Text by Patrick Bell.
One of the things American cars from the 1950’s are known for was the wide variety of two tone colors and styles. New paint technology led to bolder and brighter colors, and the manufacturers came up with styles from mild to wild, and then added some chrome, with a trowel in some cases. Most of today’s gallery lean towards the mild side, which were more common. Let’s take a look at the colors and chrome from the 1950’s, something that is largely absent from today’s landscape.
Leading off, we have a likely mom and son who were posing for dad the photographer, with a 1956 Mercury Monterey coupe, and Crater Lake, Oregon was the beautiful backdrop. The Monterey was in its second year of a restyle with a trim update. It was second from the top of four series that year, and the most popular. Power came from a 312 ci V8 that came in three versions. The one above was from California as well, and had curb rash on the rear tire.
A 1953 Buick Roadmaster 2 door Riviera was taking a break on a dirt road with at least three people waiting inside. It had a Massachusetts license plate that appears to be from 1957, and a Edaville Railroad bumper sticker. This was Buick’s Golden Anniversary, and they celebrated by introducing the new Fireball V8 in the upper series. It was 322 ci and since the Roadmaster was the top of the line it got the 188 horsepower version, as well as Dynaflow Drive as standard equipment. The one above could have improved its image with a set of whitewall tires to detract from the rusting rocker panel.
Parked facing downhill and under a blooming tree was a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air 2 door sedan. The Bel Air became a full series this year with four body styles, and fender skirts were standard. On the left edge looks like the rear corner of a 1952-1954 Ford.
A 1953 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Coupe, the captain of the land yachts, was watching over some of the lesser yachts on a small lake. This was the fourth and final year of the 1950 style that had few exterior changes, and that made them difficult to tell apart. This one looked close to new for this photo.
A lady was smiling for the camera person while a photograph of a clean, bright red 1954 Nash Rambler Custom Country Club was in process. Nash was ahead of its time and offered a domestic compact line a decade before the Big Three automakers. This model was marketed as a “hardtop convertible”, and the standard (on the Custom models) Continental Spare tire mount gave you more room in the trunk for your stuff.
Here was another Buick Roadmaster 2 door Riviera, this one a 1954 model with a same year Ohio license plate. New for 1954 was a restyle, the Century model returned to the lineup, a smaller V8 for the Special, and a 12 horsepower boost for the other series. The image above shows the right side mirror that was part of the standard dual mirrors on this model of the Roadmaster, and all convertibles.
Here we have a lady posing with a 1955 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan that had an Oregon license plate. It was powered by the 272 cubic inch Y-Block V8 engines and had one of the optional transmissions, either Overdrive or the Fordomatic. Fairlane V8 models had dual exhaust as standard equipment, but these extensions were aftermarket. This was the first year the Fairlane name was used, and it was named after Henry Ford’s estate.
Here was a 1954 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Deluxe Holiday Coupe with what seems to be a 1961 Ohio license plate. If so, it was in nice condition for a seven year old car. Perhaps it was owned by the well dressed man standing with it. A new restyle came along this year, along with a boost to the Rocket V8 from 303 ci to 324. In the background was a 1955 Ford Ranch Wagon or Country Sedan.
This 1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan was the 2 door sedan version, and was Ford’s second best seller for the year. The top seller was the Town Sedan as seen in the first image today. This one was also powered by the 272 ci V8, and had the standard hub caps to go with the whitewall tires.
A well decorated Navy Officer was posing with a 1955 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Sedan, the new four door hardtop that was available in all three series. The “88” was the entry level Oldsmobile, and was equipped with the 185 hp version of the 324 ci Rocket V8, while the two upper series had the 202 hp version. The car above had a California license plate and some serious curb rash on the front tire.
A 1956 Ford Customline Fordor Sedan was parked in front of an odd looking building. It likely was a four-plex, but the double windows on the lower left were not symmetrical. And perhaps they were leveling the back yard for a parking lot.
The Customline was equipped with the basic 272 ci V8, and had full wheel covers to go with the two tone green. On the right edge was a 1959 or 1960 Ford Thunderbird.
We are now at the Shorecrest Apartments that was somewhere in a warm climate. In the parking lot were some nice units beginning in the center with a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe with 6 cylinder power and possibly a Massachusetts license plate. To its left was a sharp and new looking 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner with the Style Tone two tone treatment. And beyond it looked like a 1957 Chrysler New Yorker 2 door hardtop.
A 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Custom 2 door Catalina hardtop was taking a break from traveling, and may have been left idling since the headlights were on. It had clothes hanging in the back seat and a California license plate. The Star Chief was the top of the line regular series of three, with the Bonneville a special edition, low production unit for this year. Pontiac advertised it as “America’s Favorite Road Car”. Power came from the 347 ci Strato-Streak V8 that was available in several versions.
Hanging out at the boat ramp was a new looking 1958 Dodge Royal Lancer 2 door hardtop with perhaps a same year Michigan license plate issued in Wayne County, the home of Detroit. It had dual fender mounted mirrors, dual quarter panel mounted antennas, and a boat of similar colors in tow. Backed down the ramp was a V8 powered 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Sedan.
This well equipped campsite looks like a good place to finish this gallery. The apparent tow car was a 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne 4 door sedan that was V8 powered. The image was dated 1963, and the rocker panels looked like they were at least five years old. And the no name camp trailer was a nice size for a couple or small family.
Thanks for joining us and have a great day!
The Shorecrest looks more like a motel than an apartment; it almost looks like a boat.
The parcel behind the odd-looking four-plex (or whatever it is) looks like its for another similar building. These structures are rarely one of a kind.
