Your favorite and least favorite facelifts.

[LINC400]

Yep, the '57 Lincoln is not good. I never cared for the front end on the '56, and for '57, it just got worse. Those have to be the worst fin additions put on a car. Looks like they just took them off some completely different car and glued them on. The front and rear wheel openings don't even match. I've always said it looks like one of those puzzles where you match the front and rear halves of the side view, and someone matched incorrect halves.

[John_Maine]

Hmm, and I prefer the '57 Lincoln to the '56.

[LINC400]

Interesting that some I cars I thought were ugly, others thought were the best and vice versa.

[Guest longman]

I'm Australian, however I will keep to American cars for the purposes of this forum topic. You may however find my "down under" views odd or call me a phillistine.

I think Cadillac had it rocking from 20's to 50's inclusive. After that, all I can say is OMG!

I agree the Camaro 67-69 was beautiful, then they lost it (same would apply to first gen firebirds).

Chevrolet nailed it in 55-57 - gorgeous cars without a doubt. Homer Simpson called it when he said "Rock and roll attained perfection in 1975", I believe the same can be said for cars in 1957.

I'm also a big fan of the 65-68 impala, as opposed to the "Do I have fins, do I not have fins?" inbetween years from '58.

Corvettes were stunning from late 50's to late 60's. Not a huge fan of the 70's-80's models.

I'm not going to mention trans-am for obvious reasons. Then came the inevitable 80's decline, town cars, the majority of manufacturers lost their way, blah blah world economy, blah blah.

That said, there were exceptions in the 70's, the early years plymouths, dodges etc gave some quality last hoorahs to the muscle car, but in my opinion, a sad time for auto's. I can assure you this theme applies as much to USA as it does to the Australian car industry - Leyland P76 anyone? We also had a sad period in the 80's where no Aussie car manufacturer was producing V8's at all!.

I guess my point is 1950-1970 were great years, heaps of style, blandness was yet to rear it's ugly head and noone gave a hoot about the value of the dollar, the price of petrol, it was all about looking cool in a cool ride. Then the 70 -90's facelift occurred and all was lost (with a very few minor exceptions). It's good to see some manufacturers returning to the heyday now with the new muscle cars, but I say, "where's my time machine?"

[LINC400]

Thanks for the comments, but were talking about facelifts. In other words, when the same body is used, but grilles, taillights, trim are changed and make an attractive car unattractive or vice versa. In other words 56-57 Chevy updates from the original 1955. 1958 is a whole new body, not a facelift. 1959 Chevy is a whole new body, 1960 is a facelift.

[cool57]

Blame falls mostly on the gubmint (fugly bumpers) but 72 to 73 Riv, and 72 to 73 Torino GT.

[Guest Hugh32]

Always thought the '59 Cadillac would have looked better without the giant tailfins. '56 '57 & '58's were beauties.

[LINC400]

Always thought the '59 Cadillac would have looked better without the giant tailfins.

That would be a 1960 Cadillac.

[john2dameron]

Don't get me wrong. I like all Lincolns 1949 through 1957 but the '54-'55's are the best. The '57 was not a favorite when it came out but it has grew on me. Even if it is not the best looking Lincoln, with the exception of the Mark II, it was the best looking luxury car on the market that year.

[Guest djohn81641]

Well I love the facelift from the 1959 to 1960 Buick. The grill work on the 59 is over done, and the headlight placement is awkward. The 60 is sleeker and the lines have a smooth, angular flow about them. But of course I am biased towards the 60.

[Dave@Moon]

One of the most impressive in my mind is the Triumph TR4/TR250 series to TR-6. They did a great job on a paltry budget; the TR-4 series was an attractive enough car but the facelift really did distinguish the TR-6 as a totally new model.

AMEN!:cool::cool::cool::cool:

I doubt that the TR6 would have deserved a new name if it had come from an American manufacturer. It was just a restyle of the TR250 (with nearly no change at all between the wheel wells), but the change in character was huge. It's my favorite car design of that era, which is why I have 2 of them. It's also almost the only restyle of a British sports car that was an improvement. The only other ones that comes to mind are the removal of the awkward fins from the 1960s Sunbeam Alpine and the new grille given to the Triumph TR3A.

In fact I can think of only a few sports cars at all that were improved by a facelift. The final generation of the the Alfa Romeo Graduate (1991-1994), the fastback roof given to the 1978/79 Corvette, and the revised rear and muted styling of the 1961/62 Corvette can be included. Actually every C2 Corvette (1963-1967) got better looking each year, although the differences were slight.

