50's Concept Cars | Cadillac Die Valkyrie & Chrysler Diablo

This week on My Classic Car, Dennis Gage is all about what could have been as he travels to Highland Park, Illinois to take a look at a couple of wild 1950s concept cars.
#conceptcar #cadillac #chrysler
S11E20

[@archiethedog4515]

I wish every car was a concept car, they just look a lot cooler than the final product.

[@lachlanandres9371]

Instablaster

[@josephconsoli4128]

These are cars I've seen in books and magazine so many times. Very cool to see them in today in running condition. Honestly, the Valkyrie looks like Elvis and Liberace got together as design consultants - whew!

[@robertphillips6296]

Dennis Gage, you have a dream job, my friend!

[@MyClassicCarTV]

I do indeed!

[@marcob4630]

The Diablo is astonishingly well styled !

[@dlwatib]

Would look good if Chrysler decided to produce it "as is" today.

[@racketman2u]

I think the concept behind the Valkyrie was "If you hit a pedestrian, make sure he doesn't survive to sue you!"

[@williamthompson6665]

Such great examples of their respective designers. Brooks Stevens used all his favorite cues on this one: not just the front beak, but the cutaway front fenders, the side sweep, and the squared, formal fins. Even his favorite black-and-cream two tone color scheme! Exner's pet cues are there too: the enveloping grill, long, low lines, wide chrome beltline, extreme wrap on the windscreen and amazing full length fins.

[@basicdose.9872]

These cars. Gems , real gems.

[@kennethfharkin]

I had the opportunity to see the Diablo as it was being restored at Eastern Coach on Long Island in the 1980s. My mom ran the office there for over thirty years and I was there often to see the host of spectacular cars which were restored. This Diablo always stuck out as unique. Seeing it on the small screen does not do it proper justice. Standing next to it and looking out over that long curved nose made on think of a bright red flying saucer. Fantastic car and thrilled to see it still out there.

[@MyClassicCarTV]

Wow! That's pretty cool!

[@kennethfharkin]

@@MyClassicCarTV My mom just let me know the owner at the time would drive it on the Long Island Expressway to work. He owned Blue Ridge Farms on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn and would park it on the street with guards. Trust me, it was not a "farm" and the buildings are gone now.

[@boataxe4605]

The white one would be great for winter, the front end looks like a snowplow.

[@jasonbrown7258]

They need to bring back this sort of styling in modern vehicles. Especially now that there going electric and high tech I think it's a good match.

[@boataxe4605]

Safety regulations prevent such designs, thank you government for knowing what’s best for us and forcing it on us.

[@DaddyPants]

It's called the pt cruiser.

[@paulsilva1357]

Everybody is here hating on that first car. I think it is awesome! I love everything about it.

[@cameronlovesevolve]

''you could drive this car 500 miles and feel just fine'' - wont let Dennis drive it lol.

[@DTD110865]

Somehow, I'm not sure he'd be comfortable doing so. His knees were resting up against the passenger side dashboard.

[@keithoneil6711]

Very beautiful amazing cars wow

[@randalldavis3251]

Reminds me of the "Homer" designed by Homer Simpson.

[@timharper3390]

Joe seems very committed and knowledgeable about these old concepts, but if I was Dennis I’m not sure I’d even bring this to the fans w/o the caveat of being the driver. It’s his take we want. Anyway, kudos to Dennis for going the steps to let us view and learn but I’d have passed.

[@janetremsing6988]

👍🙂‼️Very, very, cool!!

[@jimburig7064]

The front of the Valkyrie is certainly bold, to say the least. It's an impressive restoration. Other videos have shown the high level of quality that went into the chrome plating. Still, that grille...

[@kennethmccann6402]

Beautiful!

[@professorpatpending8731]

Love the Diablo. The interior oozes Italian styling with sensible functionality. Not seen one before. Shame not to see it with the top down. Thanks Dennis and to Joe.

