and today I will pay attention to the models themselves :)

Thunderbird is a legendary car from the 50s and 60s. Among his fans you can find truly iconic figures. For example, John F. Kennedy, who included 50 new cars of this model in his inaugural cavalcade .. The movie star Marilyn Monroe had a Thunderbird of a soft pink color.
Translated from English Thunderbird "Petrel". It is rooted in American Indian mythology. This bird was a totem of some tribes and at the same time a folklore character. The wonderful bird was considered the messenger of the gods, she ruled the sky and helped people preserve the harvest. Traditionally, she is depicted with a sharply curved beak, a tuft on her head and wings spread out to the sides. Since its debut on February 20, 1954, and to this day, the Ford Thunderbird has been adorned with one or another version of the Indian totem.
The Thunderbird is Ford's answer to General Motors' Corvette. Thunderbird was developed in the shortest possible time, from idea to first prototype was only one year. Unlike the Corvette, the Thunderbird had a metal body. Generally speaking, Thunderbird was never positioned as sport car, Ford has created a new segment in the market - Personal Car. Initially it was a 2-seater car, but in 1958 the car received a second row of seats, and all subsequent generations increased in size until 1977, after which they began to decrease again.
There are 11 generations of Thunderbird in total, with the last generation being released until 2005. The museum displays a third generation car.
The third generation was introduced in 1961. The car got a new 6.4 liter engine FE series 354 hp The 1961 model had a part to be a pace-car at the Indianapolis 500 races. It was also the 61 model that participated in the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy.
Thunderbird 3rd generation was produced in 2-door hardtop and convertible bodies. In just 3 years of production, 214375 cars were produced.

The absence of any identification marks on the car's bots indicates that it belongs to the "youngest" of the three Cadillac series offered in 1963 - then it did not yet have its own name, only the digital index 62 - and allows it to be identified as model 6239. released in the amount of 16980 copies.
Externally, the 1963 Cadillacs were significantly different from previous models: the body was redesigned, it looked more angular and smooth-sided, and the famous tail "fins" were now barely outlined. The limousines have preserved a panoramic windshield... Among the 1963 Cadillac models, hardtop cars were the overwhelming majority.
Cadillac cars received for the first time in 14 years new engine... We designed and put into production a power unit with the same basic characteristics - volume, power, moment - as in the previous model of 1962, but with a good margin for further increasing power. In addition, the new engine was noticeably more compact than the previous one and was better configured: everything attachments moved forward to make it easier to get to when servicing.

Cadillac deville 1969
The literal translation of the name De Ville is "urban" in French. The name "Town Car" was reserved for Lincoln, so Cadillac had to go to some lengths to use the French version of essentially the same name. The Cadillac De Ville series is one of the longest running in the history of the automotive industry: from 1949 to 2006, 12 generations of luxury cars were produced. In 1969, the design of "Cadillacs" was significantly updated. The cars again received headlights located on one horizontal line.
The car looked great: a long nose, a short tail, open headlights and a relief stamping on the rear fender, like some kind of "fins". Finally, "Cadillac" lost its "tails" only with the debut of the 1971 model. The rectangular bodywork gradually became the epitome of the new American style.
But horsepower has become the main attraction for the consumer. And if by the beginning of the 60s the displacement increased to 6.4 liters (power reached 325 hp), then in 1964 a more powerful V8 with 7 liters (350 hp) was created, which ensured the "cruising" speed at 235 km / h. The engine itself received an aluminum cylinder block and a maintenance-free lubrication system for the whole life. Also on the 5th generation, a 7.7 liter engine with a capacity of 375 hp was offered.
For the first time, an adjustable steering wheel tilt and automatic air conditioning were used. And yet, the improvement of these machines was not caused by consumer needs. It was, so to speak, art for art.
The presented car belongs to the 5th generation of Deville, which was produced from 1965 to 1970.

Cadillac deville 1976
A fairly well-known car in certain circles. It is claimed to be 76, but to be honest, it looks more like the 7th generation Deville that was produced from 1977 to 1984. The 7.0L engine, standard for this car, produced 180hp. or 195hp with injection system. also for the 7th generation, a 5.7 liter diesel engine or a v-shaped 6-ku with a volume of 4.1 liters was installed.
Generally speaking, the body of a convertible is not typical for this generation of Deville. Unfortunately, we could not find anything on the Internet about the Deville convertible of these years. There is an opinion that this is not a factory rework.

