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Memories From Cars Over The Last 70 years

When we look back in time small things or words can jog our own memories

1940 Dodge D14 Sedan

Memory Posted By: Mike C



The 1940 Dodge, D14, 4 door sedan was advertized as having "Floating Power" because of the new style suspension. It also had sealed beam headlamps. This one was originalkly purchased by some Nuns at a convent in Tacoma, Washington.

1942 Olds Model 66

Memory Posted By: 42Olds



42 Olds Model 66 Club Coupe. One of few 42's produced prior to wartime shutdown of 2/5/1942. This car is an original restoration including factory color of Ambassador Red.

Love of Nash Cars From The 40s Nash 1948

Memory Posted By: Ralph Marontate



I first fell in love with Nash cars when I was seven. My grandfather bought a new 1939 Lafayette sedan. I remember going on trips up North and to the dealers with my grandfather. When I was in High School the 1948 Nash was my favorite car. I have owned scores of Nash cars across the years. I now have restored low millage 1948 Nash 600 and a 1940 Lafayette.

Learnt to drive with Ford V8 Station Wagon 1946

Memory Posted By: walter

I learnt to drive in a Ford V8 Station Wagon in 1946 in Durban South Africa. I was in the RAF and did my driving on Durban Docks. It was very scary because of the Zulu barrow boys darting out from everyware, it was good training. I have just seen an identical model at a Northallerton vintage car rally. It brought back many memories. Walter

Dads 1948 Chrysler

Memory Posted By: Dad car



I think this a 1948 Chyrsler that my dad had from the 40's

1934 Buick purchased new

Memory Posted By: Rose Moore

When I was a child in the 1940s and 50s, my Dad had the same 1934 Buick he had purchased new when he was a bachelor. By this time, this old car made us a laughing stock among our peers. But I still remember the "rushing leaves" sound the motor made when Dad arrived home every night from his railroad job. I would be in bed by the time he arrived home, but I'd leave the window open a crack so I could hear his car. When he died in 1955, we still owned the car. A few years later, Mom sold it to a neighbor boy for $10. It made her sad to see it in the garage with no one driving it. Rose Moore, Ohio, USA


add You Memory


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Remembering th 1950s

The 50's were the boomer years and the children from those years are now the parents and grandparents who caused that boom in the birthrate

The 50's also were one of the last decades where the traditional roles of the woman staying at home and being a homemaker and the man as the sole breadwinner for a family.

Due to these family dynamics it was also the heyday of the TV daytime soap opera which a drama shown during the day when the man of the family was at work and the ( Soap Manufacturers )advertisers could target a very specific audience " the stay at home mum.

Following on from the end of World War the cold war became a grim reality because both sides had the power and technology for a Nuclear holocaust, but equally both knew any war could not truly be won.

This is also the first decade where the worlds economy was driven by consumer demand for the goods that were now available and were produced in large numbers in Japan for consumption by the rest of the western world and many of the household names that are part of our daily lives including Sony date from that period.

This is also the decade that many of inventions and technology developed during war time could be adapted for peacetime including harnessing nuclear energy for use as electricity with first nuclear power stations built towards the end of the decade and the groundwork for today's digital revolution with the invention of the microchip and the computer modem.

Towards the end of the decade the cars continued to get larger with bigger front and rear fins and nobody worried about MPG gas was a mere 25 cents

Music: At the beginning of the decade the crooners were still popular but by the end of the 50's a new genre of music was born and some of the greats who started at the end of the 50's included Elvis ( the Pelvis ) Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley and the Comets setting the stage for the groups of the 60's

This was also the decade where the Television became a major part of most families lives and the birth of "Rock N Roll"

Please try to speak to parents and grandparents to try to understand how different it was in the 50's where after the war years many families were started while sharing a home with parents because of the lack of housing and the boom in children , if your parents are willing to share memories on The People History please do but if not at least they will have been passed on and not lost.

