MUSCLE CARS

There's nothing like working a long day of architecture and urban design and coming home and knocking out a bunch of muscle cars postcards - while ironing and baking oatmeal raisin cookies.

Here are the Muscle Cars, FIRST DRAFTS: The background graphics for the Fall set of Vintage Automobiles 1954-1963 was color block classic. For the Muscles 1967 - 1973, I wanted to try some detail patterns characteristic of original and restored muscle cars. From HowStuffWorks.com: "You obviously take the excitement of driving pretty seriously," said the 1973 sales brochure to Firebird customers -- most of whom were likely to concur. "Trans Am is as serious as they come." Bold graphics livened the Trans Am, led by a monstrous bird decal on the hood. Conceived by John Schinella, and derided by some as the "screaming chicken," this emblem would nevertheless become an easily recognizable -- and welcomed -- Trans Am trademark.

Got to love the Screaming Chicken.

Check out the Muscle Cars Gallery if you just can't get enough.

Comment from my dad: These models were good choices to enliven and preserve. Ahhhh, those were the days, then emission controls happened. An analogy: your right to swing your fist stops at my jaw. Muscle cars were like swinging your fist rather indiscriminately, using lots of gasoline (I didn't say wasting it) and environmentalists sticking their jaw in your way. Obama is at it again today with more stringent joyless standards.

DISCLAIMER: Publishing this comment in no way endorses the driving methods of the author of the comment. "And Remember: Don't Drive Like my...Father!"