What 50's era car would you want to have?

[JDgreen227]

When I read here about the GTP Corvette with the 3.4 V6, it made me wonder if that engine was the prototype to the DOHC 3.4 V6 we have in our '93 Cutlass ragtop. Nope, completely different engine families. Never knew about the GTP, thanks for the heads up.

 

[jonyyuma]

When I read here about the GTP Corvette with the 3.4 V6, it made me wonder if that engine was the prototype to the DOHC 3.4 V6 we have in our '93 Cutlass ragtop. Nope, completely different engine families. Never knew about the GTP, thanks for the heads up.

This probably answers the question in the National Buick too. I know that turbo v-6 was a screamer too? As a matterof fact, somewhere buried in the grey matter , I do have some knowledge of the Offenhauser engines? They were super tough, the detail on engine head to crankcase escapes me now? I did love my old 3.0 300td Mercedes diesel..120 hp with turbo, slow take off to 40, then pow the body raises and it clicked to stop on the speedo at 85pin put there by gvment. Let it off and settle down, no telling how fast it runs? But I know foreign smokers are not popular here so???

 

[JDgreen227]

This probably answers the question in the National Buick too. I know that turbo v-6 was a screamer too? As a matterof fact, somewhere buried in the grey matter , I do have some knowledge of the Offenhauser engines? They were super tough, the detail on engine head to crankcase escapes me now? I did love my old 3.0 300td Mercedes diesel..120 hp with turbo, slow take off to 40, then pow the body raises and it clicked to stop on the speedo at 85pin put there by gvment. Let it off and settle down, no telling how fast it runs? But I know foreign smokers are not popular here so???

We have had 3 cars with the GM non-turbo V6, which was in production in various forms and displacements from 1962 thru 2008. Our cars all used the 3800 engine (231 cubic inches, 3.8 litres) which debuted in 1978. Turbocharged and supercharged versions were produced at different times. The number of makes and models that used the basic design is amazing...even some Jeeps used this engine after GM sold the tooling to Kaiser Jeep in 1967. Over 25 million engines using this design were manufactured.

 

[Egon]

If'n I can recall right the Offies burned alcohol. They may have dominated so long due to displacement limitations.:thumbsup:

There are even some sports cars built today that incorporate a lot of wood.

Big difference between fibreglass and plastic. It may also be noted that many of todays aircraft have a lot of resin bonded synthetic fibre parts.

The lightest strongest boats may be made from resins, wood and synthetic fibers.

It would seem that the standard American definition of sports cars may not include stopping or turning.

 

[KentT]

It would seem that the standard American definition of sports cars may not include stopping or turning.

Not sure that's accurate, if you'd note the folks above who don't seem to consider Vettes as sports cars. Ironically, the editors of the now discontinued magazine Sports Cars International had this ranking of the best sports cars of the 1960s:

1960s
1. Jaguar E-Type
2. Shelby AC Cobra
3. Porsche 911
4. Lamborghini Miura
5. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
6. Lotus Elan
7. Ferrari 250 GT SWB
7. Ferrari 275 GTB/4
8. Ferrari 250 GTO9
9. Maserati Ghibli
10. Porsche 356C
11. Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso

Sports Car International - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That Corvette is in pretty good company, I'd say...

I've personally owned an MG-B, MG Midget, and Fiat X1/9 in addition to the '62 Vette - so I've been exposed to both British and Italian sports cars, even if not "supercars." If I had the option of having any one of them now, I'd choose the Vette over any other car I've ever owned in a heartbeat. But, as I posted far above, even when I had the '62 I lusted after the '57 FI 4-speed. That would be my choice if I could have ANY car of the 1950s and 1960s that I had to own and operate (not just for investment purposes, for example).

The '57 was slightly smalller than the '62, weighed about 300 lbs less (though still about 2850 lbs) and the 283ci fuel injected engine produced 283 HP, the first American production car with one HP per cubic inch. The suspension, brakes, etc. were otherwise very similar to the performance models of the '62 that I described earlier.

To each their own...

 

[czechsonofagun]

M715 Kaiser - oops, that's from sixties.

How about this:

 

[JDgreen227]

M715 Kaiser - oops, that's from sixties.

How about this:

Citroen 2 CV, I think that pic shows? One of the most bare bones, cheaply made cars....weight was about 1200 pounds. Manufactured from 1948 to 1990.

 

[Gonerafting]

I loved my 1963 Corvette that had a 1965 Fuel Injection on top of a LT1 small block while it couldn't keep up with 911 Porches in the turns, it was a monster on the straight aways. Only Chevy I have ever owned and also the most missed. I sure wish I still had it.

PS: Know it's not a 1950's vehicle. The 1957 Thunderbird I owned was a very pretty car, but the bench seat was like sitting on a park bench and the handling was atrocious.

 

[Army grunt]

I would like to have a ford coop like the one I had in high school.Mine had a 53 Merk full race flat head.
Army Grunt

 

[PAfarmer]

I own a 57 Chevy and a 69 Z/28 Camaro and both are really nice aotomobiles.