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1950 Ford Crestliner.
Added halfway through the 1950 model year and continued only halfway through the 1951 model year, the Crestliner filled a niche above Ford's already well-appointed Tudor coupe.
Distinguished from lesser models with a padded vinyl top and two-tone paint job, the car was powered by Ford's 239 cubic inch flathead V8 that produced 100 horsepower.
Since being restored to factory specifications, this Crestliner has taken top honors in AACA: Junior, Senior, Grand National and Senior Grand National categories.
'34 Ford Coupe - Another shot from the Classic Car Rally- The black was created in Photoshop to eliminate the people, other cars, reflections, etc. It took a lonnng time to finish. The Flickr clock says that the photo was taken when I finished the Photoshop job, it was actually taken on Sept 4th.
Stevan Dohanos (1907 – 1994) was born in Lorain, Ohio and grew up a great admirer of Norman Rockwell, going so far as to copy his Saturday Evening Post cover illustrations in crayon that he sold to friends, relatives, and co-workers. Little did he know he would develop a close personal friendship with Rockwell as his own art graced the Post’s cover 123 times over the course of his lifetime.
During World War II, Dohanos aided the war effort by painting recruitment posters and wall murals for federal buildings. He also designed stamps for the federal government which he did the rest of his life. He oversaw the art design for over 300 stamps, including the 1967 John F. Kennedy commemorative stamp.
As magazine covers turned toward photography and away from illustrations, Dohanos changed careers and did film art for such classics as “White Christmas.”
[Source: www.saturdayeveningpost.com/artists/stevan-dohanos/]
Perhaps no more than 1200 of these special issue cars were produced in 1955 and 1956. Approximately 75% of that total appeared in the 1955 model year. Precise numbers breakdown is impossible because Dodge Division considered the LaFemme as a trim option only, rather than a model distinction. The VIN reveals no special code.
The car was based on the top-of-the-line Custom Royal Lancer. Standard issue was a two-door hardtop only with a 2V 270 c.i.d. early Hemi engine. All were painted this same tu-tone way, in a special non-metallic enamel version of off-white and dusty medium pink.
The top of dash was standard flat black with a dash face painted pink. Steering wheels were not special. They were cost-conscious standard black and ivory plastic from the CRL line (but they should have had a pink/white theme).
A special pink rubberized plastic grommet cushioned the steering column where it contacted the bottom of the dash. Surprisingly, this small original pink detail is the one usually overlooked by counterfeiting restorers - a black grommet there usually means the car is not a factory original. Another authentic detail to watch for is the pair of bright metal brackets arranged in a slight "V'" formation at the rear of the seat backs where special storage compartments attached. Carpet is tight-loop pile black.
The 1955 seat and door panel upholstery was made of custom brocaide cloth using a stylized pink rose bud pattern, trimmed with pale pink vinyl. Some headliners were light pink while others used the same off-white that appeared in normal Custom Royal Lancers.
Behind the front seats were two formed-plastic compartments, attached as mentioned above. The compartments contained the elements of a "Glamor Package": a light rain coat, a rain cap, an umbrella, and a pair of light rubber galoshes... all in the established pink and rose bud pattern; plus a cosmetics make-up kit. All of this goofy glamor package was made of flimsy, inexpensive material. Not meant to last. Complete examples of this kit are extremely rare. And probably survived only because someone thought to stash them (new and unfolded) in an attic box. then forgot about them.
The standard LaFemme (just like any standard-issue Custom Royal Lancer) would then have come stupidly equipped with black-wall tires, plain wheel covers, standard manual 3-spd transmission with a column shifter, manual window controls and manual seat adjustment. Even the heater/defroster and the radio were considered options!
A 4V carb was optional, with dual exhaust. All the convenience and dress-up items were special-order options: 3"-wide-whitewall tires (bias-ply), 15" spinner wheel covers, power brakes, power steering, power seats, power windows, a two-speed automatic transmission with its dash-mounted shift selector, two kinds of AM radio (standard and deluxe pushbutton with station-seeking selector bar), rear speakers in the package tray, a 45 rpm record player (called Hi-Way Hi-Fi) that mounted in the glove box, and Air Conditioning. All on a pitifully weak 6-volt generator-battery system. A 12-volt system was not in production until 1956.
Unusual strategy since this was supposed to be THE car for the modern woman. The 1956 versions were all done in a light lavender/pink and a medium lavender two tone. Production was planned for 1957 but dropped before new models came out.
Dealers usually ordered at least SOME options for their showroom floor models. Keep in mind that in this era, buyers still often sat down with their dealer six months in advance of delivery to special order their cars.
