Raymo you’re right ... two fat overweight barges on wheels. However having lived in the northeast US as a kid I can understand their obsession with large cars and SUVs - the average yank is so gross as to be unable to fit in European cars from that period, and in that winter theyre heavily dressed with bulky overcoats and so on.
An Italian classic is more my thing... beautiful and fun.
Yeah damm Yank cars all ugly.... like the Dusenberg Model J, the 1912 Stutz Bearcat, Ford model T Opera coupe, '53 Buick skylark covertable, Buick Riviera '62/'63, Chevrolet Corvette '53 I could go on and on..... we were so lucky to have things like um well I dont know whats a classic styled Australian car pre '70? something the world admires for its styling or preformance? spose we could be admiring things like the 2CV from France ?
At least all those cars have totally different styles, not like today's boring computer designed cars. Take the badges of, and you wouldn't know who the manufacturer was.
At least all those cars have totally different styles, not like today's boring computer designed cars. Take the badges of, and you wouldn't know who the manufacturer was.
At least all those cars have totally different styles, not like today's boring computer designed cars. Take the badges of, and you wouldn't know who the manufacturer was.
A few years ago I was crossing the road with a friend and we stopped to admire an expensive sports car coming towards us. Still can't remember if it was an Aston , Jag or Maserati and we quickly forgot which it was in minutes and had to read the badge in the first place. They are just that unmemorable. Most marques no longer have recognisable attributes, have lost their character.
I don't like those yank tanks but they are characterful at least, no doubt and well maintained/restored cars do look great .
It's a Buick Roadmaster Convertible from the late 1940s.
raymo
That one looks moderately nice but the Caddy leaves me cold. I suppose with the 'yank tanks' we should be careful judging their practicality by today's standards. In a world of cheap fuel, empty roads and when 4 cylinder engines couldn't pull the skin of a rice custard the big V8 tank must have looked attractive. And I imagine they were a status symbol.
I do agree about characterless cars, they are a victim of convergent evolution and uninspired designers. However character and gawdy aren't the same thing. Nice clean simple lines can be most attractive.
The instant recognisability of older car brands and models is echoed by
trains and planes. Everything is now forced into a narrow design envelope
by the never ending quest for aerodynamic perfection, which of course
results in lower fuel consumption, and incidentally higher speeds.
raymo
I like functionality to rule the form.
I find it hard to see beauty when there is little relationship between form and function.
Old American cars do have a relationship between form and function.
They were of course more than mere transport filling many roles where the owner could say something about himself, usually a way of describing his success.... and the role of the car in courtship and therefore continuation of the species must be taken into account.
I think folk may have thought ..my car is big and wonderful therefore I am big and wonderful and no doubt potential partners probably approached the matter with a similar view.
And so these old cars offer beauty I suppose...but as to a car I like small and minimal weight..a lotus with 1600 cc. I find the beauty there because the function rules the form and no doubt to others these cars could appear "ugly".
I recall a restoration of a caddy..in Australia..where the owner spent some $18,000 to restore the chromework.
Anyways nice cars and nice to see someone pays for them so we can look at them.
I like functionality to rule the form.
I find it hard to see beauty when there is little relationship between form and function.
Old American cars do have a relationship between form and function.
They were of course more than mere transport filling many roles where the owner could say something about himself, usually a way of describing his success.... and the role of the car in courtship and therefore continuation of the species must be taken into account.
I think folk may have thought ..my car is big and wonderful therefore I am big and wonderful and no doubt potential partners probably approached the matter with a similar view.
Role of cars in the continuation of the species?? Function ruling form? Clearly Alex is advocating bench seats - big and wonderful ones.
Role of cars in the continuation of the species?? Function ruling form? Clearly Alex is advocating bench seats - big and wonderful ones.
And upon observation we see that many of the old cars indeed had bench seats.
Are there those here that can recall when the young man would sit..rather lay toward the near side door pillar of the car and the young lady would sit right along side as close as possible... enabled by the bench seat..not something you can do today..but that was somewhat the norm.
And one arm would rise from below the field of view to grasp the wheel at 12 oclock.
