COFFEE TALK for Monday February 14, 2022

Simple answer, they were the cheapest and MOST people could barely afford them but, a cheap new car was perceived to better than a used car.  They probably were the most advertised and had the largest dealer net work as well. 

Published numbers aside, the number of used Chevys modified and kept on the road by teenagers in the early 60s suggest Chevy won that war depending on the time frame you choose.  

availability, affordability, improving performance and the power of advertising certainly contributed.  

great topic and idea for a morning coffee chat. 👍☕️

Another thought too is that most popular or best seller does not mean the best product.  Just look at the music charts or beer sales.

Top-selling breweries

1950
1 Schlitz
2 Anheuser-Busch
3 Ballantine
4 Pabst
5 Rheingold
6 Schaefer
7 Falstaff
8 Miller
9 Blatz
10 Pfeiffer

1960
1 Anhueser-Busch
2 Schlitz
3 Falstaff
4 Carling
5 Ballantine
6 Pabst
7 Hamm's
8 Schaefer
9 Rheingold
10 Miller

George;

I hate to muddy the waters but what about sales of my beloved Pontiac?  

@jack-dodds quite a few of us teenagers (myself included) had used Pontiacs in the later 60s and early 70s.  I had a 68 tempest in 72 that my father had bought new.  His 64 Tempest was the first “new” car he ever bought. 

I grew up a Ford guy to the core. There was nothing to compare. Ford was the best, the greatest, and certainly the most popular. It was only Ford for me...until the day I met that Pontiac! Then there was a Chevy...then another Pontiac...then a FIAT!...I've had so many cars, I can't remember all their names. "Hello, my name is John. I am a promiscuous, unfaithful, car tramp."

BTW, George, love the idea!

Posted by: @jack-dodds

George;

 

I hate to muddy the waters but what about sales of my beloved Pontiac?  

Sad to say, but Canadian Pontiacs were glorified Chevys.

@sizedoesmatter, "glorified chevy's", that's a good thing...right?

Posted by: @jkuvakas

@sizedoesmatter, "glorified chevy's", that's a good thing...right?

Sure, if you're into six-cylinder engines and undersized chassis. 

As a sports car guy who tried to avoid American 'heavy metal' most of my life, I'm intrigued by the attraction these vehicles have for most North Americans. I do admit to being persuaded to own quite a few but somehow always thought of them as temporary until something more interesting came along.

Going back to George's question about who won the Ford/Chevrolet production war, my family and friend purchases would suggest Ford up to about 1955 and Chevrolet generally thereafter, until both faded away as imports pushed them both into being shadows of their former selves.

I did really appreciate those wonderful large rear seats in my dating era of the 1950s and 1960s. Any American car worked well for that.

John Bono;

It is of course a matter of perspective.  It is true that Canadian Pontiacs used Chevy chassis and engines for the most part but as I grew up in the midst of these cars I never considered that there was a different, larger Pontiac until I was around twelve.  When I first looked at the American Pontiacs (let's not get into "Plodges" right now) I thought they were chunky and much like the Oldsmobile 98; to be honest I didn't like them much; especially the tail light area (post war thru 54) which was very different.  As the years went by I came to appreciate both types of Pontiac and now love them both; although I definitely can understand why an American would think Canadian Ponchos are/were strange.  The only truly negative thing I can say now against Canadian Pontiacs, at least during the "wide track Pontiac" era, is that.....thanks to a certain Forum member who pointed this out,..... the narrow Chevy track used on the wider Canadian Pontiacs starting in 1959 looks STRANGELY narrow.....there I admitted it.  That Forum member has scarred me for life.  Vive La Parisienne!

@jkuvakas THANKS JOHN!  I like to share stuff and my experiences, what the heck, this will be a fun way to do it.