At any major car event, you’ll quickly discover the interest in 1950s and early-1960s cars and trucks is really starting to grow. You’ll see some nice-looking early-1950s Chevys and Fords done in both hot rod and custom styles. The early 1949-1950 Mercs have already made their mark in the hot rod world, but there’s also some interest in the later Mercurys and Lincolns. They make great customs and have always possessed advanced styling. Studebakers are also popular, and we can probably credit Thom Taylor and Frankenstude for promoting that phenomenon. The tri-year Chevys have always been popular, but now there are some other GM hardtops of the 1950s-era (Pontiacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles) becoming more desirable. The same goes for the mid-1950s Fords.
There are more 1955-1959 Fords showing up at car events lately, and they look good with the same styling techniques used on the tri-year Chevys. The mid- to late-1950s was a high point of automotive styling, when designers and stylists had a freer hand to come up with some wild new automobile concepts, especially in the Chrysler studios. The late-1950s cars featured fins, scoops, two- and tri-tone paint schemes, and an abundance of chrome and stainless trim. Along with the styling improvements, engine performance was important. By 1955, all of the manufacturers were offering V-8 engines for their cars, and they quickly found out that horsepower was an important sales tool. The public wanted as much horsepower as it could get, and why not--gas was cheap in those days.
If you already have a street rod and want to try building something different, or if you are a newcomer to the hobby and want to get started but can’t afford a pre-1948 car, there are plenty of nice 1950s cars to choose from. Prices on 1950s cars have been on the rise because of their increasing popularity, but there are still many affordable examples.