Just for fun.....if you had a time machine, what year or era would you go to and why? Consider the cars, music lifestyle etc.
One Decade.....1955-1965. Everything that I love about cars would take place during those ten years......Centurion9
I'd need unlimited funds and unlimited storage space to put all the stuff I'd buy plus a staff of competent, trustworthy car guys to help me manage all that shit. Could be a huge hassle. I'd be willing to try though.
1957 for sure. No question about it. Then I could go look for my future wife, whom I met in 1959, and ask her to marry me sooner.
Actually, I guess I lived through the muscle car craze........I wish I was old enough to participate in it is what I should have said.
Oh, it's about cars,,,,sorry. Still 1957, it was good times the late 50's through the very early 70's. Although the engine was shit and constantly pissed me off, I would keep that 1956 Ford Crown Vicky I had..
The late 50's to mid 70's ! Not just because they were the greatest times but but life was way better than now ! Everyone had a job or could work if they wanted to . The cars were great ! The music was assume ! The Ladies were great ! People were more than a number and you could work at the same job all your life and retire there happy too with a pension ! you could leave your car unlocked with things inside without someone stealing them ! People would RESPECT you !!!!! You could afford a home for your family ! You could really have a low 10 sec drag car without much money ! You could walk down the street with a lot of money in your pocket with your girlfriend or wife and not worry about getting robbed ! You just had to live in the greatest times in history ! Life was DAMN GOOD ! RetroJim
IF you want a time machine...check out my books...all about the late '50's/early 60's... Here's an excerpt from the first book... The six engine in my ’57 was painted green…John Deere green! Dad figured that was close enuff to the metallic green on the car so that’s what it got when we overhauled it. I wasn’t one to argue with Dad, no one did. Behind the six was a 3-speed on the column. I could shift that faster than the new Hurst shifters just out and had to prove it more than once. One of my pals had a Corvette six factory split header and we put it on and hung dual glasspaks (with dump tubes on the duals with the engine work and Dad not knowing about it!)…I could rattle more than a few store-front windows uptown and got more than my share of tickets becuz of them…think I got Dave’s share…and Bob’s too. Had the head milled a bit (Dad didn’t know that, either!) when the engine was being machined and figured out how to add a two-barrel carb for more go I ‘earned’ a reputation around town/county as having the fastest ’57 Chevrolet. But you know how reputations and rumors are…blown way outta proportion…the six cylinder part never got added into the rumor: …‘the fastest six cylinder ’57 Chevy around.Took on all comers, tho. Put away 283 inchers, 348 inchers, Ford Y-blox, Mopars, Buick nail-heads and a quite a few of “Daddy’s” Caddy’s (made a lot of money from Caddy owners!). Couldn’t stay ahead of Olds J-2’s, the new 409’s or Corvettes. Lessons learned in life: Quicker is ALWAYS better than faster. All I had to do was beat ‘em to the painted-on quarter mile mark out on Highway 59 south of town…and that wasn’t hard to do. My ’57 launched hard, with nary a tire squeal, but always barked when I hit second…that impressed bystanders…and with the 4:11 rear-end, I was already halfway down the quarter by the time them V8’s quit fryin’ Plycrons. Then they really had to flog it to catch me…many times missed shifts spelled defeat…or the car would bog in second or third from their gas-pedal-to-the-floor speedshiftin’. Talk about embarrassed? I’d beaten them fair and square…but sometimes it took twice before they learned that my six was quicker (not faster, just quicker) than their V8. I’d bet they never owned up to anyone about that either: a six beating a V8. Embarrassing! Some guys were sore losers tho. They wanted to beat me, any way they could. Took two black eyes and broken teeth (three separate fights) to realize the only fair fight was on Gunsmoke. After that (hey, I was slow learner!) I never got beat either way. R-
Late 40's-early 50's for me. The hot rodding scene was still kind of small, it hadn't taken off like it did by the late 50's. Post war prosperity...the customs were clean and simple and classy, lots of WWII surplus stuff. I would go meet Sam and Harry W, and Bertolucci. I dig the music from that period as well, and the clothes, the architecture. If it was cool there, I would stick around through to the late 50's and get to see all the early rock and roll performers. I would buy some land somewhere and build a time capsule, like the Doc in Back to the future 3, when he left the Delorean in the old mine shaft...Then all my 32's, 36's, and 41-47 cadillac covertibles, Indians, NNS parts (New New Stock) etc would be there when I came back to 2009. I have it all figured out, now If only I could get this flux capaictor to work properly!
