Exterior differentiations have ranged from subtle to glaringly obvious. For a subtle example, aside from the types of wheels, Toyota RAV4 SUVs of the 2013-2018 generation had just small chrome lettering on their rear doors: LE, LXE and Limited -- in increasing price rank.
Towards the other extreme, the 1956 Ford line had distinct trim differences that I wrote about here.
The current post deals with 1958 exterior rank variations for General Motors' Chevrolet brand, America's largest seller that model year. Chevrolets were given redesigned bodies for 1958. In addition, the two lowest ranking models were given new names to add to the hoped-for excitement: the One-Fifty line became the Delray, and the Two-Ten line was renamed Biscayne.
The two-door model shown here is pretty much Chevrolet's entry car. Little in the way of chrome trim aside from the piece extending along the side. Compare it to the side trim shown next.
Biscaynes used the trim from the Delray and were given an additional strip positioned slightly below the forward section and in effect extending the after Delray segment forwards. Photo of a for-sale car.
Top-of-the-line Bel Airs got entirely different side trim that was bolder, more elaborate. The leading part of the front fender has four decorative hash marks, as does the side sculpting abaft of the rear wheel opening. No mistaking Bel Airs from lowly Biscayne or Delrays.
The apex of the Chevrolet lineup was the Impala. Besides having a different basic body (compare the thickness of the top with the other Chevys), Impalas received a fake air vent forward of the real wheel opening. There were other differences, but here we limit the discussion to side views of the various models.
1958 GM cars all featured way more chrome than other cars, maybe in an attempt to compensate for their new but after 1957 Fords and Chryslers outdated Harley Earl aesthetic. The Delray had chrome instead of black rubber around the windshield and rear window plus that strip down the side and the trim on the top of the rear fender wrapping around the tail lights. Particularly if it had full wheel covers no one would think it was poverty spec unless they looked inside and noticed no arm rests, one visor, and hard foam rubber-less seats. The Biscayne also has chrome capping the window frames.
ReplyDelete(I know, that "chrome" is what they used to call "bright trim" because it isn't really chrome.)
Some cars today do the same sort of thing but it isn't that noticeable. I've only figured it out on ones I've shopped. Toyota Siennas had about four levels, and each one has (or had) varying amounts of chrome on the grilles, from all gray plastic to all chromey. Strangely the chrome strip on the side was an extra cost option on any of them.
2017-18 Subaru Foresters came in three levels plus Turbo. The base had all black window surrounds. The middle one has chrome along the belt line. The Touring has an additional chrome strip near the bottom of the doors. The Turbo has a different front end. Each level also had increasing amounts of standard equipment, most of which are optional on lower levels, similar to cars in the olden days. The Touring got a much nicer interior.
In most years lower level Chevrolets did not look bad, even with the lack of heavy trim. In two years, 1958 and 1961, the Chevys looked terrible except for the highest levels of trim. Even the untrimmed 1955 150 and the inexpensive 1962s, for example, still looked pretty good. I have seen some pictures of racing Impalas from 1958 which did not have a good basic look when untrimmed. Just my opinion from seeing all these cars when they were current. I love this site; buy all your books.
ReplyDeleteI just looked up a 1955 Chevy brochure. The one-fifty had zero side chrome and black rubber around the windshield and rear window. Same with Ford Mainlines and Plymouth Plazas, but Plymouths had a chrome beltline strip all the way around, and the brochure cleverly dressed them up with optional full wheel covers. Peak Cheapskate Fifties Dad year. The same concept in cars that follow this pattern today (amazingly, actually) like the Forester or Sienna I mentioned above are a lot more subtle. Back then your cheapskateness was obvious to anyone and everyone.
ReplyDeletedberger223 -- Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your kind comments regarding this blog -- greatly appreciated.
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