Classic cars have always been a trademark of California, from the Golden States long stretch of coastline to its massive big blocks purring down the highways classic cars are a huge part of California’s history. Check out these throwbacks that are bound to bring back some good memories.
1. Oldsmobile Model R (1901 – 1904)
The Oldsmobile Model R was called “The Curved Dash” because it had a footboard that was buggy-like and curvy. The buggy-like body appealed to society at the time since many still drove horse drawn buggies. In the first year of production 425 were built and they were priced at $650. It is significant in American culture because it was the first reliable American car that was mass-produced. Production continued until 1904 and made its way into popular music during that time such as “In My Merry Oldsmobile” by Billy Murray.
2. Ford Model T (1908-1927)
The Ford Model T was produced from 1908 to 1927. 15 million Ford Model Ts were produced and Ford Model T is one (if not the most) significant car in American culture. By 1925 the Ford Model T was being offered for less than $300. The Ford Model T was able to put the typical American on the streets and changed American culture by doing so! The Ford Model T played a major role in the evolution of the assembly line in America and the higher speed manufacturing was what allowed Ford to decrease its prices which made it more accessible.
3. Ferrari 250 GTO (1962 – 1964)
The Ferrari 250 GTO was produced from 1962 to 1964 and only 36 were produced. All 36 are accounted for. These cars are extremely rare and in 2014 one sold for $38.1 million! The Ferarrari GTO was built to be a race car and was driven by Phil Hill and Oliver Gendebien at Sebring in 1962. They were actually disappointed and slightly offended for being assigned “this damn coupe”, but the Ferrari GTO went far beyond anyone’s expectations. The Ferrari 250 GTO is significant in American culture because it is now one of the most sought-after classical cars today!
4. 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster (1953-1955)
During the 1953 Montorama Chevrolet rolled out something that was different than any car seen up until this point in time. It was a small two-seater car that had a small fiber-glass body. It was the Corvette and had a starting price of about $3,500. It is significant in American culture because it was the start of what we think of as America’s sports car.
5. Chrysler C-300 (195)
The Chrysler C-300 was the first 300 horsepower vehicle that was mass produced. When Chrysler brought out the Chrysler C-300 it easily outpowered the other sports cars on the market. Many called it the most powerful car in the world and it was one of luxury. 1,725 of these luxury cars were built and had a starting price of $4,109. It is significant in American culture because it brought the world of speed, power, and luxury into one car.
6. 1964 ½ Ford Mustang (1964 – 1966)
The car that started the pony cars! The 1964 ½ Ford Mustang was a car that Americans went wild over! Over 1.4 million of these cars were sold through 1966 and it influenced the car market tremendously. It was so popular that many other companies followed their lead and the pony car category was born.
7. Ford Pinto (1972)
The Ford Pinto was made its debut in 1972 and was highly successful. It became a commonly known vehicle that almost every American knew about. However, its success wasn’t what made it popular and significant in American culture. Instead a single flaw (which turned out to be fatal) is what made this car so widely known. It turns out that the Ford Pinto had a tendency to catch fire when it was hit from behind. Now since there were over a million Ford Pinto’s on the road, this turned into a major issue for Ford. Ford ended up being forced to voluntarily all pre-1976 Ford Pintos to add shields and other reinforcements, but this fatal flaw not only burned Ford’s finances but also its reputation.