C2Ag93 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Hello all - I know this isn't about Houston architecture, but I have posted other times on this board seeking help about historic Houston and people seem extremely knowledgeable here and helpful. I am still exploring my parent's history in Houston in the 1960s, and am wondering if you can help me figure out what kind of car they drove, down to the model year. I have a note from a cousin as to what my mom drove in high school, and suspect what she told me is what I see I the photo. But I don't want to venture the guess so as not to taint you in your guess. But I can say my mom graduated high school in 1963 and the photo below was taken in 1968, and I have reason to believe the car in the photo is not a new car (so, it's likely an early 60s model). Any help would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 what does the note say it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Something about that silhouette says "early 60s Mopar" to me, but I haven't found anything close enough to be a match after a quick image search for Plymouth/Dodge models between 1962-1966. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Could it be a mid 60s AMC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 looks like a 65 Coronet to me, but that's my Mopar or no car bias talking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Hmmm... My cousin's note said she thought it was a Valiant. When I look at detail pictures of Valiant's I don't see the second line just above the wheel well. Guessing it would have been a 1962 or 1963 model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Looks like a 1964 Ford Fairlane to me. Edited May 9, 2020 by FilioScotia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 45 minutes ago, FilioScotia said: Looks like a 1964 Ford Fairlane to me. I can go with that too. The picture looked like a Ford to me at first glance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) I'm skeptical that it's a Fairlane due to the apparent absence of chrome side trim and badges. I don't think it's a 1962 Valiant, but it could definitely be a 1963. The crease directly under the top of the fender is there, the greenhouse profile looks the same, and the top of the rear wheel well is lower than the top of the front wheel well. The second crease above the front wheel well doesn't seem to be in the original photo, but given the quality of the photo it's hard to tell for sure, plus the second crease is not nearly as pronounced or visible as the larger one. Edited May 9, 2020 by mkultra25 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 the curve is right, there appears to be an emblem in the right place, sticking with 65 Coronet. https://dealeraccelerate-all.s3.amazonaws.com/streetside/images/1/9/9/8/0/19980/7531133c2a1b7f_hd_1965-dodge-coronet-500.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 My first guess is Ford product but I thought maybe Merc. Haven't been able to find a pic but here's a 62 Ford Fairlane - not sure what the comparable Mercury model would have been. The original pic is a low end model without much chrome. I don't see the V-shaped ridge on the Valiant on the original pic above; the panel beneath the ridge on the original pic is indented - on the Coronet it bulges out. Of course there's always the Edsel or Lincoln to consider. Did the family tend to stick to one brand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) It's forgotten now, but in 1963 Ford produced a very basic model sedan for the low-end market. The Ford 300 is an automobile which was built for the 1963 model year only. It was the base trim level of the full-size 1963 Ford line below the Galaxie, Galaxie 500 & Galaxie 500XL. It featured almost no chrome trim or luxury equipment and could be compared to the Chevrolet Biscayne in trim level. In the late 50s Ford also produced what it called the "Custom" model, which was basically a stripped down Fairlane. It was popular with families and police departments because they were a lot cheaper than Fairlanes and Galaxies. Edited May 10, 2020 by FilioScotia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 I'd forgotten about the 300. In 1962 the Fairlane had established itself as a model separate unto itself (midsize car), as opposed to being just a trim level of the standard full-size Ford. My father bought a new 1961 Fairlane, and I cannot imagine that there could have been a trim level below that one. It had the smallest 6 cylinder engine available, manual (3-on-the-tree) transmission, rubberized flooring rather than carpeting, no side moldings (like the '63 shown above), and no radio. It did have a heater and backup (reversing) lights, which many years ago were options; not sure if they came standard on the Fairlane in 1961. My dad even installed the seat belts himself as a cost-saving measure. I think it had to be special ordered because the dealers usually only sold them as utilitarian fleet vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 My vote is for 62 or 63 Fairlane. The Comet's the same basic car, but since it's further up the food chain its bumper wraps all the way to the wheel well. Valiant, Dart, Tempest, and Ramblers all had blade bumpers, the Chevy II just doesn't have any way to do that shadow line, and an early compact F-85 or Special... ehhhh, not a chance; likewise, the Lark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Man! Thanks all for