This QOTD was suggested by Robert Swartz, and it’s a good one (even if it’s a bit late in the day). Of course, these kind of questions are hard to answer, at least for me, because there are so many possible candidates. I’ll throw out this 1953 Cadillac Ghia Coupe, back from the time when one could readily order up a custom car from a coach builder on one’s chassis of choice. That’s what Prince Aly Khan did, as a present for his wife, the equally beautiful actress Rita Hayworth. Not that it kept their short marriage going any longer.
So maybe I should limit myself (or you) to genuine production cars? Even that won’t make it really easy.
Seeing Aaron’s ’53 Buick again today reminded me how much I love the big GM cars from this era. I’m torn between the straight-eight Dynaflow Buick and the V8 Hydramatic Cadillac, but if it has to be, I’ll give the nod to the Caddy.
I’ve had a thing for Porsche 356s since my very earliest days, and 1953 was a good year. The Super 1500 was claimed to have a top speed of 109 mph; not bad for 70 hp, eh?
My traditionalist side might feel better served by a Bentley R-Type Continental.
And I forgot about the Studebaker Starlight Coupe. And….Decisions; decisions. While I mull it over some more, how about you? Maybe you’re more decisive?
1962 Citroen DS, Peugeot 404, Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
Probably this
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
I am from 1982 so these will be my choices –
1) Volvo 264 GLE, 2) DeLorean, 3) Mercedes W123 and W126 300D/300SD
I’m about to sell my ’82 300SD…blue, 100k miles, fair condition. Located in New Orleans. Just saying…
Ugh. 1977. It really isn’t fair, but if I had to choose there would be very little choice.
Firebird Formula…
Just like Jim Rockford’s ’77 Firebird.
Yep! I love Rockford! Unfortunately, that was one of the few ’77 cars I’d in any way desire to own.
oh, I don’t know… ’77 wasn’t so bad. My pick is the Aston Martin V8 Vantage
I was born in 1981 and that Aston Martin would make my hypothetical list. Make mine a Volante, though.
1977 Here too. I just think you have to be creative and see it as a starting point for possible modifications in some cases or getting the best that you could for your year. Personally I’m torn but here’s my fairly short list…
Downsized B-body GM
Impala sedan with 350 V8 and HD suspension.
Oldsmobile 98 Coupe with 403 V8 and every option box checked
Corvette with the L-82 engine and 4 speed manual
Lincoln Continental Town Car to get one of the last giants with the 460 and last year for the distinctive dash.
Chrysler Newport hardtop with the 440 and full instrumentation.
Any of those would be fun in their own way.
1976 Bugatti Veyron Supersports.
Easy Peasy! 1959 Chrysler 300E.
When i bought my first car in 1973, it was as old as I was .
A 17 year old 1956 Plymouth Savoy.
Today, if I could pick any vehicle from 1956, though I certainly wouldn’t turn down a Savoy , I would head up the Chryco ladder and choose a 1956 Imperial.
Interesting. I did the same thing, only it was a 16 year old ’56 Fairlane I bought in 1972.
Today I wold take another Fairlane in a heartbeat. I much prefer the Ford’s or Chrysler products over the GM models in this era, so any of them would do. If I was to really dream big, a Continental Mark II would be my choice.
This is a truly terrible question for some of us. Really, what cars sold in the U.S. in 1972 were that attractive? So many were looking confused, bloated, or both.
While the answer could change tomorrow, I’m saying Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. It has such a timeless look.
What? I was waiting for that 72 Ford LTD. 🙂
The ’71 is much better as it simply has a cleaner appearance. On the ’72 I never liked the tail lights plus that metal piece beneath them was bent on nearly every one I ever saw.
In the movie “Freebie and the Bean” James Caan and Alan Arkin, crash a 72 Ford Galaxie into a 3rd floor apartment building. They smashed up about 4 or five of those Fords in that movie!! Classic!! Released Christmas 1974. A great funny movie to watch!!
I thought I was the only person who remembers this show fondly…..
As usual , the book was a bit better but James Caan was great .
Alan Arkin too , one of those heavyweights back then .
-Nate
I’ll take ’72 over ’77 any day! Cudas, Challengers, Z28s, Mach 1s, Miuras, Duster 340s, Stage 1 GS Buicks, Trans Ams, Road Runners, Chargers…
Sure, there have been better years, but ’72 is a cornucopia compared to ’77! 🙂
Well, you do have a good point. Right now my brain is foggy with research of cars from the following decade….
For 1977, there are some good ones, but for that finite period my tastes run toward the biggies such as the Lincoln Mark V, Chrysler Cordoba, Dodge Monaco…
My dad would be in tough luck with this question – he was born in 1943!
Well Jason, so was I. You needed to take your vehicles in uniforms. Those with civilian paint were scarce. I googled 1953 studebaker and wound up with this instead. A 1943 Gaz 63. Decided to adopt it because it matched the studebaker I had in my mind.
You can submit this for you dad too if he approves.
