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Were Old Cars more Fun Than Modern Ones?

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Comments

  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    However, the '55 Plymouth had a new platform

    Oh yeah, that's right- they advertised it as something like the $500M look. I don't really know, but I heard one drawback to it was reduced legroom? I always liked the looks of the 55 DeSoto and Dodge.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    edited January 2012
    Very favorite? Actually I like them all. I do have a soft spot for the 52's since that was my first car. I have owned several 49's 50's and 54's.

    Someone in my family, or possibly an old tenant, once had a '53 Chevy. Here's an old pic of my house, taken in 1965, according to the date stamp on the back of the pic:
    image

    BTW, does anybody know when color film started becoming common? For some reason, this pic just feels older than 1965. I always wondered if it was just a real old pic, that didn't get developed until years later.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    Oh yeah, that's right- they advertised it as something like the $500M look. I don't really know, but I heard one drawback to it was reduced legroom? I always liked the looks of the 55 DeSoto and Dodge.

    Dunno about the reduced legroom, but none of those cars from that era were very generous with regards to legroom. I've sat in a '55-56 era DeSoto and Chrysler, and up front, they're really not all that roomy. The seat is high, but it's sort of like sitting in an old truck. You can't really stretch out.

    I've heard that, for the most part, those cars were designed to be a perfect fit for a male driver around 5'10" or so. I remember one year at a car show, someone let me sit behind the wheel of his 1950 or so Olds 88, and that sucker was cramped for my 6'3" body! Headroom was good, but the steering wheel was way too close, and legroom was horrible. I would love to know how fat and/or tall people were able to drive those cars!

    Also, I think it was the 1956 Chrysler that was advertised as "The car with the 100 million dollar look" Or something like that.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yep, that's a 53 Chevy all right!

    It's the stripper model, the 150.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    Somewhere around here, or at my Grandmother's house, or my Mom's, there's a some really ancient pics of the house, with a '37 Plymouth parked in that spot! Wish I could find those!
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    BTW, does anybody know when color film started becoming common? For some reason, this pic just feels older than 1965. I always wondered if it was just a real old pic, that didn't get developed until years later

    I remember as a kid that color film and its processing were both kind of expensive, even in the mid sixties (like 3 or 4 X more expensive than b&w) - just like color tv I guess. Yearbooks and the like were all mostly b&w back then. I'm thinking color photos got relatively cheaper somewhere in the 70's. In fact, b&w tv's were fairly common around homes until the 70's as well. So I think a 65 b&w picture is quite likely to be real. By the way, that house kind of looks like it could be a vacation home in some resort area. Maybe its the front porches.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Didn't your grandparents usually have more modern cars? I remember you mentioning their old Fords and Chevys. Or is that from the other side of the family? That car does look kind of aged in the pic.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Thanks. It comes out mostly on Sundays when the weather is nice.

    The hubcaps are on there pretty tight, and there are actually sellers who carry replacements - for a price. Almost half my life with the old beast now and nothing has fallen off yet.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    Didn't your grandparents usually have more modern cars? I remember you mentioning their old Fords and Chevys. Or is that from the other side of the family? That car does look kind of aged in the pic.

    Yeah, they did. This house is from my Mom's side of the family. My grandmother's Uncle Luther built it, with the original part of it dating back to 1916. It used to be a general store with just two rooms and a front porch. Then, a kitchen was added on, and an apartment upstairs. The earliest my grandmother can remember the house is 1934, when she was 10 years old, and used to come down from Harrisburg PA to visit, and would sleep in the front room upstairs. She was 10 years old then.

    Uncle Luther died in 1960, and Aunt Carrie signed the place over to my grandparents, with life rights to it. But, she didn't like staying there alone. She'd rattle around the house all day, but then go across the street to sleep at my grandparents' place at night. In 1961, they moved her in with them, and started using it as a rental property.

    My uncle remembers one of my great-aunts (Granddad's baby sister Maye, who always reminded me of Betty White's Ellen character on Mama's Family) as having a white '53 or so Chevy. But I don't know why she'd have it parked in that spot.

    Anyway, by the 60's, my grandparents were doing the the station wagon thing. They bought a new '60 or '61 (nobody who's still alive remembers the exact year) Nomad wagon, and then a '64 or '65 (again, nobody remembers the exact year) full-sized Chevy wagon. And, after that, came the '68 Impala 4-door hardtop that my Mom ultimately got, that I vaguely remember as a kid.

