How We Build Things

If one considers the craftsmanship of USA made goods, some conclusions come to mind. There was a spirit, a voice imbued into our products. From automobiles to toys, the US built quality. It may have not have been the finest, or exotic, but it was made to last and easy to maintain.
Take automobiles before 1970. They may not rival Europe's precision, but that was not the intention. The goal was to create a dependable car easy to maintain. In other words, easy enough for routine care by the owner.
Now the argument is that new cars are more reliable, safe and are more fuel efficient. Which is true. Know that the old models were manufactured when a gallon of gas was twenty cents a gallon.
It is easy to wax poetic about these cars. There is a romantic charm about them. Endearing even. And yes folks, people used to work on their cars. You popped open the hood and starting to look and listen. These were days when you would change your own oil, change spark-plugs, filters and fluids. Most of it was learned by others, some of it was intuitive. Imagine doing that now? We wouldn't dare, other than checking the fluids (which now are pre-warned by a computer system). It was far from perfect, but the bonds from driver to car were deeper.