1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible: Is This the Car for You?
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In the prosperous 1950s, many people bought luxury cars like this vast Cadillac, and many more wished they could. The car did more than fulfill needs—it sparked desires. But even at the height of uninhibited automotive design, some people questioned the logic of such vehicles. This car mirrors American attitudes of an era when gas was cheap, times were good, and the future seemed unlimited.
The 1958 book shown below peeked under the chrome and found some grime. The price and operating costs of American cars were soaring along with their size—while quality and fuel economy were declining.
"The Insolent Chariots," 1958. / THF108045
George Romney, president of American Motors, said famously in 1955, “Cars 19 feet long, weighing two tons, are used to run a 118-pound housewife three blocks to the drugstore for a two-ounce package of bobby pins and lipstick.” Even America’s inexpensive cars grew bigger. Plymouth, Ford, and Chevrolet all offered flashy entry-level vehicles. By 1960, highways, driveways, and parking lots were full of fins.
Postcard, Hart's U.S. 30 Diner, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, circa 1960. / THF297320
Archie finds the girl of his dreams in July 1959. / THF100874
This post was adapted from an exhibit label in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
Additional Readings:
- 1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Convertible: Unmatched Style and Luxury
Driving America - 1896 Ford Quadricycle Runabout, First Car Built by Henry Ford
- 1981 Checker Marathon Taxicab
20th century, 1950s, Henry Ford Museum, Driving America, convertibles, cars
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