Art & Inspiration Top-5 American Automotive Designs

No one here has listed it but I think a '39 Nash is a great looking car.

 

Favorite designs right out the factory or once modified/built? A stock 40/41 Willys is sort of homely [IMO] but neither would I kick a SWC version out of my garage. A lot of the likes with pics are after alterations, a least lowering; stance mods.

 

A 66,67,68 Ford Galaxy fast backs look pretty slick for a big car, IMO.

 

Ok

but not close to the late 50s and early 60s styling

 

Color makes a big difference in the choices. Hard to pick just five. If I won a couple of the biggest Powerball lotteries I would give Leno a run for the money.
Black 33 Ford 3 window
Midnight blue 56 Bel Air hardtop
Black 40 Ford Coupe
Almost any dark color 60 Ford Starliner
Red 62 Corvette

 

Actually there are very few on this whole thread that I wouldn't covet and be proud to own. Its sad there were so many great cars of the HAMB era and so damn few since then. Anybody else drive down the highway and count how many ugly pieces of crap go by before you see a passable design? My generation truly lived in the best of times.

 

Yup....even the hideous 59 Rambler looks pretty damn nice, among all the late models. At least it has some style...ugly though it may be.

 

I can't do it......I can't make a list that short. I like 'em ALL....well at least pieces anyway.....a dash here, a seat there, a gentle curve of a fender, an ornate interior trim piece.

The pocket door of a Darrin, the utility of a Kaiser Traveler, the mesmerizing dash of a 300, the stark, almost primitiveness of a Model A or T...........sooooooo many more....

I need more space, more time, more tools, WAAAY more skills......I just need MORE.

 

'55 Chevy Delray, I've had four
'29 Ford Roadster
'32 Ford chopped 3W
'32 Ford Roadster
'35 Ford 3W
These are my five favorites

 

Top 5 American automotive designs ehh? Well I suppose I can pick 5 . 1. 1959 Dodge Coronet ( my father had one, miss ya dad) 2. Any Dietrich bodied Packard ( if you’ve seen one you understand) 3. 1956 Ford F -100 4. 49-51 Ford/Lincoln 5. 1958 Lincoln Premier

 

Modified - we are hot rodders after all

36 Ford 3 window coupe
53 Studebaker coupe
59 El Camino
23 T The Winged Express
49 Ford coupe

Factory Stock

29 Dusenburg
25 Hispano Suiza
33 Cadillac V16
61 Jaguar E type roadster
29 Bentley 4.5 litre Blower

The factory stock ones are budget killers tho.

 

Me three, four shore. However there were none offered to the public, A one time custom.

Interesting how that model grew into a swan. I had a convertible, Sunliner.
Converts are always great but compared to the other tastes of the day it looked dorky. Now its a keeper.

 

Not easy to pick only five...

'65 Pontiac Grand Prix
'34 Ford Roadster
'57 Pontiac Safari
'63 Lincoln Continental
'59 Pontiac Bonneville Coupe

 

Mine narrowed down to top 5 in no particular order:
33 Ford Model 40
57 Chevrolet Belair
61 Pontiac Ventura
65 Pontiac Catalina
65 Buick Riviera
Honorable Mention: 57 Dodge Royal Lancer.
I could easily add 5 more to this list

 

Depends on the decade.
It’ll change tomorrow.


Never really cared much for the boxy 32’s.
Trucks!!!!
32 ford pickup of course
38 Chevy PU
50 chevy PU
40 ford PU
57 chevy PU

 

Tuff call! But here we go...
33/34 Ford 3 or 5 window... depends which way the wind is blowing
40 Ford Deluxe
40/41 Ford PU
56 Ford Victoria
61 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Conv

 

Yes, it may take me all day to narrow down a top five. I’ll go out on a different limb, and choose 1956 as the top year across all makes. I’m including trucks too.

 

I would say that unquestionably that the top 4 are :
1932 Ford
1940 Ford
1955-57 Chevy
1950 Mercury
I think those 4 define the most timeless and enduring designs that are universally thought of when thinking about American Hot Rods.

Certainly many beautiful designs but not as ubiqutous as the 1936 Cord, Supercharged Duesenberg J, 1949 Cadillac Sedanette, 1963 Corvette and many personal choices like 1954 Darrin, the 1953 Cunningham and so many more...

My pick for #5:
1950 Chevy Styleline

 

37 LINCOLN ZEPHYR
49 CADILLAC SEDANETTE
58 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
60 PONTIAC VENTURA
62 CORVETTE

 

HAMB compliant, stock....47-53 Chevy truck, 53 Stude, 57 Corvette,57 Plymouth, 64 Riviera......

 

A rivi is on my bucket list.

 

1. 1935/6 Auburn Speedster, 2. 1936/7 Cord, 3. 53 Buick Skylark, 4. 1949 Merc, 5. 1955 Lincoln Continental

 

1940 Ford
1936 Auburn Speedster
1957 Corvette
1937 Lincoln Zephyr
1965 Buick Riviera
alternate 1959 Chevrolet Impala

 

I scrolled through the new posts and had this thought: what did I fall in love with unmodified? I took that to be what Ryan was talking about. I'm plenty old but I never saw a stock model a or a 32 that got me excited. They were starting points. The cars in the mid 50's started to get my attention much more. It would be around 1960 before I would develop a sense of style in my mind besides chrome and polished stainless that was so common. I don't think I could pick a top 5. To me this is the same as someone asking me to pick my top 10 songs. I respect those who can do it but I fall in love easily. LOL.

 

Ya know, 20s, 30s, 40s American cars were so very near the same looking -- really! Sure, some extra-sporty models stood out, but did the Chrysler not look like a Buick. Look again. The rare high-line ones even had bodies that crossed manufacturer's lines.

So here's my list (I know you've been waiting for it) . . .

54 Studebaker Hardtops (Why in the hell did they bother to make a post model when every change cost money for the company? I think they had 3 or 4 wheelbases for the same fucking car.)

56 Chrysler 300 (Less is more.)

56 Continental

65 Buick Riviera

60 Ford Starliner (A beautiful champion following the 59 models.)

 

33-34 3 window Fords
40 Ford
56 Nomad
63-65 Riviera (that black one on the first page almost sopped my heart)
61 Impala 2 door hardtop.

 

55-57 Thunderbird.

58-59 Chevrolet Impala.

61 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Bubble.

62 Pontiac Grand Prix.

1968 to 1972 el Camino.

 

In no particular order:

1961 Chevy bubbletop (Moriarity's is a great example)
any C2 Corvette roadster (yeah; folks call them roadsters but the windows rolled up)
1933 Ford full fendered 3-window coupe (preferably all black)
1939 Ford Deluxe coupe (preferably resale red)
1955 Chevy; either 2-door post or Nomad

honorable mentions (also in no particular order): 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury, 1965 Riviera, 1957 Corvette, highboy 28/29 Ford roadster, and 1939 Buick

b-t-w; (see wfo guy's post above) about 15 years ago I started to make a list of my favorite 100 songs. The list now has 474 songs in it.

 

I noticed as each member has replied with their likes it has been interpreted as “what original car design is your favorite as a base to start your personalization on”. Modifying the cars as we do. Even Ryan’s Riviera had that cool pearlcraft steering wheel on it.

I’m an equal opportunity cool car guy and could go with everybody’s list so far.

 

'57 Bel Air 2-door hardtop
'57 Chevy Nomad
'62 Olds Starfire
'62 Corvette
'63 Corvette Split Window