Harry P. Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 For American car styling, I mean. Sure, there are tons of beautiful designs from all eras from the '20s to today, but for some reason the stylists were getting it all right in 1967. Just a few of the beauties from that year... Chevy Impala in Evening Orchid with a white interior... Ford Galaxie... Pontiac Bonneville coupe... Plymouth Barracuda... Plymouth GTX... Chrysler 300... Cadillac Eldorado... Mercury Cougar... Man, I could go on forever; that's just what comes immediately to mind. What a year for beautiful cars. And oh yeah... my very first car was a 1967 Belvedere (it was 10 years old when I got it, but was still a cool looking car).
Jon Haigwood Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 (edited) I think in 1957 most of the cars made the move to big stylish finned cars. Away from the boxie cars of the early fifties. Maybe not Chevy so much but at least they put a fin on it Edited November 3, 2015 by Jon Haigwood
MrObsessive Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 Harry, I'd have to go back a couple model years to 1965. That's when the big three completely changed everything, and completely broke away from the '50's which there was still a hint of it in their styling of '64. Especially the full size models where all of them changed all at once. I can't think of any other model year in which this was done------or at least 1965 was the first. Styling is subjective of course, and while those '67 models you mentioned were very handsome cars, I particularly didn't care for the Pontiac full size models as they seemed heavy handed to me, compared to the '66's. And yes, I like the '67 Belvederes too! I'd like to build one someday, but there's that wonky roof shape to deal with!
Harry P. Posted November 3, 2015 Author Posted November 3, 2015 And yes, I like the '67 Belvederes too! I'd like to build one someday, but there's that wonky roof shape to deal with! One man's "wonky" is another man's "cool"... PS: I agree, lots of very nice stuff going on in '65, too. Maybe we just say that the mid '60s was the bomb...
MrObsessive Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 One man's "wonky" is another man's "cool"... Oh no..........the 1:1's roofline is terrific looking! It's Revell that didn't model it correctly, especially the rear part of the roof which is too flat. It doesn't have those subtle curves at the upper corners which give it its "signature".
Harry P. Posted November 3, 2015 Author Posted November 3, 2015 Oh, ok... I see what you mean, Bill. Yeah, I always loved the roofline on the real ones... didn't realize you were talking about the model.
Ron Hamilton Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 1965 was my favorite year for car design.
Snake45 Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 For American car styling, I mean. Sure, there are tons of beautiful designs from all eras from the '20s to today, but for some reason the stylists were getting it all right in 1967. Just a few of the beauties from that year... Chevy Impala in Evening Orchid with a white interior... Ah, but you're cheating and painting it a '65 color. I too love the '67s. I was going to say the '66s and the '69s, but the '7s were a very strong team, too.
Harry P. Posted November 3, 2015 Author Posted November 3, 2015 Oops... my mistake. I didn't realize that Evening Orchid wasn't available in '67. But still... that '67 Impala coupe... drool...
MGL Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I agree, and I would just include all the A and B body Mopars, the camaro, the thunderbird. I would have said 58 until Harry posted this but he is right, 67 was a stellar year.
Atmobil Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Yes, the 67 Impala sure looks cool http://www.lewinindustrialdesign.com/portfolio/67-impala/ But what year is the best? I'm not sure.
Richard Bartrop Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Oh yes, the Mitchell years at GM produced some of the best looking cars built anywhere, and the mid 60s were when they were at the top of their game. 1967 was also a very good year for styling in Europe. It was the last year of the first gen E-type, the first year of the Miura, and then there were cars like the Lusso, and the Fiat Dino. 1967 was a very good year, but it was not the best year. For the very best year for styling, that would have to be 1931. The was the when you had the definitive classic car shape. The radiator, the headlights, the long hood and swoopy fenders, all in a beautiful combination of form and function. Even decades later, people were trying to capture the magic of this shape, with varying degrees of success. What's more, variations of it were applied almost universally across the board, in all countries, from the most sumptuous luxury car to the cheapest Model A. True, some were better than others, but outside of some experimental models and the odd lapsed of judgement, I'm hard pressed to think of a car produced during this year that would be considered actually ugly. Obviously some beautiful designs have been produced since them, and you can certainly argue that some of them might be better, but when it comes to consistently producing so many good looking automobile, 1931 is the hands down winner.
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) First best-ever year that comes to mind for me is 1957...and I bet we'll find it's a generational thing, at least in part... Edited November 4, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy
LDO Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Mid '60s for sure. 1964 Cadillac Coupe Deville, 1965 Buick Riviera, 1965-66 Mustang fastback, 1966-67 Chevelle, GTO, and Nova, 1963-67 Corvette,1966 Galaxie 500...and that '67 Impala. Wow.
Art Anderson Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 It's pretty hard to not like 1932: "The year that every US automaker pulled out all the stops for styling". Many automotive historians consider that year to have been the year that no ugly cars were built.As for me personally--1956. Save for American Motors, the Big Three (and even Studebaker) had great looking cars, nothing overly gaudy, no over-width, over-length cars--just crisp clean styling, every one seemed to be perfect in my then 11-12 yr old eyes.Art
Greg Pugh Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Just Chevy alone, I'd have to say 1966. Impala, Nova, Chevelle, Corvette, heck...even the pickups were good looking. As far as a year across the board for all manufactures, I'd have to say 1959. I feel like that was the year that everyone took it as far as they could. Just like 1970 was the pinnacle and grand finale of the muscle car era, I feel that 1959 was the grand finale of no-holds-barred styling.
mademan Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Yes, the 67 Impala sure looks cool http://www.lewinindustrialdesign.com/portfolio/67-impala/ But what year is the best? I'm not sure. yep, 67 for me too, the Camaro, Chevelle, the Impala ( my absolute favorite) I finally got my 1:1 67 SS after tracking this car for near 15 years.
hgbben Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Yes, the 67 Impala sure looks cool http://www.lewinindustrialdesign.com/portfolio/67-impala/ But what year is the best? I'm not sure. That is perfection
Petetrucker07 Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I'm gonna go with 1970. The peak of the muscle car era, but also the beginning of the end.
Agent G Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 '65,'66 and '67 Pontiac GTO's. These, especially the '67 GTO and the '67 Impala just evoke the title "Muscle Car". My two cents anyway. G
BubbaBrown Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I gotta go 1965. All Plymouths, 2plus2 mustang, GTO, 442, on and on.
Pete J. Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Got to go with '69 for me. That year represented the mid 60's refined. The mustang of that year looked right with the quad headlights. Cuda' and Challengers and then there was a deep blue Chevell SS396 with white stripes that just knocked me dead. If you want to talk in your face then there was the Judge.
Mr Stock Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 Im going to go for 1966, the Olds Toronado, Buick Riviera, Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, Lamborghini Muira and Jensen Interceptor, All beautiful cars.
unclescott58 Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I'm with Harry on this one. My favorite year for cars, styling wise, has always been 1967. In my opinion there was not a bad looking car offered by any American manufacturer that year. Other favorite years in order of ranking for me are 1972, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1959, 1957, 1958, and 1941. It doesn't make any sense. But, that's way I've felt for years now.
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