5 of the Most Expensive American Cars of the 1950s

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SMS Auto Fabrics

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 57

@390rambler 2 ай бұрын

Thank You! A real person narrating historically correct information. A. I. sux!

@PeBoVision 2 ай бұрын

Agreed. Glad to see I am not the only person annoyed by digital narrators. Please comment anytime you encounter one. It can influence content creators to use AI tech creatively, instead of using it to hide accents (Its main purpose on KZbin.) Also agree that this was great vintage car content!

@brandbryce 2 ай бұрын

good research and photos and let me say THANK YOU for the real human narration! #goodstuff

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Everything now is AI, and we find it so annoying! Thanks for the feedback.

@steveplunkett6753 2 ай бұрын

Very well done. By the way, the blue 53 Eldo interior shots was my car. Keep up the good work.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Beautiful car! Thank you for preserving history!

@RobertHowe-zv7gs 2 ай бұрын

The Packard had that soft, floating "Magic Carpet" ride.

@gregharvie3896 2 ай бұрын

Hi from Sydney, Australia. I'm almost 70 now and having been a little kid in the 1950's, I would say 50's was a better time the MK2 Conti' & the '57/58 Eldo' Broughams were truly special. My mum's dad had a 1956 Packard Patrician in black paint with a dark grey & cream interior. I lived in Mosman, Sydney's wealthiest suburb, and there were 2 local mk2 Conti's & 4 Eldo' Broughams however ours was the ONLY Packard Patrician, looking at the modernistic late '50's cars as a little kid, it made you wonder what kind of cars would be on sale when you were an adult. Little did I know that they would be boring gloopy blobs that have no style. That's why I own and drive 5 classic cars and own no modern ones at all. My favorite that I have been driving now for 42 years as my daily car is a '74 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Talisman in black paint & with a "gold" interior (mustard color), to me the closest thing to the USA's 1950's super cars you have just shown. My Talisman is fully optioned its elderly first owner that I bought it from ticked every option box bar two, a sunroof and mirror with thermometer. It even has the rare GM Air bag restraint system, and ABS & traction control, it's immaculate and still drives like a modern car, perfect.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks for sharing! Totally agree with you about the “boring gloopy blobs.” And hopefully you never have to find out if that very rare 1974 GM airbag works!

@gregharvie3896 2 ай бұрын

@@SMSAutoFabrics Hi there again from Sydney. I'm half American, Dad and half Australian, Mum. However, I have several cousins in Cali' some in San Fran and some in San Diego one sent me a doco'/video taken by the NTSB just before the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020 where the NTSB had tracked down 80 of the mere 10,231 GM air bag cars built over 3.5 years from mid '73 to end of production of the 1976 models. They were direct from breakers yards, unwashed and unloved, they were fitted with new tyres, the axles and brakes and bearings were freed up so they would roll. next they were fitted with new batteries so the Air Cushion Restraint System would arm up and be functional. The engines did not need to be started as underground sling shot cables would be used. THE TESTS. Open field on concrete high-speed straight-line head on into modern Chevy/Camry/Accord Open field on concrete high- speed crossroad intersection into modern Chevy/Camry/Accord Inside Laboratory straight-line head-on city speed into modern Inside laboratory crossroad intersection city speed into modern and finally Inside laboratory direct into barrier Inside laboratory with offset attack at front corner by impact device Results EVERY ONE of the 8O 1070's GM ACRS equipped cars deployed the airbags perfectly as designed, which amazed the director in charge, he was mightily impressed, but one has to remember back in the day GM eclipsed NASA for an industrial design prize with this new invention the "airbag". Secondly that the collisions with the crash test dummies when the "oldies" went head-to-head with the 2020 models was an eye opener, as if the crash test dummies were living people, the ones in the old '70's GM cars would have all survived without major injury however ALL the crash test dummies in the modern cars if were real people would have died. Also the front offset impact test results were impressive, as the wrap around cast-forged steel bumpers on the front of the big GM cars handled that with ease. The sheer brute strength of the heavy-duty GM cars of '74 to '76 with crumple zones, collapsible steering columns, airbags all comparable to a modern cars or BETTER, they simply tore the modern Chevy, Toyotas and Hondas apart. All of the '74 to '76 big body GM cars needed the mandatory 5 mph damage free bumpers to be able to be registered for road use in the USA, this was introduced for the front in 1973. this was to increase to 10 mph at the front later in the decade GM took the lead and all the '74 to '76 cars ACTUALLY had 10 MPH bumpers at front due to sheer cost GM needed to get the sensors and mercury switches, G-force detectors set up just ONCE for the ACRS airbag cars. If you look at a GM big body car for 1973, the front bumpers are different to the 1974 to '76 cars on all 5 brands compared to the 1974 to 1976 models which are all identical on each brand for the 3 years. E.G. you could mount a '76 model front bumper on a '74 Cadillac but attempt to mount a 1973 front bumper on a 1974 to '76 Cadillac and the '73 front bar will not align nor fit on the different compressible shock absorber bumper mounts as the front of the chassis frame is totally different (massively reinforced for the '74 to '76 models) . What the NTSB also found was that the GM '70's airbag sensors can detect the probable impact speed from the mercury switches, and will then deploy the airbag at a different lower or higher pressure rate depending on road speed, this eclipses and betters ALL modern airbags, designed back in the day when GM was the wealthiest company on earth and could afford research and development where cost did not factor into it, just mere quality. Of course outside factors changed everything, with the 1974 Arab oil crisis, the increase in prices of everything globally because of this, the new 55mph rule to cut fuel waste, the CAFE rules where all cars needed to achieve a shrinking fuel use target all happening in 1974 and the outcome was terrible in the USA stacks of people laid off, car companies going broke reeling from the mandatory government crash rules and fuel use rules changed everything and from '77 bumpers at front minimum requirement was re-set to 2.5 MPH, many other safety rules were also relaxed to stop the car companies going broke, e.g. heavy duty seat frames required from 1974, axed as at 1977 model introduction, lighter gauge smaller door intrusion bars and the list goes on. So, I feel pretty safe in my old, but well equipped 1974 Talisman, as it really is a road fortress.

