FANTASTIC old cars you dislike for purely emotional reasons?

[JamesR]

Changed the title to be more clear. Talking about cars you would normally like, but don't due to circumstances that had little to do with the car itself. Someone on the forum recently mentioned that they like the '54 Olds better than the '53 Olds for visual reasons. I like the '53 a lot better than the '54, but I think it may be for at least some emotional reasons. I recognize that both are beautiful cars, but looking at a '54 gives me some negative feelings.

 

About twenty years ago, an acquaintance who was going through marital problems wanted me to buy his '54 Olds four door sedan. He really really wanted me to buy it. He kept brow beating me about it. It was affordable and in decent shape for what he was asking, but I just didn't need another old car. I felt bad for his marital predicament, and aside from the brow beating, he was generally a nice guy. I gave him other options for selling a classic car, e.g., I'd sold old cars in that price range in a day or two by parking them near a well traveled street with a for-sale sign on them. Nevertheless, he wanted ME to buy the car. I suspect that he had designs of coming back a later date to buy the car back from me at the same price. Kind of manipulative.

 

I never did buy the car, but the experience left me with negative feelings. To my surprise, all these years later when I see a '54 Olds I still get the same negative feeling. Again, I have to stress that I really do think the '54 Olds is a very attractive car. I just have no desire to own one. Interested to hear if anyone else has similar experiences.

 

Edit:   Feel free to contribute, but this ISN'T about BASHING specific old cars, so please don't. It's about the unreasonable emotions we sometimes have about old cars...many times positive, but sometimes negative.

 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by JamesR (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Reminds me, I was going to start a thread on the 1960 Ford. 

[joe_padavano]

Isn't dislike always for emotional reasons? 🤔

[8E45E]

Not sure how to reply to this thread.   Its not so much cars with me, but a few songs on the radio over the years I can say I dislike for 'emotional reasons'.

 

I've been PO'd by owners of what were (and maybe still are) very nice cars, including school teachers, a crabby get-off-my lawn neighbor or two, but in no way hold anything against their cars.  In fact, I'd love to own one of my school teacher's cars, a gorgeous 1958 Meteor Rideau two door hardtop.  It was stunning in its original single-tone mint green paint.  Strangely optioned in that it had no radio, but the hang on air conditioner.   If that car ends up still being well preserved and ever did find me, and I am in a position going to buy it, I'd have personalized plates that read 'OLD BAG' in her honor, and explain that at car shows.😜

 

As for songs on the radio, is usually bad timing why I hate them.  One that comes to mind was the 1970 song, 'Temma Harbor' by Mary Hopkin; a song about a fictitious place with warm sandy beaches, endless sun, etc.   It came out in the middle of January, when the daytime high was no more then 10 below, and here she was singing about having fun in the tropics.  The radio station that played it rubbed it in even more as background music for a local travel agency's "Fun Seekers" advertising packages to 'get away from the extreme cold in Edmonton in January'!!

 

Craig

 

 

[joe_padavano]

Well, for emotional reasons, I hate any car with a touch screen. Also any car made this century - they all look like rolling suppositories, especially Teslas.

[zdillinger]

Tri Five Chevrolets. I have a purely emotional, entirely unjustifiable hatred for them. That said, I love 1941 Chevrolets and would give my right arm to find a stock one. 

[Littlestown Mike]

2 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Reminds me, I was going to start a thread on the 1960 Ford. 

The styling of that '60 Ford came out of nowhere---didn't it?  I mean it was a radical ( non-fordian) departure from the 57-59 body styles and was direction taken by the '60 was quickly reversed with the '61.  

[Df824]

There aren’t many. But one would be the Citroen 2cv.  It’s just horrible.  The styling was outdated before the fist one was made. I can put run it. It’s not quirky in a fun French way. It’s just dumb. 
 

did I say I didn’t like it?  

