Cheers or Jeers: 1958 General Motors Offerings

1958 Chevrolet Impala: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item3cc754a867

1958 Buick Super Riviera: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item43b0678155

1958 Oldsmobile Super 88: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item3cc7475fe5

1958 Pontiac: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item20c663e3e2

1958 Cadillac Series 62: http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item19d1f3190a

I love the Buick, Olds and Cadillac!

It is, of course, erroneous to portray the name of the Buick model as a 'Riviera'.

I like them all, a really do.

Given free money (my choice of model/body style tho), I would buy in order :

1. Cadillac

2. Pontiac

3. Buick

I would not buy the other 2, tho to rank them I'd go :

4. Olds

5. Chevy

In terms of styling, I would actually rank the Olds below the Chevy, but the Olds has mad character and a funky dash.

Like em all...

1958 was IMHO not the greatest year for styling... too gaudy for me... disappointing compared to the 1957 and 1959 offerings. Not as bad as 1960, though... and, of course, all of this is relative, as the entire era is eons better than the current offerings.

1958 was IMHO not the greatest year for styling... too gaudy for me... disappointing compared to the 1957 and 1959 offerings. Not as bad as 1960, though... and, of course, all of this is relative, as the entire era is eons better than the current offerings.

Pretty much how I feel.

The Caddy is the best of the bunch. It would have been the Chevy but for that terrible color...

I find this '58 Chevy much better to look at (even if it is a sedan).

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3051481611.html

Not so overblown.

The Pontiac is by comparison subdued. I find the Olds ugly, too many disjoints. The Buick's pleasant color saves it. The Cadillac is classy, more timeless. The Impala's color makes it a caricature, it would be better represented dressed in something less polarizing.

I'd go right down the line from top to bottom. The taller the fins, the closer to God.

Cadillac

Buick

Oldsmobile

Pontiac

Chevrolet

as if that needed to be defined for anyone here.

That Cadillac would be a hoot to drive around in Wildwood this summer!!

My votes in order of my preferences and if money were no object here:

1. Cadillac

2. Pontiac

3. Chevrolet (color withstanding)

4. Buick (the front grille reminds me of a person with braces smiling very wide )[/i]

5. Oldsmobile (I'm a huge fan of the '56 & '57 Oldsmobiles, but not of the '55 or '58-late '60s models. Though ranked last, I would pass on this '58 Olds regardless of money not being a factor)

Edited June 12, 201213 yr by GMTruckGuy74

All but the Caddy (and the Pontiac to a degree)seem way too overdone with chrome, but that Olds is downright ugly.

Edited June 12, 201213 yr by Camino LS6

The Caddy seems to be the least chromed...the others all have way more... I just can't get into the styling of that era, too tall and overdecorated, IMO. Lower-longer-wider is much more appealing to me....I find lots of interesting GM B/C body designs in the '61-64, '65-70, '71-76, and '77-8x generations..

Edited June 12, 201213 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

I just realized that I hate the taillights on all of them (not as bad on the Buick).

Cadillac would be by far my first choice!

Now THOSE are some REAL CARS!!!

too tall...

FYI - a 58 CdV is 1.5-in LOWER than the current Camry.

hah

It amazes me to see how tall I am when standing next to a double-wishbone Honda product, pre-MacPherson strut. The cowls are so sweet and low.

Now everything out there's so high-cowled it's ridiculous. Crash/pedestrian standards, or just fashion? If some maroon steps in front of my vehicle, wouldn't it be better to have my bumper hit 'em in the ankles so it flips 'em up on the hood, or in the midsection so it knocks 'em down and underneath (bleh, I just made myself sick).

Valid questions.

It amazes me to see how tall I am when standing next to a double-wishbone Honda product, pre-MacPherson strut. The cowls are so sweet and low.

Now everything out there's so high-cowled it's ridiculous. Crash/pedestrian standards, or just fashion? If some maroon steps in front of my vehicle, wouldn't it be better to have my bumper hit 'em in the ankles so it flips 'em up on the hood, or in the midsection so it knocks 'em down and underneath (bleh, I just made myself sick).

And with the thick pillars and tiny windows of today's cars, you may not see them until after you hit 'em...though rear view cameras and proximity sensors help.

Cubitar ~ >>"And with the thick pillars and tiny windows of today's cars, you may not see them until after you hit 'em...though rear view cameras and proximity sensors help."<<

^ I seldom drive forward on public roads in reverse, so (even if I had) RR view cameras........

ocnblu - pretty sure what's happening is that as cars get smaller & smaller & tighter & tighter, they just make us sit more upright. At some point we'll probably drive while standing.

A camry will be 140" long, and 85" tall. Can't wait.

Edited June 13, 201213 yr by balthazar

1. Buick

2. Cadillac

3. Pontiac

4. Chevrolet

5. Oldsmobile

Edited June 13, 201213 yr by vonVeezelsnider

Love those cars Balth

Good Lord I wonder if the part number is the same between Pontiac and Chevy for the hood that year. They look damn close. Probably not, because the Pontiac hood was likely drilled for the lettering. Thanks fer the full frontal shots, balthy. You've become the C&G Porn King between these and the Curves thread.

I was looking at that very same thing (the hoods) and the Caddy hood is damned close too, but I'll bet subtle differences make them unique enough not to bolt in.

I love these 'compilation of brothers' shots.

I had to look closely at both side by side when told that the '58 Impala had a lot of different sheetmetal from the lesser models. I know that Chevy is ubiquitous to some, but a '58 Bel Air, Biscayne or Delray is a prime candidate for Cleanest Car Of The Year.

I especially like the Chevy and the black Cadillac in these shots.

Edited June 13, 201213 yr by ocnblu

I had to look closely at both side by side when told that the '58 Impala had a lot of different sheetmetal from the lesser models. I know that Chevy is ubiquitous to some, but a '58 Bel Air or Del Ray is a prime candidate for Cleanest Car Of The Year.

I especially like the Chevy and the black Cadillac in these shots.

Yep.

Clean is good.

A Delray is the cleanest, by virtue of its base model status. Biscayne was next, with just a little bit of decoration.

Darn it I had a nice YouTube video embedded but I can't find the button to enable HTML. WTH.

Edited June 13, 201213 yr by ocnblu

I love the Olds because it is the epitome of 50's Space Age!!! styling with all of those globes, stars, and rocket engine tail lights....even being powered by a rocket.

I love the Buick because it is Deco done 50's style.

And the Cadillac because... well it's a Cadillac.

A Delray is the cleanest, by virtue of its base model status. Biscayne was next, with just a little bit of decoration.

Darn it I had a nice YouTube video embedded but I can't find the button to enable HTML. WTH.

Enable HTML is on the upper right after you've clicked More Reply Options

but for youtube, you just need to post the youtube link and the board software will automatically embed it for you.

Cubitar ~ >>"And with the thick pillars and tiny windows of today's cars, you may not see them until after you hit 'em...though rear view cameras and proximity sensors help."<<

^ I seldom drive forward on public roads in reverse, so (even if I had) RR view cameras........

Even the front pillars are huge... and you sit so close to them in some cases, that forced perspective makes them look bigger. Include 5" of factory tiny at the top of the windshield, a HUGE rearview mirror and the tiny side windows... even driving forward is a safety hazard in modern cars, unless you a 5" even.