Automotive Mileposts
AUTOMOTIVE MILEPOSTS
TOP 100
COOL AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATIONS
AND FEATURES OF THE 1950s, 1960s, & 1970s
What really turned us on about cars in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s? Whether it was a certain styling feature, driving convenience, performance improvement, or the latest automotive trend or gimmick, these are the things that define the era, and make this period in the automotive industry so memorable!

Innovations don't have to be something new that was introduced during this time; it can be a fad, a flop, an engineering advancement, or whatever you remember from the automotive world. So, no Pet Rocks or Hula Hoops, it must be automotive. Basically, we just want to know the things that you remember best when you think of the cars of this time period.

TOP 100 COOL AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATIONS
NOMINATIONS CLOSED

TOTAL: 100/100
Last Updated: July 6, 2007

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER
JOE MOORE

PRIZE: $50 Eastwood Gift Certificate!
We will list the Top 10 results in order later this week.

Eastwood Gift Certificate Eastwood Gift Certificate
1. Amphicar
2. Air bags
3. Air conditioning
4. Air conditioning vents running through front doors for rear seat area (1958-1960 Lincolns)
5. Air-cooled engine (1960 Corvair)
6. Air suspension
7. Alternators
8. Anti-lock braking systems
9. Automatic Temperature Control heat/air
10. Autronic Eye automatic headlamp dimmer
11. Automatic parking brake release
12. "Beep-Beep" horn (Plymouth Roadrunner)
13. Breezeway rear window (Mercury)
14. Bucket seats and console
15. Cadillac 500 cubic inch V-8 engine
16. Cadillac Seville 1975 (first small Cadillac)
17. Cadillac Trip Computer
18. Catalytic converters
19. CB radios (factory installed)
20. Center opening rear doors ("suicide doors")
21. Chevrolet Corvette (first American sports car)
22. Clamshell headlight covers (1965 Buick Riviera)
23. Concealed fuel filler (under taillamp on Cadillac)
24. Concealed headlights
25. Continental spare tire kits
26. Coved rear seats (1964-1971 Thunderbird)
27. Cruise Control
28. Cruise Control switches on steering wheel spokes (1966 Thunderbird)
29. Dagmars (chrome bumper bullets)
30. Dash-mounted automatic transmission lever (1955 Chrysler, 1960 Corvair)
31. Disc brakes
32. Door Stretcher (1967 Imperial Convertible and Crown Coupe)
33. Dual braking systems
34. Edsel
35. Electric rear window defroster
36. Electroluminescent dash lighting (Chrysler)
37. Electronic ignition systems
38. Fastback body style
39. Fiberglass bodies
40. Fiber Optic lamp monitors
41. Flexible driveshaft (1962 Pontiac Tempest)
42. Flitesweep ("toilet seat") deck lid (Chrysler Corp. cars)
43. Foreign car invasion
44. Front cornering lamps
45. Front wheel drive popularized
46. Fuel injection
47. Headlight washers (1969 Chevrolet, 1971 Imperial)
48. Hemi engine
49. High Back seats
50. Highway Hi-Fi record player
 51. Hood ornaments with spring mounting
52. Houndstooth upholstery
53. Introduction of the compacts (Ford Falcon, Mercury Comet, Plymouth Valiant, Dodge Lancer, Chevrolet Corvair, Rambler American)
54. Introduction of the Pony Cars (Mustang, Cougar, Camaro, Firebird, Javelin, etc.)
55. Lincoln Designer Edition Marks (1976-1979)
56. Lincoln Versailles 1977 (first small Lincoln)
57. Liquid tire chain dispenser (1969-70 Chevrolet)
58. "Mod Tops" (Chrysler paisley vinyl roof pattern)
59. Opera lights
60. Opera windows
61. Overhead roof consoles (1966-71 Thunderbird, 1969-71 Continental Mark III)
62. Paint color names like "Plum Crazy", "Anti-Establish Mint", "Top Banana", "Citron Yella", "Vitamin C", and "Sassy Grass Green"
63. Power Sunroof/Moonroof
64. Purse Hook (1960's Buicks)
65. Push button automatic transmissions (Edsel, Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth)
66. Quad headlights
67. Quadraphonic sound systems
68. Quick Defrost windshield and rear window (1975 Thunderbird and Continental Mark IV)
69. Radial tires
70. Rear engine/rear wheel drive (1960 Corvair)
71. Reclining seats
72. Rectangular headlights
73. Red band tires
74. Retractable hardtops/convertibles (1957-1959 Ford Skyliner, 1957-1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, 1958-1967 Lincoln Continental, 1958-1966 Ford Thunderbird)
75. Reversible keys
76. Rim-Blow steering wheels
77. Sequential rear turn signals
78. Side marker lights
79. Simulated woodgrain inserts
80. Sports cars in America (Corvette/Thunderbird)
81. Steel belted radial tires
82. Stereo radios/tape systems (includes 8-track and cassettes)
83. Stick-on flower decals
84. Suicide knobs
85. Swing-Away/Tilt-Away steering wheel
86. Tail fins
87. Tilt and Telescope steering wheels
88. Tissue dispensers
89. Torsion Bar suspension
90. Traffic light viewers
91. Transistorized AM pushbutton radio
92. Transistorized ignition systems
93. T-Tops
94. Two door station wagons (Ford Custom Ranch and Parklane, Chevy Nomad)
95. Variable ratio power steering
96. Velour upholstery
97. Vinyl tops
98. Visor vanity mirrors
99. Visors above windshield
100. White letter tires
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