They Made How Many? 1959

I haven’t done one of these in a while, but I was reading an article from the ” Worlds Most Excellent” automotive publishing enterprise – Hemmings.  An article in the January 2017 issue of Classic Cars publication is a piece written by Jeff Koch (who is their – West Coast/Southwest guy) on GM’s Flattop designed cars of the 1959-1960 era.  These were massive cars with huge trunks and tons of  wrap around glass.

This a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville Flattop 4 door

This a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville Flattop 4 door- ain’t it huge?

According to the article these were just a two-year deal – ’59-’60.  So that got me to thinking how many were made?

Over all car production for 1959, which still saw the likes of DeSoto, Edsel (its last gasp of breath), Studebaker,  Imperial (as a separate brand…again) and even the Metropolitan, as producer of cars.    The leader for that year was Chevrolet in first place with just over 1.46 million cars produced followed by Ford in close range with 1.45 million cars produced.  The rest of the field looked like this:

Plymouth with 458, 261 (in third place which gives you an idea how the rest fared) followed by  Pontiac with 383k, then  Oldsmobile with 382K and  Rambler with 374k.   Buick managed 285K and  Dodge produced 156k, which was just slightly than Mercury with 15ok and Cadillac with 142K cars produced.  The field rounded out with Studebaker driving 126k out of the factory and a substantial for Chrysler with just 69, followed by Desoto with 45k, Edsel with 44k and Lincoln/Continental with just 26k.  At the bottom stood Metropolitan and Imperial 22k and 17k respectively.

So an estimated 2,655,686 cars were produced by GM in that year.  That’s a lot of flattops this include Cadillacs that didn’t escape the design.
1959-cadillac-sedan

chevrolet

Nor did the Corvair!!

So where are the now?  I just don’t see that many around and I’m sure it’s due to the 2 year only style and finding all that wrap around glass.

Have you seen one of these cool designed GM Flattops?  Drop me a note and pic and I’ll publish it up.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

I don't really need a Lambo....but.....

#TheyMadeHowMany

#projectsprotsroof

Car Production Numbers. They Made How Many? 1901

This is it. The beginning of it all.     What were they making in 1901? The top producer was the Locomobile car company with a total out put for the year 1,500 cars. Winton was second with 700 cars. Oldsmobile (ahh one we’ve heard of!!) was third with 425. White came in fourth with 193. Autocar was next …
Car Production Numbers. They Made How Many? 1911

1911 oh… that was a great year!  Well I don’t actually have any proof of that, but there sure were a lot of new car makes that year.  Here the list: Alpena; ArBenz; Atterbury; Carhartt, Case, Chevrolet; Colby, Crow-Elkhart, Dalton, Gaylord, Havers, Hupp-Yeats; King; Lenox; Mighty Michigan; Motorette; Nyberg: Penn; Rayfield; …
Car Production Numbers. They Made How Many? 1922

It is 1922 and the car industry is moving right along.  Small start-up car companies pop up here and there in the 1920’s. Here is how they stacked up for 1922. Top spot was Ford  producing 1,147,028 cars. Dodge was a very distant second with 152,653 car rolling off their assembly line. Chevrolet ran …
Car Production Numbers. They Made How Many? 1928

The Roaring Twentys – a great time in US social and economic history.  1928 things still looked pretty good and no indication of the tough economic times that would lead to the terrible 30’s. 1928 saw 8 car companies fighting it out for market shares. Chevy lead the way with just over a million …

Auto Factoids for the Week of May 17 2015 – Dodge, Buick and Goodyear!

Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids)for middle week in May 2015!

 

May 17,  1868 – Happy Birthday Horace Dodge (Niles, Michigan)

Horace was one of the original Dodge brothers.  He was born into a working family, with Dad owning as machine shop.  In 1903, he and his brother John won a contract to produce transmissions for Oldsmobile and the following took a contract building engine for Henry Ford.  They build their own plant in 1910 and John eventually became a vice president at Ford.  By 1913 they ended their relationship with Ford and began producing their own vehicles – trucks and ambulances mainly for military use and most found service in WWI.

