If they could "re-issue" these classic styles with modern engineering (air bags, abs, AC, modern eng & trans, PS/PB ) I think they would sell well. I could accept crank windows for the old school effect.
Make them out of hemp and powered with electricity ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LZpIVFSGOGs.html Gotta lower that carbon foot print .
One of the great auto designers for GM was a man named Harley Earl. His talent brought these great designs, without the help of any computers. It was talent and a keen eye for good looks.
66 years ago. 3 years before I was born.... These were still around when I was growing up in the 60s. I vaguely remember my grandparents having one of these. It wasn't a bad looking car for a 4dr. sedan. My father had a really nice survivor '52 Dodge Coronet Coupe. ✌😊
My aunt had one and she loved it. Bought in new from Emmert Chevrolet in Detroit, MI. It had a straight six cylinder motor and she ordered Power Glide with it too. No power steering or power brakes but the steering was very easy to turn. Just like power steering, except when parked. Had to be rolling a little for it to turn easy. She was very proud of it.
It says a lot about the times that the most humble offering from GM is more beautifully styled than the most expensive cars of today.. It is perfect in every respect.
Wasn't that the two-speed? I was shocked to hear such a thing when I first learned of the 2-speed transmission. Final drive was 1.0 to 1 just like the three speed, so I guess any difference was experienced coming up to speed.
It still gets me riled that car makers took away floor vents and wing windows. It used to be so nice to have fresh air blowing in. And why did they get rid of them? So you'd have to buy air conditioning, of course!
Yes. However. Those vents were a pain in the ass in colder temperatures. Because even when they were closed cold air could still go through. And they let bugs through as well. So it was way better just to have a window rolled down or have AC
@@BeingRomans829edThe Vents and mechanisms were a cost driver. Components and assembly labor was reduced to increase profit per unit. Don’t forget the introduction of Astro Ventilation without A/C required. Fresh airflow filtering with entrance through the dashboard and exit through the rear deck lid panel. Dinah would always sing this song and blow us a kiss at the end of each show. She forgot the kiss on this promo. I assume the focus was the car and the kiss would have the men forgetting about the car they should purchase after the promo film.
Air Conditioning was coming, regardless. Many later 60s cars had vent windows and a/c. Our 77 Ford F150 Supercab was the last vehicle my parents had with vent windows.
Why don't they make a commercial like this anymore...show off the car and let people think how great it would be to have one in your garage. We heard enough about economy and airbags over the last 20 years...let's just enjoy the cars again for what they are.
Back in 1953 cars were more affordable for the average working person. Taxation and interest rates were much lower. In relation to the economy jobs payed much better wages. The cars back then were a real work of art. They were much heavier built on a full frame. By today's standards they were built like a small truck. The workmanship was of much higher quality than what we have today unless we pay a very large amount of money for the vehicle. Diana Shore was a terrific singer, and she was a very good looking lady. She was said to have great character, and she was well liked.
They were no where near as reliable as todays cars. They were built more like "trucks" due to the technology for suspensions at the time and the fact that roads were not as smooth and common as today. Back then, dirt and gravel roads were very common to be driven on so the cars had to be built to handle them daily. Ontop of all of that, the pursuit of increased fuel economy is what lead to making cars much lighter. All of that aside, I myself would prefer to live in this time.
Jerry G. Part of the problems are Americans and Unions putting cars together now demand $75 an hour and that sends jobs to China and Mexico. I was looking a the big steering wheel and thinking that would kill a person as would a bunch of other things in that cars interior.
Holy Cow!! The salesman raised the hood to show the engine and you could actually SEE the engine. Not hidden under some high-temp plastic cover where all you can find is the oil fill and dipstick.
The '59 Chev had the "wow factor". I almost bought a '59 Biscayne 2-door Sedan with the 348ci and Muncie 4-spd, ended up getting a '60 Ford Sunliner with the 352ci 360HP with "three on the tree". The Chev would have been faster, but the Ford was a CHICK MAGNET (was 16 at the time, using Daddy's money)!
My first car. Bought it in 1963 for $250. Worth every penny. Pretty slow though. The "high compression" engine mentioned in the film was probably 8.5:1.
And.......this Chevy would keep running even if we get hit with a Chinese, Russian, or North Korean EMP strike......Not a single digital circuit in the car.....Points, plugs, and coil.....that's all!
+bboucharde I sure do miss those days. I just spent about 40 hours troubleshooting a '96 Tahoe that will only run on 6 cylinders. NOTHING should be this complicated ... The government could screw up a wet dream.
SS Smithsonite SS, Yes, I agree. And, Obama has three new energy restriction programs ready to impose on us by executive order via the EPA. One of them will ruin the coal industry, and the others will do significant damage to all US manufacturing. Apparently, he works for the "other side."
Back when advertising was entertainment! I suspect this would be shown as a "short" at the local movie house before the cartoon, newsreel, serial, and then main feature.
@@RivetGardener The Saturday matinee where I was, ca. 1953, cost 9 cents and the top of a Borden milk carton. I bought a piece of Double Bubble with the change from a dime. The price of admission included entry into a giveaway. Typical prize might be a cap gun and holster.