@anthonyariola395 2 ай бұрын

I love the way that you adjust the prices very OG✊🏽

@DavidHall-ge6nn 2 ай бұрын

Superb video in every respect. I especially appreciate hearing a real person narrating the well-researched commentary accompanying the beautiful photography. Since your company replicates classic car interiors, I would really enjoy seeing some of those sumptuous fabrics displayed with the benefit of modern photography. Great job, and thank you!

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! We dabbled with the AI voiceovers, but it just sounds too fake and not authentic. Glad you like the real human aspect, we agree that it’s better! And we’ll definitely share some photos of our work. We’ve done factory-correct interiors for ALL of the cars on this list.

@SummitHill79 2 ай бұрын

$5 says the stainless steel roof on the Eldorado held up better than the stainless steel on the Cyber Truck that has been reported that wraps have been bleeding into the steel and discoloring it.

@Rocco-c5f Ай бұрын

Wow, Love UR YT Vids!!!

@sethkransberg3347 2 ай бұрын

Love the packard

@davebarron5939 2 ай бұрын

Love the 58 Cad's.

@63bplumb 2 ай бұрын

Watched this for the information on the 58 Eldorado Brougham (although I knew all of it). Number 498 is sitting in my garage.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Congratulations, that’s so awesome! And thanks for watching

@SummitHill79 2 ай бұрын

I love what you do. I’m an old man now. If I were young I would be hounding you incessantly for an apprenticeship.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! Fun fact: we actually started out almost 50 years ago with a team that had a lot of "old men." They had the car knowledge that could be passed on to the younger folks.

@FrankMarter 2 ай бұрын

I owned an Eldorado Brougham for 7 years. Wonderful car if you could find someone to work on it. They were so rare most mechanics never saw one.

@georgeOswald-j6o 2 ай бұрын

and worth every penny

@BillSchenk-i4h 2 ай бұрын

U guys did a GREAT job on this. They were way better than cars 2 day. When u take the yr in consideration. Thxs

@dennisbrookssr2903 2 ай бұрын

Thanks much for a most Informative, and Enjoyable Video…as a life Long GM guy, who grew up loving the beautiful, individualized Automobiles of the 50’, 60’s and 70’s, I find myself choosing, and yes desiring, the absolutely gorgeous, timeless, and limited 1956 - 1957 Continental Mark ll, and would love to have one of them, in their personalized trim, and color combinations, in my garage. You also mentioned contemporary masterpieces, from the Automobile industry, from which their are many beautiful choices, for me that choice comes easy, and had the the blessing of owning one, which Is the very limited 1991 Mercedes Benz 560 SEC Coupe, fully optioned, designed by the phenomenal, creative Bruno Sacco…and hopefully 🙏🏽 one more, will occupy my garage.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

A great choice. Gotta love the Mercedes hardtop coupes! And the early '90s were some of the finest!