Cadillac eldorado 1984
Eldorado is a line of Cadillac cars that was produced between 1953 and 2002. The name Eldorado was proposed in conjunction with a special 1952 automobile show to celebrate Cadillac's golden anniversary. The word Eldorado was derived from the Spanish words "el dorado", which means "gilded" or "golden". Cadillac Eldorado in those days became the founder of the design ideas of General Motors. The rest of the car companies began to follow the trends in the Eldorado style and adopt elements of its appearance.
The museum presents the 6th generation Eldorado, which was produced from 1979 to 1985. The release of this model caused a scandal because in 1976 the Cadillac Eldorado was released, which was advertised as "the last American convertible". It was assumed that the production of convertibles in the United States will be banned. Many acquired Eldorado in 1976 at an overpriced price as an investment. By the way, at the same time 200 convertibles in honor of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of America were painted in the colors of the American flag and named "Bicentennial Edition". In 1983, General Motors began to produce convertibles again. The owners of the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado considered themselves cheated and even sued.
Due to the fact that 1985 was the last year when the Cadillac Eldorado was produced in the back of a convertible, and the production volume of the latest version was 1000 cars, then today this car is a value for many collectors.
By the way, this Elda was at our wedding :)

The first Buick Riviera appeared in 1949, but the word "Riviera" was used not as a designation for a particular model, but as a designation for a specific body - namely, a hardtop. In this sense, it was applied until 1963, when the full-fledged Buick Riviera finally appeared. His appearance it had nothing to do with other Buick models of the era, although it used a standard Buick frame, only shorter and narrower. The model was produced exclusively with a coupe body, thus becoming one of the founders of the "personal luxury coupe" class of cars, which was emerging in America.
In 1964, the Riviera received only a cosmetic, unobtrusive redesign as the model was successful and sold well. In 1966, the second generation of the Riviera was launched, which received the body from the Oldsmobile Toronado, but retained the classic layout. Now it was a large squat coupe with a sloping roof, no B-pillars, a front end with protruding front fenders, in fact, the body turned into a fastback.
In 1971, the 3rd generation Riviera was presented (the car of this generation is in the museum). The model went back to basics in a way, again having a reverse slope front end, invariably associated with a shark nose, but the rear was made in the "boattail" (boat stern) style, popular in the early 1930s. A 7.4-liter engine with a capacity of about 250 hp was installed on the car. Unfortunately, the design of the model did not come to the taste of buyers and sales of this model were falling. Therefore, the next generation abandoned the "boat tail" ...

In 1963, Chevrolet introduced the second generation of the famous Corvette. The model was named Sting Ray (Electric Skat). Famous designers Larry Shinoda (creator Ford mustang) and William Mitchell. Through their efforts, the model received independent double wishbone suspensions on transverse springs (this scheme is still used on the Corvette!), A unique body style and powerful V8 engines of the Big Block family - first a 425-horsepower 6.5-liter, and then - 435-horsepower with a volume of 7 liters. equipped with triple carburetors (Tri Power). The C2 was available in coupe and convertible bodies. In total, 117,964 vehicles were produced.
In 1961, before the introduction of the C2 model to the market, it was decided to stir up public interest in it with the concept of the Corvette Mako Shark, which later became no less famous than the original C2. And in 1963, the Grand Sport version was released, which is now the subject of hunting for collectors around the world. Built according to the secret project of Zora Arkus-Dantov, it never came to racing tracks all over the world, but in America she won honor and respect. Only 5 examples were built, equipped with a V8 engine with four Weber carburetors with a volume of 377 cc. inches (6.2 liters), developing 550 liters. from.

In the name of the third generation, the word Stingray began to be spelled together. But that's not the point. The main thing in this car is design! The third Corvette is based on the 1965 Mako Shark II concept. The look created by David Halls is simply gorgeous! Muscular stamping, complex plastic of the sides - this car is still one of the most beautiful! By the way, when creating this very plastic, David Halls was inspired not by anything, but ... by a fitted bottle from Coca-Cola (the author of the design is Raymond Lowy, who also became famous as an automobile designer)!
The car had the same suspension as the C2, and the motors were the same at first. But in 1969, the newest Small Block with a volume of 5.7 liters (300 hp) appeared, and later - the Big Block (7 liters, 390 hp). However, in 1972, the engine data was now specified according to new standards, and the most powerful 7.4-liter engine began to develop "only" 270 hp. from. And with the introduction of new fuel taxes, huge multi-liter Big Blocks are a thing of the past. So now the Corvette could claim a maximum of 205 hp. from. "Small block". Moreover, the version with a convertible body was removed from production ... But the C3 remained a very successful sports car, as evidenced by the production volumes: as many as 542 861 C3s were produced, so this is the most popular Corvette. A special version of the Corvette ZL1 (specifically for racing) was also released. The engine of this version produced 430 liters. with., but easily forced up to 600-odd.
It is also worth noting that in 1978 the Corvette C3 was chosen as the Pace car for the Indianapolis 500.

