Let’s revisit suburban lifestyles in the ’50s and ’60s thanks to some vintage images. As on previous occasions, the photos highlight mostly then-new residential areas, with many of the period’s cars by the curbside. It’s mostly a cars/housing/street gallery, with the occasional neighbor making a friendly appearance.
The picture with the 58 Desoto and 59 Ford is interesting because of those two beaters parked out on the street. Those brick home so New Yorkish.
And they’re both only about 10 years old. Quite the contrast to the typical 10 year old car nowadays.
Another random (non-car) thing I find interesting in that picture is what appears to be a window-mounted air conditioner right above the Ford. Or perhaps a swamp cooler? I could be wrong on both counts but that’s what it appears to my laymen eyes. Window AC was certainly around back then but it was rare and relatively expensive.
Cars, homes, people, and lawn chairs. I remain committed to the lawn chair.
The Austin Healey A100/4 and the Bonneville convertible in the drive rather suggests some serious car people live here.
The Healey looks to be in rough shape. Looks like the front grill is missing and the door looks like it has some distortion along the bottom edge.
However, I suspect the young man in the photo made many sacrifices to get it in the first place.
Enjoy the ride!!
The ’59 Ford parked in the garage in picture 1 looks like it has a pretty good oil leak … good ole cork gaskets, no doubt.
That’s a sharp ’57 Chevy lightly customized in the style of the times. Judging from the other cars on the street, it looks to be a new, or almost new car. These were so popular since they were new, and they were often cleaned up a bit, like this one. Great shot of a great car!
Green sticker on license plate is 1958. Interesting car, mid level model 210 trim, not Belair, but two door hardtop body. “V” emblem on trunk lid means V-8. A six would be highly unlikely with the side pipe and custom touches. Rear window shelf appears to have a car club sign.
I didn’t know people were lowering cars that early. What’s in front of the rear wheel?
The two older cars are a black 1950 Dodge Wayfarer and what appears to be a 1949 Plymouth or Dodge business coupe. The Wayfarer and the business coupe were built on the same wheelbase. A three-seater, single bench, convertible was also offered. The business coupe looks as if was used in the hardly famous movie, “My Life in a Saltmine.”
That next to last shot with the 63 and 59 Fords. That 63 Galaxie shows either terrible fit of the driver’s door or a terrible paint match from a repair/repaint.
But otherwise, an attractive car, in my opinion.
My eye was actually caught by the enormous VHF TV antenna in the background of that one. Someone was very committed to receiving.
Then again, there are a lot of antennas in these pictures. Something else that many of us (of a certain age) just took for granted, until they were all gone. Perhaps, in the case of roof-mounted antennas, for the better.
These are some of the best pics!! Anyone know the color (name) of that “60’s Ford coupe”? ((has the white top))
Remember a friend’s parents had a “65 Fairlane”, just about that shade.
Was a wagon. As it was rather new, seemed quite cool at the time.
The pic with the two white converts is my fav.
It looks to me like a 1963-64 color called Rose Beige. It was slightly pink, and it could be that the color on the photo lost a bit of the pinkishness the paint had. Your friend’s 65 Fairlane was probably a different color, because Rose Beige was only used on Thunderbirds in 1965.
It might also be Castillian Gold, but I doubt it. Jason Shafer’s 63 Galaxie was that color (I believe) and it was decidedly more golden than the car in the photo appears.