How many of us

[Camino LS6]

...own, or have owned, a car from the 50s?

I've had exactly one, a '57 Chevy.

[balthazar]

Hi.

'59 Buick Invicta

'59 Buick Electra (parts car)

'57 Ford F-250

Would love to add more... as long as I could swing a turn-key car. I'm done with restorations

Edited December 27, 2009 by balthazar

[Camino LS6]

Hi.

'59 Buick Invicta

'59 Buick Electra (parts car)

'57 Ford F-250

Would love to add more... as long as I could swing a turn-key car. I'm done with restorations

Funny, I thought your list would be longer.

There are only a handful from the decade I'd really like to have.

[Delta Force79]

Oddly enough I'm not really a fan of Tri-Five Chevy's, my 50's dream car list is mostly Mopars. '55-58 Chrysler 300, '58 Plymouth Belvedere Sport hardtop or Fury with a Golden Commando 350, '59 Plymouth Fury. I'd also like a Hudson Hornet, a '59 Buick and possibly a '59 Impala.

[Camino LS6]

Here's a short list for me:

-'59 El Camino

- Studebaker Golden Hawk

- A Nomad (preferably a '55)

- '55-'59 GM Sedan delivery

- Maybe an Austin-Healey

- Some Ford and GM pickups strike my fancy

That's about it.

EDIT: I have a soft spot for the '55 Vette.

Edited December 27, 2009 by Camino LS6

[z28luvr01]

Me - none. I'd love to have one of the 53-55 Corvettes, a sedan delivery or Nomad, or maybe even a 55-57 T-bird. Most of the other stuff is too big for my tastes.

My father has the 55 Bel Air that he's redoing, and the '55 rustpile that he inherited from my grandfather that will, unfortunately, have to be junked once the project is done.

[balthazar]

>>"Funny, I thought your list would be longer."<<

Average model year I've owned is still 1965- I've had a LOT of 64-65-66 cars.

There's a bunch I would love to own, esp a half dozen Caddys from the '50s. I'd love a chopped '49-50 Merc- have lusted over these all my life it seems. '57 Eldo, '56 Roadmonster, '53 CdV, '56 Merc, '57 DeSoto, '61 DeSoto... long long list of wants here, some stock, some custom.

Came real close to owning : '58 CdV, '60 CdV, '56 Buick Super Riviera, and my first was nearly a '51 Hudson Pacemaker Custom Brougham coupe.

[Delta Force79]

+1 on the '56 Roadmaster

[Camino LS6]

Most of the "porkier" shapes of that decade do nothing for me, thus the list I posted earlier.

The 60s are another story entirely, I'm a kid in the candy store there.

[caddycruiser]

Too young. But by association, dad bought, completely re-built, repaired, painted, engine swapped, etc. a red '57 Chevy back in the early 80's. I need to find the pictures of that thing...of his endless line of oldies and build from shells, I always wished that one was still around for me to have at least seen and ridden in once.

[balthazar]

Nearly Nirvana :

The overall shape is unmatched in fluidity, IMO.

[Camino LS6]

Hmm, maybe this should morph into a picture thread...

[Robert Hall]

The 50s cars are too far before my time to really appeal to me, but there are a few designs that I like..the '53 Studebaker hardtop (really stood out compared to the dumpy, humpy designs that most of Detroit circa '53 had), the '53 Skylark (most beautiful early 50s GM IMHO), the '56 Lincoln MK II (so clean), some European models. I go against the mainstream in that I really don't care for the '49 Merc, esp. chopped customs.

As far as owning old cars, there are many from the '60s-70s I could see myself having as a weekend toy, esp. the lower-longer-wider full size models..

[Camino LS6]

'57 Studebaker Golden Hawk:

By CaminoLS6

[Camino LS6]

'59 Chevy Sedan Delivery:

By CaminoLS6

[Camino LS6]

'55 Chevy Nomad:

By CaminoLS6

[A Horse With No Name]

I've owned a 55 Chevrolet 2 Door post, two tone blue and white, and a 57 Bel Air wo door hard top, also two tone blue and white.

55 had an Offenhouser tri power and a Muncie 4 speed...still one of the fav. cars I've owned.

Keep hoping Z06 will see it (55 Chev) in Orlando, and send me some pics...as the car now belongs to my friend G.E. Miller in Orlando.

55 Nomad is #2 on my list of postwar American cars, right behind the 58-62 Corvettes.

FABULOUS car...Tim Allen never should have destroyed the one on Home Improvement...

That Blue one you posted is great, Camino! ...someday...

And in high school my mother dated a guy who had a brand new 57 Golden Hawk Studebaker. As I was into cars as a kid, my mother told me all about that car...

Chris

[Camino LS6]

'55 Austin-Healey 100 S :

By CaminoLS6

Better have about half a million on hand if you want one.

