Posted on 05/21/2015 4:20:40 PM PDT by ETL
I had a blue 1971 Plymouth Duster, 6cyl 225 cu in engine. Loved those 225’s but the manual trans shifter was on the column and the master gear linkage mounted on the firewall would get stuck at times. I wanted to convert it to a floor shifter but didn’t want to cut away on the cross member support on the floor underneath. Bad design for an otherwise pretty good vehicle—although a lot of cars were made like crap in the 70’s.
Sounds like a nice car. Well, at least nice looking. :)
Great thread, thanks for posting all those pics. Brings back many good memories, the 55 thru 57 Chevy’s were classic.
A girl friends sister had a ‘55 2-door hardtop and her husband had ‘56 Nomad, quite a pair.
A good friend had a ‘57 Bel Air 2-door hardtop and that was a classic IMO, my favorite.
Very cool. When I win the powerball I’m gonna have a 55 pu, pearl white with a flame job, small block v8 and power slide tranny.
Not to go fast mind you... Just so I can be cool.
All the cars on the page are just beautiful. REAL design from back when cars were rolling art, not people moving pods.
I would kill to see modern cars DESIGNED again, instead of whatever cab forward worn blob of soap comes off CAD/CAM and passes MPG wind tunnel testing.
I absolutely hate modern car design. There aren’t a dozen beautiful 2015 cars offered world wide with all of the world’s car makers combined. Hondas are ugly. Toyotas are plain to ugly. On and on.
I was looking at a new Caddy and Lincoln parked side by side the other day. Can hardly tell them apart. Awful what has happened to us.
When I inherit 100 million I am not going to get a Ferrari, or a Porsche 911 or a Lamborghini or a Maseratti.
I am going to find a nice condition 65 Olds 98. Not much will be added. It will be checked over to make sure everything is in tip top order.
I will tell my mechanic to up the horsepower from the standard 370, to around 450 without doing things such as put ad on turbos etc. Just tune it to where it produces the pwere but is still drive to visit Uncle John in Kentucky etc. without worrying about stress on the engine. Maybe change the two four barrels for direct injection. Maybe a little advanced valve timing but nothing extreme.
Tires will be high end Michelins or Pirellis.
Take about a 1995 4 wd one ton pickup and do similar thing to it except stress durability more than flat out speed.
Thanks for the diversion and the walk down memory lane. I remember I couldn’t wait for my copy of Hot Rod Magazine to arrive in the mail every month. My dad had a 56 Chevy, then a 58 (Dad, why not the 57???). Friend at high school had a souped up 55 with a 327 in it. Lots of cool cars back then and not too expensive. Where did our country go?
My family had your picture #1, except is was a convertible, exactly like your picture #27 except it was a 1955.
Beautiful....and lovely memories of happier times.
Ah....man.....all them 57’s and not 1 like my 4 door, 210, with 235 ci, straight six.
Equally as nice. My dad nearly killed himself in his 55 Bel Air long before I was born. Fell asleep at the wheel. When I was a kid, he had a 55 truck. Passenger door would sometimes fly open, but what a cool truck that was!
The good old days!
OH yeah, but I don’t need Millions ... For me it is a 61 Pontiac Catalina 2 door and a Pre-2003 Cummins Diesel truck w a Manual Trans for my daily driver.
(When I was in High School I had a 61 Catalina ... dang sure miss her)
TT
‘58 was a cool ride too!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.