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American History and the Automobile Industry From 1946 to 1972

The following is a timeline of the history of the American automobile industry's people and vehicles, along with a sample of noteworthy events to put it into perspective. We used a wide variety of resources that were often in conflict so the results are approximations and should not be relied upon!

1946            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick Estate - (1946-1964)
  • Buick Special & Super - (1946-1958)
  • Buick Roadmaster - (1946-1958)
  • Cadillac Series 61 - (1946-1951)
  • Cadillac Series 62 - (1946-1964)
  • Cadillac Series 70 & Sixty Special - (1946-1976)
  • Chevrolet Suburban - (1946-present)
  • Chrysler Imperial - (1946-1954)
  • Chrysler New Yorker - (1946-1996)
  • Chrysler Royal & Saratoga - (1946-1950)
  • Chrysler Town & Country - (station wagon) (1946-1989)
  • DeSotoCustom & Deluxe- (1946-1952)
  • DeSoto Suburban - (1946-1954)
  • Ford Super Deluxe - (1946-1948)
  • GMC Suburban - (1946-1959)
  • Hudson Commodore - (1946-1952)
  • Nash 600 - (1946-1949)
  • Nash Ambassador - (1946-1957)
  • Willys Jeep Wagon - (1946-1965)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: George Robson - Average speed: 114.820 mph
  • AT&T introduced the first car phone
  • Time magazine person of the year: James F. Byrnes
  • The beginning of the "Baby Boomer" generation
  • Alaskan 7.4 earthquake caused 60 foot tidal waves in Hawaii
  • U.S. troops seized control of U.S. railroads during a union strike
  • Bikini swimming suites promoted in Paris, France
  • Tupperware became available
  • Dean Martin, B.B. Kink and Bill Haley started music careers
  • Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington and the Andrews Sisters were popular
  • Baseball World Series was won by the St. Louis Cardinals
1947            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Saab produced their first automobile
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Mauri Rose - Average speed: 116.338 mph
  • Land speed record set in U.S. - internal combustion engine - 394.19 mph
  • B.F. Goodrich introduced the tubeless tire
  • Time magazine person of the year: George Marshall
  • The Polaroid camera was invented
  • Howard Hughes flew the "Spruce Goose"
  • Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball
  • Studebaker introduce a post-war automobile model
  • A UFO was reported in Roswell, New Mexico
  • An airplane broke the sound barrier for the first time
  • The "Cold War" began between Eastern and Western countries
  • The United Nations voted to create Israel
  • Jackie Robinson became the first negro to play Major League baseball
  • Walter Morrison invented the Frisbee
  • The first long playing record (LP) was produced
  • The transistor and Hologram were invented
  • A Miracle on 34th Street movie was released
  • The Diary of Anne Frank was published
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
1948            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Dodge B Series - (1948-1953)
  • Dodge Route-Van - (1948-1951)
  • Ford Pickup Truck F-Series - (1948-present)
  • Ford Vanette - (1948-1965)
  • Willys Jeepster - (1948-1950)
  • NASCAR held its first modified stock car race at Daytona Beach
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Mauri Rose - Average speed: 119.814 mph
  • Texaco Star Theater began
  • Time magazine person of the year: Harry S. Truman
  • The Berlin Blockade started
  • Harry S. Truman desegregated the armed forces
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Cleveland Indians
  • The XIV Summer Olympics were held in London, UK
  • The V Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland
  • Polio was emerging throughout the world
  • Velcro was invented
  • The transistor radio was invented
1949            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Cadillac Coupe de Ville - (1949-1993)
  • Chevrolet Special - (1949-1957)
  • Chrysler Newport - (1949-1950)
  • Ford Coronet - (1949-1959)
  • Dodge Meadowbrook - (1949-1954)
  • Gasoline sold for 17 cents a gallon
  • The first Volkswagen "Beetle" was sold in the U.S.
