Studebaker Avanti R2. This was a supercharged version of the Avanti, but I'm pretty sure that "grille" was a homemade attempt to better cool the engine. I've googled and researched and can find no other Avanti so equipped. I can't say it does a thing for the appearance! I think it probably looked better on the charcoal cooker it came from, lol.
1948 Chrysler Town & Country. The wooden-sided convertible was postwar glamour at its best. Chrysler could have beaten GM with the first postwar hardtop convertible, they built a few prototypes of one, but for some reason, management nixed it. This convertible came with a straight-8 engine. For a website devoted to these classics, click here.
The first "real" postwar designed Chrysler was the 1949 model. This is the '49 Town & Country convertible, again available only with a straight-8 engine. I can't really tell from this photo if this is an early '49, which came with mahogany inserts in between the ash timber frames, or a later '49 which had painted inserts, and my notes were incomplete.
This damaged photo shows the Jet-Age 1963 Imperial's squarish steering wheel. This wheel was Exner flamboyance at its absolute zenith, having been available since 1960.
This photo was found with Google Images from a '63 Imperial for sale. I thought this exuberantly styled interior warranted a better photo than mine above. Pushbutton transmission to the left, pushbutton climate control to the right, this Imperial had a style all of its own!
Two examples of Oldsmobile's personal luxury coupe, the Starfire. The 1962 edition is on the left, and features GM's new hardtop coupe roofline, shared with Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick. It featured built in "ribs" for a convertible look, and replaced a much more flowing roofline with thinner pillars. The 1966 Starfire, right, the last year for this nameplate on a full sized car, shows off its svelte roofline with a concave rear window, shared only with the Pontiac Grand Prix.
The highly stylized nameplate for the 1957 Pontiac Bonneville, the first year for this iconic model.
Abomination! In reference to the Avanti's auxiliary grill. And on a 63, too (I never did understand the squared of headlight housings of the 64). Couldn't they have added a driver controlled electric fan? Oh, the horror!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, those Town and Countrys make up for it, especially the 49, which is much rarer than the 46-48 series. The 49 appears to have the KH wire wheels that look so excellent on those big boxy Chryslers.
An Exner tough I never quite got was the squared off steering wheels. They look great but what was the practical point of them? Easier entry and exit? I've never driven one but I can imagine it must feel strange in your hands to use a wheel like that particularly in tight corners or parallel parking.
The Starfires are a nice picture too. I prefer the 61 to the 62 but that's true of Oldsmobiles of those year in general. And I prefer the 65 to the 66. The 65 was much more glamorous to my eye than the 66 -- it appeared to have the glamour toned down. And of course, in 65, there was also the Jetstar -- a cheaper version of the Starfire (is Jetstar the right name or is it Jetfire?) using a smaller engine but the same body as the Starfire and Grand Prix. I like the 62 and the 66 together -- the same person might have traded a 62 in on a 66. I think about things like that a lot!
Paul, NYC
I think I like those old Chrysler Town & Country convertibles - they remind me a lot of my own aging body-style...slipping from a sleek fast lane Ferrari style to a more rounded, slower and comfortable model... after all these years.
ReplyDeleteOH ANNIE, YOUR SO FUNNY.LOL. IN MY WILL I LEFT MY HUMOR TO YOU. LOL. HE, HE, HE, HE.ISN'T IT FUN WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS TO YOUR KNEES.WD40WORKS GREAT ALSO. IT GETS RID OF ALL THE LITTLE NOISES OUR BODIES MAKES.FOR MYSELF I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A MODEL T FORD.
ReplyDeleteWHEN I WAS A KID OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAD A WOODY AND DROVE IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS. THEY ONLY OWNED TWO CARS. BEING A CONVERTIBLE GIRL MYSLF, I'D RATHER HAVE ONE OF THOSE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY CONVERTIBLES. IF YOU HAVE ONE TUCKED AWAY IN THE BARN CALL ME.
CASEY, ARE YOU HAVING FUN YET?
MALIBU, IT WAS NEAT SEEING YOU HERE YESTERDAY. GRANNY HUGS TO YOU. GRAMPS IS OUT WALKING THE DOG. HE WON'T SEE ME HUGGING YOU. LOL
GRANNY
You know Granny all of discussion here might actually turn these guys off cars altogether... rofl
ReplyDeletelater....catch me if you can.
ANNIE, LET RUN IN A FIELD OF FLOWERS.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
I believe that whatever is left of Avanti consist of small shop/ garage somewhere in Mexico, sad if that is the truth since this brand had an amazing history.
ReplyDeleteI remember some 18 year old bimbo in HS actually owned one of these, sad.
The Chrysler T & C is a real 1949. The Silver Anniversary Model. The second series. The early 49:ers was a continuation of the 48:ers.
ReplyDelete