What, no first year B bodies?
Thought about it, but no. My grandparents had one and it was a very ripe lemon.
+1 on ’72 vs ’77!
When I was 14 or 15, I had the pleasure of rode in a Lamboghini Miura for a few minutes; probably less than two miles although at the time it felt like forever. I have been a car enthusiast ever since.
This.
For me, ’61 Impala bubble top coupe. Not sure of the engine options that were available, so either a 348 or 409 would be cool.
I might have trouble deciding on red vs. blue.
Would I be out of my mind for going with a Turboglide? 😉
Turboglide? A bad choice and you would have to change your screen name to PRNDGr.
I have read, that by 1961, the Turboglide had been much improved over the earlier version. However, to be on the safe side, I’d order Powerglide…
Was going for the rarity factor.
Wouldn’t turn down a nice small block with a PG! 🙂
I’ll take a 1955 Chrysler 300, please.
Thank you, Santa. I’ve been reasonably good. 🙂
Easy choice… 1965 Riviera
It wouldn’t let me do the short version, so it’ll be the long one.
’77 Cadillac Seville.
If that’s not available, a ’77 Toronado XS.
I was born in 1977 but I can’t find a car from that year that I’d really want! OK, maybe a 1978 Buick LeSabre turbo (these were available in 1977 after all!).
Either a 1966 Eldorado, or a 1966 Imperial Crown Convertible.
73 Duster 340 in green of course
this, with a 4 speed
Probably the most 70’s paint scheme….EVER. Well played, sir. Well played indeed.
Depends on calendar year vs model year. By calendar year, I’d want a ’49 Chrysler club coupe with Presto-matic. Since I was born very late in ’49, the ’50 models were available at that time. By that standard, a Rambler for sure.
Hmm, had never considered that because I don’t have too many favourites from 1967.
Gotta go with a Jaguar Etype FHC. 67 was the last year for glass covered headlights.
Split window Vette or 911
Well, the Chevy Bel Aire is somewhat ubiquitous, and besides, I’ve already owned one.
My choice? 1957 Tatra 603!
1949 was very good year for Cadillac and my parents so I’ll go with a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, or a fastback coupe. Although Chrysler’s Town & Country woodies are very appealing too.
1964 Pontiac Bonneville or Galaxie 500.
Oh, geez… I guess the best things in ’86 were probably spawned from the GM G-Body… In two door form, specifically. Chrysler was knee-deep in K-Cars and oil soaked Mitsubishi V6s, Ford had the Taurus and Aero ‘Bird, and the GM B-Body was a formal-roofed mess. Not to mention the hideously shrunken K, H, and E-Bodies. I wouldn`t say no to a handful of Japanese rear-drive sedans, the only one of which we got here was the Cressida. Fun fact: March 1986 was the birth month for both myself and the Acura division. The Legend had a wheezy 2.5 V6 and traditionally crunchy Hondamatic. Meh.
The exotics available then were eclipsed in performance by midsize sedans a decade later.
Dark times. At least the ’70s were unabashedly baroque. The ’80s were… boxy.
The Japanese performance renaissance started a couple of years later. Thank goodness.
Well at least in the late 1980s one could buy a Saab 900. Other than that there is not much to choose from other than maybe a Chevy C/K. Part of me is tempted by an International 3400 or a Ward bodied International 3800
To look at: a 1954 Healey 100-4. To actually get me somewhere: a 300SL Gullwing. Or a Hudson Hornet Hollywood Hardtop would work in a pinch.
Wow, a lot of young punks hangin’ around this site.
Hey, 1954 was a good year to be born. Yes, the Healy,300SL and any Hudson Hornet would do fine. That was also the first year of the Alfa Giuletta, and there were some nice Jaguars of that vintage.
Then there’s this little Panhard Dyna Junior fella, with its goofy grin:
Were there any 1945 model cars? I though model years were stopped for WWII and they only got going again for the 1946 models. If there any 1945s I would like a basic Ford.
Bad luck, not much to choose from in my birth year. There weren’t many, if any at all, civilian cars built during 1945 because of the war and all. Kind of limits a shopping list to a military Jeep or some kind of Dodge Power Wagon. I’ve heard that some ’42 American cars, were still in inventory when the war ended and they were tarted up with new grills for the ’46 model year. Might be a few with 1945 on a builder’s plate and there probably were a few trucks released for essential civilian work. Volkswagen quit production by ’44 but apparently a few were put together in late ’45 after the plant was under Allied control. I’ll take the 1945 Bug, please.
1984 Impala 9C1. I was born late in 83.
A buddy at work had a ’56 Beetle Sunroof with a healthy 1835cc engine that I wish was mine. But a nice ’56 Chevy 2 door hardtop or convertible would do just as well.
Easy – the 1963 Cadillac Sedan de Ville or Coupe de Ville.
1996 Hummer H1. Or a GM EV1.
Being the oldest of you guys so far, I’ll just take a 1939 Dodge, a convertable please.