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Bill Holland - Average speed: 121.327 mph
  • The average house sold for about $7,500
  • Time magazine person of the year: Winston Churchill
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Cadillac Motor Division
  • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed
  • The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb
  • Germany was divided into East Germany and West Germany
  • Harry S. Truman started his second term
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
  • The first Polaroid camera went on sale
  • The first Emmy Awards ceremony aired on television
  • The National Basketball Association (NBA) was started
  • RCA perfected the color television
  • Forty-Five rpm records were introduced
  • The "Ferranti Mark 1" was the first computer to go on sale
  • South Pacific opened on Broadway
1950            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Ransom E. Olds died
  • Ford Crestliner - (1950-1951)
  • Nash Rambler - (1950-1955)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Johnnie Parsons - Average speed: 124.002 mph
  • The Korean War began
  • Time magazine person of the year: The American fighting-man
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: none
  • The comic strip Peanuts started
  • NBC launched first television show
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Giants
  • The first TV remote control was introduced
  • There were 8 million homes with televisions
  • Ralph Schneider invented the credit card
  • The "Great Brinks Robbery" occurred in Boston, MA
  • Senator McCarthy started the prosecution of Communists
  • U.S. troops seized control of U.S. railroads to prevent another strike
1951            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Lee Walland - Average speed: 126.244 mph
  • Gasoline sold for 19 cents/gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: Mohammad Mossadegh
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Chrysler Corporation
  • The Twenty-second Amendment, limiting the president to two terms, was passed
  • U.S. unemployment dropped to 3.3 percent
  • Harry S. Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur as commander of United Nations Forces
  • Japanese Peace Treaty Conference: The conference was broadcast live on television in San Francisco, California
  • The newsmagazine and documentary series See It Now, hosted by Edward R. Murrow, began to be broadcast
  • Luis Miramontes invented the contraceptive pill
  • Direct dialing from coast-to-coast occurred for the first time
  • The first color television picture was broadcast from the Empire State Building
  • The first nuclear bomb was tested in Nevada
  • The "Great Flood" occurred in the Midwest
  • Disc Jockey Alan Freed coined the term "Rock N Roll"
  • Dennis the Menace comic strip first appeared
  • Popular TV shoes: I Love Lucy and What's My Line?
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
1952            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton - (1952)
  • DeSotoDeSoto Firedome - (1952-1959)
  • DeSoto Powermaster - (1952-1954)
  • FordCountry Sedan - (1952-1974)
  • Ford Courier - (1952-1960)
  • Ford Crestline - (1952-1954)
  • Ford Customline & Mainline - (1952-1956)
  • Ford Ranch Wagon - (1952-1977)
  • Hudson Wasp - (1952-1956)
  • Willys Aero - (1952-1955)
  • Gasoline reached 20 cents/gallon
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Troy Ruttman - Average speed: 128.922 mph
  • Time magazine person of the year: Elizabeth II
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Cadillac Motor Division
  • The fear of Polio continued with 50,000 families affected
  • The Korean War continued
  • Rocky Marciano became the World Heavyweight Champion
  • Steel plants were placed under presidential control to prevent a strike
  • The Today Show debuted on NBC
  • The "Big Bang" theory about the creation of the universe was introduced
  • Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) opened
  • MAD Magazine published their first issue
  • The first ""Don''t Walk" signal was installed in New York
  • The bar code was invented
  • Roll-on deodorant was invented
  • Baseball World Series was won by New York Yankees
  • The XV Summer Olympics were held in London, UK
  • The VI Winter Olympics were held in Oslo, Norway
1953            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Bill Vukovich - Average speed: 128.740 mph
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower became the 34th President
  • Time magazine person of the year: Konrad Adenauer
