Beauty only skin deep with cars from the Fifties

Car Collector Corner

By Greg Zyla

Beauty only skin deep with cars from the Fifties

Q: Greg, when it comes to designers, weren’t the cars of the Fifties, compared to those form other decades, ahead of the curve? These cars from the Fifties really changed their looks year to year, while today, a model might not change for three or more years. Clint, an Auto Roundup “old timer” from Washington.

A: Clint, taking everything into consideration, you are correct in your assumption. Additionally, I would also add the decade of the Sixties to the list, too, when Detroit would do quick facelifts and/or complete body re-designs without too much trouble. However, those cars were as close to “beauty is only skin deep” as one gets, because when it came to the actual design updating, the word “mechanical” wasn’t in the formula by any means. As an example, and taking 1957-58-59 as case in point years, Chrysler led the way with its "forward look" cars (which they still promote to this day), and all three years resulted in the manufacturers producing cars that looked nothing like the prior years. Chevy, too, is a good example in 57-58-59, as is Buick in those identical years. I really love the ‘58 and ‘59 Buicks, and the ‘60 model, too. Chrysler made huge design changes from ’54 through ‘57, while over at Ford, the big change years came in 1957 to ‘59 years, in my opinion. Independents like Studebaker is as great an example of re-skinned success than any, as its poor selling 1958 model was re-skinned with a Lark body for 59, and it saved the company! There was no major mechanical difference between the 58 Studebaker and the 59 Lark other than the new body. Other cars I really liked from that era were the ’51 to ‘54 Hudson Hornets and Wasps, ‘53 Kaiser Manhattan, ’53 to ’56 Packards, ’56 tri-colored Dodges, and the ’55 and ‘56 Mercurys. Of them all, the ’56 Mercury two-tone is one of my favorites, as are several of the Chrysler 300 models.The Sixties were similar, too. But always remember that these changes were mostly skin deep, and nothing like today's high tech, computerized wonders.

(Greg Zyla welcomes Auto Reader questions at extramile_2000@yahoo.com or at 116 Main St., Towanda, Pa. 18848).

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