What was your childhood Detroit dreamcar?

[Whitehouse]

According to the RDW [[Dutch DMV) it's a Fleetwood.



DL means it's an import car which had a different licence plate before. Presumably this car was indeed driven before in the US. First licence plate was issued June 7th 1960.

[56packman]

I have to second the 1966 Thunderbird, a beautiful car, very advanced, and a perfect combination of luxury and power.

The Turbine cars in the Chrysler historical collection [[museum) all run, and can be driven.

[canuck]

The Chrysler Turbine looks like the car version of Gilligan who just happens on a car version of Ginger [[Tina Louise) skinny dipping.



The Lincoln Futura looks like Marlon Brando as the Godfather, tired goomba, just before falling from a heart attack.

[Jman]

Could you tell the difference? This is a scene from the opening of the movie.


I wiki'd the car and maybe you're right.

Easy to tell the difference. The 58 Fury had 4 headlights and the 57 had 2 headlights and 2 slightly smaller parking lights. Here's a 57.

[DorianWrites]

What great photos, everyone! I was always partial to the long, low Chrysler and Plymouth cars of the 60's and 70's. Had occasion to own a '67 Plymouth VIP with all power options and the 383 engine...and also a '70 Newport. Ah, what memories...

[Sandhouse]

I must say I had great taste as a kid, so most of the cars I thought were fantastic are now too valuable as collector's items for me to afford:

`61-63 Thunderbird
`63 Avanti
`63 or `64 Buick Riviera
`66 Olds Toronado
`66 Dodge Charger
`63 Chevy Impala [[preferably a black SS 409)

but I was able to buy a near-mint `61 Lincoln, which I spotted on a back street in suburban Pittsburgh while cruising with a friend in a scene that was too much like "Christine" for comfort. Too bad the thing doesn't fix itself.

With their peaked fenders, the T-bird, Avanti, Charger and Toronado are all related to the Lincoln design, and of course that applies to the Chrysler Turbine Car as well, which owes much to the `61-64 Thunderbirds. The Ghia-Engle Turbine was probably the greatest of all these shapes. I never knew that Chrysler sold any of these, until I read recently that Jay Leno has one.

Nice-looking Mk. VII above; I must recommend the Lincoln and Continental Owners' Club, if you're not already a member.

[Don K]

By childhood I'll assume we mean pre-adolescent, so for me that's '66 or before.

Sports cars in order:
1) Shelby Cobra - the car that beat the Ferraris at their own game, winning the World Sports Car Championship. Especially the Daytona Coupe
2) The C2 [[Sting Ray) Corvette. I was always a Ford guy, but I could acknowledge the Vette was pretty cool too. Also the later [['58-'61) C1
3) Jaguar XKE. Just the sexiest car ever.

Halfway practical cars
1) '61-'63 Thunderbird. Honorable mention to the '58-'60 Bird. My Mom's aunt in California had a '58 convertible when we visited in '61, and that was just so cool riding around with the top down.
2) '65 GTO The one with the stacked headlamps
3) Cheating a bit, '67-'68 Mustang. A couple of science teachers in Junior High had these. They were just the best looking of the '60's Mustangs

[canuck]

I must say I had great taste as a kid, so most of the cars I thought were fantastic are now too valuable as collector's items for me to afford:

`61-63 Thunderbird
`63 Avanti
`63 or `64 Buick Riviera
`66 Olds Toronado
`66 Dodge Charger
`63 Chevy Impala [[preferably a black SS 409)

but I was able to buy a near-mint `61 Lincoln, which I spotted on a back street in suburban Pittsburgh while cruising with a friend in a scene that was too much like "Christine" for comfort. Too bad the thing doesn't fix itself.

With their peaked fenders, the T-bird, Avanti, Charger and Toronado are all related to the Lincoln design, and of course that applies to the Chrysler Turbine Car as well, which owes much to the `61-64 Thunderbirds. The Ghia-Engle Turbine was probably the greatest of all these shapes. I never knew that Chrysler sold any of these, until I read recently that Jay Leno has one.

Nice-looking Mk. VII above; I must recommend the Lincoln and Continental Owners' Club, if you're not already a member.

Did you ever see this version of the Toronado redone by Barris for Expo 67? I found this on an expo memorial website. A collector in St-Louis has rebuilt one for his collection.

[rb336]

Auburn Boattail Speedster
http://tottinge.blogsome.com/images/...r_boattail.jpg
'67 Riviera
http://heritage_automotive.homestead.com/67Riviera.html

[Whitehouse]

By childhood I'll assume we mean pre-adolescent, so for me that's '66 or before.

Sports cars in order:
1) Shelby Cobra - the car that beat the Ferraris at their own game, winning the World Sports Car Championship. Especially the Daytona Coupe
2) The C2 [[Sting Ray) Corvette. I was always a Ford guy, but I could acknowledge the Vette was pretty cool too. Also the later [['58-'61) C1
3) Jaguar XKE. Just the sexiest car ever.

