balthazar

Theres a very tangible reason why the domestic truck lines have such a superior appeal, and its configurability & appealing to the consumer. Option packages favor the factories over the consumer. I'd settle for just a move toward more line-option choices rather than a full menu. Its not an optimal balance as it is now. RE Roger's suggestions- better bed lighting would be great, including a switch in the rear for the cargo light. More than a 10-min interval would be good, too. What is the LED proposal? I'd like to see repeater cargo lights in the tailgate jamb, aimed inboard- they could easily be incorporated with the tails. Something along the bed rails would be tricky to protect from damage.

Well, I dont 'hate' here, but clearly the so-called Euro influence of the C-55 and the non-split grille of the P-60 were not where each brand would go & were dropped after 1 year each. Its interesting to consider if Chevy had continued with that influence, tho. Pinninfarina is a pale shadow of GM Styling, but most Americans 'ohh & ahh' over the perception. IMO, Pontiacs low point in this era is '61 vs 59-60 & 62, tho I'd happily take any one of them.

Bondo & duct tape are also how it was when new.

Ford & Merc were completely different cars in the '49 period. Lincoln did use the same shell as Merc, but with a unique, longer front clip. Right around 1959 was a unfortunate period in the domestic industry; both Chrysler & Ford saw a distinct consolidation in the lines.

IMO, this is two different elements- wide headlight clusters vs. spaced headlights. Ther's a similarity, but actual space, like the first gen LaCrosse, would be more like the '59 than the Aurora, IMO.

SOmetimes, in lower-level trims, the '55 looks really good, but to a degree it's 'raw' to my eye. Not nuts about the grille treatment. Interesting how losing the front bumper does absolutely nothing detrimental to the design. I disagree that the '56 didn't improve things, IMO its a minor move forward. '57s are pretty amazing from a design standpoint, but please keep in mind I am sick to death of Tri-5 Chevys. Doesn't mean they aren't nice tho. Here, the cleanliness of the design reinforces it's purposefulness : ...but as a stocker with all the trim (Bel Air here) it does nothing for me: Sometimes I think the '58 bodies bridged the gap neatly between the more upright, narrow pre-58s and the circa '60s... but I know the details rub many the wrong way. Then again, as a multiple owner of early-mod '60s full-sizers, the '58s also look narrow to me. I like most all stuff '55-65 (and beyond in both directions). Pontiac - I greatly prefer the '59, whereas the '60, sometimes held up as an 'improvement', actually temporarily abandoned the cues that the P-59 introduced, only to see them return in '61 and carry Pontiac thru the '60s. It took me some time for the P-60 to move up with the other visually-strong Pontiacs IMO, like '57-58, 59, 62-64.

spaced headlights : '59, '67-68, what are some others?

Well of course thats true... but there are some really cool details on em.

Ohhyeeaaa.

Pretty sure I've never seen one of these in the wild, just driving around, tho I have seen a few of the later gens (circa '60). I believe the droptop was gone by then. Always thought these would be interesting if you built one up (steel roof) to rip-snort. 350 CI or thereabouts....

Must mean ride height, but even that doesn't seem to be necc. 3-4 inches in cab height would be lunacy, IMO.

Yea- they're monsters. Friend of mine had 5 of 'em.

Oh, for a '49-50 coupe!

Bel-Airs were a few chrome bits away from a 150; they were the generic dowdy transportation, no where NEAR the level of a 300 or Eldorado. Yet their values are thru the roof; thru the roof on the entire line of C-57s (AND C-55 ~ C-56). Different makes/models fare differently in the collector world, for EX Buick- the Buick restorer crowd doesn't care if it has 4-drs or not, in fact many seem to prefer them. Loads of LeSabres & Specials vs. Electras & GSs out there. Values are not as far spread as one would think, either. Just saw a 4-dr Special, circa '64 at a show representing a body shop- the paint job looked like it cost $10K. Now Pontiac has a completely different collector model demographic. As far as ads go, I can tell you after amassing over 6000 that many basic models were advertised; '50s Eldorado ads are near non-existant whereas 4-drs were the norm. Again highly depends on the source- I went thru a stack of Barron's from the early '60s this year- all low-level volume sedan models. But this is the nature of advertising- association. If everyone could afford a Bonneville, most would buy one, you are selling the perception, the basic structure/features & styling, models & options are 4 & 5 down on the list, so you show a little sparkle to draw the eye. Not that complicated. Consumer Guide years ago put out a series of books covering the decades: 1930s, 1940s thru 1960s (at least, thats what's on my shelf- not sure if they went farther), but of note is they put out a single 1-year book; 1957. One could make a pretty good argument for across the board winners for 1957.

'nice' doesn't BEGIN to describe it. Pure, unadulterated luxury, class & exclusivity.

I am not aware anyone has made such a claim- this feature is fairly well known.

The automotive equivalent of 'tough love'... but I still like 'em.

As I have one out back currently, I can heartily attest to that statement.

I do have Fios, a portable GPS, and both an iMac & an iPad, but until the prices come down on the iFones, I'm not spending that kind of money on one. Trying to run lean over here. People in general spend FAR too much time staring down into their hand as it is, carrying around the internet in your pocket is just needlessly time consuming. I waste too much time as it is on these machines. I just find it ironic that someone holding a so-called 'smart' phone can be so oblivious. No call today about the rims, BYW. F 'im.

Beauties. '63 -66 got the hidden tails on the GP- even cooler.

Modern stuff is pretty unilaterally acknowledged to be relatively soulless, so any inspiration to help address that problem is goodness.

Yeah, moltie did nail it: glass/frame from rear door installed on the front door off a 4-dr sedan. It's very well done- no extraneous trim splices or anything. With the patina, you don't even see signs the roof was cut. Just need to resolve the quarter trim-to-beltline intersection.

I foresee a growing problem. To wit: I have a set of rims up for sale on CL. Guy e-mails me from some sort of 'smart' phone in the morning, says he'll take them if he can pick them up today. A few hours later, he e-mails again and asks 'can I pick them up today or not?' A few hours later and it's 'if I don't hear from you I'll have to move on'. Problem for this 2012-typical 2-sec attention span guy is, I dont get e-mails on my phone and I didn't get home from work until 7PM and didn't read his many messages until 7:15PM. You'd think his 'smart' phone would tell him that. These folks are going to have to realize that not everything is as instantaneous as they want things to be.

I know. I love that stuff, makes the mind wheel....

^ The quarter panel dip looks to me to be in the factory location (where the trim angles upward), but yea; a profile shot would be very telling. These were all there were.