@danielulz1640 2 ай бұрын

Excellent presentation. I feel like one got more for thier money with cars from the 50's and 60's. Some honorable mentions would be the Frazier Manhattan, Chrysler Town and County, Oldsmobile Fiesta and Buick Skylark and Limited.

@SummitHill79 2 ай бұрын

I’m laying odds that the gearing in the MkII electric windows isn’t made out of plastic.

@SummitHill79 2 ай бұрын

Inflation adjusted pricing is really interesting. Today we have unimaginable electronic technology in our cars. In the 50’s we had unimaginable handwork. I’m betting that when today a pickup truck can easily cost $100K, factoring out the electronics, the coach work in a $117K MkII would cost hundreds of thousands more.

@PeBoVision 2 ай бұрын

The 1956/57 Mark II was easily the most beautiful American car ever built. It epitomizes understated ellegance. Every else in its class looked ostentatious by comparison. Ofcourse, excluding the hand-built Cadillac Brougham - a thing of beauty in her own right, there was nothing in the Mark II class. To this day, the Mark II is my dream car (if I had the mansion to go with it).

@Onlythetruth88 2 ай бұрын

All these cars are Cadillac’s legacy

@paulbedford9816 2 ай бұрын

Why do you add 1959 Eldorado Brougham production numbers onto the '57/'58 list? The '59/'60 EBs were a completely different car that was also hand built in Turin by Pininfarina?

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

That's a good point. We didn't do a good job of clarifying that the '59 production number was for the second generation. Good feedback!

@paulbedford9816 2 ай бұрын

Thank you. SMS are a blessing to the restoration world.

@RobertGuidry-f3f 2 ай бұрын

The 1957 Caddie Eldo Broughm. 400 were built. and 304 for 1958. And the second body-style 1958 Corvette was based on this car.

@daniellatimer1876 24 күн бұрын

Gilmore Car Museum has one of those Cadillac Brougham models. I believe it's the one Bob Hope owned.

@horizon42q 2 ай бұрын

My great uncle had a 53 Eldorado. He was very rich.

@seed_drill7135 2 ай бұрын

Packard’s trouble prone automatic, losing their body supplier and hanging onto the straight 8 too long all contributed to their failure. But partnering with Studebaker instead of joining AMC, sealed their fate.

@chuckselvage3157 2 ай бұрын

The 56 Continental is a gorgeous car. I mean wow. Never cared for the Eldorado. My favourite Eldorado is the 67.

@SummitHill79 2 ай бұрын

Did I mention incessantly? You dodged the annoyance bullet.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

😂

@billolsen4360 2 ай бұрын

Michael Corleone had a 1953 Packard Limousine in the first Godfather film. Hope she's still extant. The '53 Packard Caribbean outsold the Cadillac Eldorado, Oldsmobile Fiesta and the Buick Skylark combined.

@meathead585 Ай бұрын

the replacement Cadillac is now $350,000. Celestiq. Unfortunately it makes you wait a lengthy time at the pumps.

@karltork6040 2 ай бұрын

The '57-'58 Eldorado Broughms DID NOT have "Cruise Control", it was not offered by Cadillac until 1959. #683 is sitting in my Brothers garage.

@SMSAutoFabrics 2 ай бұрын

Oh wow, now that’s interesting! According to GM’s Heritage Center, the ‘57 does have cruise control.

@karltork6040 2 ай бұрын

@SMSAutoFabrics Not the one we saw when the C.L.C toured the Center.

@RedBud315 2 ай бұрын

It's crazy to think that a Tri-5 Chevy in todays dollar is only $27K. What can you get for that today? Nothing comparable with a Tri-5 that would be considered collectible in the future. I think my favorite on the list is the MK II.

@frederickma2193 2 ай бұрын

Packard was owned by Studebaker in the 1950s!

@1208bug 2 ай бұрын

😊❤👍

@carlbeamon1343 2 ай бұрын

The 50’s were much better even though expensive they were built with details of luxury in mind and could to this day outlast what’s on the market today! Today vehicles all look the same be it SUV, trucks, passenger vehicles you can’t tell one from the other, except for the badging who would know.

@RADIUMGLASS 2 ай бұрын

Eldorado Brougham was $2000 more than a Rolls Royce and the most expensive car in the world. Rolls Royce didn't have power windows or anything mechanically advanced to 1950s standards.