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: non
  • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed
  • An armistice was reached in Korea
  • Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to climb Mount Everest
  • Jonas Salk created a vaccine for Polio
  • Ian Fleming published the first James Bond novel
  • Playboy Magazine published their first issue
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
  • Disney released the movie Peter Pan
  • The first color television sets went on sale for over $1,000
  • The first three color traffic lights were used in New York
  • Cigarette smoking was first reported to cause lung cancer
1954            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick Century - (1954-1958)
  • Dodge C Series - (1954-1960)
  • Dodge Town Panel & Town Wagon - (1954-1966)
  • Hudson Italia - (1954-1955)
  • Am-Motors-Corp Metropolitan - (1954-1962)
  • Nash and Hudson merged to form the American Motors Corporation (AMC)
  • General Motors built it's 50 millionth car
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Bill Vukovich - Average speed: 130.840 mph
  • Time magazine person of the year: John Foster Dulles
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: none
  • Polio vaccinations for children began
  • The first organ transplant occurred
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at an all-time high of 382.74
  • NBC debuted The Tonight Show
  • Gasoline was 22 cents/gallon and a ticket to the movies was 70 cents
  • The hydrogen bomb was successfully tested
  • The first issue of Sports Illustrated was published
  • Segregation in public schools became illegal
  • Armistice Day was renamed Veteran's Day
  • Social Security started
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at an all-time high of 382.74
  • "Under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance
  • "The Tonight Show" aired for the first time
  • Popular films: White Christmas and The Caine Mutiny
  • The Lord of the Rings was published
  • The Boeing 707 was the first commercial jet airplane
  • Swanson TV Dinners were first sold
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Giants
  • Robots and solar cells were invented
1955            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Chevrolet Beauville - (station wagon) (1955-1957)
  • Chevrolet Nomad - (1955-1961)
  • Chevrolet Task Force - (1955-1959)
  • Chrysler 300 & Imperial - (1955-1965)
  • DeSoto Fireflite - (1955-1957)
  • Dodge Royal, Royal Lancer & Custom Royal Lancer- (1955-1961)
  • Dodge La Femme - (1955-1956)
  • Dodge Lancer - (1955-1959)
  • Dodge Sierra & Suburban - (1955-1957)
  • Ford Crown Victoria - (1955-1956)
  • Ford Fairlane - (1955-1970)
  • Ford Thunderbird - (1955-1997)
  • Jeep DJ - (1955-1984)
  • There were almost eight million cars in the U.S.
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Bob Sweikert - Average speed: 128.213 mph
  • Gasoline sold for 23 cents a gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: Harlow Curtice
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Chevrolet Motor Division
  • McDonald's restaurant opened
  • Coca-Cola went on sale
  • Rosa Parks incited a bus boycott
  • The AFL and the CIO merged into America's largest labor union
  • Disneyland opened at Anaheim, California
  • Jonas Salk developed a polio vaccine
  • Rock Around the Clock topped the charts
  • Actor James Dean was killed in a car crash
  • "In God We Trust" was added to U.S. paper money
  • Rosa Parks was arrested in Alabama for refusing to give her seat to a white woman
  • Bird's Eye introduced "fish sticks"
  • Legos and Velcro were invented
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Brooklyn Dodgers
  • The first Guinness Book of world Records was published
  • The Mickey Mouse Club was started
1956            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • The Federal Highway Act, creating 41,000 miles of Interstate Highways was enacted
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Pat Flaherty - Average speed: 128.490 mph
  • Time magazine person of the year: The Hungarian freedom fighter
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Ford Motor Company
  • Elvis Presley released his first hit, first movie and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
  • Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller
  • The Supreme Court declared bus segregation to be illegal
  • As the Wold Turns became the first TV soap
  • Popular movies: The King and I and Trapeze
  • IBM invented the first computer hard disc
  • Portable black and white TV sets were introduced
