Exner-era MoPars this weekend

This past weekend was my Christmas of car shows weekend. Central Ohio hosted both the Goodguys PPG Nationals and the Arthritis Foundation Classic Car Show. I split my time between the two shows over three days and a crazy number of steps according to my smart watch. I my time seeing literally thousands of vintage and custom cars, three that stood out to me had one thing in common: they were Chrysler Corporation products designed under the direction of Virgil Exner during the 1950s. Do I have a “type” when it comes to ’50s Detroit steel? Apparently, I do.

The 1956 Chrysler Windsor Newport was an update of the revolutionary 1955 model that started Exner’s “forward look.” This Windsor trim level was not the top-of-the-line, but it was far from basic. The long, substantial lines somehow avoid looking heavy, and the two-tone white and salmon paint make for a great combo.

The 1958 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman was at the height of the late ’50s jet age excess and this example stopped me in my tracks. The two-tone white and red paint helped, but those fins! People often talk about the 1959 Cadillac fins, but the fins on the ’57 and ’58 DeSoto are every bit as impressive. And the jet-exhaust taillights! It amazes me that something like that could come out of the design department of a large corporation.

Finally, the 1959 Dodge Sierra station wagon combines those jet-age influences with the practicality of a wagon. When I see cars like this, it makes me resent current crossovers even more. If something like this Dodge Sierra existed today, I’d have no issue driving a “practical” vehicle.

Interested in a print of one of my MoPar photos, or others? Visit my store and place an order.

Top row, left to right: 1956 Chrysler Windsor Newport headlight, Windsor fender detail, Windsor dashboard. Second row, left to right: Windsor decklid and tailfin, 1958 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman front and flank, Firedome roof and rear fender. Third row, left to right: Firedome tailfin, Firedome rearview mirror and badge, 1959 Dodge Sierra station wagon headlights, Sierra front fender badge. Bottom row, left to right: Sierra taillights and flank, Sierra profile.

Automotive Type, Part Four

For my fourth post in my series featuring automotive badges and lettering, I’m continuing with my favorite period—the post-war “Jet Age” from the late ’40s to the early ’60s. This time, it’s all about script badges. I could probably post this a dozen times and not repeat a single badge. I’ve edited my collection down to twelve that I think show the diversity of the period, and that I just personally love. I’d love to see any of these expanded into a complete font. I hope there’s at least one type designer out there reading this that agrees.

If you’re interested in digging deeper into badge type design, check out writer and type expert Steven Coles’ excellent Tumblr page, Chromeography.

Interested in a print of one of my badge photos? Visit my store and place an order.

Top row, left to right: 1947 Chevrolet, 1954 Plymouth,1955 Studebaker. Second row, left to right: 1955 Packard, 1955 Pontiac, 1956 Buick (Motorama show car.) Third row, left to right: 1957 Buick, 1959 Oldsmobile, 1960 Ford. Bottom row, left to right: 1960 Plymouth, 1962 Dodge, 1963 Chrysler.

History and thoughts on the vinyl roof

Starting in the early to mid-sixties, American automotive “stylists” decided to gild their hardtop models by adding the option of a vinyl covering to the roofs. Eventually, the material made its way onto coupe and sedan models. The trend took different turns with padded vinyl, partial vinyl, and even blatant ersatz convertible roofs complete with fake roof “bows.” The trend faded in the eighties, but has been kept alive by the aftermarket and some car dealers of questionable taste.

There were some interesting applications of the vinyl roof. C2 and early C3 Corvette convertibles were available with vinyl covered removable hardtops. That always seemed ironic to me since the vinyl was meant to mimic the look of a convertible top. In 1969 and 1970, Chrysler corporation offered some outrageous vinyl options like the floral “Mod Top,” “Gator” grain, (bottom two examples above) and even a paisley grain. 

On some cars of the late sixties, the vinyl roof works. 1966-1967 GM mid-size hardtops (middle left example above) and 1968-1970 Dodge Chargers have rooflines that work well with a vinyl wrap. My personal opinion is that it can work in terms of the styling history, but from an aesthetic point of view, better to keep the look clean and stick with steel. I’m not gonna lie. My old Challenger had a vinyl roof, but If I were restoring it today, I’d go unoriginal and pull it off.

