Thoughts on Automotive Styling, aka old cars are obsolete.

[crv]

The only new car I like is this: Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Sedan.

 

[68 4spd Fury]

Last night my wife and I went to get groceries after I got home from work, my old beat up ram was on the end so we took it....as we returned I sat waiting for a green so I could make my left, across from me making a right turn onto the same street I intended to proceed upon was the below truck in black.....

I turned to my wife and proclaimed "that is the most hideous thing I have ever seen, I would sooner use the $80k that truck cost as masking paper then even so much as drive that"
View attachment 262304
When did looks for trucks die? I'm not a fan of the grille or tail light treatment of the new '19 Rams, the GM's are the most hideous swamp creatures I've ever seen, d the astetics of the Ford's is not much better then the swamp Monster GM's, Toyota trucks have never been lookers, not have Nissan's, so what does that leave me?

The answer, driving my 18 year old truck and enjoying the view in my driveway and across its nose when behind the wheel. Because it's bold, brash styling became an icon for Dodge truck styling.

My 2 cents worth..

Nick

 

[Jon O.]

I hate the Monster Grill fascination designers have with everything from sub-compacts to HD trucks. It's become worse than the fins craze of the late 50's.

Wtf
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Wtf 2
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Wtf 3
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I always thought it would be smart design to have vents on each side from the engine bay all the way out the back of the car. Better air flow, and less drag if the air going into the engine can use the car's momentum to push it out the back.

 

[CBODY67]

Back when Daimler had "merged" with Chrysler, some Germans allegedly wondered "Why" and mentioned Chrysler's general boxy styling (or similar). I wondered about the pot and kettle situation! A few years later, Mercedes introduced their first "swoopy" (in the Art Deco fashion) sedan with NO straight lines on it. Almost like it could NOT have been a Mercedes, but was. Now, they all look that way (cars, that is, other than SMART).

Remember when it seemed that everybody was seeming to emulate the Mercedes grill design? Back then, BMW was continually litigating against (what they claimed) was Pontiac's emulation of their "dual grille" design on certain models. LOL Later, Jeeps got square headlights, for ONE year only (t-shirt: "Real Jeeps have ROUND Headlights"). Plus litigation between Jeep and Hummer about the number of vertical slits in the grille! Lots of fun to watch.

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

I always thought it would be smart design to have vents on each side from the engine bay all the way out the back of the car. Better air flow, and less drag if the air going into the engine can use the car's momentum to push it out the back.

A body side of Buick Venti-Ports?

 

[MarPar]

My 73 has style , body design by Dempster Dumpster. View attachment 262409

Not a Thing wrong with that!

 

[Jon O.]

A body side of Buick Venti-Ports?

Somewhat yes. I'm thinking of a vent on each rear corner of the engine bay, through the doors, through the rear fenders, straight out the rear bumper. It would cut drag down a lot i'm sure. Instead of the engine being like a brick wall for air, it would be swept across.

 

[MarPar]

Vent wing windows and real roof drip rails.
New cars should have those functions.
I say functions since they work .
As we all know vent wings help air flow in our cars.
So do roof drip rails by channeling rain water away from the window so we can crack it open for more air flow.

I just luuuuv the 2008 300C I have. All the creature comforts and 340 horses from the Hemi.
Perfect daily grinder.
My biggest pet peeve I have with my 2008 300C is the damn windows keep fogging up no matter how cold or hot it is.
(No the heater core is fine!)
I cannot drive with the window open in the rain everything gets soaked and i have to keep running the HVAC system that tries to clear the windows. I hate the deflectors that you have to tack on to the doors,very tacky IMO.
Being such an air tight car with double weatherstripping on all doors does not help either.
View attachment 262410

Try running the defrost with the A/C button on.

 

[CBODY67]

Somewhat yes. I'm thinking of a vent on each rear corner of the engine bay, through the doors, through the rear fenders, straight out the rear bumper. It would cut drag down a lot i'm sure. Instead of the engine being like a brick wall for air, it would be swept across.

Back in the later '60s and the NASCAR "Aero Wars" were happening, it was discovered that blocking air through the grille helped top speeds. Which lead to "bottom breathers" rather than "grille breathers" in race car (and some street car) designs. The Corvettes were already "bottom breathers" by that time. So getting air through the radiator (from whatever source) and then exited UNDER the car tends to work better. Then manage the under-car air flow for best total aero results. Many fwd cars have "under-covers" of plastic to help with this, along with front air dams to put more of a low-pressure area behind the front wheels.

