Washed the car, the paint faded and the fins shrank

[STS05lg]

 

[chrisntam]

Nice looking rears.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Lynn:

WOW!!  Remember the next time to use cold water
or they'll shrink to nothing.

Mike

[David Greenburg]

This is why I use waterless wash.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

And why I don't wash my cars.    Water is way to precious.

Bruce.

[59-in-pieces]

I have the same problem when I go into the cold ocean.
Have fun,
Steve B.

[Roger Zimmermann]

I have the same problem when I go into the cold ocean.

Funny, I have the same!

[Cadillac Fleetwood]

Shame on them! The label on the car wash liquid should have contained the appropriate warnings:

"Use of this product may cause shrinkage and/or color change. Before use, test in an inconspicuous area. Bright colors such as Seminole Red may become Saddle Firemist or Sierra Gold." (LOL)

Charles Fares

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I have the same problem when I go into the cold ocean.  Steve B. 

If I was meant to go in the ocean, God would have given me Gills.

Bruce.

[Jason Edge]

Nothing screams 50's exuberance and 60's refinement like these two classic rear ends!  Crazy how much they changed in just 5 years. We've had cars run for almost 10 years in the last 2 or 3 decades and could hardly tell the difference!

[59-in-pieces]

"We've had cars run for almost 10 years in the last 2 or 3 decades and could hardly tell the difference!"

And as a direct result - we have a stumbling floundering - GM division that was once the " ?  of the World"
Fill in the " ? " if you can remember that far back.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS - OK, let the rationalism begin.

[Big Fins]

Nothing to rationalize about Steve. They all look like little jelly beans rolling down the road with nothing standing out, nothing to garner any attention.

That's why we all get the thumbs up when driving our Cadillacs. We stand out among the plebeian jelly beans.

[bctexas]

Remember when we all looked forward to new car introductions?  I used to bug my dad to take me to the dealers when the new cars came out so I could see them.  I also remember seeing the dealers with brown paper covering the showroom windows until intro day. 

And when someone came home with a new car and parked it in the driveway, the neighbors would come out to see it and marvel at the new styling and features.  Doesn't happen when someone brings home a new Camry or Tahoe.  Who can tell if it's new or used?  Who cares any more?  In 1958 if you parked a brand new 1959 Cadillac or Chevy Impala convertible in the driveway everyone was going to notice!

In 1966 my dad ran a transmission repair shop, and he leased a brand new Camaro to use as a loaner.  One of the first ones in town and still a rare sight.  I will never forget riding around in that car, and seeing people looking and pointing as it went by. 

Showing my age aren't I.  The new modern cars are better by almost any measure you can come up with.  Far more reliable, less maintenance, far safer, much longer lasting and easier to own.  They are just so dam DULL!!!

[64\/54Cadillacking]

Remember when we all looked forward to new car introductions?  I used to bug my dad to take me to the dealers when the new cars came out so I could see them.  I also remember seeing the dealers with brown paper covering the showroom windows until intro day. 

And when someone came home with a new car and parked it in the driveway, the neighbors would come out to see it and marvel at the new styling and features.  Doesn't happen when someone brings home a new Camry or Tahoe.  Who can tell if it's new or used?  Who cares any more?  In 1958 if you parked a brand new 1959 Cadillac or Chevy Impala convertible in the driveway everyone was going to notice!

In 1966 my dad ran a transmission repair shop, and he leased a brand new Camaro to use as a loaner.  One of the first ones in town and still a rate sight.  I will never forget riding around in that car, and seeing people looking and pointing as it went by. 

Showing my age aren't I.  The new modern cars are better by almost any measure you can come up with.  Far more reliable, less maintenance, far safer, much longer lasting and easier to own.  They are just do dam DULL!!!

Nice read! So true. Modern/new cars have looked like jelly beans since
about 1990.

I just came back from the repair shop and picked up one of my classics, as I was speaking with the shop owner, he told me new cars are actually less durable than ones from the 90’s on down as planned obsolescence has actually gotten worse as more and more parts especially in critical areas are now plastic when it should be metal.

Or things easily break now, the metal gauge on suspension parts such as tie rod ends, control arms and just little things like brackets are all much worse in quality than they used to be. He said, as what I suspected, CAFE requirements especially the increase in fuel economy has made many new cars less durable as they age as more critical weight is being taken out of them. The cost of raw materials is another major factor. The switch to tiny 4 cylinder turbocharged direct injection engines, with CVT transmissions are the worst he said. They won’t last 150,000 miles with something major failing. He sees it a lot.

But yeah he said our old full size Caddy’s of the past were really built to last. The main reasons why? They’re body on frame. Even the largest modern sedans today are unit-body, and aren’t made to be repaired once in a minor accident, plus they’re simply not as strong compared to a BOF vehicle. The biggest thing is the repair ability that makes them easier to fix up and keep em on the road.

[Big Fins]

Take a ride to your local Fire Department/Paramedic Station and look at what the guys drive that cut the mangled bodies out of the 'Jelly Beans'. Just about all drive full size trucks. All BOF vehicles. They know what protects the occupants from the phone wielding public. METAL.