[h=2]Generators[/h] Seen to the left of the fan, the generator on this 1956 Dodge Red Ram Hemi V-8 would be history in a few years. | Dodge

Your car’s alternator is one of the most essential parts under its hood. But it wasn’t introduced until 1960, when Chrysler made it standard equipment on the Valiant. Both Ford and General Motors stuck with the old generator system for a few more years. Generators were heavy, prone to wear, and struggled under the strain of powering a car’s accessories. By the mid 1960s, the entire automotive industry had abandoned the ancient technology for the simpler, more capable alternator.