Al Gustin

By 1959, tail fins had grown to gargantuan size. Auto manufacturers touted cars that were longer, sleeker and more aerodynamically designed. When the 1959 Plymouth was introduced on “The Lawrence Welk Show,” there was a visual reference to rockets. Then the announcer touted “New flaring fin design, in perfect harmony with the sweeping length.” There were new engines and transmissions, but it was primarily the external design that differentiated one model from another.