[balthazar]

I LOVE cars 'outside my time' because they're so different from the mainstream, ie; my experience. Doesn't hurt that they have far better design, either.

The '55 Austin-Healey above doesn't do anything for me because the design stops at the basic shape; there's no detailing. Most all the 'sports cars' in this genre fall into this category: lacking in design, some of them at fundamental levels. Body tumblehome, wheel shrouding, enveloping, things of this nature. There were a number of minor makes in this genre / era; few catch my eye.

Here's one: a '56 Arnolt-Bristol- neat aggressive nose :

[balthazar]

See- the current board's inability to go back & edit can leave these missing pics in place. Needs to be changed if possible, IMO.

Arnolt-Bristol is here:

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/1956_Arnolt_Bristol_Deluxe_Roadster_For_Sale_Front_1.jpg

[Delta Force79]

Christine, obviously...but beyond that association the '58 Plymouth IMO was just perfection, perfect fins, sexy lines and hardtop greenhouse, tasteful use of chrome, and who can argue with a 350 V8 in the low price field as an option

[Camino LS6]

Interesting perspective on the Healey, Balthazar. What you see as a lack of detailing is the very same clean design that makes me like it. The car does have some detailing, but it is subtle and applied sparingly. The car's purposeful nature extends to the shape and lack of ornamentation, making it stand out from the crowd of overdone cars of the time. I like the '55 Chevy and the early V8 Corvettes for exactly the same reason.

I grew-up with cars that were often over-detailed with rust-creating trim and chrome everywhere, so clean and subtle has a strong appeal for me. It's not a universal thing, as I love a few cars that are over-the-top, but in general I like the clean look.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Camino LS6

[trinacriabob]

No.

However, the car from the 50s and 60s that I find the quirkiest is the '59 Impala, notably for its rear taillights.

[Paolino]

Me, none. But at least once a year I hear about the 50's Bonneville my dad had that he bought as his first car. I think it was his favorite of any car to this day.

[§carlet §wordfish]

We own a '53 MG TD, but it probably hasn't been driven since the '50s.

[balthazar]

Paolino- since you have heard about this Bonne so often, you should be able to quote me the year & body style, no? Seriously- would love to hear about it.

Camino- my take is illustrated exactly by 2 cars you mention above: the Healey & the '53-55 Corvette. I see the 2 as opposite ends of the same spectrum- the Healey lacks cohesiveness to my eye, while the Corvette does not. It's mostly technical : body envelope, flow-thru, body tumblehome, wheel-to-fender placement, stance, etc.

We could get into a whole 'nuther design-analysis thread on it with some pics- I'd take to that and maybe open my eye more... tho I've looked at these cars (the Corvette here) for so long I don't believe I missed anything.

[Camino LS6]

With the Healeys, you almost need to be there in person - pics tend to make them look a bit flat designwise. The pic I posted is particularly lousy (couldn't find a good one of the "S").

[Robert Hall]

I've seen a few of the big Healeys in person, beautiful car..great, classic sports car proportions--long nose, short front overhang, low rear. I like the MGA of that era also..a buddy in high school had one.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

The Healey 100-4, and 100-6 cars are the spartan ones - a 3000 is another story.

[A Horse With No Name]

Camino can tell you of my love of Healy's...

And again, to me, just like Camino said...purposeful, simple, and so forth.

Actually, that's why I like cars like the 49 Cadillac 2 Door Hardtop.

Chris

[daves87rs]

Most of the "porkier" shapes of that decade do nothing for me, thus the list I posted earlier.

The 60s are another story entirely, I'm a kid in the candy store there.

Me too.

[daves87rs]

'55 Chevy Nomad:

By CaminoLS6

Now there is one that I would take....

[trinacriabob]

Unfortunately, I don't have that strong of an interest in cars from the era mentioned in the thread. I think '75 and '76 mark the years my interest in GM cars begins, largely because they were a combination of unmistakable GM Detroit iron and updated interiors/dashboards/creature comforts...

like this next link shows...yeah, yeah, I know, I know (2nd one from the top, a coupe, with the small Olds V8 referred to in the text)

GM stuff I love

Didn't mean to hijack...back on track...

Edited December 31, 2009 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

RE '76 LeMans' in link :

Nose looks like a block plane was run across the front, then a small piece of molding was added in the center, along with a 300-lb bumper. Rear end tapers down to an undignified droopy point- where's the typical Pontiac aggressiveness ?? All shaved off. These paved the way for what followed. Just my 2 cents.

[67impss]

Me 1 a '59 Opel Rekord / only 1 earlier a 36 Ford Fordor(sp)

would love that 59 S/D almost bought a 59 Imp 348 tri power 3spd instead of the 67 vert

[trinacriabob]

RE '76 LeMans' in link :

Nose looks like a block plane was run across the front, then a small piece of molding was added in the center, along with a 300-lb bumper. Rear end tapers down to an undignified droopy point- where's the typical Pontiac aggressiveness ??

