The Malaise Era.

I’m 55. I got my license a bit late at seventeen, where my peers had theirs at sixteen- it was more a function of where my family lived, in the central part of Elk Grove, Ca, close to all three of the schools. The elementary, jr. high, and high schools were all about a fifteen minute walk from the house, and our folks strongly encouraged us to do just that, or bike. It was 1981 when I successfully parallel parked the family’s Dodge Monaco wagon along a curb in Galt, earning my driver’s license. First attempt. One error.

1981 was also toward the end of the Malaise Era, a term coined by gearhead scribe, junkyard photographer, LeMons judge, etc, Murrilee Martin. He defined it as the decade from 1973- 1983, or when, as Martin puts it in the above linked Editorial/rant: “I say it extends from the year of 5 MPH crash bumpers to the year the Fox Mustang became properly quick, and that’s that!” (although the FB group extends it to 1995, which brings more cars under the rubric, but it’s Martin’s term.)

That’s not to say there weren’t some interesting and fun cars through that period. During this time of retrenchment, research and engineering, and simple risk taking we received such glories as The Chevy Cosworth Vega, an example of which I owned, briefly. The Porsche 928, an underrated Grand Touring machine that was introduced in 1978 and ran until 1995. The Buick Grand National, a now-legendary machine that has late boomers like myself and gen Xers drooling, and commands prices from the mid teens at least- whenever one shows up for auction.

But those were exceptions, and pricey ones for the time. More common were the uninspiring, sad cars like the Ford Granada that ol’Murrilee wrote his editorial/rant around. Surprised by the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, and the nearly immediate dive of the American driver to more efficient vehicles, as well as tightening fuel economy and emissions standards, it took Detroit that amount of time to finally get their game face on.

Technology pulled us out of that period. With very simple computerized fuel injection systems at first, gradually evolving through OBD (on board diagnostic) series 1, to the current OBD 2, every aspect of the car’s powertrain is monitored and adjusted many times a second to ensure efficient operation. Modern computer control also makes it easier to make old (Malaise Era) machines more reliable and efficient with an engine transplant. Roadkill, a show sponsored by Motor Trend magazine, did a retrospective of some of the land yachts that were produced during that time, with an eye towards a restomod– taking a very distinctive shape and swapping in excruciatingly modern engines and support systems with an eye towards making these motels on wheels better than new.

I don’t lament the passing of the Malaise Era. The cars were mostly dreadful- slow, thirsty and ponderous. But without it, we wouldn’t have 700 horsepower cars that can be bought off of the showroom floor, if you have the dollars and lack of judgement needed. Or you can restomod. Here’s Lucky Costa and Tony Angelo from Hot Rod Garage, feeding their Caddy some road. Watch the episode, it’s a hoot.