[Andy J]

zdillinger,funny you should mention the Tri Five Chevys. When I was much younger,Tri Five Chevys were the only cars I really liked.I had a rough but fixable '57 two door 210 sedan and a really nice '55 two door Bel Air hardtop. I hated the '58 and '59 Chevys,thinking how could GM make such a radical change in body styles from the beautiful '57 to the square box-like '58 and the over finned '59 model.

 

As I got older,my tastes changed and these cars got a second look. Fast forward 50 years and these cars are now beautiful to me and I wish I had one. I like any old cars now,up to about 1972. Anything later than that doesn't appeal to me,other than just a daily driver out of necessity.

[prewarnut]

Can you say... Excalibur?

(sorry I just read the title - "old" so this might not count but I dislike it anyhow).

Edited March 7, 2023 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[Littlestown Mike]

The iconoclast curmudgeon in me would have to list the '57 Chevy for no other reason than "everybody" loves the '57 Chevy.

I don't hate them---I just think they get too much love.

 

[Peter Gariepy]

This topic makes me nervous as a moderator.

Is it really of any value to bash a make, year or model?  (not matter the reason)

[Df824]

5 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

This topic makes me nervous as a moderator.

Is it really of any value to bash a make, year or model?  (not matter the reason)

I think it’s just meant to be funny since the reasoning isn’t anything but emotional. Hopefully people take it humor and aren’t thin skinned. I daily a BMW so I’m use to an emotional hatred for my car 😊

Edited March 8, 2023 by Df824 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

5 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

This topic makes me nervous as a moderator.

Is it really of any value to bash a make, year or model?  (not matter the reason)

What could possibly go wrong?

 

😉

[alsancle]

Just now, Df824 said:

I think it’s just meant to be funny since the reasoning isn’t anything but emotional. Hopefully people take it humor and aren’t thin skinned. I daily a BMW so I’m use to an emotional hatred for my cat

Do you know what the difference is between a cactus and a BMW?

[Df824]

1 minute ago, alsancle said:

Do you know what the difference is between a cactus and a BMW?

The pricks are on the inside ? 

[58L-Y8]

13 minutes ago, zdillinger said:

Tri Five Chevrolets. I have a purely emotional, entirely unjustifiable hatred for them. That said, I love 1941 Chevrolets and would give my right arm to find a stock one. 

This 1941 Chevrolet would have fit the bill admirably.   Regarding the Tri-Five Chevrolets, personally its more a matter of ennui from the concentration of such cars at local shows and cruise nights.  A Nomad or four door hardtop will get attention.

 

[alsancle]

There are some cars which I'm not going to name that I dislike purely because of their rabid following in spite of their general mediocrity. 

[MotiveLensPhoto]

The Ford Grenada. Seriously, Ford? And we used to make fun of the "fine, Corinthian leather" in the Cordoba but I have no real feelings about the car either way.

 

[joelj]

I think it was one person's opinion of what year was more attractive. Not much deeper than a preference between color choices. It's not like you have infinite opportunities to purchase 70 year old cars exactly the way you want so I guess the question is that if you want a 54, but this 53 came up for sale, could you learn to like it? I like both years, but would prefer a 56 over either if given the choice. 

[prewarnut]

23 minutes ago, alsancle said:

There are some cars which I'm not going to name that I dislike purely because of their rabid following in spite of their general mediocrity. 

Are you talking about Tuckers again?😄

[alsancle]

Just now, prewarnut said:

Are you talking about Tuckers again?😄

Actually I was not!   But now that you mention it...

[8E45E]

43 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Is it really of any value to bash a make, year or model?  (not matter the reason)

The cars I bash are from a (lack of) styling or performance and build quality standpoint.  Those ones made GREAT winter beaters for me in the '80's and '90's, and can't shed an emotional tear over them as they were 'throwaway' cars.

