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I should not have commented on something I knew nothing about. Someone once told me that when having a discussion to follow a simple rule, say very little and everyone will think you are smarter than you are.

Hi Michael-Twelve

No need to feel bad about misidentifying pre-war body styles, unlike this era of limited body choice, then there were myriad styles fielded by luxury carmakers. It takes much study, a feel for the design ethic of the times and a good memory plus many references to get a grasp of it, then still make occasional mistakes. Those decades contained some of the most interesting design evolutions to ever seen.

More Contour choices:

1951-'52's:
A 300, notes 34K miles:
http://easttexas.craigslist.org/cto/5948808711.html

Patricians:
http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/5932696710.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/5948247468.html

1956's
Top-of-the-line:
http://easttexas.craigslist.org/cto/5948813100.html

Your basic entry-level Clipper, aftermarket AC, cheap:
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/5916906180.html

Steve

basic clipper with a/c. wonder what those bar looking things are in the rear passenger's window.

Henry, I believe they are the vent windows.

(o[]o)

i'm talking about these vertical bars in the window.

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Looks like a clip in bug screen used for "camping" in the car???

Wow Fred, you must be really ancient to remember such things!

I believe that is a solar shield but expect it would be a good bug screen too. They were very common in New Mexico when I was a lad in the days before AC and solar glass was common. Even my "don't believe in accessories" dad sprung for a set. I believe the material is still available today but mostly used in commercial buildings.

Those dad bought were thin aluminum sheets that had rows of slats approx 1/8" or less apart and maybe 1/8" wide by an inch long punched in. The slats were positioned at 90 degrees to the vertical. Mounted to a heavier outside frame for support, they were kind of generic in size and usually sold at places like Western Auto and other aftermarket stores. If the car window had a really weird shape, they could be custom ordered with width and length and shape of the piece just a bit larger than the window opening.

Held in place by a couple of maybe 1/2 inch wide by two or three inch long padded strips on the bottom which were part of the frame. You would slide the strips down between the window glass and inner molding. Friction holds the thing kind of bowed in the opening. They can be used with glass up or down. You bought a size slightly larger than the window opening dimensions so the shield top or sides would extend over the moldings and screen couldn't go flying out.

You can see out OK if you look straight thru but forget about seeing much of anything if it is close and at a lower or higher angle. Conversely, the sun can't directly shine in because the high angle of the sun is blocked by the slits. Obviously they had to be removed to pay a toll or go to the drive-in. Not the most user friendly of devices but did beat the other option of a piece of folded newspaper or a towel over the closed glass to keep the hot sun from shining in.

so basically old school tint.

Good analogy. I don't think the adhering tinted cling wraps were available then but could be wrong. Advantage to the metal type was the window could be open. I never saw anything really thin that would work but they did have shaded celluloid strips and sheets. Those were much thicker and as I recall tore easily so somewhat delicate. Believe Packard offered a narrow celluloid strip that was applied across the top of windshield. No idea how it was held on. I suppose something like that could have been used for a window sun shield too but I doubt it would be as durable as the metal.