favorite cars of the golden era

[Forgotten Man]

Sorry my post was construed as trashing vintage cars. Nothing could be further from my intent. I only wanted to point out how far we've come with easy to maintain cars. I love vintage cars and really enjoy working on and driving them. But I drive more than 500 miles a week to and from work and wouldn't have the time to properly care for a vintage car as a daily driver. So I save the vintage car hobby for my time off. I really envy those of you who *can* drive a vintage car on a daily basis.

No, don't feel sorry, there's no need, it's just some of the others who are talking "anti" vintage cars in a discussion about our favorite cars of the period... I know you like old cars very much! Never said you didn't.

Sorry that I came off as to imply that you were trashing such wonderful machines... wasn't my intention. It just seems that whenever people get together to talk about old cars, modern cars are always brought up... don't know why... it really annoys me some times. To compare a vintage antique car to a modern car... it's really apples and oranges.

 

[David Conwill]

Acknowledging that I'm bringing up something that was discussed a while ago, I have to add to the Model A/Model B discussion.

A '32 Ford with a V8 is a Model 18. Only 4-cylinder cars are Model Bs. Common mistake, but I have to correct it whenever I see it being made.

-Dave

 

[Jerekson]

Good stuff FM. Some of this stuff is like other threads on FL, where people argue why modern is better than vintage. That is all fftopic: .

If folks are so wedded to defending the latest greatest, I don't get why they would be members of a discussion board dedicated to old stuff and old ways.

Is FL about vintage or not? I'd just really like to know because this is not the only thread where vintage is either trashed, or ignored in favor of the flavor of the month.

You need to relax. You're trying to create problems out of nothing.

 

[Forgotten Man]

You need to relax. You're trying to create problems out of nothing.

Not necessarily so, he has an issue, as do I; why do some feel they have to compare antiques to modern? This is a discussion of vintage cars... why we like them, what cars we hope to own, and why... not to bring up responsibilities tied to a vintage car compared to a modern car's upkeep... which is pointless because, vintage cars can not be compared to today's cars.

I know I'm tired of ready comparisons of old to modern... I always felt that this was a place where we could talk about things we like to collect and why we like them... not about the modern stuff we can buy any day of the week... appreciating a vintage car or any collectable shouldn't be compared to modern products... like I said, apples to oranges.

We've moved on since the rift, let's talk about old cars.

One thing that puts a smile on my face is seeing another vintage car wile driving mine... always exchange a friendly wave and honk! Sometimes, I've even pulled over to talk with someone about our cars... made some friends that way. Owning and driving a vintage car is not easy, it's work but brother, it's sure worth it!

 

[Warbaby]

Since I have fairly caustic opinions regarding old cars (love 'em) vs modern cars (loath 'em), I'll refrain from adding my two cents (which would turn out to be more like a dollar and a half) and just post a couple of photos of concept cars from the 50s.

The 1951 Buick LeSabre

Chrysler's K310 from the same year

It's an interesting comparison of the design aesthetics of General Motors and Chrysler. The Chrysler is a lovely, elegant machine but it's hard to beat the sheer audaciousnes of that Buick.

 

[Flivver]

I rercently saw the 1951 LeSabre in person...it is incredible!

The LeSabre and it's sister car the XP-300 influenced GM styling for years to come. For example, note the dagmars and front bumper design that showed up on mid-50s Cadillacs. And the airscoop at the beltline behind the front door showed up in modified form on the '56 Buicks.

To me, there is nothing better than seeing vintage concept cars. It is fortunate that so many were saved...particularly those from GM. With the exception of the 1953 Ford X100 concept (Ford's first), most of the 1950s Ford concepts were destroyed.

 

[shortbow]

Hey Warbaby, that LeSabre photo: Oak Bay or Uplands?

 

[Warbaby]

I rercently saw the 1951 LeSabre in person...it is incredible!

The LeSabre and it's sister car the XP-300 influenced GM styling for years to come. For example, note the dagmars and front bumper design that showed up on mid-50s Cadillacs. And the airscoop at the beltline behind the front door showed up in modified form on the '56 Buicks.

To me, there is nothing better than seeing vintage concept cars. It is fortunate that so many were saved...particularly those from GM. With the exception of the 1953 Ford X100 concept (Ford's first), most of the 1950s Ford concepts were destroyed.

Awesome! Glad to hear the car still exists. Is it privately owned or in a museum?

Since you like those early concept cars, here are a couple more:

The 1954 Buick Wildcat II

The '54 Dodge Firearrow

And this sleek beauty is the '41 Chrysler Thunderbolt. I especially like that slight bulge over the real wheel wells.

 

[Forgotten Man]

The '41 Chrysler "Thunderbolt" has concealed headlights... a feature they used on the '42 DeSoto.

The concept illustration:

Compared with the real car:

I like the look of the finished car more then the illustration. And I hear that those concealed headlights were troublesome... still a neat looking car I think.

One of my favorite concepts... The Buick Y!

 

[BellyTank]

The Phantom Corsair!

Hello.
Don't have the time to look through this whole thread but one of my very favourites is the Phantom Corsair.

Not exactly a production model but what a car-

B
T

 

[Jerekson]

That is AMAZING.

Looks like one of the Hot Wheels I used to play with as a kid.

 

[BellyTank]

Jerekson, funny you should mention that- I'm just thinking about buying a HotWheels Phantom Corsair.



B
T

 

[Forgotten Man]

When I was younger, I had a set of Micro Machines of classic cars and it had a Tucker and also a Phantom Corsair.

I think I still have the set somewhere.

 

[Flivver]

Awesome! Glad to hear the car still exists. Is it privately owned or in a museum?

QUOTE]

Both the Y-Job and the LeSabre are still owned by General Motors and reside in the GM Heritage Center when not on display at car shows around the country.

 

[JimInSoCalif]

Flivver, thanks for the correction and additional information. I had no idea that Ford still had the four cylinder engine as an option after 1932. If the last year for the four was 34, then Ford only went a couple of years without a small engine as I think the V8-60 was first avaiable in 1937.

And to others, I in no way meant to 'trash' old cars, as they were the cars I grew up with and I agree trying to compare new cars and older cars is apples and oranges. New cars are boring although I don't miss overheating and vapor locks one bit.

I think the best looking cars are some from the 30's and some from the 40's - two entirely different eras in design, but both had some great looking cars.

That small one passenger English car shown a page or two back reminds me of the ads in Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and Mechanics Illustrated for the King Midget. Anyone remember those?

Cheers, Jim.

 

[JimInSoCalif]

Acknowledging that I'm bringing up something that was discussed a while ago, I have to add to the Model A/Model B discussion.

A '32 Ford with a V8 is a Model 18. Only 4-cylinder cars are Model Bs. Common mistake, but I have to correct it whenever I see it being made.

-Dave

I recently read an article - I can't remember where - that referred to a 1934 Deuce Coupe - Argh!

 

[Forgotten Man]

Now, if I worked in my home town, and didn't have to drive far for work, I'd own this:

1934 Plymouth Roadster

The most deco hood ornament Plymouth ever had

Ahhhh, some day!

 

[Dinerman]

I saw this Jensen on the street by my house the other day. What a car.

 

[StraightEight]

Jensen CV8. Very rare, very cool. Saw one at Goodwood a couple of weeks ago. The back end is even stranger.

 

[Dinerman]

Just found this, apparently the owner was in the paper for that car. It's a 1967 model, and he's owned it since 1980.