An Oldsmobile was a good choice in 1954, a new design that would still look up to date in 1957, something that can’t be said about many Detroiters from that year, including some from GM (every Chevy that wasn’t a Corvette).
A few years back I ran across a storage lot with about 100 new BMWs on it, Every. Single. One. was painted a monotone greyscale color. Not even one dark red or blue to liven things up.
It took me a while to find the Shorecrest, since that was a common name. But it looks like it was located in Hollywood, Florida… built in 1950 as an 8-unit apartment building, but rented by the week or season too.
Amazingly, the building is still standing, and the then-and-now comparison below is a good representation of the Death of Color:
Google StreetView link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LhmgqnNock7qvYeF7
The last of these fantastic photos reminded me of my grandparents winter stay at Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch in Arizona. They pulled their 1964 thirty-two foot Silver Streak travel trailer with their 1967 Chrysler Newport sedan (383 cid) and parked it for the winter at the guest ranch and did the maintenance and housekeeping chores for the guest ranch cabins. That’s me with the Silver Streak.
Some active, grandparents!
Love that blue Pontiac.Its a really great looking ride.
My grandfather’s car was a 1956 Chevy Bel Air 2 door sedan; purchased new and driven until he passed away in 1972. It had a striking two tone finish — as near as I can tell from the color charts, Calypso Cream over Grecian Gold.
The “yellow Chevy” was equipped with the 265 V8 and Powerglide transmission. My grandfather loved his car and was obsessive about maintenance to ensure that it always looked and ran like new. I’ve never seen one like ‘it in the wild’.
Today’s new car buyers find huge wheels to be more artistic than colors.
Huge monthly, payments too.
I so miss the early 1960’s when cars like this were everywhere along with those beautiful (to me anyway) late 30’s ~ mid 40’s Art Deco coupes, just beaters but so beautiful =8-) .
-Nate
Love the colors and chrome. The picture of the red & white 1955 Olds is a ’98’ not an ’88’.
Thank you for your comment, Alfred. I always enjoy your comments and stories.
Here is how I arrived at my Olds 88 ID. At first glance, I too thought it was a Ninety-Eight because of the two tone style. But when I looked at the brochure I saw all three series of the Holiday Sedan used the Ninety-Eight two tone style. I also saw the Ninety-Eight and Super 88 had a chrome rocker panel molding, but the 88 did not. And since I did not see a molding in the photo, I went with the 88.
Attached is a screen shot of the brochure from oldcarbrochures.org
Can’t quite get a bead on the boat behind the ’58 Dodge but the motor is a ’56 Johnson 30hp. One of OMC’s big twins made from about 1955 to early ’70s the time.that was maybe the best outboard ever made, one sees therm still in use all ther time. I have the 1958 Johnson Super Sea Horse 35 version on our 1958 Oasis Craft that sits on a 1958 Tee Nee trailer… classic vintage marine!
The 54 Nash Rambler “Hardtop Convertible”……obviously a hardtop, but what was “convertible about it?
No post/pillar, Simulates a convert,with the top, up. (silly, marketing, thing)
Here’s the ’58 Super Sea Horse 35, one of the flashy outboard motors of the time, 2 tone and lots of chrome, just like the cars.
Our 1958 boat is 2 tone as well, white and red.
I continue to be amazed at your proficiency at ID’ing the model year of these cars. I love the two toning of the ’50s. Hard to believe than many of these color combos would have been considered fairly restrained by the standards of the time.
One comment seems in order though. The Navy man with the 55 Olds is a Navy Chief – short for Chief Petty Officer. While Chief Petty Officers are non-commissioned officers, they would not be called an officer by other Navy personnel. Becoming a Chief is a huge career milestone in the Navy. It is a title worn with considerable pride by those who earned it. A Chief might even consider it a bit insulting to be referred to as an officer.
I’m also amazed by Patrick’s ability to ID cars.
With the Navy man photo, I was amused how he had a license plate with the prefix “LST” – since LST (Landing Ship, Tank) was a well-known Navy acronym of the day.
Thank you both for your kind words. Obviously I am not a military man, so I better stick with cars…
Randerson, did you see the Chrysler Fire Power sign over the back of the boat storage?
The red and white 1955 Olds 98 4 door Holiday hardtop was a mid 1955 model year announcement. There was a separate showroom brochure issued as the main 1955 Olds brochure did not feature them. They were a huge hit and I am sure lead to 1956 4 door hardtops being so prevalent.
That “Merc”, in the first pic is beautiful.
Chrome on the cars and Kodachrome in the cameras!
Actually the Navy Officer is a non-commissioned Chief Petty Officer. Can’t see if there are any stars above the anchor. Those three gold slashes on his sleeve means 12 years of good conduct.
Fortunately Ford continued two-tone colors on their F-100 to the ends of the 60’s. Today it is either a sea of white, or a sea of grays, or a sea of blacks. What a waste of the human retina.
I think the boat ramp is at Reid Park on the Detroit river, south and slightly west of the old Chrysler Jefferson Avenue factory complex. You can see the old Chrysler sign with it’s 1951 Fire-Power addition in the background, atop the old Kerchival Avenue body plant.
Map link here: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3723824,-82.9644444,1395m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcxNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
On the ’53 Buick Roadmaster, judging by the trees, it looks as if those black walls are snow tires, at least the rears. Brings back memories of my childhood, when we always had eight out-of-season tires stacked in our 2-car garage.
Keen Kat Welch says “awsome classic retro”.
In the picture of the gentleman in the Navy … he was not an officer. He was a career enlisted man.