My favorite has to be 30's. So many changes from early 30's to late 30's, and such great shapes that still stand out as some of the best styling ever! Since I started driving in the mid 60's, my second favorite is 60's. So many new models, and so many hi performance options. A guy could order just about anything he could dream of building!
I would say 1954 to 1964. The first factory hot rods started emerging in 1954-57. Hudson Hornets with Twin H Power, Oldsmobile J2's, Dodge D500's and D501's,57 Fords with a factory superchargers and dual quads, 390's, 406's & 427's. Chryslers with Hemi's, MOPAR, 383's, 440's & 426's, Chevrolets with Corvette engines and big blocks, Pontiac's with TriPower, 389's & 421's. I lived through this era and owned or had friends that owned just about every great car there was in that era. I owned a 57 Ford Convert, 59 Impala with 4 speed 335 HP, a 59 FI 290 HP Corvette, a 62 Ford Galaxy 500XL convert, 406 4 speed, all purchased new, except the Corvette had about 4K miles on it. I currently own a 57 Ford factory dual quad car and a 91 Mustang GT I bought new that is supercharged, etc, etc., etc., 465 RWHP. I don't seem to be slowing down much in my Senior years.
for me it would be the 50's and 60's 50's because it was easer to experiment with your hot rod, build something unique lots of junk yards around, not any more at least in my area. and the 60's because the big 3 had balls back then! Imagine going into your dealership and ordering up a Hemi Superbird or better yet have Sox and Martin teach you how to drag race!
Have to be the 60s. More makers and variety of speed and custom parts but cars were still mostly owner built had character. Lots of Bright metallic colors, chrome, finned aluminum, pleated seats, blowers, mags, multiple carbs, white headers, etc. If I had to narrow it down even further I'd say '63-'67. Still a bunch of cars out of other eras that get me goin' though, just my favorite.
The 60s!! Super Duty Pontiacs, Hard hitting Fords; factory backed (GM missed that boat) A/FX cars, altereds, Mickey Thompson, Hemi everything, 409s ,slingshots, NITRO, BBCs Tri power Vettes, ZL1s, Big Daddy Roth, Von Dutch, Psychedelia, Funny cars. Candy, 'Flake, Freak dots, Batman, Magnesium wheels, Goodyear Blue Streaks, Red lines, The High & Mighty, Wheelstanders, Show rods, Angel hair, HOT PANTS, Johnny Cash.....
I'll have 3 scoops of late '20s to late '30s please. '28/'29 Ford roadster with a flathead. '32/'33/'34 Ford 3W coupe with a 392 Hemi. '36/'37/'38 Buick Roadmaster coupe with a 320 I8 or 425 Nailhead V8.
For me it's all about 40's and 50's cars built in the late 50's to early 60's style but there is a lot of other pre- '65 stuff that get me fired up too like 40's builds, especially 40's Kustoms and coach built cars... So I guess my vote is '55-'65 for the most part. I have never really have understood the huge attraction to '32 Fords though.
Mine would be early '60s to early '70s. Although I took more of an interest in '30s to '50s hot rods first, the cars I was personally exposed to/involved with were mostly musclecars. When I was young my dad had several Firebird 400s, GTOs, and first gen Camaros. Other cars I was around often at this time were a '67 LeMans with a 421, '62 Dart, '65 Impala SS with a 396, 4spd, '65 Nova 327 4spd, '69 GTX, '70 Roadrunner, etc. So these were the cars I learned to work on and found out about speed in. While I love tri-5 Chevys and I think the '36 Ford coupe is one of the most beautiful cars ever built, it is the musclecar era that I will probably always gravitate to because of my childhood memories.
early to mid sixties for me. but they always seem to have a hint that hot rods always evolve, even if only a slight bit.
40's in to the early 50's. To me the 40's is when the 'modern car' realy started taking shape. Fenders were part of the bodies and such. I like the 30's and back but It's easier to imagin driving something stock from the 40's on todays roads. 1955 cars started getting a little too 'square' for my liking. Everyone loves the tri-50's chevys but I love the 53-54's. By 1960 cars lost all eligance in my eyes. Too flat and plain and they never got better. Just my opinion! As for culture, it's kinda parallel. I like the 40's to early 50's because they were the 'climax' of vintage culture for my taste. Prior to and shortly afterwards, things were still cool, but those were the golden years. When va***e tube radios met "the computer", America was a battle-proven world power, Soldiers were starting families, all kinds of good stuff.
1953 to about 1967... Depends an the cars though.. Some newer a nice..but my sweet spot..stopped about '67 I own two 1953s..
Always liked the muscle car era-beach boys,girls fashions and the price of gas. As for hotrods I like the ones built from the mid 70s to the mid eightys......................
50's and 60's for me. But, Born in 1967 a lot of my first car memories are from the 70's so a few of those hit a soft spot for me too. 70's Camaros and Corvettes were the **** in High School so I think those are cool now still.
Yeah, this is it for me, too. The best of the designs without any government interference. And enough differentiation between brands to give an 'at a glance' as to what it is. And almost all of what was produced has enough go and whoa to be a daily even today. Lord knows I've dailyed enough of 'em to know. And still do ('61 Falcon, stone stock wife's car). Cosmo
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