# What car is this? Early 50s. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 5, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279 "2016-02-05T23:48:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/1 "2016-02-05T23:48:17Z")
Anybody have an idea what car this may be, or what combination of car parts this may be? [Image here](https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/t31.0-8/12657235_10105904136859220_7824353206728319065_o.jpg). This is from a Facebook thread of a friend of mine who was in Cuba a few weeks ago. I’m leaning towards early 50s Bel Air, but it looks like there’s some differences there, and the car may have been franken-fied with car parts from wherever. Some commentators seem to think it may be a Buick of some sort, but I’m not seeing it. That said, this is not my area of expertise by a long shot, so I’m hoping some dopers can help out on piecing together what this thing is. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/2 "2016-02-06T00:00:40Z")
It looks like a 1952 or 1953 Chevy to me but I am by no means an expert ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/3 "2016-02-06T00:02:09Z")
The front turn signals are '51 Chevy parts but the grill looks more '52 or '53 to me. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/4 "2016-02-06T00:06:31Z")
This '51 is a good match in everything but the teeth in the grill which I don’t think came until later. Note the split windshield and the metal grill on the turn signal. I don’t think either of those lasted _past_ '51. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/5 "2016-02-06T00:07:38Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > This '51 is a good match in everything but the teeth in the grill which I don’t think came until later. Note the split windshield and the metal grill on the turn signal. I don’t think either of those lasted _past_ '51. Yeah, the split windshield made us think 1951, too. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/6 "2016-02-06T00:08:18Z")
'52 grill ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/7 "2016-02-06T00:20:02Z")
My Dad’s 55 Hudson had a split windshield. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/8 "2016-02-06T00:27:23Z")
Well, the '51 split windshield comment was assuming this is a Chevy, due to the body. The body doesn’t look like a Hudson. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/9 "2016-02-06T02:51:45Z")
IANA old car expert, but I do know Hudsons oddly enough. Nothing we can see is Hudson-shaped. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/10 "2016-02-06T03:16:21Z")
When I [google image search](https://www.google.com.au/search?safe=off&biw=1662&bih=1065&tbm=isch&q=52+chevy&revid=2114640417&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi14-7HluLKAhVFE6YKHbjZAZEQ1QIIGw#imgrc=I5uM8i8WEzKSTM%3A) 52 Chevy I see lots of split windshields. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/11 "2016-02-06T06:46:54Z")
It’s a 1952. Triangular turn signals plus grille teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/12 "2016-02-06T06:57:24Z")
I guess my point was split windshields were still available in 1955. Dad’s Hudson had the antenna just above where the windshields met. There was a knob inside so you could tilt it toward the left or right. I can’t imagine how that could help reception. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-car-is-this-early-50s/745279/13 "2016-02-06T16:36:36Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > It’s a 1952. Triangular turn signals plus grille teeth. Huh. I thought in 52 they went to the turn signals without the metal panel.