 

Craig

[DonMicheletti]

I alway heard that the comparison was between a Porcupine and BMW

[TerryB]

I am NOT a fan of convertibles, sorry they just don’t look all that great with the top down in my very unique opinion.  I just can’t imagine people paying extra money for not getting a real metal top on their car.  I do give a little leeway to vintage MGs and Triumps since they were designed to be that way😀.  

[1937McBuick]

I think the key to this topic is emotions , not opinions on styling.   

 

I told the shop foreman where my car "was" I didn't want to "hate the car" b(u)y the time it was done!

It's at home now,  unfinished,  waiting the to get on the track to finish the final laps until it crosses the finish line.

 

Let me make it clear,  the car still holds a very important parking space in my heart,  but the journey hasn't always been pleasant trying to get it across the finish line.

 

Did anyone have a "divorce" car that they would have liked to put a brick on the gas pedal and point it towards a deep canyon?   Might be a bit of emotion in that!

 

I think most special interest autos bring more positive emotions than negative ones.  But I guess, like a battery..... both exist.

[Akstraw]

I usually find something to like in just about anything made for the road.  Having said that, I personally have never seen the attraction in “T-bucket” hot rods.  I also wonder why they are always listed as ‘23’s (not ‘22, not ‘24, etc.  Weren’t all the T’s pretty much the same for lots of years?).  Not trying to offend any T-bucket fans.  I respect that the car hobby has lots of facets, and encourage each and every hobbyist to pursue their own passion.

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, Golden73 said:

The Ford Grenada. Seriously, Ford? And we used to make fun of the "fine, Corinthian leather" in the Cordoba but I have no real feelings about the car either way.

 

The Grenade had the rear axle with disk brakes, highly sought after by Street Rodders, roll the car on the roof and they came out real easy. Bob 

[1937hd45]

2 minutes ago, Akstraw said:

I usually find something to like in just about anything made for the road.  Having said that, I personally have never seen the attraction in “T-bucket” hot rods.  I also wonder why they are always listed as ‘23’s (not ‘22, not ‘24, etc.  Weren’t all the T’s pretty much the same for lots of years?).  Not trying to offend any T-bucket fans.  I respect that the car hobby has lots of facets, and encourage each and every hobbyist to pursue their own passion.

1923 T's had the (high) cowl and the 1922 had the (low) cowl, at some time 1923 was the chosen year. Check with Bonneville rules or maybe some other body that set the acceptance rule. I'm a 26-27 T fan and they are a totally different body. 

[Billy Kingsley]

I really don't hate any cars, I love pretty much everything that ever existed and, knowing myself, will exist in the future. 

 

With that said, I've sworn off Mopars. Throughout my life we've had 4 of them and all of them were nothing but trouble. They were a 78 Cordoba, an 86 Reliant K, a Horizon of year I don't recall, and a 94 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

The whole point of having a car is so you don't have to walk everywhere and I found myself having to walk home often with them. 

 

Unfortunately I think they make the best looking modern cars, so I will just admire them from afar. 

 

I know lots of people have had vastly different experiences than we have so maybe someone cast some sort of curse on us or something, haha. 

[Pfeil]

5 hours ago, JamesR said:

Someone on the forum recently mentioned that they like the '54 Olds better than the '53 Olds for visual reasons. I like the '53 a lot better than the '54, but I think it may be for at least some emotional reasons. I recognize that both are beautiful cars, but looking at a '54 gives me some negative feelings.

 

About twenty years ago, an acquaintance who was going through marital problems wanted me to buy his '54 Olds four door sedan. He really really wanted me to buy it. He kept brow beating me about it. It was affordable and in decent shape for what he was asking, but I just didn't need another old car. I felt bad for his marital predicament, and aside from the brow beating, he was generally a nice guy. I gave him other options for selling a classic car, e.g., I'd sold old cars in that price range in a day or two by parking them near a well traveled street with a for-sale sign on them. Nevertheless, he wanted ME to buy the car. I suspect that he had designs of coming back a later date to buy the car back from me at the same price. Kind of manipulative.

