Historical Footnote - Year of 1968

It has been a while since I wrote an historical footnote. This one is about the year 1968, which seems to be considered by historians as the year that introduced turbulence and while Europe was turning to socialist welfare state domestic policies and experiencing its own social change, the American youth protested against the “establishment” of which one day they would be a part of. I was 18 and registered with the local draft board, as required upon reaching 18 years old. I was into motorcycles, cars, stock car racing and girls (not necessarily in that order, although the vehicles seemed to attract the “chicks”). I could purchase gasoline for 32-cents per gallon, had a beefed up 1964 Ford Fairlane convertible painted (with help of Bobby Williams from Tennessee who was dating my sister) midnight blue with silver metal flake and on the left and ride side of front fenders was scripted writing painted that read: “Blue Rebel”. (Sorry, no photo of my Fairlane, but a cool 1968 Mercury Cougar at left) The engine was from a Lincoln I salvaged that was 389 cubic inches bored and stroked to 400 cubic inches by W.A.R. Engines, Eldebrock manifold with 3-barrel carburetor, wide street slick tires on the read and standard highway on the front with a wheelie bar on the back bumper that wasn’t just for looks. It also had exhaust dumps to allow through a cable mechanism on the dash to run straight exhaust from the customized engine manifold – used for illegal quarter-mile Saturday midnight racing on Army Trail Road (when it was a rural community). The only vehicle that could beat that machine was a Studebaker driven by the daughter-in-law of the senior racing and auto show family who specialized in Studebakers whose national name was “Mr. Studebaker”. The other vehicle that could beat that souped-up Ford was a Barracuda driven by my best friend, Bobby Williams, the hillbilly from Tennessee.

Elvis was still my favorite, but I enjoyed the music of The Beatles, Doors, and others of the time. Elvis had a TV special in 1968 that introduced his circuit comeback away from the films that took over his musical tours, appearing in all-leather attire. The Cold War was in its prime. Vietnam was in its fourth year and escalating. …