Chevrolets of the 1950s: A Decade of Technical Innovation - Softcover

Temple, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1613253745 ISBN 13: 9781613253748

Publisher: CarTech, 2018

Synopsis

Look back at Chevrolet’s breakthroughs in the 1950s, including technological innovations and the development and introduction of the iconic Corvette and 1955-1957 Bel Air.

Automotive historian and veteran author David Temple takes you behind the scenes to reveal how these technologies were designed, manufactured, and installed on Chevrolet’s fine portfolio of cars: the Corvette, Bel Air, Nomad, Impala, and many more.

As the 1950s dawned, General Motors focused its industrial might on producing revolutionary rather than evolutionary cars with the ultimate goal of becoming the clear market leader in the automotive industry. To accomplish this goal, the company consistently released innovative automotive technology. During the decade, Chevrolet introduced the small-block V-8, the Powerglide automatic transmission, air-conditioning, power steering, and many other amenities that made the cars faster, safer, and more comfortable.

Inside General Motors, many dedicated and talented leaders were determined to make Chevrolet cars the best on the market. Vice President of Styling Harley Earl and his team designed the 1953 Corvette concept car for the Motorama show. After receiving numerous accolades, it was rushed into production. Earl used his design acumen and creative vision as he led his team to style the 1955-1957 Bel-Air. Zora Arkus-Duntov worked tirelessly and transformed the Corvette from a touring car into a genuine sports car. Ed Cole and his engineers overcame many challenges to develop the compact, efficient, and powerful Chevy small-block V-8, which continued in production for decades. Chevrolets of the 1950s retraces the design, development, and production of these cars, but it also covers innovative vital components that were installed in them. If you have been looking for the scoop on arguably GM’s greatest decade, the models, and the technology it produced, you have found it.

About this title

From the Back Cover

GM's industrial might helped the United States prevail in World War II, and after the war, the company returned to building cars. By 1950, American optimism was riding high, the economy was taking off, the home market was booming, and so was the birth rate. Americans demanded new cars, and not reworked old stodgy cars of yesteryear. The Chevy division was poised to deliver a bold new breed of cars to an enthusiastic audience. And Chevy did deliver bold and attractive styling and features, advanced new models, and breakthrough technology that would set the course for the entire automotive industry for years to come.

During the decade, Chevrolet introduced the small-block V-8, one of the first automatic transmissions, air-conditioning, power steering, and many other landmark innovations that vaulted Chevy to market dominance. Author David Temple was given unrivaled access to tell you the behind-the-scenes story of Chevrolet of the 1950s, which is the golden age of Chevy. The Corvette, Bel Air, Nomad, Impala, and other models are brought into full focus. In this book, you are treated to an under-the-skin revelation of each car, the people behind it, and its place in history, not a gloss overview.

About the Author

David Temple is an authority on the GM Motorama show and its cars. He is a veteran automotive journalist and photographer specializing in the vintage car hobby. His work has appeared in Car Collector, Cars & Parts, Collectible Automobile, and other publications over the past 22 years. He is the author of Full-Size Fords, and is a member of several vintage automobile clubs.

Edition details

• Publisher: CarTech
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1613253745
• ISBN 13: 9781613253748
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192