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If I started, I would fill pages on this thread, being 55 and all that. There is really no way to compare the America of today to what I grew up in back in the 50's and 60's. I can't explain it but life was simpler and better while at the same time it was brimming with optimism.
Major things like houses and cars were much more affordable for the average person. It only took one income to buy a house, not two. Families were noticeably larger than today-often 6-10 children in a household.
Gas prices were ridiculously low. In 1970 I remember regular going for 17 cents a gallon. I bought my first new car-a 1970 Camaro SS350 for under $3000. Mods to a car were quite cheap too. A guy on a limited budget could still do headers, intake manifold, carb and wheels and tires.
The best thing was when you went cruising. On any given night, but especially the weekends, the streets were full of hot cars and cute girls packed into whatever they were driving. It was very normal to encounter many classic muscle cars each night and see people go at it. There was more a esprit de corps when out driving than there is today. There certainly was a greater amount of road courtesy and respect for other drivers.
I wouldn't exchange my childhood for anything, especially right now. Yes, the technology is better and we have more of everything, but the degree of happiness that we used to have just isn't here today. As is often said, "you had to be there".
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