Car pics too cool not to share

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In 1952 Packard’s Director of Styling Edward Macauley and chief engineer, Bill Graves, were searching for Packard’s new design direction and they came up with this Special Speedster. Built on a 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe Sedan platform, they reduced the cockpit area and lengthened the rear deck to make a dramatic speedster. To enhance the theme, they added huge sill plates which ran the length of the car. It was also the first Packard to use a wrap-around front windshield which would reach production by 1955.


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In 1952 Packard’s Director of Styling Edward Macauley and chief engineer, Bill Graves, were searching for Packard’s new design direction and they came up with this Special Speedster. Built on a 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe Sedan platform, they reduced the cockpit area and lengthened the rear deck to make a dramatic speedster. To enhance the theme, they added huge sill plates which ran the length of the car. It was also the first Packard to use a wrap-around front windshield which would reach production by 1955.


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I just can't appreciate Packard's Styling past the 1930's. To me it seems like they built truly beautiful cars in the 30's ! Then every every year after that they saw other manufactures moving ahead on the styling and engineering front, while Packard was grasping at straws trying to be relevant. By the time the mid 50's came along you saw early 50's greenhouse style with a Too narrow 50's front clip. Sorry they folded but it seems they didn't hold a candle to Harley Earl.
 
View attachment 332946 I just can't appreciate Packard's Styling past the 1930's. To me it seems like they built truly beautiful cars in the 30's ! Then every every year after that they saw other manufactures moving ahead on the styling and engineering front, while Packard was grasping at straws trying to be relevant. By the time the mid 50's came along you saw early 50's greenhouse style with a Too narrow 50's front clip. Sorry they folded but it seems they didn't hold a candle to Harley Earl.
There's not many cars that didn't go downhill styling-wise after the 1930s. Mercedes and a few others still looked great through the 50s, "ok" in the 60s, "acceptable" in the 70/80s, and "just as FUGLY as everything else" after that. Peak car styling was definitely the 30s!
 
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There's not many cars that didn't go downhill styling-wise after the 1930s. Mercedes and a few others still looked great through the 50s, "ok" in the 60s, "acceptable" in the 70/80s, and "just as FUGLY as everything else" after that. Peak car styling was definitely the 30s!
Totally agree !
 
There's not many cars that didn't go downhill styling-wise after the 1930s. Mercedes and a few others still looked great through the 50s, "ok" in the 60s, "acceptable" in the 70/80s, and "just as FUGLY as everything else" after that. Peak car styling was definitely the 30s!

I get lost on the "malaise era" of cars. With very few exceptions, pretty much every car made early-mid '70s through the mid '80s is just yuck to me.
 
The 2 pictures of the 1936 Stainless steel fords are different cars? I saw 1 in person but never knew how many were made. How many are there?
 
I get lost on the "malaise era" of cars. With very few exceptions, pretty much every car made early-mid '70s through the mid '80s is just yuck to me.
If you take it back to mid 60s, I'm with you. Some cars started looking better in the late 80s with the retro phase that was going on then, but that's done and over with and pretty much everything looks like a Honda or Toyota.
 
If you take it back to mid 60s, I'm with you. Some cars started looking better in the late 80s with the retro phase that was going on then, but that's done and over with and pretty much everything looks like a Honda or Toyota.
I think most of the mid to late sixties are pretty good in my book, like this 1967 Cadillac Deville convertible. or two. :sneaky:
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You can find a turd or a gem from any era as long as you aren't hooked on one country or brand. Given any decade I think I could name a few favorites and find some garbage. There were allot of terrible designs but they tend to fall through the cracks and wind up in the crusher while the gems are all that seem to exist for some years.
 
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