1950s american automobile culture 1950s american automobile culture enduring influence culture united_states reflected popular music major trends 1950s mainstream acceptance hot rod culture american manufacturing economy switched producing war related items consumer goods end world war end 1950s working americans employed directly indirectly automotive industry united_states world largest manufacturer automobiles goal years earlier man good job able afford automobile achieved new generation service businesses focusing customers automobiles sprang decade including drive drive restaurants drive theaters cinemas decade began million registered automobiles road world war poor condition automobiles parts produced war owing restrictions factories transition consumer based economy million cars produced year million cars registered united_states twice number start decade national defenses support military transport national_highway_system expanded interstate highways beginning parts united_states wider multi lane highways allowed traffic faster speeds way wide open spaces highways basis numerous billboards showing advertisements reflected contemporary american automotive large flowing designs reminiscent rockets radio imitated common owing efforts design pioneers interstate highway system dwight national system interstate defense highways commonly called interstate system simply interstate network freeways forms national_highway_system united_states serving supreme commander allied forces europe world war gained appreciation network essential component national defense system providing transport routes military supplies troop deployments construction authorized original portion completed years later system contributed shaping united_states world economic highly nation interstate grew quickly automobile industry allowing new found mobility ways american life culture automobile interstate american symbol freedom time automobile buyers accepted automobile drove indicated social standing level statement personality extension self concepts investment infrastructure highways bridges coincided increasing availability cars suited higher speeds better roads possible allowing people live confines major cities instead work world war land developers began buy land outside city limits larger cities build mass quantities inexpensive tract houses examples planned pennsylvania developed beginning suburb philadelphia promise single family home land free college education low interest loans given returning soldiers purchase homes bill drove demand new homes unprecedented level additionally million babies born year 1950s end baby boom era million baby born need suburban housing automobiles city centers work shopping end 1950s americans lived suburbs united_states largest cities recorded declining population decade consequent loss tax revenues city culture los_angeles center car culture gained population economist commented automobile possible suburbs automobile essential decline inner city people joined middle class 1950s money spend availability consumer goods expanded economy including automobile americans spending time automobiles viewing extension identity helped fuel boom automobile sales businesses directly indirectly related auto industry saw tremendous growth decade new designs innovations appealed generation tuned fashion glamour new found freedom way life suburbs consequences inner cities 1950s saw beginning white flight urban driven increasing automobile ownership local national transportation laws encouraged time ended damaging cities economically middle class affluent people fled city relative quiet open spaces suburbs urban centers deteriorated lost population time cities experiencing lower tax base flight higher income pressures new deal forced offer benefits increasing average cost benefits employee percent addition hiring average percent employees serve cities americans driving cars fewer public transportation practical extend suburbs time number surface roads exploded serve increasing numbers individually owned cars city country resources time perception public transportation turned negative arguably extreme example detroit fifth largest city united_states residents reduction percent instances automotive industry directly responsible decline public transportation great american scandal saw standard oil california phillips petroleum companies purchase number electric trains 1930s 1940s percent city dismantled argued deliberate destruction larger strategy push united_states automobile united_states inc found guilty violations story explored times print film media example framed taken ride end women rights automobile unions played leading role advancing cause women rights organized strengthen women role union encourage participation union elected bodies met hostility leaders instructed officials women allowed employment truck drivers proved temporary wartime measure change heart leadership mid-1950s led equal pay act women auto industry considered leaders movement women rights hot increasing popularity hot cars modifying increase performance reflected creation special interest magazines catering culture oldest magazine editor founded original publication licensed affiliation relative abundance inexpensive nature ford model cars 1920s 1940s helped fuel hot rod culture developed focused getting linear speed older automobiles origin term hot rod unclear culture post war culture 1950s hot rod magazine november cover announced hot rod exceed mph hand crafted car built mercury set record salt flats acre region called holy american hot land speed racing tradition grew rapidly 1950s continues today hot raw power started 1950s artists transformed automobile pin seldom accent followed lines car freestyle art form famous flying intricate spider web designs decade began hand drawn pin popular method looks hot rod decade progressed hot popular hobby growing number teenagers sport literally came main street drag racing drag racing existed cars 1950s started mainstream beginning drag strip united_states strip founded hart orange county airport auxiliary runway southern california operational june hot rod editor created largest governing body popular sport october professional drag strips operational united_states powerful racing developed dramatically debuted racing fuel continues primary component fuel drag racing today nascar nascar second popular spectator sports united_states national_football_league nfl incorporated february built roots 1950s years later asphalt opened