And this is a later version of the C3, equipped with the L82 engine.

On September 29, 1966 (1967 model year), the first Chevrolet Camaro was released. It was General Motors' strong and competitive response to the Mustang, which Ford had been successfully producing for two years.
The word "Camaro" is a slang interpretation of the French "camarade" - friend, comrade. This origin of the name of the legendary car was not immediately revealed. In 1967, when asked about the origin of the word "Camaro", Chevrolet managers replied: "This is the name of a small, angry animal that feeds on mustangs."
Chevrolet took more than a serious approach to the release of a rival to such a popular car as the Ford Mustang. Since the start of sales, the Camaro has been supplied in two bodies (coupe and convertible) with four different engine types and had about 80 factory options. At the time, the most powerful of the standard Camaro engines was a 5.7-liter V-8 with 255 hp.
Most popular package additional options was SS. Despite the many exterior modifications, including the hood air intake and the black radiator grille with the headlights hidden behind it, the most significant change in this package was the increased to 6.5 liters engine with 325 hp. (in later editions 375 hp).
In parallel with this, a package was also released under the code Z-28. Nobody advertised it, did not offer it and it was not advertised in any way to the general public, but the Chevrolet Camaro model with the Z-28 index became the most famous for the entire existence of the brand. The only way to get such a modification was to order the base Camaro with the Z-28 option. At the same time, the buyer immediately lost the opportunity to choose an SS set, automatic transmission, air conditioning, a convertible body.
Just 3 years after the Camaro debuted, Chevrolet unveils its second generation model, which will be produced for 12 years.
Despite gloomy forecasts of declining market and consumer interest in the mid-1970 model year Chevrolet launches second generation Camaro. New design european style, the body has become 5 cm longer, the doors by 10 cm, and the convertible is no longer available. The promised engine with a volume of 7.4 liters was never built, and the volume of 6.5 liters was increased by one hundred cubic meters, but according to the decision of the company's management, in the old way it is marked with the number 396 (engine displacement in cubic inches) as already well-proven in the eyes buyers.
Over the next five years, engine power continued to decline, so in 1975 a 105-horsepower unit was even offered. But the competition was no better, and in 1977, for the first time in the history of the model, the number of Camaro sold exceeded the Mustang sales. In 1978, the situation repeated itself. And in 1979, sales reached a record high of 282,571 vehicles.
Unfortunately, the car presented in the museum has lost its originality. The engine, chassis and interior are installed from the 4th generation Camaro (93-2002).

Fleetwood Metal Body was established on April 1, 1909 in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. It was an independent bodywork company until acquired by Fisher Body, a division of General Motors. The enterprise continued its activities until 1931, when all production facilities were moved to Detroit.
Exclusive was precisely the word that attracted the rich. They purchased the engine, chassis and wheels from leading manufacturers and sent them to Fleetwood. Where the body and interior trim were created at the request of the customer. The client met with the designer, who depicted the client's wishes on paper. After that, work began on the implementation of the project. In the end, it was decided to release a car called Fleetwood. Cadillac Fleetwood has become one of the most popular cars from General Motors. The Fleetwood name has been around since 1927. In 1946, Cadillac created a special version of the 60th series called "Series 60 Special Fleetwood".
In 1985, all Fleetwood models (with the exception of the Fleetwood Boldens) were converted to a front wheel drive C-platform. The Fleetwood BTC continued to be rear-wheel drive until 1986. In 1987, the rear-wheel drive Cadillac Fleetwood BTCs abandoned the Fleetwood lineup and became simply the Cadillac BTCs. Thus, the Fleetwood lineup consisted of only front-wheel drive versions. This year, only one engine option was offered - the V8 HT-4100 with a volume of 4.1 liters, which in 1988 replaced the V8 HT-4500 with a volume of 4.5 liters.
In 1993 Fleetwood changes the front-wheel drive C-platform to a new rear-wheel-drive D-platform. The body was designed based on the Chevrolet Caprice. For this model year, the Cadillac Fleetwood was the largest car produced in the United States at the time, until it was discontinued in 1996.
Under the hood of the updated Cadillac Fleetwood, a 5.7-liter V8 LT05 engine was installed with a capacity of 185 hp. In 1994, the 5.7-liter V8 LT05 engine was replaced by a 5.7-liter V8 LT-1 engine borrowed from the Chevrolet Corvette. Its power was 260 hp.
The seventh generation Fleetwood is the company's last classic full-size car.

