Talk:1950s American automobile culture

Sourcing
There is at least one source here that has been published by iUniverse. That publisher is a vanity press, so WP:SPS will need to be considered. - Sitush (talk) 01:53, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Which source? I've got piles of books on the subject, finding a better source isn't a problem.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 02:40, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Martin H. Levinson (May 2011). Brooklyn Boomer: Growing Up in the Fifties. iUniverse. pp. 64–. ISBN 978-1-4620-1712-6. Retrieved 1 December 2012. It's one heck of an article you've been working, Dennis - kudos for that. - Sitush (talk) 09:44, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Ah, I can replace that easily, or perhaps just add to it. Not all self published books are bad, as I'm sure you know.  I've tried hard to not only use good sources, but use a variety of them as well, some of which are "weaker" perhaps, but quality nonetheless.  I will work on that later today.  Thanks for the heads up. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 12:03, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Link will be needed - and apostrophe not needed
There's an existing paragraph at United_States_in_the_1950s which will benefit from a link to this article when it hits article space!

And my comment on the apostrophe: "1950's" is either "of the year 1950" or "1950 is/has" (unencyclopedically colloquial). Looking at other usage in WP such as 1960s decor and List of 1960s UK Singles Chart number ones suggests that even if "1950s'" might be grammatical, it's not used. So no apostrophe, please. Pam D  12:21, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Cultural impacts
Couple of suggested books/articles: Keri (talk) 12:45, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Marling, Karal Ann (1994). As Seen on TV: The Visual Culture of Everyday Life in the 1950s. Harvard University Press. (In particular the chapter "Autoeroticism: America's love affair with the car in the television age.")
 * Martin, R. (1997). Fashion and the Car in the 1950s. Journal of American Culture, 20(3): 51–66.
 * Gartman, David (1994). Auto Opium: A Social History of American Automobile Design. Routledge.
 * Looks good, thanks for the tips! Time to hit amazon and see if I can find a dead tree version on the cheap.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 13:11, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Keri (talk) 20:34, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Hey, Kenneth (1980) Cars and Films in American Culture, 1929-1959. Michigan Quarterly Review, 19(4): 588-600

Stuff that's not obviously culture related
I'm parking here the material that doesn't seem to me to be obviously culture related.

Lead
Innovations such as push-button automatic transmissions also came into production.

Changes in the industry
As the automobile industry was maturing, a number of radical changes took place. No longer a coach industry, mass production and the ability to benefit from economies of scale led to a number of changes in the business end of the industry. One of the most significant changes was the successful campaign of marketing the V8 engine to a public that was ever ready for more powerful and larger automobiles. Another was consolidation of the industry. While the decade started with a number of independent auto manufacturers, it ended with virtually none, as the independents were consolidated or went out of business altogether.

The Big Three get bigger
While 125 automobile companies had sprung up in Detroit at the beginning of the 20th century, Ford quickly rose to the top and by the close of the 1950s, the industry was dominated by what would soon be called the "Big Three", who employed (directly or indirectly) one out of six working Americans.

In American automobile parlance, the Big Three refers to General Motors (GM), Ford and Chrysler. Each of these companies has either bought out other companies or produced cars under a number of other brand names. As an example, GM produced Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac (now defunct), Cadillac and Oldsmobile (now defunct), as well as GM light, medium and heavy duty trucks. Ford sold cars under the Lincoln and Mercury names, as well as the Ford line. Chrysler had the Plymouth (now defunct), Imperial (1955-1975), Desoto (now defunct) and Dodge, in addition to Chrysler branded vehicles. Since the 1950s, a number of other mergers, buyouts and closures of auto lines have taken place with all three manufacturers.

Each of these individual divisions was a standalone auto manufacturer at one time, and the 1950s saw an increase in the power of the three largest manufacturers of the time. While many other brands saw a decline in sales or simply went out of business, the Big Three grew larger, as did the power and influence of the associated labor unions. By the mid 1950s, 35% of all non-agricultural workers in America belonged to a union. Memberships grew over the coming years, but the economy grew even faster, and the actual percentage of total workers declined after the 1950s, but labor unions had permanently established themselves in the American economy.

American Motors is founded


In 1954, the smaller American Motors was formed when Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, in what was at the time the largest corporate merger in U.S. history, worth nearly $200 million. Other mergers with smaller independent manufacturers followed; yet American Motors (AMC) was never large enough to eclipse any of the Big Three.

The Hudson Hornet of the 1950s enjoyed some success, particularly in NASCAR. The 1953 Hornet served as the basis for the character "Doc" in Pixar's 2006 blockbuster movie Cars. Doc was based on the real life Fabulous Hudson Hornet, which was actually a series of different race cars driven by Marshall Teague and Herb Thomas.

The Rambler was the company's most successful model of the time. It was based on previous models by Nash, and eventually became a completely new brand in 1957, with production continuing under this name until 1969.

After American Motors was formed from most of the remaining independent automakers, no other independent has since had an impact in the American automotive sales market, making the 1950s the end of the era of independent makers.

Willys enjoyed tremendous success building jeeps for the U.S. military during World War II but suffered stagnant sales after this time. It was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser who had already formed Kaiser-Frazer, to become the Kaiser-Willys Sales Corporation. Plummeting sales caused the Willys brand name to be abandoned by Kaiser by 1955, which had begun using the name Jeep for the new Kaiser-Jeep built vehicles; the company was bought out by AMC in 1970.

The Big Three get bigger
While 125 automobile companies had sprung up in Detroit at the beginning of the 20th century, Ford quickly rose to the top and by the close of the 1950s, the industry was dominated by what would soon be called the "Big Three", who employed (directly or indirectly) one out of six working Americans.

In American automobile parlance, the Big Three refers to General Motors (GM), Ford and Chrysler. Each of these companies has either bought out other companies or produced cars under a number of other brand names. As an example, GM produced Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac (now defunct), Cadillac and Oldsmobile (now defunct), as well as GM light, medium and heavy duty trucks. Ford sold cars under the Lincoln and Mercury names, as well as the Ford line. Chrysler had the Plymouth (now defunct), Imperial (1955-1975), Desoto (now defunct) and Dodge, in addition to Chrysler branded vehicles. Since the 1950s, a number of other mergers, buyouts and closures of auto lines have taken place with all three manufacturers.

Each of these individual divisions was a standalone auto manufacturer at one time, and the 1950s saw an increase in the power of the three largest manufacturers of the time. While many other brands saw a decline in sales or simply went out of business, the Big Three grew larger, as did the power and influence of the associated labor unions. By the mid 1950s, 35% of all non-agricultural workers in America belonged to a union. Memberships grew over the coming years, but the economy grew even faster, and the actual percentage of total workers declined after the 1950s, but labor unions had permanently established themselves in the American economy.