Horace

Horace

Dodge Half Ton Truck

Dodge Half Ton Truck

 

May 19, 1903 – Buick Incorporates – Buick is the oldest (longest running) active car manufacturer in North America – well brand name is the oldest, still active.  Buick started out as Auto-VIM and power company in 1899 as an engine manufacturer and produced  two prototype.   In 1903 it was incorporated by David Dunbar Buick and produced their first car in 1904.

First Buick

First Buick

 

May 22, 1929   – Goodyear Blimp took its maiden flight.   Still provides some of the best auto racing coverage!!!

Goodyear Blimp.

Goodyear Blimp.

 

May 23, 1875  – Alfred Sloan was born in New Heaven Conn.   He headed up GM as President and guided it through some iconic car designs.

Alfred P. Sloan

Alfred P. Sloan

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#AutoFactoids

 

 autofactoids

Auto Factoids for the Week of 5/10/2015

Here is this weeks AutoFactoids (#AutoFactoids). May 10, 1923 – GM names Alfred P. Sloan as president. They didn’t just pick from the streets. He was actually, a draftsman for a bearing company, Hyatt Roller Bearing.
Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E – AACA …

Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789EAuto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing1957 – 1958 saw the use of the New 283 engine in Chevy’s including …

Auto Factoids for Week of May 18, 2014

If you thought last week was light…this week is weak!!

Buick became a corporation back in 1903 back on May 19.   It eventually became a major General Motors brand with some great cars in the 60 and 70 like the A bodies GSX, the Wild Cat, and the Grand National.

1903Buickgm_first_buick_1903 1970-buick-gsx-1 BuickGNX

 

I got the Goodyear Blimp taking its first flight on May 22, 1929.  Still provides some of the best auto racing coverage!!!

blimp

 

In an earlier Auto Factoid we talked about Walter P. Sloan of GM fame, well he has a birthday coming up this week.  May 23 back in 1875 he was born in New Haven Conn.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Auto Factoids for Week of May 4, 2014

This one got lost. Better late, than never. 5/4/1923 First Le Mans 24 hour race -The original intention of the race was for a winner to be declared following.
Auto Factoids – 1970 Mustang – Ford Assembly Line …

Auto Factoids – 1970 Mustang – Ford Assembly Line http://timsweet.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/auto-factoids-1970-mustang-ford-assembly-line/ December 1, 2010. Today is the anniversary of the assembly line created by …
Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E

Good write up – rare Corvette RPO. Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing 1957 – 1958 saw the use of the …

Griot’s Cover Car Story: Rich & Marlayne’s 1957 Buick Special Estate Wagon

▶ Griot’s Cover Car Story: Cherry | Rich & Marlayne’s 1957 Buick Special Estate Wagon – YouTube.

 

This a beautiful car, especially if you like station wagons.

 

These were huge cars. Weighing well over 4K pounds.  There were two stations wagons produced that year for Buick the 49 and the 49D.  Total production  for both was 13,020 units.

The engines in the Buick Special Estate Wagons were a V8 Overhead valve, cast iron block.  The power plant displaced 364 cubic inches.  The bore was 4.125″ and the stroke was 3.4″ giving the car 9.5:1 compression ratio.  Top that will a 2 barrel Stromberg (model 7-106) or a Carter (2529 or 2536 model) carb and it could produce get about 250 hps.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

1957 buick special estate wagon

1954 Buick Special

From:  http://classicrecollections.com/2012/10/07/feature-1954-buick-special/

 

This Ocean Mist green and Arctic white 1954 Buick Special sedan is all original and was found near Chicago, Illinois.A total of 70,356 Deluxe sedans were produced in 1954.

via FEATURE: 1954 Buick Special.

