| The cars from the 1950s were truly style icons. | | | | the weather when closed. Chevrolet Cars Images, |
| From the shapes to the engineering, General | | | | particularly the Bel Air, were seen everywhere. In |
| Motors and Ford crafted innovative designs that | | | | 1950, 74,634 Bel Airs were sold and Chevrolet |
| are still admired by many. Attend any classic car | | | | regained its position over Ford as market leader. |
| show and you will see many models from the | | | | Ford's response to Bel Air: Crown Victoria |
| 1950s. There is something special about these | | | | The following year Ford unveiled the Custom |
| vehicles. | | | | Victoria. It outsold the Bel Air in 1951 by 7,000 |
| Rivals as American carmakers | | | | units. The engineering of the Custom Victoria |
| Ford and General Motors each had the goal of | | | | include an innovative pillarless superstructure. Ford |
| determining what American consumers wanted in | | | | car pics of this model show superbly clean lines. |
| vehicles and trying to be the first company to | | | | This combined with a posh interior and good |
| deliver that product. The philosophy of "I can | | | | performance with a flathead V-8 propelled this |
| make that better" became commonplace among | | | | model to eclipse the Chevrolet Bel Air. |
| carmakers. The American consumer benefited | | | | Ford's Ranchero |
| from the intense competition between the two | | | | Ford beat Chevrolet in the rollout of the Ranchero |
| automobile giants. Pricing was affordable while | | | | model. Considered a "crossover", the Ranchero |
| style was high. Chevrolet Cars Pictures along with | | | | appealed equally to car and truck drivers. It |
| their Ford counterparts were seen in print ads in | | | | displayed utility features while offering comfort |
| newspapers and magazines. | | | | ability. Old Ford Car Pictures of the Ranchero was |
| Chevrolet Bel Air | | | | a two-door wagon with the rear section of the |
| The early 1950s saw the automakers looking at | | | | roof taken off and a bedliner placed in the floor |
| retooling old ideas. Chevrolet came out with one | | | | plan. |
| of the first affordable hardtop convertibles in | | | | Chevy's reaction: El Camino |
| 1950; the model was called Bel Air. They set out | | | | GM's counterpart to Ford's Ranchero was the El |
| to improve upon the old soft-top cars that were | | | | Camino. Among Vintage Chevrolet cars, the El |
| just not feasible in rain or winter weather. GM | | | | Camino is very unique in appearance. Using an |
| created a hybrid style that provided the | | | | integrated pickup box, a sedan was morphed into |
| convertible experience when opened up, but also | | | | a pickup. |
| gave the comfort and protection needed against | | | | |