Cadillac 1948 Series Limo

Memory Posted By: Jeffrey Lewis Knapp



I remember during the mid to late 1950’s my father Milton E Knapp came home with a Cadillac. It was a series 75 limousine with out a divider window. It had suicide doors and a flathead motor. The car was in good shape and very powerful. I’m guessing at the year of 1948 because that is the closes looking in style and shape. Dad used the Cadillac Limousine to pull a plow and plant the ten acres we had in Sheldon California in wheat. The Cadillac had wheat growing from all the seams of the car for quite awhile. The planting of the wheat happened in the year 1957 or 1958. Dad became ill in December 1959 and never recovered. Mom sold the Cadillac series 75 limousine to Bob Batey in 1962. I wrote to Bob and he does not recall the car. Bob owned Bob Batey Chevrolet in Elk Grove California for many years. I often wonder if the car is still around. I have lived in Arizona for the past thirty five years. Jeffrey Lewis Knapp, Mesa Arizona Nov. 2006. Happy holidays. The photo is from the Internet. It is what I remember the car looking like since I do not have an original photo.

1950's Oldsmobile

Memory Posted By: ronro1951



Wife and I drove this car from Ft lauderdale, Fl to home in Oregon

Plymouth Business Coupe

Memory Posted By: Bob in Boca Raton



Bought it well-used for $15.00 with a blown engine. Pulled the burned-out 6-cyl. engine with a rope over a thick branch.Bought a well-used replacement from a 52 Dodge and put it in. It was EXACTLY the same!Couldn't afford a battery, so I 'borrowed' one from a friend and got someone to pull me because the clutch was frozen.Oh, no brakes, because the lines had corroded, but the terrific Chrysler parking brake around the drive shaft was enough to do the job for a while.Never did get her started, but the tow/ride was EXCITING! I had to abandon it when a State Trooper spotted us pulling it across a paved road after travelling along dirt roads for about 3 hours! The ticket cost about $40.00, and I had to really scratch around to get that much to pay the fine!I still have the floor gear-shift knob, tho.The Business Coupe was a 2-seater with access to the 7' long trunk from behind the passenger seat. The spare was behind the driver's seat.I had great plans for that car, to make it into a street rod, but it never happened....tuck and roll Naugahyde seats, dash, trunk liner - the WORKS! LOLWhen I was working on pulling the engine, I could attach a battery and listen to the AM radio. THAT was a thrill!Oh, all this took place in 1962/63 in Great Barrington, Mass. when I was around 18 years old.I did drive around the area a couple of years later, and MAY have spotted the car in a junk yard, but the yard was closed and I didn't have any money to buy it anyway. *sigh* The car in the pic is NOT my car. I never got a pic of it. I found this on the web, and I believe it is the correct model.

First Car 1966 Ford Fairlane

Memory Posted By: Bill



I remember my first car, A 1966 Ford Fairlane GT, It had just under 38,000. miles on it when My dad bought it for me for $650.00 dollars . Powder Blue with dark blue hand drawn with a feather flame pin stripes TC top loader trans, hotchkis poss rear, 390 big block 335 horses stock, This was my car in Fresno at Hoover high school class of 78 Oh yea gas was a terible .58c a gal. for premium a few years earlier I was paying .43c a gal. (Mini Bike) Bill

Hillman First Car

Memory Posted By: Guy



This was my first car (14 y old when purchasing...) I was only eighteen, I had to sell the car back when I went 15 months later into the belgian army

1965 Chevy Impala

Memory Posted By: Jase



In 1972 I bought a 1965 Chevy Impala for $700 dollars,It was a burgundy 2-door hard-top with chrome bumpers , it was big and very comfortable with Great head room, leg room and a great looking car with a big 325hp, I was the envy of all my friends and drove it untill 1982 when it went to scrap, when I see what they are worth now I could kick myself.

I never had a picture of my car but this is one off the Internet

Comment From Iv-Elouan Bruneau said... I own the Impala on the picture, which was taken in France near my parents' place. It's great to see that you took it as a reference to your former ride. The engine is a modest 283 with 3 speed manual transmission. Good luck with your search.

1940 Buick 76C

Memory Posted By: Greg

My fathers 1940 Buick roadmaster conv cpe. He bought it after WW2 and used it into the early sixties. We drove it across the country in the 50s - many memoeies. I still have 'Beauregard'and my son has used it on his prom, wedding and friends weddings. we still cruise it from time to time

1950 Nash Statesman Super when I was 15

Memory Posted By: Jim S

I had a 1950 Nash Statesman Super when I was 15. I loved that old car. I wired it together to keep the battery from falling over in a turn and to keep the muffler from falling off. I rebuilt the carburator and had a spring left over but it still ran good. I liked the "bullet" on the steering column and the "roll down" cover on the dash. Being 15 and not having a Dad close to advise me, I didn't know to put anti-freeze in it and it froze solid. I sold it for $17.50. Sure wish I still had it.