Ford LTD Crown Victoria
The Ford LTD Crown Victoria is a full-size rear-wheel drive sedan produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1983 to 1991. full-size rear-wheel drive sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1983 to 1991.
This vehicle faithfully replicates the late 1980s California police cars. The car is equipped with an original sound signal and a light bar, which was installed on such cars and in this particular period of time.
In the United States, police cars, due to additional police options, cost a third more than serial cars. They never saved money on the police, so cars were purchased in all states by many thousands. Since the 1980s, two models, the Ford Crown Victoria and the Chevrolet Caprice, have beaten all police procurement records. Crown Victoria to this day holds the palm in the copcar market.

You will find a story about American cars presented at the Museum of Retro Cars on Rogozhka. Today we will look at the Americans of the 60s, 70s and 80s. In my opinion, one of the best eras of the automotive industry.

Post Sponsor: Air Conditioner Selection

1. Ford Thunderbird

The Thunderbird is a legendary vehicle from the 50s and 60s. Among his fans you can find truly iconic figures. For example, John F. Kennedy, who included 50 new cars of this model in his inaugural cavalcade .. The movie star Marilyn Monroe had a Thunderbird of a soft pink color.
Translated from English Thunderbird "Petrel". It is rooted in American Indian mythology. This bird was a totem of some tribes and at the same time a folklore character. The wonderful bird was considered a messenger of the gods, she ruled the sky and helped people preserve the harvest. Traditionally, she is depicted with a sharply curved beak, a tuft on her head and wings spread out to the sides. Since its debut on February 20, 1954, to this day, the Ford Thunderbird has been adorned with one or another version of the Indian totem.
The Thunderbird is Ford's answer to General Motors' Corvette. Thunderbird was developed in the shortest possible time, from idea to the first prototype was only one year. Unlike the Corvette, the Thunderbird had a metal body. Generally speaking, the Thunderbird was never positioned as a sports car, Ford created a new segment in the market - Personal Car. Initially it was a 2-seater car, but in 1958 the car received a second row of seats, and all subsequent generations increased in size until 1977, after which they began to decrease again.
There are 11 generations of Thunderbird in total, with the last generation being released until 2005. The museum displays a third generation car.
The third generation was introduced in 1961. The car received a new 6.4 liter FE series engine with 354 hp. The 1961 model had a part to be a pace-car at the Indianapolis 500 races. It was also the 61 model that participated in the inauguration procedure.
Thunderbird 3rd generation was produced in 2-door hardtop and convertible bodies. In just 3 years of production, 214375 cars were produced.

3. Cadillac 6239

The absence of any identification marks on the car's bots indicates that it belongs to the "youngest" of the three Cadillac series offered in 1963 - then it did not yet have its own name, only the digital index 62 - and allows it to be identified as model 6239. released in the amount of 16980 copies.
Externally, the 1963 Cadillac cars were significantly different from previous models: the body was redesigned, it looked more angular and smooth-sided, and the famous tail "fins" were now barely outlined. The limousines have a panoramic windshield. Among the 1963 Cadillac models, hardtop cars were the overwhelming majority.
Cadillac cars received a new engine for the first time in 14 years. We designed and put into production a power unit with the same basic characteristics - volume, power, moment - as in the previous model of 1962, but with a good margin for further increasing power. In addition, the new engine was noticeably more compact and better configured: all attachments were moved forward to make it easier to get to when servicing.

