The Antique Car Era
During the Antique Car Era, automotive pioneers were trying to adapt gasoline engines to most anything on wheels. Antique cars were the first mass produced vehicles with gasoline engines, immortalized by Henry Ford's model T.
It was an exciting time for inventors and entrepreneurs and names like Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, and Hudson became common household names.
Up until 1920, the average worker earned less than $1500 a year, automobiles were all hand made at that time. The were for the very rich only. They would cost from $3,000. to $6,000 dollars on average. Then Henry Ford revolutionized the industry by creating the assembly line using pre-manufactured, replaceable car parts. It was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The Model T Ford sold for less than $300, putting it within reach of millions of Americans, and the automobile industry was born.

The Vintage Car Era
The Vintage Cars followed World War I, a time when factories, machinery and men needed work. The automotive industry was truly born after World War I. After the war, military plants were quick to retool for automobile production and the lack of government regulations for safety, the environment or employees gave it a sense of the wild west. Industrial accidents were all too common and compensation was at the whim of the employer with no unions at that time. There were no vehicle requirements like windshields, doors, lights, turn signals or seat belts, and brakes were problematic.

The Classic Car Era
The Classic Car Era came after World War II, when labor and machines were once again available. Technology was growing very fast at this time in American history. Classic cars are generally thought of as cars built before 1970. Pollution control, economy and safety regulations had yet to become design and production issues. The Cold War and Vietnam brought new strife to the American people in the 1960's, and new concerns for Detroit auto makers. As foreign automakers started importing new low cost compacts that were more efficient cars than American automakers produced. The American automobile industry was knocked to its knees in the early 1970's. First, the Clean Air Act of 1970 practically killed the use of high performance engines for a number of years. And then the oil embargo of 1973 encouraged consumers to conserve gasoline. By 1978 Congress had passed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rule and Detroit was scrambling to comply. The gas-guzzlers of the past were replaced by smaller, more efficient vehicles modeled after the imported cars, and an all new race for fuel economy supremacy began - marking the end of the Classic Car Era.

Hot Rods / Street Rods
Hot Rods were born when backyard mechanics discovered how much fun it is to customize about anything on wheels. Street Rods / Hot Rods and Roadsters have been the trademarks of street racers and speed buffs since the first V-8 engine. A very popular Hot Rod or Street Rod is the Model T Ford. The Ford Model T became known as the 'T-Bucket' and from those days forward they have had an irresistible allure to both young and old. As the original “OEM” parts became impossible to find, new companies surfaced to meet the challenge. Today, you can purchase a Model T fiberglass body and build a brand new Street Rod - Hot Rod from scratch. But the hot rod or street rod was not limited to any type or model car. Every hand-made custom car that favored speed can be called a hot rod, street rod, or just 'rod'

Muscle Car Era / 1964 to 1972
Muscle Cars evolved from the feverish consumerism that followed World War II, when bigger and faster were always better. Muscle Cars evolved by accident at a time when Detroit was trying to stop the invasion of imported cars. As the national highway system grew, and gasoline became plentiful, Americans wanted more power and speed. In 1964 Detroit bowed to consumer pressure by putting big block V-8's on mid-sized chassis, and giving them names like Mustang, Camero, and Barracuda. These cars became common household names of the Muscle Car Era.