First Car Mercury Comet

Memory Posted By: Cincy kid

It was my dad's 11-year-old 1965 Mercury Comet. 202 c.i.d. straight 6 cyl, 80 HP on a good day, power nothing, no radio, lots of bare metal in the interior. Bone simple. Would do high 70s at the end of a long straightaway and had the handling of � well, a '65 Comet (with a beam axle, heavy front end and narrow little tires, it would spin out under any kind of heavy braking, wet pavement or dry). But it never quit. At least, it didn't until it had over 150,000 miles on it and three years of heavy abuse from me. Blew the head gasket. Someone bought it off of us, fixed it for cheap and, for all I know, may still be driving it. Funny thing is, it semed like a perfectly sensible car for a teen at the time. Cheap, dependable, nothing to break. Too sensible for my tastes, though I admired its durability. But it was unsafe at any speed. In addition to the handling quirks mentioned, it had an unpadded dash, no shoulder belt and the crashworthiness of a tomato can. You wouldn't dream of putting your kid in a car like that now.

1957 Chevrolet Corvette

Memory Posted By: Jake

Of all the cars I have ever owned my favorite, must be my 1957 Chevrolet Corvette. I owned it over 20 years ago and my biggest regret is ever selling it it was the last year for the singal headlights, and one of the first years for fuel injection. I had it in red/white and even today with all the latest gizmos in cars I would buy one again if I could find as nice and the same as I had, also only want to pay the same price for gas as I did in those days Oh Well!!

1952 Oldsmobile Super 88

Memory Posted By: Charlie

The day I bought my brand new powder blue and white 1952 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Cpe. I was 22 years old so my Dad had to sign for me. The car was sitting on the showroom floor and it had a sun visor over the windshield which I did not want. The salesman agreed to have it removed so we had a deal. The total price of the car out the door was $3,954.57. That was a lot of money back in May, 1952, especially for a 22 year old kid. The car came with what they called group 4 $323.70. I remember in the group 4 was included a clock which was mounted in one of the spokes in the steering wheel which would wind up when the steering wheel was turned. On top of the dash in the center where the clock would normally be was a compass. Extras were hydramatic $178.35, Backup lights $21.16, air cleaner $6.53, gas filter $5.00, underseal $35.00, glaze $15.00.

By 1956 I was married and had a new baby so the car had to go and in its place was a new 1956 VW bug. Oh that was hard parting with that car! I often wonder what ever happened to it.

Nash Metropolitan

Memory Posted By: Jim Atkinson

I find it humorous that the 1958 Nash Metropolitan is described above as having a "sports car flavor." A high school girl in my small hometown of Houston, Miss. used to drive one of those around town, and my high school friends and I thought it was as strange as a UFO in the sky. We often made fun of it, and certinly someone forgot to let us know that it had a "sports car flavor." Of course, even a volkswagon small car was rare back then in Houston, but we didn't make fun of those as being stupid looking, ugly cars as we did the girl's unique-in-Houston Nash Metro. By the way, I think it's kind of cute now.

Hillman Minx

Memory Posted By: Ken Silver

I bought a used Hillman Minx for $600 in l958. It was a square black car with orange turn signals that came out of the side of the car between the windows. It also had an open glove compartment. I believe the car had a 5-shift transmission and the starter pulled out from the dash. It later pulled completely out and the care lasted about 9 months. It would not make it up a long steep hill. I would like to know the possible year of the car.

Comments

Craig said...

I had one and hated it as well was for ever breaking down

Anonymous said...

It was a 1949-54 model. Jan Eyerman (current owner of 2 Hillman Minxes)

Nostalgia said...

I bought a 1953 model in 1958. I went on a holiday with a few friends from Singapore to Kota Tinggi, Malaysia. On the way home, the engine was overheated. We had no water container and had to use a rubbish bin to collect water from the stream. The radiator water dried up after about ten minutes. We were in the country side and there was no houses or shops nearby. So, we had to sourced for water wherever we could. Very frustrating indeed. By the time we reached home the car engine block cracked.

Anonymous said...

Hillman Imp

Memory Posted By: Col

The worst car I ever owned was a Hillman Imp it was for ever overheating and breaking down on me, and I never could rely on it as a reliable form of transport, when I was going to buy it everybody told me not to as it would allways break down but it was all I could afford so I bought it any way. The worst part of it seemed to be the water pump which kept on stopping to work and as it was so hard to work on it made it even worse.