American Motors is founded


In 1954, the smaller American Motors was formed when Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, in what was at the time the largest corporate merger in U.S. history, worth nearly $200 million. Other mergers with smaller independent manufacturers followed; yet American Motors (AMC) was never large enough to eclipse any of the Big Three.

The Hudson Hornet of the 1950s enjoyed some success, particularly in NASCAR. The 1953 Hornet served as the basis for the character "Doc" in Pixar's 2006 blockbuster movie Cars. Doc was based on the real life Fabulous Hudson Hornet, which was actually a series of different race cars driven by Marshall Teague and Herb Thomas.

The Rambler was the company's most successful model of the time. It was based on previous models by Nash, and eventually became a completely new brand in 1957, with production continuing under this name until 1969.

After American Motors was formed from most of the remaining independent automakers, no other independent has since had an impact in the American automotive sales market, making the 1950s the end of the era of independent makers.

Willys enjoyed tremendous success building jeeps for the U.S. military during World War II but suffered stagnant sales after this time. It was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser who had already formed Kaiser-Frazer, to become the Kaiser-Willys Sales Corporation. Plummeting sales caused the Willys brand name to be abandoned by Kaiser by 1955, which had begun using the name Jeep for the new Kaiser-Jeep built vehicles; the company was bought out by AMC in 1970.

Notable failures
In 1956, Ford tried to revive the Continental brand as a standalone line of ultra luxury automobiles, but abandoned the attempt after the 1957 model year after building around 3000 Mark II cars. The failure was due in part to the price tag, $9695, which was an extraordinary amount of money for the time. The Continental thereafter became a successful car model under Ford's Lincoln brand.

The Edsel made its debut as a separate car division of Ford on September 4, 1957, for the 1958 model year. It ended up being a marketing blunder that not only set back Ford almost $250 million, a staggering amount at the time, but the failure turned the word "Edsel" into a neologism that still exists today. Named after Henry Ford's son Edsel Ford, the car sold very few units, and production for the final 1960 model year had ceased by November 1959.

Kaiser, Frazer and the economy/compact Henry J product lines all ceased production before the end of the 1955 model year run partly due to the failure to produce and market a viable V8 engine in a marketplace increasing focus on the clout (and horsepower) associated with a V8 power plant. In particular, the Henry J (named after Henry J Kaiser sold an initially strong 82,000 units with its 68hp, inline-four power plant and optional 80hp inline-six, but starting at $1363, the consumer could buy a full sized Chevrolet auto with an inline-6 for only $200 more than the Henry J inline-4, making it economically unappealing and all three lines underpowered when compared to the offerings of the Big Three.

DeSoto died a slow death in the 1950s due to circumstances beyond the control of Chrysler. As Chrysler had moved their primary product line into the main stream price range when they came out with the upper priced Imperial line, putting it in direct competition with their own DeSoto line. By 1958, sales were under 50,000 units per year and the in its final year, 1961, Desoto was no longer a line of cars but marked simply as the DeSoto, and offered in a two door hardtop as well as a four door hardtop model only.

Packard began the 1950s on a difficult note, as sales dropped from 116,248 in 1949 to an underwhelming 42,627 in 1950. While their higher end products enjoyed advanced features like automatic transmissions as standard equipment, their overall body design was considered dated. They merged with Studebaker in 1954 to form Studebaker-Packard Corporation, but they were forced to cease production of Packards in late 1958 after failing to keep up with the advances and sales of the Big Three.

Studebaker had enjoyed earlier success and was the first independent automaker to produce a V8 engine, a 232.6 cubic inch, 120hp unit, which was also the first V8 in the low price field. After the 1954 merger failed to fix the financial woes that had plagued Studebaker for years, the company renamed itself the Studebaker Corporation in 1962 and was defunct by 1967.

Bigger, better, shinier
The appetite for larger cars, larger engines with more horsepower, more chrome and even larger tailfins were evident as the decade progressed. While there were a number of compact cars produced in the 1950s, both domestic like Crosley and imports such as the original Toyopet in 1958, which was soon renamed the Toyota Crown. Volkswagen had began importing the Beetle in 1949 but sales were slow for years and wouldn't see a surge in popularity until the late 1960s. Large American built cars sold in the millions each year, while the best selling import, the Volkswagen Beetle only claimed about 200,000 registered owners total.

Each year, the new models offered even larger tailfins and greater amounts of chrome. Manufacturers poured tremendous resources into updating the cars every year in an effort to make the previously year's models look outdated, as a means to increase trade-ins and new sales. Along with other innovations, each year came with larger engines offering more horsepower, and larger body designs with more glass and extravagant styling.

Automotive innovations
Many innovations made it safer to drive at higher speeds, or required less effort. New safety equipment, lower relative prices and the growing number of suburbs (fed by the new highway system) driving automobiles became more common, as did driving greater distances, which was getting more comfortable and safer. This helped feed the desire to replace cars soon, as each new model had more technology, more creature comforts and safety features than the year before during the 1950s. Being more than technological changes, many of these innovations changed the way we used cars entirely.

The first automatic transmissions were developed by General Motors during the 1930s but it wasn't until 1950 that Chevrolet offered them on inexpensive cars. By 1952, 2 million cars per year were sold with automatics, representing almost half the total units sold. By the end of the decade, automatic transmissions dominated new car sales.

Before the 1950s, most automobiles had been built using a kingpin based front suspension. This limited the degree of free movement, and ultimately the smoothness of the ride, particularly at higher speeds. While not quite as durable as a kingpin suspension, the newer suspensions made the cars safer, more controllable and comfortable at the new highway speeds.

Spoke wheels were used until the 1950s, which were lighter but were not as safe at highway speeds. They gave way to solid metal wheels, which added to the safety and durability of the automobile, and allowing larger, smoother riding tires. This facilitated higher speeds with the automobile, reducing the time it took to move even greater distances, making a move to the suburbs more practical.

Unibody construction didn't come into popular use until the 1950s. Unlike the older chassis design, unibody construction allowed greater distribution of the load over the entire frame of the car, making them more rigid, easy to handle, thus safer.

American car manufacturers Nash was the first automaker to offer optional seatbelts in 1949 ) and Ford soon followed suit, but it was Swedish automaker Saab who first made seat belts as standard in 1958, and the US builders followed soonafter. The car was progressively becoming safer as the decade progressed.

The 1953 Chrysler Imperial was the first production car in twelve years to actually have automobile air conditioning, following tentative experiments by Packard in 1940 and Cadillac in 1941. The Pontiac Star Chief offered the first modern "under hood" design in 1954. and by the end of the decade, most lower priced autos offered air conditioning as an option.

Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available passenger car power steering system on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial, marketed the name Hydraguide. General Motors introduced the 1952 Cadillac with a power steering system based on research done for the company almost twenty years earlier.

Power brakes had been invented in 1903, but they didn't become commonplace until the 1950s. Self-adjusting brakes initially were offered on the 1957 Mercury and 1958 Edsel, and other manufacturers soon followed suit.

The 1950s saw the changeover from using generators to alternators in the car's charging system, and by 1960, most vehicles were using the superior alternator system, allowing the great use of electrical devices such as power windows and seats in the car, including the first car heated seats, credited to Cadillac in 1966.

Cruise control has existed in automobiles since 1910, and usually consisted of a centrifugal governor that controlled engine speed rather than vehicle speed. This systems was based on an invention from 1788 by James Watt and Matthew Boulton, which used a similar method for use in locomotives. These were most notably used by Peerless. The modern cruise control system, which controls actual vehicle speed, traces its roots to blind inventor Ralph Teetor, who invented the system in 1945. It was until 1958 that the new cruise control, then dubbed "Auto-piolt" was offered on Imperial and select Chrysler vehicles. General motors followed suit the next year by offering a similar system in their Cadillac lineup. By 1960, every major automobile manufacturers offered cruise control as an option.

Near misses
Several technologies were invented or at least became workable in the 1950s, yet took years or decades to become common place. In some cases, the technology simply wasn't ready, and in other cases, the buying public would accept or more commonly, wouldn't pay the extra cost. This includes disk brakes, first offered on the Chrysler Imperial and Town and Country models, but they were not as effective and were offered as a $400 option, forcing Chrysler to abandon the option and return to drum brakes after 1954.

John Hetrick invented the first airbag in 1953 (U.S. Patent #2,649,311), what he called at the time a "safety cushion assembly for automotive vehicles." Others followed suit, even though it wasn't until over 30 years later that they become common. Anti-skid breaks (a form of anti-lock brakes) was invented by Road Research Laboratories in Great Britain in 1958, but wouldn't see widespread use in the U.S. for decades.

Radial tires, first invented in 1915 by Arthur W. Savage but it wasn't until 1948 that Michelin brought the first steel belted radial to market. Due to the harsher ride and higher expense, it would be three decades in 1978 before they overcame bias-ply tires as OEM use in the US, as car manufacturers began designing auto suspensions specifically designed for the tire design. This left autos of the 1950s dominated by the use of bias-ply tires.

V8 engine
Ford had introduce the flathead V8 engine 1932, and it quickly had gained popularity, but the 1950s saw the most dramatic changes in the V8 in both reliability and power. In particular was the Chevrolet small block 265 cubic inch engine that was released in the 1955 model year, which itself became the basis for the subculture, and is the same foundation for the V8 engines still in use by General Motors today. The original 265 cubic inch engine with a two-barrel carburetor produced 162 horse power, while the four-barrel version in the 1955 Corvette produced 195 hp, which was a lot of power at the time. By 1957, the engine had been increased to 283 cubic inches, including one fuel injected version that produce 283 hp, the first engine to have a ratio of 1:1 horse power versus cubic inches.

Ford introduced the Ford Y-block engine mid-decade and the similar but larger Lincoln Y-block V8 engine for their luxury car lines in 1954. The first Ford Y-block displaced 239 cubic inches and was rated at 130 horsepower, a significant step up from the 105hp rating of the flathead. Like the GM motor, it used an overhead valve design rather than the inblock valve design inherent to all flathead engines.

Chrysler created their V-8 Firepower engine for the 1951 model year, using hemispherical combustion chambers. It displaced 331.1 cid and produced an impressive 180 hp at 4000 rpm While the name "Firepower" is no longer used, the name "Hemi" is still synonymous with Chrysler as a trademarked name for its engines, although they no longer use hemispherical combustion. By 1959, Chrysler had a 375hp, 413cid engine in their Chrysler 300, triple the average horsepower from a decade before, setting a trend that would continue through the next decade.

The 1950s gave birth to the horsepower war and started the muscle car era that continued until the smog regulations of the early 1970s forced manufacturers to scale back the emissions, thus the horsepower of their engines. The transition from flathead engines to a overhead valve design allowed greater RPMs, which in turn led to higher horsepower ratings, although at the expense of the new engines being heavier and more complicated in design. Other powerful engines had come before, including the Straight 8 (most notably in the 1921 Duesenberg straight-8) and several companies developed V12 engines, but none had the societal and marketing impact of the V8. Many maker adorned their automobiles with "V8" emblems to advertise the power plant on their "fully loaded" automobiles, and the V8 engine soon became the engine of choice for power hungry consumers, turning the engine type itself into an American icon.

Lingering influences
The 2000s have seen a resurgence of retro styling in new automotive design, sometimes blending ideas from different eras. Cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser started a trend of retro yet practical vehicles. Soon after, the Chevrolet HHR was created by the same designer and is an obvious example of retro design, with obvious similarities to the Chevrolet Suburban of the 1950s. The Suburban itself has been in production since 1935 (excepting 1943-1945, when war time rationing forced all automakers to stop domestic production) making it one of the longest lived model names in the industry.

While cars from the 1960s such as the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger are more likely to be recreated in retro fashion, the larger era still holds a bit or romance for American buyers today. Additionally, a number of models first introduced in the 1950s are still in production after several generational upgrades. In other cases, names first used in or around the 1950s have been reintroduced for new models that do not share a common developmental line, and are used solely for marketing purposes.

Chevrolet Corvette
First introduced in 1953, the Corvette is America's supercar and has been in continuous production ever since, enjoying a loyal following.

Chevrolet Impala
Introduced in 1958, the Impala enjoyed tremendous success throughout the late 1950s until originally canceled in 1985. Production resumed in 1994, and apart from 1999, has continued since.

Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird started as a sports car in 1955, but by the 1970s had grown to a much larger luxury coupe. It was produced from 1955 through 1997 and again from 2002 to 2005.

Ford F-Series
The moniker F-Series was first used in 1948 and has been used continuously since. It includes the F-150, which has been the best selling pickup for over three decades.

Chrysler 300
This model was first introduced in 1955 as the C-300, powered by the 331 hemi. Only 1,725 were built and sold for $4,109, a steep price at the time. The marque has undergone a large number of changes over the years, including the Chrysler 300 letter series and Chrysler 300 non-letter series of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, before being reintroduced in 2004 under the Chrysler 300 name. The new Chrysler 200 model was introduced in 2011 which was effectively a renaming of the Sebring, playing on the marketing power and history of the 300 model name.