[@johncheves4740]

The late 50's / early 60's Chrysler interiors were incredible. Although Ghia had a lot of influence on the interior of the Diablo, if you look at the dash layout of a 55 New Yorker, you will see a similar gauge layout. And the oval steering wheel and dash layout on the driver's side is close to that of a 60 Imperial. Ghia knocked the interior of this car out of the park partly because Chrysler and Virgil Exner gave them so much to work with.

[@mrabaddon7712]

The Valkyrie just screams Cruella de Ville!

[@ebahraimabdulrahman4475]

This is the first time I m seeing such car like this it is realy a mazing

[@rogerwillams2814]

those two cars crazy crazy blown out with too much style that was time when they went way out lol ! amazing !!!

[@charlesnash4809]

Infantile styling for attention whores. But they are nice restorations.

[@blebhan8213]

The Penguin would love that Valkyrie.

[@charlesnash4809]

Good one.

[@ArthurBrinkman-c5z]

So would. Cruella DeVille from 101 Dalmatians!

[@THEIUSRUBEN]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@vasilioskosman2789]

Looks a little like later Audi? No? Front end Sucks. Design wise

[@johnnymason2460]

That Chrysler Diablo could have been the Joker's ride. Even the Riddler would have enjoyed it.

[@treytucker5619]

OMG that diablo with hemi power! Bong!

[@moondawg3693]

220 on the speedometer, look out jack !

[@CarswithNash]

Wow! Both are incredible, I think the Diablo wins though, that engine bay looks like it’s from a modern pro touring car... but it’s original, insane!

[@bigsky1984camaro]

Great video , I remember picking out and mixing all those colors for the mini Cooper truck when I (Fred Shutrump) painted that Mini Cooper for Ireson Motorsports.

[@Gabriel.Ponce.De.Leon.777]

The Valkyrie front looks like it crashed into NASA's entrance. The rest is pretty cool. The Diablo has slick lines, it’s really cool. We’ve forgotten to draw lines like that. (Not crazy about the name though)

[@lelandhetrick205]

I agree with you on the name choice. However, the body has great aero effects... cuts through the air with minimum drag. Some of those body elements were the rakish front window angle seen on some production cars plus later Exner designs like the 1961-1963 Ford Thunderbird.

[@arnepianocanada]

The name 'Die Valkyrie' itself is USA-Germany fusion - Die ("Dee" - The) from Die Walküre, a famous German opera; and Valkyrie, that word in English. Opera by Richard Wagner is based on Norse mythology, same source material as many of today's superhero-fantasy Blockbuster movies.

[@Emppu_T.]

Always love what Ghia did in the days.

[@bubbaschannel1610]

Ah, the days of chrome and heavy comfortable cars.

[@SimplyTakuma]

The Diablo is cool! It reminds me of a "American art of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante"

[@garymckee8857]

The Chrysler is fantastic.

[@MrWombatty]

Wonder how the guys at Maserati felt when they saw those tridents on the Diablo?

[@nicksgarage2]

Some of those probably came from a Maserati and were added later. The steering wheel is from a 1960 Imperial and doesn't really go with the shape of the dash. I liked the Dart better with the taller fins and the retractable hardtop. Crazy to think they took finished show cars and started cutting them up for the next year.

[@malevolenceXXXensues]

you can see it even on that steering wheel

[@BrunoRegno]

No worries, Neptune holds the rights to those but he ain't fussy about it.

[@lobitome]

I have "always" loved the whale-shark look of the front end.

[@LovesGreatness]

Wow, Amazing cars!

[@tigerbyte0]

HOLY BAT RESCUE!

[@Bucketroo]

Beauty and the beast! And the Valkyrie is the Beast, Ye gads that car is hideous! The Diablo, on the other hand, is gorgeous! So sleek and curved and sexy. Yeah, I'll take the red one.

[@vassa1972]

Interesting cars

[@Porsche996driver]

Thought the new Corvette invented the “squircle” steering wheel? But hey that Diablo is completely original and probably worth a cool Million. Dennis wouldn’t want to be the guy that sees that body work get dented. 🙂

[@garybanglebangle7949]

What a great car the v8 black and white one.

[@johncunningham4820]

Valkyrie's Front End is Butt Ugly . The rest is Gorgeous . And the Diablo is Jaw-droppingly beautiful .

