Gauges

The 1964 Grand Prix had an incredible gauge that sat on the console between the seats. It was a chrome cone with about a three inch face. This manifold vacuum pressure gauge would give the driver a relative, immediate reading on the fuel economy indicated with the colors red, yellow, and green. Gas was twenty seven cents a gallon, drivers needed to pay attention, and I was fascinated with it.

The feedback was quite the rush as it gave me the sense of a starship captain monitoring his ship. If I was thinking grim thoughts i.e. how is the cold war going to end without destroying the Earth, the gauge was in the red. On happier days, I could be coasting along in the green at the same speed, if I wasn't putting too much pressure on the accelerator. Self induced pressure and tension proved very inefficient, but at least it raised my blood pressure.