As far as domestic facelifts go, improvements are easier to find IMHO. The 1968 full-size Pontiacs are a huge improvement over the 1967s. Most people don't agree, but I really prefer the 1960 Buick to the 1959 (mainly due to the interesting side sculpturing, something missing from most fin cars). The 1955 and 1956 Oldsmobiles improved incrementally on the 1954 design. The 1986 Chevy Celebrity facelift made a handsome car out of a mud fence, ditto for the 1984 Chevy Cavalier facelift. The 1980 Cadillac was a major improvement over 1979, as were the 1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawks over the 1961 model Hawks they were facelifted from.

Perhaps the best example, though, is the 1935 Auburn (which is a MASSIVE improvement over the 1934 model with VERY little changed).

Bad facelifts are even easier to find. Few cars are introduced with a design that needs aesthetic improvement. I don't think anybody thought the 1970 Coronet was an improvement, but there were worse. The 1971 AMC Javelin is such a bad facelift many people think it's a different car! The 1954 Chevy pickup facelift is not an improvement, and neither was the 1981 facelift. The 1958 Cadillac stands out like a sore thumb, as does the 1956 Hudson. The 1954 Kaiser wasn't successful either, IMHO.

But the worst to me was the heavy grille hung on the Lincoln Continental in 1942, and made even heavier after the war. It gained mass in appearance (which some people think is good), but lost almost all of it's elegance.

[Dave@Moon]

I just thought of one that was worse. The 1957 Studebaker restyling was awful, but the Studebaker pickup facelift that year took the 1951-56 design and made it look like an alien craft.:eek:

[Landman]

I thought I'd add my two cents too.

I've always considered the Studebaker Hawk facelift from 1961 to 1962 a superb effort. The GT Hawks are one of my all-time favotites.

One that annoyed me was what they did to the Firebird in 1979. That was too bad in my opinion.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Speaking of Studebaker trucks, their face-lift of the '49-'53 truck into the '54-'56 was very tasteful....

( But, I 'd still prefer a '49, like my Dad once owned....)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Was waiting for you to weigh in on TR facelift Dave. It is even harder to improve on an attractive car like the TR4/250 cars. (Not so hard to bob the fins off the Sunbeam and chalk that up as a move in the right direction, just common sense at the time!) The TR-6 remains one of my favorite sportscars and I prefered that car to my Corvette Roadster of the same vintage. In fact, I am thinking I may not have had my last TR-6 - I am amazed you can still get them for a pretty reasonable price.

Couple examples that can go either way depending on your taste:

MG/AH Spridgets - bugeye to smooth look, a nice restyle when new, but which one is preferred today?

Model A 28/29 vs. 30/31 - I always preferred the "smoother" 30/31 but over time the prior series has grown on me.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Steve_Mack_CT
Added comments (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

Was waiting for you to weigh in on TR facelift Dave.

I was in New Orleans last week rewiring Katrina-damaged houses with a church group in St. Bernard Parish. I almost missed the whole thread.

[Guest]

I was in New Orleans last week rewiring Katrina-damaged houses with a church group in St. Bernard Parish. I almost missed the whole thread.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I was wondering about that too. Well done Dave and your group!

[John_Maine]

Thought of another one - '72 Gran Torino to the '73. The front of the '73 with the big bumper did not match the back with it's '72 carryover rear bumper. However, the '73 to the '74-'76 was good. I always liked those years.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I was in New Orleans last week rewiring Katrina-damaged houses with a church group in St. Bernard Parish. I almost missed the whole thread.

Nice cause Dave - sobering to think that there is still that much work to be done down there. And just to lighten things up a bit on that score, I hope you did not use "Lucas Electricals" in rewiring those houses, those poor people have had enough!

[Dave@Moon]

Nice cause Dave - sobering to think that there is still that much work to be done down there. And just to lighten things up a bit on that score, I hope you did not use "Lucas Electricals" in rewiring those houses, those poor people have had enough!

NO, strictly to code. They have us volunteers working under the tutelage of licensed tradesmen to keep us in line!

We were working for the St. Bernard Project (Volunteer and Rebuild New Orleans--St Bernard Project -- Help Rebuild New Orleans) this time. They get about 200 volunteers/week this time of year, mostly college kids on spring break. We've worked with several other agencies, some of which were only funded for 5 years and are now gone. According to the St. Bernard Project people at the current rate of recovery it'll take 17 years to finish rehabilitating the structures that still exist, even at that current level of response.

If you get a chance, take a bunch of people and go! It's more fun than real work!

