It can be American or one 'a them furrin' cars, but who made the best looking car back in the '50's?
Some of my favorites:
55 Mercury
(http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Mercury/1955%20Mercury/1955%20Mercury.jpg)
57 Buick
(https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQM1TXnwt-XLrrHImlziD0krsKJIn5SNTfUTB77Ejq7PGaDLe78wg)
57 Plymouth
(http://media.motortopia.com/files/6592/vehicle/464cfe9cb4088/bandit1.jpg)
54 Jag
(https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPF6x3m-NgqEn4YjqRUsUdpCCJn27Im8nr2dvixDVAv1aDh5ClRg)
55 Mercedes 300 SL
(http://newsautomag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/1955-Mercedes-300SL-GW-Mag-5500533.jpg)
Probably my favorite. There are a lot of cars I like in the 50's though.
Ferrari 410 Superamerica
(http://gomotors.net/pics/Ferrari/ferrari-410-superamerica-05.jpg)
Jag XKSS/D-type
(http://www.dreamscar.com/images/normal/JaguarXKSS/jaguarXKSS.jpg)
Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder
(http://bin3aiah.net/cars/makes/f/ferrari/250/Ferrari_250-GT-LWB-California-Spyder_1957-1.jpg)
Porsche 550 Spyder
(http://wsjv.images.worldnow.com/images/15600944_BG1.jpg)
BMW 507
(http://rwd-cars.de/pics/BMW-507-002.jpg)
Quote from: Rockraven on February 07, 2013, 04:08:54 PM
BMW 507
(http://rwd-cars.de/pics/BMW-507-002.jpg)
Fuck yeah
(http://www.motorera.com/corvette/1950/1959/59red2.jpg)
Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder :wub:
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible. Gorgeous from every angle! :wub:
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy.jpg)
.
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy1.jpg)
.
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy2.jpg)
.
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy3.jpg)
.
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy4.jpg)
.
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/12/2012/06/caddy6.jpg)
(http://aaamis.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/55citroen_ds19_01.jpg)
(runs and hides)
507 wins.
1956 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe De Ville
(http://www.screanews.us/SamSites/JpgCarFins/1956_Cadillac_Series_62_Coupe_de_Ville.jpg)
1957 Cadillac Eldorado Sedan
(http://www.carendz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1957-Cadillac-DeVille-Coupe-black.jpg)
'57 Chevrolet Bel Air
(http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/45033_525504810802479_1102438470_n.jpg)
'57 Dodge Custom Royal [Lancer]
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Carz%202008/59-Dodge-Custom-Royal-Lancer-Wayne_.jpg?t=1213407379)
1957 Imperial Crown
(http://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/461356_436128513073443_1386361173_o.jpg)
1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II
(http://fwallpapers.com/files/images/lincoln-continental-mark-ii-1956%E2%80%9357.jpg)
'57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser
(http://www.plan59.com/images/JPGs/mercury_1957_turnpike_cruiser_black_00.jpg)
'59 Cadillac Eldorado
(http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2009/02/12/13/42/1959_cadillac_eldorado-pic-33080.jpeg)
'57 Mercedes 300SL Roadster
(http://img2.netcarshow.com/Mercedes-Benz-300_SL_1957_800x600_wallpaper_05.jpg)
Citroen DS Convertible / DS Sedan
(http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/074/014/74014/big/citroenDS01.jpg?1261529170)(http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/074/015/74015/big/citroenDS02.jpg?1261529177)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7SczI5autzw/SwriDD5MWCI/AAAAAAAAGWo/8upDzXqOYjA/s1600/citroen_ds_02.jpg)
BMW 503
(http://aisicar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1956-BMW-503-Coupe-Reviews-01.jpg)
Mercedes 300 Adenauer
(http://www.autogaleria.pl/fotografie/mercedes-benz/mercedes_300_konrad_adenauer_1952.jpg)
Renault Floride / Caravelle
(http://fotos.autozeitung.de/462x347/images/bildergalerie/2009/01/1957floride001.jpg)
Studebaker Hawk
(http://images.carparts.com/design/assets/classics/55studebaker/images/27stude.jpg)
Tie: '55 300SL and '57 Bel Air.
Quote from: 2o6 on February 07, 2013, 08:41:43 PM
Studebaker Hawk
I prefer the earlier Starliners.