This car shown came with optional 15 inch "spinner" wheelcovers often referred to as Lancer wheelcovers. They were available on all Dodge models but standard on none. They are a "MUST HAVE" dress-up item (without them, all '55 Dodges looked severely dowdy) . . . along with wide whitewalls, radials preferably. All Dodges and all Chrysler Corporation vehicles could have ordered a set of five 15" Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels.
FYI, accurate rose-bud upholstery is now being re-manufactured, but the inexpensive glamor accessories are long gone forever.
These cars could have been a better idea if the marketing people had first surveyed real women instead of just scratching their collective male heads in 1953 or 1954 when this idea surfaced. The LaFemme was not continued into 1957. Certainly by around 1960 or so, the marketing people learned that women did not need a car named "The Woman", in any language. There was not yet going to be a significant auto marketing niche for the upwardly mobile working woman. Most women were housewives then and were pleased to be making exterior paint color and interior fabric decisions about the new family car.
So much for the LaFemme. But uncommon sightings at today's car shows does make for intriguing conversation.
Approximately 1200 of these special issue cars were produced in 1955 and 1956. Few survive. Somewhere around 75% of that total was with the 1955 model year. Precise numbers are impossible because Mopar considered this LaFemme as a trim option rather than a model distinction. It was based on the top-of-the-line Custom Royal Lancer, a two-door hardtop with dual exhaust and a standard 2V 270 c.i. early Hemi engine in '55 (the 315 c.u. was the only hemi V8 optionally available as a D500 package in '56...most '56 LaFemmes were the 315 Polyhead V8) . A 4V was optional as were power brakes, power steering, power windows, and AC. Unusual strategy since this was supposed to be THE car for the modern woman. All were painted in this lower off-white and upper medium pink. Interiors sported a pink dash with a rose bud pattern in the cloth and vinyl upholstery. A rain coat, golashes, and umbrella got the same rose bud print pattern. There was also a cosmetics kit. All stashed in plastic compartments behind the driver's and passenger's seat. This car came with 15 inch "spinner" wheelcovers often referred to as Lancer wheelcovers but they were available on all Dodges. Plain wheelcovers were standard on all models.
As rare as these cars are, even more rare is a complete set of original rose bud accessories. Upholstery is now being re-manufactured, but the inexpensive accessories are long gone forever.
Sameday performs repairs to some of the worlds finest vehicles including the renowned Tesla Model S. Providing mobile service throughout the Bellevue area, Sameday provides quality repairs without the inconvenience of ever leaving your home or office. For information about our repair services visit our website.
I snapped this hood ornament at a car show at McPherson College. The Pentastar hood ornament accentuates the elegance of this 1979 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue. The college hosts a car show in the spring of each year and is known for its antique auto restoration program.
Keeping your car’s right-off-the-lot look is essential. Sameday is a professional scratch and dent repair company that offers a remarkable one-day turnaround.
1903 Packard Gray Wolf, built from the original Packard blueprints. The original set the 1904 land speed record at 77 miles per hour. Ted Davis owner.
With our state of the art infrared baked on technology, our technician's repair your paint chips while maintaining your vehicles factory finish and you can have your car back on the road the same day. If you or your friends have chipped panels don’t hesitate to email photos of the damage.
1903 Packard Gray Wolf, built from the original Packard blueprints. The original set the 1904 land speed record at 77 miles per hour. Ted Davis owner.
1903 Packard Gray Wolf, built from the original Packard blueprints. The original set the 1904 land speed record at 77 miles per hour. Ted Davis owner.
Refurbished black leather upholstery, car window replacements, and custom paint made this 1938 Lincoln the poster car for the Formal Car Experience at the Classic Car Club of America Museum. The fully refurbished antique car exhibited at Pebble Beach in 1996, and took home the Most Elegant Car Award at Meadowbrook.
Corvette, 1960 283 cubic inch, 270 horsepower, F0510CU engine Id, restored original 2x4 WCFB carbs,& 692 heads.
This picture was taken circa 1975 and is of my 1960 Corvette prior to restoration. I still own the car and its undergoing a total frame off restoration. I'm doing all the work except the paint application, the gauge restoration, the carburator rebuilds and the restoration of the seats and the convertible top. I've had every nut, bolt and rivit out of this car. Its been seven years since I started the restoration and I hope to have it on the road this summer (2009). Please enjoy the photos.
More than a dozen youth participated in Hagerty Insurance’s “Operation Ignite”, which allows youth to have the experience of judging classic cars.