Who could forget the car craze of the early '60s, where I hummed and listened incessantly to the DJ's offerings while I labored over more potent "Chines" than those of the popular artists! They sang of "327"s and "413"s, but I was building up my "430", king of the auto engine displacement race! Reality was, the 409 began as a truck engine series, the 348, which after introduction as an option in 1958 Chevies, proved a nightmare for GM. My friend Charley's dad bought one and had myriad problems with it. The following moving excerpt overshadowed them all, even though it's popularity was less: These popular hit songs emulated, and fed upon, the public lust then prevailing for cars of more and more power and sex-appeal. These inclinations were I think related to the then developing "Sexual Revolution", which eventually produced a Congressional Study Investigating pornography and it's effects upon society. The official Congressional Report was stunningly graphic, explicit, and truthful: it concluded no societal harm was forthcoming. Even this was greatly enjoyed:
"Comin' off the Line when the light turns green She blows 'em outta the water like you've never seen I get pushed outta shape and it's hard to steer When I get Rubber in all four gears She's my Little Deuce Coupe...you don't know what I got!" An excerpt from "Little Deuce Coupe" Beach Boys Hal
I actually owned a "Rocket 88". Bought a used 1949 Olds Rocket 88 in 1955. It was pretty hot for its day, with a 135HP OHV V8. Hal
@Hal Pollner Original done by Johnny Bond, 1960, remake 1972 by Commander Cody. Bond only made Billboard #26 but Cody made the top 10 at #9. I liked the latter better. He called out, the telephone poles looked like a "picket fence"! Frank
This one is a 70’s song, but no thread about cars and racing would be complete if we didn’t play this one at least once........
Here is another one that most of us probably remember, and I think it is about the right time period, too. The “BEEP, BEEP”. Song........