Wagons in vintage Street scenes

Lebanon New Hampshire

 

Kinda fun to see a 55 four door 210 parked next to a 57 four dour 150. I always thought it was interesting (frankly kind of odd, really) that chivy would take the trim idea from two previous model years and stick it on the base model. In a time when automobile styling was evolving on a yearly basis I have always found it kind of bizarre.

 

I’ve read and heard from some GM employees that the ‘58 chev was supposed to be the ‘57 but GM moved headquarters and forgot to tell Chevrolet and some of the Pontiacs.
Some of the other GM cars got the 4 headlight treatment in ‘57. Does anyone else have info? I have heard there was a major fire and even some records were lost???

That’s how we got the one year only body style and Delray name tag according to folklore

 

Well your question is two pronged. I have read a bit on the ‘58-‘57 model question. In 1957 GM’s upper line BOC got new designs. From what I have been able to glean there was an issue of some problems, and added costs that these new designs put on GM’s bottoms line. They decided to hold over the basic ‘55/‘56 platforms for Chevy and Pontiac into 1957. Pontiac and Chevy got their turn in ‘58. As was the practice then most style cycles were on a two year rotation with intro/echo year with minor adjustments. Personally I’ve for the most part preferred the echo year as I like the level head changes. Probably one of the only few, but I prefer the ‘60 Cadillac to the ‘59. But I digress. By 1959 GM was back on track for all divisions getting back into a 2 year corporate style cycle. As for the question on the dual headlight issue. By mid 1956 the car companies had gone to the Feds to make a push to replace the 7 inch single light with the a 5 3/4 dual lights mainly to accommodate styling changes. As most states mirrored the Feds as it pertained to auto safety issues there were a handful of hold outs that had headlight laws on their books. Some styles accommodated the switch over to duals by use of grill treatment, and “fog” light placement that could be swapped out for a high beam light once the laws were changed. Other than the Cadillac Eldorado, can’t think off the top of my head which GMs had dual offerings. Chrysler and Ford did make mid year design changes, Ford on their Mercury line with a fender flange arrangement mid year. Of Course JC Whitney offered all types of duels for all models. A short aside, I have a ‘57 Mercury with duels. I was at an indoor car show detailing on the car and a man came along and questioned my windshield card. He absolutely almost wanted to come to blows insisting my car was a ‘58. I finally agreed that the card was mis marked to get rid of him. Lol. Hope that sheds some light (no pun intended) on your question Jack.

 

Interestingly JW, the legend I have always heard was that the 58 chevy was supposed to be an update on the 57 model ala 55 to 56. But then they got some insider information regarding the 58 Ford and Plymouth design (which ended up being erroneous) and they frantically put the 58 design into place.
I don't have any proof of this, just stories I've heard and read along the way over the years.

 

I had read some of that before in different parts and pieces, it’s good to see it laid out like that as to the 2-4 light question.
Now they just see how many different sized bulbs they can squeeze into a deteriorating plastic bubble.

 

They went to the X frame and many different parts that were only ‘58. The interiors of the 57 were leaning towards the 58 and beyond. The new sizes of engines came along in 58. My wheel cylinders are even specific to each corner. Right Front etc… Too much too learn and keep straight. Anything fact or fiction on the 58’s I welcome!

 

That bottom pic's proof that Earl always had an eye for the wild. But it makes me wonder if he had a method to his madness...show the wild stuff so that the suits would approve what Earl really wanted on his designs.

 

I always see these clay models and am so thankful they had the designs they did. I have a ‘57, and you have a ‘58 Jack, and those designs just seem like they had continuity in them. Maybe we’ll never know the full story of the pull back on the ‘57-‘58 questions, but glad the cars came out like they did. Lol

 

I agree 100% Bill.
Still really neat to see all of the clay models.

 

I talked to a guy who met a guy who knows a guy who worked with Harley Earl….lol

 

Not sure how accurate this is, but, here's the way I heard it. The all new 59 GM cars would share a basic body skeleton that would be used across all five GM domestic brands. But Buick, Olds, and Cadillac were on a different schedule for major styling changes than Chevy/Pontiac. The 58 Chevy and Pontiac were cobbled together from the 57 Buick/Olds platform as a one year carry over till the introduction of the all new 59 GM lineup. Of course the 58 Chevy had it's own outer sheet metal, as did Pontiac.

 

Interestingly I came across this today: