History CARS THAT WERE OVERLOOKED FOR YEARS

Even 10 or 15 years ago there were plentiful old cars that you could count on grabbing a running driving example of for $300, like Novas, Darts and Ramblers. Not so much any more. Even a roached out Dart will cost ya.

 

Nothing wrong with one of those!!

 

When I was a teenager back in the 60 we didn't want a door anything but times have changed and if you thing about it a lot of young guys here have been around 4 doors their entire lives,most of off topic cars that flooded this country in the last 30 years are 4 doors and it stands to reason that these hambers embrace what we didn't want.

I remember a time when everything built in 1932 was highly desirable,with the exception of the 4 door,they were considered nothing more than parts cars.

I have owned several deuces ,including a 4 door and I liked that car as much as any,I guess I have matured in my old age! HRP

 

One of the ones I let get away.
Crazy but it is one I would like to have back!

 

I stated driving my stock 37 Willys 4 dr back in 77, it was looked at as odd and I was one of very few in NZ with one on the road. If I didn't buy it was going to become a beach buggy. JW

 

All you old farts don't see as well as you used too, plus a few marbles have been lost. As a result, all the "overlooked" cars, that in your youth, was ugly in your eyes, is now a beautiful piece of machinery. It's a Mr. Magoo complex.

 

Back years ago it was too easy to find one of the Desirable years or models of most anything for most guys to want one of the "forgotten" cars.
Personally I always liked the 58/59 Impalas as there were some real nice ones in this area and my best friend in high school traded his 57 tudor post for a 59 Impala with a tri power 348 and 4 speed soon after he graduated that I rode shotgun in for a lot of miles.
Had a buddy in my cl*** in high school that had a 57 Wagon that we made fun of until we figured out he had a mattress in the back hidden under just enough stuff to keep prying eyes from seeing it that got well used by him and his future wife according to another cl***mate who has also p***ed away.
I remember a friend in the 70's p***ing on buying a 37 Ford coupe because he thought it wasn't good looking enough to build a hot rod out of even though it was a really nice car at a more than nice price.
Around here there were/are a number of late 40's early 50' Dodge and Plymouth 4 doors that never got a lot of attention but are usually real solid cars. I wouldn't mind one of those as a cruiser.

 

Two door wagons from the 1950's and Ford Rancharos sure would made for a nice daily driver today IMO. Bob

 

I used to prowl around looking for tri-five 4 doors and wagons with stick shifts that I could pick up for 25 bucks. I made a lot of money doing powerglide swap outs for young guys that wanted a 3 speed instead of a "slush box". Pushed a lot of those cars over the dump. Who would have ever thought anyone would ever want one......

 

^^^^^ "Pushed a lot of those cars over the dump."

 

Down here it was mid-late 50's Chrysler sedans. The same as the U.S. '53,s except they were locally produced RHD jobs, and only flathead 6 sedans were available, with the occasional ute. Up to about 15 years ago, you could not give them away, but now they are prime fodder for chopping, 2-dooring and slamming, and people are making some dandy sleds.
"If I only had an aircraft hanger and bought all of those ugly cheap cars that were around 40 years ago, I could have retired by now"

 

Hi HRP.Thanks for posting.Very interesting thread.Growing up my neighborhood was "infested"with Model a`s of all sorts. Just about every body sorta snickered about that.Except my Father.He knew the worth of them.He grew up with them.(BD 11-11-1896).
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

I remember almost anything Mopar was looked down on. Especially the late 40s and early 60s stuff.

 

Talk about orphan car. For one its a Rambler number two its not the cute little round Rambler and three its a wagon. Three strike and your out. I still dig it though!

 

Agreed, I remember walking past the 49 pilothouse 25 years ago sitting in my uncles yard.
I never gave it a second glance and probably thought it was not worth storing.
And today I prefer it over any chevy or ford.

My 81 year old uncle gave me a great laugh the other day. We were talking about this very subject, and Edsel came up.
He said you would never catch him riding in one. When I asked him why?
Well I wont repeat here what he said, I ***ure you a Edsel will bring a smile to my face the rest of my life. No I dont think I want to ride in one either

 

Horrible to think that one day there will be acceptance of a Gremlin. Ship me to the Soylent Green Factory when that happens.

 

A friend of mine was given a 1963 2 door Rambler that belonged to his grandmother and we scored a cheap Cadillac that had been wrecked.

What do 2 broke teenagers do but stuff the caddy engine and transmission in the Rambler,as I recall I believe Gene Cromer made a drive shaft for us and as crude as the rambler was I ran good.

I still like that body style today. HRP

 

Can't forget the humble little Chevrolet Corvair....these little cars were shunned for the obvious safety issues for a long time, especially with the engine in the rear...I think it scared people.... they were way ahead of their time, as this little 1962 model implies.

 

Still overlooked..
Sure to cause an argument, but I'd say, out of the competing Big Three offerings that year, this one had the best styling.

 

We had a neighbor, when I was growing up in the late '60's, that a low mileage '53 Ford hardtop. I remember it having a for sale sign advertising it for 200.00. It sat for a couple years with that sign on it, until it finally was traded in on a new '72 Ford. As an aside, she and her husband owned the local Coca Cola bottling plant. When she p***ed away around 1990, a local slumlord bought their house. He found enough antique Coke items in it to finance two four-unit apartment bulidings on the lots behind the home.

 

I'm glad most of you guys keep leaving me the good stuff. I buy anything to make a buck on but these are the ones that I drive.

 

I still don't like the '58 chevy in any version

 

We've all said it, "That car was ugly then but beautiful now"!

It always made me wonder, did the auto design engineer see then what we see now? I,m sure he wasn't thinking let's build this turd they'll appreciate it 50 years from now.




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I hated the Maverick my dad bought. Not so bad now. If I had a pacer, I'd drive it. Not because there is anything nice about it. Just a quircky car.

 

I am partial to 1960's pickups. But long beds always seem to be p***ed over. I wish I still had my 1960 C10.

 

And the '62 Plymouth is so ugly only a mother could love!

 

The 38's and the 39 Standard Fords were considered ugly. As well as the 38, clear through the 47 Ford trucks. Then the 57 thru 60 Ford trucks. And nearly every fifties through early sixties Mopars, Packards, Hudsons, Studebakers, etc.
I would love to have most of them today.
I forgot about the 41 and 42 Fords. I'm still not fond of them though.
Honestly the 46 through 48 Fords and Chevy's were overlooked as well for a long time. I've always had a soft spot for the Fords in these years though.

 

As I sit and think about this topic. I wonder. What isn't cool now? That list has gotten real short.

 

...Something about the grille looking like something that rhymes with 'Regina'



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