Renaults During the 50's and 60's

Memory Posted By: Texas Love

My Family owned two Renaults during the 50's 4CV and in the 60's a Dauphine. As I remember (unlike many Americans) we liked our little cars very much! Dad was sad to see Renault leave the US Market.

1955 Ford Crown Victoria

Memory Posted By: JACK B

In 1955 I saw what I thought was the most beautiful car I had ever saw I was 14 years old at the time.It was A 1955 ford crown Victoria sea spirit green and snow shoe white. In 1999 44 years later I bought one the same color. AND I STILL THINK IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR I EVER SAW

1959 Metro

Memory Posted By: somerville

I saw my first metro in 1959 a new aqua over white beauty that was driven by a lttle old lady in Cresco Iowa. Always wanted one now have six. Perfectly pretty little things then as now

my first car 1958 Ford Custom

Memory Posted By: Rose Moore

My first car was a 1958 Ford Custom, bottom of the line; stick shift; plain black;no radio(a luxury then, but I stuck a small plastic orange transister radio up on the dash; no windshield washers (who did have them at the time?)... I was a young news reporter, even covering the local aviation scene, and that car faithfully took me everywhere. It had quite an exciting life in the news business.

A fellow reporter had a beautiful canary yellow Chevy Belair which was THE car at the time. Yet, he occasionally offered to trade cars with me (and I accepted but never for more than a few hours) and later he told me why. It was something I already had discovered because I had a lead foot---that car was a great speed=shifter. I had that car until 1960 when I got married, and in those days a lot of couples starting out discovered they could not support two cars, so I sacrificed it in favor of my husband's car.

We both grew to regret that, because his brand-new Studebaker Lark was nothing but trouble for us. Six years later I needed a transportation special and paid $200 for a battered by great running 58 Ford that looked just like the one I had sold in 1960. While cleaning it out, I found one of my own newspaper notebooks under the seat; it was my old car which I had always regretted selling. Quite a few years later I had to admit it was time to help that car give up the ghost. A friend of mine owned a junk yard and bought it for parts.

But when he heard my sentimental feelings about that car, he immediately decided not to chop it up. Instead, he gave it a spectacular "death", burning it immediately before the eyes of myself and my husband---parts and all. It was a spectacular wake for a car I loved, back in the days when we really did become attached to our cars. Unfortunately, I no longer have a photo of that car; it I did, it would be in my albums with photos of family members. R. Moore of Ohio

Ford Lincolns 50's

Memory Posted By: Cosmo50

Lincolns in my life. My dad was a Ford man and traveled a lot by two lane blacktop roads. He always chose Mercury's till one day he got a 1949 Black Lincoln Cosmopolitan, no Baby Lincoln either, it was the long one and it was a coupe. It drew stares wherever we went as a family. This week I am picking up my 1950 Black Lincoln Cosmopolitan 4 DR from the very state I grew up in Ohio, I now live in NY state and this fulfills a dream of mine to have a black Lincoln like dear old Dad!

Jaguar E Type

Memory Posted By: Don

I remember seeing these cars as a kid and always wanted to own one . Today I am the proud owner of a Jaguar E Type Series 1 and is my dream come true, I think , there has never been a prettier, more well designed car than the E-Type. I bought her in 2003. She had only had 1 owner since new and was still in fair condition and I have spent 2 years bringing her back to where she is today.

1968 Camero,327 SS Great 60's Years

Memory Posted By: Bill

In july of 1966 I enlisted in the NAVY for 4 years . After making 3rd class in 1968 I had enough money to put a down payment on a 1968 Camero,327 SS .Them were really great years .Nothing has ever come close except for my son being born in 1973. I wish I could go back and do it all over nothing different.

> 1969 Chevy Camero SS convertible

Memory Posted By: Bob Nathanson

1969 Chevy Camero SS convertible - 'electric blue' paint

350ci - 300hp 4bbl High-Output engine

4-speed Hurst 'rock-crusher' trans.

electric top

dual exhaust

power steering, brakes, windows, locks

STEREO AM/FM radio with a rear-seat speaker!!

...approximate cost (if memory serves correctly) - $3,800.00

> 1966 Volkswagen Beetle

Memory Posted By: Steve Sopko

I have the sticker off my brand new 1966 VW bug... fully loaded with AM FM SWave radio in dash......and even a U.S. $3 optionalpassenger side outdoor rear view mirror. The sticker price was :$1654.00 U.S.

