[Shadowmuse Blown]

I think one of us has posted this car already—I’m too tired right now to go back and check—but what I didn’t realize was that this had an airplane engine in it.  Goodness!

[solvegas]

 Back in the day when cars were truly unique and you could tell what brand, model, year and they didn't look like melted butter bars like most cars look like nowadays. I'm old enough when August and September were exciting months because the new model cars were coming out and being introduced. You could tell a 1967 model from a 1968 model because of styling changes. Underneath it was the same car but the fenders, grills, lights were different. To me, this is a special car. All 1959 Cadillacs were amazing in style. This is a Coupe De Ville. 

[MaxBigfoot]

I think one of us has posted this car already—I’m too tired right now to go back and check—but what I didn’t realize was that this had an airplane engine in it.  Goodness!

I bet that sounds amazing when driving down the road!   

[solvegas]

Another 1959 Cadillac, a modified hearse by George Barris, you might know where you've seen it. 

[Shadowmuse Blown]

I think one of us has posted this car already—I’m too tired right now to go back and check—but what I didn’t realize was that this had an airplane engine in it.  Goodness!

I bet that sounds amazing when driving down the road!   

In the video it sounded like a bucket of bolts, but who knows if it was in proper tune. It had quite the checklist of procedures to turn it over!

[Shadowmuse Blown]

Back in the day when cars were truly unique and you could tell what brand, model, year and they didn't look like melted butter bars like most cars look like nowadays. I'm old enough when August and September were exciting months because the new model cars were coming out and being introduced. You could tell a 1967 model from a 1968 model because of styling changes. Underneath it was the same car but the fenders, grills, lights were different. To me, this is a special car. All 1959 Cadillacs were amazing in style. This is a Coupe De Ville. 

1959 was my favorite year for car styling and I have to thank Chrysler for coming out with their finned ‘57 line, because it made GM radically rethink what they were going to offer to the public for ‘59.  If you ever saw the original GM line up, you’d see just how boring they were initially going to be—basically warmed over ‘58 styling. 
Low and lean (at least, compared to the ‘58 model), here’s the 1959 Pontiac Bonneville

[solvegas]

Back in the day when cars were truly unique and you could tell what brand, model, year and they didn't look like melted butter bars like most cars look like nowadays. I'm old enough when August and September were exciting months because the new model cars were coming out and being introduced. You could tell a 1967 model from a 1968 model because of styling changes. Underneath it was the same car but the fenders, grills, lights were different. To me, this is a special car. All 1959 Cadillacs were amazing in style. This is a Coupe De Ville. 

1959 was my favorite year for car styling and I have to thank Chrysler for coming out with their finned ‘57 line, because it made GM radically rethink what they were going to offer to the public for ‘59.  If you ever saw the original GM line up, you’d see just how boring they were initially going to be—basically warmed over ‘58 styling. 
Low and lean (at least, compared to the ‘58 model), here’s the 1959 Pontiac Bonneville

I was born in 1956 and I just think that era of the mid 1950's to the mid 1960's was the time when car styling was at a pinnacle since they didn't have all sorts of government regulations which has limited how you can design cars. And that Pontiac has that distinctive split grille which Pontiacs were known for. Also, I remember the advertising of the era and up to the 1970's in which Pontiac was a car with Pizzazz (Pizzazz means it has vitality and glamor). Chevrolet advertising back in the late 60's and early to mid 70's was, "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet". Yup, it appealed to American patriotism.

[Shadowmuse Blown]

 I just think that era of the mid 1950's to the mid 1960's was the time when car styling was at a pinnacle since they didn't have all sorts of government regulations which has limited how you can design cars.

I would include cars all the way up to 1972 before the 5 mph bumpers ruined the look of so many cars.  The “fuselage” styling of Mopars in the late 60s and early 70s are some of my favorite cars, as well as the 50s.

It took about 20 years, but car manufacturers were finally able to design around the big bumpers by better integrating them into the car’s body.  I think car design began to wake up a bit in the late 90s and wasn’t too bad until SUVs and crossovers killed the sedan market.

[Shadowmuse Blown]

Another ‘59: A DeSoto Firesweep Sportsman

Probably the least of the Mopars that year.

[solvegas]

Another ‘59: A DeSoto Firesweep Sportsman

Probably the least of the Mopars that year.

Those were Chrysler mid-priced vehicles built from 1928 to 1961. Named after a 16th century Spanish conquistador, Hernando DeSoto who helped Francisco Pizarro conquer the Inca Empire in 1532, present day Peru, rebuilt Havana, Cuba, after the Frech burned it down in 1538 and was the first European to navigate the Mississippi River in 1541. He died in 1542 from a fever he got navigating the Mississippi. The hood ornament of the DeSotos had a Spaniard wearing a helmet. 

[Shadowmuse Blown]

Another ‘59: A DeSoto Firesweep Sportsman

Probably the least of the Mopars that year.

Those were Chrysler mid-priced vehicles built from 1928 to 1961. Named after a 16th century Spanish conquistador, Hernando DeSoto who helped Francisco Pizarro conquer the Inca Empire in 1532, present day Peru, rebuilt Havana, Cuba, after the Frech burned it down in 1538 and was the first European to navigate the Mississippi River in 1541. He died in 1542 from a fever he got navigating the Mississippi. The hood  ornament of the DeSotos had a Spaniard wearing a helmet. 

I just want to know what marketing genius named that division.  I’m gonna guess it was Chrysler, himself.  “DeSoto” has a great ring to it.  Almost as good as “Edsel”. 

[solvegas]

I just want to know what marketing genius named that division.  I’m gonna guess it was Chrysler, himself.  “DeSoto” has a great ring to it.  Almost as good as “Edsel”. 

Just as Cadillac was named after a French explorer of what is now Michigan, DeSoto was named after an explorer of the Mississippi. In those days, such men were admired for their courage to go what was then an unknown world. Today, they are seen as evil so it can be hard to understand name of automobiles nowadays. Lincoln was named after what many consider the greatest President of the USA but now some consider just another evil white man. 

[solvegas]

Another DeJa'Vu car from my early age, a next door neighbor owned a 1959 Chevrolet Impala Coupe like this one and what made distinctive from its predecessor and later models was the huge tailfins it had. 

[solvegas]

Back in the 70's this was a highly desirable car for collectors, the 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air along with the 1956 and 1957 model. This model was the first one to have the iconic small block Chevrolet engine which was economical and powerful for its era. An Aunt of my mother had bought an original back in 1955 and she willed it to one of her nephews when she passed away in 1976 and within two months, he wrapped it around a tree.  Dumbass dronk. 

[solvegas]

Back in 1976, the Cadillac ElDorado convertible was supposed to be the last convertible made in the USA and the last convertible to be allowed to be sold in the country in order to meet the horrible safety standards placed by the Federal government.  A few years later, during the Reagan administration, the rules were changed and convertibles reappeared, but this car was one of the most beautiful convertibles ever. With a 500 cubic inch engine (8.2 liter) at 235 inches long (5.97 meters) and at 5600 pounds (2.54 metric tons) this was what were called American Land Yachts. It was also a USA Bi-centennial model. Of course, at the time, and now, I can only dream to own one.