favorite cars of the golden era

Professor · May 13, 2010

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StraightEight · May 14, 2010

Oh my god, the dealers hated that campaign. Did zero to lift sales. Solidified Buick's rep as an old (dead, even?) man's division. Was a monumental waste of money. Now that Harley Earl has been re-buried, the cars are better than ever. Thanks, China, for saving Buick!!

StraightEight · May 14, 2010

As a PS, Benz tried and failed at a similar thing with their "Falling in Love Again" campaign of about ten years ago. It gave people the creeps, myself included.

David Conwill · May 14, 2010

StraightEight said:
Buick...cars are better than ever.

From a quality standpoint perhaps, but I think the styling has paled significantly since that campaign aired. Since Buicks started echoing Cadillac's folded-edge stying, they look too much like Lincolns now, I liked the fine-toothed waterfall grille much better.

But what do I know? I think 1996 or so was about the high water mark of post-1967 GM styling.

-Dave

pappythesailor · May 14, 2010

My first ever post may as well be here. Gotta break the ice sometime!

94625d1245187870-palats-digital-garage-lincoln-zephyr-1935-coupe-3.jpg

In a perfect world, I'd have a factory that made these with modern engines and stereos and sold for ten grand.

Chas · May 15, 2010

The Zephyr is one of the most badass cars ever. My dream car, however, is the Cadillac Series 62 Convertible. Maybe someday...

Professor · May 15, 2010

StraightEight said:
Oh my god, the dealers hated that campaign. Did zero to lift sales. Solidified Buick's rep as an old (dead, even?) man's division. Was a monumental waste of money. Now that Harley Earl has been re-buried, the cars are better than ever. Thanks, China, for saving Buick!!

I thought Harley Earl was great, trouble is I love the cars he designed, not the cars now...especially now. It was as if Buick was saying "we used to design really great cars, won't you buy one of our mediocre designs today?"

Professor · May 15, 2010

Chas said:
The Zephyr is one of the most badass cars ever. My car, however, is the Cadillac Series 62 Convertible.

Speaking of Harley Earl...wow, love that car!

Professor · May 15, 2010

David Conwill said:
From a quality standpoint perhaps, but I think the styling has paled significantly since that campaign aired. Since Buicks started echoing Cadillac's folded-edge stying, they look too much like Lincolns now, I liked the fine-toothed waterfall grille much better.

But what do I know? I think 1996 or so was about the high water mark of post-1967 GM styling.

-Dave

You hit the nail on the head, styling is dead. Though I've traditionally driven Buicks, I now drive a '95 Olds Eighty Eight, and I too consider it the high water mark. The '96 model was modified to resemble the Aurora, and it was all downhill after that.

BAR-guy · May 17, 2010

Simple: Ford V8 or 1941 Buick Super Eight in black! Pretty much the one Josh Hartnett drives in Pearl Harbor.

AtomicEraTom · May 18, 2010

Love the Eighty-Eight. They're nice cars, my best friend wants a Ninety-Eight real bad. I have a 63 Impala, a 79 Buick Electra, and an 87 Chevy Caprice Estate, all boats, but these days, especially in the north, you gotta have a modern car with Fuel Injection and such. But I did buy a car that was
reviewed as the last "dinosaur" being built.

A Crown Victoria!!

Professor said:
You hit the nail on the head, styling is dead. Though I've traditionally driven Buicks, I now drive a '95 Olds Eighty Eight, and I too consider it the high water mark. The '96 model was modified to resemble the Aurora, and it was all downhill after that.

David Conwill · May 18, 2010

AtomicEraTom said:
you gotta have a modern car with Fuel Injection and such.

Well, I'm getting by thus far with my one-barrel carburetor and column-shift three-speed, but if I ever buy a late model for myself, it'll be one of the Panther Platform models.

A Crown Victoria!!

Probably I'd like a Grand Marquis or, better yet, a Colony Park wagon. Th Crown Vics are cool, though. I'm not a fan of the Lincolns, however, as they look too big for the chassis.

-Dave

Flivver · May 18, 2010

I'm a big fan of Ford's Panther platform cars. They allow those of us who like the classic body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive American fullsize sedans to own one with all the modern-day improvements. These cars actually handle and steer like modern cars, offer bulletproof reliability, a 5-star crash rating and surprisingly good fuel economy.

My 2000 Grand Marquis turned 185,000 miles yesterday and is still a pleasure to drive. I've spent only $50 in repairs since I bought the car 85,000 miles ago.