A 1954 Champion Starliner:
(http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/da/danschmitt/s392.jpg)
The '50s was quite an area (also, can someone correct the thread title to remove the apostrophe?!). Mopar or no car. 1955 C-300:
(http://www.mad4wheels.com/webpics/hires/00006102%20-%201955%20Chrysler%20C-300/1955_Chrysler_C-300_001_7776.jpg)
I never really put any thought into it, but there were a lot of good looking cars in the 1950s. I always sort of considered car design to start being attractive in the 60s.
Oh, yeah, baby. the '50s was the pinnacle of design. Owing to body-on-frame construction automakers could for the most part afford to restyle a car every single year.
Quote from: GoCougs on February 08, 2013, 09:50:33 AM
Oh, yeah, baby. the '50s was the pinnacle of design. Owing to body-on-frame construction automakers could for the most part afford to restyle a car every single year.
LOL because style=design in the CougSPIN world of CamcordSPIN.
I give a nod to the best looking Chevy of the '50s, the '58 Impala:
(http://vintagecarsandsuch.com/58Impala2.JPG)
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on February 08, 2013, 09:54:35 AM
LOL because style=design in the CougSPIN world of CamcordSPIN.
Unit body cars are more expensive to redesign owing to the integration of the body and chassis (i.e., material redesign of panels = redesign of chassis). BoF constructions allows whole sale changes to the body without a chassis redesign. In the heyday of the '60s a good portion of the cars of the era - Mustang, Camaro/Firebird, Mopar B-body (Charger, Road Runner, Super Bee, etc.), Mopar E-body (Challenger, Barracuda) - were unit-body with the corresponding slowdown in redesign. There were a few notable stalwart BoF holdouts though such as the GM A-body (GTO, Chevelle, 442, GS).
I would add the 1959 Ford Thunderbird. All years of the 2. generation 'bird are good
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/1959_Ford_Thunderbird_Convertible.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Ford_Thunderbird_Convertible_5700ccm300PS_1959.jpg)
I kinda like the early 1950s cars, before tailfins.
(http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/oldcarsofthenetherlands/1951_Hudson_Hornet.jpg)
1951 Hudson Hornet
I don't like how the D-type looks. It looks like a frankfurter.
Quote from: GoCougs on February 08, 2013, 09:50:33 AM
Oh, yeah, baby. the '50s was the pinnacle of design. Owing to body-on-frame construction automakers could for the most part afford to restyle a car every single year.
I don't know, part of me agrees - there was a lot of attention to detail and style that most cars emitted back then, but being BOF, most of the proportions from cars of that era are the same. IMO, during the 60's (especially Europe) more attention was given to attractive proportioning and svelte styling rather than glitz and glamor.
Quote from: 2o6 on February 09, 2013, 08:07:19 PM
I don't know, part of me agrees - there was a lot of attention to detail and style that most cars emitted back then, but being BOF, most of the proportions from cars of that era are the same. IMO, during the 60's (especially Europe) more attention was given to attractive proportioning and svelte styling rather than glitz and glamor.
Yeah, the 1950s were more about style over substance. But when the style looked so gorgeous, who cared about the ancient pre-war ironmongory underneath? :ohyeah:
Many of my favourites are, already, mentioned...
1959 Chrysler Imperial
(http://www.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/45032/45032_Rear_3-4_Web.jpg)
I thought these were, kind of, special as well...
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. This is a '59
(http://www.classiccar.co.uk/images/carpict/00033794/Red-Alfa-Romeo--33794.jpg)
I like the 56 Imperials the best. They got all weird later in the decade.
I don't know if anyone mentioned the BMW 507, but it gets my vote.
Some more...
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzUwWDEwMDA=/$(KGrHqZ,!lYFDe!Ng)D0BQ-rF4npsQ~~48_20.JPG)
(http://www.autotraderclassics.com/scaler/632/473/images/b/2012/06/18/7338398/0_IMG_3501.JPG)
(http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1023698/1953_buick_skylark_convertible_m.jpg)
(http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Packard/53_Packard_Caribbean_DV_05_Amelia_03.jpg)
(http://www.swide.com/binaries/content/gallery/swide2/article-inside/2012/12/02/top-cars-of-the-50s/top-10-cars-of-the-1950s-porsche.jpg)
So many great ones already posted. Just adding a few more of my faves:
1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
(http://images.carparts.com/design/assets/classics/57eldorado/images/19eldo.jpg)
(http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/061/5/6/57_Eldorado_by_AmericanMuscle.jpg)
Even the 1956 Eldorado was pretty great
(http://www.inclc.org/gallery/members/images/Peters56Eldo.jpg)
1956 Lincoln
(http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Lincoln/56_Lincoln-Premiere-Conv_Dv-10_CbS_01.jpg)
1957 Lincoln
(http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/57-Lincoln-Teal-025.jpg)
Insanely over the top 1958 Lincoln Continental
(http://4-photos.ebizautos.com/used-1958-lincoln-continental-convertible-8896-8760604-4-640.jpg)
(http://www.ev1.pair.com/chuck-58-continental/photos/chuck.58-145-web.jpg)
1955 Nash Ambassador
(http://blog.hemmings.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/04/1955NashAmbassador_01_700.jpg)
2 seater Thunderbirds. This one happens to be a 1957
(http://tomstrongman.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/06TBird.jpg)
Have to stop...
