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Could tailfins be making a comeback???

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:52 pm
by kostby
It's only been about 50 years since the era of late 1950's bizarre styling including tailfins suddenly went away. Looking at the taillight design of the new Hyundai JDM Avante (Elantra for the U.S.), I think they could be poised for a return! Link to the Autoblog gallery --> http://www.autoblog.com/photos...39526

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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:11 pm
by Old Tele man
...is 2011 going to be the Chinese "Year of the Fish(fins)"?

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:29 am
by cptnsolo77
Anything is possible....what is old is new again. Camaro, Mustang & Challenger are all retro styled cars from the original Musclecar era. Who knows??? I dont see a connection to 1950s tailfins in the Avante though. Maybe its just me???

Re: Could tailfins be making a comeback??? (kostby)

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:10 am
by KNINE
I'm not seeing it.

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:24 am
by ponta2147
You can see it a little more in some other pictures, at least if you're referring to the "dimensionality" leading down the body panels to the taillights...

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 5:32 am
by kostby
I was thinking of one car in particular. Many of you haven't ever seen one, even in pictures. My neighbors owned one of these...This is a 1959 Chevy Impala, rear three-quarter view. The Hyundai taillights wrap around, where the Chevy taillights were mounted flat across the width of the car with rounded lenses (blame it on plastics molding technology of the 1950's) but look at the curves and 'wave' styling. There's a similarity. And you're probably asking yourself, "How did (and WHY) they do those curves with sheetmetal on a production line?"Most folks think of the 1950's Cadillac tailfins --> http://www.dreamstime.com/sear...0cars1959 and 1960 were the peak years for GM tailfins. Google images of the 1961 Chevrolet Impala, and see how the fins suddenly got 'clipped'.

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Re: Could tailfins be making a comeback??? (kostby)

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:01 am
by TONY TAT2
Still got some bell bottoms & gold neck chains,waiten for the return of Hippies & Disco !

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:10 am
by ponta2147
I thought bell bottoms and hippies were back in style about ten years ago... we've progressed to the 80s being back in style now... just wait until the 90s grunge look comes back into style... then repeat.

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:18 am
by djkeev
The picture of that old Chevy? Sweet car!! I like the fins, there was so much individual style and very distinctive manufacturers design.Unlike today where every car is designed in a wind tunnel and a Mercedes looks like a Ford which looks like a Toyota, which looks like a .....Bring back some style! Screw aerodynamics!!Dave

Re: (kostby)

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:09 pm
by jake75
Quote, originally posted by kostby »I was thinking of one car in particular. Many of you haven't ever seen one, even in pictures. My neighbors owned one of these...In 1959 I was 17 years old and I remember that car very well. It was kind of surprising since the 1955-56 were similar, then the 1957 was markedly different, the 1958 even more markedly different from that, and THEN we got this outlandish 1959. This were the days when many people flocked to the dealerships to see the new models.

Re: (jake75)

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:04 am
by TONY TAT2
This were the days when many people flocked to the dealerships to see the new models. I remenber going with my brother & cuz to Reedman's in Langhorn Pa.Thay had 4or5 showrooms full of new car's from different franchises in 1 location.just walk from 1 to the next.I bought a couple used cars there back in the day.Thay even had their own Test Track out back to try em out.

Re: (djkeev)

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:18 pm
by KNINE
Quote, originally posted by djkeev »The picture of that old Chevy? Sweet car!! I like the fins, there was so much individual style and very distinctive manufacturers design.Unlike today where every car is designed in a wind tunnel and a Mercedes looks like a Ford which looks like a Toyota, which looks like a .....Bring back some style! Screw aerodynamics!!DaveApplause, applause!