    I'm guessing that '53 Chevy belonged to a tenant. One of the tenants actually died in this house, at some point in the 60's. I remember, when I first heard that, it freaked me out. Until I found out that TWO people died in my grandmother's house across the street! Aunt Carrie, and then, in 1969, Grandmom's mother. Back in those days, in rural areas at least, I think it was common for people t just pass away in their own home, rather than go to the hospital.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    To be fair, those things weren't the pinnacle of quality of refinement,

    Oh, you are so right!!! IMO, they sucked when they were new, but from an historical perspective, and given the condition of this one, it's very cool. Not sure there's enough oil in Kuwait to keep it full, though.... ;)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Is she a dripper already?

    I guess if it is an immaculate survivor and it was cheap, why not...will always have some parts value.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I think that happened a lot more in the olden days in general - more people died at home. If you think about it, most old houses probably have witnessed a death. It's cool that old house has stayed in the family so much, and that it isn't some insane estate, just an ordinary old house - it being less special actually makes it more unusual I think, kind of like survival rates of sedans vs convertibles.

    My grandmother has had her house for about 50 years now, and there are some pics out there with old cars in front of it I think.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849
    It's cool that old house has stayed in the family

    Its funny you mention that we were just talking about that. My Grandfather sold his house last Sept and moved in with my parents. We really wanted to keep it in the family, but it needed alot of work and we all are very settled in our own houses.

    The house was just a typical 50s rancher, but there were tons of great memories there.

    I really would love to have some of my Grandfather's cars back. Boattail Rivieras, Coupe DeVilles, etc. Who back then knew that today's cars while better in most respects have no soul.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I could possibly end up with my grandmother's house as it is a workable commute for me (although about 100x more than my current commute), but I don't have enough attachment to want to buy it - and as it will go to my mother, I'd have to buy it. It's as pristine a 50s style rambler as one can find, but I don't know if I want to be shackled to it. I can't recall all the cars my grandfather had, but I have seen pics of a cool blue and white 57 Ford 4 door HT, and his red 65 Chrysler seemed like a solid car. I know somewhere out there, there's a pic of his fuselage Chrysler sitting in the driveway, but that car was troublesome from the stories I've heard.

    My great-grandmothers house had been hers since the 40s, she finally moved out in 1999, but it needed a lot of updating and I was in school then, so a no-go for me. In an area that flew up during the housing bubble and has now popped.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Heck, my Grandmom has had her place for over 65 years! Grandpop and her moved in in 1946. Their house used to be a small hospital with a basement tunnel connecting to two other buildings: the doctor's house and a pharmacy. The tunnel was sealed years ago before I was born. I wish I could've seen it.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    Old places like that are great. My brothers and I would have been down there with picks and shovels!
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I can recall almost all my Grandpop's cars, but he never had anything as awesome as a Riviera or Coupe DeVille. He was very conservative with his money much to the benefit of my Grandmom. He easily could've afforded a Cadillac, but he thought buying a fancy luxury car was frivolous. His cars were:

    1941 Chevrolet.
    1947 Hudson.
    1953 Plymouth Cambridge.
    1961 Plymouth Valiant.
    1964 Chevrolet Biscayne.
    1967 Chevrolet Bel Air.
    1974 Chevrolet Impala.
    1980 Chevolet Impala.
    1989 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849
    He always bought them a year or two old. GM lost him when he bought a beautiful Mark VI Givenchy when I was in kindergarten. My Grandmother would bring me to school in it. After that he was a Ford guy. He bounced back and forth between Town Cars and Grand Marquis.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    None of my grandparents' cars were anything all that exotic. Lessee, on my Dad's side of the family, they had...

