History One-year only body styles, or "WTF were they thinking?

'57 through '61 saw a lot of styling changes among the big 3. Virgil Exner at Chrysler got an entirely new platform as did Ford, while GM did one more re-skin on their '55 models. Chrysler blew everyone away with their giant fins, Ford followed suit with more conservative versions, although Mercury got more radical styling. Rumor has it that GM, once being aware what was in the pipeline for '57, did a hurried restyle, adding fins to their line with varying amounts of success. IMO the Buick and Olds offerings were masterful jobs, while the Pontiac and Chevy less so. The Chevy in particular still showed it's tall boxy '55-56 shape in spite of the fins grafted on. Just my opinion... LOL

1958 saw a new platform for GM, so all-new styling was needed. 1958 was also Harley Earl's swan song, the last year he controlled GM styling before retiring. Earl wasn't a fan of fins (except for the Caddy, where they were a signature feature) and felt GM shouldn't follow trends but set them, so the '58s arrived without them compared to Ford and Chrysler. What buyers got was pure Earl; chrome trim slathered all over, with fake scoops, hash marks and 'accents' galore, Harley Earl at his gaudiest. I think one reason these cars are seldom seen anymore is the cost of restoring all those die-cast chrome bits, particularly the Pontiac, Olds and especially the Buick. Sales weren't what was expected, so fins returned to GM in '59 with a vengeance. And while Earl had 'supervised' the styling for these and the '60-61 models, Bill Mitchell took over in '59 and all those 'extra' gee-gaws pretty much vanished at GM.

Fins were pretty much gone in '62, even Chrysler dropped them. Mercury was the lone exception, keeping small ones to '64.

 

Cadillac still had fins all the way to ‘65 on their 75 Series sedans and limos.
The rear quarters emulated incognito fins for about 20 more years.

 

I didn't go through the entire thread, but I bet no one mentioned the 1961 Rambler Ambassador! That's the ONLY one-year-only body from AMC/Rambler. Really it's just the front end styling, the overall body is the same as the other 58-62 models. But they changed the front clip after just one year of dismal sales. It was too "European looking" (actually what the stylist were going for!) for American tastes and had to be changed. AMC couldn't afford such things, but since it was just a front clip it didn't hurt too much...

 

Got to agree. '58 Chevy and '58 Buick are the only cars that I can think of that the more chrome you add, the better they look.

 

41 Ford pickup 6 cylinder? They redesigned the hood latch and receiver, moved the radiator forward to fit a longer engine. Plus a different tail gate since they could no longer say V8 on all of them. All that expense to mount a 6 banger just so we can tear them all out and put proper V8s back in them. Why?

 

I like 6s

 

The late 50s, early 60s were tumultuous times for Pontiac. 1959 was the first year for the new arrowhead emblem, the game-changing wide track, and the spilt (paired) front grille. There was new blood coming on board and old blood hanging on to not get pushed aside. They were like 2 packs of coyotes running in circles pissing on rocks to mark their territories.
The retro single-style grille got a reprieve for 1960 as a dying quiver before the split grille was re-adopted permanently in 1961.

 

@farna mentioned the '61 Ambassador. 270 horsepower in a 3566 pound car wasn't a slouch in those days. The front end isn't one I can remember seeing.

 

thanks for the pics-don't recall those either!!

 

WOW, what a looker..........

 

1950 Studebaker Land Cruiser; one-year-only on the 120" wheelbase. I've driven these and they were better than the Big Three BOP, Mercury, DeSoto in most ride, handling and fuel economy categories.


jack vines

 

I’d drive it

 

chrysler/cad/buick and you get this!-nice 'grouping'

 

And now I have to correct myself! AMC only made a two door big car (Classic and Ambassador) in 1962. All 56-61 big cars were four door sedans or wagons.

 

GM 59-60 four door hardtops...

 

Which one year is that?

 

Where can I get that pic un cropped?

 

Big change from the 1960 Even though it was the same car. Myself I thought The 1961 was a tad gaudy compared to the 60. The car was fairly spry for the era especially when you consider Rambler was known to be an economy car company.

Here was my 1960 probably 6 or 7 years ago before I sold it for gas money.

 

Wow! How did I miss this one? Kinda late to the game, but I like my avatar car, 1965 Galaxie! A huge change in Ford design and engineering! I remember when it came out! It caused quite a stir! Everyone said it couldn’t compete in NASCAR, due to its boxy design! Fred Lorizene won the Daytona 500 with one in 1965, proving everyone wrong!
I know the 66 frames are the same, but the sheet metal got rounded, due to too much negative press! I like the 1965s, that is why I have five of them!




Bones

 

This...?

https://www.classic-american.com/fast-freddies-famous-ford/

 

That be him!



Bones

 

Hello,

Well, two, one year cars could not be chosen during our extended family gatherings. The black 58 Impala looked ok as stock, with whitewalls and painted rims. Then through high school with small center hubcaps and beauty trim rings. But, the minute the transformation took place with more chrome, via Buick Skylark Wire Wheels, it made the big step forward and it was still a fast street hot rod sedan, too.
Thanks, @themoose
It was still the fastest car with the big 348 and C&O Stick Hydro. For normal driving, it always had a 4:11 Positraction set of rear gears. For the big known races, a 4:56 Positraction set was installed prior to the high winding drive to the dark, secret location. Fast and stylish… a hot rod kid’s cruising sedan built for all purposes.

Christmas tree delivery service for two years, 61-62 and… Even two trips to the beach with surfboards stuck in the rear…

Jnaki

The 58 Buick was introduced to us as we visited my wife’s grandfather and grandmother in their old Santa Ana house. We were surprised at the huge car sitting in their driveway. The grandparents were around 5 feet tall. The seat was moved far forward and there was a cushion for the driver.

But, one Christmas, we were witness to a fast moving 58 Buick sedan backing up at super speed, in the narrow driveway to the street. The old grandpa was going to the store to get some other fixings for the family dinner.

Then during the winter holiday, we were also having a nice dinner at their house and a moving tree crossed the driveway facing window. He had already taken down the tree and was carrying it out to the trash pick up for the next morning. The whole family was chuckling at the sight of the tree moving past the 58 Buick sitting in the driveway.

For style points, automotive writers did claim that the 58 Buick was the most chrome laden car produced by Detroit in its history. A car detailers nightmare to wash/wax and do all of the fine points of detailing those minute cracks and strips… YRMV

Note:

Our dad had just bought a blue 57 Buick Roadmaster 2 door sedan. it was his first 2 door since 1946. But, my brother and I always tried to get him to put on a set of Skylark wire wheels, even if they were on my 58 Impala years later. He was pretty stubborn about those wire wheels, even with a Buick bolt pattern.

So, years later, perhaps a nice red color custom Buick sedan would have gone over better for the winter holidays. A front opening door for easier access to the bucket seats, cool chromed under the door “lakes” pipes. And, of course, a lowered rake.