The Montana Auto Museum is housed in the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. The museum displays more than 150 automobiles. By the 1950s, the two most popular automobiles in the United States were Fords and Chevys. Shown below are photographs of these cars which are on display at the museum.
Ford:
During the 1950s, the most popular Ford models were the Tudor, Crestliner, and Custom Coupe. These models featured either an in-line six-cylinder engine or a flathead V-8. Police departments across the United States liked the Custom Sedan because of its reliability and speed.
Shown above is a 1950 Ford Fordor Custom. It sold for $1,637.
Shown above is a 1951 Ford V-8 Deluxe Fordor Sedan. It sold for $1,650.
Shown above is a 1955 Ford V-8 Fairlane Crown Victoria. It sold for $2,305.
Shown above is a 1956 Ford Fairlane Sunliner Convertible. It sold for $2,490.
Shown above is a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The Thunderbird was introduced in 1953 in direct response to the Chevrolet Corvette and by 1955 it was outselling the Corvette by 23 to 1. The 1957 Thunderbird sold for $3,408.
Shown above is a 1959 Ford Hardtop Retractable. It sold for $2,594.
Chevrolet:
During the 1950s, General Motors chief designer Harley Earl set the styling design which featured chrome-bedecked behemoths. The two breakthrough models during this decade were the 1955 Bel Air and the 1953 Corvette.
Shown above is a 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe Coupe. It features parking lamps in the lower grill, opening under the headlamps for a wider look. It sold for $1,629.
Shown above is a 1953 Chevrolet Station Wagon. It sold for $2,130.
Shown above is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible. It sold for $2,305.
Shown above is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air. It sold for $1,620.
Shown above is a 1956 Bel Air Convertible. It sold for $2,443.
Shown above is a 1956 Bel Air 2 door Hardtop. It sold for $2,275.
Shown above is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. It sold for $2,464.
Shown above is another 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. It sold for $2,399.
Shown above is a 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible. It sold for $2,841. According to the display:
“In 1958 Chevrolet introduced the Impala, a model name destined to become one of the most famous in the history of the American automobile. Impala restyling included triple taillights and all-new dual headlights accented by the smoothly sculpted sides of this ‘longer, lower, wider’ cruiser.”