  • The first transatlantic telephone cable was used
  • Sony's first exported product was the transistor radio
  • Video tape and recorders were invented
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
  • The XVI Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweeden
  • The VII Winter Olympics were held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
1957            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Chrysler Saratoga - (1957-1960 for US and 1957-1965 for Canada)
  • DeSoto Firesweep - (1957-1959)
  • Ford C-Series - (1957-1990)
  • Ford Custom 300 & Skyliner- (1957-1959)
  • Ford Del Rio - (1957-1958)
  • Ford Ranchero - (1957-1979)
  • Am-Motors-Corp Rebel & V-8 - (1957-1960)
  • Toyota entered the U.S. market with the "Toyopet Crown"
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Sam Hanks - Average speed: 135.601 mph
  • Portable radar devices were first used to enforce speed limits
  • Time magazine person of the year: Nikita Khrushchev
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Chrysler Corporation
  • The Soviet Union put "Sputnik", the first satellite, in orbit
  • The first U.S. nuclear power plant went online in Shippingport, PA
  • Schools were desegregated in Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower began his second term as President
  • Federal troops were sent to Alabama to enforce anti segregation laws
  • Elvis Presley bought Graceland
  • The "American Bandstand" first aired
  • popular movies: The Ten Commandments and The Bridge on the River Kwai
  • Dr. Seuss books because popular
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Milwaukee Braves
  • The first nuclear power plant went on line in Pennsylvania
1958            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Am-Motors-Corp Ambassador - (1958-1974)
  • Buick Limited - (1958)
  • Chevrolet Brookwood - (1958-1961)
  • Chevrolet Biscayne - (1958-1972 for U.S. and 1958-1975 for Canada)
  • Chevrolet Delray - (1958)
  • Chevrolet Impala - (1958-1985)
  • Chevrolet Yeoman - (1958)
  • Dodge Regal Lancer - (1958-1961)
  • Am-Motors-Corp American - (1958-1969)
  • Ford Edsel - (1958-1960)
  • The Packard Motor Car Company went out of business
  • The Ford Edsel was introduced
  • Datsun entered the U.S. market
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Jimmy Bryan - Average speed: 133.791 mph
  • A gallon of gasoline cost 25 cents
  • Time magazine person of the year: Charles de Gaulle
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Ford Thunderbird
  • NASA was formed
  • The integrated circuit was invented
  • A recession caused U.S. unemployment to rise to 7.0 percent
  • The North American Space Agency (NASA) was formed
  • Bobby Fischer because the U.S. chess champion at 14 years old
  • U.S. passenger jet service started with the Boeing 707
  • Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to reach the South Pole
  • elvis Presley was inducted into the Army
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
  • The microchip, computer modems and remote controls were invented
  • Popular TV: Candid Camera and Panorama
1959            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Asardo - (1959-1960)
  • Buick Electra - (1959-1990)
  • Buick Invicta - (1959-1963)
  • Buick LeSabre - (1959-2005)
  • CadillacCadillac Coupe de Ville - (1959-1993)
  • Cadillac Sedan de Ville - (1959-2005)
  • Chevrolet El Camino & Kingswood - (1959-1960)
  • Chevrolet Parkwood - (1959-1961)
  • Ford Galaxie - (1959-1974)
  • Nu-Klea Starlite - (1959-1960)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Roger Ward - Average speed: 135.857 mph
  • Bonanza debuted in color on NBC
  • U.S. unemployment dropped to 5.5 percent
  • Time magazine person of the year: Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Pontiac Motor Division
  • The beginning of the Cuban Revolution
  • Alaska became the 49th state
  • Hawaii became the 50th state
  • Fidel Castro became the president of Cuba
  • Mattel Toys introduced the Barbie Doll
  • Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash
  • Popular movies: Ben-Hur and Some Like It Hot
  • Popular singers: Doris Day, connie Francis and Ella Fitzgerald
  • Popular TV programs: Bonanza and Huckleberry Hound
  • The first transpacific airline service to Sydney, Australia started
  • The Etch-A-Sketch was invented
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • The first U.S. ATM machine was installed in Ohio
1960            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Checker Superba - (1960-1963)
  • Chevrolet Corvair - (1960-1969)
  • Chevrolet C/K - (1960-2000 for US)
