Post War Cars Part 4
By the mid 1950 the American automobile centered culture was at it’s high point. Super highways, drive in theaters, restaurants, drive threw banking, and almost any thing you could imagine you could do from the driver’s seat of the family car.
For 1957 most of the automakers again brought out the next generation designs. General Motors had redesigned Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac. Ford had all-new designs for Fords and a separate design for Mercurys. Chrysler’s line up was all new and radically different. Studebaker Nash and Hudson had mild face-lifts, and Rambler became a separate make. Packard closed its Detroit plant but continued being built using the Studebaker President platform. The ’57 Packard Clipper It was to be a place holder until cash strapped Studebaker Packard could raise enough money to design an all new Packard.
For 1958 Chevrolet and Pontiac got all new bodies, but they only lasted for one year, they looked outdated compared to Chryslers. The Chrysler lineup only got minor trim changes. And Ford and Mercury got face-lifts. Lincoln got a new design. The big news at Ford was the Edsal. It used Ford bodied on junior models and Mercury bodies on senior models. Nash and Hudson were discontinued. Studebaker got face-lifts. AMC was on a role. They reintroduced a mildly updated 1950 Rambler as the Rambler American. The compact Rambler got a major face-lift and a larger version named the Rambler Ambassador.
For 1959 General Motors redesigned their entire lineup with a futuristic styling. Chrysler’s lineup got face-lifted. Ford and Edsal used the 57-58 Mercury body while Mercury got a new larger body. AMC car got trim changes. Packard was discontinued and Studebaker again updated their 1953 body with a short wheelbase to produce the Compact Lark and the Packard was discontinued.
In 1960s With the introduction of compact and midsized vehicles,the automotive landscape changed dramatically.
Here is a representation in 1/43
1957 Packard Clipper byBrooklin
1957 Ford Skyliner retractable hardtop by Brooklin.
1958 Plymouth Belvedere by American Excellence (NEO)
1958 Edsal Citation by Yat-Ming
1958 Chevrolet Impala by IXO
1959 Studebaker Lark by Brooklin
1959 Mercury Monterey by American Excellence (NEO)
1959 Chevrolet Impala by Sparks
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