4. Cadillac Series 62

5. Cadillac Series 62

6. Cadillac Series 62

7.Cadillac Deville 1969

The literal translation of the name De Ville is "urban" in French. The name "Town Car" was reserved for Lincoln, so Cadillac had to go to some lengths to use the French version of essentially the same name. The Cadillac De Ville series is one of the longest-running in the history of the automotive industry: from 1949 to 2006, 12 generations of luxury cars were produced. In 1969, the design of the Cadillacs was significantly updated. The cars again received headlights located on one horizontal line.
The car looked great: a long nose, a short tail, open headlights and a relief stamping on the rear fender, like some kind of "fins". Finally, "Cadillac" lost its "tails" only with the debut of the 1971 model. The rectangular bodywork gradually became the epitome of the new American style.
But horsepower has become the main attraction for the consumer. And if by the beginning of the 60s the displacement increased to 6.4 liters (power reached 325 hp), then in 1964 a more powerful V8 with 7 liters (350 hp) was created, which ensured the "cruising" speed at 235 km / h. The engine itself received an aluminum cylinder block and a maintenance-free lubrication system for the whole life. Also on the 5th generation, a 7.7-liter engine with a capacity of 375 hp was offered.
For the first time, an adjustable steering wheel tilt and automatic air conditioning were used. And yet, the improvement of these machines was not caused by consumer needs. It was, so to speak, art for art.
The presented car belongs to the 5th generation of Deville, which was produced from 1965 to 1970.

A fairly well-known car in certain circles. It is claimed to be 76, but to be honest, it looks more like the 7th generation Deville that was produced from 1977 to 1984. The 7.0L engine, standard for this car, produced 180hp. or 195hp with injection system. also for the 7th generation, a 5.7 liter diesel engine or a v-shaped 6-ku with a volume of 4.1 liters was installed.
Generally speaking, the body of a convertible is not typical for this generation of Deville. Unfortunately, we could not find anything on the Internet about the Deville convertible of these years. There is an opinion that this is not a factory rework.

Eldorado is a line of Cadillac cars that was produced between 1953 and 2002. The name Eldorado was proposed in conjunction with a special 1952 automobile show to celebrate Cadillac's golden anniversary. The word Eldorado was derived from the Spanish words "el dorado", which means "gilded" or "gold". The Cadillac Eldorado at that time became the founder of General Motors' design ideas. The rest of the car companies began to follow the trends in the Eldorado style and adopt elements of its appearance.
The museum presents the 6th generation Eldorado, which was produced from 1979 to 1985. The release of this model caused a scandal because in 1976 the Cadillac Eldorado was released, which was advertised as "the last American convertible". It was assumed that the release of convertibles in the United States will be banned. Many acquired Eldorado in 1976 at an inflated price as an investment. By the way, at the same time 200 convertibles in honor of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of America were painted in the colors of the American flag and named "Bicentennial Edition". In 1983, General Motors began producing convertibles again. The owners of the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado considered themselves cheated and even sued.
Due to the fact that 1985 was the last year when the Cadillac Eldorado was produced in the body of a convertible, and the production volume of the latest version was 1000 cars, then today this car is a value for many collectors.
By the way, this Elda was at our wedding 🙂

The first Buick Riviera appeared in 1949, but the word "Riviera" was used rather not as a designation for a specific model, but as a designation for a specific body - namely, a hardtop. In this sense, it was applied until 1963, when the full-fledged Buick Riviera finally appeared. Its appearance had nothing to do with other Buick models of that era, although it used a standard Buick frame, only shortened and narrowed. The model was produced exclusively with a coupe body, thereby becoming one of the founders of the emerging American class of cars "personal luxury coupe".
In 1964, the Riviera received only a cosmetic, unobtrusive redesign as the model was successful and sold well. In 1966, the production of the second generation Riviera began, which received the body from the Oldsmobile Toronado, but retained the classic layout. Now it was a large squat coupe with a sloping roof, no B-pillars, a front end with protruding front fenders, in fact, the body turned into a fastback.
In 1971, the 3rd generation Riviera was presented (the car of this generation is in the museum). The model went back to basics in a sense, again having a reverse slope front end, invariably associated with a shark nose, but the rear was made in the “boattail” (boat stern) style, popular in the early 1930s. A 7.4 liter engine with a capacity of about 250 hp was installed on the car. Unfortunately, the design of the model did not come to the taste of buyers and sales of this model were falling. Therefore, the next generation abandoned the "boat tail" ...

In 1963, Chevrolet introduced the second generation of the famous Corvette. The model was named Sting Ray (Electric Skat). Famous designers Larry Shinoda (creator of Ford Mustang) and William Mitchell worked on C2. Through their efforts, the model received independent double wishbone suspensions on transverse springs (this scheme is still used on the Corvette!), A unique body style and powerful V8 engines of the Big Block family - first a 425-horsepower 6.5-liter, and then - 435-horsepower with a volume of 7 liters equipped with triple carburetors (Tri Power). The C2 was available in coupe and convertible bodies. In total, 117,964 vehicles were produced.
In 1961, before the introduction of the C2 model to the market, it was decided to stir up public interest in it with the concept of the Corvette Mako Shark, which later became no less famous than the original C2. And in 1963, the Grand Sport version was released, which is now the subject of hunting for collectors around the world. Built according to the secret project of Zora Arkus-Dantov, it never entered the race tracks of the whole world, but in America it won honor and respect. Only 5 were built, equipped with a V8 engine with four Weber carburettors with a volume of 377 cc. inches (6.2 liters), developing 550 liters. from.

