Re: 1953/4 Caribbean 4-door hardtop sedan exploration

Posted by bkazmer On 2020/4/20 7:44:26

LOL on "It's the greenhouse, stupid"

yes it is. The gallery really shows this. The Olds hardtop is clearly the winner, and I think the Clipper has by far the clunkiest. (That wide vertical B-pillar again)

The Mercury approach with B-pillar applique is help on the cheap, as has been discussed. This gallery shows I think another effect - how the colors draw your attention to the B-pillar or not. Choosing and promoting in ads color combos that minimize the effect, like the DeSoto's, would help. Also where the color break is at the roof line and the belt line.

The "new top hat" on an old lower is to me a new way to consider the Italia. If doing it, go all the way to a true hardtop if the structural bracing can be worked out. The "production Italia" is a very interesting shape. Much cleaner than most of the era, but I don't know if it would have been seen as too plain in its day.

I regretfully agree with the rear deck comments. My engineering side keeps saying that overhang is functionally bad in every way, but from an advertising and proportion side, the case needs to be made for the extended deck. The short deck could still be a "city model" like Cadillac did with the DeVille Park Avenue in the 60's, but I don't think the volume is compelling once the old tooling can no longer be used.