Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 '36 DeSoto: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) Here's one I took last week from the other angle. 1938 Cadillac Model 75 coupe. Edited September 25, 2017 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 38 Studebaker State Commander. Art Deco car of the year in 38 ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) I'm sorry, but the Desoto wins on details, although perhaps too many. Those iconic hood vents were familiar to me as a kid before I ever knew what a Desoto was. Just think of all of the '30s movies that featured urban scenes with a seemingly endless number of Desoto taxi cabs. What always caught my eye was the hood vents. And what about those chevrons on the front fenders? Before the decade was over that ubiquitous motif would be copied on '39 Hudson tail lights, as well as '40 Ford ones. Also the horn grilles that match the main grille. The top molding on the grille sweeps back into the hood and the headlights each have a tidy little spear on top just to show the world that you are used to going very fast! Nah, your two examples are beautiful cars, and probably a lot more valuable, but the Desoto wins on details! Edited September 25, 2017 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36 D2 Coupe Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Hey Hudsy, I'm with you on the '36 De Soto! It is so unusual and classy. Would really really like to own one of these in a RS Coupe to go along with our "36 Dodge I have never seen one though. I love the '36 De Soto Airflows as well - more Art Deco stuff! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) I borrowed the picture from an ad for a Desoto for sale in CT. I'll often post links to ads for interesting cars for sale, but at $9,500 for this gem, I thought I'd just hear a lot of howls of derision. Still, if any of you want to look at some of the other pics, just follow the link. It's got a cute cat pic -- can't go wrong with one of those and a good picture of a classy dashboard: http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/desoto/45287-1936-desoto-deluxe-touring-sedan-chrysler-dodge-plymouth-like.html I'm too old to get very excited about "patina". Most of my life I would have seen this car as just one that needs a complete paint job, but I have to say that, to me, it's fascinating to think of all of that paint loss in terms of one or two molecules at a time. I have accumulated a few images of vintage cars that have aged and weathered in similar ways to the point where they have slowly become works of art. I've framed a couple so far and have been quite pleased with them. I think that I'll keep that front end shot and see if I can find another image that I find compatible or complimentary. Edited September 25, 2017 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) Here's a R/S coupe from Google: Also, a nice clean version of the sedan: Edited September 25, 2017 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarNucopia Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) Here’s my contribution: A Bill Mitchell sketch of a ‘38 LeSalle Edited September 26, 2017 by Buick64C (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 26, 2017 Author Share Posted September 26, 2017 Chevrons on the LaSalle, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Looks like he's doing an awful hard lane shift or corner at that speed from the angle of those tires. Is the Driver wearing goggles and a Helmet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike36 Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 That green Desoto coupe is fantastic! Wonder if Santa can get one in his sleigh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) I need to get to a computer for a bigger picture of my favorite Art-Deco vehicle, see thumbnail to the left! Sorry, it was already yellow when I bought it. I do like the '38 Studebaker pictured above also. Edited September 27, 2017 by Frank DuVal (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 The 1937 Chrysler Imperial C-15 town car , body by Le Baron built for Della Chrysler, now restored and owned by my buddy Howard Kroplick. It will be at Hershey again this year, make the effort to get to see it in person, the rear interior is incredible. the pleats for the headliner run front to back, not side to side as with most cars of the era. Car is very low mileage, but was horribly stored for decades and dampness took a great toll on the structural woodwork. Howard stepped up to the plate to pay to have it authentically and totally restored. 1,500 feet (that is not a misprint) of wire in the rear compartment alone to control all the gadgets. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 26, 2017 Author Share Posted September 26, 2017 You have all offered great examples of beautiful cars. I have to be honest with you and admit that I don't necessarily see the Desoto rivaling any, or all, of these gorgeous cars. In fact, as I eluded to earlier, it may just have too much going on to be truly tasteful. Us fans of Chrysler products are pretty used to Walter P Chrysler's quite conservative styling. How this Desoto got marketed with all of this bling on it is something of a mystery to me. All of the applied touches can't hide the fact that it has the same body as a Plymouth or a Dodge or a Chrysler. Still, it got us talking about things we all love, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) The 37 Chrysler is just beautiful. The lines flow and the lack of bling makes it all that better. The DeSoto is unique but I think all the chrome takes away from some of the beauty. I would love to be able to own all of these examples of a very unique era Edited September 27, 2017 by SC38DLS (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 I like the 36 DeSoto but the styling of this car and year really work the best on the longer wheelbase "sky view" taxi cabs of that year. the little longer wheelbase gives the car more balance . Deco car stuff is eye candy for sure. about 6 years ago I drove several hours from my home on long island to Pa. to buy a grille and part of the hood for a 36 DeSoto Airflow. Art deco at its zenith, the grille was near perfect and the hood still surrounded it but was cut off with a torch a few inches above the grille. I repainted the sheet metal around the grille, polished the grille and it has a place of honor in my study where I do my research and writing on automotive history. I see it every day several times a day. Never tire of looking at it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 I crouched down a lot lower than you other guys did. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 (edited) 6 hours ago, 60FlatTop said: I crouched down a lot lower than you other guys did. Bernie I'm probably older and had a much more interesting mis-spent youth and busted up body ! Edited September 27, 2017 by SC38DLS (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Here you go, even the tail lamps (at back window, "backlite" to purists) have Art Deco lines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 15 hours ago, Mark Shaw said: Mark, most agree that the '38 Buicks are one of the most beautiful standard production prewar cars made. I've been on the look-out for a nice one that I could afford for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 (edited) 4 hours ago, Frank DuVal said: Here you go, even the tail lamps (at back window, "backlite" to purists) have Art Deco lines. Frank, I don't recall how old I was when I first saw one of these, but I know that I recall being astonished by it. To me, they have a sort of "Buck Rogers" boldness to them that no other American manufacturer ever attempted. They're surely one of the most distinctive cars around, but apparently some prior owner thought that it should be bright yellow so that people would notice it. Edited September 27, 2017 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 The Le Baron town car is exquisite. But after admiring it for a while I began to puzzle over the purpose of the compartment that is built into the forward edge of the roof behind the driver. A little Google searching revealed that the compartment concealed a soft top to protect the driver (well, at lest somewhat) from the elements. I'm afraid that while necessary, it sure is unattractive. It messes with the beautiful lines quite badly: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 It really isn't a compartment, that thin canvas shell just caps the front of the roof above the windshield when the top covering isn't in place. the canvas you see for the top covering is a quicker version to keep out the weather, it is a separate piece and doesn't fold up into the area above the windshield. For winter weather there is a sheet metal panel (one solid piece)that snaps into place and the small cap is removed to allow this. It takes several people to get that sheet metal panel in place and lift it over the front of the car to do so. So in affect it has 3 positions, 1) open 2) the canvas panel covering, 3) the full metal panel that blends into the roof line. Agreed it looks best with the drivers area totally open. The photo you found is looking at the car from an elevated position as well, the one with the open top area is at eye/street level so you do not see as much of the top when you are standing right next to the car or even 20 feet away at ground level. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 How about the 35 Chrysler Airflow for Art Deco? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 On 9/26/2017 at 12:16 AM, auburnseeker said: Looks like he's doing an awful hard lane shift or corner at that speed from the angle of those tires. Is the Driver wearing goggles and a Helmet? Yes he is wearing a helmet and goggles. Safety First! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Walt G, I shouldn't have leapt to that to that conclusion regarding that panel. I apologize. Thanks for setting me straight. It's true that particular photo is taken from a bad perspective. It's odd how it effects the otherwise beautiful lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Here are a few more examples of Art Deco and Streamline design. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 The Airflows were all bold and unconventional. They spoke of the future in a way that must have been shocking at the time. I know that the front ends were a dramatic departure from anything that existed before then, but something about them has always raised a question in my mind. When I study one, particularly the four door versions, my eye goes to the side of the body, the door area in particular, which somehow looks a little heavy to me. Do any of you gentleman think that the beltline was just an inch or two too high? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Brass is best, your assortment is near perfection! I endorse your selection whole heartedly. I agree that even the lowly Ford and Chevrolet belong here. For '36 they both offered beautiful cars. I'm going to add one more here. No list like this would be complete without a Pierce Silver Arrow!: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Would have loved to be there when Graham-Paige rolled out the Blue Streak 8 in December 1931 designed by Amos Northup In 1933 Graham advertised "The Most Imitated Car on The Road". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 There is a '36 De Soto for sale out here in San Diego, if anyone's interested. Not mine but a very good candidiate for rescue. https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/1936-desoto/6274990700.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 I like the 1931 Plymouth next to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 1 hour ago, GregLaR said: There is a '36 De Soto for sale out here in San Diego, if anyone's interested. Not mine but a very good candidiate for rescue. https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/1936-desoto/6274990700.html Wow, I didn't expect to see such nice upholstery in a car that sits outside. It looks like a nicer car than it first appears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Hudsy, no apology necessary! I saw that 37 Imperial town car from every angle from the time we pulled it out of a basement garage with a strap (where it didn't fit and stuck out about 2 feet with the overhead garage door resting on the trunk lid) through the nearly two years it took to restore the car in the shop that was 1 1/2 - 2 hours away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 3 minutes ago, Walt G said: Hudsy, no apology necessary! I saw that 37 Imperial town car from every angle from the time we pulled it out of a basement garage with a strap (where it didn't fit and stuck out about 2 feet with the overhead garage door resting on the trunk lid) through the nearly two years it took to restore the car in the shop that was 1 1/2 - 2 hours away. It must have been all that more fascinating a process just because of it's one of a kind nature. I'm sure that it's rewarding to have watched it unfold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Here's a couple of Desoto "Sky View" taxi cab photos from Google: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 4 hours ago, Graham Man said: Would have loved to be there when Graham-Paige rolled out the Blue Streak 8 in December 1931 designed by Amos Northup In 1933 Graham advertised "The Most Imitated Car on The Road". The only problem with being there then you would have to be 10-12 years old to appreciate the car and that would make you 100 or close to it today and I don't think you would care about cars. Just an opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 My comment about "being there" is everything automotive design changed overnight. Can you imagine trying to sell any 1932 car when the Graham was sitting next to it? They all looked old overnight. My personal opinion is 1933 was the best year for almost all the automotive designs. I keep hoping someday I will grow out of my affliction for beautiful cars, but if I make it to 100 I think I will still love the cars from the 1930s. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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