Remember, if you'd like any of my photos to hang on your wall, visit my store.

Lamenting the long gone vent window

The automotive vent window started to disappear in the late ’60s, and by the ’80s it had gone the way of the passenger pigeon. It’s been said that the ubiquity of air conditioning made the vent window obsolete. In my opinion, it never truly became useless.

Yes, I understand that it adds cost to the production of a car, it creates another chance for weather sealing issues, and adds clutter to the car’s design. But, think about it—on a chilly or rainy day, if you want to let in just a little fresh air, instead of cracking the window, you flip a lever and give a nudge. There’s no air blowing in along the entire length of your window, just a small amount by your left hand. It’s a simple, elegant, and functional feature.

On my Miata, the side windows have small quarter glass panes. They don’t open. They’re fixed in place, teasing me…

Elements: 1955 Chrysler Imperial phantom

Another “car of note” from this year’s Goodguys PPG Nationals is this award winning “one of none” 1955 Chrysler Imperial convertible. It looks like a factory stock restoration, but Chrysler didn’t build an Imperial convertible in 1955. Because of that, this is actually a custom. Well, that and the hidden bits. Underneath the stunning stock sheetmetal is a bespoke frame, and a fuel injected 6.4 liter Hemi that’s disguised to look like an original 354 Hemi. 

I’m not just a huge MoPar fan, I’m a big fan of the Virgil Exner penned cars from 1955 to 1964. This is where it all started, when Chrysler Corporation broke out of the dowdy, upright look of the early ’50s, to the “Forward Look” of the late ’50s. The fins had yet to appear, but the long, low look began, and with the full wheel openings and egg-crate grille, it almost had a European look. This is no accident. Virgil Exner was a big fan of Italian coach builders, and the Chrysler concept cars of the early fifties were built by Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin, Italy.

Elements: 1956 Nash Ambassador Super

Another “car of note” from this year’s Arthritis Foundation car show in Dublin, OH, is this 1956 Nash Ambassador. This is one of those cars that isn’t particularly beautiful, but has loads of character. After 60 years, it has finally come into its own.

In the 1950’s Nash developed a relationship with Pininfarina, who styled their higher end models. I have to admit, the cars that they designed for Nash, are not exactly what I think of when I think of Pininfarina. They seem to be from a different world than some of the most famous Farina penned Ferraris, Alfas, and even Fiats. What this 1956 Pininfarina styled Ambassador Super lacks in elegance, it makes up for in ’50s flash. Another admirer of the car commented as I took these shots, “There’s a lot going on with this one.” Yes, yes there is!

Elements: Flame paint jobs

Presented without commentary. Enjoy!

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Elements: Custom 1940 Mercury

Another “car of note” from this year’s Goodguys PPG Nationals, is this award-winning, Rob Ida built 1940 Mercury. It might just be the most elegant custom I’ve ever seen in the steel. This build embraces the european coach-built aesthetic of the ’30s and late ’40s. The bespoke roofline and hood give the car such a distinctive, streamlined look. There’s a lot of Talbot -Lago, Delahaye, and Delage influence in both the lines and the detail.

Oh, the details! Not only does it sport full wheel skirts on all four corners, the front skirts are articulated and move when the wheels turn. The custom hardware and trim elements are just too numerous to list. It even has custom luggage!

The power plant is just as impressive as the sheetmetal. It’s a supercharged modular Ford mill producing around 660 horsepower, and it’s detailed as beautifully as the rest of the car. The one thing that had me scratching my head was that it had a column-mounted gear lever and three pedals. So I had to ask, “is it a three-on-the-tree?” Nope, turns out is uses a modern auto box and has tandem brake pedals. Like I mentioned, the details!

Elements: 1972 Schwinn Sports Tourer

I’m doing something a little different for this week’s Elements post. It’s a vintage piece of transportation, but this one only has two wheels, and is “sandwich-powered.”

It’s a 1972 Schwinn Sports Tourer, and it’s very different from the hugely popular Varsity model. The Sports Tourer was the top-of-the-line Schwinn road bike below the Paramount series. While it looked like the other Schwinn “lightweights,” Its construction was much different. The frame was fillet-brazed, chrome molybdenum alloy, and built by hand in the same area of the Chicago factory where the Paramounts were built. It was then assembled alongside the Varsities, Continentals, and other 10-speeds. It also used a lighter, European three-piece crank, as opposed to the heavy, one-piece Ashtabula crank that was common on Schwinns of the same era.

