Chevrolets Of The 1950S: A Decade Of Technical Innovation

As the 1950s dawned, General Motors focused its industrial might on producing revolutionary rather than evolutionary cars with the ultimate goal to become the clear market leader in the automotive industry. During the decade, Chevrolet introduced the small-block V-8, automatic transmission, air-conditioning, power steering, and many other innovations that made the cars faster, more comfortable, and safer. All of the pieces had fallen into place. General Motors had astute leadership, a brilliant engineering team, forward-thinking stylists, a massive manufacturing infrastructure, and the capability to produce cutting-edge technology. With unbridled optimism and exuberance to meet the demands of the booming U.S. economy of the 1950s, the company designed, developed, and delivered an unprecedented number of breakthrough technologies, and established the blueprint for the modern automobile. Automotive historian and veteran author David Temple goes behind the scenes to reveal how these technologies were designed, manufactured, and installed on Chevrolet’s fine portfolio of cars: the Corvette, 1955–1957 Bel Air, Nomad, Impala, and many more. Inside General Motors were many dedicated and talented leaders who were determined to make Chevrolet cars the best on the market. 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 inside story on GM’s arguably greatest decade, the models, and the technology it produced, you have found it. 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 • A fascinating story of how General Motors revolutionized the automotive industry in the 1950s • A celebration of GM’s innovative technology as well as the Corvette, Nomad, Tri-Five Chevy, and more • Covers the key personnel responsible for the resurgence of General Motors during this period