You think the early 5 mile bumpers were excessively long? CC Cohort William Rubano caught this ’57 Cadillac with a continental spare kit that makes a Pinto’s shelf bumper-butt look positively anorexic.
Here’s a wider view. So when did these aftermarket kits become popular? I never once saw a Cadillac in Iowa with one, for all the five year I lived there. But when we moved to Baltimore in 1965, I saw a goodly number of slightly-elderly Cadillacs sporting them (and other bling) in the African-American neighborhoods. So it would appear like with so many things in music, fashion, etc., black urban culture effectively popularized the continental spare kit. And old white guys are still imitating it, although I suspect most of these were done some years/decades ago. Does anyone still make conti spare kits??
Here’s this bad boy from the front. We’ve only had a 1957 Coupe CC on this vintage, and I don’t have the time to do a proper CC on this model just now. Also, I’d rather it wasn’t sporting the non-Harley-Earl-approved rear appendage.
It does make for quite a sight rolling down the street.
Note: A rerun of an older post.
I’m sorry, but that aftermarket kit looks horrible on such a nice `57 Fleetwood! Talk about overkill! IMHO, kits on Cadillacs looked best `51-`53. After that, it’s cheesy. God knows you can’t back into a parking space very easily with that extra 4 ft. of excess!!
How do you open the boot?
The tire cover drops down, gets in the way. Rather awkward.
Wow–that C-kit seems to add a bit more length than any other I’ve ever seen.
I never really thought about typical buyers (other than that they were car-proud and had some disposable income), but I’m used to seeing these on standard-level (Ford/Chevy) or mid-tier (Olds/Buick/Pontiac/Mercury) than on Cadillac-Lincoln-Imperial…that’s my big surprise.
The kits did sometimes get mentioned in (car) factory literature, and the other day I saw one illustrated (beautiful painting) in some late-1950s B-O-P brochure….I wish I could remember what that was.
Here’s Mercury/1960 offering in a FoMoCo brochure–I wonder how many were sold?
My guess is in the early 1950s, likely around the time this 1952 Motor Trend issue came out:
That timing sounds about right. Although there may have been earlier, rear-mounted spares that were encased is some sort of hard material to keep the tire clean against the elements, seems like the styling fad really started with the 1940-48 Lincoln Continental (hence the name), then caught on with the 1956 Thunderbird and Continental Mark II (although the latter just employed an ersatz hump on the trunk lid as opposed to a completely separate tire casing mounted on an extended bumper). That’s really when the aftermarket kits began showing up for other cars en masse.
Nash went in big on Continental spare tires from 1952 onward. That carried on with the Metropolitan after Nash was no more.
Somehow, Mercury/1960 brochure image didn’t get attached:
George, the `60 Mercurys, and I always liked their lines. But that Cont’l. kit looks hideous to say the least! And by `60 they were losing their popularity by the day.
[eBay] Special Interest Autos, 1982—a well-illustrated history of the whole “continental kit/spare” thing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/326722984474?_skw=%22continental+kit%22&itmmeta=01K2J0ECM5N6YXS7YVP3ZFQG9Q&hash=item4c12351a1a:g:iBEAAOSwu-Rj8-XM&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dZaRp1dKD2CqgRckWZeaBqP5J2%2BBCh%2Fohl%2F7pVWYdC6d5AEqBvjcUuGhI93lQUiRXZRBuyMllNQ4UQ%2Fq9mhVHUaojHLpxzFZEnTzeZLA5iMsrQwDdH1VhQM1BfFaTLmw0uACNMnu3c0UMd3BiH1tX0O9HJKAY6aUMJZb%2FRq%2FcUIjKj8oDaf%2FFL1X25w6LBQsn%2Bi9GVkWoeONd0H5sQRWrrxII6LZ9QhNbvTMvTmbOEwEf0wNg42yY8pQqSyHRXvQg%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5zKucCUZg
The Continental Kit was available as a factory option on the 1957 Mercury. Afrter wall, why drive the shortest car in the neighborhood?
I can think of a person whose personality fits this, but this site does not allow political comments.
I’d like to have one of those simply because it’s so absolutely insane, not far removed from the affinity I have for the 1961 Plymouth.
WOW! That looks even worse than the subject Cadillac. (which looks horrible).
I don’t think it looks good on any car, but if there HAS to be one, the smaller the better. Yikes.
The car I remember most was a then new ’58 Ford Fairlane 500 droptop that resided about a block or so from us in Monona Groce, WI. The car was WHITE with “gold” anodized trim insert, full Mercury turnpile cruiser fenderskirts (lowered rear) and the hideou$ GROWTH coming off the rear with the Connie Kit………IMO: GAAAHCK!
I never thought highly of such “additions” when new, and think worse of their aesthetic appeal now. Butt….to each their own……OTOH, rurned down Appleton spots-a pair-and spun aluminum MOON hubcaps…oh YAAAHH$$!! 🙂 DFO
The title of this entry should be “How To Ruin The Looks Of Your Car”.
I’m pretty sure you can still get a Conti kit for the 57 Chev.
The unit the factory offered by Chevy in `57 simply attached to the bumper, which didn’t look bad. It’s being remanufactured today by someone. Fits all tri-5’s.
I have always been kind of utilitarian in my choices, as evidenced by owning a station wagon. The continental spare tire kit is anything but. It makes cars which already had too much rear overhang even longer, resulting in grounding out on steep driveways. It also makes it a lot harder to get into the trunk.
the several feet/inches extra length I guess may help if you get rearended but it looks silly and detracts from what was a nice car and just putting the shopping in the boot looks like a chore.
I’m not a fan. I find it rarely attractive. Same with giant whitewalls, fuzzy dice, VW Beetle roof racks, and most all the crap I see ruining a nice old car at car shows.
Just because you come across a rare accessory doesn’t mean you should fit it to your car. Some are rare for a very good reason: taste.