1974 An American Rebirth
As anyone old enough to remember the
70's would readily agree the decade in itself was a unique one. From
an automotive perspective in spite of numerous obstacles 1974 was a
good year for the automobile. The battle between Ford and Chevy was
at a fevered pitch forcing both to produce some marvelous vehicles
from both contempt and competition. Chrysler bless their souls was
somewhere in between. In 1974 the 70's were still young to us here in
America and we were all still reeling from turbulent rebellious 60's.
Cheap gas and design innovation coined by the phrase of the decade
“Bigger is better” car companies commenced to build land cruisers
and stuffing them with features. This was a trend started in the late
60' and carried over. This was a time when family road rips were
still considered a legitimate mini-vacation.
For the 1974 season GM did all they
could do keep with the big car trend. They released 5 models for the
year all of which were long a heavy. Everything was going great the
initially then things started to happen that would effect the auto
industry both harshly and directly. The biggest of course being the
Oil embargo placed against us the U.S., Europe and Japan. The free
flow of dirt-cheap gasoline was suddenly without warning over. The
embargo actually initiate in 1973 by the Organization of Arab
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). It had both an immediate and
disastrous effects to pretty much anyone affiliated with a vehicle.
Dealers had thousands of these massive V-8 propelled cars sitting on
their lots. The owners sat and looked out the window at a perfectly
good running car that over indulged in what had over night become a
“precious” commodity, fuel. Due to the embargo in just a few
months prices spiked from $3 a barrel to $13. It forced for the first
time in history a limit on the amount of gas sold to each customer.
Long lines ensued at the pump as some station would simply run out
and hang a sign out front. Unfortunately ever car GM produced was
big.
For so many years the embargo of the
70's was viewed mostly in a negative perspective. GM instead saw an
opportunity. Through a great marketing campaign they were able to
successfully re-introduce the Cadillac as a “Personal Luxury Sedan”
as it was billed during its initial launch. The cars were there on
the lots and they had to sell them so they appealed to a more upscale
type of consumer. They billed the Cadillac as a selective drive, not
an everyday back and forth to work but more of a special occasion, a
car with culture. This was long before the luxury class of cars was
so widely accepted as it is today. The campaign worked perfectly it
shot Cadillac right back in to the status of automobile it initially
started out as, a distinguished ride. It worked so well that Cadillac
held out another 10 years before finally acknowledging to the oil
shortage and making smaller cars.
For such a transitional year as 1974,
the Cadillac seemed to be one of the few bright spots still shinning
in our American culture. Literally from all aspects as it set a
precedence in many areas such as status, back then you could get
further by stating “I drive a Cadillac” than most would with
these newly developing deals back then they called credit cards. The
way, only way Americans moved around America in comfort, luxury and
style in a Cadillac. A staple of American society American culture.
In 1974 GM came out with the 5 models
of Cadillac. Stunningly beautiful cars that made no apologies for
being what they were Cadillac. With pressure coming from legislation
and regulation as well as the influx of foreign models that were
already fuel-efficient, a term that would single handedly attempt to
destroy the V-8. Most car companies were being forced to reduce their
models in both size and power to remain competitive. GM flat out
refused. The '74 El Dorado literally came with the phrase “If you
have to ask you can't afford it”. GM had found something back then
that companies today spend millions looking for, a niche market.
So the '74 models came out! They so
took us storm so much so we almost forgot about the fact that at the
time relations between the U.S. And other countries wasn't that
great. It didn't help that figure head, president Nixon was working
his way around and under Watergate. The job market was undefined as
was housing. We were a nation undecided looking for a direction in
which to go. This year seemed to be a turning point as 1975 showed
clear signs of progress in many areas for the U.S. 1974 clearly laid
the pathway. It was the first year we had to “slow down” as the
national speed limit was set at 55 MPH. Music was still in band form
and being performed live, still being played in turntables at 33 ½
RPM. In spite of all the controversies the year seemed to give us, a
nice interaction with a Cadillac would some how lessen the blow. You
didn't have to own one necessarily just seeing one in motion and
knowing there goes a top quality American product with history,
heritage value. Such American made products made us all “proud to
be American” again! Although it was almost 30 years ago I'm sure
you can clearly remember your or someone else's, but you do remember
the Cadillac.
COBO Center, Detroit, Michigan 
