Nothing "Out Shines" the Orphan Years Trucks, '57-'60, in Looks!
They are the yardstick the rest have Attempted to Emulate from the day they were first designed & hit the show room floor.

 

'48-'51's look great... lost it for me when they went to the big TEETH in the grille.

'53-'55's just scream bulbus and ugly to me... and that is my OPINION.

I like the '56 and '57 Models... and then they lost it again with the quad headlight '58-'60 Models. Tasteful, understated, and not attempting to follow a jet-age FAD...

Picked it back up in '61 with a nice looking truck and carried a decent looking body style up until '71 or '72 or so...

Chevrolet however had a very nice looking body style in '48-'57... lost it with the quad headlights in '58 and then picked it back up in '64 with a great body style... and carried that all the way up until '78. In '79 they went to that funky heavy front end... and then square headlights and... ew, I get all shaky thinking about it!

Sam.

 

Somebody should start a post on the most beautiful body style and why.

 

Most beautiful, like I said before,for my taste goes to the 40.41 Ford pickup. I think it beats all makes, all years. I actually like the 40,41 3/4 and 1 tons even better than the 1/2 tons in terms of style. Set is another thing though. Do not like the big truck set as well as .5 tons.

 

Not sure what you mean about 'set' ?? but the 40-41 1/2 tons gets my vote, not only as the most beautiful Ford pickup, but the flat out most beautiful truck of all time. I would even take one over most cars for style. I like the 40's a shade better than the '41's, because they have the V8 tailgate and nicer chrome, but I love them.
It almost brings me to tears to see one with a brand X motor in them though. Like Claudia Schiffer with black hairy legs, or your daughter with a tattoo. Just kind of a sick feeling.

Just MHO
RF

 

Hey don't be a dissin the 51-52's. (I may be a little biased since I have three 51's ) I personally like all the Ford trucks from 48-72 (even the 54) except Barry's truck (Just kidding )

 

I am surprised anyone responded at all. IMHO Ford never made an ugly truck. They are all works of beauty in the eye of the beholder.

 

Check the archives, we did that one a while ago.

"Chevrolet however had a very nice looking body style in '48-'57... lost it with the quad headlights in '58 and then picked it back up in '64 with a great body style... and carried that all the way up until '78. In '79 they went to that funky heavy front end... and then square headlights and... ew, I get all shaky thinking about it!"

What are you talking about? Chevy only made minor changes in styling from 73-86. Besides, 78 can't be that different from 79 since when you look up parts 76-80 are all the same. But enough about my other truck.

 

Sure the glove box doors, or the rear fenders... windshields, door handles etc. may be all the same from '73-'80... but the front end grill treatments changed a bunch (for the worst) in those late 70's models...

As with the '48-'50 compared to the '51-2... the grille can make or break the looks of a car or truck.

In '79, Chevy encorporated the headlight and parking light bezels together with a big chrome blob... held that a year and in '80 or 81 went to a square headlight in that same grille treatment. And finally, went to the quad square headlights a few years later.

And like I said... it's my opinion... but then again, I tend to look at the little details.

Sam.

 

One thing I have learned from this thread is how many guys prefer the 48-50 to the 51-52 grill. For me, it is a surprise.

Speaking of C****, I like the 67-72 pickups. A little prejudiced, I guess; we are fixing up a solid 70 we bought from Cal. off Ebay. I say "solid" because most of these C****s are major rust buckets here in Virginia, where rust isn't a big problem usually.

I am also surprised how cheaply various small parts are made by GM compared to Ford.

 

I have fond memories of the 55 Chevy 1/2 tons, my dad bought one brand new. I was 4 yrs old and even at that young age I was crazy about it. On day I was alone playing in it, and the cab started filling up with smoke. I run to the front door and told my dad the truck was full of smog. Turned out he had the radio installed that day and the power wire shorted. He said in later years that it probably would have been a total loss if not for me. Another time, again while I was pretending I was driving it. I accidently pushed the foor starter mechanism and run it into the garage door. Yea, some fond memories I hope my 7 year old grandson carries some fond memories of my F1. He already announced he wants it when I'm gone.

 

Ive a 54 and 55 and like them both. I also have a 43 and think it is pure whacked with an ugly stick. I plan on putting on a 40-1 nose.
Also have an 83 F150 and Im fine with it. And a 79 van.
What I cant stand is when they went to the faggy Euro or Jap style lights. Give me a real headlight any day. Except maybe for the GM rectangulars.

The 62 F250 unibody out back that I bought for the 312 gets an ugly award also but sure looks better than similar era Chevy and GMC.

Downright ugly all the time? Cant beat IHC pickups or Travelalls!!

 

My personal opinion is 1957 and newer. They just don't have the "classic" feeling to me, but that is my opinion.

Missy

 

[QUOTE=What I cant stand is when they went to the faggy Euro or Jap style lights. [/QUOTE]

I've been a student of aesthetics for a while now, but I am not sure how one assigns a sexual orientation or ethnicity to a headlight.

 

I agree, there has to be a running board to make it a real classic.

Rod