Chrysler Town and Country
The original Town and Country was a station wagon built from 1941 – 1988. The original 1941 model was a luxury woody wagon and sold less than 1000 units, but by 1951 had lost its wood panels. By 1959, consumers could choose from 22 different interior material and the wagon offered new innovations such as cruise control and air conditioning. Chrysler re-purposed the name back in 1984 as the best seller Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

Malleus Fatuorum 17:15, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

V8
Ford had introduce the flathead V8 engine 1932, and it quickly had gained popularity, but the 1950s saw the most dramatic changes in the V8 in both reliability and power with the introduction of the Chevrolet small block 265 cubic inch overhead value engine. The "small block Chevy" became the basis for a subculture that still exists, and this engine is the same foundation for the V8 engines still in use by General Motors today. The original 265 cubic inch engine with a two-barrel carburetor produced 162 horse power, and 1957, the engine had been increased to 283 cubic inches, including one fuel injected version that produce 283 hp, the first engine to have a ratio of 1:1 horse power versus cubic inches. The muscle car era started in the 1950s, fueling America's thirst for larger engines, which themselves became an indication of status.


 * Something like this that can be added with with other cultural aspects of the V8. This should tie into the "hot rod" section, as well as the aftermarket section somehow, being the most modified engine of all time. I don't know, but thinking something needs to be in there considering the small block chevy culture is still with us.  Mine is a Gen III LQ4, 6.0L 364cid, 300hp/360lbft with iron block and aluminum heads, with 4.10 gears.  Yes, it is a subculture. ;)  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 19:23, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Meh, I need to work on this more. There is something to be included on the V8, just not sure how and where.  It is shaping up nicely, I don't want to mess that up with an awkwardly worded section mashed into it.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 07:12, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Try starting the section with the last sentence on muscle cars, which is the cultural aspect here. Then a little bit about the V8 should slot straight in. Malleus Fatuorum 14:27, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I added a section before I caught this, but it is inline with your suggestion. I still need to add a sentence or two about the status afforded by having a V8, and how anything less was considered "less".  Need good sourcing for that though.  This is starting to really shape up, you have no idea how appreciative I am.  I've already learned a great deal.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 15:38, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * It's shaping up very nicely. I think once you get your citations in the new sections sorted out you'll be ready for prime time and your (first?) DYK. Harder than it looks writing a decent article, strange that content editors are generally considered to be second-class citizens at best. Malleus Fatuorum 15:45, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I've always held content creators in the highest regard, although you are correct that some others do not. I expect to periodically work on serious content like this in the future.  It has been a tremendous learning experience that every admin should take part in periodically.  I'm still pouring through the diffs to figure out my mistakes, but this will serve as a guide for me in the future.  I agree, it is likely just a few days away from main space.  This has a long way to go before it can make GA or FA, but I think it has the potential with a little time and help from my friends. The trimming you did helped me get focused, and I'm very appreciative of the time and patience you've generously given me, Malleus.  Btw, I do have three DYKs, two of which are recent, but no GAs/FAs.  Yet.   I've started twenty new articles since becoming an admin, eight months ago, in part to overcome some of the concerns expressed at my RfA, when I had only 19 to my credit.  Nothing special so far, but I am making the effort to move beyond mediocrity.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 02:10, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

At a dealer near you
Keri (talk) 14:59, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * "Now an insurer, Allstate had early life as a car." SouthtownStar (Chicago, IL) December 24, 2010.
 * Jedlicka, Dan. (September 22, 1996.) "On the road with Sears." Chicago Sun-Times.

For the Crosley: Keri (talk) 15:15, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Jedlicka, Dan. (July 4, 1999) "The innovative Crosley auto was way ahead of its time." Chicago Sun-Times.


 * Excellent, I will work those in. I also bought a book on the Crosley brothers 2 months ago  with the goal of improving several articles, but have only started reading it.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 15:36, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Dumping off data
Interesting book at. Found it at $225 new /$28 used on Amazon, so I won't be buying that one. At work, so putting info here on talk page for homework later, plus a few other sources to sort out.

Page 12:
 * In 1949, industry production reached a record 6,253,651 units.
 * "by the mid 1950s, the horsepower race was in full swing"
 * sales of small imports began to take off
 * "Factories supported race cars and even built special purpose cars" (page 12)
 * In 1958, the Automobile Information Disclosure Act required all new cars to display a window sticker listing the make, model, serial number and a suggested retail price."
 * The Recession of 1958 saw auto sales fell 31% compared to sales in 1957 (page 12)making 1958 the worst auto year since World War II. Unemployment in Detroit stood at a high of 18.3% that year

Page 25:
 * The post war car buying boom was damped by production restrictions due to the Korean War.


 * NADA called for fought government mandated price controls and fees, and began urging dealers to adopt a uniform code of ethics, due to the popular belief that dealers were unethically generating too much profit.

Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 19:16, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

DYK
Once in main space, I would like to see a DYK come of this, since there are some interesting facts here. Pondering hooks:

Did you know...


 * ...that in the 1950s, you could buy a car at Sears?
 * ...that in the 1950s, you could buy a car in an appliance store? (with image of Crosley next to fridge)
 * ...that Robert Schuller started the first drive-in church in 1955?
 * ...the first shopping malls were built in the 1950s?

Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 16:09, 5 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I think you need to include the title of the article in the hook, with a link, so none of those would be approved. Could be tricky. Malleus Fatuorum 23:25, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Malleus Fatuorum 23:25, 6 December 2012 (UTC)


 * What about something like:
 * ... that 1950s' American automobile culture spawned the now familiar McDonalds double-arch sign, as it was easier to see from the road?
 * Malleus Fatuorum 23:27, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I just stumbled across this page, which would be linked to the article on M-1 (Woodward Avenue) for its explanations of "cruising" and the like. I like the original hooks, and I'd pipe a link to this article to the text "in the 1950s" in the hook.  Imzadi 1979  →   23:35, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
 * That might be considered an easter egg, but maybe worth a shot. Malleus Fatuorum 23:51, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 00:01, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * ...that 1950s' American automobile culture gave us the McDonalds double arch sign and suburbia?
 * I think that's good, I'd go with that. Malleus Fatuorum 00:07, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I'm going to sleep on it, but very likely that is what I will do. Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 00:51, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I've added redirects for "1950's.." and "1950s...". I think that is all that is needed.  Not sure we really need redirects with "car" substituted for "automobile", although it is just as used as automobile in casual conversation. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 02:01, 7 December 2012 (UTC)

To add list
Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 00:51, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Motels
 * 1/6 workers were directly or indirectly in the autoindustry (some is in the above removed sections)
 * Labor unions, peak of influence and percentage of workers in unions were in the 1950s
 * Steel strike in 58 I think.
 * Korean war shortages, recession of 58 (not sure how they would fit, needs research)
 * The Woodward Dream Cruise is an annual event in Detroit and its suburbs that allows participants to relive parts of the 1950s cruising scene. It goes along with the Motorsports stuff and hot rods, but it's not quite represented here yet.  Imzadi 1979  →   03:09, 7 December 2012 (UTC)

