1950s America was a special time, as our manufacturing base kicked into high gear and the Federal government finally approved a national highway system that would fully unite our country. The 1950s also saw the first hints of the unavoidable horsepower wars that would consume the Big Three in the 60s, and leading the way was the 1956 Oldsmobile Super 88 boasting the 240 horsepower Rocket 88 engine.

240 horsepower from a 324 cubic-inch V8 may not seem like much, but it was a tremendous amount of power for the time for any car. As Mr. Regular of Regular Car Reviews craftily articulates, the Super 88/Rocket 88 gave America its first taste of muscle car prowess, and we as a nation became hooked on horsepower. While it may not qualify as America’s first muscle car, the Olds 88 holds a special place in American automotive history.

Unlike some of Mr. Regular’s other videos, this one is short on snark but high on history. We also get a look at one of the most technologically-advanced cars of its time with features like power brakes…but no power steering, relying instead on a “manhole-sized steering wheel” as Mr. Regular puts it. He also seems giddy over the fact that everything in the ‘56 Olds 88 is actually metal, rather than the soft/hard plastic combinations we’ve been forced to endure these past few decades.

This video is both a love letter to a simpler time, as well as an acknowledgement that automobiles really have come a long way, both in convenience and safety. This is when Mr. Regular is at his best though, dropping knowledge and metaphors that make automotive history lessons even more engaging for us less-than-serious enthusiasts.