Glamour Cars
Author: Graeme Notega

Long and sleek! With Elvis as the hero of the day during the
1950s, whatever he drove become the car of the day. And Elvis
loved the glamour that shiny new tail-fins exhibited. His fans
loved them, too, which led to over thirty heart-stopping models
being designed during the 1950s. No one cared back then whether
cars were gas-guzzlers or whether the paint job would last, or
whether the shiny chrome that protruded out the back begged to
have dents inserted within the first few weeks.

The appeal of cars during the 1950s was more than just Elvis.
It was prestige and glamour for even the average working
person. The feeling of luxury seeped into one's feelings and
emotions, and romance bloomed with respect while riding in
these elegant vehicles.

The Chrysler Town & Country Newport coupe which came out in
1950 didn't have fins (they started creeping into the design
around 1952). Yet it wasn't the typical car of the 1940s.
Almost a dinosaur compared to today's styles, the Newport
featured distinctive, external wood framing (referred to as
being a 'Woodie') and strongly appealed to the hunter and
sportsmen.

Pontiac had a mascot – an Indian Chief– whose unsmiling face
formed the base of the front hood. His headdress consisted of
streaks of chrome sliding back over the hood and being picked
up again on the trunk. Sleek looking! Everyone wanted a car
with a personality, and the Indian Chief gave the Pontiac one.


Because the cars of the early 1950s had a somewhat dowdy
appearance but reflected the potential of sparkling glamour,
car designers became aggressive in their creativity. By 1957
and 1958 the designers produced disastrously overblown
responses. Sharp clean fins reached in all directions. They
were streaked with chrome, and somewhere in the middle a body
was grafted into them. Bright yellows! Passionate reds! Baby
blues! And regardless of the weather where one lived,
convertibles were in, even if you never lowered the top.

The intense competition among the car manufacturers meant that
each model became extinct quickly. Planned obsolescence meant
the customers had to choose between buying a new car each year
or being a social leper. Because of the expense of redesigning
all models every year, the manufacturers took to keeping the
inner workings of the cars basically the same and only changing
the outward look.

By 1958 some models,such as the 1958 Oldsmobile, were beginning
to be called 'ugly.' Some even said it looked like a brick with
a hardtop sitting on it. However, the indented chrome on the
doors still caught one's eye of respect.

All systems self-destruct from within. The era of the glamour
cars had outdone itself and common sense dictated that what
would follow in the 1960s would be based on performance, a
concern for the environment, and conservative packaging. During
the 1960s people weren't impressed with external appearances to
the exclusion of what existed underneath. This attitude was
reflected towards both people and cars. Yet, who will ever
forget Elvis? Or the glamour cars of the 1950s?


About The Author: Graeme Notega is the owner of CarsUlike which
tackles all motoring issues. For more information, go to
http://www.acarsz.com