The 1950s was a "golden era" for Detroit, reflecting the endless optimism and futuristic view in America following World War II. Car designers and stylists were inspired by current day fighter jets, space age technology, and chrome. Their creations sported great chrome grilles, bullet-nosed bumpers, enormous tail fins, cockpit-styled dashboards, and frames as big as aircraft carriers. The allure and emotional appeal of these cars has been well document in countless books over the years. But without exception all of these titles look fabulous '50s vehicles as the sum of their parts. None focus specifically on what many consider to be the most distinguishing aspect of many of the cars from the fabulous '50s - their front grilles.

People are as interesting in painting and customizing now, as they were when this material was first created, in the 1950s. Everyone wants to know how to do a flame job, or how to run a pair of pinstripes straight down the side of their car. In this book George Barris explains how he and brother Sam did their custom painting and early flame jobs in the 1950s. No one can tell this story as well as George Barris, a fine photographer and the man who built many of the cars shown in the book. This particular book, Volume 4, contains more than just the photos and words of George Barris. This volume contains first-person side-bars by legendary painters and builders like Dean Jeffries and Larry Watson, describing how they developed their talents and what it was like to customize cars in those days.

In the 1970s, a prominent journalist examined the immediate postwar period to find rampant political and social tensions. His survey offers a unique perspective on a critical era in American history. Includes a new Preface by the author.

Handsome, ready-to-color images, attractively rendered in precise detail, depict the sleek 1950 Mercury two-door sedan, luxurious 1952 Cadillac four-door sedan, 1953 Buick Skylark convertible with wire wheels, 1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II, and 26 other impressive models. Captions. 30 black-and-white illustrations.

Re-create the fantastic '50s in your model railroad setup! This book, compiled from articles published in Modern Railroader magazine, provides historical information and photos covering steam and diesel locomotives, passenger equipment, freight cars, and trackside details.