My Uncles Always Had The Cool Cars

Arguably, the 1960’s were the golden era for the American automobile. With cheap gas and the Arab Oil Embargo having not yet occurred, this was without a doubt the heyday for fast Detroit machines. Everywhere you looked, the American automobile manufacturers were engaged in an all-out war to see who could build the fastest production vehicle. The more chrome and the biggest engine were a necessity for young men everywhere. Moreover, the need for speed was not lost for a child growing up in not one but two families full of car nuts.

Probably my earliest memories would be of 1955 and 1957 Chevrolets on both sides of the family. My dad at one time or another owned at least one of both, of course, my Uncle Doug on the other hand owned several 1955’s as well. Then there was Uncle Lesley and his light blue Chevrolet Impala, even now I remember just how beautiful I thought that car was. However, the first time I really experienced what it was like to travel fast would have to be in my Uncle Doug’s 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS 396. That car was a beautiful maroon and to this day, I will never forget the trip he and my parents and I made to see relatives in South Carolina. I can still remember sitting in the backseat listening to the tunes coming out of that old AM radio, and the rumble coming out the exhaust from that big block masterpiece under the hood.

My grandparents and my Uncle Morris owned 1965 Impalas as well, Morris had one that was a bright yellow and really looked fast, but on the other hand the one my grandparents owned was a white four door and just did not have the same appeal. Just like in my own family my mom and dad owned a 1968 Plymouth VIP, and while it was a very luxurious car for its time, I never thought it was as cool as some others, at least until I became old enough to drive it and realized just what I had. That big car with its 383 cubic inch motor and four-barrel carburetor sitting on top of it, that you swear you could hear the gas run through, would absolutely fly.

Probably the biggest car guy in either family had to be my Uncle Roy, it seemed that he always had a cool car, from thunderbirds to Cadillac’s it seemed every time I saw him he had a new car. The one I loved the most had to be a dark blue with white racing stripes 1966 Ford Fairlane GT. Riding with him in that car with the windows rolled down was as fun as riding on any roller coaster at Six Flags.

As cool as those cars were, there were more. In 1968, my Uncle Thomas bought a brand new Chevelle SS396; it was light blue and built for speed. Never could I forget the time he and my dad and I went fishing at Chickamauga dam and he made a quick U-turn sliding around and very quickly squealing the tires as we sped off in the other direction. While I cannot remember if I caught anything, the highlight of the day was riding in that factory built rocket ship.

There was also Uncle Calvin and his brown 1970 Chevy Nova SS, and Uncle Edwin with his 1972 Chevelle SS that was an awesome dark blue with white racing stripes. Unfortunately, by the time I, started driving gas became more expensive and government mandates and insurance companies killed the muscle car, as we knew it. However, in the past few years American auto manufacturers have revived a lot of the fender badges from the 1960’s and 1970’s and are now producing some very awesome pieces of machinery. The biggest difference however is the price. Gone are the days, and probably for good reason, when a young man can afford the type of cars that every young man drooled over when I was a kid.

The cars I grew up with are now only memories for most of us. Many came to their final resting place in junkyards and scrapyards throughout this country. The rest now sit in garages of collectors and enthusiasts protected and traded much like commodities. For me however, I will never forget what it was like to ride with my uncles in those factory built masterpieces of chrome and steel.