Tag: 1961

1961 Cadillac Sedan de Ville: The Color of Money

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It’s hard to believe in 2019, but when the 1961 Cadillacs first appeared in autumn 1960, they were considered subdued. Well, consider the all-time wild and crazy 1959 Cadillac: The year GM took Cadillac and cranked it up to 11. Yep! Wild, crazy, luxurious, huge, all-American. And with fins you could see from space.

1959 Eldorado Biarritz at the 2015 CLC show in Brookfield, Wisconsin

Chrome, fins till next Tuesday, and the mind-boggling showgirl, even among fellow ’59 Caddys, the Eldorado Biarritz convertible. Some parking garages wouldn’t let 1959 Cadillacs park inside, because they were so big.

1960 Cadillac Series 62 owned by Josh Noiles

Then 1960 came. While the same basic body carried over, the most over-the-top-details from 1959 were removed. And actually, I prefer the ’60 Cadillac to the ’59, it just seems more elegant.

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Facel Vega Excellence

1958-61 Facel Vega Excellence: Classy, Lush And Over The Top!

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Note: Another contribution by my pal, Tony LaHood! Now this is a superior machine… -TK
In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that I am a Francophile. Set a baguette, Brie and Ch. Carbonnieux in front of me and I can die a happy man. Visions of Cote d’Azur or a cafe on Champs-Élysées can bring peace to my tormented mind. And while I acknowledge and regret the national (actually mostly Parisian) reputation for arrogance and condescension, I defend neither it, nor their inexplicable fondness for the comedy of Jerry Lewis. With this in mind, I feel it my obligation to share with you the story of the Facel Vega Excellence, a singular automobile at once quintessentially American and undeniably Gallic.

Facel Vega Excellence

While Facel Vega—which aside from half its name has no connection to that other Vega, s’il vous plait—had produced automobiles since 1955, the company itself dates back two decades, when M. Jean Daninos, late of Citroën and the military aircraft concern Bronzavia, founded Métallon, a fabricator of kitchen cabinets and sinks and, in 1939, established Forges et Atéliers de Construction d’Eure-et-Loire, (FACEL). The two firms combined and made aircraft engine components during World War II.

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1961 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible: 0.35 Percent Of Production!

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The Chrysler New Yorker was, once Imperial became a separate marque in 1955, the top of the line Chrysler. The most chrome, the flossiest interior trim, and the most standard features-and available options. And naturally, the New Yorker convertible was the flashiest of them all.

In 1961, the New Yorker convertible was the flamboyantly finny and fine glamour queen. Fantastic. And rare. Exceptionally rare, as a matter of fact. To the tune of 576 convertibles built.

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1961 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country: Simply Fintastic

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Back in June of 2013 the Antique Automobile Club of America decided to have their Grand National Meet right here in the Quad Cities, in downtown Moline. I was excited, because in general, AACA shows have some pretty cool cars, and no hot rods or customs. Ha ha! No 2016 Mustangs, Resale Red 1969 Camaros, and restomod Challangers would be there! Excellent. There were many fine cars at this event, but my favorite car is the subject of today’s post: The fin-tastic 1961 New Yorker Town & Country.

61 chrysler

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1961 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz: For The Fortunate Few

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In the Year Of Our Lord 1961, the Cadillac Eldorado, the most expensive Cadillac short of the factory limousines, got an all-new look. As did the rest of the line. It was somewhat scandalous at the time, but the new Cadillacs greeting showroom browsers in Autumn of 1960 were, believe it or not, somewhat smaller. Ye gods! What is the world coming to?

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