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Super '70s: Cars of the Disco Decade
Pack your 8-tracks and platform shoes and hustle back to a decade when muscle cars died, economy cars were born, and disco was the dance. While 1970 ushered in some of the finest and fasted cars ever, regulations and gas prices turned muscle into economy. Award-winning author Patrick R. Foster guides readers on a trip through a tumultuous decade in automotive history. Witness the demise of big block gas-guzzlers and convertibles and the near-demise of the Chrysler Corporation. Relive the birth of the American subcompact, custom vans, t-tops and a new aesthetic. Remember Pintos, Pacers, Vegas, X-bodies, and the proliferation of front-wheel drive—hallmarks of the 70s auto-evolution. Foster doesn’t stop with the hot cars. To put it all into perspective, he stops along the way to sample the music, movies and manias that made the 70s sensational. -A fabulous decade of American automobile history.
-More than 400 photos of the decade’s greatest cars and culture, including movies, music and trends.
-More than 400 photos of the decade’s greatest cars and culture, including movies, music and trends.
302 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 5, 2022
"Everyone knew the American subcompacts were coming - most of us wanted them to arrive quickly, if for no other reason than to stem the flow of imported cars . . . and, in our hearts, many of us knew that the days of the 'muscle car' were nearly over." -- at the start of chapter 2
Ah, the 1970's - the decade that began with cars that were nearly the size of aircraft carriers (the Buick Riviera, the Cadillac Eldorado, the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, the Pontiac Bonneville, etc.) but ended - thanks in part to the gas/oil crisis, among other economical issues - with many smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles (such as the Chevrolet Monza, the Dodge Omni, the Ford Pinto and the uniquely unforgettable AMC Gremlin) increasingly prowling the highways and byways of the U.S. Super 70's: Cars of the Disco Decade presents hundreds of photographs - with the majority of them apparently gleaned from the manufacturers' annual promotional material, such as the memorable ad series featuring an attractive female model with a leashed jungle cat next to the latest edition of the Mercury Cougar - of both successful and little-remembered makes and models from the American 'Big 3' of Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, plus the now-defunct AMC (I miss their distinctive output like the Pacer, the Hornet and the Matador) and a smattering of foreign compact vehicles that were making inroads to the fickle American market. One drawback was that the photographs were predominantly in black & white - although there was a nice sixteen-page color supplement at the midpoint - which often rendered the cars as bland and unexciting in appearance, especially over the course of a 300 page-book. Also, the accompanying text sections for each year (which included superfluous bits of non-automotive pop culture history amidst detailed vehicle information) were sort of dry and monotonous. Still, the assembled collection of images was rather first-rate.
Ah, the 1970's - the decade that began with cars that were nearly the size of aircraft carriers (the Buick Riviera, the Cadillac Eldorado, the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, the Pontiac Bonneville, etc.) but ended - thanks in part to the gas/oil crisis, among other economical issues - with many smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles (such as the Chevrolet Monza, the Dodge Omni, the Ford Pinto and the uniquely unforgettable AMC Gremlin) increasingly prowling the highways and byways of the U.S. Super 70's: Cars of the Disco Decade presents hundreds of photographs - with the majority of them apparently gleaned from the manufacturers' annual promotional material, such as the memorable ad series featuring an attractive female model with a leashed jungle cat next to the latest edition of the Mercury Cougar - of both successful and little-remembered makes and models from the American 'Big 3' of Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, plus the now-defunct AMC (I miss their distinctive output like the Pacer, the Hornet and the Matador) and a smattering of foreign compact vehicles that were making inroads to the fickle American market. One drawback was that the photographs were predominantly in black & white - although there was a nice sixteen-page color supplement at the midpoint - which often rendered the cars as bland and unexciting in appearance, especially over the course of a 300 page-book. Also, the accompanying text sections for each year (which included superfluous bits of non-automotive pop culture history amidst detailed vehicle information) were sort of dry and monotonous. Still, the assembled collection of images was rather first-rate.
June 2, 2010
Growing up in the 70's, it was nice looking back at the cars I seen on a regular basis. Filled with tons of b/w photos, the reader will learn what models were made when, and how well they sold or didn't sell. A nice bonus color section is included in the middle of the book which showcases some of the more popular cars from the 70's. A great book for any car fan or anyone wanting to reminisce.
May 6, 2015
very good book
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews