I was at a big car show recently with over 800 entries and there was one Exner-era ’60 DeSoto entered and a ’57 Custom Royal driving through town.
That was it.
So, the question is simple—where have all the classic fin cars gone?
Jerry Sutherland
I remember medium-sized car shows in the late 80s and early 90s with up to a dozen fin car entries. I never thought those would be the golden years, yet here we are.
There are a few reasons why fin cars are disappearing faster than free beer at a frat party–here are five.
The first one is simple—they rusted away. The 1957 model year was a glorious time for Chrysler, because Virgil Exner (vice-president of styling) debuted The Forward Look and these cars were front and center in the sales race. In fact, Plymouth was third in sales at 762,231 units.
Unfortunately, there was also a recession on in ’57 so Chrysler compromised on the sheet metal quality–the fin cars were instant rust buckets. That meant the sales spike in 1957 plummeted over the next few years.
The second reason is the age of the cars. Cars from the 1950s are yesterday’s news in today’s world.
Look at how 20s and 30s cars sank in value over the last 20 years because guys who liked them bought them–then parked them. If you were a Baby Boomer, cars from the 1920s were something your dad liked…or your granddad.
The third reason is they look ancient to younger car guys. They get a positive reaction because the fin cars are so far out of the orbit for Gen X (and Millennial) they have a very distinct form of cool.
I know this from personal experience because I watched a kid chase the MyStarCollectorCar ’60 Dodge around a gas station parking to get some video on it. I’ve seen many thumbs up and “cool car” comments, but that isn’t enough. They like the fin cars—but not enough to invest in them.
The fourth reason is the parts supply. There are no aftermarket parts books full of everything you need like you’ll see with a ’57 Chevy.
You’re on an island with a fin car because you can get the basics like a floor pan or gas tank but try and find a re-pop front valence for a ’59 Plymouth. You have a better chance of flying on the first Mars mission.
The fifth reason is the most obvious one—demographics. I went on a serious search for a fin car in the late 1980s and the question I heard most was one word.
Why?
The guys who owned them were as old (and older) than my dad and they always asked that question. I never understood that response because the logical step would be to encourage interest.
I don’t know if that attitude was the main reason—it’s more likely an aging-out process because the guys who thought that way are mostly gone.
Whatever the reason—bring your fin cars out if you own one because the world’s a better place when they are out on the street.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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