I agree with you on some of these points. So must have many American/Canadian consumers because, in that same year, they couldn't keep Cutlasses on the lots while few Pontiac LeMans cars were sold. I think the front end was fine. I see your point on the rear/trunk. It was very weak. I think that, had this car's rear been more upright, like that of the Cutlass and the Regal of the same year, we would have seen many more of them.

What I like is the traditional Pontiac hood sculpting, the side sculpting, the "fast back" roof line, the available Pontiac rally wheels, the really nice cloth buckets with a console in the LJ that couldn't be had in a Cutlass or Regal, and that beautiful 73-77 dash. Throw in the reliability of a small block Olds Rocket V8 and it makes for a nice package.

But, you're right about some of the design quirks. Even an amateur car design buff (like me) could take a pencil and work out some decent nips and tucks to have made it a nicer car. I like it because it is unique and when I see one on the road, I really notice it.

[balthazar]

I got your (period) Pontiac right here :

May have been a bit much as a base-line LeMans, but something in between would've carried the torch better than the RPO LeMans. And I believe the rear was 'fixed' in that the extreme pointiness was blunted with an angled fascade- a solid improvement.

[ocnblu]

That front end accentuates width, I like it, and the skegs on the bumper really drive the point home.

[XP715]

Haven't owned a 50's car yet, however I look forward to owning many over the course of my life. 1967 is the oldest I've been thusfar. My father, who was the driving force behind all of my early automotive influences, despises 99% of 50's cars and instead gravitates towards vehicles built before the second World War. As a result, all but one antique vehicle he's owned have been pre-war (a 1935 Ford 1-1/2 ton dump truck and three Packards that he still owns). So my love of 50's cars has definitely been self-developed. But, the one postwar antique he did own was a 1952 Chevrolet half-ton pickup he bought when he was 15, sold it 20 years later after it being his daily driver and later a toy, going through various color changes and major mechanical modifications. I guess when you're growing up and most 50's cars were just cheap used cars at the time, they're not special to you like they would be to others that never grew up with them. Nobody liked pre-war cars in the 50's, but now some of them are sold for millions of dollars. This is how I feel about 80's and 90's cars, wouldn't give you a nickel for the majority of them, but I'm sure future generations will love them.

[Robert Hall]

I got your (period) Pontiac right here :

May have been a bit much as a base-line LeMans, but something in between would've carried the torch better than the RPO LeMans. And I believe the rear was 'fixed' in that the extreme pointiness was blunted with an angled fascade- a solid improvement.

I like the '73 styling more overall, esp. the '73 Grand Am with the lower rear deck and pointy nose. The horizontal '73, '76-77 taillights work better than the vertical '74-75, IMHO.

Of the Colonades, I esp. like the '73 Buicks and Olds, great sculpturing all over. I love the rear ends on those, esp. w/ the smallish '73 bumpers. I do wish they had used quad headlights in '73-75, though..

Of '70s GMs, my favorite designs are probably the '71-72 B- and C- bodies (before the bumpers got too big, esp. like the Buick and Olds), the '71-72 Riviera (my favorite GM design of that decade), the '71-72 Toronado, and the '73 Colonnade coupes. The '70-72 A-bodies were quite nice--evolutions of the '68-69 designs, along w/the '70-72 Grand Prix and Monte Carlo.

'60s-70s designs and cars in general will always be way more appealing to me than the '50s designs.

[trinacriabob]

The horizontal'76-77 taillights work better than the vertical '74-75, IMHO.

'60s-70s designs and cars in general will always be way more appealing to me than the '50s designs.

+1 and +1

Despite the strange "pinched" trunk area Balthazar points out, the '76 and '77 taillight set-up was very attractive, especially in the Grand Le Mans where they were "doubled up" horizontally to take up more space, reaching the license plate indentation.

Agreed, I really like mid-70s GM products. The designs became cleaner and more rectangular. For me, the cars of the '50s and early '60s looked too bulbous or overly sculpted. I might be able to go as far back as the first Riviera and first Toronado, both of which were appealing avant-garde cars.

[A Horse With No Name]

You guys are going to shoot me for saying this...but I would LOVE a 73-77 Monte Carlo.

Silver car of that era that was just effin flawless was owned by a high school class mate...had a very healthy SBC.

I still wake up at night with dreams of that car in my head!

[ocnblu]

I don't even own a gun. No argument from me on a '73-'77 MC, they were at the top of their game.

[A Horse With No Name]

Thanks 'blu...glad someonme else understands!

Chris

[Robert Hall]

You guys are going to shoot me for saying this...but I would LOVE a 73-77 Monte Carlo.

