1950s Cars for Rent: Bel Airs, Thunderbirds, Tailfins and Chrome

Chrome bumpers, tailfins, two-tone paint and whitewall tires: no decade looks more like a car show than the 1950s. America was booming, the new interstates were opening up the country, and drive-ins, diners and rock ’n’ roll made the car the center of everyday life. This is the decade of the Bel Air and the Thunderbird, of customized “lead sleds” and the first Porsche Speedsters, and of the elegant Rolls-Royces and Bentleys from across the Atlantic. Here are the real 1950s cars you can rent through our classic car rental service, and the story behind each one.

The 1950s at a glance

What made 1950s cars special

• Chrome, and lots of it. Bumpers, grilles, side spears and hood ornaments shone like jewelry, because in the 1950s more chrome meant more success.
• Tailfins. Inspired by jet fighters and the dawning space age, fins started small and grew every year until they peaked at the end of the decade.
• Two-tone paint. Pastel blues, pinks and turquoises paired with white turned family cars into fashion statements.
• The V8 horsepower race. Powerful, smooth V8 engines spread from luxury cars to everyday Chevys and Fords.
• Car culture. The Interstate Highway Act of 1956, drive-in movies, diners, cruising and customizing made the car the heart of American life.

The 1950s cars you can rent

1950 Ford Custom Deluxe convertible

The 1949 to 1951 Fords, nicknamed “shoebox” Fords for their slab-sided shape, were the first all-new Fords after the war, and they made every older car look out of date overnight. This black convertible, with a red interior and wide whitewall tires, has the clean, simple look that rockabilly fans and hot-rodders still love.

Great for: rockabilly weddings, 1950s parties, music videos, open-top photos.

1950 Packard

Packard’s rounded 1948 to 1950 cars earned the nickname “bathtub” Packards for their smooth, enveloping bodies. They were among the first American cars to fully blend the fenders into the body. In deep blue, this 1950 Packard is a gentle bridge between the 1940s and the 1950s.

Great for: vintage weddings, period film scenes, heritage events.

1951 Mercury “lead sled”

The 1949 to 1951 Mercury became the favorite canvas of 1950s customizers, who lowered, smoothed and “chopped” them into rolling sculptures. They were called lead sleds because their reshaped bodywork was finished in lead. The most famous of all, the Hirohata Merc, was a 1951 Mercury built by the Barris brothers in 1952, and James Dean drove a Mercury in Rebel Without a Cause. This deep burgundy convertible carries that custom tradition.

Great for: car shows, music videos, rockabilly events, hot-rod lovers.

1952 Bentley Mark VI

Built from 1946 to 1952, the Bentley Mark VI was the first Bentley offered with a body built by the factory itself rather than by a coachbuilder, and it was the car that carried Bentley into the postwar world. Elegant and understated, it’s a quietly glamorous choice for an evening event.

Great for: evening weddings, British-themed events, classic portraits.

1953 Packard Patrician limousine

The Patrician was Packard’s flagship in the 1950s, and this black limousine, with room for six, carries the formality of a state car. It looks especially dramatic at night: picture it rolling out between two fountains of sparks at the end of a celebration.

Great for: grand exits, formal arrivals for up to six, film scenes.

1954 Cadillac

For 1954 Cadillac launched a longer, lower body with a wraparound windshield, and the big chrome bumper guards of the era’s Cadillacs became so famous they earned their own nickname, “Dagmars.” This black 1954 Cadillac is pure Hollywood glamour from the decade’s middle years.

Great for: 1950s glamour, photo shoots, vintage weddings.

1954 Packard Caribbean convertible

The Caribbean was Packard’s most glamorous car of the 1950s, a convertible built to rival Cadillac’s Eldorado. With its two-tone paint, whitewalls and chrome, this 1954 car is one of the rarest and most striking convertibles of the decade.

Great for: photo shoots, car shows, a top-down getaway.

1955 Ford Thunderbird

Ford launched the Thunderbird for 1955 as a two-seat “personal luxury car,” stylish rather than sporty, and it outsold Chevrolet’s Corvette many times over in its first year. This white 1955 T-Bird, with its red interior and whitewalls, is the car from a thousand 1950s postcards.

Great for: a couple’s exit, photo shoots, 1950s parties.

1956 Porsche 356 Speedster

The 356 Speedster was built from 1954 at the request of America’s Porsche importer, Max Hoffman, who wanted a stripped-back, affordable sports car for California. With its low, chopped windshield and bathtub shape, it became a legend, and James Dean raced one. This silver Speedster is the coolest European car of the decade.

Great for: fashion shoots, brand campaigns, car lovers.