Halfway practical cars
1) '61-'63 Thunderbird. Honorable mention to the '58-'60 Bird. My Mom's aunt in California had a '58 convertible when we visited in '61, and that was just so cool riding around with the top down.
2) '65 GTO The one with the stacked headlamps
3) Cheating a bit, '67-'68 Mustang. A couple of science teachers in Junior High had these. They were just the best looking of the '60's Mustangs

I also shot this car. An original AC cobra. Well, the chassis and mechanics are original. I talked to the owner of the car and he said that in the early 70's this car was involved in a race incident. All metalwork was stripped and the car was given a fibreglass exterior after that. But still very cool to own!

The most important part of a car.


Look at that sexy ass!\

Buick Riviera Boattail is also classic!

[Toolbox]

24 Hours of Hemi Cuda anyone?

[9mile&seneca]

'66 Bonneville convertible blue-green with clear steering wheel. or '68 Chrysler Imperial convertible, or any Caddy convertible before '75. You gotta be able to rest your arm on the door window as you drive, not have the window up at shoulder level to accommodate a shoulder harness, in order for care free motoring to take place.

[Whitehouse]

24 Hours of Hemi Cuda anyone?

Oh yes!
And in that outfit please. You don't see that much streetcars in race stripes these days. The Seat Leon Sport is actually available over here in Sport colours, like this one.

[downtown_racine]

Did you say street cars in race colors ?
Mmm Yummy Ford, Detroit iron ? Built in Wixom and its F-150 derived engine is from Romeo.

[rodj44137]

Whitehouse - The car in the movie Christine was a '58 Plymouth. The easiest way to tell a '57 from a '58 in the front is that the '57 had single headlights with smaller round parking lights inboard of the headlights, whereas the '58's actually had dual headlights. See, in 1957 dual headlights were still illegal in many states [[although some cars like Merc and Chrysler did have the dual headlight option in '57). By 1958 those states had changed their laws and almost all American cars had dual headlights.

In case anyone's interested, the easy way to tell a '57 from a '58 in the back is that on the '57 the taillights filled the fin from the bottom to the top whereas in '58 the taillight was just a round light at the bottom of the fin.

[Jman]

In case anyone's interested, the easy way to tell a '57 from a '58 in the back is that on the '57 the taillights filled the fin from the bottom to the top whereas in '58 the taillight was just a round light at the bottom of the fin.

Correct, the 57 had the brakelight fill the fin while the round bottom was the back-up light. The 58 had the round bottom as the brakelight and the back-up light filled the fin. Yes, I know, too much information.

[Whitehouse]

It was explained what the differences were between the 57 and 58 above, but I didn't know there was a legallity story attached to it. You learn every day from this site. Very cool to hear that.

Another one from the collection. I don't know when this Ford Fairlane came on the market. Looks like 1961.

[Whitehouse]

Off topic:

It didn't take that long for tinypic to back down in the face of fierce criticism. This is a screenshot of a few days ago.




Today they saw they took the wrong turn in pointing everyone to photobucket.

[Zacha341]

My dream car was a the 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix -- lemon yellow -- white interior!! A family member had one. I loved it. We kept it until it rusted thru, then someone stole it -- rust and all!!! Such lovely lines that thing had on it. Wow!

[Toolbox]

Did you say street cars in race colors ?
Mmm Yummy Ford, Detroit iron ? Built in Wixom and its F-150 derived engine is from Romeo.

Final assembly was done in Wixom from modules built at a few different facilities and the engine was assembled by hand at EMDO in Allen Park.

That GT is in Gulf Livery.

[9mile&seneca]

My dream car was a the 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix -- lemon yellow -- white interior!! A family member had one. I loved it. We kept it until it rusted thru, then someone stole it -- rust and all!!! Such lovely lines that thing had on it. Wow!

I knew a guy who had a white one with a black vinyl top. One of the last of the great ones.

[jiminnm]

I always wanted a 1957 T-Bird.

[Whitehouse]

Mmmmmm! Impala!


So politically incorrect but I had to smile about this.


Women, know your limits!!
[[Cracks me up everytime I watch it.)

[tallboy66]

Many way too many but a Chevelle.


A '65 Mustang


And one I actually owned but wrecked and while still living at home my parents decided I should buy a new car and scrap this one. Mine was light blue with white vinyl interior.

[beachboy]

Sandhouse said: '66 Toronado

By '67, bugs were out and rear end lifted slightly:



and the '69 power option [[400 hp stock) ate the road:



Toro '70 dropped the retractable headlights and added GT model:


well on its way to becoming hunky luxomobile...<sigh>