Five Things You Most Likely Didn’t Know About What Was The Car Culture Of The 5s Brainly

In the mid-to-late fifties, Americans took to the road more than any other country in the world. And what was the car culture of the 1950s? Traffic on major highways was such a novelty that it was referred to as the “car cult” or “the reckless abandon.” On some big metropolitan expressways, there were police officers who drove around in luxury cars, warning travelers to get out of the way!

Many people called it “pimps and hounds” – a term that stuck. Everyone on these roads assumed they were some kind of high-class celebrities, and that anyone who traveled with them was just another “pimper.” But in the heart of the Deep South, this was real. The average citizen on these roads took pride in his car and its engine. He wasn't likely to break anything, but when you did get pulled over, expect to be lectured by the officer in charge, or at best be looked down upon and treated to a very loud, very quick dose of road rage.

So what was the car culture of the 1950s? On many large metropolitan streets, it consisted of old fifties retrofitted wimps with leather interior and plastic bumper covers. These cars were usually the color of the rainbow and every man who owned one had the biggest music collection of any one person in the city! (Books, records, everything! ).

There was a new kind of “car” being introduced to American cities – the mini-car. It had all the comfort of the big car, but it had the cargo space of the compact car, and it was often powered by something other than gas. (iesel, internal combustion, or maybe even electricity). There were no longer any restrictions on what was the car culture of the 1950s. People wanted to use whatever they wanted to, and they wanted their automobiles to match their style!

The first thing that all of these car owners did was to get larger tires, and bigger engine sizes. They went from a two seater to a four seater, and from a sixteen horsepower car, which was the minimum speed for those times, to a twenty-four . All of these cars had air suspension so that the car would ride better. People started putting air cushions on their new cars, and that was the beginning of the end for what was the car culture of the 1950s!

As the popularity of the mini-car began to wane, another trend for the period was to build sleeper cabs for traveling. This allowed people to take their sleeping passengers along with them, while they traveled to work, or other destinations. These cabs were much smaller than the actual size of the car, so they could fit in tight spots and really save space. Sleepers quickly became a symbol for the hippy generation, who were fascinated by the symbolism of the sleeper. Cabs had come a long way since they were first built for motor racing!

Finally, as the 1950s came to a close, real curves began to be built into the architecture of the roadsters. This gave them a sportier and sexier image. People started building low tire rims, and they put big chrome rims on the tail pipe of the cars. It was the start of the muscle car era, and it was here that American car manufacturing truly began to turn the corner.

The birth of what was the car culture of the 1950s is perhaps one of the most interesting parts of American automotive history. As the cars improved and became more comfortable, they also became more outwardly fashionable, which resulted in cars that were not only safer but more stylish. This has created a distinct style that is still very popular today!