The classic beauty - '57 Corvette

There was a time when cars were really cool -- especially those coming out of General Motors. The 50s became the birthing decade of hot cars and sexy roadsters. Most notably was the Corvette, which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. Not too many companies can boast such endurance of a street rod named desire.

Now in its second century, the Corvette Z06 begins the sixth generation of rebirth with not only an audience of original lovers but also a new breed of suitors lined up for the car of their dreams. Some wait with baited breath for the first of the sixth to roll off the factory floor while others are in hot pursuit of something more classic, aged to perfection, rumbling with the sweet sounds of history and a street-wise attitude. It’s worth the wait.

While Corvette is king of its genre it is not alone in its kingdom. The ’55 and ’57 Chevys still hold the hearts of many, a car so in demand today that another zero has been added to its original sticker price. A mere $50,000 or more lets you drive away in a mint-condition classic. The very lucky ones find a ragtop.

As the 50s moved into the 60s more hotties rolled off the GM’s production lines. There was the Chevy Camaro and Impala, Pontiac’s Firebird, and who can forget the rip-roaring GTO, another Pontiac classic which today is not only back from the dead but more desirable than ever. It was truly the muscle car era, a time when hot cars ruled, guys in leather were cool, and music was becoming the universal language among those under 25. Boy, how things change.

Then came the gas wars of the 70s. Big engines and big boxy brutes gave way to little runts that ruled the road. Long lines of 4-cylinder 4-speeds encircled city blocks to fill up on what might be the last gas to be gotten for weeks. The panic had started. Consumers dumped their gas-guzzlers in fear of being stranded by the road or by their wallets. Junkyards gave rise to an infectious domain to menacing rodents and mafia dumplings. (CONTINUE...)