Hot Rods Low to No Optioned Cars

I really enjoy low to no optioned cars from the 50's & early 60's of all makes. I especially like the Utility Sedans, Business Sedans, 150s and Customs. I was wondering how many folks have cars like this here on the forum with no options either restored , hot rodded or in original condition?

Thanks

 

I have a 56 townsman wagon, and thats a middle of the road version for a wagon
personally, I would rather have a 150 series tri 5 chevy than a Belair HT any day if I were to purchase a 2 door

 

I have an s55 here with no power options at all, kinda weird for a mid-sixties barge. It does have A/C and an 8 track though.

 

My 64 Biscayne, the only ACC code was seatbelts.

Gary

 

My '59 Ford Custom 300 is about as basic as it gets. I have a working heater, electric fan, added gauges but few creature comforts.

 

My '55 Cheby 210 is a radio and heater delete car.

 

I have a 64 Olds Cutlass with nothing, even has delete plates in the rear bumper where there should be backup lights.

 

I like them both ways a fully optioned car from the late 50’s and 60’s rival new cars with some of the innovations they had back then and comfort and materials used.

Gman I love that biscayne

 

My 50 delivery had zero options. I added V/8-4speed power and 2 taillights. No heat and defrost was turning the vent windows all the way out.

 

The little 62 nova ragtop I sold this summer was the most "optionless" vehicle I have ever owned. No seat belts, no reverse lights, 3 speed on the tree, Armstrong steering, manual brakes, manual top...a truly fun car.

 

Had a 66 GTO, only options 3:23 posi, 4speed, console. Nothing else.

 

And if they had been an option I would have checked only three boxes.

1. 327/350 hp engine.
2. Four speed transmission.
3. BIGGER BRAKES.

 

Had a '67 Dodge Coronet Deluxe that I turned into a G/SA. Only had three options from the factory. Auto trans. heater and full wheel covers. The AM radio was added at the dealer. Will try to put a picture on later.

 

In the 50's and 60's those were the ones that the dealer posted the adds in the paper for the "new" 1958 Impala 2 door coupe for 1735.00 When you went racing down to the dealership you found that no option 6 cylinder 3 speed car sitting back in the corner of the lot behind all of the loaded out V8 automatic models with all the bells and whistles. Most of the time they didn't want to even show it to you as it was so plain. I think I probably still hold the record for Oldsmobiles ordered from Williams and Swanson in Renton WA with a list of 4 options on a Cutlass S 310 hp 350m 21 4 speed, 3.42 posi and am fm multiplex radio that was a 200 and something option at the time. That was in OT territory though when I came back from Vietnam.

 

My avatar was the cheapest 1951 Ford sold. Deluxe (the cheap model), no side chrome, 6 cylinder, 3 speed no overdrive, radio delete, clock delete, heater delete a cheap one was dealer installed, cigarette lighter delete, no turn signals, just a horn button, no arm rests, 16" wheels, dog dish hubcaps, no chrome on windshield or rear window, fixed rear quarter windows, one sun visor, cloth seats, rubber flooring, one dome light with dash switch but did not go on when the doors were opened (there is holes in the door jams for switches just no switches). I've changed a few things over the years.

 

my 61 Dodge Dart is a two door post car, six and a 3 speed. it came with a heater and radio only.

 

57 Chevy sedan delivery...they were basic utility vehicles...in stock form, they had no arm rests, one sun visor, one bucket seat for the driver, no inside rear view mirror, no clock, no radio, no heater, no cigarette lighter, etc. Of course, you could add a passenger side bucket seat or even a bench seat, as well as all the other stuff, but it was all extra cost options. Mine is still pretty basic, but a previous owner installed a pair of bucket seats, probably from a Dodge A100 van or something. I was kind of disappointed to see that it has a deluxe heater as I would've preferred the heater delete or the cheapo recirculating heater, and someone in the past added a pair of factory AC outlets to the dash, maybe intending to install AC but never did. Hard to find one these days in absolute stock original form. They were begging to be messed with once they ceased to be someone's bread & butter transportation. This one's a 327 with a 4 speed (originally a 6 cyl automatic), and now has added arm rests, inside & outside mirrors, carpeting and the required tach/gauge, American mags, etc upgrades. Still looking for that recirculating heater or heater delete.

