I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)

Mr_Shiftright

GM gave you a lot for your money back then.

berri

I think the 64 Impala is a bit tarted up in design, but you probably need a bit more tartness like duals or other small custom touches. Actually, it doesn't look all that bad by itself, but compared to the 61-63...

explorerx4

I'll take a 61 Impala any day.
58 coupe had prototype CHMSL before its' time.

ab348

The local newspaper ran this pic from their archives today, from 1963. The number of British cars here at that time was remarkable, and matches what I remember as a kid.

fintail

I think I see a Vauxhall PA Cresta/Velox in that line in front of what looks like a 55 Ford, a cool car not seen every day.

Austin had a fun slogan:

bhill2

uplanderguy said:

RE. The "Medalist"--I'm surprised they built it in a four-door hardtop--and even a two-door hardtop, for that matter. Strippo model.

For about $100 more, you could get a 'Custom'. It bought you chrome window surrounds and not much else. But, believe it or not, you could get a convertible.

bhill2

uplanderguy said:

ab348, I grew up Chevy and I just don't like the '64 at all.

In the '61 to '64 sequence my favorite is the '61 and my least favorite is the '64. But I break the sequence by in preferring the '63 to '62.

berri

I find the 61-64 big Chevy's interesting because they seem to evoke strong opinions. For example, some like the 62 claiming it is the cleanest design, while others feel it is too plain.

omarman

berri said:

I find the 61-64 big Chevy's interesting because they seem to evoke strong opinions. For example, some like the 62 claiming it is the cleanest design, while others feel it is too plain.

That's true. Definitely seems to draw out differing points of view.
To me the '61 model seems to have deliberate lines and trim to create a separate top and bottom half of the car.


And the rear wheel openings are either Ford aping GM or the other way around!


The '62 Impala seems to be a cleaner integrated look which seems to draw the eye forward. Almost like it's poised to move even while parked.

fintail

A cousin of mine shared this online yesterday (there are some wide age gaps in my family, I have cousins who are almost 70). The adults are my grandparents, the kids are cousins, car looks like a 54 Mercury Monterey, pic taken when it was maybe a few years old:

berri

Color prints cost a fortune to develop back then compared to weekly income at the time. Most shots were black & white in those days.

uplanderguy

I always really liked the '54 Merc's taillights.

So nice to see a color pic from back then.

When I see old color pics, it strikes me that life itself seemed more colorful then. I'm also reminded of that from the clip from "Mad....." you posted earlier.

uplanderguy

RE.: Wheel openings...I tend to hate a ton of sheetmetal above a wheel opening, as was so often the case back then, but the '61 Chevy's trim seems to minimize that look I think.

I did always like the '61 and '62 instrument panel, with the center glovebox. My Dad always whined when Chevys got away from that. I liked the Impala steering wheels too; made me think "Corvette".

Chevy hung onto Powerglide and 283 forever, while B-O-P moved up in engineering....but I have often thought Chevy put its money where you could see it. Often, an Impala's interior bettered a Catalina, LeSabre, or base-Olds full-size....at least in seating and door trim, if not instrument panel.

berri

I seem to recall when the 63 Chevy came out that some criticized that big hunk of plastic for a dashboard.

fintail

Thinking of movie clips and the 54 Mercury, I recall there's a pretty one in the underrated "Peggy Sue Got Married", which has nice atmospheric shots with period cars:



Notice this one is a Sun Valley.

fintail

I knew I had seen another in a movie from the same era (also a time travel theme), there's also one in Back to the Future, which did a generally excellent job creating period scenes:

ab348

berri said:

I seem to recall when the 63 Chevy came out that some criticized that big hunk of plastic for a dashboard.

Both of my brothers had '63 Chevys way back when. My childhood memory is that the dashes were metal. Maybe I'm wrong?

ab348

Here's a bit of a Frankenstein that some might like:

https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/d/hereford-custom-1979-chevy-malibu/6790331148.html

uplanderguy

I seem to remember padding on the top was optional, but they were metal at the bottom I'm pretty sure. My grandparents had a '63 Bel Air wagon they bought new and I can actually remember when they got it, LOL.

Thing I remember most was that glorious section of blue at the top of the tall windshield!

stickguy

I love that wagon. Not the tint. Or the color. But it’s a stick! I would buy something like this, if cheaper of course. Kinda like a Volvo brick wagon V8 conversion. For a lot less money.

Too bad no interior shots. That might cool my jets, but a swap from an SS inside too would help.

uplanderguy

That blue '54 Merc is a Sun Valley, with the plexiglas top. Pretty desirable to some folks (including me).

That Malibu wagon--as I tend to like 'stock', it's not doin' it for me, LOL.

I remember in '82, when Chevy tried to rationalize away various models. They added Cavalier and Celebrity, and removed Impala coupe, Malibu coupe, Citation coupe (w/trunk; to me, the best-looking X car), Monte Carlo bucket seats, and in '83 even got rid of Caprice Classic coupe, although brought it (and Monte bucket seats) back for '84. The Citation coupe also returned. I'm guessing dealers complained.

xwesx

omarman said:

The '62 Impala seems to be a cleaner integrated look which seems to draw the eye forward. Almost like it's poised to move even while parked.

Yes, agreed! Really good use of lines on both of those, tbh. I think that's something that has been forgotten in this decade. Now it's all about slabs and blocks, which is what makes so many modern vehicles look so drab.

ab348

stickguy said:

I love that wagon. Not the tint. Or the color. But it’s a stick! I would buy something like this, if cheaper of course. Kinda like a Volvo brick wagon V8 conversion. For a lot less money.

