10thumbs

Interesting stories from back in the day, thank you gentleman. I've been doing some internet searches for statistics. From 1950 to the end 50's, the average American family with a car had 2.9 persons per car. In 1960, this lessened to 2.2 persons per car. The second car started to kick in. As Tom Geiger wrote above, the suburbs were already booming. In 1960, 60% of American families owned 1 car, 20% owned 2 or more, and 20% owned none. FoMoCo started already in early 50's to try to get families attuned to the idea of a second car. In 1957, the year I'm focusing, a strong recession was clearly at hand that hit the car sales already towards the end of 1957. Chevy and Ford both sold 1,5 million units, whereas the 58 Ford only sold 900k, the Chevy was still decent with 1.2 million. As far as I've been able to find, in 1957 the Big Three would have loved to have sold a second new car to a family, but it just didn't happen. After 1960, the compact car was on the move and gaining momentum. This coincides with what I remember, and seems to be about right according to the answers here. We've had lots of replies from the northern areas, left coast, the South and right coast. Folks who made good money could afford a second car, even then, it may not have been a new car, but the existing car had become the main driver. Women in the late 50's had become the most important factor in car sales (safety, convenience and looks as well) as well as every day convenience purchasing. So, folks who could afford a new car bought one, but it's always been that way, bigger homes, more luxury, etc. The average was rather toward one car in a family. Michael

Is Marty talking about real cars, or model cars? Michael

Oh yeah! I like hot rod motors that have colorful paint jobs! Good looking stuff there. Michael

Scott, me too, or maybe some kind of sausage? Marty, I use whatever is cheap. Meguiars (sp?) costs over here in Germany about $60! Michael

Bruno, how did you treat the wheels? I like especially the rear, being wide and set in, I think they really look good. Michael

Aaron, I think the suburbia vs. city just about decides the case, especially from 1960 on. Like Bill stated, with a longer commute the 2nd car was then a necessity. Ron and Christopher, you guys described the situation as I knew it also. I can still remember very well my mother complaining about the gas mileage of the Oldsmobile, and my dad was not one who drove economically. 1959 he bought his 1st VW, gas was cheap, case closed. Mom had the Olds, but still took a bus to work downtown. Dad had VW's till I was out of high school, the family ride was often traded in with low mileage. My first car was Dad's VW, so he could get a new one. But in mid and late 50's, there were not many families with a 2nd car. Maybe a reason though was that I lived in a big city suburb and other than the city and surroundings, there was no where else to work. So no one needed to commute much of a distance. Michael

Thanks a lot for this info, it makes sense to me. Also about the neighborhood as being important for families with second cars. I can imagine as well, incomes further up north were higher than in my home state of Florida, cost of living is an important factor. I think I have a good overview, thanks guys for the participation, everyone made for an interesting read. Michael

VW here too. Golf 5 here, the wife has one too. My hot rod has only 2 wheels though. It's a 05 Vespa, my toy. It's quick, and gets about 75mpg, not bad when gas is about $9 a gallon. Michael

Wonderful, thanks Scott for the insight. The cars you mentioned, I'd like to have that 50 or 55 Olds today! My dad had a 56 4 dr. I remember him saying it ran well. Good stuff here. Michael

Scott, thanks. In 1960 2 cars, OK. What about 1957? I've gathered that 1959 or 1960 the 2 car family thing really picked up. I just don't think it was common until then. Would you agree? I see you're in Minneapolis, that's an industrial city, isn't it? Meaning work and prosperity. 2 cars in 1957? Whats your take? Also for the rest of the country in 1957. Average America? Michael

OK, these two car families had acquired the second car out of necessity, meaning both parents working. This was true in my case also, but the VW came along in 59, before that just one car. So I think I can safely say that a 2 car family in 1957 was still a rarity, and by no means normality. You guys from the northern states, would you day this is pretty much the case? Michael

Andy, yes the guy thinks American families had a second car in 1957! He wrote a 57 Ford is what "Mr. and Mrs. America" chose as a second car as a "grocery getter"! Well, there were none of those folks in my neighborhood. Michael

Bill, you wrote that prior to 1960 most of your classmates' families had two cars. Would you say for the most part the second car was a used one, or a new car? The guy on the German Forum maintains that in 1957 a second car for a family was common, especially a new 57 Ford was popular as a second car! I told him his info is incorrect. No way. I think he looked at one of those old commercials and took it for granted. Michael

