Bling on cars enjoyed a long run over the years because more shiny stuff indicated an upward trend in their owners’ lives, along with a substantial increase in their cool factor.
Most bling cars enjoyed a healthy diet of chrome, stainless steel and polished aluminum to achieve greatness on the shiny scale, but we at MyStarCollectorCar will generalize and fly them under the chrome banner.
Jim Sutherland
Mainly because we want to trot out the old cliché: “Chrome don’t get you home”–even though it’s likely the creator was referring to aftermarket chrome replacement parts on the engine. His point was well-taken because a shiny water pump or alternator does not improve its performance in any way, shape or form.
However, a retro ride laden with factory bling on its fenders, trunk and hood will look great even after its engine blows up and forces the shiny old chariot to the side of the road. In fact, the old car’s inertia will give onlookers an excellent chance to examine the car’s chrome quotient up close and personal.
The burning question is what chrome-mobiles look best when they don’t make it home? MyStarCollectorCar picked five of our favorites from five consecutive decades in the shiny old retro ride department.
The first car on our esteemed list is the Chrysler Airflow built between 1934 and 1937. The 1930s were not a hotbed of sleek automotive design but the Chrysler Airflow bucked that trend in a big way.
The most notable feature of the Chrysler Airflow was its curvaceous front end, including its shiny chrome grille that extended into the Airflow’s hood, along with chrome bumpers and brightwork body trim that accentuated its radical automotive design for the time. The Chrysler Airflow was not well-received by the buying public, but it remains a shining example of 1930s-era chrome dreams.
The second addition to MyStarCollectorCar’s list is the 1949 Cadillac Coupe Deville two-door hardtop. 1949 was the first year for a domestic two-door hardtop car and Cadillac made it a special model because the car was equipped with a generous amount of bling right from the factory.
In fact, the car was a rolling monument to shiny stuff, including its front grille, bumpers, and even its hood ornament. The bling continued along the side of the ’49 Caddy, including its rocker panels, to the rear of the car where its massive chrome rear bumper and window supports were also shiny showcase features.
The third vintage car on our list was built during the golden age of chrome excess, namely the 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88. A solid case could be made for many late 1950s car models, but we believe the ’58 Olds was the gaudiest car built during the Elvis era because of its bling, particularly its side trim.
The 1958 Olds Super 88 was an outrageous example of an outrageous era for chrome automotive dreams and is a worthy addition to our list.
The fourth retro ride on our shiny list is the 1960 Plymouth Fury, a finned dinosaur that year because it would be the final curtain for the car’s giant tailfins.
The ’60 Fury was also adorned with plenty of bling because of its roots in 1950s automotive tastes and is a shining example of generous brightwork during the dawn of the 1960s, a brightwork trend that would diminish during that decade.
The fifth and final member of our blingiest car list comes from our fifth and final decade: the 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III. The early Seventies marked a slight uptick in shiny components on cars, but we believe the Mark III ran ahead of the competition in terms of exterior bling, mainly because of the large chrome grille that dominated its front end.
The shiny front grille was very apparent when a Mark III flew up behind you in the fast lane and dominated your rear-view mirror. It was an intimidating reminder that it was time to get in the slow lane.
For the record, our fifth choice is based upon personal experience and may have unduly influenced our pick.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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