Thanks for the awesome videos! Diana shore has a Texas accent it looks like for sure, wish we were in that kind of time today! That is such a pretty 1953 chevy belair!
I can understand that. In 2021 my 53 plymouth runs like a sewing machine. It's the straight 6 layout they all idle smooth. Sometimes I forget she's even running too.
I'm running down to the Chevy dealer right now...."hey! What's the plastic piece of crap? Where's my '53 dreamboat? And while you are at it, mack, where's the flying car you promised me in the 60s?"
Of course, if you died that way and appeared at the Pearly Gate and St. Peter asked you how you died and you say "I was making a test flight in a Pinto and crashed" Peter would have to answer "YOU GO TO HELL!"
Of course cars of this era are not as safe or practical as cars are today but these cars were unique and interesting to look at. Most of today's 4-door sedans look the same w/very few unique designs.
If you have one you would be surprised on how easy the repair work is, and for a few bucks extra on gas you get the most reliable cars in history 50s-70s cars
The ad folks for Chevy were amazing. Dinah Shore had the smooth, soothing voice that draws a body into the commercial. Isn't it great that 70 years ago 115 Horsepower was seen as hi performance? Today that would be mocked as low class 4 cyl junk.
Old cars feel much more alive than modern ones. I think when people say old cars are better they are not talking about reliability. They are talking about the experience of driving, the looks, the interaction between car and driver, etc. If reliability is what you want go for a honda with touch screens, cup holders and usb ports. More reliable but not as much fun.
Actually I am a car guy, I was reading my comment and I hadn't considered the how it might be received.....I am, as was my father, deeply steeped in the automobile business - he owned a dealership...I grew up on it and love those gorgeous cars.....but I was thinking about my driver ed classes .....they made a point of how speed kills....the lack of seatbelts ....and the stories our teacher told us..He told a story about the above.....
Being in the auto repair business for over 30 years, it is true that older cars "required" much more maintenance than newer cars. The key word here is "required". Way back when, the more frequent required maintenance kept your car in tip-top shape as long as you owned it and is why so many of these older cars survive today. The newer cars still need frequent maintenance but it is NOT required. Why? They want the newer cars to wear out and be replaced. The newer cars are ment to throw-aways.T.Y.$
At the time, Dinah appeared twice a week for Chevrolet on NBC {Tuesdays/Thursdays, 7:30pm(et), just before John Cameron Swayze's 'CAMEL NEWS CARAVAN"}.
Dinah Shore! I remember her variety day show in the 70s when I was a kid. Before that time, she was Chevy's pitch-woman for years, wasn't she? I remember later in my days, she advertised for Holly Farms Chicken.
My dad had a green 1953 210 2 door sedan with 3 speed manual. You just reach under the grille and open the hood. Great for thieves who want to steal the battery or other things off the motor. I had a 1970 Chevy that had the hood release like that. One day I tried to start the car and it was dead. Someone had stolen the battery the night before. Thanks for them getting rid of the outside hood release.
ojars zvaigzne ...and when women were ladies, professionals were professional and work ethic was more than just words. Also, the kids acted like ladies and gentlemen.
I wonder how many people nowadays know that the production 53, and 54 as well, did not have rear door vent panes? The other GM cars did, but not the Chevy
Very true. I'm not knocking this car. But when someone posts on here how much better those old cars were compared to today's its so rediculous. I have an old Bonneville, 1989 currently with 230,000 miles. Even though it runs great, everthing works, I am planning on selling it soon My boy is turning 16 soon. I want him driving a more modern car with all the safety equipment available today. Good luck on your car!
Old cars feel much more alive than modern ones. I think when people say old cars are better they are not talking about reliability. They are talking about the experience of driving, the looks, the interaction between car and driver, etc. If reliability is what you want go for a honda with touch screens, cup holders and usb ports. More reliable but not as much fun.
You're right. I don't remember any cars years ago that racked up 100,000 miles much less 200,000. Maybe it happened but I don't know of any. Even my '96 Cavalier has nearly 200 thousand on it and I plan to get more than that if it continues on for a while.
I got 205K miles out of my 16yr old '01 (base) with ZERO engine or transmission issues! Got rid of it in '18 because of MAJOR RUST problems. Rust never sleeps!
I am going to my local Chevy dealer today to buy this new 1953 Chevrolet. I want it with air conditioning, GPS, outlets to charge my cellphone, a rear backup camera, power steering and brakes, and a CD player. I plan on keeping it for several years, and then trading it in for a new 1957 Chevy. 😊😊
The collector Chevrolet models for 1953 will be found in the 210 series: the 210 convertible and the 210 club coupe, the final year for the short greenhouse.
@FURY1958 My parents had one of those cars when I was a kid. We were at a hamburger stand where me and my brother waited in the car for our mother to come out when a lady bumped us in the backend. It scared me and I cried but my older brother laughed.
Ahhhh yess back when cars were good. Respect to anyone who drooled when they saw that car. I missed it back when these were new. I have a 54 chevy 3100 pickup, however even tho it's a classic truck now, along with the other 50s cars like that one, it's still a fun experience to drive and it's also very great to restore with my dad