 

The low option car I remember from my youth was a 62 Ford, the cheap two door sedan, the only options it had was a 385 Horsepower 406, radio, heater and over drive. The car still exists but has been pretty much junked out but the current owner cloned it with a 427 w/four speed.

 

To be honest it did come with an am radio but everything looks better with delete plates. Only real deviation was having silver the primary shade rather than black, and carpet. Gotta keep the car true to what it was-bare bones, low level interior! The bare minimum makes a timeless, classic statement imo. Here's my dad behind the wheel. We are stuffing a/c in it this winter though. Can't imagine how much sweat we've soaked into the new front seats already lol.

 

Buddy of mine had a 6cyl/3 speed 1970 Full size Plymouth. Had an am radio, power steering which I think were
standard equipment by then. The only option was the convertible top. Original owner special ordered it as a salesman.

 

My Avatar is a 1948 stylemaster business coupe. 216 3 speed.

 

My Dad was the king of low optioned cars. Finally got a car with whitewalls in 1963, got one with a radio in 1968, and finally an automatic in 1978.

 

a friend since school has a dandy. his dad bought new & Bob ought from him when he got home from Nam. 1967 comet capri ( 2 dr. hardtop ) 427 2x4 4 speed open rearend no radio but power trunk opener ( so when mom bought groceries she could just pop the trunk open so the kid could put them in. remember when they did that ? ) shortly after buying it he blew it up , it sat for many yrs (family ) but he got the parts to put it back on the road. hard for me to believe that car is 50 yrs old.

 

I've owned a number of low-or-no option vehicles over the years. The no option car was a '56 Anglia, with not even a heater, which given that it was imported from British Honduras wasn't a surprise. Next up was a '56 Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon that had to have been special ordered; optional side trim (the only 'goodie' option), OD trans behind the six, windshield washer, backup lights, and heater; no radio or lighter. And a couple a '60s Ford trucks.

The '67 F100 had three options; radio, 352 V8 and a granny-low four-speed. The only chrome on the outside was the door handles, everything else was painted, including the hubcaps. By that time backup lights and heaters were standard, although the standard heater had only one control knob. Knob in, no heat, half way out was heat, all the way was defrost, and turn it for fan speed. No temperature control, the owners manual stated that 'to adjust temperature, open a window until you get the desired temperature'... LOL!

The other was a '68 F100. Again only three options, but it wasn't as obvious. It had the 'Ranger' option which got you full side trim and deluxe interior/heater, the radio, and the 360 V8.

You can still get no-option cars, but you want to be careful. A friends wife bought a new shitbox, wanted no options. Manual windows/locks, hers came with a radio but she made them deduct that from the price. AC, PS, PB are all standard these days because of emission testing requirements. The issue is new cars don't have exterior door locks on both sides anymore, just the drivers side. To unlock the other doors, you have to crawl into the car and unlock them manually...

 

A 1958 Plymouth came up for sale in AZ a couple of years ago. It is the most basic car that could be built by Mopar that year:
Plymouth Plaza 3-passenger (!) 2dr business coupe (no back seat, no regulator / crank for rear window)
230ci flathead six (base engine)
manual 3spd column
manual brakes
manual steering
no heater
no radio
no carpet (rubber floor mat was installed)
no outside mirrors, backup lights, etc.
It was even built all-white.

The business coupes were rare when new (1,427 built in '58) and they were obviously unloved the day they were built, so they are very rare now. I circled the spot on the trim tag where there is usually a spattering of letters and numbers to spell out the option codes. Never seen a blank one.

 

got a 63 f100 no option truck
never had side mirrors installed, one sun visor no radio
223, 3 on the tree

 

My first new car, 65 GTO, 4speed,3:23 posi, console, exhaust splitters cause the girlfriend liked the look. Love can make you crazy when filling out the order sheet.

 

This is my 150 when she's not wearing the pie crust slicks and Torq Thrusts. No radio, or power anything.

 

That Plymouth was known as the "no-fun at the drive-in " model.
In the 50's and 60's , most cars sold here in Australia, whether they were Australian, British or CKD Canadian , had very few options offered, if any.
Or if they did, very few people had them fitted. Heaters were rarely seen, Air -con virtually non-existent, motor or trans choice was rarely offered, same as radios., power seats, etc.
Try buying something basic nowadays, theres so many gadgets , it would make your head spin!

 

Less crap,less to go wrong.