  • Dodge Dart - (1960-1976)
  • Dodge LCF Series & Matador- (1960-1975)
  • Dodge Polara - (1960-1973)
  • Ford Falcon - (1960-1970)
  • Ford Starliner - (1960-1961)
  • GMC Carryall - (1960-1966)
  • GMC C/K - (1960-1988)
  • GMC L-Series - (1960-1984)
  • White PDQ Delivery - (1960-1966)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Jim Rathmann - Average speed: 138.767 mph
  • U.S. U-2 spy plane was shot down in Soviet airspace
  • Time magazine person of the year: American Scientists
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Chevrolet Corvair
  • The average house costs less than $3,000
  • The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed
  • The U.S. entered the Vietnam war
  • Cassius Clay won his first professional fight
  • The XVII Summer Olympic Games were held in Rome, Italy
  • The VIII Winter Olympic Games were held in Squaw Valley, CA
  • Popular movies: Psycho and Can Can
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Aluminum cans were used for the first time
  • Xerox sold the first commercial copier
  • A U.S. launched their first weather station satellite
  • The telephone answering machine, laser and heart pacemaker were invented
1961            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick Skylark - (1961-1972)
  • Buick Special - (1961-1969)
  • Checker Marathon - (1961-1982)
  • Chevrolet Lakewood - (1961-1962)
  • Chevrolet Greenbrier - (van) (1961-1965)
  • Chrysler Newport - (1961-1981)
  • DeSoto - (1961)
  • Dodge D Series - (1961-1980)
  • Dodge Lancer - (1961-1962)
  • Ford E-Series - (1961-present)
  • Ford H-Series - (1961-1965)
  • Jeep Van FJ-3 Fleetvan - (1961-1965)
  • Am-Motors-Corp Classic - (1961-1966)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: A.J. Foyt - Average speed: 139.130 mph
  • Gasoline cost 27 cents/gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: John F. Kennedy
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Pontiac Tempest
  • The United States broke diplomatic relations with Cuba
  • John F. Kennedy became the 35th President
  • The Twenty-third Amendment, granting electors to the District of Columbia, passed
  • The Peace Corps was established
  • The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba occurred
  • Alan Shepard became the first American in space
  • The Berlin Crisis took place
  • The Vietnam War began
  • OPEC was formed
  • Pampers introduced the first disposable diaper
  • Popular TV programs: Wagon Train, Gunsmoke and Perry Mason
  • Squibb introduced the first electric toothbrush
  • Alan Shepard made the first U.S. space flight
  • TWA introduced the first inflight movie
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
1962            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Roger Ward - Average speed: 140.293 mph
  • John Glenn orbited the Earth
  • Time magazine person of the year: Pope John XXIII
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Buick Special
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred
  • Marilyn Monroe died from an overdose
  • Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store
  • The first Kmart store opened
  • The Sabin oral Polio vaccine was given to millions of children
  • The Beatles released their first song
  • Ninety percent of homes had a TV
  • The first silicone breast implant was used
  • The first U.S. communications satellite was put in orbit
  • Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) were invented
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Yankees
1963            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick Riviera - (1963-1993)
  • Buick Wildcat - (1963-1970)
  • Dodge 330 & 440- (1963-1964)
  • Ford300 - (1963)
  • Jeep Wagoneer - (1963-1991)
  • Mercury Marauder - (1963-1965)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Parnelli Jones - Average speed: 143.137 mph
  • Gasoline cost 29 cents/gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: American Motors
  • Land speed record set in the U.S. - turbojet engine - 407.447 mph
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the I have a dream speech
  • John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas; Lyndon B. Johnson became the 36th President
  • Alcatraz federal penitentiary was closed
  • The Ku Klux Klan burnt down a church in Birmingham, AL
  • The USS Thresher submarine sunk in the Atlantic Ocean
  • The first U.S. state lottery was held in New Hampshire
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his I have a dream speach
  • Touch tone phones, pull tab cans and Lave Lamps were introduced
  • Zip codes were implemented in the U.S.