Stray apostrophe
You'll want to lose the greengrocer's apostrophe from the title before launching this into mainspace. --MarchOrDie (talk) 21:32, 2 December 2012 (UTC)


 * It's not a greengrocer's apostrophe, it's correct. As in "American automobile culture of the 1950s". A redirect from the incorrect "1950s American automobile culture" would be good as well though. Malleus Fatuorum 22:05, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I took out the apostrophe only because that seems to be the most commonly used way to do articles here, searching 1950s compared to 1950's article titles. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 22:10, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Now I'm confused, per Malleus's "the decade owns" comment on his page, which does makes more sense. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 22:14, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Apostrophe is back in. It can be debated later, but I think Malleus is correct.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 23:43, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Aargh! It's a greengrocer. See WP:DECADE. --MarchOrDie (talk) 05:55, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * No, it's not. Have you read what Fowler has to say about what he calls possessive puzzles? Malleus Fatuorum 06:05, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * No, I haven't. Even if it was a possessive (and such isn't Wikipedia's style) it'd have to be "1950s' American automobile culture". DECADE is clear that apostrophes aren't used in decades, and there are many thousands of articles whose names reflect this usage. We use "1950's" to mean "of the year 1950", but never to show a decade. --MarchOrDie (talk) 06:10, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * It is a possessive, and Fowler would agree with you that it should be "1950s, a point I conceded earlier to Ryan Vesey on my talk page. But I have a suspicion that when the non-culture stuff is stripped out it'll become obvious that the scope of this article should be American automobile culture in general, not just the 1950s, and so I think this naming issue will become irrelevant in due course. Malleus Fatuorum 06:15, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * On reflection I'm not so sure about the scoping of this article; it may well make sense to focus on the 1950s, depending on what's available in the general literature. Malleus Fatuorum 06:28, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * It's a lovely article, and its future quality depends on defining the scope. The 1950s were certainly a golden age in American car culture and it may make sense to broaden it into a more general summary of this part of Ameican culture. As you say, it depends on the sources. --MarchOrDie (talk) 06:45, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I have already broadened the scope somewhat by including events before the 1950s that become popular primarily in the 50s, ie: drive-in theater, putting the center of the cultural changes in the 1950s, which I think makes sense and arguably, that decade was the most influential. But I'm not opposed to broadening the subject to cover the general subject of how the automobile change American culture as a generic subject matter.  That is arguably a larger and more comprehensive article and will require work.  In some ways, it would be easier, as it would allow some of the "technology" features that had a cultural impact, such as "cruise control", to have a more comprehensive section, similar to what I've already done, with it covering the invention in the 1700s, all the way to the current implementation, which traces its roots to a 1945 patent and its first installation in a 1958 Imperial, and (not currently included) its ubiquitous use as a gasoline saving device in the 1970s forward. We are in no hurry, but I'm on the fence as to which way to define the scope. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 15:57, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I would also add that many of our current supporting/linked articles are virtually worthless for building this article, due to a severe lack of sources. Perhaps this could be helpful to get those articles up to a better quality level once completed, as I've had to build what we have here virtually from scratch. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 16:01, 3 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I understand that "1950s is possessive for the 1950s decade, but, is possessive really necessary? Why can't "1950s" be a descriptor (that carries possessive implication!?) as in these articles: 1920s Berlin, 1960s Sicilian Mafia trials, 1970s energy crisis, 1990s UK local government reform, and 2000s commodities boom? (In fact I can't find an example on WP of title starting with a plural possessive decade like "1950s; maybe I don't know how to search it correctly.) If the article titles listed are okay, and it's true the apostrophe possessive isn't really needed and a descriptor can do the job, then IMO "1950s American auto[...]" is simpler and less fussy-looking. (I'm late chiming in on this, sorry.) Ok, Ihardlythinkso (talk) 01:26, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Because 1950s is a plural. The fact that someone has misnamed 1920s Berlin is neither here nor there. Would you equally argue for "childrens clothes" as opposed to "childrens' clothes"? What's obviously throwing people here is the idea of numbers being possessive, but in what sense are numbers different when they're referring to years or decades? Malleus Fatuorum 01:36, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Hmm, the one thing with dates is that they often act as adjectives. 1916 college football season is an example.  I doubt that 1950s' American automobile culture is incorrect, but I also think 1950s American automobile culture is correct.  One is making 1950s possessive and owning the American automobile culture, the other is making 1950s an adjective and describing the American automobile culture. Ryan Vesey 02:00, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * But which leaves open the ambiguity of "1950s" referring to the year 1950 or the decade. Why is it so tough to use the grammatically correct construction, even though other Wikipedia articles may not choose to do so? Malleus Fatuorum 04:05, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * There's no ambiguity, as "1950's" refers to the year, and "1950s" to the decade. --MarchOrDie (talk) 19:36, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * "1950s" refers to the plural noun, not to the possessive plural. As in "Hot rodding became popular in the 1950s", as opposed to "1950s' hot rodding has had an enduring influence on American car culture". Apostrophes have two purposes, neither of which is to eliminate ambiguity. Malleus Fatuorum 22:06, 11 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I would say "children's clothes" (I'm sure you meant "children clothes" versus "children's clothes", since "children" is already plural of course). But even then, can "children" sometimes be used as adjective?: "The Curiosity made an unbelievable find today—discovering what appears to be a collection of Martian coins, and a stash of Martian children clothes!" Anyway, I guess question is, is "1920s" in 1920s Berlin okay to use as adjective (i.e., incorrect or just not preferred)? (I think the reason there are multiple examples in use is as mentioned the adjective lends some implicit possessiveness so steals some of the job of the apostrophe; and if it's really incorrect, continued use ends up changing dictionaries right, and maybe we're already there!?) Just thoughts. Ok, Ihardlythinkso (talk) 02:51, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * What I meant was that this discussion is pointless, because the correct title is "1950s' ...". That other article titles are grammatically incorrect is a matter for them. And if you can make up a sentence in which the word "children" is correctly used as an adjective I'll give you a gold star. Malleus Fatuorum 04:01, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * That'd go for a lot on international eBay (gold star from you), but I wouldn't sell it I'd frame it. So I'll give it a go ... "The evil ogre ate spiders and armies. But his favorite dishes were wizards' gizzards, priests porridge, and children chowder." Ihardlythinkso (talk) 08:03, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I hate to butt in, and I could care less about an apostrophe, but it should be "priest porridge" and "child soup". As an adjective, you would *always* use the singular, no matter how many children were used in the soup.  The plural is for the noun. Point to Malleus.   Th e S te ve   09:47, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Thx. 'Twas just a try. (But what about eggs benedict!?) Ihardlythinkso (talk) 17:51, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Eggs is a noun. The "Benedict" describes the cooking style/method of preparation.  Like "Cheddar Cheese" or "Deep-fried butter", only the named bit is on the other side of the eggs, because English is flexible that way.
