It’s new car day at CC today, or more precisely, new cars as they were day. All thanks to some images from Chrysler’s Forward Look days that I recently came across, back when these were new and on display in varied settings, from showrooms to what look like various events. Ready for a look at these chrome-finned wonders?
We start with the opening shot of a 1957 Custom Royal on display in Pittsburgh.
A crowd surrounds a 1955 Dodge in a Quebec Dodge-DeSoto dealer’s showroom.
Back to Pittsburgh, but still in 1955, a Custom Royal Lancer convertible.
Let’s remain in what looks like the same location, but one year forward with this 1956 convertible in a couple of glamour shots.
And back to the Dodge-DeSoto Quebec dealer, with a crowd now next to a 1959 Custom Royal.
I admit it was a short visit today, but stay tuned for the Chrysler-Plymouth installment.
Here’s my Grampy A. in his new ’57 “Swept-wing” Dodge Coronet 2 door hardtop… he was a loyal Dodge man for decades!
My grandfather bought a new ’58 Coronet 4 door sedan in pea green but I am not as fortunate as you and have no photo 🙁
Are you sure it wasn’t the metallic pea?
If you think you hate it now…
😀
Classic Chevy Chase and Gene Levy
My cousin posed, late 1950s, in a cutaway view Chrysler model. Hard to describe without seeing the picture again, But it was a car without one side. Apparently it was a demo that traveled from dealer to dealer or was a feature at the auto show.
I think the ’56 was the best of these. Very elegant. Over the top after that.
I certainly remember those days. The new models would be hidden away and the showroom windows would be covered in paper until the official reveal day. Crowds of people would come in to look at the new models. What fun it was!
I was just reading Aaron Severson’s piece on the Studebaker Hawk on the weekend, and when I saw the 1955 Dodge in Quebec here, I wondered if they drew inspiration from the styling of the Hawk for the grille work on the Dodge. Sort of the mustachio look for the two piece fascia.
Now if that damn kid will just move to the side, I’d like to pick up my Dodge Crusader or Royal or whatever model it is – please.
The long winter evenings must have fairly flown by in late Fifties Quebec – I suppose it was ice hockey or gawp at the new Dodge .
Love these photos. Thanks for sharing. I always looked forward to seeing the new models – CARS THAT IS! However, I still do not forget the gal posing by the 1957 Pontiac at The New Tork Auto Show.
The kids in the ’55 crowd scene don’t look particularly interested in the car. If I had been there I would have been inside the car fiddling with all the knobs, or looking under the hood . The dealer would have been signaling my parents to get that pesky kid out of there!
I’ve long maintained that these forward look cars, especially the 1955-56 single headlamp variants, were among the best looking American cars of the 1950s and maybe unmatched until the 61 Continental.
Studying American Cars of the 1950s helped make me a Curbivore and I think others studied too, not least David Bache at Rover when he was styling the P5.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/qotd/qotd-what-made-you-a-curbivore/
Didn’t like Dodge much as a child, I do now, these are all wonderful .
-Nate
My first car was my grandparents 1956 Dodge Custom Royal. They bought it new and it had the 315 poly V8 with power pack (4 bbl. Carb and dual exhaust. It was in 1968 after they purchased a new Plymouth Fury. That poly sounded great without “Smitty’s” but absolutely wonderful with them.
The black `57 Custom Royal Lancer coupe certainly has a presence , with it’s toothy grille & spinner wheelcovers!
I don’t know if it’s just the Christine effect that makes forward look cars seem evil, but notice that everyone is keeping a respectful distance from the 1959 Custom Royal.
The high ceilings, temporary curtain backdrops, and double doors with EXIT signs in the Pittsburgh photos suggest to me that this was a car show at a public facility rather than a dealer showroom.