comments and suggestions. I'm not a student of classic cars, so had no idea there were so many close possibilities. I discovered the back end of it in another photo. Guess if I really want to solve this one, I'll need to scour through boxes of pictures again. From memory though, they simply didn't take pictures with their cars. It's hard to really say what make and model it is from these. My cousin mentioned she thought Mom drove a Valiant. But the problem I see with that is (as someone pointed out) I too don't see the second part of the angled feature on the fender just above the wheel well. But then if it was a Ford, I don't see molding. I hadn't noticed that the rear wheel well was lower than the front. But then it looks like the Valiant and the Ford guesses both had that. Someone asked... No, my parents weren't dedicated to any one brand, so I can't assume that early-60s car was an earlier model of a later one I knew as a kid. Good thought, but parents had Cadillacs, Cutlass, mini-vans, etc. I'll be sure to post whether I figure this out somehow! Or get a clearer picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 (edited) Edit... it has that same trim marker and read wheel opening shape as that 63 Ford 300 posted above Edited May 12, 2020 by Tumbleweed_Tx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 On 5/12/2020 at 5:45 PM, Tumbleweed_Tx said: Edit... it has that same trim marker and read wheel opening shape as that 63 Ford 300 posted above Yes, but that was pretty much all over Ford's design language at the time - for that matter, just about everyone had wheel wells that weren't symmetrical. On further inspection, I think it's a 63 Fairlane. The shadow line on the rear shot is consistent with the tail fins that weren't on the 64, and the 62 had more grille trim wrapping around the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) I deleted a pic here, apparently the wrong car... Edited February 13, 2021 by C2Ag93 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Actually, scratch that... I dont think it's the same car in the 1970 photo. Looks different when you compare the fuzzy pic of the back end just a couple posts up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 The car with the boat and trailer is definitely a different car. My guess it it a 1967 Buick Electra. If it was possible to focus on the badge near the bottom of the rear fender it would confirm. I know it is not a 1968 Buick because there would be a side marker light near where the name badge is on this car. Buicks must have been great cars for towing. A neighbor had a 1969 Buick Electra which was optioned for that purpose (heavy duty radiator, transmission fluid cooler, etc.) which he used to tow a 26 foot Airstream trailer. They went all over the western states including the Rockies with that car pulling the trailer and he said it was a breeze. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) Back then it seems like sedans were almost like squat SUV's whereas now that segment doesn't try to do those things. This was all way before my time of course(I was born in the late 80s) Edited November 22, 2020 by zaphod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 5 hours ago, Specwriter said: The car with the boat and trailer is definitely a different car. My guess it it a 1967 Buick Electra. If it was possible to focus on the badge near the bottom of the rear fender it would confirm. I know it is not a 1968 Buick because there would be a side marker light near where the name badge is on this car. Buick Electra was my first thought as well. That back end sure looks like a '67 four-door in almost every detail: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 I vote for 66 or 67 Electra, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 20 hours ago, zaphod said: Back then it seems like sedans were almost like squat SUV's whereas now that segment doesn't try to do those things. This was all way before my time of course(I was born in the late 80s) "Back then" sedans were body-on-frame, mostly rear wheel drive vehicles with big V8 engines. In that regard they weren't too different from a pickup truck except they held more passengers and were better appointed. SUVs and the popularity of crew cab pickup trucks meant for families instead of oil field workers has pretty much made large sedans superfluous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 Okay all... I found a much better picture of the car I am trying to identify! All you classic car buffs, please help me out! What make, model and year is this? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2Ag93 Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 Actually, found it. Congrats to whoever guessed a Mercury above. It is clearly a 1963 Mercury Monterey 4 door. Thanks all! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 2 hours ago, C2Ag93 said: Actually, found it. Congrats to whoever guessed a Mercury above. It is clearly a 1963 Mercury Monterey 4 door. Thanks all! The angle on the rear window meant it could be lowered, even in the rain. My Grandmother drove one of those, and would lower the rear window to let out the hot air when she first got in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 there's a dude on youtube who did a 'will it start' video on one of those. And yep, it had a roll-down rear window Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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