(http://www.supafly.com/images/54chevy_3.jpg)
(http://www.chuckgardiner.net/images/1956-ford-fairlane-club-1.jpg)
It's hard to top the '56 Ford.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on March 09, 2013, 05:26:03 PM
It's hard to top the '56 Ford.
We had one when I was little.
1959 lotus elite I saw on my classics car this morning was fantastic
(http://speedhero.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/1959-el-camino-red-1.jpg)
Quote from: r0tor on March 24, 2013, 01:25:35 PM
1959 lotus elite I saw on my classics car this morning was fantastic
Elite :wub:
300SL and DS.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x253/calfan5/100_2556_zpsdefe282e.jpg)
:wub:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Studebaker_Golden_Hawk_late.jpg)
1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk
(http://www.chuckgardiner.net/images/1956-ford-fairlane-club-1.jpg)
Me likey! :ohyeah:
(http://blog.christsai.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/BMW-507-10-1-600x450.jpg)
Chrysler should've built this
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/caf9dbc6000fd9c0fb079dd89cda1759/tumblr_mk8icsr4oD1ra31o5o1_500.jpg)
I like how that has the big wheel look but doesn't have huge belt lines or slab sides. Modern designs could learn a thing or two from the 50s and 60s. Another part that's nice is the bottom of the bodywork that tucks in to give it a clean look - no "bodykit" necessary to make it look good.
Designs of the 1950's also have hilariously poor space management.
Example?
Quote from: hotrodalex on April 07, 2013, 02:30:51 PM
Example?
Are you fucking serious? Look at any profile of practically any car from that era.....there is a lot of length and width on old cars, but very little of it is used actually for the cabin.
Modern cars are very space efficient, and are are more comfortable; not just because of the advances in suspension and manufacturing technology - they're designed from the ground up to be far more accommodating.
They also have massive trunks and roomy engine compartments. :huh:
The passenger compartments are usually pretty roomy. Front bench seats for 3 across, dashboards that aren't super complicated or stick out in the footwell, etc. And if you think a modern car can match the comfort of a huge Lincoln or Cadillac, you obviously haven't ridden in one. It's like riding on a cloud. Just don't go around a corner. :lol:
Quote from: 2o6 on April 07, 2013, 02:10:52 PM
Designs of the 1950's also have hilariously poor space management.
It wasn't a, particular, requirement of the time. For that matter, I can't recall 'space efficiency' ever being mentioned in the advertising back then...although those buying a Nash Metropolitan may have considered it. However, most domestic vehicles held 6 adults quite comfortably with a large trunk and lots of room under the hood to work on the engine.
Quote from: dazzleman on March 09, 2013, 03:26:56 PM
(http://www.chuckgardiner.net/images/1956-ford-fairlane-club-1.jpg)
Great looking car. Great times for the domestic manufacturers; though '55 was the year of the 'new' models with very slight changes for the '56s; new style, new engines, new suspension, beginning of the modern era. Reminds me of the first time a saw a 'new' Ford. It looked just about like this one; though a '55 with black where the yellow is. We were playing baseball and a guy was showing off his parent's new car and drove it onto the outfield just when the batter popped a flyball. It landed on the roof of the car. Funny as hell at the time.
Quote from: MiataJohn on March 26, 2013, 05:36:32 PM
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Studebaker_Golden_Hawk_late.jpg)
1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk
I had a '57 Silver Hawk for a couple of years. Looked about the same. Very stylish with a fairly potent 289 V8...minus the paxton supercharger.
Quote from: 2o6 on April 07, 2013, 02:10:52 PM
Designs of the 1950's also have hilariously poor space management.
