MSCC MARCH 30 STAR OF THE WEEK: ’53 FORD MONARCH-CANADIAN, CUSTOM AND COOL
Ford Monarchs were Canadian by birth and built for the low to mid-range market in the late 40s and into the 50s.
They were well received and sold well in the north country.
Monarchs carried unique styling cues and that made them “custom” right out of the factory but they lent themselves to customizing like ducks lent themselves to swimming.
This MSCC Star of the Day 1953 Monarch was at a September 2012 car show and it was a crowd magnet.
Canadian, custom and cool-with rare thrown in for effect.
MARCH 29 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: EDSEL-THE 50S NAME THAT BECAME A PUNCH LINE
Ford poured a boatload of money into the Edsel project only to have the car turn into a punch line for every standup comedian on the planet.
They weren’t the most conventional cars even in an era of excess like the late 1950s but critics pounced on them “like a crow on a june bug”…to quote the legendary Jed Clampett.
The critics were particularly hard on the horse collar grille but they didn’t limit their barbs to that one feature.
They hated everything about the Edsel.
In the end, the “hate the Edsel” movement snowballed to the point where it became fashionable to bash this poor car into extinction so whenever a TV or radio guy needed a target in 1958, there was always this unloved Ford product.
This MSCC Star of the Day on the street back in June 2012 is clear evidence that while society may have piled on these cars back in ’58, they couldn’t kill this underdog.
MARCH 28 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: A PONCHO TWO-DOOR SEDAN-CHIEF WITH A BAD ATTITUDE
Two-door sedans are one of the best bases for raw power because they are typically a little lighter and they can handle more torque than something like a hardtop or convertible.
Two-door sedans were typically ordered by granddads who liked the low sticker prices of these stripped-down models.
They occasionally came with AM radios but two-door sedans rarely came with AC or power windows.
This MSCC Star of the Day Pontiac two-door sedan definitely didn’t come with a massive set of carbs poking through the hood but that’s what happens when they get a bad attitude.
MARCH 27 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: 1960 EL CAMINO-ANOTHER ONE FROM THE “THINGS YOU RARELY SEE” FILES
Ford started the ball rolling with the Ranchero in 1957 and Chevy followed in 1959 with the El Camino.
These lightweight trucks were built for the guy in the suburbs who needed a vehicle that could haul his lawn mower to the repair shop and bring back a load of wood for a deck project.
They rode more like a car than a truck in an era where a truck definitely rode like a truck.
El Caminos were built for comfort and style, not payload so you rarely saw them around oil rigs or on a construction site but they did fill a niche that would eventually be picked up by fully loaded trucks in the 21st century like the Cadillac Escalade.
This MSCC Star of the Day 1960 El Camino is a good example of the “things you rarely see” in 2014…or in 1960.
MARCH 26 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: THE FINAL INCARNATION OF THE ROAD RUNNER-F BODY STYLE
The Plymouth Road Runner was an instant success in 1968 thanks to its no-frills, performance on a budget image so they sold boatloads of them.
The Road Runner name hung on until 1980 when it beeped off into the sunset.
They plunked a few performance pieces on the late 70s ‘runners by digging into the police car parts bin so the F-bodies were fairly stout cars in a choked-off performance era.
This MSCC Star of the Day F-body Road Runner was at a show last year and it was a great example of how time and absence makes the heart grow fonder.
This end of the run version has a 70s cool presence in 2014 that Saturday Night Live will never know.
MARCH 25 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: A ’67 CHEVY IMPALA TWO DOOR HARDTOP-BORN COOL
The 1967 Chevy Impala continued the bowtie tradition of leading, rather than joining the style parade throughout the sixties.
Impalas were incredibly well-designed cars and 1967 was a banner year for the Chevy brand.
They looked tough, fast and cool and that’s hard to do in one package.
This MSCC Star of the Day ’67 Impala was on the street after a show back in late September and the picture is worth a thousand words.
That’s why it was Star material.
MARCH 24 MSCC STAR OF THE DAY: THE EVOLUTION OF THE FASTBACK
Surprisingly, a fair number of people truly believe the first fastback of the 1960s came in the form of a 1st Gen Mustang.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The ’62 Studebaker Avanti was the first fastback of the 1960s and Chrysler liked the look so much they added it to the Dodge and Plymouth lineup.
The 1st Gen Barracuda was the lucky recipient of the fastback roof line in ’64 followed by the Dodge Charger in ’66 and it turned these Mopars into an instant force on the track.
These two fastback Mopars; a 2nd Gen Barracuda and a 1st Gen Charger were at a recent auction and they were instant MSCC Star of the Day nominees.
They won on looks.
For past Stars of the Day please follow this link.
Star of the Day page sponsored by Southside Dodge.