In the name of the third generation, the word Stingray began to be spelled together. But that's not the point. The main thing in this car is design! The third Corvette is based on the 1965 Mako Shark II concept. The look created by David Halls is simply gorgeous! Muscular stamping, complex plastic of the sides - this car is still one of the most beautiful! By the way, when creating this very plastic, David Halls was inspired not by anything, but ... by a fitted bottle from Coca-Cola (the author of the design is Raymond Lowy, who also became famous as an automobile designer and interior design professional)!
The car had the same suspension as the C2, and the motors were the same at first. But in 1969, the newest Small Block with a volume of 5.7 liters (300 hp) appeared, and later - the Big Block (7 liters, 390 hp). However, in 1972, the engine data was now specified according to new standards, and the most powerful 7.4-liter engine began to develop "only" 270 hp. from. And with the introduction of new fuel taxes, huge multi-liter Big Blocks are a thing of the past. So now the Corvette could claim a maximum of 205 hp. from. "Small block". Moreover, the version with a convertible body was removed from production ... But the C3 remained a very successful sports car, as evidenced by the production volumes: as many as 542 861 C3s were produced, so this is the most popular Corvette. A special version of the Corvette ZL1 (specifically for racing) was also released. The engine of this version produced 430 liters. with., but easily forced up to 600-odd.
It is also worth noting that in 1978 the Corvette C3 was chosen as the Pace car for the Indianapolis 500.

And this is a later version of the C3, equipped with the L82 engine.

On September 29, 1966 (1967 model year), the first Chevrolet Camaro was released. It was General Motors' strong and competitive response to the Mustang, which Ford had been successfully producing for two years now.
The word "Camaro" is a slang interpretation of the French "camarade" - friend, comrade. This origin of the name of the legendary car was not immediately revealed. In 1967, when asked about the origin of the word "Camaro", Chevrolet managers replied: "This is the name of a small, angry animal that feeds on mustangs."
Chevrolet took more than a serious approach to the release of a rival to such a popular car as the Ford Mustang. Since the start of sales, the Camaro has been supplied in two bodies (coupe and convertible) with four different types of engines and had about 80 factory options. At the time, the most powerful of the standard Camaro engines was the 5.7-liter V-8 with 255 hp.
The most popular package of additional options was SS. Despite the many exterior tweaks, including the hood air intake and the black radiator grille with the headlights hidden behind it, the most significant change in this package was the increased to 6.5 liters engine with 325 hp. (in later editions 375 hp).
In parallel with this, a package was also released under the code Z-28. Nobody advertised it, did not offer it and it was not advertised in any way to the general public, but the Chevrolet Camaro model with the Z-28 index became the most famous for the entire existence of the brand. The only way to get such a modification was to order the base Camaro with the Z-28 option. At the same time, the buyer was immediately deprived of the opportunity to choose an SS set, automatic transmission, air conditioning, a convertible body. And do not say, the choice of air conditioning or transmission are quite important parameters.
Just 3 years after the Camaro debuted, Chevrolet unveils its second generation model, which will be produced for 12 years.
Despite gloomy forecasts of declining market and consumer interest, Chevrolet introduces the second-generation Camaro in the mid-1970 model year. The new design of the European style, the body has become longer by 5 cm, the doors by 10 cm, and the convertible is no longer available. The promised engine with a volume of 7.4 liters was never built, and the volume of 6.5 liters was increased by one hundred cubic meters, but according to the decision of the company's management, it is marked in the old way with the number 396 (engine displacement in cubic inches) as already well-proven in the eyes buyers.
Over the next five years, engine power continued to decline, so in 1975 a 105-horsepower unit was even offered. But the competition was no better, and in 1977, for the first time in the history of the model, the number of Camaro sold exceeded the Mustang sales. In 1978, the situation repeated itself. And in 1979, sales reached a record high of 282,571 vehicles.
Unfortunately, the car presented in the museum has lost its originality. The engine, chassis and interior are installed from the 4th generation Camaro (93-2002).