 

I never did buy the car, but the experience left me with negative feelings. To my surprise, all these years later when I see a '54 Olds I still get the same negative feeling. Again, I have to stress that I really do think the '54 Olds is a very attractive car. I just have no desire to own one. Interested to hear if anyone else has similar experiences.

 

Edit:   Feel free to contribute, but this ISN'T about BASHING specific old cars, so please don't. It's about the unreasonable emotions we sometimes have about old cars...many times positive, but sometimes negative.

 

 

Definitely not with you there. This car has it all, and you won't find some of its styling features on some of GM's cars until two years later. 

[joe_padavano]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

This topic makes me nervous as a moderator.

Is it really of any value to bash a make, year or model?  (not matter the reason)

It's called "give 'em enough rope..." 😁

[rocketraider]

With me, a lot of times it's not so much the car but the type of people who own them.

 

But I'm tired of Tri-Five Chevys and especially 1st generation Camaros, and the people who own them and are convinced GM never made any other car, and have no interest in anything else.

 

As pointed out above, a "different" body style or a six cylinder engine, or one bone stock down to its wheelcovers and whitewall tires, is worth stopping to look over. 

[BillinMd]

I believe Matt's 36 Lincoln would qualify. Great automobiles usually,  but in his case...

Oh well, we all did learn alot

[Fordy]

Let it be enough said that the 60's thru to 70's Renault products simply make me cringe! What were they thinking when they designed those? And yes reacting to downright ugly is an emotional reaction. "Styled"? its like calling dog turds "Art"

[Frank DuVal]

My wife dislikes Falcons. Only because it was the car she learned to drive on. I liked the car I learned to drive on myself, 56 Buick. Some things I will never understand.😁

[Peter Gariepy]

4 hours ago, Df824 said:

I think it’s just meant to be funny since the reasoning isn’t anything but emotional. Hopefully people take it humor and aren’t thin skinned. I daily a BMW so I’m use to an emotional hatred for my car 😊

One's humor is another's attack.  Example:

"70's Renault products simply make me cringe! "

A 70's Renault fan would very much defend his emotional investment in his preference for that vehicle, and find the statement anything BUT humorous.

Make that same statement in this club and forum and it would NOT go over well:

http://www.renaultclub.us

https://forum.renaultclub.us

 

[JamesR]

Thanks for the posts. Yes, my original post was NOT about '54 Oldsmobiles. It was about my EMOTIONS regarding '54 Oldsmobiles, which are great looking. That's what I was hoping others would contribute (and most have): emotions that keep you from liking what most people agree is a nice car.

 

One other type/category of car that I have negative emotions about are the multi-million dollar exotics like McLaren or modern Bugattis. They are stunning and magnificent, but - if I had the money - I'd rather have an amazing car at 1/20th the price and give the rest to St. Jude's hospital or something.

[Xander Wildeisen]

A 1946-48 Plymouth coupe. A friend had one that he was working on. He contacted me to see if I would buy it from him. I knew the car, he gave me one of those crazy not to buy it prices. So I bought it. Knew I could turn it for a few bucks. Now I don’t know how, or when this car got some chicken foot voodoo curse put on it. But it was like gum you could not kick off your shoe. I thought the day would come when leaving it on the side of the road with a signed title under the windshield wiper was my only choice. Not bashing the cars, a good looking car compared to other mopars of the same year. But that one just would not go away.

[JamesR]

17 hours ago, Littlestown Mike said:

The styling of that '60 Ford came out of nowhere---didn't it?  I mean it was a radical ( non-fordian) departure from the 57-59 body styles and was direction taken by the '60 was quickly reversed with the '61.  

I love the '60 Ford Starliner. The looks are one of the best of that era, IMHO. I think it legitimately earned its namesake legacy from that other stunning "Starliner": the 1953-4 Studebaker Starliner. Both the Ford and the Studebaker version are stunning cars.

Edited March 8, 2023 by JamesR (see edit history)