I think Aaron hit on something, obviously a more affluent area would probably show more 2nd cars in a family. The commercial is similar to the one a guy has seen over here, maybe the manufacturers were aiming at higher incomes. 1957 though is still pretty early for an average type American family to have two cars. To get my memory working better for the time, I looked at some old photos of me and the family and I remember just becoming interested in cars, so I checked out driveways while riding by on a bike or with the family in the car. No second cars in driveways. I can remember when a neighbor got a new car. A 58 Impala and a 58 Ford and Dad's new 56 Olds, then a 59 Plymouth and my friends Dad bought a 59 Buick. These were the new ones I remember in the immediate neighborhood. So new cars weren't even all that common, so two new ones was probably very rare. My Mom had a drivers license, but she would only drive for shopping on the weekends back in the 50's. So no use for a 2nd car until 1959 for my family. This seems to be the average case from what I see here. Interesting stuff, I like reading what you guys were up to back then. Michael

Thanks Gentleman, This info seems to coincide with my views, that in 1957 having a 2nd car in the family was a rarity for middle class America. Actually, I can only remember the VW Bug as becoming a 2nd car. Compacts came around later in the US industry....? Michael

Hi Chip, good info. I can understand the needs for a 2nd car in this case. I can remember cars from my relatives back till I was 4 yrs. or thereabouts. Cool ones. 55 Merc 2 dr., a Chevy with a sun visor up front, then a killer black 55 Buick with a flaming red interior! Others came around a bit later. Some folks had a good living also, but I just don't remember any 2 car families back in 1957/1958. Good input. Michael

Excellent! Is there a way that we could have access? Maybe a pic? This is the drift that I've gathered, a commercial on TV that when you have one Ford, why not another? I would really like a look at this kind of material. Michael

Well I was in Florida in 1957, and life was pretty good in a big city. I went to relatives every summer to the Great Lakes Area and am familiar with the surrounding areas there, not much different than what I was used to. I would say perhaps the northern areas in bigger cities had more income though in general. But still, a 2nd car in 57, or even late 50's was rather rare. I've seen stats about income and costs of houses and cars and cost of living, but nothing yet about any 2nd car info. Thanks for the input guys. Michael

That Revell 81 Chevy Citation as a 3in1? That is the probably the worst pic of a model I've ever seen. It just sucks. But it is Level 2. I hope they don't make a Level 3. Michael

What's a Mopar? Michael

Hi Bruce, that's the way I see it too. A forum buddy has a YouTube vid about a TV commercial that states "if you enjoy the 57 Ford Fairlane, why not get a 57 Station Wagon as a (2nd car) car for the Mrs.?" The commercial shows a "Doris Day" type lady at the kitchen sink looking out onto the driveway and seeing a 57 Station Wagon, all of this in front of a very nice ranch style house with a front yard as big as a football field. Not really believeable in my book. But this was in 1957. My Dad had just recently brought home a 56 Olds, there were a couple of 57 Fords in the neighborhood. No 2nd cars. One dude down the street had a 49 Ford as a thumper, but he was already about 20 or so. I think this is where the, in the meantime, trouble has arised. The guy does not understand the TV commercial all that well. My father bought the first, 2nd car in 1959, a VW Bug. No 2nd cars in 1957, am I right? Michael

Hello guys, There's a discussion on a German Car Forum about a 57 Ford as being a choice for a 2nd family car, this back in the day. I doubt this car was a choice as a 2nd family car. I was in Elementary School in '57 from an typical middle class all American suberb of a big city, and I don't remember there being very many 2nd cars back then for families anyway. What are your thoughts about this? Also, maybe a good hint about finding info about 2nd cars in an average type family in 1957, or say late 50's? I remember 57 Fairlane 500's being around, but defo not as a 2nd car for a family. Also later, a buddy had a 57 Ford as a 1st car, but it was used and beat up already. Anyone? Michael

Hi Bruno, A very cleanly built model and it sits there and just looks nasty. I love it. I understand that you needed to have it on your shelf, I'm sure it brightens up the gallery a bit. Wonderful model. Excellent craftsmanship. Michael

Hi Jim, thanks for the explanation, it makes sense. I'm doing a lot of filling on frame pieces at this time, and I like what I read now. Michael

Jim, could you explain some about the baking soda? This one is new to me. Michael