> My First Corvette

Memory Posted By: Bill Birch

The year was 1967, I just purchased my first Corvette. It might not seem like such a big deal but I was 20 and on cloud 9. I still remember how I felt driving that car. It was a 327-365HP coupe. I loved that car. Now I'm 60 and have owned several other Corvettes, but none will ever take the place of my first one. I still drive a sports car and probably always will. I just bought a 07 Tiburon, my brother has a 07 Soltice. I'm curious to see which one is fastest. Bye the way we're both cops. See ya on the street.

> My Subaru

Memory Posted By: Bill



I have had different cars all my life but by far the best has been my Subaru , it is now 10 years old , bought it new in 1996, and it has never given us any problems in that time we have over 150,000 miles on it and have used it cross country and daily driving in Ice and Snow blizzards when the AWD is beyond belief we see trucks and SUV's struggling all the time and our Subie just ploughs through it all and the handling is great. Our Subie is a go anywhere do anything car pulls my boat and trailer and I would love a new one but can find no excuse to change to another at the moment

> I Loved My Hillman

Memory Posted By: artichoke



Despite indifferent comments in other posts about Hillmans the Californian model from 1955 owned by my brother and self was a brilliant, good looking and reliable car! In a moment of utter stupidity I sold the car on 20 years later which was still in perfect condition and a real head turner. I wanted a change! Wish I still had it. Hillmans are long gone sadly, another great British make down the pan.

> My very first car AMC Hornet 1974

Memory Posted By: Texas Buckeye

My very first car was a yellowish colored 1974 AMC Hornet. My brothers warned me not to buy an AMC but did I listen? I was so proud of the car and yellow was my favorite color so I was very content when I drove home that day. I don't remember all the problems I had with it anymore but I kept taking it to Gates Electric to try and find out where the short was that kept causing problems. They were a very good company but they couldn't put their finger on the problem either, even after several trips to them and my mechanic.

I lived in central Ohio and one day, we had an ice storm. My boss started letting some of us leave about 1/2 hour early (we all started at various times) so we could get out and get our vehicles warmed up, get the very hard ice off the windows and try to get home before the rush hour. I normally got off at 4pm so I walked the 2 icy blocks around 330, anxious to get home before the roads got any worse. I go to my car and guess who doesn't have heat or front window defrost? This is when rear window defrost was fairly new and before the wires were put in the windows for the rear window defrost. I had a fan that blew on the rear window and that heated some but I could not get the front window defrost to work.... at all !! Only cold air blew out which only made the ice that much harder.

It was windy and very cold and still sleeting as I tried desperately to clean my windows. That ice would not come off and I kept getting in the car because my fingers, toes, nose and ears were so cold, then I'd get out and scrape some more. I watched so many others come, scrape and leave and I sat there at one point with tears in my eyes as I continued to struggle with my dilemma. Two hours later I had enough ice off the two front side windows and a hole about the size of two grapefruits cleared on the driver's side windshield and since the rush hour people were now home, I slowly maneuvered home in the dark.

I took the car back to Gates again the next week and told them what happened and they checked the fan motor for the front window and "wahla" ... there was a short in the thing !! I still haven't figured out why they didn't find that before. They asked if I wanted to spend $35 to get a new motor and I told them no, no, no, I had bought the car a year before and I was getting rid of this lemon and getting me another car. And I did, $2000 later and very sorry I hadn't taken my brother's advice.

1950's Fashion

With the economic boom in the Fifties, glamour become fashionable once again and A-line and pencil skirts were very popular form-fitting fashions. Dresses in the decade would often feature stylish ruffles or lace accents and were usually knee-length or tea-length. Going into the late fifties and 1960s mini-dresses and maxi-length skirt outfits entered the scene. The mid-50's trends in women's fashion changed again. Round-neck styles on sleeveless shirts or long sleeve shirts were popular, as well as polo-necks. Dolman sleeves dominated fashionable tops in the fifties and sixties, The examples below are from Our new updated Fifties Fashion Section, with examples of Ladies, Mens and Children's Fashion Clothes and Accessory examples including dresses, hats, shoes and much more take a little time to browse through them

Ladies Dresses From The 1950's

Examples of Ladies Dresses From The 1950's

Ladies Shoes and Hats From The 1950's

Examples of Ladies Shoes From The 50's

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