    1949 Ford: their first car. They got married in 1939, but lived in DC, and in those days a car wasn't all that necessary (and I guess, if you live in a big city, it's still not THAT essential. I know some people who manage to go car-less) They bought it used, and I think they might have bought it when they moved out to the suburbs.
    1957 Ford Fairlane 500 4-door hardtop: First new car, paid $3500 for it, so it must've been just about fully-loaded.
    1961 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door hardtop: Also $3500
    1963 Mercury Monterrey 4-door hardtop: Granddad loved the Galaxie, but liked the Mercury's "Breezeway" rear window, and figured it was good for hauling lumber and such. He also got a pretty good trade-in: Monterrey was also $3500, but it ended up costing him the Galaxie + $1200.
    1966 Pontiac Tempest hardtop coupe. All the kids were grown by this time, so no need for a big 4-door car.
    1971 Tempest hardtop coupe. First car I can barely remember, as a kid. But only faintly.
    1975 Dodge Dart Swinger. Stalled out all the time, so they got fed up and traded it after two years on a...
    1977 Granada coupe that promptly chewed up its transmission.
    1981 Granada
    1985 small LTD
    1989 Taurus LX
    1994 Taurus GL...their last car. Granddad gave up driving when he turned 90, in 2004. Offered to give it to me, but I didn't need it, so one of my cousins got it. Still had it as of 2009. It was getting pretty beat-up, which was sad, because Granddad took pretty good care of it.
  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    It appears that he settled on Chevys starting in 1964 with a Biscayne, and worked his way up the trim levels from there.

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    that last message got a bit long, so I thought I'd break it up. Anyway, here's what my grandparents on my Mom's side of the family had...

    1939 or 1940 Chrysler Royal coupe: the car Granddad had when he met Grandmom, in 1946.
    1949 Pontiac: their first brand-new car
    1952 Buick: bought used around 1955.
    1955 Pontiac: bought used around 1958.
    1960 or 61 Chevy Nomad wagon: bought new. By this time, they were taking in foster kids, plus had Grandmom's Aunt Carrie living with them, plus my Mom and uncle, so they needed more room.
    1964 or 65 Chevy Impala wagon: bought new
    1968 Impala 4-door hardtop: bought new. By this time they weren't doing the foster kid thing anymore, and my Mom and uncle were of driving age and had their own cars. This is the first car I remember, as it got handed down to us when I was a little kid.
    1972 Impala 4-door hardtop: bought new
    1953 DeSoto Firedome 4-door sedan: Granddad bought it from his brother in law, for something like $125, in 1978. Scored a new hood, fender, grille teeth, and bumper at a junkyard for $80. He wanted to fix it up to use as a second car, I think so they could help make the Impala last longer, and put off having to buy a new car as long as possible, which were getting too newfangled and complicated for his tastes. But, it pretty much just sat around, and then he sold it once I got close to driving age, because I expressed an interest in it. Probably one reason why I've always liked DeSotos.
    1982 Malibu Classic Estate Wagon. Bought new, for around $11,000. Grandmom cursed it out, and called it "The most expensive cheap car we ever owned" upon discovering the back door windows didn't roll down.
    1985 Buick LeSabre Limited "Collector's Edition", a whopping $16,200 out the door, and the most expensive, luxurious car they ever owned. And the last. Granddad died in 1990, Grandmom retired in 1994, had to give up driving in 1999, and gave it to me. I kept it until 2002, when the brakes went out on it.

    Granddad alway had a pickup as well, but here the history's a bit sketchy. I'll have to ask my uncle to fill in the gaps, but here goes...
    1939 Plymouth: a used 4-door sedan that Granddad picked up, cheap, cut the back part off, and built a makeshift pickup bed.
    1955 or so GM pickup (can't remember if it was a Chevy or GMC)
    1965 or so GM pickup (again, can't remember)
    1973 Chevy pickup. Regular cab, 8 foot bed. I think it was a 3/4 ton, but don't remember it very well. I think it was sort of a mustard yellow color
    1976 GMC crew cab, 3/4 ton pickup. Sort of a burnt sienna color with white roof and white insert. They bought a silde in truck camper, and we went on a lot of trips in that thing.
    1972 Chevy LUV: bought used, around 1978, from a family friend for something like $200. Given to my uncle, who wrecked it.
    1981 Dodge Ram D-50. bought to replace the LUV, and something small and economical to drive around in, and save on gas. Accelerator pedal stuck at the gas station one day, and they ended up taking off and crashing into the woods beyond the parking lot. Fixed, but Grandmom was spooked by it, so they sold it to a neighbor, who had it well into the 1990's.
    1985 Chevy Silverado. Granddad's last new truck. Regular cab, 8-foot bed, half ton. Granddad tried to drive it around the block with the camper on it, didn't like the way it acted, so that was the end of an era, for camping and vacationing. He actually did keep the '76 GMC until around 1986-87, before finally selling it. The slide-in camper sat in the yard until 1995 or so, when it was finally given to some relatives. I still have the '85, although its days are numbered. Needs suspension work, and rust is really getting to it.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I came from a pretty small family and some that lived right in the city didn't even own a car. I do remember a few that stood out. My uncle had a 58 Plymouth, but it wasn't a very good car and he then got a 60 Chevy Impala flat top. Another uncle had a very sharp, black 59 Buick LeSabre coupe as a company car. That was probably the wildest 59 GM put out! My dad once had a 54 DeSoto Firedome - nice looking car inside and out with a small hemi, but kind of a lemon. However, I like DeSoto's too despite that experience. I think it was kind of a laboratory for Chrysler Motors like Olds was for GM.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    "I would love to know how fat and/or tall people were able to drive those cars!"

