Malaise Era

"desertdog5051" (desertdog5051) 01/21/2014 at 23:37 • Filed to: None

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Many here have no idea what it was all about. It was the era from 1973 to about 1983. It was the era of Jimmy Carter and the Arab oil embargo. The US finally decided that we needed to improve fuel mileage of our domestically produced cars at the cost of any bit of power.

Here is an interesting article that names Jalopnik in particular.

"So, the Malaise Era: I'm defining its span as the 1973-1983 model years and defining its origins with such certitude because I invented the term during my first few months at Jalopnik".

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/05/what-a…

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > desertdog5051 01/21/2014 at 23:41

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But the effects were felt well into the 80s. I suppose you could even argue the Panthers are the last survivors of the era.

XJDano > desertdog5051 01/21/2014 at 23:43

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desertdog5051 > XJDano 01/21/2014 at 23:45

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That was subtle, but good.

Manuél Ferrari > desertdog5051 01/21/2014 at 23:48

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I was born in 1979. So most the cars I saw and got rides in as a child were Malaise Era cars.

They were terrible.

XJDano > desertdog5051 01/21/2014 at 23:53

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I actually didn't know how to pronounce it, or what it meant other than Boats on wheels with restricted HP.

medical: a slight or general feeling of not being healthy or happy

: a problem or condition that harms or weakens a group, society, etc.

desertdog5051 > Manuél Ferrari 01/21/2014 at 23:54

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They were. I grew up a bit earlier, so I got to see the tail end of the muscle car era. The Mfg's had no idea how bad they were screwing up things. But it was in the name of fuel economy and nobody seemed to care.

Manuél Ferrari > Manuél Ferrari 01/21/2014 at 23:54

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I also remember lap belts and cigarette machines at every diner.

And everyone had the same haircut. Men and women. They all had the same length hair.

It was a dark time.

Manuél Ferrari > desertdog5051 01/21/2014 at 23:57

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Huge V8s that put out 150 HP. So funny!

At least you got to see the good older muscle cars. They weren't that common anymore by the time I was old enough to know cars.