The cars from the 1950s were truly style icons. From the shapes to the engineering, General Motors and Ford crafted innovative designs that are still admired by many. Attend any classic car show and you will see many models from the 1950s. There is something special about these vehicles.

Rivals as American carmakers

Ford and General Motors each had the goal of determining what American consumers wanted in vehicles and trying to be the first company to deliver that product. The philosophy of "I can make that better" became commonplace among carmakers. The American consumer benefited from the intense competition between the two automobile giants. Pricing was affordable while style was high. Chevrolet Cars Pictures along with their Ford counterparts were seen in print ads in newspapers and magazines.

Chevrolet Bel Air

The early 1950s saw the automakers looking at retooling old ideas. Chevrolet came out with one of the first affordable hardtop convertibles in 1950; the model was called Bel Air. They set out to improve upon the old soft-top cars that were just not feasible in rain or winter weather. GM created a hybrid style that provided the convertible experience when opened up, but also gave the comfort and protection needed against the weather when closed. Chevrolet Cars Images, particularly the Bel Air, were seen everywhere. In 1950, 74,634 Bel Airs were sold and Chevrolet regained its position over Ford as market leader.

Ford’s response to Bel Air: Crown Victoria

The following year Ford unveiled the Custom Victoria. It outsold the Bel Air in 1951 by 7,000 units. The engineering of the Custom Victoria include an innovative pillarless superstructure. Ford car pics of this model show superbly clean lines. This combined with a posh interior and good performance with a flathead V-8 propelled this model to eclipse the Chevrolet Bel Air.

Ford’s Ranchero

Ford beat Chevrolet in the rollout of the Ranchero model. Considered a "crossover", the Ranchero appealed equally to car and truck drivers. It displayed utility features while offering comfort ability. Old Ford Car Pictures of the Ranchero was a two-door wagon with the rear section of the roof taken off and a bedliner placed in the floor plan.

Chevy’s reaction: El Camino

GM’s counterpart to Ford’s Ranchero was the El Camino. Among Vintage Chevrolet cars, the El Camino is very unique in appearance. Using an integrated pickup box, a sedan was morphed into a pickup.