No shit. It's not like cars had been mass produced for all that long. It was still in it's infancy and people still considered vehicles luxuries. They weren't living in the things like they are now. You could say the same for the 60's, 70's and 80's as well.
Quote from: FoMoJo on April 08, 2013, 05:07:48 AM
It wasn't a, particular, requirement of the time. For that matter, I can't recall 'space efficiency' ever being mentioned in the advertising back then...although those buying a Nash Metropolitan may have considered it. However, most domestic vehicles held 6 adults quite comfortably with a large trunk and lots of room under the hood to work on the engine.
I could easily smuggle two people into the drive in theater in the trunk of my 63 Chevy Belaire.
Quote from: FoMoJo on April 08, 2013, 05:09:13 AM
Great looking car. Great times for the domestic manufacturers; though '55 was the year of the 'new' models with very slight changes for the '56s; new style, new engines, new suspension, beginning of the modern era. Reminds me of the first time a saw a 'new' Ford. It looked just about like this one; though a '55 with black where the yellow is. We were playing baseball and a guy was showing off his parent's new car and drove it onto the outfield just when the batter popped a flyball. It landed on the roof of the car. Funny as hell at the time.
Many forget that in 1957 Ford outsold Chevrolet. personally I think the 57 Ford is the better looking car.
Quote from: MiataJohn on April 09, 2013, 09:47:31 PM
I could easily smuggle two people into the drive in theater in the trunk of my 63 Chevy Belaire.
Could probably fit one under the hood, too.
Quote from: MiataJohn on April 09, 2013, 09:49:28 PM
Many forget that in 1957 Ford outsold Chevrolet. personally I think the 57 Ford is the better looking car.
I agree. A very restrained but elegant design in the era of fins gone crazy. Up here, we had the Meteor which was a relabelled Ford with the bit of cosmetic changes. I like, especially, the front grille design even better than the Ford...
(http://www.collectorcarproductions.com/images/lots/TF10/TF10_r196_01.jpg)
Not so fast, guys ;). As is known about 1957 it depends on how the numbers are tabulated. Chevy actually sold more cars in calender year 1957 (mostly MY1957, some leftover MY1956). Ford however sold more MY1957 than Chevy sold MY1957 during calender year 1957. Also known is that both the Edsel and the Impala debuted in MY1958 - one went on to crash and burn (and helped put one particular automaker back into 2nd place in 1958 where it remains to this day) and the other went on to sell 200k, 400k, 700k, and finally 1MM units annually by 1965.
I don't like the '57 Ford. The protruding, hooded headlamps look strange.
It does look a bit disjointed. For '57 I like Mopar's fronts the best (integrated quad headlights):
Plymouth:
(http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2008/04/16/15/33/1957_plymouth_fury-pic-45453.jpeg)
Dodge:
(http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/57Dodge-front1.jpg)
Desoto:
(http://www.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/102091/102091_Front_3-4_Web.jpg)
Quote from: FoMoJo on April 08, 2013, 05:09:13 AM
Great looking car. Great times for the domestic manufacturers; though '55 was the year of the 'new' models with very slight changes for the '56s; new style, new engines, new suspension, beginning of the modern era. Reminds me of the first time a saw a 'new' Ford. It looked just about like this one; though a '55 with black where the yellow is. We were playing baseball and a guy was showing off his parent's new car and drove it onto the outfield just when the batter popped a flyball. It landed on the roof of the car. Funny as hell at the time.
I'm very partial to that car because my grandparents had one and gave it to my parents when I was little. It's the first car that I remember.
I remember the ignition was to the left of the steering wheel. Funny the things you remember.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on April 11, 2013, 08:54:54 PM
I don't like the '57 Ford. The protruding, hooded headlamps look strange.
They remind me of one of these
(https://mcphee.com/shop/media/catalog/product/0/9/09500_squeeze__12215.jpg)
Quote from: dazzleman on April 13, 2013, 06:55:23 PM
I'm very partial to that car because my grandparents had one and gave it to my parents when I was little. It's the first car that I remember.
I remember the ignition was to the left of the steering wheel. Funny the things you remember.
Like a Porsche!
(http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x163/fairalbion/190sl_zpsc48296d5.jpg) (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/fairalbion/media/190sl_zpsc48296d5.jpg.html)
190SL
2.0 litre four-banger & less well-known than the 300SL, but still gorgeous IMO