Tom, those old irons were good and heavy. I am always on the look-out for working, heavy old irons. I think they make it much easier than the newer light weight ones.
Thriftivator? Calgloss?
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'59 and '60 Buicks
That '59 had the six-way seat. The problem with so many of those cars was the angle of the seat back. And no, only Rambler had adjustable seat backs. But--my father owned a '60 Classic wagon as a 'work' car, and it verified what the car mags said back then--the steps were so few that only the most upright position was suitable for driving. If anyone is curious, visit Jay Leno's YouTube channel and check him out driving his Olds coupe from these years.
There were two four-door designs for '59 and '60 for all full sized GM's as they all shared the same inner body, from Chevy through Cadillac.
The more popular roofline was the six-window with a gradually sloping rear window. The one that collectors love now is the 'flat top', with the wraparound rear window. As I recall, though, only the Electra and Cadillac offered a choice in hardtops, for Chevy/Pontiac/Olds only offered the 'flat top'.
Like the two-door hardtop, unfortunately, the headroom was wanting; the more traditional-looking six-window hardtop had more than an extra inch of needed headroom. My relatives' 1959 had the 6-way seat (it was loaded) but, like my parents' 1960 Bonneville, had the 'flat top'.
GM continued its choice of hardtop sedan roofs for the Buick, Olds and Cadillac through 1964. The four-window was considered more 'youthful' looking. However, the six-window was not only much easier to get in and out of in the back seat, but the seat was able to be moved back further, so they also had more leg room.
My aunt Isabelle had a white '60 SDV 'flat top' with a black-and-white cloth and leather interior. However, she was only 5'5" so the lack of headroom didn't bother her at all. As a small child, I was at the grocery store with her once when she accidentally backed into the side of a pickup's bed and poked a hole in the metal with the fin on the back. That guy was sure mad! I remember it well...
That '59 had the six-way seat. The problem with so many of those cars was the angle of the seat back. And no, only Rambler had adjustable seat backs. But--my father owned a '60 Classic wagon as a 'work' car, and it verified what the car mags said back then--the steps were so few that only the most upright position was suitable for driving. If anyone is curious, visit Jay Leno's YouTube channel and check him out driving his Olds coupe from these years.
There were two four-door designs for '59 and '60 for all full sized GM's as they all shared the same inner body, from Chevy through Cadillac.
The more popular roofline was the six-window with a gradually sloping rear window. The one that collectors love now is the 'flat top', with the wraparound rear window. As I recall, though, only the Electra and Cadillac offered a choice in hardtops, for Chevy/Pontiac/Olds only offered the 'flat top'.
Like the two-door hardtop, unfortunately, the headroom was wanting; the more traditional-looking six-window hardtop had more than an extra inch of needed headroom. My relatives' 1959 had the 6-way seat (it was loaded) but, like my parents' 1960 Bonneville, had the 'flat top'.
GM continued its choice of hardtop sedan roofs for the Buick, Olds and Cadillac through 1964. The four-window was considered more 'youthful' looking. However, the six-window was not only much easier to get in and out of in the back seat, but the seat was able to be moved back further, so they also had more leg room.
My aunt Isabelle had a white '60 SDV 'flat top' with a black-and-white cloth and leather interior. However, she was only 5'5" so the lack of headroom didn't bother her at all. As a small child, I was at the grocery store with her once when she accidentally backed into the side of a pickup's bed and poked a hole in the metal with the fin on the back. That guy was sure mad! I remember it well...
mickeyd
Well-known member
Frigidaire's Agi-tub
Apex's Bouncing Basket
And let us not forget the ubiquitous, legendary, and still extent, "Three Vane" straight finned agitator. Long may it live.
Apex's Bouncing Basket
And let us not forget the ubiquitous, legendary, and still extent, "Three Vane" straight finned agitator. Long may it live.
John, I never did like the looks of the flat-tops, however I can certainly understand the lack of headroom. My father was taller than I am and always got the dealers to "track back" the front seat. Almost all of our cars were "post-sedans". I think it was Chrysler that advertised their cars "won't knock your hat off". My mother had some cool hard tops over the years, and she was small in stature.
The story of your aunt reminds me of a similar incident one of my relatives had.
Their old place back in Midwood had a garage that wasn't deep enough to stuff the ever-growing American cars into.
They wanted a -62 Cadillac and ended up with a short-deck Park Avenue model. My aunt was so short she could barely see to drive it. In no time the fins were both crumpled, both bottom and tops! No telling what she backed in to. They didn't seem to care and drove that poor thing around all beaten up, for years. The interior was minty, and, of course, covered in plastic.
My parents used to chide them for the plastic cover and say "who drives a nice car with plastic covers?"
However, that's exactly what those old hearses and combos had and they were expensive. Nothing worse than black Naugahyde on a hot summers day in the Deep South.
The story of your aunt reminds me of a similar incident one of my relatives had.
Their old place back in Midwood had a garage that wasn't deep enough to stuff the ever-growing American cars into.
They wanted a -62 Cadillac and ended up with a short-deck Park Avenue model. My aunt was so short she could barely see to drive it. In no time the fins were both crumpled, both bottom and tops! No telling what she backed in to. They didn't seem to care and drove that poor thing around all beaten up, for years. The interior was minty, and, of course, covered in plastic.
My parents used to chide them for the plastic cover and say "who drives a nice car with plastic covers?"
However, that's exactly what those old hearses and combos had and they were expensive. Nothing worse than black Naugahyde on a hot summers day in the Deep South.
Thank you DADoES for clarifying the Whirlpool Surgilator names!
Good Lord
299 dollar price tag in 1952!??!?!
That would be comparable to buying the TOL Stainless Steel finish Miele at retail prices today, I'd bet. And for a machine that, according to most of you, wouldn't last much more than 10 years. Yikes.
And BTW, I protest! I really dig those vintage Hotpoint spiral burpy agitators that were plagiarized from the Easy agitators. They might not have been as good at cleaning as the goosenecks, but the first time I saw one in action was mesmerizing. They coaxed their loads under, in the manner as their GE cousins, but languidly, gracefully and almost silently. These were things of beauty, not of efficacy, sort of like the Gabor sisters.
299 dollar price tag in 1952!??!?!
That would be comparable to buying the TOL Stainless Steel finish Miele at retail prices today, I'd bet. And for a machine that, according to most of you, wouldn't last much more than 10 years. Yikes.
And BTW, I protest! I really dig those vintage Hotpoint spiral burpy agitators that were plagiarized from the Easy agitators. They might not have been as good at cleaning as the goosenecks, but the first time I saw one in action was mesmerizing. They coaxed their loads under, in the manner as their GE cousins, but languidly, gracefully and almost silently. These were things of beauty, not of efficacy, sort of like the Gabor sisters.
Cars
When I was a kid, we had a '59 Pontiac Catalina 4-DR. It was Regent Black with a Cameo Ivory top. Bought new in the Fall of '58, and kept until Oct. '66, when a new Tempest was purchased.
When I was a kid, we had a '59 Pontiac Catalina 4-DR. It was Regent Black with a Cameo Ivory top. Bought new in the Fall of '58, and kept until Oct. '66, when a new Tempest was purchased.
And let’s not forget more plagiarizing of Norge’s (patented?) “burp up” lint filter...and love the Gabor sisters!
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