Buffalowed Bill Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 (edited) I just retraced my way through four pages of responses, and while I know this is about 57 Chevrolets, there has been plenty of comparisons made with Fords. Unless I missed something the words Chrysler and Plymouth are no shows. There is no arguing that Ford and Chevrolet, specifically, and GM and Ford generally dominate the hobby, but really not even a mention of Plymouth, for comparison! Talk about a car that gets no love, how about a 1955 Plymouth Belvedere-htp or convertible. I think I've seen a couple of each, over the last ten years. Compare this to a trimmed shoe box. Edited August 25, 2020 by Buffalowed Bill (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Agree, the early letter cars were neat but expensive. Also rusted very quickly. Anyone remember the "torsion bar droop" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 19 hours ago, rocketraider said: And what, pray tell, is wrong with having an "insolent chariot"? 😼 Padgett, you were the exception. The difference is if a car was ordered new and delivered fully loaded vs having options slathered on 30 years after the fact. I know a GTO guy who actually lost sleep because his 65 didn't have every possible option. It progressed from obsession to mania. You would have to ask the man who wrote the book. I only mention it as it was relevant to the topic of hacks writing about 50's cars that they hate, or pretend to hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Have seen people like that - add every known option and enter in a show. Get very mad when it is pointed out that A was not available with B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 My first car was a 57 Desoto, it was far superior to all the tri 5 Chevy’s and Fords ! Right ! well a guy can dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 30 minutes ago, SC38DLS said: My first car was a 57 Desoto, it was far superior to all the tri 5 Chevy’s and Fords ! Right ! well a guy can dream. Wrong, First Desoto is a mid level priced car so it's not competing with Chevy and Ford. DeSoto's competition is low priced series of Buick, Oldsmobile, high priced series Pontiac, Mercury, and high level Edsel. And ironically it's parent "Chrysler corporation". Chrysler divisions Newport undercut DeSoto, and upscale level Dodge ate into it from the bottom end. And then you have the assessment from Haggerty; DeSoto had some serious problems, though. The first was spotty quality control. Its cars suffered from leaky windshields and rear windows, weak torsion bars that occasionally broke, splitting upholstery and flaking paint, and other problems. Things got so bad Chrysler actually took the unheard-of step of shutting down the assembly line for a week to set things right. Even as all of this was happening, Chrysler’s so-called Special Car Committee started developing what would become the company’s first compact cars, the Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Lancer. The automaker soon realized it couldn’t afford five marques and develop the Valiant, so it dedicated a large portion of DeSoto’s development, sales, and management resources to the new endeavor. DeSoto offered just two models, the Adventurer and Fireflite, in 1960. DeSoto compared to Chevy and Ford? Chevy and Ford are in a different market and DeSoto killed mostly in part by it's parent Chrysler Corp. Which proves dreams don't always come true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 (edited) Mine was so rusted the head lights were about to fall out. I was 17 and worked in a junk yard on Saturday mornings when I wasn’t playing football. My pay was parts from 3 Desoto’s in the yard and all the gas I could siphon out of cars they brought in. We fixed the headlights with steel wool and bondo, we painted the car with a gallon of porch & deck enamel from EJ Korvettes and 2 4 inch brushes. It was a great car to pack a bunch of kids in and head to the beach. Only problem was we weren’t always sure we would make it back home. Edited August 26, 2020 by SC38DLS (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 3 hours ago, padgett said: when it is pointed out that A was not available with B. There's a ruckus going on in Oldsworld right now over a 70 442 that has both Rallye Pac and NightWatch- a combination that every piece of 1970 Olds sales and ordering literature specifically says N.A. together. The owner has gotten a little red around the gills since he's realised he bought a typical 50 year old cobbled together car done by someone who didn't know what they were doing, but figured a car with the option book thrown at it would sell quick. Buyer take your chances. I finally asked the owner what would he rather have, Rallye Pac or NightWatch. Because given the limits of 1970 technology, he couldn't have both. And neither option is working correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Another one I see is a 70 GTO with both Ram Air and VOE (Vacuum Operated Exhaust - essentially a cutout). Could not be ordered together because both used the same knob/bracket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Cole Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 On 8/24/2020 at 7:13 PM, 60FlatTop said: I think faster than I read. I anticipated that to mean other collectors drag on about the headers. You know how they are. I have cultivated a way of saying "What's that?" in a way that really annoys my wife. No. The collector part of the header where all the pipes come together at the connection flange drags on practically every speed bump or dip in the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Paid $60 to have a car painted by a notional chain once. Painted everything. Chrome, tires, seats, carpet... everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 6 minutes ago, padgett said: Paid $60 to have a car painted by a notional chain once. Painted everything. Chrome, tires, seats, carpet... everything. Shouldn't wonder " a notional chain". I assume this was in a dream perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 57 minutes ago, padgett said: Paid $60 to have a car painted by a notional chain once. Painted everything. Chrome, tires, seats, carpet... everything. A kid I knew in High School had his car painted by a national chain. he got his windows tinted for free [color of the car!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 National/notional... where is that Rabbit ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Even though it was a 4 year old style, the 1957 Studebaker Hawk is a great 50's car that wears well even in 2020. Base price of a Silver Hawk $2142 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Yes but I'd rather have a Studillac. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 A 1957 Bel Air base price was $2335 approx. A base 210 was $2225. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, padgett said: Yes but I'd rather have a Studillac. Oh Yeah, 331 3X2. No blower needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Talk about taking a great design and messing things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Later Studes were influenced by Mercedes. Stude became the Merc importer in the 50s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 14 hours ago, padgett said: Later Studes were influenced by Mercedes. Stude became the Merc importer in the 50s. And Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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