[@martinmartin5904]

as elegant as a snow plow train

[@bernardmiller809]

One car looks like a ram car other looks like a flying car. The. Red one

[@1erickf50]

The front of the Diablo seems to follow a similar logic to that of the Aston Martin Vulcan: a big fish mouth with the headlights inside said mouth

[@dajr675]

In an alternate dimension, the 1st car was an early Lexus.

[@jerrycallender7604]

I remember the concept cars...the DIABLO has what would become the Imperial steering wheel... 1958(?)-1963??...along with the dual-pod instrument panel. My gramma's 1958 Fury had the dash-mounted rear-view mirror..

[@millar6070]

very interesting

[@mustangboss1246]

Watching theese videos i feel like im in the 90s...

[@geraldtrudeau3223]

The Valkyrie would be right at home in "Death Race ...2019"?

[@dlwatib]

Too bad they don't let you put beaks like that on cars in demolition derbies.

[@Thundarr995]

Actually there is a Death Race 2050. It's a remake of the original Death Race 2000 from the 70's. Roger Corman,The original director even directed it. I'm pretty sure it went straight to Blue Ray.🙂

[@alphasigmasezon8597]

Excelente

[@estpst]

cool cars

[@russellminetree5326]

Mophead won’t let you drive?

[@davidupton9354]

Now days almost every car looks the same as the others. I mean that just about all have the same storm trooper front end. The Star Wars trooper face is on most of them, foreign or domestic.

[@historysmysteriesunveiled8043]

Fancy electric razors is what i see

[@Sashazur]

I call it “whale face”. Toyota is the worst for this, but I do see it on a lot of other makes too. I hate it. But since it’s just a style thing with no relationship to functionality, I figure it’ll go away in a few years after its run its course and people want something new.

[@Baribrotzer]

It's hard, though, to think of getting into either of these without thinking of getting in and being met by a wall of cigarette smell. No, I didn't see either Dennis or Joe smoke; I'm not implying that they do. And even if they did, Joe probably wouldn't do it it in his cars or allow others to. But in the Fifties, everybody smoked like chimneys, and everything smelled of smoke.

[@_1ben]

Legend has it that it drives like a 56 caddy

[@robbiejones4933]

Front of the red one looks like a catfish

[@patsquach4080]

Interesting to see if someone takes these concepts and copy … but an. EV. …

[@blarfneggs3728]

The first car triggered my gag reflex. Only a face a mother could love.

[@charlesnash4809]

Almost every "concept" car ever made was way 'over the top' and generally obnoxious looking. Like sketches made by a 13 year old.

[@wadeguidry6675]

The Cadillac looks like a Budgie album cover. The red Chrysler looks like the front end of a 1971 Roadrunner.

[@eddiemunster2196]

The Chrysler looks like it was a convertible also ? The Space Age vehicle that was in the last part of the video !!

[@rayjames6096]

Looks like one of those bird masks they wore during the black death.

[@redspace8969]

凯迪拉克还有这么帅的老车 长见识了

[@wurldtravlr620]

Beauty and the Beast... you pick which is which... :)

[@JBuddis]

Hmm, Diablo is the Devil is the Beast from the Bible. But I'm not sure I'd call the first one a "beauty", so maybe the Chrysler is both. Evil IS often quite enticing.

[@hymanocohann2698]

The first one looks like a Studebaker jumped a Lincoln lol

[@CAPSIT95]

@MyClassicCarTV What is the name of the song that plays when you are cruising around in the Valkyrie? Is there somewhere where I can find a list of the songs used in this season of the show?

[@GoldenSim27]

the diablo would look amazing with a different front end

[@dlwatib]

I'd rather see that ugly V front end replaced on Die Valkyrie.

[@kdsboosted4954]

If it takes 4-5 guys to take the top off I'd be think of a lift setup from the ceiling of the garage. Back to it takes 1 man

[@rickg.5171]

If you cross a Lincoln with a Studebaker.....

[@Rog5446]

Then you get a Lincolnbaker.

