If I recall, this was a 1953 or 1954 Dodge, but right now it escapes me. Feel free to correct me-there were some eras that all autos looked pretty much the same, and the early 1950s were such a time.
A sharp 1963 Chevy Impala, white with a red interior. The Impala was a fairly popular model for Chevrolet-decent power and speed, but big enough to be a nice family car as well.
1956 Plymouth Belvedere. When you think of the great vehicles of the 1950s, odds are good that there isn't a Chrysler Corporation product on the mental list. Don't know why-I suspect Chrysler's vehicles were comparable in quality to Ford and GM. The vehicle style is OK but nothing special-possibly why 1950s Chryslers don't appear at too many car shows.
But by the 1960's the company got it right with big muscle cars like this 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. One expects Bo and Luke Duke to show up and drive it away.
It wouldn't be a cruise or car show without a Camaro, and I do like the 1969 SS. The new Holden Camaro is cool, but I like the old small model myself.
The 1957 Chevy Bel Air-one of the finest looking vehicles ever to roll out of Detroit. You'll see several '57s at most shows, and they all look great, from the stock family car to the heavily modified street rod. Most of the owners of stock vehicles have taken care to match the pastel pinks, greens, and blues so prevalent in 1950s styling. An awesome set of wheels!
This 1923 Ford hot rod would be fun to drive around! It even sports 1923 Illinois license plates in addition to a modern-day tag in the back.
I've never seen one of these-a 1953 Studebaker coupe with a truck bed. I've seen plenty of Ford Rancheros and Chevy El Caminos-cars playing at being pickup trucks-but I didn't know the fellows in South Bend built a line of these! Cool!
Ahh, here we go! A 1984 Hurst/Olds Cutlass, the high performance version of my beloved Cutlass line! A beautiful bit of iron. I'll trade this guy my car for his, if he's up to do so. He likely isn't. Ah well...
A big, heavy 1958 Chevy Impala-5,000 lbs of American steel. These early Impalas just look monstrous compared to, well, nearly any car on the road today.
Another '57 Chevy-this one a Nomad station wagon. The Nomad was, of course, the wagon version of the Bel Air, and a bit rarer car. It's astounding to look under the hood of the older cars-no emission controls, electronics, or sensors-just an engine that you can repair yourself if you have some mechanical knowledge. Things have changed some in fifty years.
Last and possibly least, a 1970 AMC Gremlin. The Gremlin was supposed to be a light, fast machine with a fair-sized engine. In reality, they were an uncomfortable car to ride in and the styling left something to be desired. The back seat had zero legroom-I know this because I had to wedge myself in to one of the damn things when I was 12 years old and my friend George's parents (proud Gremlin owners) drove me into town-a seven mile long trip that felt like seventy miles. A car whose time came and went.
Enjoy the vehicles!
yankeedog out.
Very cool. If you ever make your way over here, pack a few of them in your suitcase as they go for a premium around here.
ReplyDeleteNice old weaponry, esp. the Camaro and the Charger. The Gremlin's giving me Wayne's World flashbacks. The Studebaker's what we Aussies have always called a 'ute' - that El Camino style of sticking a truck bed on the back of a family car to make a cheap-to-mass-produce utility vehicle has always been around in Oz (allegedly we invented the concept, or at least popularised it) - they were going to use the latest Commodore ute as the basis of a reborn Chevy El Camino, Bob Lutz pipes up every couple of years to suggest it but don't think it'll ever get up. Pity, it'd be popular I suspect.
ReplyDeleteOnce again thanks for the pics! The story/legend/what I was told, is that a farmer´s wife wanted something her husband could use around the farm but still drive her to church on Sunday, thus the utility or ute.
ReplyDeleteNaut-Well, we did have some John Deere fans make their way up here from Oz last year for a collector's auction. A few of them bought tractors to take back! I'd bet I could sell those cars there, at that.
ReplyDeleteDoc-The Pacer was the Gremlin's bigger brother. AMC turned out a few good cars (Javelin, Hornet), and some real dogs (Gremlin, Alliance).
The Commodore ute looks like the Chevrolet SSR here, sold from 2003 to 2006. I've seen a few but they didn't sell too well. The El Caminos and Rancheros did all right.
Bangar-That's as good an explanantion as any, I reckon.
Those are some sweet rides, thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteBarnesy-Yer welcome!
ReplyDelete