As I was told as a child,,,If,,if's and but's were candies and nut's what a Very Merry Christmas it would be! If I had a time machine I'm sure my life would be different,,i wouldn't make the same mistakes again and I would work hard at becoming a better person. Would my life be any better ,,maybe I could live in more comfort and possibly have more toys. Would I trade what I have now for the unknow,,,no way! HRP
Born around 1929. Times were tough but you'd be too young to know. Too young for WW2, too old for Korea. All the $10.00 model A's an others. 20 in 1949, and be able to enjoy the cars and music. Girls dressed with class and fedoras were in style. 1959 you'd be 30. The prime of life-time. Ya have it going on and, hopefully your set up enough to live well. 1969,40 yrs old, You could afford the hemi Cuda. nuff said there. 1979, at 50 you have your toys and can do what you like. 1989, you just laugh at the music and hair. 1999 at 70 just do a burn-out in the hemi cuda and put it back in the garage. Right about now you'd be to old to care about the current state of affairs.
Now, and to the future. Been to the 30s and 40s and 50s and 60s and etc..................., expect to see a lot more, hopefully as equally interesting, not interested in any re-runs........
You know what? Unless it was for a brief trip I would stay right here in 09. Things are pretty damn good in this timeframe. Just go to the HAMB Drags or Pileup and see what I mean.
I'm with RetroJim & Beep. My only problem back then was (even when I was old enough to GET a job!) it paid 65 to 75 cents an hour! Can't buy much vintage tin or gasoline with that kind of inocme.
I think CZUCH about nailed it but let me throw in a couple little changes 1957, your 28. You work hard. Get yourself one of those new 57 Bel-Air convertibles. Don't forget to check off the dual quad option. 1965, at 36, Maybe buy a cheap willys coupe and a junkyard 392 and do a little inexpensive drag racing. Or maybe splurge on one of them new big block Corvettes. 1971, 42 yrs old. Trade in the 65 vette roadster on a 71 Hemicuda and make it a convertible in a nice hi-impact color. 2009, Your 80 now. Take that Hemicuda convertible and let one of the big auction houses sell it to some yuppie for a few million. Buy an expensive cigar and a good bottle of bourbon. Relax. The grandkids sure will be happy
My car is a time machine. 1961 let's see... From perspective of just the radio; Girl groups were coming up. Bo Diddley was in his prime. Instumental rock and roll was getting play. Everly Brothers were all over the radio too. Del Shannon had some hit. Hah!.... There's talk of up and comer John Kennedy saving America. A surtain white four door hard top from Detroit was set for sail in a car lot in a suburban town by the city of angels. For the total price of $3396.69 to a fella named Johnnie M. Kinnear. *sigh*
Or hey, go back to the Alamo and give the Texans M-16's and a shit load of ammo. Wouldn't be as many illeagle aliens today Or LOL,,better yet,,,,go back to 1860 and give them good ole Rebs M-16's and a double shit load of ammo....
I think going back and working hard and fighting for what I believed in alongside other Americans who gave a shit and had something worth fighting for would be great. No one will ever say that mine was the greatest generation that ever lived. I think it was a crazy time that is romanticized for all the right reasons. Should I live through the war, come home, marry my high school sweetheart, and some time in my late eighties see grainy black and white photos of me and friends on the pages of a coffee table book talking about the birth of hotrodding ... well, that would be a-okay with me and I could die a happy man.
this is just a fun thread... don't want to put much into it. but giving the south M-16's? did you think before you wrote that? I'd want to be 18 in 1948. my pop was in Japan in WWII. I'd surely want to miss that mess. post war America was a good place to be. just about anyone with a job could get a house. American made was the best you could get, quality and craftsmanship were still going strong. new cars looking good and much more modern than pre war, and vintage tin was cheap and plentiful.
If there's got to be cars, send me to the days of WWII. If not, I'd go back to the truly greatest generation in the U.S. of A. Plop my ass in the middle of Bunker Hill with a musket and a pouch full of steel shot in 1775.
I'd like to go back and change the results of the last Presidential Election! oh....did I think that out loud!!!! Otherwise....oh to be 16 in '55!!
Life's pretty good right now why go back. My dad always talked fondly about the '30s There may have been a depression but most people were good to each other. If you want a car he bought his first T fo $5 and a '31 Chevy one ton for $15.
I agree with Tman and McTim, I'm very happy right now. There has never been a time with more car events to attend and with the advent of the internet, more social networking with like minded car folks. The world is out there and it's never been easier to explore.
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