    There were far fewer fat people in the '50s than today, and the average height was probably a tad less too.

    Regarding the '55 Plymouth having less rear seat leg room than the '53s and '54s, it's possible, although the '55s were considerably larger than the earlier ones, and not as low as the all-new '57s. I find it believable that the '57s may have had less leg room than the '55s or the '53s/'54s, but not so much the '55s and '56s. If anyone could clarify this for us, it would be you, andre.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    The 1964 Biscayne was the first car of my Grandpop owned that I can clearly remember, though my Grandmom was driving the Valiant by then. There is a picture of my Mom coming out of the back seat of the Biscayne in front of the church for her wedding when the car was new. When Grandpop got his 1967 Bel Air, he passed the '64 Biscayne down to my Grandmom. Grandmom drove the Biscayne until 1973 when she got, of all things, a new mustard-yellow Vega! Yuck!
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    And I think it's quite appropriate for this discussion, no?

    image

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    Grandmom drove the Biscayne until 1973 when she got, of all things, a new mustard-yellow Vega! Yuck!

    That brings back a memory. When my father was in his '50s, and after us kids were out of the house, he fell in love with a '74 Vega wagon. Orange with fake wood side panels, no less. I don't know what the heck attracted him to it, he had bought Volvos before that, but I have to say that he had good luck with it for the three years that he owned it.

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Wow, I forget there was a Vega wagon, let alone one with woodgrain sides. Your father's car must've looked similar to this one, except the wheelcovers on this car are from a much later Chevrolet Citation:

    image
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    edited January 2012
    "I forget there was a Vega wagon, let alone one with woodgrain sides. "

    The Vega had to compete!
    image
  • au1994au1994 Member Posts: 3,356
    My best friend in HS had a 72 Pinto wagon as a 3rd car that they had owned since new. When we were thrashing around in it (late 80's), it had ~172k on the clock and was on the original clutch.

    Not a bad little car given what we put it though! Never broke down on us!

    2021 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4xe Granite Crystal over Saddle
    2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
    2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha

  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    The Vega had to compete!

    Yep but in the 70s who could compete with Wisco? :)
    Photobucket
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Those Pintos were MUCH better cars than the Vegas were.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Wow! Cool wagon. I could see Jock Ewing driving around his ranch in that.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Or how about a nice Nomad?

    image

    To be honest, the wagon versions of both the Vega and Pinto aren't bad looking in my eyes. Vega is more stylish yet probably less durable - but both are nicer looking than the other variants.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Talk about taking a proud name like Nomad and dunking it in the sewer!

    A buddy had a 72 Vega hatchback and when the 4 cyl engine blew he stuck in a built 327 with a 350 THM. It was a 365 HP 327 and let me tell you, it was scary fast!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    When I was in 6th grade or so, late 80s, neighbors had a later teens son who built a big engined Vega. I don't remember what was in it, but it was extremely loud and would light up the tires without hesitation. I also remember he had a Starsky and Hutch style Torino that he took the powertrain from - I don't know where that went, but I remember he sold the car for $100 without that.

    Going into old cars being more memorable, I also remember what the parents drove - the dad had a dark blue truck like Andre's red one, that he kept immaculate, and the mom had a Monte Carlo in the same shade of blue.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I think the Pinto wagon was a practical and decent car for its day. I agree with finail that it was better than the other variants.

    As for the Vega, well, it just can't be defended, even though it handled well and looked good.
  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    Your father's car must've looked similar to this one

    THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT!! Except, as noted, for the wheel covers. I still don't know why he chose that color scheme, but different strokes I guess.

