We’ll pay homage today to a cherished, yet defunct, body style; the hardtop. When GM popularized the new body style, a stylish new era that everyone followed was launched.
Needless to say, this is going to be one nice-looking gallery. Unlike others, this one focuses mainly on the cars, with only a few people appearing. For a change, I added model names (as per brochure) and years. We start with the brand that popularized the fad, with the lede image being a 1956 Buick Super 4-door hardtop.
1950 Chevrolet Deluxe.
1951 Ford Victoria, “Smart as a convertible, snug as a sedan” in the words of the ’51 brochure.
1952 Buick Super.
1955 Plymouth Belvedere, 2-door hardtop (sport coupe).
1957 Nash Ambassador, Super Country Club Hardtop.
1957 Dodge Coronet.
1958 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Sedan.
1960 Pontiac Bonneville Vista.
1960 Mercury Park Lane.
1961 Ford Galaxie Club Victoria.
1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix.
1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe.
1964 Buick Skylark, 2-door sport coupe.
1969 Ford Torino, hardtop coupe.
Don`t close the door from the window!
The 51 Buick is my first choice with the Skylark and Mercury as runners up.
It’s a ’52 actually. I updated and fixed that typo.
I cringe every time my wife closes the door on my ‘72 Cadillac 2 door hardtop, she pushes at the very TOP of the glass and that door is so heavy, i sear she does it on purpose. Yes i have told her,
If you have power windows, open her window before she gets out. Had to do this with some of my cars/ passengers.
If you’re in the driver’s seat–or near it–when she does that, anticipate and lower her window ? Easy for me to say, I know . . .
Wow! That first image is a beaut! The colors of the car and the background compliment each other so well. Two door hardtops were so great, but a four door hardtop combines the practicality of a sedan with the open feeling of a coupe. I loved putting all the windows down and cranking up the tunes. My ’97 Riviera has an airy green house that gives the illusion of being a hardtop.
Jose: Absolutely agree. The person who took that pic knew what they were doing. The setting with that car is stunning.
To me the Mercury looks odd and I like Mercury. The Dodge Lancer is blah. Probably the very bland color. The 57 Nash really grabs me. I love it even if it does have that Continental spare on the trunk.
The front fender indicates that ’57 Dodge is a Coronet, probably not as flashy as a Custom Royal Lancer would be.
Yes, “Coronet”. Colors are “drab” @ best. White stripes , or white letter, tires needed for sure!
Drab is correct. As for the 61 Dodge Dart Phoenix it might be worse, not in color, but in the fact that every time I see one I see the mouth of a Baleen Whale.
Typo corrected. It’s a Coronet, and quite clearly visible in the fender as you mentioned.
That “Merc” does not say “buy me”. The “Nash” colors are “awesome”. Would like to see the inside.
Let’s just say while the profile is spectacular the view from the driver’s seat is interesting to say the least.
My first experience with 2-door hardtops was at age 4, when parents bought new 1955 Olds ’98” two door Holiday hardtop and Starfire conv. Matching turquoise & white of course. The first car I owned as a ‘B’ pillar was new 1970 Nova 396 SS. After that I kept with autos lacking the ‘B’ pillar. Until the 1980s when you couldn’t get a two door without the ‘B. pillar unless you bought Mercedes.
I have never owned a 4-door, or a sedan. They make me feel old, and yes I am old.
Chevrolet called it the ”Hard Top Convertible” when they released it in 1949 .
These are stunning images .
-Nate
I believe the 63 Impala is a Sport Coupe. The Sport Sedan is a four door hardtop.
Fixed now; thanks.
My favourite is the ’60 Pontiac. Every line makes sense and accents the long low look.
Isn’t the rear cantilever on that Bonneville Vista even longer than you remembered it ? Wow . . .!
I’ll take the ’69 Torino. I like the formal roof on these and never have cared for the fastback. My Dad had one of the formal roof variety in kind of a copper red and black vinyl top. A really sharp looking car. I’m not sure why he traded it in on a ’72 Torino four door. I had the chance to buy the ’69 from him but didn’t act on it for some reason I don’t remember.
I’m super hard for that Nash Super Country Club hardtop coupe. I’ve always had a thing for these Ambassadors in sedan form ever since a friend showed up with one in Iowa City in about 1972, a pristine sedan he got for peanuts from an old farmer. What a gem. But I can’t say I’ve ever seen the hardtop coupe version. Stunning.
