“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”
-William Shakespeare
Legal Disclaimer:
You must be 18 years old to post on our boards as per our registration requirement. All data posted on this site must be "Original and non defamatory". JSS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information which gets posted to our forums. Please view our Forum Guidelines before posting.
If I could go back, my "rational" brain wants the Mercury Monterey or the pastel yellow Buick. On the other hand, my lead foot wants the D-500!
The Thunderbirds would be out of my price range, but they are the beauties of the bunch to me.
This journey through 1961 has been a delight. Hope you like the group of photos, no matter what you pick as favorite. I left out Plymouth before I took a moment for breakfast, I know! lol If you came back, I just found one worth adding. Now it's a wrap!
WOW! A lot of fantastic cars offered in 1961 and a tough choice. After a few moments of thought, the Imperial is my top choice, 2nd place-no clue, too many options.
You've got to be kidding! So many to choose from. Except for the Imperial, every car I came to I thought "OK, that's it". I pick Plymouth, Olds, Caddy, Pontiac, Chevy, Continental, Buick, Tbird, Dart....OY! My brain hurts. Overall, '61 is my most favorite year followed by '56.
Nineteen sixty-one was a special year for me. It was the year I graduated from high school. I love all of the cars, but the Impala has a special place in my heart.
Cadillac, Impala, Thunderbird, Lincoln in that order. If the Dodge had been a Polara, I'd have included that. Never cared for rear end of the lower models - especially when they grew the "warts" of the auxiliary taillights.
..... If the Dodge had been a Polara, I'd have included that. Never cared for rear end of the lower models - especially when they grew the "warts" of the auxiliary taillights.
Dodge Polara D-500
Actually, I didn't know D-500 came on more than one model. Here's one for you, with the different taillight arrangement.
..... If the Dodge had been a Polara, I'd have included that. Never cared for rear end of the lower models - especially when they grew the "warts" of the auxiliary taillights.
Dodge Polara D-500
Actually, I didn't know D-500 came on more than one model. Here's one for you, with the different taillight arrangement.
As I recall, D-500 was a performance package rather than a model as such.
Thanks, for including it!
I've never heard a definitive explanation for the lower models growing the additional taillights. One story was that the original taillights were too small and not visible enough, so the others were added mid-year. I've always wondered why they didn't add one or two additional backup light housings on each side, put red lenses in them, and wire them into the taillight circuit rather than add the two that looked like an afterthought.
..... If the Dodge had been a Polara, I'd have included that. Never cared for rear end of the lower models - especially when they grew the "warts" of the auxiliary taillights.
As I recall, D-500 was a performance package rather than a model as such.
Thanks, for including it!
I've never heard a definitive explanation for the lower models growing the additional taillights. One story was that the original taillights were too small and not visible enough, so the others were added mid-year. I've always wondered why they didn't add one or two additional backup light housings on each side, put red lenses in them, and wire them into the taillight circuit rather than add the two that looked like an afterthought.
My take is it would have been for visual identification, Ted. The Darts and Polaras had different wheelbases, but on the dealer's lot they were pretty much the same in appearance otherwise, and customers need to see something unique to convince them to move up in dollars to the Polara. If I remember, there was a small difference in the front grilles, for same reason. Dealers probably complained about the two models being too similar from the rear.
Unique taillights helped the salesmen too, to go to the right car without looking for nameplates.
A related factor, DeSoto was discontinued in 1961 .... so Mopar was busy trying to cover the market segment they had held. They had to scramble to use up parts they already had in the factory for the short-run of '61 DeSotos. Probably, they wanted to make Dodge revisions without a major running change, and it was already a complicated changeover year in the factories. Without money for new tooling for rear stampings that were already new for the shorter wheelbase Darts, they did that taillight revision as a quicker cheaper fix.
Your favorite 1961 is? (part 2)
Posted - 10/30/2022 : 03:48:00