[john2dameron]

I've been thinking about one of Chevrolet's all-time best facelifts that no one has mentioned; the '53 to '54. With a new grille and parking lights and tail lights they turned the ugly duckling into a swan. However, I don't understand what Chevy and Pontiac did in '53-'54 to deserve that awful looking c-pillar with the reverse slant on their 2-door hardtop. It was awful and gets worse IMO.

Edited April 9, 2011 by john2dameron
typo (see edit history)

[Guest 63Stude]

I agree with Dave on most of what he said, but I also think the Studebaker Lark facelift from '63 to '64 was genius and done on a shoestring, although it looks like a totally different car.

I think the GM midsize cars were made more handsome in the '81 model year, than the '80...some streamlining and such did wonders IMHO. Too bad that was offset by declining quality control and the introduction of the on-board emissions computer!

On the negative side, I think most cars were introduced with their best styling, and for the second or third year were simply changed for the sake of change, but not improved. Examples fresh in my mind are all the '65 full-size GM cars, which I think got less stylish in '66 (although still pretty). Also, I know a strike kept the '73 GM midsize cars from coming out in '72, but I don't think I'd ever been as disappointed in a new model as when I saw the '72 Chevelle. All they did was put in a half-baked grille with no bowtie emblem, replacing the handsome two-tier grille of the '71 Chevelle, and replace the twin parking lights on each side with one big lens.

[Guest 827GFZ73]

The facelifted '68 Buick Riviera did not do any justice to the beautiful original '66 design. In my opinion, the sleek '66 Riviera is one of the glamourous cars of the decade with near perfect proportions. Seems like someone with a heavy hand took some sand paper and sanded down the sharp lines of the '66 front fenders, replaced the elegantly detailed front end of the '66 with a ponderous grill/bumper combo with chrome plating galore to make a '68.

Edited April 11, 2011 by 827GFZ73 (see edit history)

[Guest]

The facelifted '68 Buick Riviera did not do any justice to the beautiful original '66 design. In my opinion, the sleek '66 Riviera is one of the glamourous cars of the decade with near perfect proportions. Seems like someone with a heavy hand took some sand paper and sanded down the sharp lines of the '66 front fenders, replaced the elegantly detailed front end of the '66 with a ponderous grill/bumper combo with chrome plating galore to make a '68.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first Riviera (the hardtop) on the Roadmaster was 1949. The first series of the car known as Riviera begins in 1963 and goes to 1965. The 65 is the most sought out because it resembles the Silver Arrow pre production show car (because of the hideaway stacked headlamps)custom built for Bill Mitchell in 1962. The most interesting thing about the 63-65 Riviera was that GM conceived the car for Cadillac known as a revisited "LaSalle", but because Buick sales were down GM gave the body to Buick.

Don

[Guest 827GFZ73]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first Riviera (the hardtop) on the Roadmaster was 1949. The first series of the car known as Riviera begins in 1963 and goes to 1965. The 65 is the most sought out because it resembles the Silver Arrow pre production show car (because of the hideaway stacked headlamps)custom built for Bill Mitchell in 1962. The most interesting thing about the 63-65 Riviera was that GM conceived the car for Cadillac known as a revisited "LaSalle", but because Buick sales were down GM gave the body to Buick.

Don

My comment was in reference to the second series or generation of the Riviera (1966-1970). As far as the first series Riviera (1963-1965) is concerned, I concur with Don that the '65 is a desirable year as a facelifted car. The hideaway stacked headlamps behind the twin "LaSalle grill" pods were originally intended to appear on the '63 models, but could not be engineered in time for production. In addition, the revised '65 with the ribbed rocker panels and the insertion of the taillights into the rear bumper did not disturb the styling of the original '63. So in this case, the '65 facelift did not mess up the original '63.

In regards to the '49 Roadmaster Riviera, that is a whole different story. It was basically a model name for a new hardtop bodystyle that was shared with the Cadillac Coupe deVille and Oldsmobile Holiday for 1949. However, the name "Riviera" was not even held sacred as a synonym for hardtops in the early fifties, as Buick elected to name some 4-door sedans "Riviera".

[Guest]

The facelifted '68 Buick Riviera did not do any justice to the beautiful original '66 design. In my opinion, the sleek '66 Riviera is one of the glamourous cars of the decade with near perfect proportions. Seems like someone with a heavy hand took some sand paper and sanded down the sharp lines of the '66 front fenders, replaced the elegantly detailed front end of the '66 with a ponderous grill/bumper combo with chrome plating galore to make a '68.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The reason I thought you thought the 66 was the first Riv. was the words above of "original" I thought you meant first. Interesting to viewers of this post would be the 70 Riv. This car could be had in two configurations; one with skirts and a special side sweep molding ( which I thought was the only way it came originally ) and two, without side molding and uses rear wheel house molding. a much more sporty looking car compared to the skirted model.