south_carolina sport saw dramatic growth 1950s tremendous success construction began mile high banked near use cup series started winning series prestigious race series attracted million television viewers born 1950s like father grandfather father nascar stock car racing general roots prohibition took sport 1950s equally known arrest operating father racing success ended spending year ohio prison soon returned sport retiring driver new business models faster food americans began driving cars entirely new categories businesses came allow enjoy products services having leave cars includes drive restaurant later drive window 2010s sonic drive restaurant chain provided primarily drive service restaurants states serving approximately million customers day known use roller company annually hosts competition determine skating system number successful drive businesses roots 1950s including mcdonald expanded facilities requiring customers park walk window taking order lack dining facilities allowed mcdonald sell cents instead typical cents people buying fired installed larger reduced menu radically changed industry introducing assembly line methods food production similar auto industry dubbing redesigned sign specifically easier road creating familiar yellow double arch structure joined mcdonald franchise agent subsequently purchased chain mcdonald brothers oversaw worldwide growth chains created serve increasingly mobile patron opened rapidly expanded locating restaurants near california new freeway ramps restaurant models initially relied new ownership automobiles willingness patrons automobiles drive service account percent profits drive movies drive theater form cinema structure consisting large outdoor movie screen projection booth concession stand large parking area automobiles patrons view movie comfort cars listen electric speaker placed parking spot drive movies appeared post war era popular enjoying greatest success 1950s reaching peak theaters united_states drive theaters popular culture movie television series happy days developed reputation showing movies typically monster horror films passion pits place teenagers drive theaters today remaining longer unique america associated 1950s american car culture drive movies seen somewhat resurgence popularity 21st century baby nostalgia started nation drive church california regular service chapel miles away travel drive second sunday service listened sermon comfort cars movie theater speaker boxes modern shopping built 1950s use term mall describe business model early moved away dense commercial largely residential suburbs seattle credited modern mall design rows businesses facing walkway separating opened world massachusetts story mall opened year later design modified detroit michigan centralized design anchor store middle mall stores mall parking lot completely surrounding shopping center provide central heat air conditioning center opened minnesota outside minneapolis combine modern elements enclosed story design central heat air conditioning plus comfortable common area featured large department stores anchors industry professionals consider center modern regional mall formula enclosed space stores attached away downtown accessible automobile popular way build retail world pioneers mall design came effect new design creation enormous land seas parking spread suburban 1950s jump started industry add cars continues today oldest wheel company american racing started builds wheels wheels car introduced barrel ford offered ford versions performance enthusiasts started great depression expanded war provided variety high performance parts new hot popular equipment setting speed records salt flats owners longer restricted original equipment provided manufacturers helping create hot rod culture foundation modifications creation rapid expansion possible enthusiasts automobiles distribution new cars sold automobile 1950s automobiles sale number department stores ordered mid decade outlets vanished automobile dealer sole source new automobiles starting mid-1950s new car introductions fall anticipated event dealers reveal models upcoming year october era primary source information new models dealer idea originally suggested 1930s president great depression way economy creating demand idea reintroduced president reasons method introducing year models preceding autumn lasted 1990s decade smaller manufacturers compete big went business merged formed hudson merged deal worth million largest corporate merger united_states history time muscle cars muscle car era deeply rooted 1950s debate exact beginning old cars weekly claims started introduction original firepower engine hot rod magazine consider overhead valve engine chevrolet heir apparent ford position staple racing small block developed exists today contenders include engine long line powerful engines year regardless credited horsepower race centered engine muscle car era lasted new regulations forced dramatic changes engine design early 1970s turn opened new opportunities manufacturers like year brought larger engines increases horsepower providing catalyst customers upgrade newer models automobile executives deliberately updated body designs yearly planned added newly developed improved features automatic power steering power brakes cruise control effort previous models outdated facilitate long drive suburbs record sales decade arguably golden era automobile manufacturing popularized saying race sunday sell monday heard today particularly nascar muscle car era manufacturers sponsored drivers designed stock cars specifically compete fast growing highly popular sport songs celebrating automobile automobile extension individual natural reflected popular culture america love affair automobile evident music era rocket recorded originally credited later discovered work kings rhythm credited rock roll song produced covered artists recorded recorded version charted number billboard hot produced version motion picture song popular live song artists asleep released uptempo rocker describing hot rod race lover girlfriend hit described rolling_stone starting point rock roll guitar wake little recorded reached number billboard pop chart despite having banned boston radio stations lyrics reputation shot narrator date slept drive movie date missed hours teen angel released initially met resistance radio stations dark message young girl dies automobile train accident songs recorded decade reflect automobile place american culture celebrated nostalgic
1950s American automobile culture