Not sure if Pontiac still had the X brace center frame section that was in the 1950 model and also the perimeter sections-- if so probably superior to that of the DeSoto -- a couple years or so later some of the GM cars,I think Pontiac included and definitely Chevrolet,would delete the essential perimeter sections !! (while keeping the X center -- shame! but meanwhile I think DeSoto went to "unibody"
@@davidpowell3347 Cadillac was the first to do that in 57, followed by Chevrolet in 58. Buick didn't follow until 61. Pontiac, not sure. All ChryCo makes went Unibody for 1960, except for Imperials.
Very cool! This shows DeSoto's Exner excellence of design. I like the Pontiac too, both are great cars, but 1955 DeSoto was the first of the Forward Look! I have had and driven both.
Always did like DeSoto. Ok, it wasn't as prestigious as a Chrysler, and was a little cheaper, but it was better looking. I would love to have a 55 Pontiac today, but back in the day, I always thought 49 - 57 Pontiacs were too "generic GM", except for the 54 Star Chief.
No one bought those 2 speeds when that beautiful 3 speed was only a few bucks more... Rarely did you find a car with the super cheap 2 speed, especially not someone who could afford the Desoto. They did have that "country" selector but I know most just leave it in country. But he is correct you don't need that in the Desoto...
"God bless you, honey, for making another major purchase without consulting your wife" Seriously, these were good looking cars although some of the competitive advantages were really stretching it. I know gas was cheap, but it is still surprising the Pontiac recommended premium.
I have a 40's film about how these films were made... I may have to find that one but I think it was silent. It showed how each film strip was processed and all the work was by hand of course by a army of women.
Apparently Pontiac with it's boring design won the sales war since Desoto would be gone in 1962. Virgil Exner was an amazing designer the Desoto looks so much more sleek.
The salesman's name, Abbot Townshend, sound like the name of a character on a daytime soap opera who's an attorney. Complete with grey hair at the temples.
Not just the big three but Studebaker, Willys and Nash also had great cars and even Packard did. Hard to believe almost all of them would be gone by 1960ish
The driver with the steering wheel in the way was probably okay, it would be quickly replaced with push buttons in 56 though... It would make a comeback though! Todays cars are all Chrysler... the flight stick... and now push buttons are back!
Both were pretty good cars in 1955- They both looked better as 2 Dr hardtops or convertibles. I personally prefer the the Pontiac, but I like them both..
Most of those stodgy cars were more comfortable in the back seat for taking a nap in than much of anything you can find today short of a motorhome,RV or conversion van (do they still make those?)
Enjoyable to hear the suggested sales pitch in these training film strips. Virgil Exner had his first opportunity to create a really stylish design for the 1955 model year , and he made the most of it .They are very pretty cars.
Not really but we did get some cool Pontiacs... sad we didnt 50 years of Desotos... I want a 2034 Desoto Adventurer... oh wait it would looks just like every other SUV :)
![[Dealer Film] 1955 Desoto versus Buick, don't turn on the RADIO!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AfBcHrfuPoY/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Dealer Film] 1955 Desoto versus Buick, don't turn on the RADIO!](/img/tr.png)
![[Dealer Film] 1955 Plymouth engineering vs Chevy/Ford, Under the Forward Look! Tear EM APART!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AwQZ0oZ9mlw/mqdefault.jpg)
Love watching these comparison videos from back then. I still like both.
I love the change in voice tone from these era's comparisons, not biased at all! :D
It might be the real voice from the record?
This is all original audio.. It has been colorized.
I love these videos! Takes me back to a simpler, better time! 😀👍
Glad you enjoy it!
Good frame construction!
the best!
Not sure if Pontiac still had the X brace center frame section that was in the 1950 model and also the perimeter sections-- if so probably superior to that of the DeSoto -- a couple years or so later some of the GM cars,I think Pontiac included and definitely Chevrolet,would delete the essential perimeter sections !! (while keeping the X center -- shame!
but meanwhile I think DeSoto went to "unibody"
@@davidpowell3347 Cadillac was the first to do that in 57, followed by Chevrolet in 58. Buick didn't follow until 61. Pontiac, not sure. All ChryCo makes went Unibody for 1960, except for Imperials.
Very cool! This shows DeSoto's Exner excellence of design. I like the Pontiac too, both are great cars, but 1955 DeSoto was the first of the Forward Look! I have had and driven both.
I wish that I could go down to my local De Soto Plymouth dealership and order a brand new 1955 De Soto Coronado.
Quite a few 1955 cars gave you a lot more for a lot less $ compared to today's-- but safety was atrociously lacking
the 55 Desoto was no slouch...
@@davidpowell3347 Safety doesn't require uglyness, doesn't require dinkyness, doesn't require a rough ride.
@@jamesbosworth4191not to mention hard, uncomfortable seats!
The transmission was a 2 speed dog. But they made up for it later with the TorqueFlite, later.
