It's time for an ugly fight boys...

[A Horse With No Name]

Since we seem to be at each others throats a little bit lately...let's take it "out into the parking lot" and fight over "cars' instead of stupid stuff.

Here is what we can argue about-Suppose you have been picked by the Smithsonian to pick ONE GM car as a historical visual "high Water Mark" of North American car production. Let's suppose the Smithsonian will buy an example of this car and put it on permanant prominent public display. What would you pick?

Also-Has to be built in North America, so PCS can't flood us with a fleet of Holdens.

My pick-58-62 Chevrolet Corvette. To me even better than a 55 Nomad, 65 GTO, or other notable GM cars. That car just has the look, if you know what I mean.

What is your pick...not as your fav. car...but as the all time visual high water mark for a GM car?

Let's fight away, guys.

Chris

Edited June 9, 2009 by 66Stang

[FAPTurbo]

[ocnblu]

1957 Bel Air hardtop coupe, even though I think Ford outsold Chevy that year.

[Camino LS6]

1957 Bel Air hardtop coupe, even though I think Ford outsold Chevy that year.

This is the elephant in the room - easily the most famous GM car (iconic, legendary, etc.)

You have to take it out of the running to get a good variety of answers, I think.

[A Horse With No Name]

Ahhhh....I owned one...Turqoise and white with the two tone turqoise interior.

For some reason the 57 looks good in every color but red IMHO.

Had a chance to buy a 57 Bel Air two door post that was silver on red when I bought my 55 two door post. In silver/red that car is just stunning.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Katie, the teenaged girl who lives down at the corner, has an Aztek that color and everything.

Steve, her dad, has a beautiful C4 Corvette in an unusual shade of green. That Vette is just damn near flawless. The Aztec was until Katie tried to voilate the laws of physics with it...

Chris

[Camino LS6]

Mine was a black 210.

But back to your question: I noticed your use of the word "visual" to modify high water mark.

So, I nominate the '63 split window Corvette.

[Justin Bimmer]

Easy

[A Horse With No Name]

This is the elephant in the room - easily the most famous GM car (iconic, legendary, etc.)

You have to take it out of the running to get a good variety of answers, I think.

Let's see what everyone comes up with. It maybe the most famous, but in my mind it isn't the best looking.

To me the 55 Nomad looked much better, as did some of the 30's Cadillacs and Lasalles.

What else does everyone else think?

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Easy

Believe it or not there are a couple of those running around Columbus. I took pics of them and am eventually going to download the pics so I can post them here.

Alas, one of them is painted pink.

Chris

[Camino LS6]

Let's see what everyone comes up with. It maybe the most famous, but in my mind it isn't the best looking.

To me the 55 Nomad looked much better, as did some of the 30's Cadillacs and Lasalles.

What else does everyone else think?

Chris

Agreed, but it is the Smithsonian we are talking about here...

That '59 Caddy can make a similar claim - though I can't say they ever did anything for me.

[Robert Hall]

Some pretty significant ones I would think would include the '77 Caprice for the volume, kind of the standard bearer at it's time for American sedans, and the first downsized. Likewise, '65 Impala, kind of a high water mark from when GM was on top.

Thinking strictly of design, I would include would be the '67-69 Camaro, '63-67 Corvette, '63-65 Riviera, '66 Toronado, '67 ELdorado.

[A Horse With No Name]

The Caprice might not make it on visuals, but it does in a way represent GM thinking over the 1975-2000 time period pretty well.

[ocnblu]

1957 Cadillac Seville Brougham?

[A Horse With No Name]

1957 Cadillac Seville Brougham?

This is why I wanted to get this thread going. I've seen the 57 Seville in person, and to me visuially it is much better than the 57 Bel Air.

NICE CHOICE, I like it as well as anything suggested so far.

Chris

[Justin Bimmer]

Best selling GM vehicle for one year ever.

Over a million sold.

[Camino LS6]

In honor of 68, let's not forget the coachbuilt masterpieces of the 20s and 30s.

V16 Caddy limo anyone?

[Robert Hall]

Best selling GM vehicle for one year ever.

Over a million sold.

Yeah, I couldn't recall if that was '64 or '65 that set that mark..that # was for the whole Chevy B-body line (Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala)

[A Horse With No Name]

Best selling GM vehicle for one year ever.

Over a million sold.

Not to mention it probably is more widely accepted from a demographic standpoint. The lowrider guys, the resto guys, racers, people who just love old cars...this car still has a lot of appeal to a lot of people, so putting one on display would be a good way to show the best of GM.

Plus it is perhaps the high water mark for the Impala, which was the best selling car of Chevrolet, the best selling brand.

Keep em coming boys...

Chris

[ocnblu]

Mr. Bond, I didn't realize the six-fo Impolla was GM's all-time best seller in a single year.

For looks in this era, though, I like the '66 Impolla better than the six-fo.

Edited June 9, 2009 by ocnblu

[vonVeezelsnider]

Best selling GM vehicle for one year ever.

Over a million sold.

That's a 64 Impala, the 65 Impala was the one you're referring to

[A Horse With No Name]

In honor of 68, let's not forget the coachbuilt masterpieces of the 20s and 30s.

V16 Caddy limo anyone?

Suppose the Smithsonian would cave and let us bring twenty cars?

We need a national auto museum so that we can preserve our American auto heritage. There is more beauty in the full width tail light lens of the 66-67 Charger than in every Toyota and Lexus ever built.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I think 65 WAS the high sales year, as I was born in 65 and always thought it was cool I was born in the high sales year of the Impala.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Suppose the Smithsonian would cave and let us bring twenty cars?

We need a national auto museum so that we can preserve our American auto heritage. There is more beauty in the full width tail light lens of the 66-67 Charger than in every Toyota and Lexus ever built.

Chris

Yes, a Smithsonian Museum of the American Automobile on the National Mall would be a great thing to have.

[Drew Dowdell]

1949 Buick Roadmaster