 * Okay. (But what about pickled pigs feet!? Or Cherries jubilee/cherries jubilee!?) ;) Ihardlythinkso (talk) 09:09, 9 December 2012 (UTC)
 * The 's' in pigs feet is a possessive 's', not a plural 's'. As in, the pickled feet of a pig.  Cherries jubilee is the same as eggs benedict, its a way to prepare it.  I'll give you a quarter point for this one, however, as "jubilee" seems to be heading for noun status. (English is pretty flexible that way.)  However, even though children may like such a treat, they aren't added to it.  Also note that the nounized jubilee in my example is (correctly) using both the singular cherry and the singular peach as adjectives. ;)   Th e S te ve   08:02, 10 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Huh. Took me over two days coming up with "cherries jubilee", so I'd like to hang onto it, feeling it is my best chance to wrest the gold from Malleus. (So, here goes "logical argument" mode ...) I don't understand the value of your "peach cherry jubilee" recipe cite, for example, I can find 100 recipe cites for "pickle[d] pigs feet" not having an apostrophe, but I'm supposing that fact carries no weight, since every dictionary entry I look up has an apostrophe making it possessive. Specifically, I've found two dictionary entries for "cherries jubilee" (here and here), and was able to find none for "cherry jubilee". So, I don't see how a recipe cite trumps that (since it doesn't for "pigs feet"). Without a dictionary entry for "cherry jubilee", and with two for "cherries jubilee", how can you assert that "cherry jubilee" is "(correctly) using the singular cherry", where I think you're implying "cherries jubilee" (as in the dictionary defs and undoubtedly in many many recipe cites) is not? (I even don't understand how you can assert "cherry jubilee" is correct, when I think you'd be hard pressed to come up with a single dictionary entry to support that.) There's no question that "jubilee" is a noun (right?), so I'm not sure what you mean by "heading for noun status" -- do you mean the word "cherries" preceding "jubilee" somehow changes its noun status? Ok, Ihardlythinkso (talk) 09:48, 11 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I apply one very simple test; would it make sense to rephrase "cherries jubilee" as "jubilee of cherries"? I'd say it doesn't, but it does make sense to rephrase "1950s' American car culture" as "American car culture of the 1950s". As for cherries jubilee why isn't it "cherry jubilee" anyway? We don't say "strawberries tart" for instance. Malleus Fatuorum 12:12, 11 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Interestingly, Americans say and  while British people prefer  and . Never the theoretically more accurate  or  in either country. It just goes to show that language is an open-source project which evolves and diverges over time, and as such can appear fairly chaotic. Try explaining to a learner that the correct possessive pronouns are "its" but "one's". Any centralised project like ours has to strike a sensitive balance between presciptive and descriptive grammar. My own current bugbear is the profusion of possessive names apostrophed as though they were plurals just because they end in "s". I already mentioned  as an example, and I just recently saw . It's a funny old game. --MarchOrDie (talk) 21:22, 11 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm decidedly lost here ... That test seems to be about if the word serves as possessive adjective. But am not trying to demo that, only that it serves as adjective modifier. In "silver sailboat", both words are nouns, and "sailboat of silver" probably makes no sense. But "silver" is singular noun used as adjective. In "cherries jubilee", same thing, except "cherries" is plural noun. In "1950s American auto[...]", it's a plural noun again acting as modifier (adjective), even though "American auto[...] of the 1950s" also suggests the possessive "1950s' Amierican auto[...]". My task step was trying to find a plural noun used as modifier; I think I did that for "cherries". (As to why it isn't "cherry jubilee" in the real world, I don't have conjecture for the reason for that, but it isn't.) p.s. It was the British who cooked up "cherries jubilee"! (Pun intended.) Ihardlythinkso (talk) 20:40, 11 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm British, but I've never heard of "cherries jubilee". The point I'm making is a very clear distinction between plurals and possessives; Does "jubilee of cherries" make sense to you? Yes or no? Does "American automobile culture of the 1950s" make sense to you? Yes or no? Malleus Fatuorum 21:00, 11 December 2012 (UTC)
 * So cherries jubilee is a very interesting case, because it's fairly recent. What it actually means is: "Cherries prepared in a special way for the Jubilee celebration."  Just as eggs Benedict is "Eggs prepared the same way Mr. Benedict ordered them".  These are shortcuts, and here we can actually see the English evolving.  Jubilee is evolving into "a flambeed fruit dish, with the fruit as the adjective, and so we have peach jubilee or strawberry jubilee.  So yes, "jubilee of cherries" makes sense to me.  Ultimately, English is a hugely flexible and continuously changing language, so it really makes little difference whether you use an apostrophe or not.  The important thing is to have redirects from every option :D   Th e S te ve   22:17, 11 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Anyway, the dessert is British origin. To answer Qs, does "jubilee of cherries" make sense to me? Let's say my answer is 'no'. (Fact is, after Thesteve's reply, I'm not sure.) And, does "American auto[...] of the 1950s" make sense? Yes. But I don't follow exactly the point being made... That "[...] of the 1950s" makes sense, demands that a possessive exists: "1950s' American auto[...]". Okay. But "cherries jubilee" uses plural noun ("cherries") as modifier. Is your point that "1950s" is somehow precluded from being used as plural modifier ("1950s American auto[...]") for the reason that "[...] of the 1950s" makes sense? If so, why does that have to be the case? What precludes there from being two correct ways to express: one as possessive plural ("1950s' American auto[...]"), the other as plural noun modifier ("1950s American auto[...]", same as "cherries jubilee")? (Is there rule precluding more than one way, even though there may be only one way for "cherries jubilee", where "jubilee's cherries" is not correct? [I guess that's the point. Am not trying to be intentionally dense!]) Now my turn to ask a question of you ... Can you confirm that you agree or not that "cherries jubiliee" is correct form? (You mentioned you never heard of the dessert and wondered why it wasn't "cherry jubilee". But I found two dictionary entries for "cherries", and no entry for the singular "cherry".) Ihardlythinkso (talk) 05:25, 12 December 2012 (UTC)

