Cars cause many males to drool. I am one of them. In 1950, when I was eight, I could name the make, model, and year of most every American car on the road. Cars changed a lot, make that A LOT, between 1950 and 1959. Here are a few comparisons:

1950 Chevy:


1959 Chevy:


1950 MG TD:


1959 MG A:


1950 Mercedes 300S convertible:


1959 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster:


How the world changed in a decade!

What a fun post Bill. As it happens, my Uncle F is very active in the MN street rod association (MSRA), and their Back to the 50's event is this weekend. The fairgrounds will be full of thousands of classic cars. Any you'd like me to keep an eye out for? Many are for sale...

I'd be happy to take photos, of course.

BenMN wrote:

What a fun post Bill. As it happens, my Uncle F is very active in the MN street rod association (MSRA), and their Back to the 50's event is this weekend. The fairgrounds will be full of thousands of classic cars. Any you'd like me to keep an eye out for? Many are for sale...

I'd be happy to take photos, of course.

nephew,
looking for my 56 thunderbird

BenMN wrote:

What a fun post Bill. As it happens, my Uncle F is very active in the MN street rod association (MSRA), and their Back to the 50's event is this weekend. The fairgrounds will be full of thousands of classic cars. Any you'd like me to keep an eye out for? Many are for sale...

I'd be happy to take photos, of course.

I wish, Ben. These days I'm mostly an appreciator of the genre. Love to see any pics!

Among my never-to-be-fulfilled desires are the following three, all of which were on display at the Oakland Museum of California's Hot Rods and Customs show in 1996. Wife produced the Multimedia CD-ROM for the Exhibit, which I still treasure!

Rods:

Car Shop Coupe: 1934 Ford 3 window coupe, Tom Prufer, builder

Customs:

Stardust: 1940 Mercury Custom Coupe, John D'Agostino, builder

Lakesters:

Markley Brothers and Nierei Lakester: 1963 build from P-38 Belly tank, Charles and Robert Markley, builders

Ooh-kay, here we go. First off is a mini 1934, which Bill might enjoy:


These next two were personal favorites. I was told what they were, but have since forgotten... I like these bodies though.



Not a '56, but a '57 is pretty close for Uncle Mac. A '56 was rumored, but never found.

Other interesting stuff: Cadillac

line-up

Pontiac?? With teeth

BenMN wrote:

Ooh-kay, here we go. First off is a mini 1934, which Bill might enjoy:


Pontiac?? With teeth

Thanks, Ben!
I greatly appreciate the pix. Looks like a GREAT rod and custom show!

I believe the yellow custom is a "chopped and channeled" '49 Merc. The distinctive side view gives it away. The species is most often seen with "frenched" headlights, though I really like the chrome headlight rings on this one. As you can see, this one is a 2-door "hardtop," which Mercury did not produce in 1949. A TON of work to create a hardtop by removing the B Pillar from a 2-door coupe. Additionally, the stock Merc came with a 2-piece windshield, stiffened by a chromed steel median support. This one is tricked out with a single piece of flat glass. All in all, this is a sensational piece of automotive art!

Thanks again!

There's a current thread on AAAT, discussing the most Trad car ever. None are even close to what I think of as the ultimate Trad automobile.

Here's my set up: In 1951,when the General Partner in charge of Municipal Bonds at Brown Brothers, Harriman was preparing to summer at his cottage on the shore at Kennebunkport, Maine, he and his wife motored from Manhattan, stopped in New Haven to pick up their older Son, continued on to Andover, where they gathered up the younger boy. After completing that long trek, they all arrived at this "cottage" on the Atlantic:



What was he driving? No doubt, a 1948 Chrysler Town and Country "woody" convertible! No automobile model was more evocative of the Ivy League tradition than the aptly named Town and Country. Chrysler's advertisement from 1948 reads, “There"s an air about this glorious convertible – a whisper of country clubs and moonlight rides – There"s poise in every dashing line – a car that"s at ease in any company.”





Anyhow, that's my choice for most trad car of all time. What's yours?