Silver car of that era that was just effin flawless was owned by a high school class mate...had a very healthy SBC.

I still wake up at night with dreams of that car in my head!

+1.

I like those cars...the styling worked much better on the bigger body than the downsized '78-80, which was one of GM's ugliest designs of that decade, IMHO.

Sorry, Balthy..we've hijacked your thread forward a couple decades.

[A Horse With No Name]

I liked the downsized Cutty, but not the downsized MC.

The best Pontiacs to me are the 65 midsized cars...just awesome. But you can't live on that forever.

Back to the 1950's...I love the 55 Pontiac 2 door hardtop. As a former 55 Chevrolet owner I can honestly say that I have had fantasy's about being alive in 55, walking right past the Chevy dealer and getting myself a new tin indian...

A Pontiac, that is. White walls and a V8...hmmm...saw one made into a rat rod this summer and it looked great.

55 Pontiac FTW!

Edited January 1, 2010 by 66Stang

[Robert Hall]

I liked the downsized Cutty, but not the downsized MC.

The best Pontiacs to me are the 65 midsized cars...just awesome. But you can't live on that forever.

Back to the 1950's...I love the 55 Pontiac 2 door hardtop. As a former 55 Chevrolet owner I can honestly say that I have had fantasy's about being alive in 55, walking right past the Chevy dealer and getting myself a new tin indian...

A Pontiac, that is. White walls and a V8...hmmm...saw one made into a rat rod this summer and it looked great.

55 Pontiac FTW!

I like the styling of the '55-56 GMs in general. Kind of between the humpy early 50s cars and the finny late 50s cars. My parents first foray into GM products was a '56 Chevy Bel Air 4dr ht. I've seen a couple B&W pics of it. After a '49 Ford (their first new car, bought the year after they were married) and '52 Ford, they went w/ a GM for a couple years. Traded the Bel Air on a '58 Mercury Monterey 4dr ht (they stayed w/ big Mercs for the main family car until switching to Lincolns in '76).

[trinacriabob]

+1.

I like those cars...the styling worked much better on the bigger body than the downsized '78-80, which was one of GM's ugliest designs of that decade, IMHO.

Sorry, Balthy..we've hijacked your thread forward a couple decades.

Wow, now we're moving further forward. Of the 73-77 MC, 76 and 77 were better because of the stacked rectangular lamps. Of that next down-size, 85 through 87 got a little better than 78 through 84 and also picked up the still-with-us 4.3 Vortec V6 as its base, which powered this car better than the 3.8s would have (about 30 hp difference).

[balthazar]

Of the MCs, I like the 1st gen best, but the '73-77s for me; the sweep of the pontoons always makes the car look like it's riding too high to my eye. I'd like to see a tasteful mild custom that's dropped a good 3 inches. But I actually like the '78-up MCs better- same flare as Gen2 but not as wild.

Of the GPs, I LOVE the '69-72s, but Pontiac dropped the ball on the '73-77s- I never cared for the front end treatment and the Olds-esque split waterfall grilles. GP was always head&shoulders in aspiration above the f/s same-yr Ponchos, but for me- not after '73. Again tho- the '78 redesign was an improvement IMO.

I never gravitated towards Olds, I like a handful from the early-late '60s, but the Toro after '69- just weird, the Cutlasses- too common, the rest, don't like.

Then again, with in-person exposure to any vintage... anyone with an open mind can gain appreciation for most any car, in some measureable way.

See, tho I grew up with '70s & '80s cars all around, I have very very few sentimental attactments to this era. The cars usually didn't 'speak' to me. In the years before I started owning my own cars, I spent countless hours drawing, reading & studying ALL vintages and my appreciation for the '50s-60s is based on --IMO-- merit and fact rather than emotion. Hope that doesn't sound too 'looking down on' anyone's else's opinion, --I'm not!!-- everyone is free to like whatever they like !

[Camino LS6]

Have to part company with you on the MCs, Balthazar.

I find the 78-80 cars to be just awful - a parody of the 73-77s. The first gen cars are ok, but the second was when the MC hit its stride IMO. They made me like "personal luxury" coupes for the first time. Only the '83 and up SS cars eclipsed those big cruisers in my heart, and mostly because they were more completely my sort of car.

For a very long time, the colonnade cars didn't mean all that much to me but I have rediscovered their virtues over time. Exceedingly comfortable cars, they are deceptively good handlers. And when given a healthy dose of horsepower, they become decent performers. Yes, their styling was compromised by the absurd gov't-mandated bumpers, and their performance cramped by gov't-mandated emissions and efficiency standards - but the core foundation was more solid than ever. In some ways, they are much more advanced than their predecessors that so many (including me) love above all other cars.

Edited January 1, 2010 by Camino LS6