  • Popular movies: Cleopatra and To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers
1964            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick Sport Wagon - (1964-1972)
  • Chevrolet Chevelle - (1964-1977)
  • Chevrolet El Camino - (1964-1987)
  • Chevrolet Van - (1964-1996)
  • Dodge A100 - (1964-1970)
  • Dodge 500 - (1964-unknown)
  • Ford Custom 500 - (1964-1978)
  • Ford Mustang - (1964-Present)
  • Ford GT40 - (1964-1969)
  • Ford Mustang - (1964-present)
  • GMC Handi-Van & Handi-Bus - (1964-1970)
  • Plymouth Barracuda - (1964-1974)
  • Pontiac GTO - (1964-1974)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: A.J. Foyt - Average speed: 147.350 mph
  • Land speed record set in the U.S. - turboshaft engine - 434.03 mph
  • The Beatles arrived in the United States
  • Time magazine person of the year: Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Ford Motor Company
  • Land speed record set by Tom Green - 413.2 mph
  • Land speed record set by Art Arfons - 434.03 mph
  • The Twenty-fourth Amendment, prohibiting any kind of tax on voting, was passed
  • U.W. involvement in the Vietnam war dominated dominated the news
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing segregation, was passed
  • Riots occurred in the Panama Canal Zone
  • Lyndon B. Johnson was became the 36 President
  • Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler, was captured
  • Cassius Clay won the World Heavyweight Championship in boxing
  • The most powerful earthquake in U.S. history, 9.2, occurred in Alaska
  • Race riots occurred in several cities between black Americans and local police
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize
  • James "Jimmy" Hoffa was convicted of bribery
  • The Worlds Fair was held in New York
  • The U.S. Surgeon General stated that smoking could lead to lung cancer
  • Jack Ruby was convicted of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot JFK
  • The XVIII Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan
  • The IX Winter Olympics were held in Innsbruck Austria
  • Baseball World Series was won by the St. Louis Cardinals
  • Sidney Poitier was the first black American to win an Oscar for Best Actor
  • Buffalo Wings were introduced at a bar in Buffalo, NY
  • Sony introduced the VCR home video recorder
  • The computer mouse and bubble wrap were invented
1965            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Jim Clark - Average speed: 150.686 mph
  • Land speed record set in U.S. - turbojet engine - 600.601mph
  • President Johnson escalated the war in Vietnam and started Medicare
  • Time magazine person of the year: William Westmoreland
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Pontiac Motor Division
  • Medicaid and Medicare were established
  • Malcolm X was assassinated
  • The Watts Riot lasted six days in Los Angeles, CA
  • The St. Louis Arch was completed
  • Black Americans were guaranteed the right to vote
  • Warren Buffet took over Berkshire-Hathaway at $18/share, now worth over $150,000/share
  • James Russell invented the compact disk
  • Respirators were invented to replace the iron lung
  • Baseball World Series was one by the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • The mini skirt first appeared
  • Popular films: Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music
  • Popular musicians: The Rolling Stones, Beatles and Moody Blues
1966            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Graham Hill - Average speed: 144.317 mph
  • There were 78 million registered cars in the U.S.
  • The Department of Transportation was created
  • The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was passed
  • Time magazine person of the year: Baby Boomers
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Oldsmobile Toronado
  • Miranda Rights were established
  • NBC, CBS and ABC introduce full color lineups
  • Muhammad Ali refused to go to fight in Vietnam
  • Black Americans became a part of American politics
  • The U.S. population exceeded 195 million
  • The Black Panthers were formed
  • The 100th anniversary of the Salvation Army
  • Cigarette packages began carrying health warnings
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Baltimore Orioles
  • Star Trek first aired on TV
  • Simon and Garfunkel released the Sounds of Silence
  • Popular movies: Thunderball and Dr. Zhivago
  • Popular music groups: The Mamas & Papas, Beach Boys and Monkees
  • Color TV sets became popular
  • kevlar and Fiber Optics were invented
1967            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Buick GS 340 - (1967)
  • Buick GS 400 & California GS - (1967-1969)
  • Chevrolet Camaro - (1967-2002)
  • GMC Suburban - (1967-1999)
  • Dodge A108 - (1967-1970)
