1950s–1960s
Golden Age
Chrome, Fins & American Optimism
No era captures the American spirit quite like the 1950s and 1960s. Tail fins reached for the sky, chrome gleamed under showroom lights, and Detroit's designers competed to out-dream one another. From the first Corvette to the muscle car revolution, this era produced the icons that define classic car culture. With 53 vehicles, this is the largest and most diverse section of the Grand Rapids Classics collection.
Grand Rapids Classics Auto Museum · Mon–Sat 9AM–5PM
Golden Age Collection
53 Click any car to see full details, history, and photos
1951
Ford Victoria Two-Door Hardtop
Multiple Dearborn award winner — most recently at the 2023 Grand National Meet
1952
Muntz Jet
1 of fewer than 200 produced in total
1954
Chevrolet Corvette
The 850th production Corvette built
1954
Chevrolet Corvette 'Bubble Top' Roadster
1 of just 25 examples originally fitted from the factory with the clear bubble top
1954
Kaiser Darrin 161 Roadster
1 of just 435 built — designed by the famed Howard 'Dutch' Darrin
1954
Packard Caribbean Convertible
1 of just 400 examples produced for 1954
1955
Chevrolet Bel Air Pro Touring Convertible
2-year $225,000 no-expense-spared build
1955
Chevrolet Cameo Pickup Street Rod
The introduction year for the Cameo Pickup — 1 of 5,220 built in 1955
1955
Chrysler New Yorker St. Regis
1 of 11,076 'St. Regis' built — an icon of 50s styling
1955
Mercury Montclair Sun Valley
1 of just 1,787 Sun Valleys produced — believed fewer than 200 remaining
1956
Chevrolet 210 Delray Club Coupe
Recipient of a body-off-the-frame restoration
1956
Chevrolet Cameo 3100 Series 1/2-Ton Pickup
1 of just 1,452 built in 1956 — America's first pickup with styling for suburbia
1956
DeSoto Fireflite Convertible
1 of only 1,385 produced — equipped with a factory Hi-Fi Record Player
1956
Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria
Assembled at the San Jose, California Ford plant
1956
Jaguar XK140 Drophead Coupé
Matching-numbers engine block and cylinder head, per its JDHT Certificate
1956
Messerschmitt KR200
Previously a part of a Michigan microcar collection for the last 30 years
1956
Studebaker Golden Hawk Custom
Studebaker's flagship model — top of the Hawk Series
1957
BMW Isetta 300
One of the most successful one-cylinder cars in history
1957
Buick Special Riviera
Classic late 1950s 'finned' design
1957
Cadillac Eldorado
1 of only 1,800 produced — the height of '50s Cadillac elegance
1957
Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup
1 of just 1,260 built between '57 and '59
1957
Ford Thunderbird Convertible
D-Code 312 'Thunderbird Special V-8' four-barrel engine
1957
Volkswagen Oval Window Beetle
Final year of the beloved oval window beetle
1958
Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner
The rarest Ford 'Hide-Away Hardtop'
1959
Triumph TR3 Roadster
Recipient of an older comprehensive restoration
1960
Bentley S2 Saloon
1 of just 1,863 examples produced — beautifully restored
1960
Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
Classic styling with large and in-charge finned rear end
1960
Chevrolet Bel Air Resto Mod
Award-winning custom build
1960
Ford Thunderbird
Known as the 'Square Bird' Ford
1960
Lamborghini DL20 2241R Tractor
The tractor that pulled Ferruccio Lamborghini's coffin to his final resting place
1960
Rambler Ambassador Custom
Formerly of the Sterling McCall Old Car Museum and RE Robert Monical Collection
1961
Chevrolet Corvette Restomod Roadster
2019 Grand National Roadster Show 1st Place Winner
1962
Chevrolet Corvair Monza Series 900 Sedan
Stylish factory Laurel Green Metallic — early rear engine automobile design
1962
Goggomobil TS 250
A rare two-seater microcar
1962
Porsche 356 B 1600 Super Twin Grille Roadster
The 4th of just 248 Twin Grille Roadsters built by D'Ieteren Frères
1963
Austin-Healey 3000 Mark II BJ7 Convertible
1 of just 6,113 built between 1962 and 1963
1963
Chevrolet Corvette Fuel-Injected Split-Window Coupe
1 of only an estimated 10 to 28 to leave the factory in this configuration
1963
Studebaker Avanti R2
The fastest production car in 1963
1964
Chevrolet Impala SS
A significant model year for the Impala's history
1964
Porsche 356SC Cabriolet
A matching numbers example per its COA — finished in its original color of Light Ivory
1964
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Saloon
1 of 2,044 factory body Silver Cloud III Saloons produced
1965
Ford Mustang Fastback
Desirable C-Code 289 V-8 engine — finished in factory-correct Poppy Red
1965
Ford Mustang Restomod Fastback
An impressive and eye-catching restomod
1965
Shelby 427 S/C Cobra
Signed by the legend himself, Mr. Carroll Shelby
1966
Austin Princess Landaulette by Vanden Plas
Used by Queen Elizabeth II on her Royal visit to Jamaica in 1966
1966
Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Spider
Numbers-matching 2,683cc air-cooled flat-six engine
1967
Amphicar Model 770 Convertible
Known as 'The Sports Car that Swims' — 1 of just 3,878 examples built
1967
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
First year example of the iconic and historic Camaro
1967
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible
The last year of the second generation of Corvettes
1967
Ford Mustang Convertible
Rare S-Code 390 engine — 1 of just 2 Mustangs so equipped from the factory
1967
Mercedes-Benz 250SL Roadster
1 of just 1,761 examples imported to the U.S.
1969
Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe
The final year of the first-generation Camaro
1969
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
The final year for the first-generation Camaro — Code 69 Cortez Silver
See These Cars in Person
Grand Rapids Classics Auto Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Cutlerville, Grand Rapids, Michigan.