This is certainly a devious endeavor of Keiths. All work on
architectural essays as well as final preparations for Maxton have
been sidelined while trying to figure out the meaning of a Golden Age
and is relationship to cars and bikes. I thought it best to just get
it over with so I can bet back to other things so:
A few qualifications or observations: I would discount the current
context in all categories since a golden age almost by definition
seems a nostalgic proposition, after all would we all hope that
things in every way will be better in the future. My other thought
was that the answers probably tell more about who we are and how old
we are than the cars and bikes themselves. Having said all this, for
me, the golden age for both would be the 1949-59 era. While the 30s
was a magnificent time in terms of technical innovation with vehicles
fully expressing the mechanical creativity of the time, the 50s saw
great technical advance coinciding with design concern for the total
package, Of course later we see the concern for styling taking
precedent over technical issues.
But I think a listing of examples tells a better story. For cars I
think of the 356 Porsche, the Gullwing Mercedes, Austin Healey 100-4,
AC Cobra, BMW 507 and even the 1600, along with those lovely Alfas.
But then look at the 49-51 Mercury, 49-54 Olds, 49-54 Caddy, 53
Studebaker, the Blue Flame engined Corvette, and of course the 55
chevy with the introduction of the SBC. Then there are the American
privateers, Cunnignham, Reventlow, etc.
For bikes I think of the Featherbed Manx, Velocette KTR, Moto Guzzi
singles and the fabulous V8, the Desmo Ducattis, MV Augustas, or
the record holding NSU as well as the 7R/G50, Goldstar and BMW
Rennsport. All of these represent such a clear but distinct idea of
what a car or a motorcycle ought to be.
Oh well, I best get back to work.
Robin Dripps
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