  • Mercury Marquis - (1967-1986)
  • Yenko Camaro - (1967-1969)
  • Carol Shelby introduced his Mustang GT-500 Fastback
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: A.J. Foyt - Average speed: 151.207 mph
  • Gasoline cost 33 cents/gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Mercury Cougar
  • Super Bowl I was won by the Green Bay Packards
  • The Detroit race riot occurred
  • The Twenty-fifth Amendment, procedures for filling a vacancy in the office of Vice President, was passed
  • The first issue of Rolling Stone Magazine was published
  • Interracial marriage was declared constitutional by the Supreme Court
  • The first Super Bowl game was won by the Green Bay Packers
  • Baseball World Series was won by the St. Louis Cardinals
  • Muhammad Ali lost heavyweight title for refusing to join the U.S. Army
  • Hundreds of thousands protested against the Vietnam War
  • Evel Knievel made his first noteworthy jump, 16 cars
  • Elvis Presley married Priscilla
  • Popular musicians: The Doors, The Supremes and The Bee Gees
  • Popular TV shows: Hogan's Heroes, Jeopardy! and General Hospital
  • The Concorde and Boeing 737 were introduced
  • Apollo I was destroyed on the launch pad
  • Texas Instruments invented the Pocket Calculator
  • The U.S. had 74 nuclear submarines in operation
1968            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Am-Motors-Corp AMX & Rebel - (1968-1970)
  • AMC Javelin - (1968-1974)
  • Buick GS 350 - (1968-1975)
  • Chevrolet Nomad - (1968-1972)
  • Chevrolet Titan 90 - (1968-1988)
  • Dodge Super Bee - (1968-1971)
  • Ford Torino - (1968-1976)
  • GMC Astro 95 - (1968-1988)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Bobby Unser - Average speed: 152.882 mph
  • Allen Breed invented the Air Bag
  • Marten Luther King was assassinated
  • Time magazine person of the year: Apollo 8 Astronauts
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Pontiac GTO
  • Chicago anti-war riots Chicago
  • Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, CA
  • Anti Vietnam War protests occurred around the world
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray
  • Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan
  • The "Zodiac" serial killer was at large in California
  • NASA launched Apollo 7, the first manned mission
  • NASA launched Apollo 8, the first manned craft to orbit the moon
  • Emergency 911 phone service began
  • Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant in the U.S.
  • McDonalds introduced the "Big Mac" for 49 cents
  • Popular movies: The Graduate and Rosemary's Baby
  • popular musicians: Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Aretha Franklin
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Detroit Tigers
  • Superbowl II was won by the Green Bay Packers
  • The XIX Summer Olympics were held in Mexico City, Mexico
  • The X Winter Olympics were held in Grenoble, France
1969            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Mario Andretti - Average speed: 156.867 mph
  • Gasoline cost 35 cents/gallon
  • The average house cost $27,500
  • Time magazine person of the year: Middle Americans
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Plymouth Road Runner
  • Richard M. Nixon became the 37th President
  • Stonewall gay rights riots occurred in New York, NY
  • NASA Apollo 11 put Neil Armstrong Buzz Aldrin on the moon
  • NASA Apollo 12 put Pete Conrad and Alan Bean on the moon
  • Sesame Street premiered on National Educational Television
  • Woodstock music festival drew 350,000 to New York
  • The Atlanta International Pop Festival drew 100,000 to Georgia
  • Vietnam protests continued
  • Robin Knox-Johnston became the first to sail around the world solo
  • The U.S. began the draft lottery
  • Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was established
  • The Charles Manson cult killed five people
  • The first human eye was transplanted
  • The Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight
  • The microprocessor was invented
  • The Internet was created for military use
  • The battery powered smoke detector was invented
  • Popular TV: Sesame Street and Monty Python
  • Popular movies: True Grit and Midnight Cowboy
  • Popular musicians: James Brown, Johnny Cash and John Denver
  • Baseball World Series was won by the New York Mets
  • Superbowl III was won by the New York Jets
1970            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Am-Motors-Corp Gremlin - (1970-1978)
  • AMC Hornet - (1970-1977)
  • AMC Rebel Machine - (1970)
  • Buick Estate - (1970-1990)
  • Buick GS 455 - (1970-1972)
  • Buick GSX - (1970)
  • Chevrolet Monte Carlo - (1970-1988)
  • Chrysler 300 - (1970)
  • Dodge Challenger - (1970-1974)
  • Dodge Vans Tradesman & Sportsman- (1970-1980)
