September 2010 – CARS-YDSE.com

1953 Studebaker Pickup Truck

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This is a 1949-1953 Studebaker truck. I was amazed to see it just a few blocks from our home in San Francisco. It’s in great shape, given its age. It could actually be a 1949-1952, I can’t tell but I went with the 1953 because it was the newest of the basic design. Note the split windshield.

The fact is the truck division had become stagnant. Though the reasons for this are somewhat unclear, it may have been the result of president Paul Hoffman’s departure, which ironically came just as the 1949 trucks were being introduced in May 1948. Hoffman was a strong proponent of the truck division and without his support and encouragement, it quickly fell on hard times. Additionally, Studebaker was struggling in its automobile division.

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1964 Chevrolet Corvair

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OK, I blew this one. I did not get a front shot. I was on an urban hike this May and came around the corner and there it was. The group I was with made a quick left and I stopped to take these shots. As I took these, I noticed a Fiat sedan in incredible shape parked just to the left and I moved on to cover the Fiat. I will post the Fiat soon.

Corvairs have a special place in my heart, especially the convertibles. I once owned one of these as my first car. Although this one seems to be a 1964, I had a 1965 convertible that I purchased used from my cousin. My cousin tried in vain to not sell me the car. He claimed it looks great but it seldom ran three days in a row without a problem. He was right but I loved this car.

The car leaked oil, the front-end had to be replaced and those were just the major issues. The lesser issues I don’t even remember. I sold the car after two years and its fan belt broke the day I sold it. But that’s another story. I’ll add that story when I come across a 1965.

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1956 Chrystler Newport

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I have written several pssts on Chrysler Corporation’s gamble in the 1957 model year. I had not realized that this (the 1957 line) was the second dramatic design change in two years. When I did some research on this 1956 Chrysler, I found that the 1955 and 1956 were the “Forward Look” era. This was followed in 1957 by the “Swept Wing” look which again dramatically changes the entire line.

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I remember my grandfather trading in his 1950 Dodge for a 1955 4 door Chrysler Windsor, the low end of the product line.

Few automobile companies have ever fielded products that were as dramatically different as the entire 1955 Chrysler Corporation’s line. From the lowliest Plymouth to the most majestic Chrysler Custom Imperial, these cars were downright breathtaking. No longer could the Chrysler’s vehicles be thought of as conservative or dowdy in styling. Touted as “The Forward Look” ……

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1963-4 Austin Healey 3000 MK III

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This is a great example of the British sports cars of the early ’60s. This model, the Mark III, was produced from 1963 until the end of Austin Healey production in 1967. The car was sort of a poor-man’s XKE which was unveiled about two years before the Mark III.

The 3000 Mk III was launched in October 1963, and remained in production until the end of 1967 when production of Austin-Healeys finally ceased. (One further car was built in March 1968.) Classified as the BJ8, the new model was the most powerful and luxurious of the big Healeys, with a walnut-veneer dash, wind up windows, and 150 hp (112 kW) engine. Improvements to the engine included a new camshaft and valve springs, and twin SU 2″ HD8 carburettors, together with a new design of exhaust system. Servo-assisted brakes were now fitted as standard. Only 2+2 seat versions were made. Option extras were similar to those offered for the MkII, the main change being that the standard interior trim was now Ambla vinyl, with leather seats being added to the list of options.

In May 1964 the Phase II version of the MkIII was released, which had a modified rear chassis to allow rear ground clearance to be increased, and subsequently, in March 1965 the car also gained separate indicators.

17,712 were made.

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1972 Aston Martin V8

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We were in London last week and talk about cars you don’t see everyday, this is the city to see them. Just down the block from our hotel, one of the residents had this 1972 or so vehicle in really great shape. The car barely moved for the entire week were there.

I found this information on www.Astonmartins.com.

In April 1972, the DBSV8 was replaced by a car simply known as the Aston Martin V8. Although the company had recently been taken over by Company Developments, work on the revised design had begun under David Browns ownership. The new look to the V8 was principally to the front of the car with two 7 inch quartz iodine headlamps and black mesh grill.

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