Too bad no interior shots. That might cool my jets, but a swap from an SS inside too would help.

Being a Tucson car, I suspect the interior might be a little toasted and sun-kissed, though who knows for sure. Might be a reason for no pics of it though.

stickguy

oh, I always assume if they don't show you something, it is because they really don't want you to see it!

tjc78

I love that wagon too, really cool.

fintail

Saw a SLK32 AMG in traffic today, fairly rare I think.

stickguy

not a classic, but probably obscure. A Mercury Milan hybrid.

andre1969

The other day, I spotted this Studebaker, driven by Colonel Potter from "M*A*S*H", just before Mrs. Partridge nailed it...


Yesterday, I went for a walk on a local trail, that used to be a rail line from Baltimore to Annapolis, and saw this mural, painted on the back of a store, that was kinda cool...

stickguy

on a driveway today (I think it was for sale) 2 tone aqua and white mid 50s buick. Not a fancy model. 2 door. Looked OK but a little sad.

uplanderguy

Nice '63 Lark Custom sedan--above the best-selling Regal series, but below the Cruiser. It has the 'checkmark' molding behind the rear doors, similar to the '62 Lark Daytona.

Funny that Col. Potter drove a Studebaker when back in Hannibal on M*A*S*H.

thebean

But as Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet, he was always driving a Ford (usually a Fairlane, if I remember correctly).

fintail

Today I saw a late 80s LWB Caravan/Voyager with the rear section cut off and made into a pickup.

tjc78

fintail said:

Today I saw a late 80s LWB Caravan/Voyager with the rear section cut off and made into a pickup.

Useless without pics !! 

stickguy

TJC, a few years back there was one of those floating around Cherry Hill (used to see it at the BP station over by Ashland station). It was brown, and I am pretty sure the "bulkhead" was made out of plywood. Looked real safe! Haven't seen that beast in quite a while.

fintail

It might still be on the dashcam. I'll take a look.

tjc78 said:

Useless without pics !! 

fintail

Not the best quality as it is in motion on a cam, but here's a snap:

stickguy

that is hideous. and looks kinda useless all around. At least the one I saw was cut down right behind the B pillar, so it had a normal sized bed!

roadburner

I saw a Cutlass Ciera wagon today; it looked like it had seen better days- assuming it had ever had any to begin with...

tjc78

Wow, that is bad.  What were they thinking.  

uplanderguy

What tjc78 said.

uplanderguy

RE.: Partridge Family--I used to think Susan Dey was so...well, beautiful. They had it playing in the waiting room of my Chevy dealer on a Sat. morning a few months ago. They'd close-up on her often, and she had a deer-in-the-headlights/mouth-breather look I don't remember from my adolescence, LOL. It was almost embarrassing!

I did watch the show religiously when it was on prime-time.

uplanderguy

RE.: Dragnet--for some reason, I remember Gannon driving a '67 Fairlane sedan. Of course, the cars probably got updated every season.

andre1969

A '67 Fairlane is what I always remember from "Dragnet", as well, although like you said, Fintail, I'm sure they got a new ride each season. As for home-job pickups, my Granddad did that, to make his first. He took a 1939 Plymouth, cut off the body behind the B-pillar, and built a bed out of wood. Of course, it was easy to do with something like that...with a bolt-on body that sat on top of a frame that was probably about as beefy as a half-ton truck, to begin with.

When people take these unitized vehicles, like a Voyager/Caravan, and attempt a home conversion, you have to wonder about how bad the integrity might be compromised. Although, cutting it off way in back, and turning it into sort of an Avalanche or Explorer Sport Trac, maybe that's not so bad.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

RE.: Partridge Family--I used to think Susan Dey was so...well, beautiful. They had it playing in the waiting room of my Chevy dealer on a Sat. morning a few months ago. They'd close-up on her often, and she had a deer-in-the-headlights/mouth-breather look I don't remember from my adolescence, LOL. It was almost embarrassing!

I did watch the show religiously when it was on prime-time.

Oh, she was for sure. When she reappeared on LA Law in the '80s she was still a good-looking lady but had lost that dewy-eyed freshness she once had. I remember being disappointed when I read in TV Guide or a similar magazine that she was a heavy smoker.

berri

In the original Dragnet show back in the early 50's they used a 49 or 50 Ford, so guess it was always a ford show.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

that is hideous. and looks kinda useless all around. At least the one I saw was cut down right behind the B pillar, so it had a normal sized bed!

Prototype Lincoln Blackwood?

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

RE.: Partridge Family--I used to think Susan Dey was so...well, beautiful. They had it playing in the waiting room of my Chevy dealer on a Sat. morning a few months ago. They'd close-up on her often, and she had a deer-in-the-headlights/mouth-breather look I don't remember from my adolescence, LOL. It was almost embarrassing!

I did watch the show religiously when it was on prime-time.

Funny... Usually, when I go back and see old shows, I have the same problem with recollection. But, in this case, I remember her from the Partridge Family exactly as you described her.

As a result, I could never warm up to her character on LA Law. (which, I remember as a good show, but could be wrong about that..)

berri

Susan Dey + Youth = Young Male Hormones

roadburner

kyfdx said:

As a result, I could never warm up to her character on LA Law. (which, I remember as a good show, but could be wrong about that..)

LA Law was a fun show. As with virtually any legal show on TV(save Night Court) the legal process was abbreviated and simplified, but the personal dynamics tended to be spot-on.

andre1969

I mainly remember Susan Dey from the relatively obscure 1981 movie "Looker". And, let's just say, she was!!