  • Dodge Super Bee - (Mexico) (1970-1980)
  • Ford Maverick - (1970-1977)
  • Ford Commercial Truck L-Series - (1970-1998)
  • GMC Jimmy - (Full-size SUV) (1970-1991)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Al Unser - Average speed: 155.749 mph
  • Land speed record set in the U.S. - turbojet engine - 622.407 mph
  • Kent State shootings occurred
  • The first Earth Day was observed
  • Time magazine person of the year: Willy Brandt
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Ford Torino
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created
  • American Top 40 radio show premiered
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) became law
  • The world population was 3.6 billion
  • The U.S. population was 205 million
  • The voting age was lowered to 18 years old
  • The U.S. National Guard killed four protesters at Kent State University
  • Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin died of overdoses
  • The first New York marathon was run
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Baltimore Orioles
  • Superbowl IV was won by the Kansas City Chiefs
  • Popular movies: MASH, Woodstock and Patton
  • The first Jumbo Jet and Concorde went into service
  • The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) was invented
1971            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • Am-Motors-Corp Matador - (1971-1978)
  • Buick Centurion - (1971-1973)
  • Chevrolet Beauville - (van) (1971-1996)
  • Chevrolet Vega - (1971-1977)
  • Dodge Colt - (1971-1994)
  • Dodge Van Ram - (1971-2003)
  • Ford Pinto - (1971-1980)
  • GMC Commercial Truck JH 9500 - (1971-1978)
  • GMC Sprint - (1971-1977)
  • GMC Vandura - (1971-1996)
  • Plymouth Cricket (made in Europe) - (1971-1973)
  • Plymouth Cricket (made in Japan) - (1971-1975)
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Al Unser - Average speed: 157.735 mph
  • Gasoline cost 40 cents/gallon
  • President Nixon ended the United States gold standard
  • Time magazine person of the year: Richard M. Nixon
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: Chevrolet Vega
  • The ban on radio and television cigarette advertisements began
  • All in the Family premiered on CBS
  • The Twenty-sixth Amendment, allowing eighteen-year-olds to vote, was passed
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Pittsburg Pirates
  • Superbowl V was won by the Baltimore Colts
  • The Nasdaq stock market index was started
  • The "Sylmar" earthquake hit California
  • A Riot in Attica Prison in New York killed 39 people
  • Amtrak passenger train service started
  • Walt Disney World opened in florida
  • Fred Smith started Federal Express
  • Cigarette advertising was banned on TV
  • The New York Times published the Pentagon Papers
  • Popular movies: Love Story and The French Connection
  • Popular musicians: The Jackson 5, The Who, Rod Stewart and The Osmonds
  • Popular TV: McCloud, Mary Tyler Moore and All My Children
  • Intel sold the first microprocessor
  • The first Internet chat room went online
  • NASA Apollo 14 landed on the moon
  • NASA Apollo 15 put the first lunar rover on the moon
  • Soft contact lenses went on the market in the U.S.
  • Texas Instruments sold the first pocket calculator
  • Ray Tomlinson created E-Mail
  • IBM created the first floppy disc
1972            The People                                            The Vehicles                                              Historical Events
  • The Volkswagen Beetle became the most popular vehicle ever sold, over 15 million
  • Indianapolis 500 winner: Mark Donohue - Average speed: 162.962 mph
  • Gasoline jumped to 55 cents/gallon
  • Time magazine person of the year: Richard Nixon & Henry kissinger
  • Motor Trend magazine American Car of the Year award: none
  • Richard Nixon was reelected President
  • Richard Nixon was first President to visit to China
  • The Watergate scandal occurred
  • Apollo 17 went to the Moon
  • The XX Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany
  • Arab Gunman killed 11 Israel athletes at the Summer Olympics
  • Mark Spitz won a record seven gold medals in swimming at the Summer Olympics
  • The XI Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo, Japan
  • Baseball World Series was won by the Oakland Athletics
  • Superbowl VI was won by the Dallas Cowboys
  • The Equal Rights Amendment for men and women was passed
  • The U.S. withdrew from Vietnam but protesting continued
  • Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot and paralyzed
  • Popular movies: The Godfather and Dirty Harry
  • HBO TV was launched
  • Apollo 16 and 17 landed on the moon
  • Digital watches were introduced
  • Atari released the Pong video game
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