Unfortunately, Ford is cancelling all the Panther-based cars at the end of 2011. New rollover standards are required in 2012 and Ford doesn't feel it's prudent to invest in such an old platform.

I, for one, think they're making a significant mistake. I've driven the new Taurus, and while it's a nice car...it's no replacement for the Crown Vic.

David Conwill · May 18, 2010

Flivver said:
Ford doesn't feel it's prudent to invest in such an old platform.

I, for one, think they're making a significant mistake. I've driven the new Taurus, and while it's a nice car...it's no replacement for the Crown Vic.

That’s very unfortunate. I think American car companies need to focus on making American cars, as that’s what they’re good at, and that’s what people will buy from them. Even if a Toyota-clone is what I wanted, why would I buy one from Ford when I can buy the real thing from Toyota?

This ridiculous focus on front drivers is what’s killing the industry. You can’t out-Japanese the Japanese, and FWD econoboxes are their bread and butter. It’s like everyone in Detroit is still living in the ‘80s.

Heck, the whole reason people bought all those Tahoes, Yukons, and Suburbans is because after 1996 they were the closest thing you could still get from GM to an American car.

If GM doesn’t get this memo, watch for Hyundai to start growing in popularity, as they’re actually producing an American car! :eusa_doh:

-Dave

John in Covina · May 18, 2010

SUV's and Mini-Vans are being bought as a replacement mainly to the Station Wagon by medium to large families. These days very few actual Station Wagons seem to be made. In the past you had the family sedan also, today though many cars cannot seat a full sized adult in the back seat without profound discomfort.

Flivver · May 18, 2010

David Conwill said:
That’s very unfortunate. I think American car companies need to focus on making American cars, as that’s what they’re good at, and that’s what people will buy from them. Even if a Toyota-clone is what I wanted, why would I buy one from Ford when I can buy the real thing from Toyota?

-Dave

I've been preaching this in Detroit for more than ten years now but no one is listening.

It's funny, when the American car companies do a real American car like Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Charger or 300 they are quite successful.

The reason Crown Vic and Grand Marquis sales have fallen off is because they haven't had a major freshening in 12 years! The chassis was new for 2003 but you couldn't tell by looking at the car.

Interestingly, though, the best selling Mercury in April, 2010 was the Grand Marquis. Yet, if you go to an auto show, there won't even be one on display!

AtomicEraTom · May 18, 2010

Sounds like the 58 Chevy I used to have. I drove carbureted up until late this winter, I still have the car, but it was starting to have some issues so she's off the road until I put a little work into it. You would like the car though. I tried to buy a colony park wagon recently, but couldn't sell mine quick enough.

Best car I've ever owned, I've owned it almost 2 years (longest I've ever held onto a car), put 10,000 miles on it, drove it through the worst weather Wisconsin has to offer, and she never quit on me. She just sits now, and I go out and give the gas a few pumps and she'll fire right up.

David Conwill said:
Well, I'm getting by thus far with my one-barrel carburetor and column-shift three-speed, but if I ever buy a late model for myself, it'll be one of the Panther Platform models.

Probably I'd like a Grand Marquis or, better yet, a Colony Park wagon. Th Crown Vics are cool, though. I'm not a fan of the Lincolns, however, as they look too big for the chassis.

-Dave

Talbot · May 19, 2010

pappythesailor said:
My first ever post may as well be here. Gotta break the ice sometime!

In a perfect world, I'd have a factory that made these with modern engines and stereos and sold for ten grand.

Epic first post, Pappy.

Welcome aboard!

Chas · May 19, 2010

pappythesailor said:
In a perfect world, I'd have a factory that made these with modern engines and stereos and sold for ten grand.

You know, that would work. You could dump a steel/fibreglass body on a standard contemporary chassis and gussie up the interior with that reproduction bakelite and old-school style interior guages. People would buy that, I know they would. You could charge 20K and they would sell. People would go ape. If people could buy a car that was fuel efficent, safe and looked like these cars, they would sell.

I would use the following body styles as well:

Ford Deluxe Coupe.

Cadillac LaSalle.

1947 Oldsmobile.

John in Covina · May 19, 2010

Hey Chas!

There are a few places that are creating hot rods along the lines of what you've proposed.

I had seen in some hot rod or engine building magazine that you can get a 32 Ford coupe body reproduction (in stainless if i recall correctly) to do just such a build and I had seen other bodies but don't recall the specific models. These as one off projects tend to have $40-50K price tags.

favorite cars of the golden era

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