Cherries jubilee is the correct form. Cherries is the noun, jubilee is the modifier. I am mostly speculating that jubilee is being nounized. Living languages change all the time, and things like apostrophes get dropped from use just because it's easier. That's why we're having this discussion. One of the challenges of writing an online encyclopedia is that it's at a dynamic junction of popular usage and formal grammar. Th e S te ve  02:53, 14 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Of course I agree "cherries jubilee" is correct form (two dictionary entries). But I still don't understand "is being nounized", when "jubilee" is already a noun. Hypothetic (including some words maybe): "Each of the guests in turn gave their dessert order to the waiter: Bob ordered cherries jubilee, Carol ordered peaches jubilee, Ted ordered strawberries jubilee, and Alice ordered artichokes jubilee." Etc. (Blueberries jubilee, oranges jubilee, bananas jubilee, apples jubilee ...) You're saying what comes before "jubilee" is not a modifier!? Also, here's a perverted Q ... What is the correct plural form? "Bob ordered and ate a single serving of cherries jubilee. Ditto Carol. Ditto Ted. Ditto Alice. So all told, four cherries jubilees were ordered and eaten that evening." (No?!) Ihardlythinkso (talk) 04:27, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * In this case, jubilee is an attributive noun, and it is in fact labeled as such in my 1971 Oxford (6. Attrib. and Comb., as jubilee-bonfire, esp in reference to 1887 and 1897). Unfortunately, it's on the uncomfortable side of the actual noun, and that is where all the confusion comes from.  It is because of this placement that the attributive noun is changing from the jubilee to the fruit.  Your choices are "four orders of cherries jubilee" or "four cherry jubilees".  "Cherries jubilees" should simply be avoided, for the same reason that "children" cannot be used correctly as an adjective.  You could also use "jubilee cherries" or "jubilee-cherries", which are also used, but not as often.   Th e S te ve   08:11, 14 December 2012 (UTC)

While "1950s' culture" may be logical and grammatically correct, it is not used. Google the phrase and look at the results (picking out the relevant minority where this phrase is being used). Current English usage does not add the apostrophe. Please go for "1950s culture", as in 1920s Berlin and 1960s Sicilian Mafia trials. Pam D  08:23, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * A rose by any other name... so I'm inclined to trust it to the consensus. I'm pretty familiar with American car  culture but I'm admittedly lacking in MOS and grammar skills. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 13:04, 7 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I've raised the question at Wikipedia_talk:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers (without reference to this particular article, but using "1960s couture" as an example), in the hopes that we can get something included in WP:DECADE to save any future group of editors spending as much time as this over the question! Pam  D  14:42, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * And another thought: aren't decades similar to centuries, where we say "18th century music" and not "18th century's music"? Pam  D  14:46, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * You may write "18th century music", but you ought to be writing "18th-century music", which eliminates the problem. Malleus Fatuorum 08:13, 8 December 2012 (UTC
 * You're right - I'd use a hyphen there: I got that wrong. I like hyphens, they so often add clarity. So forget that point, sorry! Although it does show that we don't use anything like an apostrophe in that case: surely the equivalent of "1950s'" would be "18th century's". Pam  D  08:41, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I'd suggest you think about that again, unless you believe that "1960-couture" would be a credible alternative to "1960s' couture". There's no ambiguity with "18th-century", but there is with "1960s": does that refer to the year or to the decade? Malleus Fatuorum 08:52, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Thought again, still no ambiguity: 1960 and 1960's refer to the year, while 1960s refers to the decade. So "1960 couture" or "1960's couture" are of the year, and "1960s couture" is of the decade. We just disagree, as two native, science-educated, northern, speakers and writers of British English. I'm walking away from this dead horse! 'Bye. Pam  D  09:52, 9 December 2012 (UTC)


 * I still think the apostrophe looks a bit daft and over-fussy, even though it now makes grammatical sense. I have never seen a style guide which recommends this usage and I have never seen a Wikipedia article titled this way. --MarchOrDie (talk) 19:33, 7 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Fowler recommends this usage. Shouldn't we be leading rather than following? What does "1960s couture" mean? The couture of the year 1960 as in "1960's" or of the decade, as in 1960s. Why so much resistance to being precise? Malleus Fatuorum 08:15, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * To me, "1960's couture" is unambiguously that of 1960; "1960s couture" is unambiguously that of the 1960s decade. "1960s' couture" is a mess.  Pam  D  08:53, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Just spotted that DECADE does have an example: "grew up in 1960s Boston", in the bullet point focussing on two-digit decades. Pam  D  08:57, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I don't give a flying fuck what DECADE says, as I know I'm right. But I also have to recognise that being right carries no weight here, so do the fuck what you like with the article title. Malleus Fatuorum 09:03, 8 December 2012 (UTC)


 * If someone wants to put it to a poll and wait 30 days, that is fine with me. As I said, the apostrophe isn't as important as the content, so I'm not inclined to concern myself with it.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;   Join WER 21:31, 8 December 2012 (UTC)


 * This has clearly been an unproductive discussion, and time it was put to bed I think. Even though the apostrophe has been admitted at least by some to be logical and grammatically correct, a position supported by Fowler, it's very clear that logic and grammatical precision have to take second place to common usage. And as common usage is for "1960s" to double up as a collective noun and a possessive then ignorance must prevail. Malleus Fatuorum 01:10, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * As I've said, I will leave that to those wiser than me. I can rebuild a carb, and tell you the difference in the 55 and 56 Chevy rear lenses (55 is flatter).  That said, I've been a little busy and waiting for the DYK process to go through while I read up more (it looks stalled for some reason), then expect to start working toward a GA, with the help from others.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 01:22, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I look forward to the GA effort, that should be fun. What changed my mind was that the Victoria and Albert Museum has an exhibition of "1960s fashion", and I do have to concede that the apostrophe does look a little bit fussy. Malleus Fatuorum 01:25, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Need to update the DYK if you change the title. Again, I trust others to these things.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 01:34, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I'm not going to change the title, and I couldn't care less about DYK. Malleus Fatuorum 01:42, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I did it myself, just to comply with what seems to be a consensus. You know how I am about consensus.  And I know you don't care about DYK.  Since I am sincere about trying to work this completely through to FA in time, I just thought it would be cool to work it through all the steps along the way.  Silly, perhaps, but it means something to me to have done all the steps on at least one article.  And honestly, this thing is full of cool hooks.  "... that the 1950s' American automobile culture (detail pictured) led to McDonald's double arch sign and suburbia? " will be the hook and it should hit the front page in a few days, so you will have earned a DYK whether you wanted it or not.  DYK is a lot of work, but honestly, I need the experience of doing all the steps to be be a better admin, so I don't mind.  Before long, I will have to vet one or two there myself, to do my share.  I'm ready for the GA process now. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 02:25, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * DYK is a foregone conclusion, well within the scope of a trained monkey, but what you need to do before taking the next step towards GA is to stabilise the article, and then tidy it up. It's still pretty rough in places, but no point in cleaning up if it's continually changing. Malleus Fatuorum 05:36, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I was thinking of not trying to expand it much before GA, then after GA, very carefully expand the different sections with more context. At this point, I think the main changes are to determine if additional sections are required before GA.  Of course, I'm a rookie here, so open minded to whatever direction is best to achieve the goals.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 18:34, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