I rebuilt this bike five years ago, and I call it a “resto-mod” of sorts. I tried to retain the 1970’s touring look, while updating components, like wheels with sealed bearing hubs, and updated brake pads. The finish is a two-step powder coat “candy copper.”

The reason for featuring the bike now, is that this week is “Pelotonia Week” in Columbus, and I’ll be riding this bike 50 miles on Saturday to raise money for Cancer research. Please consider donating, and thank you.

Elements: 1960 Plymouth Fury

My second “car of note” from this year’s Goodguys 19th PPG Nationals is item one in my argument that the most outrageously designed car of the 1950s was actually a 1960 model.

Allow me to present a 1960 Plymouth Fury 2-door hardtop. When everyone else in Detroit was reeling in on chrome and fins, Virgil Exner and the folks at the Chrysler Corporation design studio weren’t done with their excess yet. The fins on the 1960 Plymouth were every bit as tall as on the 1959 model, and maybe even a bit taller. The wide side trim of 1959 was gone, but the rear skirt extension trim and front wheel well sculpting more than made up for what was deleted. It was even outrageous under the hood, with a dual-quad, cross-ram 383 V8 under the hood. This example also has owner upgrades that include Chrysler 300 style front seats that swivel out when the door is opened.

In 1960, this car was considered dated when compared to offerings from Ford and GM. But after 56 years, this is the car that will turn more heads than it’s competitors.

Elements: 1940 Packard 120 Coupe

My first “car of note” from this year's Arthritis Foundation Classic Auto Show in Dublin, Ohio, is my first featured Packard. The 120 model was created as a lower-priced eight cylinder model that was to expand Packard’s offerings during the difficult years of the Great Depression. The marketing idea helped the company weather the 1930’s, but some say it “diluted” the brand and hurt them in the long run.

This beautiful 120 coupe in white gives no hint of being a “lesser” model. Packards always have a dignified, elegant look. They aren’t as flashy as comparable Cadillac models, but I tend to prefer their more restrained style. I think what really sets this example off for me was the white finish, white wheels, and whitewall tires. It looks like it’s dressed for a mid-summer croquet tournament.

I realize this week’s post features the second white car in a row. This one was just too pretty not to present. I promise that next week, I’ll add some color!

Elements: 1954 Hudson Hornet

The “finale” of the car show season in Central Ohio is Colo’s Car Show in October at The Columbus Zoo. My car of note from last year’s show is this 1954 Hudson Hornet convertible. I picked it for three reasons. One: it’s a Hudson, which is one of my all-time favorite “orphan” American marques. They were stout, over-built machines, with a great NASCAR pedigree. It was the first dominant car of the series. Two: this is a 1954 model, which was the last year that Hudson was an independent marque. At the end of the model year, they merged with Nash and formed American Motors. Subsequent Hudsons were good cars, but they didn’t have the style or over-engineering of the originals. Three: it’s a true driver with great owners. The car has 67,000 miles on it since it was restored. The couple that owns it even drove it up Pikes Peak! I really enjoyed talking to them about the car. They even invited my to have a seat behind the wheel. It’s a place I could really get used to.

Elements: Space age Oldsmobiles

Nearly every american car company exploited the jet and space age in the 1950s and ’60s, but I’m not sure any other brand was as overt about it as Oldsmobile. When they introduced their new “high tech” overhead valve V8 in 1949, they branded it the “Oldsmobile Rocket”. From there, they ran with it. There were globe badges, jet flourishes, and names like Starfire and Jetfire. Here are some of my favorite “jet age” Olds details from that era.

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Elements: 1960 Edsel “unicorn”

Too many stories have been written about Ford’s infamous Edsel. It’s been called one of the ugliest cars ever built. This is mainly due to its “horse collar” grille, with opinions about it ranging from “characterful” to “obscene.” The truth is, it wasn’t any worse than most of the “over-the-top” designs that came out of Detroit in 1958. Then there are the deeper stories of Ford’s poor release timing and poor marketing to a niche market that, as it turned out, didn’t exist.