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

Hope you can do these and other concept cars in high def. This episode looks like VHS. I had seen photos of these cars, but is great to do a walk around and see them in motion. The interior of the Diablo is definitely Italian. Who owns it now?

[@shawncromwell2230]

Die Valkyrie looks like a Studebaker, not a Cadillac.

[@legendvito5702]

👌👌👌

[@hishamaziz3282]

Both cars are beauties... I was wondering about the area they were driving in and those buildings.. is that a college campus or something? Looks very beautiful there!

[@waterheaterservices]

You just have to laugh sometimes.

[@johnnyhawkins43]

I can dig it!

[@dariushkabir8406]

nice..............

[@kaiokendo]

0:21 the applepie of hell

[@billbright1755]

Sort of a “ V “ theme going on. A bit more chromium may have helped in the overall look. A ship’s wheel would have been cool. Crome! was the hue and cry then, if it ain’t chromium I ain’t goingium.

[@jaimebondiola9526]

The lateral view of the Cadillac is líke as Maserati 3000 of the 60

[@ArthurBrinkman-c5z]

Either design could be relevant today, build them as an electric car and people would go nuts to get one.

[@kingfishstevens2087]

Does anyone else think the taillights on the white one ended up on the ‘65 Mercurys?

[@number62]

The Diabolo by Corvega

[@randybock82]

I wish Dennis could have driven the Ghia.

[@iggman1]

Joe took me for a ride in the Diablo once. My mother in law owned the garage where he stored some of his cars. Really really cool!

[@bobrush3235]

I saw this car at a show in New York many years ago. Old Westbury ?

[@bobrush3235]

The Diablo.

[@1984xlx]

Where the HELL does one "get" a concept car? I know a lot of these were crushed after the car shows ended.

[@tomcannone8894]

Anyone notice the speedo is not working...

[@guysiddyfo]

IS the Diablo a rag top? It sure looks like it is, but they didn't mention that.

[@ihabphelobos7455]

The designer begin with a train design ending to a car.

[@screwthecabal6453]

SUUUUUUUUUUUUUWEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!

[@bradcarroll3719]

Is he afraid that someone who drives rare and expensive cars for a living is going to mistreat his car? I bet his list of friends is long.

[@phoghat]

Valkerie driver seat has split seams

[@dlwatib]

Not unusual in an old car in original, unrestored condition.

[@Vamanaswastika]

Dennis got shamed when the guy didn't let him drive. I thought it was kinda rude actually for him to bring Dennis on the show knowing very well he drives the featured cars. I guess the owner is a bit of a dim wit.

[@jtf2dan]

looks more like a Trident than a pitchfork......

[@dylanwalker2111]

Didn't get to hear those high rpms :(

[@deefisher5157]

i am a certified car nut

[@randyporter3491]

As opposed to “no creativity”, no style and no aesthetic design, in cars today.

[@Sashazur]

There’s creativity, and then there’s good taste!

[@hipcat13]

I see they filmed that at old Fort Sherridan.

[@DemeDemetre]

hellooooooooooo

[@THEIUSRUBEN]

It should be called cadillac rhinoplasty, the other vehicle is beautiful 🤩

[@AccordionJoe1]

What ever happened to Dennis Gage? His programs were interesting and informative.

[@MyClassicCarTV]

I'm still doing the show and it's now in its 23rd year. It's on Velocity on Saturday morning, NBC Sports Network Tuesday afternoon, MAVTV on Friday and Sunday, Rev'n everyday, and WildTV in Canada three times a week. But it's available anytime here on KZbin and it's commercial free!

[@mollyhensley6884]

You coming to the fall rod run in pigeon forge this year Dennis?

[@sterlingrozier6380]

Due yall ran a stop sign in the red car

[@gusneaker]

It's a pity they "butchered" the Dart to make the Diablo. Dart's rear end and electrically hideable rigid top were awesome. Both versions should have been kept.

[@lelandhetrick205]

Agreed that both versions should have been made as separate vehicles, let a lone a limited production(!) for us who appreciate their body lines.

[@gusneaker]

❤@@lelandhetrick205