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, 1956 to 1959

The Silver Cloud, launched in 1955, is the car most people picture when they imagine a vintage Rolls-Royce: long, flowing fenders, a tall chrome grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy on top. There are several 1950s Silver Clouds to choose from, including a silver 1958 Silver Cloud I, a white 1956 car and another white 1956 Cloud, a 1959 Silver Cloud and a gray 1959 car. For more on choosing one, see our guide to classic Rolls-Royce wedding cars.

Great for: weddings, formal arrivals, anniversaries.

1957 Bentley S1

The Bentley S1 was the twin of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, built from 1955 to 1959 with the same graceful body and a Bentley grille. It’s the choice for anyone who wants Silver Cloud elegance with a slightly more discreet badge. Choose the two-tone 1957 Bentley S1 or another 1957 Bentley.

Great for: weddings, garden parties, British-themed events.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

For many people, the 1957 Bel Air is the defining car of the decade. It was the last and most celebrated of the 1955 to 1957 “Tri-Five” Chevrolets, with sharp tailfins, a wide chrome grille and gold-trimmed details. In black, with its fins catching the light, it’s 1950s America in a single car.

Great for: 1950s parties, proms, music videos, photo shoots, car lovers of every age.

1957 Ford Thunderbird, in pink

1957 was the last year of the original two-seat Thunderbird; from 1958 it grew into a four-seater. The ’57 added small fins and a bolder grille, and this one comes in perfect 1950s pink. It’s a favorite for bridal parties, birthday celebrations and anyone who wants their photos to look like a vintage postcard.

Great for: bridal parties, pink-themed birthdays, photo shoots.

1958 John Deere 530 tractor

Not every classic is a car. The John Deere 530, built from 1958 to 1960, belongs to Deere’s famous two-cylinder era, whose distinctive putt-putt sound earned these tractors the nickname “Johnny Popper.” In its classic green and yellow, it’s a wonderful display piece and photo prop for a farm wedding, a harvest festival or a country-themed event.

Great for: farm and barn weddings, harvest festivals, event displays and photos.

Before the 1950s: the 1940s

The 1950s look didn’t come from nowhere. The war years paused car design, and the late-1940s cars that followed brought the first tailfins (Cadillac, 1948) and the first modern overhead-valve V8s (Cadillac, 1949). See the cars that set the stage, like the 1941 Buick Super convertible and the 1948 Cadillac Fleetwood, in our guide to 1940s cars for rent.

After the 1950s: the 1960s

Fins peaked at the end of the 1950s and then quickly shrank. The 1960s swapped chrome excess for clean, crisp lines, gave the world the Ford Mustang and the pony car, and brought muscle cars and elegant British limousines. Meet them in our guide to 1960s cars for rent, from the 1960 Chevrolet Corvette to the 1967 Pontiac Firebird.

What people rent 1950s cars for

• 1950s parties. Sock hops, Grease nights, diner-themed birthdays and rockabilly weekends.
• Proms and homecomings. A retro theme with a real 1950s car makes for the most talked-about arrival of the night.
• Weddings. From rockabilly to classic Hollywood, there’s a 1950s car for every style of wedding.
• Film, TV and music videos. Nothing says the 1950s on screen like real chrome and fins.
• Photo shoots. Pin-up and fashion shoots, engagement sessions, senior portraits and brand campaigns.
• A 70th birthday. Born in 1956? A ride in a car from your birth year is a gift nobody forgets.
• Car shows and brand events. Diners, retro brands and dealerships love a 1950s classic on display.

Booking a 1950s car: what to know

1. Choose by seats. The Thunderbirds and the Porsche are two-seaters; the Packard limousine carries up to six. Tell us how many will ride.
2. Plan for the weather. Many of these cars are convertibles, and most have no modern air conditioning. Plan for rain and for heat.
3. Keep the route short. 70-year-old cars are happiest on shorter routes at gentle speeds.
4. The tractor is for display. The John Deere 530 is booked as an event display and photo prop.
5. Book early. Spring and summer weekends fill first, and each car can only be at one event at a time.

Questions people ask

Can I rent a 1950s car for a party or photo shoot?

Yes. You can rent a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1955 and 1957 Ford Thunderbirds, a 1950 Ford convertible, a 1951 Mercury lead sled, Packards, Cadillacs, a Porsche Speedster, Bentleys and Rolls-Royce Silver Clouds, and even a 1958 John Deere tractor.

What is the most iconic 1950s car?

For many people it’s the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, with its tailfins, chrome and two-tone style. The 1955 to 1957 Thunderbird runs it close.

What is a lead sled?

A 1950s custom car, usually a late-1940s or early-1950s Mercury, lowered and smoothed with body panels finished in lead.

Do you have a pink 1950s car?

Yes: a pink 1957 Ford Thunderbird, a favorite for bridal parties and birthdays.

Do you have cars from the 1940s and 1960s too?

Yes. See our guides to 1940s cars and 1960s cars for rent.