Always did like DeSoto. Ok, it wasn't as prestigious as a Chrysler, and was a little cheaper, but it was better looking. I would love to have a 55 Pontiac today, but back in the day, I always thought 49 - 57 Pontiacs were too "generic GM", except for the 54 Star Chief.
The '54 Star Chief was an awesome-looking car. I have a 2-door Custom Catalina. I've owned it since June of '81, and it still looks good in my garage.
@@robertwbingo You don't drive it? These cars are perfectly capable of being driven as you would a new car. No need to be scared of them.
Oh, sorry. Yes, I do; every weekend. I live in Texas, and the weather is perfect for old cars, here.@@jamesbosworth4191
Betty Grable 💋and Harry Jamies 🎺sent me to this sight!
Welcome, I think you will like it!
Yeah, it's got a Hemi...
A real point of superiority but then that horrible 2 speed transmissions and the outright lying about Pontiac's automatic --
No one bought those 2 speeds when that beautiful 3 speed was only a few bucks more... Rarely did you find a car with the super cheap 2 speed, especially not someone who could afford the Desoto. They did have that "country" selector but I know most just leave it in country. But he is correct you don't need that in the Desoto...
"God bless you, honey, for making another major purchase without consulting your wife"
Seriously, these were good looking cars although some of the competitive advantages were really stretching it. I know gas was cheap, but it is still surprising the Pontiac recommended premium.
"Well.....looks like we have another major purchase without spousal authorisation."
How To Tell If A Southern Woman Is Mad At You
Tom Kennedy is the one doing the voiceover for this video
I have a 40's film about how these films were made... I may have to find that one but I think it was silent. It showed how each film strip was processed and all the work was by hand of course by a army of women.
The "salesman's" voice sounds like that of Popeye's nemesis Bluto. 😅
Apparently Pontiac with it's boring design won the sales war since Desoto would be gone in 1962. Virgil Exner was an amazing designer the Desoto looks so much more sleek.
well GM won all the sales wars pretty much... They were the most popular brands... Ford threatened and supposedly won in 57 for cars.
The salesman's name, Abbot Townshend, sound like the name of a character on a daytime soap opera who's an attorney. Complete with grey hair at the temples.
All U.S. cars in 1955 were nice
Yeah the big 3 competition was in full swing in 55...
Not just the big three but Studebaker, Willys and Nash also had great cars and even Packard did.
Hard to believe almost all of them would be gone by 1960ish
Well yeah, but Ricky Ricardo chose a Pontic to drive Lucy, Fred and Ethel to Hollywood, so there's that.........
Ha! I thought of that too!
I thought Pontiac offered the car to the show for advertising reasons.
1:58 notice the illustrations of the runners. Sneakers had not been invented yet.
yeah nice slippers :)
Gene Kelly was wearing sneakers to dance in back in 1950.
Ha-ha. Would work on a jukebox? Jukebox styling of the 1950's started mimicking car styling.
Remember when cars had pronounceable names instead of today's "computer password" names?
They phone in the design and the naming... X7... R5... X1... CT5, CT7...
Hmm, 2 in longer where inches count. Right between the..... That certainly seems like something my wife would have said.
They always found a way to slip these comments in :)
Once again,that hideous and dangerous "flight control" lever!
The driver with the steering wheel in the way was probably okay, it would be quickly replaced with push buttons in 56 though... It would make a comeback though! Todays cars are all Chrysler... the flight stick... and now push buttons are back!
To be fair, they're both stodgy, but I'm a Mopar fan!
But the Desoto is the better looking car I think.
Both were pretty good cars in 1955- They both looked better as 2 Dr hardtops or convertibles. I personally prefer the the Pontiac, but I like them both..
Most of those stodgy cars were more comfortable in the back seat for taking a nap in than much of anything you can find today short of a motorhome,RV or conversion van (do they still make those?)
My 1955 Desoto had a pushbutton transmission shift selector on the left side of the dash.
I think you are thinking of a 56. Unless someone swapped a 56 shifter into a 55.
You may be correct, it's been a LONG time. And I am no spring chicken myself. I still have my 54 DeSoto, and that is in fact a 1954.
That was a 56, unless it was a modified 55. I once saw a 54 Dodge with the dash-mounted shifter on a used car lot, a previous owner's "upgrade".
@@larrynason8716 Those were also really nice cars.
Enjoyable to hear the suggested sales pitch in these training film strips. Virgil Exner had his first opportunity to create a really stylish design for the 1955 model year , and he made the most of it .They are very pretty cars.
Just subscribed!
thanks!
What does he see, a beautiful blonde? No, something better. A beautiful car
Pontiac outlived DeSoto by 50 years, but does that really matter in the Auto Graveyard?
Not really but we did get some cool Pontiacs... sad we didnt 50 years of Desotos... I want a 2034 Desoto Adventurer... oh wait it would looks just like every other SUV :)
Was this colorized ? I would assume so, since the color is spotty and random. Please stop doing that. Not everything needs to be in color.
I was thinking about making non colorized versions... but I think the response has been "mostly" positive...
It's a shame that DeSoto was an unreliable piece of crap.
They weren't that bad cmon...