Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) on 'Happy Days'. I remember watching an episode when I was a kid (already an old show then) with my dad, and he remarked that the car was very appropriate, as the car would have been a very uncool thing in the mid 50s.
So was that 57 Chevy Beauville wagon a Canadian model or a top of the line 4dr wagon that year? I remember growing up one of the kids in my class up the street had a white '58 Chevy Yeoman wagon. I think it was like a Biscayne equivalent. Kind of neat looking to me for the era. Then another neighbor got a '59 Chevy Kingswood wagon. Now that was a colossus with a lot of pieces of glass
Oh, that's right. I don't think Studebaker and Packard actually completed their ill fated merger until the 57 models. The Studebakers were Conestoga's, but I don't recall the Packard wagon name. Pretty rare vehicle I think, even when new.
I think it was a U.S. model. WIKI (ahem) says that for 1957 the Beauville was only offered in the 210 line and not the Bel Air. It also says that the name Beauville started in 1955, but I've never seen such a car myself.
I had to go look it up and apparently Packard called it's wagons Clipper's. I wouldn't have guessed they would transfer the previous lower line Packard sedan moniker to their wagons. But I think Clipper was also an aviation term for some old Pan Am propliners, so maybe it made sense at the time.
Yeah, it was supposed to be its Buick competitor so they could put Packard back on par with Cadillac. Personally, while the post war bathtubs were controversial, I think that generic early 50's restyle turned out the lights for them. Buick and Olds, besides Cadillac, were putting out nicely styled vehicles, so buyers weren't interested in plopping down big bucks on something that didn't stand out in their driveway. Also, they were stuck with a straight eight for too long, although they were excellent cars mechanically.
Good eye Steve, that's Utah all right, Provo to be exact. I can't recall when Volks went to the taller windshield, I think it was around '58 which would make the white VW parked in the left row a late 50's car. The darker Bug to its right (coming towards camera) could be an earlier model w smaller windshield--it's hard to say.
The Heber/Salt Lake directional signs helped a lot. When I drove them, I could sort of tell the Bugs apart a bit, but no more.
Looked like a bumperless Vette parallel to the darker Bug until I realized it was going in the opposite direction. 1962?
C1s are as hard to tell apart as Bugs. It could be anything from '55 to '59 (it's not a '58--no chrome trunk strips). I wonder where Todd and Buzz are off to?
Ahaa! Even older, #1 in the parade, a 1953 Desoto.
You can tell a '53 from a '54?
The '54 had horizontal chrome above and below the side lettering.
Let me rephrase that... you can tell a '54 DeSoto from a Chrysler, Plymouth or Dodge? I'm a fan of the '53/'54 Mopars. I always thought they had an elegant look and perfect proportions compared to the previous gen and frankly the '55-'56 cars mostly looked like crap. But it's hard to tell which brand you're looking at from any distance.
I think the 53 Desoto had more teeth in it's grille as well and the 54 had a nicer (imho) dash. 55/56 Mopars, I guess I like the 55 Dodge and Desoto, but there is a lot of different opinion on that I'm sure.
Ahaa! Even older, #1 in the parade, a 1953 Desoto.
You can tell a '53 from a '54?
The '54 had horizontal chrome above and below the side lettering.
Let me rephrase that... you can tell a '54 DeSoto from a Chrysler, Plymouth or Dodge? I'm a fan of the '53/'54 Mopars. I always thought they had an elegant look and perfect proportions compared to the previous gen and frankly the '55-'56 cars mostly looked like crap. But it's hard to tell which brand you're looking at from any distance.
I find the easiest way is to look at the side trim. Study the different combinations of side chrome strip locations, lengths and numbers. Also note if any side lettering is above or below a side strip or between two.
The '53 and '54 Dodges are easy. '53 Dodge side strip front to back rises over the back wheel. '54 Dodge side strip front to back falls toward the back wheel.
Comments
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
It's a '57 Chevrolet Beauville wagon. I think there's even a YouTube film clip of this car's introduction somewhere out there.
Yep, 9 passenger (or maybe 8)
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Who knows about the two Bugs - '54 to '67 assuming those are the override bumpers on them.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Looked like a bumperless Vette parallel to the darker Bug until I realized it was going in the opposite direction. 1962?
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
compared to the previous gen and frankly the '55-'56 cars mostly looked like crap. But it's hard to tell which brand you're looking at from any distance.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Study the different combinations of side chrome strip locations, lengths and numbers. Also note if any side lettering is above or below a side strip or between two.
The '53 and '54 Dodges are easy.
'53 Dodge side strip front to back rises over the back wheel.
'54 Dodge side strip front to back falls toward the back wheel.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Official name would be:
1947 Cisitalia 202 MM Nuvolari Spider
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
No, it's not a kit car.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.