Late to the party here, but my pick is that ‘63 Chevy, but there are many nice choices here.
I remember yelling at my friends as others have mentioned not to close the doors by pushing on the window. Sadly, the only 2-door hardtop I’ve ever owned is my first car, the ‘73 LTD. Very heavy doors in that car’s case.
Interestingly though, even though she has a B-pillar, that same warning would need to go out to those passengers of my 2007 Mustang. That car has frameless glass on its doors, like a hardtop.
My wonderful Aunt Alma (Imagine a better looking and classier version of Grace Kelly) had a 1964 Buick Skylark like the one pictured. In the years that followed she would own, among others, a Mercedes 280SL and Jaguar XJ-S, but she still had fond memories of the Skylark.
Love the ’63 Impala and ’64 Skylark! Interesting how garish the ’58 Olds looks followed by the sleek ’60 Pontiac.
Was GM the first to do four door hardtops in ’56? That Buick is my favorite, with the round wheel openings and sweep of the side trim. For marketing language I like Olds Holiday, along with Fiesta for wagons.These evoked going on vacation and having fun.
Actually, GM’s first 4dr. hardtops came out in `55, and only select models. By `56 they offered them across the board.
When we teenagers got to drive my late great uncle’s ’56 Olds Holiday 88 4 door in the 70s, it would break either front window if you drove it a short distance with the window rolled down all the way. I guess they hadn’t quite perfected it. The windows also rattled on bumps even when all the way up. Not counting Grandma’s Cadillacs or the ’57 Olds Fiesta I don’t remember, that was the only hardtop in my immediate family.
My wife said that her father was very particular about his cars, especially his 1966 Thunderbird. She and her sister were told”close the door by the handle, not the glass!” I found out what happens when you don’t. My father had a 1969 LTD 4 door hardtop and he always closed the door by the glass. After 2 years the window was so floppy that it wouldn’t seal. I really miss the hardtops of old, but I realize that they were not the most practical.
One of the best, if not the best, body styles ever!
+ 10^23!!!
The ‘60 Mercury brings up some great memories. When I was 15, 1966, my brother (with the help of our folks) bought a’60 Mercury Montclair two door hardtop. It was a sort of cinnamon bronze color (rather attractive on a large car). We would cruise Hollywood Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard or, a favorite, Van Nuys Boulevard. Radio set for KHJ , Mamas and Papas, the Stones or Beau Brummels playing, 15 cent Cokes, Marlboro cigarettes and a tank of gas to make the circuit.
I stopped smoking at age 36, the Mercury was sold in 1970, city ordinances against cruising, took the fun out of Saturday nights, those times and people are long gone. Yet I have some terrific memories of innocent fun.
’60 Vista, ’57 Nash are in the same block, if not the same driveway. Could be the neighbor’s, but difficult to tell from the angles.
I ache for the old vehicles, the old days, the old ways. It was a much better, more sane time.
My parents owned a 49 Ford woody wagon after that a 59 Cadillac and a year after that a 55 Buick century convertible then a 62 Ford county squire wagon then a 66 Pontiac Bonneville wagon with the 335 HP 389 I loved all those cars after that Amc turd and then a tornado then Cadillacs
My dad owned 56 Super 2dr. Hard top. Same color two tone. My uncle had the three tone color on his 56 Buick. Black top Coral and creamy white. Notice how the white walls got thinner from 53 to 56.
GM had 4 door hardtops in 1955, on the larger series Buick, Cadillac and Oldsmobile cars. In 1956 they brought Chevy and Pontiac to the party. Chevys were designated Sport Sedan, not sure of the Pontiac name for the model.
I have had some vintage ads in my collection that showed all 5 makes’ offerings. GM in ’56 did a lot of ads with color photos in them, as opposed to prior years where the ad illustrations were painted. They also did a few with the Chevy Nomad and Pontiac Safari 2 door hardtops station wagons! These are well worth searching out, if you are more interested in these cars.
Nice Pic’s, Like the 63 Impala the most. I think I have 11 Hardtops, one of those is a 4 door.(57 Chevy).
Based on the rear side reflector, the Torino is a ’68. Great looking car either way.
We had an identical 60 Pontiac that I learned to drive in. Beautiful color. I think 0-60 was 8.5 seconds. It was quite an upgrade from the 55 Chev 6.