I another twist, the 73 Riv. looks better than the 71-72 model in my opinion. The reason being the rear tail/bumper was flattened out. Those cars done in the right color and interior and Buick chromies are sharp, a full size stingray!

Don

[mrspeedyt]

the facelift that disappointed me was the job that VW did on the bug for 1967. the headlights were ugly as can be and the engine cover.... what can I say.... it was downhill from that point. the 1966 bug was the peak of style for VW.

[john2dameron]

I was retagging photos in my collection today and when I pulled up a photo of a 1956 Hudson Hornet I felt like throwing up. The 1955 Hudson was not a favorite of mine but it was alright but the 1956 has to be the worst facelift ever. The worst new style ever would be a tie between the '57 Lincoln and the '57 Packard.

[Guest]

the facelift that disappointed me was the job that VW did on the bug for 1967. the headlights were ugly as can be and the engine cover.... what can I say.... it was downhill from that point. the 1966 bug was the peak of style for VW.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actually changing the fenders for the new style headlamps was not something VW sought to do. That was U.S. regulations. This was for the new style headlight aim machines used in many states inspection programs. It was not only VW but Porsche and Jaguar. The XKE really looks weird compared to the sleek models before. The idiots who made the law didn't understand the thought behind the design of the old type, and that theory was if you got hit with a stone it would damage the glass cover but your headlamps would still work. IMO the best looking VW was the VW30's of 1937 that Mercedes made for Porsche for testing before the final VW body was decided on. 30 of them made, one survived the order to destroy the prototypes.

Don

[JD in KC]

...The worst new style ever would be a tie between the '57 Lincoln and the '57 Packard.

I don't think the '57 Packard counts (definitely not a facelift and not a re-style of a an existing Packard line). It was a re-badged Studebaker (Packardbaker).

Edited April 12, 2011 by JD in KC
spelling, clarification (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

I don't think the '57 Packard counts (definitely not a facelift and not a re-style of a an existing Packard line). It was a re-badged Studebaker (Packardbaker).

...but it was a facelift of an existing design.

[JD in KC]

Yes, I guess it was.

[john2dameron]

JC, note I did not call the '57 Packard a facelift but I said it was a NEW style. It's a shame what Studebaker did to Packard operations AND Packard styling.

[ericmac]

This is an interesting discussion. I have been following it for a while. My two cents worth is this. I am surprised nobody has mentioned the '61 to '62 Lincolns. I always thought that was one of the all time best updates, and it started with a drop dead beautiful car in the '61. The worst to me was the '67 to '68 Olds Toronado. I feel the stylists had a real losing proposition there. They started with one of the most beautifully styled cars ever and were charged with trying to change it. No surprise it did not work out well IMHO.

Eric

[Guest 827GFZ73]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I another twist, the 73 Riv. looks better than the 71-72 model in my opinion. The reason being the rear tail/bumper was flattened out. Those cars done in the right color and interior and Buick chromies are sharp, a full size stingray!

Don

Thanks Don, for your observations on the boattail Rivieras. There was a beautiful '73 Riviera GS Stage 1 in Burnt Coral with a Saddle color interior that was sold at the Art Astor Collection by RM Auctions for $20,900. in 2008. Pix attached below. The '73 Riv does have a beefier look to it with the fed bumper up front.

The '71-'72 Rivieras with the pointed, leaning front end and hooded headlights do resemble the front end of the full-size 1965 Chevrolets which in itself is not too bad since the '65 Impala Sport Coupes are one of the prettiest Chevies ever made. However, it is just uncharacteristically B-U-I-C-K. in my opinion.

-Joe

[Guest]

Thanks Don, for your observations on the boattail Rivieras. There was a beautiful '73 Riviera GS Stage 1 in Burnt Coral with a Saddle color interior that was sold at the Art Astor Collection by RM Auctions for $20,900. in 2008. Pix attached below. The '73 Riv does have a beefier look to it with the fed bumper up front.

The '71-'72 Rivieras with the pointed, leaning front end and hooded headlights do resemble the front end of the full-size 1965 Chevrolets which in itself is not too bad since the '65 Impala Sport Coupes are one of the prettiest Chevies ever made. However, it is just uncharacteristically B-U-I-C-K. in my opinion.

-Joe

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe, a few years back at one of our local car show a 73 Riv. showed up. A factory correct red exterior- no vinyl roof, white/parchment interior 3/4 white walls on Buick chrome steel mags. That car had a crowd around it all day. What a stunner. Thanks for the picture in your post. So many great cars - so little room - so little time.

Don