Amarillo?
Posted on 02/21/2009 7:21:04 PM PST by WesternCulture
My granpa over here in Sweden worked as a salesman in the 1950's.
I never experienced the 1950's myself (too young, unfortunately), but I can tell people here in Sweden were thrilled over the cars coming from across the Atlantic at that time.
My granpa bought a brand new Ford Customline around 1950. Not a flashy car, but a very decent vehicle for being Sweden (nearly) 60 years ago. At that time, middle class Swedes were poorer than average Americans of those days.
The 1950's are gone, for better or for worse, but the spirit remains.
When it comes to taking good care of old cars, Mariestad, Sweden (a town of 20 000 inhabitants or so), does more for true American cultural history than your average Obama-voter.
(Watch clip below. All Europeans aren't Volkswagen fans! - and remember, this is no festival, just what happens IN a very small place in Europe, outside of PC Europe..)
Cuba, but soon they will all remain here. We will eventaully be just as non producing and non productive as Cuba.
Around 1961 my Brother’s best friend had a 1950 Ford. They were in high school and back then it wasn’t uncommon for a high school kid to own a car but most didn’t.
I remember that car well. It had a flat head V-8 and if I remember right, it was rated at 100HP which is not all that much.
I know he could burn rubber with it tho. Maybe it was geared low but he could spin the wheels anytime he wanted taking off from a stop.
Amarillo?
Old cars never die, they just rust away.
Eastern Europe. No, I’m not kidding. ;)
they get sent overseas and are sold
I noticed that about half-way through the video someone had Suzie Quatro’s “48 Crash” blaring from their stereo. I was surprised to see an GMC van and a Suburban in Sweden. I also noted that the number plates are not long and skinny like most of the European plates.
I have a 1950 Ford.........its a Ford 8N tractor.
Gotta love the old technology. 6 volt POSITIVE ground electronics. Runs like a clock.
You really need that kind of old iron laying around here in Meechigan as we are about to be knee deep in “global warming” again . Nothin like a back blade and an antique to plow with.
“Around 1961 my Brother’s best friend had a 1950 Ford. They were in high school and back then it wasn’t uncommon for a high school kid to own a car but most didn’t.”
- Sounds like life in my ears.
When I went to high school here in Sweden in the 1980’s, few of us had cars.
Not because we were poor (I remember my father, one of the most middle class persons found around this planet, payed ridiculous amounts for the guitars, amps etc I consumed at that time), but because you’re not allowed to drive a car in Sweden until 18 (here, high school ends at the age of 18)
Sweden is a nice place to live, but more of a Spicoli attitude is needed.
In live in the high desert of southern California, they all come here.
Outside of Chelsea Mi. there’s a parking lot full of wrecked cars from crash testing at the Chrysler proving ground.
About a year or so before he decided to move, I helped him Ebay a few of his old Kaiser/Frazers. Some of the other stuff was bought by relatives and friends, including me.
I wound up having to give my Cougar a new home via Ebay since I didn't have the resources and time to fool with it. It was also developing transmission problems sadly. The Cougar found a good home of a collector in Oklahoma. He had about 12 or so already. It was on Ebay for about 8 hours.
It hurt a little to see it go but I would rather it go somewhere to be tended to as opposed to it getting worse here and not being able to do much about it due to resources.
Check out the Mecum auto auction on HD Theater (HDTV) for some incredible American muscle cars and classics. It’s on right now here in New York (10:30PM ET). It will end at 3AM ET. I think you need HD to get it. Channel 76 on Direct TV (for me). Check your local listings for schedule and channel.
Times are given in Eastern.
http://dhd.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=66.15812.127259.37465.x
Actually, they have different sizes available.
This reminds me of Milpitas, California where there are car rallies/shows held at a local restaurant/hamburger stand called Fosters Freeze.
'60s tires...
Okay. The only Euro number plates I have seen are the long ones. I do know that Japanese plates are close in dimensions to US plates.
When I lived in Germany, we traveled a lot. I found that most of the Euro Countries had different sizes available. Up until then, I thought they only made the “squarish” ones for the American cars we sold to the Germans. LOL
“Old cars never die, they just rust away.”
- As long as love is true, miracles can be done.
A friend of mine has a passion for old American muscle cars.
His father was a very successful engineer, he inheritated
a lot of money and today he uses the intelligence his father passed on to him and the money to restore the splendor of past American car history.
American cars will never die.
Do you or he get HD Theater where you are? If so, you really must check out the Mecum auctions. The cars will knock your socks off. See the links I posted earlier in the thread for more info.
For the longest time, in England at least, you were assigned a license number by the government, but the “plates” were up to you, so there were any number of creative display solutions.
Ich bin ein Customliner.
I always wondered about that. I thought, maybe, they were County specific and maybe even vanity type plates.
Thanks.
It’s good your uncle didn’t live near the ocean. If you do and you park a car anywhere for 2 or 3 decades, you’ll end up with a pile of rust ;)
Lucky friend, and a worthy endeavor.
“American cars will never die.”
I certainly hope your optimisum wins out over my pessimism. To sit back and read FreeRepublic now days and hear so many folks more than willing to piss away, actually promoting the demise of the american auto industry is certainly heart breaking.
General Motors has produced some of the most loved cars in history. My favorite was the 63 Corvette.
Ford also produced vehicles americans proudly produced for nearly a hundred years.
Presently, I’m on Dodge Ram pickup #7
But the way things are now with Chrysler, it’s doubtful I’ll be able to buy number 8.
What the hell has Become of America ? when it’s citizens repeatedly denounce the attempts of a man supposedly in power to turn this economy around in a positive direction ?
Nope, I’m affraid huiandi’s and whatyacallit’s from India will become the norm here *sigh*
That’d be the Cadillac Ranch!
“What the hell has Become of America ? when it’s citizens repeatedly denounce the attempts of a man supposedly in power to turn this economy around in a positive direction ?”
- No one welcomes a recession.
Still, I’m pretty convinced 30-40% of the world’s car industry just won’t go away.
There is no escape from the negative aspects of Capitalism.
Recessions do happen.
On the other hand, you and I will probably meet in a bar four, five years from now and discuss these matters over a decent long drink somewhere.
Yup!
When asked about fords my usual answer used to be 'they make good tractors'.
I was recently informed that they sold their tractor operation to Fiat.
I'm in the market for something else nice to say about fords.
I'm drawing a blank.
Any help?
Anybody?
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