Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[dmbrumit]

Hi All! I'm an American with a recently developed/expanding appreciation for all sorts of cars/trucks. I grew up in the southwestern United States where we still have lots of '50's and '60's American vehicles. I decided to check out this forum to see what the interests are on you side of the pond.

I've looked through some of the posts and have seen some interesting Fords that are nothing like what I've known all my life. In America, the general knowledge of British automotive stuff is usually limited to things like the Mini or the Triumph (I fall into this category myself). I'm curious to know what kinds/years of classic American cars are famous on your side of the ocean? Maybe we could start a top 10/20 list of American favorites and British Favorites. I'd love to hear some thoughts on why you like the ones you like. Was it in a movie you remember from days gone by? Was it in an advertisement? Did you actually know someone who imported one?

I'm a muscle car fan myself, but with a strong appreciation for fine Japanese engineering (I own a '93 rx7).

My American favorites are:
'67 Shelby Cobra
60's Mustangs
50's-60's Corvette
1st Gen (55-57) Thunderbirds (Love that little window)
early '70s Dodge Dart
60's Camaros
3rd Gen (early 70's) Barracuda

My British favorites are:
Triumph Spitfire (don't ask me to be more specific)
Mini Cooper (although they are not so mini in America anymore)

...I'm poking through the specific variants sections as time permits, but I've got 3 small children so time doesn't permit often unless I'm sacrificing sleep. Well, good night for now, hopefully when I can log in again in a couple of days there will be some interesting reading.

[bob2]

Well my favourite British car is definately the mini (All the variants) (the proper one no BMW stuff please)
Then I really like,
MG's (most variants even saloons),
Triumphs herald 1200, spitfire (mark 3), GT6's, TR3, TR4, 2000 and 2500
Rootes Alpines, Rapiers, Humbers
Ford Zephyr, Zodiac mark 2's, E83W pick ups, 60's Thames pickup
Austin/Morris 1100 mark 1s
Austin healey frogeye and later sprites, 3000s'
Aston Martin DB5s mostly
Jaguars e-type series 1 fhc mostly but even roadsters, mark1 & 2, XJ6/12 series 1
Rovers P5s (all), P6s (all)
Lotus Elise
Better stop here now or I can go on and on and on!!!

The american car I like most is the dodge Charger specifically the 69 model (must be because of all the Hazzard episodes I used to watch as a kid)
But there are many more I like especially some 50s pickups.
I really like Rick's dodge truck too, my grandfather had one and I've got a photo somewhere of it, need to find it and upload here!!!!

[clan chieftain]

My favourite is the car on the zz top video of gimme all your lovin.. Havent a clue the make of it.
_________________
The Clan Chieftain

[47Jag]

It's a '32 Ford Duece coup(e)

Art

[dmbrumit]

Ok, thank you gentlemen for those first couple of replies. I was worried you'd know a ton about American cars and make me feel silly for not knowing your stuff.

I'm also glad to know that you get your knowledge from the good 'ol television just like us when it comes to wondering what is cool on the other side of the ocean. Hopefully more people will see this and continue to contribute.

[BigJohn]

Favourite American cars,
52 Hudson Hornet saloon triple H power (or coupe, but only if a Marshal Teague replica)

39 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe.

[Rick]

Model A Fords are perhaps the most popular pre-war American cars in the UK, thanks in part to good spares backup, and also their popularity in vintage trials (off-road events).

RJ
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Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
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[mikeC]

Myknowledge of American cars is pretty minimal - I have great respect for some of the early cars like the Stanley Steamer, Mercer Raceabout and Stutz Bearcat, and I find the early electric cars strangely appealing! But after the 1920s and cars like the Miller, Duesenberg and Auburn knowledge and awareness of the American automobile goes steeply downhill; there are the occasional blips - I can recognise a Ford Mustang or Chevy Corvette from the 1960s, the Pontiac Fiero and the Dodge Viper from more recent years, but that's about it Ask me to identify a 1950s to 1980s American classic, and I wouldn't have a clue

[earlyamerican]

Lets go back a bit to when American cars were truly individual.
My earliest was an 1898 Daley buggy with tiller steering and twin stationary engine bolted together. Took me 2 years to to get it to run properly as many parts had to be remade to original spec. The carb was a brass tank with wicks hanging into the petrol and the position was just below vulnerable parts of my body so was rapidly made a little safer.
The brakes were wooden blocks pressing on the tyres so I had to build brake hubs into the rear wheels in order to get it through an MOT. A good improvement as even at its top speed of 12mph on the flat it could pick up speed rapidly downhill many times leaving my wife running behind after pushing me up a hump back bridge.
It took us on many Brighton and Victorian re-enactment runs.
I am very fond of the Model T and still have 3 running plus Overland and Saxon cars. So I guess you can call me an American nut case though I do get pleasure from some other cars and there is nothing to beat a quick blast in the big engine E-Type. I sometimes get it into second gear before I reach the speed limit

[peter scott]

I like the glitzy Holywood stuff.

Auburn


Cord


I also like some of the more extreme finned tanks from the 50s

Chevrolet Impala

De Soto Adventurer


.. and some of the works of Raymond Loewy.


I'm sure I don't need to give a reason.

Like most people I love the burble of a V8 but I hate automatic transmission.

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[kismet]

I have a thing about early fifties Chevy pickups. I've come close to getting one a few times now but lack of available garage space has prevented me from clinching a deal.

[earlyamerican]

WHAT A GOOD THING IT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERING VIEWS ON BEAUTY, PARTICULARLY CARS. IT WOULD BE A STRANGE WORLD IF WE ALL ASPIRED TO THE SAME THINGS.
MAY BE WORTH GIVING SOME THOUGHT AS TO WHY WE WE FAVOUR PARTICULAR MODELS OR STYLES OF CARS.

[dmbrumit]

Yeah, another vote for the appreciation of different models. It would make it too tough to get the ones we wanted if we all wanted exactly the same ones I do say, I'm a second on the tail fins. 50's cars still had some real personality. The 60's saw some expansion of muscle. The 70's dropped off for me as the cars were generally too stretched and just generally unattractive. The 80's was all about great fuel mileage at the expense of good body shapes. Pre 50's is a bit of a stretch for me as most of that really jumps and focuses on Model T's for the pre 50's classics seen where I live.

I'm still relatively young (early 30s) so even a taste for the 50's is very old for my usual crowd.

[Mog]

Automatic transmission is better than sliced bread, in heavy city traffic !

[peter scott]