Fleetwood Metal Body was established on April 1, 1909 in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. It was an independent bodywork company until acquired by Fisher Body, a division of General Motors. The enterprise continued its activities until 1931, when all production facilities were moved to Detroit.
Exclusive was precisely the word that attracted the rich. They purchased the engine, chassis and wheels from leading manufacturers and sent them to Fleetwood. Where the body and interior trim were created at the request of the customer. The client met with the designer, who depicted the client's wishes on paper. After that, work began on the implementation of the project. In the end, it was decided to release a car called Fleetwood. Cadillac Fleetwood has become one of the most popular cars from General Motors. The Fleetwood name has been around since 1927. In 1946, Cadillac created a special version of the 60th series called "Series 60 Special Fleetwood".
In 1985, all Fleetwood models (with the exception of the Fleetwood Boldens) were converted to a front-wheel-drive C-platform. The Fleetwood BTC continued to be rear-wheel drive until 1986. In 1987, the rear-wheel drive Cadillac Fleetwood BTCs abandoned the Fleetwood range and became simply the Cadillac BTCs. Thus, the Fleetwood lineup consisted of only front-wheel drive versions. Only one engine option offered this year - the V8 H

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Which took place on Elagin Island in the Central Park of Culture and Leisure. The townspeople again had the opportunity to touch history and see legendary cars.
I would like to tell you about the examples of the exhibition of the 50-60s of the XX century - the era of luxury cars of millionaires, the "golden age" of the car industry, which is called the "Detroit baroque". Chic and graceful like in old movies.
Also on display were racing cars and middle class cars.

1959 Cadillac Deville 240 hp
Marilyn Monroe drove such a car. In 1955, the actress was deprived of her rights after an accident. Having exceeded the speed, she crashed into a car driving in front, the fine for violation was $ 500. The next year, Monroe was again "caught" on a violation - she went without a license, she was threatened with imprisonment. Thanks to her lawyer, the actress got off with a fine of $ 55.

Entrance to the exhibition for children (under 7 years old), pensioners and disabled people was free. Grandfathers and grandmothers with grandchildren were delighted.

It seems that these cars have a soul ... You can endlessly examine the details, wander around, remembering old adventure films.

1952 Buick Special 190hp
On an American site I found an advertisement for the sale of such a car for $ 6,500.

Good from all sides

An old acquaintance - Hudson Hornet 1952, the name translates as "Mythical Hornet".
Popular racing car of the fifties of the last century. Multiple winner of NASCAR races. In 1952, the Hudson Hornet scored 27 victories out of 33 races, setting the still unrivaled NASCAR record.

1954 Cadillac Eldorado
Millionaire's car. True to its name, translated from Spanish means "gilded". According to legend, treasures are hidden in the mythical land of El Dorado. In 1954, the Cadillac Eldorado cost $ 5,738, which was a lot of money at the time. Now the price of such a car is about $ 101,000 (German collectors)

1959 Cadillac Eldorado, 240 hp
The car of Elvis Presley who was a Cadillac fan. Elvis paid $ 10,000 for the Cadillac Eldorado. The singer did not skimp on the purchase expensive cars, which were then handed over to friends.

Elvis and his favorite car

Ford Fairlane 500 - 1958, 240 hp
Luxury cars from Ford corporation.

Classy 1959 Buick invicta, 240 hp

1964 Cadillac Eldorado

1961 Cadillac Eldorado, 240 hp

Space design. Firestarter!

Cadillac Deville, 1968

Pontiac Bonneville, 1968, 320 hp
The manufacturer Pontiac was founded in 1899, since 1926 - a division of General Motors, which was closed in 2010 due to the crisis.

1969 Dodge Superbee 390 hp
It was a middle-class car that was very different from its frilly baroque contemporaries.

1963 Chrysler 300 Convertible 300 hp
In 1963, Chrysler launched a dream car program to make cars affordable for the middle class.
Now such a car costs $ 47,500

1969 Ford Mustang 420 hp
Most popular youth car of the era, with over a million Ford Mustang sold in 18 months

Ford Mustang, 1965, 365 hp

1965 Ford Mustang, 450 hp

Many different Ford Mustangs

1965 Ford Mustang, 365 hp

1967 Dodge Charger

1968 Chevrolet camaro
Chevrolet's answer to Ford's mid-range car manufacturer. The name camaro is from the word "camarade" (friend, comrade). The implication was that this comfortable car would become a friend to its owner.
To the question "what does camaro mean?" manufacturers joked about competitors "this is the name of a small, evil animal that feeds on mustangs"

1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 320hp
Now this car costs about $ 34,000

1969 Plymouth fury 230 hp
Chrysler's Plymouth division since 1928, closed in 2001
One of the most popular American brands. The Plymouth fury appears as a killer car in Stephen King's novel Christina.

This car I especially liked - Chevrolet Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette, 1960
The first American sports car.

1969 Dodge Charger 290 hp

You can also find out prices for some brands and models of retro cars on the website http://muscle.su/sales/1/

The next post will be about cars from the 70s and 80s presented at the exhibition
For example, a 1978 Dodge Monaco, real car sheriff.

1978 Dodge Monaco 250 hp

The colorful sheriff of the exhibition

Car Lounge Sofa

Blog updates in my

If you are reading us recently, then before plunging into the abyss of sadness, we advise you to be inspired by previous publications from the history of muscle cars:

Causes of the tragedy

The early 70s saw the end of the Golden Age of American muscle cars and huge luxury road cruisers. Fuel crisis (although it is not only about it), tightening environmental standards, the growing safety requirements, coupled with sharply surged insurance premiums, could not but affect the American car market.

Buyers in the context of the increased prices for gasoline could no longer afford to operate multi-liter voracious cars, and new insurance rates even put an end to their profitability.

Some models have ceased to exist, and the product line that replaced the road monsters of past years, resembled only a dim shadow of the legends of the second half of the 60s.

There are several main trends in the decline of the American car industry. The recoil of the motors was deliberately reduced by reducing the compression and installing less efficient units (intake and exhaust manifolds, carburetors, cylinder head). New safety standards (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) required manufacturers to install more massive bumpers and reinforce the structural elements of the body, which, due to the increased weight, also negatively affected the dynamics. Plus, high-powered cars of the second half of the 60s have established themselves as extremely unsafe transport, which inevitably affected the value of insurance premiums.

In the photo: Plymouth belveder 1967

By 1972, the Big Three had completely switched to low-octane fuel. And in 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sharply reduced the volume of oil supplied to the United States, which caused a full-fledged energy crisis in the country. And then the population was no longer up to the muscle cars. The final nail in the coffin of American power was the 1978 law setting standards for the maximum permissible average fuel consumption for production vehicles (CAFE).

Gone so as not to return

How did this affect the lineup of the auto giants from Detroit directly? By 1975, most big blocks had disappeared from the scene, and such icons of yesteryear as the Buick GS, Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Dodge Charger R / T, Dodge Super Bee, Ford Torino Cobra, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler and Plymouth GTX were consigned to oblivion. The crisis did not spare the Pontiac GTO either: the legendary muscle car turned into a slightly more expensive package of the mid-size Pontiac Ventura, and later completely disappeared from the GM lineup. The 1975 Plymouth Road Runner came out rather lackluster and had little to do with the 1968 road monster.

Survivors

After 1974, only the Chevrolet Camaro, the second generation Pontiac Firebird and the Ford Mustang remained in the droop segment. In 1971-1973, Mustang significantly put on weight, and subsequently underwent a radical rebranding, slipping into the segment of economical compact cars with a touch of luxury. Ford tried to somehow remedy the situation with the optional 5-liter 302 engine, but this did not have the desired effect.

However, not everything was so bad in the mid-70s. Despite the depressing market trends, relatively powerful models with small blocks under the hood appeared. The output of these motors was not at all as impressive as before, but they were installed in cars that cost much less than they asked for a mid-size muscle car in the 60s.

For example, the Plymputh Duster 340 and Dodge Demon / Dart Sport 340 of 1971-1973 boasted 240 "mares" removed from 5.5-liter engines, and a rather aggressive design.

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In the photo: Dodge Demon, Plymouth Duster, Dodge Dart Sport

Surprisingly, 1973-1974 Pontiac Firebird available in top-end configuration The Trans Am 400 engine (6.6 liters) was sold very successfully against the backdrop of the raging crisis. Much of the market's success was due to the lack of competition, but this directly indicated that interest in "muscle" cars did not die out at all, especially if handling was not sacrificed for the sake of power. And the Trans Am was just that, which in itself was not very characteristic of the classic muscle cars of the past. GM learned this lesson as well as possible and in 1977 revived the Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, the emphasis in which was also placed not only on the ability to accelerate in a straight line.