Question about the Interstate Highways
The article says that construction was authorized by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, yet the image right next to that statement shows a 1955 map purporting to be of the Interstate Highways as of that year. How does that work? Malleus Fatuorum 00:45, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * The 1955 map was the proposed plan. The 1956 Act funded the plan.  No interstates existed until after the 1956 funding came in.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 00:46, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Hard to read, but says "Interstate System urban routes designated in September 1955". Designated being the key word. Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 00:49, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * The image caption ought to make that clear then, as right now it looks like a map of the Interstate Highways as of 1955, not a proposal. Malleus Fatuorum 00:51, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * There is File:Interstate Highway plan August 14, 1957.jpg, among others, uploaded to Commons that show various updates to the system, if that helps.  Imzadi 1979   →   00:58, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I fixed it. When I first added it, I said it was the original design but someone changed the description. That other map is prettier, but the 55 one is the original plan. I'm open to either image, they both add value but only one should be there. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 01:16, 14 December 2012 (UTC)

Labor unions
I haven't done the research, but labor unions were at their peak numbers, as a percentage of total US workers in the 1950s, and while the number may have risen, the percentage has dropped dramatically (I remember reading this, just don't have the sources in front of me). Wouldn't this be a good section to develop up at the top in the suburbia/interstate/decline area? It was the pinnacle of unionized America, due largely to the automobile industry. Would have to dig up the numbers and sources to back them being mainly auto related, but I don't think that would be a problem. I tend to think that is an important cultural tie. Dennis Brown - 2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 01:34, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I'm working on this now, still quite rough but likely better to let me get done with the raw facts, then we can sift through, take out the trash and fix my grammar. Another issue that I had not thought of ahead of time was the women's rights aspects, but now seem quite obvious.  I love learning while I write.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 17:00, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
 * Done for now. Those sections can probably be expanded a bit but I thought it better if I leave it simple and clearly sourced and allow others to contribute, maybe having something better in mind.  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 17:17, 14 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Could use help on the union section, make it more auto related. I found this  and  and  plus  and raw UAW numbers from . Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 00:34, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * We need to give that section a bit more thought I think, as we seem to be in danger of drifting away from culture and towards socio-political economics. I may have made that term up, but I'm sure you get my drift. Malleus Fatuorum 00:59, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I agree, I'm better at digging up sources, understanding the material and such, but sometimes I need blinders to keep from wandering. I think we can shore it up and will this weekend. You have to remember, I'm used to gnoming, adding singular facts and sources, or a whole paragraph. I'm like a kid the first time out without training wheels :)  I have done several articles, but they were all very focused and drift wasn't a concern. Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 02:02, 15 December 2012 (UTC)

I suggested on MF's talk page that some attention to autoworkers should be made. The UAW's role in the Democratic Party and AFL-CIO should be discussed; the role of Walter Reuther (and Victor) in practice and popular culture should be discussed. Autoworkers were ranked highest in alienation in this study: In Sweden, concerns with alienation led to Saab's Trollhattan factory. At the same time, UAW members started to have rather high salaries, very high by the 1980s. The autoindustry and related industries in the steel belt led to northern migration of blacks and Appalachians, which transformed the USA. More generally, race should be discussed, particularly desegregation in high-skilled areas of factory. I already cited Black Detroit and the Rise of the UAW, which focuses on the 30s but has some discussion of the 1950s. Interstate buses were important in the civil rights movement; Bayard Rustin spent time on a chain gang for the first busing protest. I previously noted the role of OR/MS and the whiz kids at GM (Robert McNamara, etc.); the role of organizational man in popular culture (the man in the grey flannel suit) should be mentioned. In the 1960s, there was a romantic reaction against technocracy and administration. Kiefer .Wolfowitz  12:20, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
 * Alienation and Freedom: The Factory Worker and His Industry (1964).

More covers of Hot Rod Lincoln
You forgot to add Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen ;-) .  Montanabw (talk) 00:35, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * My personal favorite is Asleep at the Wheel, but I was raised in Texas, so it's no wonder I'm biased that way. CC's is here  Dennis Brown -  2&cent;    &copy;  Join WER 01:55, 15 December 2012 (UTC)

Debating yet another rename
I've been mulling it over, and I'm leaning towards American automobile culture in the 1950s yet again. This is likely due in part to my working on a companion article, American automotive manufacturing in the 1950s, in user space currently User:Dennis Brown/Articles/American automotive manufacturing in the 1950s. now moved. And yes, anyone is welcome to join in, it is quite raw at this point and needs the culture elements stripped of it, originally being a fork of this article. Wanted to get feedback now that some time has passed to mull it over. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:35, 22 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I don't like your proposed rename, but of course it's not my choice. Malleus Fatuorum 14:05, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Just as much yours as mine friend. We're all in this together ;) Dennis Brown - 2¢  © Join WER 18:13, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
 * My vote is for no then, and here's my rationale. Fashion/culture and manufacturing are two entirely separate things with different timelines, and there's therefore no reason to align the naming of articles about them. For instance, I could very easily imagine an article about American automotive manufacturing in the 1900s, but my worry is that I don't see the synchronicity between the culture and manufacturing as being a general thing. Was there any other decade in which the car so influenced the culture of a generation? I really couldn't imagine an article on American automobile culture in the 1900s for instance. Or even the 1920s, a much more stylish decade. Malleus Fatuorum 18:29, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
 * You're right. I shouldn't let my own idiosyncratic idea of matching titles interfere with the greater goal of titling each on its own merits.  Withdrawn.  Dennis Brown - 2¢  © Join WER 18:48, 22 April 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified one external link on 1950s American automobile culture. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20130117084917/http://www.nhra.com/%28S%28vl5h3145bvkajunbvol2ty45%29%29/nhra101/history.aspx to http://www.nhra.com/nhra101/history.aspx

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 02:10, 15 June 2017 (UTC)

Article
https://qz.com/1510405/gms-layoffs-can-be-traced-to-its-quest-to-turn-people-into-machines/

has some interesting facts for this article and the companion article. Dennis Brown - 2&cent; 01:39, 31 December 2018 (UTC)

Semi-orphaned?
This article doesn't have as many views as I'd hope, given the significance of the topic. I'd suggest an area of focus might be adding more incoming links to help people find it. &#123;{u&#124; Sdkb  }&#125;  talk 18:53, 13 July 2021 (UTC)