WARNING:This blog contains copious amounts of adultGAY material. If that's offensive to you, please leave now. All pix have been gleaned from the internets so, if you see a picture of yourself that you don't wish to have posted here, please leave a comment on the post and I will remove it with my apologies. I REPEAT:If you see a picture of yourself that you don't wish to have posted here, please leave a comment on the post and I will remove it with my apologies.
When I see these beauties from this period in automobile history, I always wonder how close we came to depleting the world's supply of chrome. The Mark III coupe featured that interesting inward sloping rear window as did the Mercury in that year. The Mark III convertible featured the retractable electric soft top that many have most likely seen on the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner in the same year, a feature far advanced for the time. Amazing!
It IS amazing to think about how long it took the stylists to do their things, then the engineers, to get everything to happen in the normal 3-4 year life of each basic design. In a generally non-computerized world! THEN to design/make all of the stamping and casting operations to get the deal done! With the needed finesse and details to make those vehicles the finely-crafted works of art they became! Those WERE the days!
Chrysler was the first to use computers in car design when they went to unitized bodies for their 1960 full size cars. The computers were used to test the rigidity of their car’s structures. The 58 Lincoln had been designed without computers with poor results for its unitized structure, the first used in luxury cars. Ford had hoped to make a lighter weight Lincoln with a planned target weight of 4400 lbs. Due to road noise and vibration the unibody structure had to be greatly reinforced with a big weight penalty. The Lincoln tipped the scales at 5300 lbs making it the heaviest production car ever built. By comparison body on frame constructed Cadillacs and Imperials weighed 4900 lbs. -Rj
True works of auto-art in design and style. When the stylists ruled the roost at the big three. The last one is a 1957 DeSoto Adventurer. In 57 Chrysler offered the first shoulder belts as a safety option, it was dropped as very few ordered it. By the late 60’s shoulder belts became standard equipment im many cars. -Rj
Grandad had a 59 Lincoln Premier sedan which he owned for 12 years, replaced by a 71 Imperial. He loved to take us on drives in his Lincoln around the monuments of Washington DC. Super luxury with seats like a couch, upholstered in fine leather and nylon brocade cloth. I learned to drive with that car at age 16, had to be careful as it had drum brakes which were prone to fade. His had the auto-start option that allowed you to start the engine without depressing the accelerator pedal. Problem was it revved the engine way too high so Grandad had the dealer disconnect it. Other than that it was a memorable car and I loved driving it when Grandad let me. Rex in DC
1957
When I see these beauties from this period in automobile history, I always wonder how close we came to depleting the world's supply of chrome. The Mark III coupe featured that interesting inward sloping rear window as did the Mercury in that year. The Mark III convertible featured the retractable electric soft top that many have most likely seen on the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner in the same year, a feature far advanced for the time. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt IS amazing to think about how long it took the stylists to do their things, then the engineers, to get everything to happen in the normal 3-4 year life of each basic design. In a generally non-computerized world! THEN to design/make all of the stamping and casting operations to get the deal done! With the needed finesse and details to make those vehicles the finely-crafted works of art they became! Those WERE the days!
ReplyDeleteChrysler was the first to use computers in car design when they went to unitized bodies for their 1960 full size cars. The computers were used to test the rigidity of their car’s structures.
DeleteThe 58 Lincoln had been designed without computers with poor results for its unitized structure, the first used in luxury cars. Ford had hoped to make a lighter weight Lincoln with a planned target weight of 4400 lbs. Due to road noise and vibration the unibody structure had to be greatly reinforced with a big weight penalty. The Lincoln tipped the scales at 5300 lbs making it the heaviest production car ever built. By comparison body on frame constructed Cadillacs and Imperials weighed 4900 lbs.
-Rj
Rj - 5300 lbs is incredible!
DeleteTrue works of auto-art in design and style. When the stylists ruled the roost at the big three.
ReplyDeleteThe last one is a 1957 DeSoto Adventurer. In 57 Chrysler offered the first shoulder belts as a safety option, it was dropped as very few ordered it.
By the late 60’s shoulder belts became standard equipment im many cars.
-Rj
Rj - Thank you for pointing out my error.
DeleteImaging trying to park those monsters on todays streets
ReplyDeleteGrandad had a 59 Lincoln Premier sedan which he owned for 12 years, replaced by a 71 Imperial. He loved to take us on drives in his Lincoln around the monuments of Washington DC. Super luxury with seats like a couch, upholstered in fine leather and nylon brocade cloth. I learned to drive with that car at age 16, had to be careful as it had drum brakes which were prone to fade. His had the auto-start option that allowed you to start the engine without depressing the accelerator pedal. Problem was it revved the engine way too high so Grandad had the dealer disconnect it. Other than that it was a memorable car and I loved driving it when Grandad let me.
ReplyDeleteRex in DC