There were no Dodge convertibles in 1939. Plymouth was the only Chrysler nameplate with convertibles in 1939 — both conertible coupe and convertible sedan.
88 Turbo Coupe
Or on the less obtainable end of the spectrum a Ferrari Testarossa
For the same year, I’d happily take a Peugeot 505 (ideally a turbo wagon, but I’m flexible), or in a more sporting vein, a Porsche 944S or a Ferrari 412 for grand touring.
Easy. 1979 Olds Toronado. I still love the really elegant coffin nose look of them!
Any 1956 Packard or Clipper–The last real Packards. With Ultramatic, of course. Heck, we’re dreaming here–alright, a Caribbean Convertible! On the other end of the spectrum, a Metropolitan–Hudson edition!
I had a ’56 for a while. The suspension was awesome! The brakes were scary and the styling was a little generic, but it was a fun car. Turquoise and white.
Excellent taste,I really like the last real Packards despite the problems
1984 Grand National.
1961 Lincoln Continental!!
Being slightly limited to my choice of truly amazing cars in 1993 (though there are plenty of good ones), I’ll have to go with a Fleetwood. The last REAL Cadillac, according to some people.
I tell ya, it was actually a little difficult to find a good picture of one that hadn’t been “donked” out.
By far, most of my favourite cars predate my age. I was born in 1975. I’ve thought of a few possibilities:
Lamborghini Countach LP400
Dodge Ramcharger
Chrysler New Yorker 4-door hardtop
Chevy Monte Carlo
For 1983, I really like the looks of the Fleetwood Brougham and the Eldorado Biarritz, but I think the only engine option at the time was the HT4100 and one of those similarly craptacular diesels. Bummer.
Actually, what I would have gone with was one of the four door Lincoln Mark VIs. I think those were actually slicker than the Caddies. So, my choice for ’83 would have been the Mk. VI.
’61 Continental Convertible
1987
1995 was perhaps not the greatest year, but I think I’d go with a Buick Roadmaster Estate, though I’d probably graft the sedan front clip on.
This is a rare instance when it pays to be older! My birth year of 1950 was a good one for choices. Some are pretty, some are funky, some are legendary. Here are the ones that came to mind for me.
Nash Rambler convertible: Love the flying buttress window frames!
Studebaker pickup: So cohesive a design. unusual fender curves.
Jowett Jupiter: Unbelievably funky, with its flat engine and bulldog looks.
Chrysler Cross Country: The epitome of a wood bodied car
Crosley Hot Shot: Fun per mile quotient out of this world
Dodge Wayfarer Roadster: basic open air transportation
Lancia Appia: Lovely, and wonderful with its saloon doors
Veritas BMW: Get one before a G.I. messed it up! Love the side scoop
Hudson coupe: Huge on the inside. Lots of presence
Jag xk 120: Honorable mention
I can’t say why, but right now, I think the one I would go with would be the Jowett. They are so off-center, but I hear they are good handlers, and they look like nothing else on the road.
For 1975, I have to name several: Chrysler Cordoba, AMC Matador Cassini, and even though it was introduced that February as a 1976 model, the Ford Capri II Ghia.
Would you get the Corinthian Leather?
Natch, Tom.
(Whoops, forgot one: ’75 Chevy Laguna S-3 with swivel buckets.)
1958 VW Beetle
hmmm….problem is, my favorites from the 50s are all clustered around 55-56. The outside of the Studie Starliner looks nice, but I want stuff to actually work and the flexible frame and horrid ergonomics of the 53 make that one hard to love.
Mopars didn’t have it going yet.
Nothing at GM really interesting.
Kaiser wasn’t bad, until you try to get some power from the wheezy Continental under the hood. Hudson: claustrophobic inside. Nash….next please. Packard, umm…nope, just doesn’t work until the 55 refresh.
ah….53 you say? Lincoln Capri, tho I’m still not crazy about the instrument panel
1962’s not a bad year. A split window ‘vette, or a T-bird would have to be girst and second choice (presuming it’s a fun car, not a daily driver. See Jim’ Subaru for a good reason why!). A Ranchero would work too, or a Corvair wagon. And a rope-drive Tempest wagon would do in a pinch.
One of these would do.
From 1953, I would very much like a Cadillac Fleetwood, with the full complement of extras, including the air conditioning. Why the Fleetwood? Well, my folks had a 1947 Fleetwood, one of the roomiest cars available at the time, short of full-blown limousine. Eventually they retired it and replaced it with a 1952 Cadillac 62, still roomy but not quite in the same league as the Sixty Special. And in 1953, Cadillacs got 12-volt electrical systems, a big step in modernizing the cars. The Hydra-Matic had more than proved itself by then, as had Cadillac’s OHV V-8.
I know you are loving the picture of the ’53 Fleetwood complete with air conditioning that is shown at the beginning of this write-up. The outside, fender mounted air scoops and discharge tubes (barely seen in the back window) give away the presence of this option.
Mr. Bill