Why did the Big 3 (Ford, Chevy, Dodge) all have double headlights from '58-'60? No double headlights for Ford in '61... Chevy quit double headlights next year after Ford. Dodge stopped in '68 I have also noticed this on some of their passenger cars, this double head light thing is odd... I am talking TRUCKS, NOT CARS.
You could call it "keeping up with the jones'".. It's same way with wrap around windshields and a bunch of other stuff. Design trends come and go, buy if Harley Earl did anything back in the 50's, bet your ass the other companies were paying attention..
Btw, chevy had double headlights into the late 60's.. Maybe later but Im sleepy and I can't remember exactly.. And it's more commonly refered to as "quad" headlights, cuz the are four on the car..
I've always been interested in corporate spying in the automotive design industry..anyone know of any books on the subject?..I think there was a buzz on all the new designs going on over at Studebaker, a Ford spy in 48 saw the bulletnose designs Studebaker was doing and stole it and because they had more money were able to come out with a version in 49 before always cash strapped Studebaker could come out with it in 50..thats my caffiene inspired version anyway...
Prior to 58' It was illegal to have more than 2 headlights on your car. They lifted the ban in 58 and everybody flew that way. If you look at a 57 and a 58 plymouth (Christine) They look very simaler as they placed the turn signals in the area where they wound up putting the headlites the next year. Back then they had popular kits to put quad headlites into 57 fords and like vehicles.
Are you referring to trucks? Ford cars had the quad headlight until at least 70 on their cars? Scott...
trucks used them when they first came out in 58 (although some cars got them in 57). But since they're just trucks, they quit after a few years probably to keep costs down.
76F350 <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("postmenu_4850573", true); </script> FNG <<<<< That explains it..... I guess my '61 Tbird is a Super Rare Quad headlight model....
It's one of those things where if you have to ask are you sure you are a real car nut. As someone said, design trends. One design team from one manufacture comes up with something and others soon follow. If you walk on any new car lot today it hasn't changed. Check any year model of car or set of year models and there are a lot of similarities across the board. It would be great to go back the way it used to be where we would sneak down to the dealers showroom window and peak through the black curtains the night before announcement day to see if we could see what the new models looked like. Or have a buddy who could sneak us in the back room at the dealership for a sneak preview. Now there is no excitement about new cars and they new ones get announced in the middle of football games or tennis matches.
State laws forbade quad headlights, as did Federal law, prior to 1956. In 1956, Congress passed a law that, amongst other things, allowed quad headlights. The automakers wanted that for styling and the amount of light both. Remember, sealed-beam tungsten headlights didn't put out a lot of light! Four is better than two. So, in 1957, quad headlights became available on Chryslers and others...BUT, some States still did NOT allow these lights. That is why on certain '57 model cars, you will have some with two and some with four, depending on what State they were to be sold in. The few remaining States that had a ban on quads, repealed them in 1957, so that quad headlights were legal in all 48 States. It was not a Federal mandate, it was to allow styling and design changes, AND to put out more light at the faster driving speeds the new Interstate highway system was allowing. I've owned lots of Chryslers and Dodges after 1968 that had quad headlights, BTW. They continued quads on many models through the early '80s. Your dates on Chevys and Fords are wrong, as well... EDIT: Trucks, as you stated, are as you say, except the Dodge, where the quad lights went away on the 1965.5 mid-year model styling change. The GMC quad lights stayed on all the way until the 1973 model year, which went back to a two-light arrangement. Let me double-check here...1978 Chrysler New Yorker...four. 1966 Dodge...yup, four. 1968 Impala...same. 1972 LTD...four again. 1963 T-bird...damn, four more! Wow.
I seen a first Gen '55 Chebby truck with quad lights once. But I think it was a custom. I've had a bunch of chebbys over the years cust 'em all.
I remember in the early/mid fifties the new cars coming in by truck came covered up, the showroom windows were covered with advertising of the new models coming in. It was a big deal the day and night of the opening, they had attraction lights (Klieg Lights) just like movie premiers. My biggest disapointment was the 57 Chev. I thought it was ugly compared to 55 or 56 (I have since owned 2 of them so I got over it). Now no such fanfare. All car companies copy each other depending on how well the original is recieved. remember fins, V8's, quad headlights, bucket seats someone started it and the others had to follow or lose sales.
Everything is a conspiracy ,Someone stole the chrome off new cars .And also the steel . Magnesium replaced with aluminum ,V8 to 4 bangers ,Carbs to fuel injection ,Asbestos taken out of brake shoes ,So now cars squeak when they stop .Timing chains to timing belts What's going on CONSPIRACY ..................................
Guys - the gentleman was talking trucks in his initial post. Doesn't take a rocket scientist or English major to understand that.................
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