This Ocean Mist green and Arctic white 1954 Buick Special sedan is all original and was found near Chicago, Illinois.

Auto Factoids for Week of Sept 30, 2012

Wow…a lot went on this week.

First up is the car that started it all.  Oct 1, 1908 the Ford Model T  went on sale.   Perhaps the only car that is always referred with the word “Model”.  You never hear it called the Ford T (like Ford Focus) or the T (like Mustang).

1908 Model T

Model T Ford – Rag Top

1927 saw the 15 millionth Model T produced and the last.

On the same day 46 years later (1954) Packard and Studebaker merged.  It was debatable was to who the merger would benefit the most.  It is was reported Packard was broke but Studebaker had money troubles as well.  This was not a great partnership.  They attempted to sell the cars separately in the same dealerships.  The Packards were just Studebaker’s President with more chrome. They were unflatteringly called “Packerbakers”.

’56 Studebaker President

57 Packardbaker – You got to love the fins!!!!!

The Packarbaker only lasted 2 years and Packard essentially ceased to exist.

Oct 1, 1974 was the last Imperial  debuted.   The Imperial was at one time its own company.  It was incorporated in to the Chrysler family and then sort of released back as its own brand.

1974 Imperial. The two configuration was the best looking.

Chevy delivered one of the most iconic cars in automotive history on Oct 2. 1959.  That was the day they debuted the Corvair.  It was a huge media blitz with some every innovative sale/marketing demonstrations.  Including running through field and stream.

Any Ralph Nader fans? This is a great car and they came in four door, station wagon and drop top configurations!!!!

On Oct. 4, 1962 Buick debuted it’s Riviera.

Distinct (grill/headlight over-hang) but familiar (Skylark like). I really liked the early Riviera, right up until the boat tail design.

Now I didn’t really want to consider this next historic moment but in my opinion this really isn’t automotive related, except that it did have tires and moved along the ground, but in 1983 on Oct 4 the land speed record was broken.  A British team accomplished with the Thurst SSC and setting the record at 633 mph.  But really it was just a plane with jet engines – minus the wings.

The UK Team’s Thrust SSC. Notes below are from the Wikipedia

The car was driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot Wing Commander Andy Green in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, United States. It was powered by two afterburning Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, as used in the British version of the F-4 Phantom II jet fighter. The car was 16.5 m (54 ft) long, 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and weighed 10.5 tons (10.7 t), and the twin engines developed a net thrust of 223 kN (50,000 lbf), a power output of 110,000 bhp (82MW),[2] burning around 18 litres per second (4.0 Imperial gallons/s or 4.8 US gallons/s). Transformed into the usual terms for car mileages based on its maximum speed, the fuel consumption was about 5,500 l/100 km or 0.04 mpg U.S.

 

Next up two debuts on the same day 11  years apart.

First 0n Oct 6 1955 the  Lincoln Continental MK II showed up at the Paris Auto show.

Look a bit like a Thunderbird in this pic.

That’s a huge grille!!! Great looking car.

 

Eleven years later in 1966 Cadillac debuted the Eldorado.  Perhaps the most famous Caddy model.

Here it is in a beautiful blue drop top configuration.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

 

Tucson Cars and Coffee

 

DSC_6365 EDIT RS

Tucson Cars & Coffee July 2012

We were lucky enough to have a cloudy morning for this month’s Cars and Coffee. The diffused light that the clouds provide makes my job really easy! Enjoy the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 Jul This entry was written by Otis, posted on July 15, 2012 at 13:49, filed under Automotive, Photography and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL. View EXIF Data

Post a Comment

 

Did You Know? – 1932 Buick

The 1932 Buick had a Ride Regulator.  Yup.  It was a manually controlled suspension adjustment system was by moving a six position lever on the steering column.

It also featured a button next to the clutch pedal would activate the vacuum-operated Wizard Control for clutch-less shifting.

 

 

1932-Buick

Thanks for reading.

Tim