The idea of installing a powerful engine in a post WWII mid-size car was introduced in 1957. The American Motors (AMC) Rebel showcased AMC?s new 327 in³ V8 255 hp with a 4 barrel carburetor (fuel injection was to be optional), thus making it the first American factory hot-rod hardtop sedan. The Rambler Rebel came with a manual or automatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The Rebel was promoted as the fastest four-door car in America from 0-60 mph and ran the quarter mile in 17.0 seconds. It was one of the quickest production automobiles at that time.

The popularity of the muscle car grew in the 1960s. Among these was the Pontiac Tempest. For 1964 and 1965, the GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 in³ (6.5 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966, the Pontiac GTO was no longer an option, and became its own model. The project, spearheaded by Pontiac division president John De Lorean, was technically a violation of General Motors policy limiting its smaller cars to 330 in³ (5.4 L) displacement, but it proved far more popular than expected, and inspired a host of imitations, both at GM and its competitors.

This marked a general trend towards factory performance, which reflected the importance of the youth market. A key appeal of the muscle cars was that they offered the burgeoning American car culture an array of relatively affordable vehicles with strong street performance that could also be used for racing. The affordability aspect was quickly compromised by increases in size, optional equipment, and plushness, forcing the addition of more and more powerful engines just to keep pace with performance. A backlash against this cost and weight growth led in 1967 and 1968 to a secondary trend of "budget muscle" in the form of the Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge Super Bee, and other stripped, lower-cost variants.

Although the sales of true muscle cars were relatively modest by total Detroit standards, they had considerable value in publicity and bragging rights, serving to bring young buyers into showrooms. Automakers saw these as halo models and some, such as the AMC Rebel Machine, were factory upgraded to be turn-key drag racers. The 1970 Machine even came with flamboyant and patriotic red, white, and blue reflective body graphics for maximum street and racetrack visibility. The fierce competition led to an escalation in power that peaked in 1970, with some models offering as much as 450 hp (and others likely producing as much actual power, whatever their rating).

The Dodge Charger, known for its appearance as the villan's vehicle in the movie BullittAnother related type of car is the car-based pickup. Examples of these are the Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint, GMC Caballero, and one of the most famous examples, the Chevrolet El Camino.

Ted Nicholas, widely recognized as one of the greatest direct-marketing wizards of all time, is best-known for having earned 24.5 million dollars on the sale of a single book that was primarily sold through direct mail.Ted's newest book, "Magic Words That
1e2f You might think this strange, but every day, before I start
work, I stand up, look to the sky, throw my hands in the air,
and shout out loud: I feel terrific!

This is what I call an 'affirmation' -- positive self-talk to
charge up my emotions and help me produce my very best work. An
affirmation can be as simple as YES!...as uplifting as I'm
very happy at this moment!...or as determined as I'm willing
to do whatever is necessary to succeed!

Try it for yourself right now. Choose a positive message you
want to tell yourself. Then stand up, put your head back, throw
your arms up, and shout it out loud. Makes you feel
uncomfortable? Good! You've just discovered how powerful
words can be.

Unlimited Success & Wealth are All In the Words You Use

What's the single most important asset you and your business
possess? Forget money and numbers. The true currency of
business is WORDS. Communicating your ideas, your offer, the
benefits of your product -- using words to achieve your aims is
the single most important activity any business ever performs.

Unlimited success and wealth are as simple as using the right
words. You can get everything you've ever wanted in life, simply
by saying the right words -- because the words which you
communicate determine the quality of your life.

This is true whether communicating with others or with yourself.
Especially with yourself.

Words have the power to induce someone to laugh, to cry, to be
kind, to be loving, to be cooperative, or to buy. Or be unkind,
angry, irrational.

Whether words are written or spoken, they have enormous power.
Of course, when words are spoken, the added factors of voice
timbre, emphasis, emotion...all have the potential to cause even
more impact.

Use Words to Achieve a Win - Win Situation

Here is what few businesspeople seem to realize: People all over
the world really want to help and accommodate their fellow
humans. But they must be approached properly. The magic words
I'll reveal to you in a moment can manipulate a situation to
bring you what you want -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Magic Words Can Bring You Riches

The same words, strategies and techniques that I've used to get
the best results from everyday situation -- like hiring a
Mercedes for the price of a Ford, slashing the cost of a first
class hotel room, and buying valuable antiques at huge discounts
-- can work magic for your business, too. Here are 3 of the
phrases, which have helped me build a career marketing over
$500,000,000 of both my own and my client's products and
services.

Magic Phrase #1 -- Attract All the Money You Need for any
business venture you'd like to start. The magic words here are
sophisticated investor. Every successful professional - such
as a doctor or lawyer -- likes to think of himself or herself as
sophisticated. And you can often attract these people to invest
in your business.

Run an ad in your local paper, high-lighting those two key words.
Other magic phrases to include are Local business person with
excellent track record and reputable history; start-up business
opportunity, limited investment, high potential return; and
references available.

Magic Phrase #2 -- Receive Free Expert Help for your business.
Simply announce I have a business problem and need expert
assistance, either to a local business group (such as the
Chamber of Commerce, which you have in practically every town)
or putting an advertisement in the business section of your local
newspaper. And I've been absolutely delighted with the quality of
assistance provided to me on several occasions by retired
executives. Seek them out in your local area, and you could
benefit from this great source of experienced know-how, too.

Magic Phrase #3 -- Get Capable People to Work for Free. Your
magic words here are piece of the action. Instead of paying a
fixed salary, run ads offering people one of these options:

* Hourly rate for services rendered
* Percentage of sales
* Percentage of profits
* Royalty on sales
* Percentage of savings
* Fixed payment for each unit produce

Anyone with a strong entrepreneurial instinct will be attracted
by such an approach. It means there will be no limit on their
income, they will be more independent, they can set their own
hours -- and the harder they work, the more they earn. This is
just the type of person you should employ.

Assume The Other Person Has Already Said Yes

Ask questions which assume the end result you seek. For
example, speaking with your bank manager about setting up a
merchant account, you might ask these questions:

1. How long does it normally take for a credit card charge to
be credited to my account?

2. What discount or percentage of credit card sales will the
bank charge us for your service?

3. How long would it take to get the service in place?

4. What equipment do we need to buy to make it easier for your
bank to process our orders?

Can you see how the end result -- having a merchant account so
you can process the credit card orders - is assumed by the very
words used in each question?

Magic Words Deliver Power

And this is especially true when you're speaking to yourself. As
I said at the beginning of this letter, I use affirmations every
day -- standing up, looking to the sky, throwing my hands in the
air, and shouting out a positive message I need to tell myself.

Yes, I feel ridiculous when I do this too. But that discomfort
is just the push I need to change my emotional state. The magic
words in my affirmations give me the energy and determination
I need to produce my very best work. And I truly believe
they'll help you achieve your goals too.

About the Author

Ted Nicholas, widely recognized as one of the greatest direct-
marketing wizards of all time, is best-known for having earned
24.5 million dollars on the sale of a single book that was
primarily sold through direct mail.
Ted's newest book, Magic Words That Bring You Riches reveals 17
magic words that can make you a fortune.
http://www.roibot.com/tk_mw.cgi?mwarticle

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