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.

5 Essential Factors Of A Good Bedroom Design
Shrinivas Vaidya 
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Dear friends, successful design is a relative term. What is goodor successful for me may not be so from your point of view.

But when it comes to interior design, there are certain factorswhich are always present no matter what the use of the space is.Let's have a look at the bare minimum design factors a spacemust have so that it can be called a comfortable and habitable space.

1) Proportions of the room.

The word proportions is always used in the design field. Everyinterior space which is being used by humans must be proportionate.Proportions are extremely important in any design.

Every 3 dimensional object has properties such as length, width andheight. When these 3 are in accordance with the proportions ofvarious parts of human body we call it a proportionate design.

For example a handle of a wardrobe must have dimensions such that our fingers can hold it properly for effortless and smooth action.or a chair seat must have enough are so that we can sit comfortably.Again the type of seating will change the dimensions of the chair.A chair in waiting lobby of a bank will be different than a sofa.

So proportions play a major role in interior design and furniturein your bedroom must also follow these rules. The dimensions ofthe double bed, it's height from floor level, height of wardrobe,dimensions of dressing table, etc...all these matter as far asfunction is concerned.

2) Natural light entering the room.

There is no alternative for naturally lit spaces. Sun being thestrongest source of light and also helps to keep the biologicalbalance of the planet Earth, it is very much necessary in the interior spaces.

Study shows that natural light can penetrate in an interior spaceup to 20 feet (Approx. 7 meters). Using appropriate position for window opening can easily achieve this.

3) Natural Ventilation

A free and unobstructed flow of air can be a great way to keepthe atmosphere cool and clean in an interior space. This is possiblewhere bedrooms are located at the corner of the building where 2sides of the bedrooms have external faces.

Where it is not possible to provide windows on adjacent faces oropposite faces, a ventilator above the window is used. The concept behind the ventilator is simple. The lower half the bedroom height is always used by the habitants. Because of the constant use of thisare the air temperature rises and air becomes light weight.

This hot air rises above and must need an escape. At such times ventilators above the window openings play a major role ofcirculating the flow through the room in an upward direction. When the lower portion of the room becomes empty fresh air from window takes its position, thus maintaining a balance.

4) Clear Movement Patterns.

Every bedroom has certain exit points attached to it. Such as

a) Exit to balcony/ terrace.
b) Exit to toilet block/ walk in closet
c) Exit to backyard (if on ground floor)

If we draw an imaginary line from the entry point to all theseexit points, ideally the should not intersect. Since all otherareas are already occupied with furniture, keeping the insidecirculation space clear, helps to achieve a comfortablespace.

5) Good Provision For Inclusion Of Accessories.

Accessories in a bedroom have equal importance. When all otherfactors mentioned above are fairly met what remains is theuse of accessories which can make quite a lot of difference in thecomfort level of the habitants.

a) The first and the most important is a good provision ofartificial lighting. This includes basic lighting as well as special decorative lighting for decorative purposes.

b) Special provision for upholstery and linen. Small details suchas curtain rods, provision for bed canopies can make the room extra decorative.

c) Use materials that are easy to clean and maintain. For exampleif you are using PVC flooring sheets on top of standard tiled flooring,is it washable? Think of what will happen if your child uses it as a painting canvas.

The discussion above was an attempt to look for some universalfactor that can affect the comfort level of the users in a bedroom.Finally the feeling which you get when you use your bedroom is mostimportant and is a good measure to decide the success factor ofthe design project.

However it is important to note that these are not the only factorsthat need to be looked upon, but I'm sure these can help as a startingpoint for further creative thinking.

I hope this article was informative to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

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