What most people don’t know about is the last chapter of the Edsel story. Since most cars are developed 3 years out. The plans for a 1960 model Edsel actually came to fruition, but it didn’t last. Ford pulled the plug on it in November of 1959, so by New Year’s Day of 1960, the Edsel was already a memory to the Louisville KY factory. In the end, less than 3,000 1960 Edsels were built.

You may have come across one or two without even knowing. They looked, for the most part, like an upscale Ford Galaxie with a different nose and tail. In my opinion, the differences made it a better looking car than its sister Ford. The grille had a more refined, horizontal look, and the tail was more “jet age” without being over the top. Speaking of the tail, there’s a fun fact about the taillights. They were also used on the 1960 and 1961 Mercury Comet in a canted position. Part of the reason, was that the Comet was originally created to be a compact Edsel. So if you’ve ever owned a Comet, you’ve been closer to being an Edsel owner then you probably could’ve imagined.

Elements: 1965 Pontiac 2+2

One of my favorite automotive trends of the ’60s was the full-size fastback. Examples include the Chevy Impala, Ford Galaxie 500 XL, Dodge Charger (technically not full-size, but big enough to include), Olds Delmont, and Buick Wildcat. In my opinion, the best looking of the bunch was the ’65 and ’66 Pontiac 2+2. It did the "Coke bottle" profile better than any of the others, and I admit, I'm a sucker for the stacked headlights. With a 421 Tri-power V8, 4 on the floor, and those 8 lug wheels, ’60s Detroit steel doesn’t get much cooler.

Elements: 1958 – 1960 Thunderbird custom

I've seen this car show up at a few local car shows, but I haven't had a chance to meet the owner. I love the 60’s custom look of it, but what really makes this car is the orange metal flake paint. I honestly don't think I’ve ever seen flakes this big in a car finish. It has a depth unlike any pearl or candy finish. I'm fascinated by it. I’d love to talk to the owner, or better yet the painter, and get the back story what it took to get this look. When it happens, I'll be sure to post a follow up.

1958 Chevrolet Biscayne DIY custom

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Some custom cars are crafted, others are built. This ’58 Chevy 2-door sedan is without question the latter. It’s a build-what-you-have, cut-off, bolt-on, and weld-up, street beast. I just love the presence of this car. Not only does it have the attitude with it’s looks, it sounds loud and amazing. I think of it as the automotive equivalent of a Social Distortion gig.

Elements: 1963 Chrysler New Yorker

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After all of his outrageous finned and jet-inspired designs of the late ’50s and early ’60s, one of Virgil Exner’s last designs for Chrysler was almost conventional. The 1963 Chryslers were very conservative compared to just a year before, but they still had some really amazing details. The “New Yorker” script is one of my favorite type badges. It would make such a great starting point for script typeface.

1941 Willys Americar gasser tribute

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This particular Willys is one of my all-time favorite hot rods. The concept, unexpected color, and amazing attention to detail make it a truly unique build. When I saw this car in 2013 at the Goodguys PPG Nationals, I had the opportunity to meet the owner/builder, Mark Renko. He showed me around the car and pointed out some of the car’s hidden features, like the routing of the HVAC and stereo. The beautifully adapted microphone gear knob and bass drum accelerator pedal were references to his other love of music and drumming. A year later, I learned that Mark had passed away the previous November. While I only talked to Mark for a few minutes, I found him to be extremely nice, infectiously enthusiastic about the car, and ridiculously talented. I was crushed to learn of his passing. I hope this car lives on to carry his legacy for as long as possible.

1967 Fiat Dino Coupe

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Every year in July, The Arthritis Foundation sponsors a car show in Dublin, OH. It features the best automotive variety of any show in the area. I’ve seen everything there from 1914 Detroit Electrics to late model Lamborghinis. 

My “car of note” from last year’s show is a 1967 Fiat Dino Coupe. This was the first Dino Coupe I’d seen “in the steel”. While it may not look exotic, it’s powered by the same V6 as the mid-engined Ferrari Dino of the same era. Ferrari had to build enough engines to qualify for F2 race competition, so they partnered with Fiat and contracted them to build enough to meet the requirement. To complete the package, the coachwork was done by Bertone. With it’s taut lines and great proportions, I think it’s one of the best looking small 2+2’s ever built.