Through the Timeframe of a Decade, One Skilled Car Painter Was Responsible for Custom-Painted Fifties Favorites
An innovative way of painting cars surfaced in the 1950’s when the art of pin striping was introduced by one individual. That man, a West Coast “striper” of renown named Tom Kelly, became famous for his work on six cars, now known as custom-painted fifties favorites.
Those six cars were not limited to one auto producer or even one year, as they ranged from Oldsmobile to Ford to Dodge and Chevrolet and, for the most part, were distributed from 1950 to 1957 vehicles.
The Oldsmobile 88 set itself apart from other cars of its time because of speed and durability. Kelly’s famous pin-striping design was only one of many cherished qualities the car had. Not your usual car, this Oldsmobile 88 released in 1950 had graceful hood lines dipping down to the front fenders, was speedy enough to reach 60 mph in 12.2 seconds from a standing start, and won the grueling Carrera-Pan American-Mexico road race from the Texas border to Guatemala. That race was 2,178 miles long, and the winning American team averaged 78.4 mph while oftentimes driving over hazardous terrain.
The winning drivers in that race were from Portland, Oregon, and between them took home a prize in excess of $17,000.
The 1957 Chrysler Desoto Adventurer was a second of the six cars Tom Kelly memorialized with his fancy paint job. This 345 horse engine had 8 cylinders, and the vehicle was operated by a three-speed automatic transmission. Relatively normal in the late 50’s, but not today were the push buttons to the left of the instrument panel that initiated transmission gears.
Unlike its predecessors, the 1957 Chrysler Desoto Adventurer sat lower to the road, included more chrome, and was designed with a long body.
The other four automobiles that Tom Kelly’s painting style set apart from the norm were the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1953 Ford Crestliner Victoria, 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer, and 1951 Ford Crestliner.
Although smaller than most Die-Cast Replicas, these custom-painted fifties favorites are available at here at Hot Wheel Games. They can be purchased individually or collectively. Detailed interiors and emblems along with authentic paint schemes and rubber whitewall tires accompany these Die-Cast Replicas that are about 3.5” long and built at 1:64 scale.
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