Then there's the "fastback" roof lines and how they smooth airflow over the body (ala '62 Ford vs '63 Ford fastback roof lines). Downforce on the rear deck area is important for high-speed stability, without any add-on wings and such. The Dodge Intrepid was really good in these areas, even at NASCAR speeds, it was said. The smaller Dodge Daytonas were too. Although neither of those cars were ever in NASCAR Cup races. The NASCAR drivers who raced in the Race of Champions, when the Dodge Dayton was their spec car, remarked at how easily they could race "door handle to door handle" in those cars due to their better aerodynamics than they Cup cars!

So, total aerodynamics and management of low pressure areas is important, however it can be done. Rear bumper fascia shapes are in that mix, too.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[Jon O.]

Back in the later '60s and the NASCAR "Aero Wars" were happening, it was discovered that blocking air through the grille helped top speeds. Which lead to "bottom breathers" rather than "grille breathers" in race car (and some street car) designs. The Corvettes were already "bottom breathers" by that time. So getting air through the radiator (from whatever source) and then exited UNDER the car tends to work better. Then manage the under-car air flow for best total aero results. Many fwd cars have "under-covers" of plastic to help with this, along with front air dams to put more of a low-pressure area behind the front wheels.

Then there's the "fastback" roof lines and how they smooth airflow over the body (ala '62 Ford vs '63 Ford fastback roof lines). Downforce on the rear deck area is important for high-speed stability, without any add-on wings and such. The Dodge Intrepid was really good in these areas, even at NASCAR speeds, it was said. The smaller Dodge Daytonas were too. Although neither of those cars were ever in NASCAR Cup races. The NASCAR drivers who raced in the Race of Champions, when the Dodge Dayton was their spec car, remarked at how easily they could race "door handle to door handle" in those cars due to their better aerodynamics than they Cup cars!

So, total aerodynamics and management of low pressure areas is important, however it can be done. Rear bumper fascia shapes are in that mix, too.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

Some really good information here. I was thinking that hitting exhaust, bumps and whatever might could be under the car would slow it down, but yes underneath makes good sense.

 

[Snotty]

I cant stand the new lexus with that giant *** grill....I wouldnt spend that much money on a car that looked like that....for that money i would buy 2 or 3 or 4 old cars and love them dearly. Even as bad as my car is right now, I still get people staring and questioning me about it...even trying to buy it....you just dont see them anymore. No class in most of todays cars.

I fully agree. What is really idiotic, in my opinion, is those grills are absolutely meaningless. Look closely at one; the actual air intake opening is 1/3 the total size of that ugly grill! Same for Toyotas. (Then again, they are the same company.)

 

[CBODY67]

Remember when Lexus started that "multiple signal lights crammed together" tail lights, "under glass"??? In a few years, others had that "new style" of YUK.

Those new Lexus grilles have helped me better appreciate the full-size '61 Plymouth grille. Take that Lexus grille, flatten it, then stretch it out sideways, add some chrome, voila . . . 1961 Plymouth-shaped grille. Might need to trim a bit off the bottom, though.

 

[rexus31]

I think my recent purchase is one of the best looking cars on the road; old or new.

 

[Wildbunch02]

Check for a stone chip in your windshield, that will cause fogging.

 

[1Fury1]

I think my recent purchase is one of the best looking cars on the road; old or new.

View attachment 262531

Totally agree. Nice Lincoln. That thing got a hemi?

 

[1Fury1]

kidding of course. That is a very sporty car?

 

[1Fury1]

.

 

[MarPar]

Totally agree. Nice Lincoln. That thing got a hemi?

 

[Wildbunch02]

damn windows keep fogging

Check your windshield for a stone chip, that will cause window fogging.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

I cant stand the new lexus with that giant *** grill....I wouldnt spend that much money on a car that looked like that....for that money i would buy 2 or 3 or 4 old cars and love them dearly. Even as bad as my car is right now, I still get people staring and questioning me about it...even trying to buy it....you just dont see them anymore. No class in most of todays cars.

For many yearz now I've wondered why so many Manufactures designs have done the the gaping hole all across the front end. For a while I thought it might be for better air cooling of the engine but? It keeps getting bigger and looking worse. That's why my newest car iz and '87 LeBaron TI turbo coupe. 'Cept for the D.D. 2000 Grand Caravan that just turned 70K 3 dayz ago. And my Car-Bud Stan haz all the pix of my '83 GT Scamp resurrected in TII form, that garners stares and questonz every time I take it out. My fave is the guy that rolled up beside me in the fast lane almost 2 yearz ago, rolled down hiz passenger window and yelled over WTF IZ IT. I yelled back at him it'z ah F***in' turbo charged Plymouth Pickup WANNA RACE? He just said OH, NO THANKS, and rolled hiz window back up, lol