The 1950s were the golden age of the American automobile, and the cars were faster, bigger, and more boldly styled than ever before. Sunday driving--Cleaver-style--in the regal family Ford, Edsel or Plymouth topped the list of national pastimes; and teenagers, behind the wheels of their daddies' thundering T-birds, had fun, fun, fun across America's highways. The economic prosperity of the country made for an "ultramatic" boom in car manufacturing, and the advertising industry followed suit. This reprint of a Chronicle Books classic collects the "masterpieces" of automobile advertising, culled from the pages of such popular periodicals as Life, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Look, and Holiday. Their colorful illustrations and catchy copy give these ads a "power-packed beauty" all their own, offering a fun look at 50s culture and values. So take a cruise down memory lane with this fond look back on a time when tail fins and chrome were the standard, and the American car was the true King of the Road.

If there is one thing Ford enthusiasts have learned over the years, deciphering which Ford parts work with which Ford engines is a far more difficult task than with many other engine families. Will Cleveland heads fit on my Windsor block? Can I build a stroker motor with factory parts? Can I gain compression by using older-model cylinder heads, and will it restrict flow? Is there a difference between Windsor 2-barrel and 4-barrel heads? These are just a few examples of common questions Ford fans have. These and many other questions are examined in this all-new update of a perennial best seller. Thoroughly researched and, unlike previous editions, now focused entirely on the small-block Windsor and Cleveland engine families, Ford Small Block Engine Parts Interchange includes critical information on Ford’s greatest small-block engines and goes into great detail on the highly desirable high-performance hardware produced throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. By combining some of the best parts from various years, some great performance potential can be unlocked in ways Ford never offered to the general public. Following the advice in Ford Small-Block Engine Parts Interchange, these engine combinations can become reality. You will find valuable information on cranks, blocks, heads, cams, intakes, rods, pistons, and even accessories to guide you through your project. Author George Reid has once again done extensive research to accurately deliver a thorough and complete collection of Ford small-block information in this newly revised edition. Knowing what internal factory engine parts can be used across the wide range of production Ford power plants is invaluable to the hot rodder and swap meet/eBay shopper. Whether building a stroker Cleveland or a hopped-up Windsor, this book is an essential guide.

Over the course of performance car history, and specifically muscle car history, big-block engines are particularly beloved, and for good reason. Not only are they the essence of what a muscle car is, but before modern technology and stroker engines, they were also the best way to make a lot of horsepower. All of the Detroit manufacturers had their versions of big-block engines, and Ford was no exception. Actually, Ford was somewhat unique in that it had two very different big-block engine designs during the muscle car era. The FE engine was a design pioneered in the late 1950s, primarily as a more powerful replacement for the dated Y-block design because cars were becoming bigger and heavier, and therefore, necessitated more power to move. What started as torquey engines meant to move heavyweight sedans morphed into screaming high-performance mills that won Le Mans and drag racing championships through the 1960s. By the late 1960s, the design was dated, so Ford replaced the FE design with the "385" series, also known as the "Lima" design, which was more similar to the canted-valve Cleveland design being pioneered at the same time. It didn't share the 1960s pedigree of racing success, but the new design was better in almost every way; it exists via Ford motorsports offerings to this day. In Ford Big-Block Parts Interchange, Ford expert and historian George Reid covers both engines completely. Interchange and availability for all engine components are covered including cranks, rods, pistons, camshafts, engine blocks, intake and exhaust manifolds, carburetors, distributors, and more. Expanding from the previous edition of High-Performance Ford Parts Interchange that covered both small- and big-block engines in one volume, this book cuts out the small-block information and devotes every page to the FE Series and 385 big-blocks from Ford, which allows for more complete and extensive coverage. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial}

The automotive industry underwent great change in the 1960s and the early 1970s. The continuing trend toward market consolidation, the proliferation of sizes and nameplates, and the "need for speed" characterized this period, loosely labeled as the muscle car era. This is an exhaustive reference work to American made cars of model years 1966-1972. Organized by year (and summarizing the market annually), it provides a yearly update on each make's status and production figures, then details all models offered for that year. Model listings include available body styles, base prices, engine and transmission choices, power ratings, standard equipment, major options and their prices, curb weight and dimensions (interior and exterior), paint color choices, changes from the previous year's model, and sales figures. Also given are assembly plant locations and historical overviews of each model nameplate.

The truck's role in American society changed dramatically from the 1960s through the 1980s, with the rise of off-roaders, the van craze of the 1970s and minivan revolution of the 1980s, the popularization of the SUV as family car and the diversification of the pickup truck into multiple forms and sizes. This comprehensive reference book follows the form of the author's popular volumes on American cars. For each year, it provides an industry overview and, for each manufacturer, an update on new models and other news, followed by a wealth of data: available powertrains, popular options, paint colors and more. Finally, each truck is detailed fully with specifications and measurements, prices, production figures, standard equipment and more.

From the resumption of automobile production at the close of World War II through the 1950s, the American auto industry would see the births and deaths of several manufacturers, great technological advances, and an era of dramatic styling as a prospering nation asserted its growing mobility. Cars of this period are among the most iconic vehicles ever built in the United States: the 1949 Ford, the remarkable Studebaker designs of 1950 and 1953, the 1955-1957 Chevrolets, the "Forward Look" Chrysler products, the ill-fated Edsel and many others. This comprehensive reference book details every model from each of the major manufacturers (including independents such as Kaiser-Frazer and Crosley but excluding very low-volume marques such as Tucker) from model years 1946 through 1959. Year by year, it provides an overview of the industry and market, followed by an individual report on each company: its main news for the year (introductions or cancellations of models, new engines and transmissions, advertising themes, sales trends etc.); its production figures and market status; and its powertrain offerings, paint colors and major options. The company's models are then detailed individually with such information as body styles, prices, dimensions and weights, standard equipment and production figures. Nearly 1,000 photographs are included.

This book offers tremendous detail about the Ford models used by law enforcement agencies between 1932 and today. The book highlights special police equipment such as heavy duty suspensions and transmissions, high-performance engines, and special interiors.

The automotive industry underwent great change in the 1960s. The continuing trend toward market consolidation, the proliferation of sizes and nameplates, and the "need for speed" characterized this period, loosely labeled as the muscle car era. This is an exhaustive reference work to American made cars of model years 1960-1965. Organized by year (and summarizing the market annually), it provides a yearly update on each make's status and production figures, then details all models offered for that year. Model listings include available body styles, base prices, engine and transmission choices, power ratings, standard equipment, major options and their prices, curb weight and dimensions (interior and exterior), paint color choices, changes from the previous year's model, and sales figures. Also given are assembly plant locations and historical overviews of each model nameplate.

The automotive industry underwent great change in the 1960s and the early 1970s. The continuing trend toward market consolidation, the proliferation of sizes and nameplates, and the "need for speed" characterized this period, loosely labeled as the muscle car era. This is an exhaustive reference work to American made cars of model years 1960-1972. Organized by year (and summarizing the market annually), it provides a yearly update on each make's status and production figures, then details all models offered for that year. Model listings include available body styles, base prices, engine and transmission choices, power ratings, standard equipment, major options and their prices, curb weight and dimensions (interior and exterior), paint color choices, changes from the previous year's model, and sales figures. Also given are assembly plant locations and historical overviews of each model nameplate. The book is profusely illustrated with 1,018 photographs.