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    So 283 with Poweglide just wasn't enough, eh?
  • oldbearcatoldbearcat Member Posts: 197
    I agree. I bought a 74 Vega wagon brand new. It had rust issues the day it was delivered. The car had the poorest excuse for brakes I've ever experienced. Driven at sustained high speeds, it would consume a quart of oil about every 40 miles. As I remember, the Pintos ot this vintage had soft camshaft problems, but, were OK other than that.

    Regards:
    Oldengineer
  • carcursedcarcursed Member Posts: 1
    I desperately need help from someone that can give me advice on what to do with my 2006 GMC Envoy Denali. I have not had any trouble with this vehicle until the last year. I was one of the first i guess to have a problem with the fuel level sensor in the gas tank and had to pay full price to have it replaced until i found out that GMC was covering part of the repair based on vehicle age by accident. (received no letter from GMC until this day of problem). Now that it has been worked out (somewhat) i have had a second problem arise that i see others are having an issue with no resolve from GMC. I have the oil changed in my vehicles every 3,000 miles/ always have. My Envoy has never had an issue with the oil pressure or being low at service time. Back in July 2011 I had oil changed at local dealership that i had not used but once before. I do mostly local driving in my SUV but after this oil change we drove back home to visit family approximately 300 miles one way, no problem going but coming back about 220 miles into it the engine started making a knocking sound. Thought it may just be from cheaper gas we had purchased along the way - no dashboard lights to indicate anything else. Got 20 miles from home again and engine was getting hot on gauge. Pulled over to check and let it cool and restarted and gauge was okay. Made it home but engine was hot again when we pulled in. Late in evening so i waited until next morning to check. Started okay but checked under the hood to see if i could tell anything and when I checked the oil it barely registered on the dipstick. Took it in to the dealership where I had the oil change 3 miles from my house and they checked and could not find any leaks anywhere and told me that they must have underfilled it and they would change the oil and we could watch it to see if there were any problems. (oil was 3 1/2 quarts low I was told). Drove the vehicle for two more months no detection of noise from under the hood. Had oil changed in October everything okay, Drove two more months into end of December had oil change told everything okay. In January now and all of a sudden after having the vehicle into dealership for another issue we get home vehicle sits for three days and wife goes out to run an errand and in less than a mile the oil level inditator comes on telling her to stop engine. turns off and lets it sit for a bit, restarts no light but drives back home, light comes back on as she pulls in. Call dealership in AM and they send tech with oil to fill engine because I find once again no oil on dipstick when i check. They drive Envoy to shop and tell me it is oil pressure switch and needs to be replaced, i reluctently agree not knowing if this is truly the issue but was assured it was. WAS NOT NOW told that afternoon. Must be something internal in the engine! Cost 5,200 to $7,000 to fix.

    How could i be at this point? Feel that there is something else that is going on! Need anyone's advice before i can think about going any further with this.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    GM lost him when he bought a beautiful Mark VI Givenchy when I was in kindergarten. My Grandmother would bring me to school in it. After that he was a Ford guy.

    Interesting! Same with me....but later. Was a GM (Olds, Buick, Cadillac) guy until 1990, when I bought my first Lincoln. Was so much better, I was a Ford guy until 2002, when I bought my first Lexus. By then, Lincoln had nothing going anymore in big sedans, (Town Cars weren't nice anymore). Still buy Fords for the wife, but doubt GM will ever get me back with their offerings.....
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Best justification for not buying used I can think of. Trade this dog in. The frustration level it's producing in you isn't worth it. Recommend a Toyota 4Runner.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Those Pintos were MUCH better cars than the Vegas were.

    Having owned one of each, I TOTALLY agree with you. On all fronts except possibly looks, the Pinto was superior. From the Rack & Pinion steering the Vega didn't have, to the proven engine vs. the Aluminun disaster the Vega had, and everything in between, the Pinto was better. My Vega was so bad (in 1975), I traded it off in 6 months for a 1975 Pinto, and loved it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited January 2012
    Hi,

    Looks like you landed in the wrong Forum. This is for "Classics". I'd suggest you cut and paste your question (and maybe shorten it up or put in some paragraphs to make it easier to read) and then post it in the GMC Envoy topic. Here's the link for you:

    GMC Envoy Topic

    You can also post in our ANSWERS Dep't.

    ANSWERS

    good luck!

    Mrshiftright
    host
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