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Death's Doorman: 1919
... connection with ARMENIAN MASSACRES. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Class Immunity Genocide and pandemics can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/15/2015 - 10:34am -

Somewhere in San Francisco circa 1919. "Woman alighting from Marmon limousine." At first this would seem to be all about the car, until we notice the pedestrian with the influenza face mask, and sign advertising what seems to be an appearance by the actress Aurora Mardiganian in connection with ARMENIAN MASSACRES. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Class ImmunityGenocide and pandemics can little affect those who are conveyed in a Marmon. Another MaskerThere are at least two more people wearing masks: one man next to the "zombie woman" and another can be seen thru the window behind the driver in the foreground car. Altogether, it's a gorgeous but surreal and a little creepy photo. It's the Hastings BuildingAt Grant & Post, designed by Meyer & O'Brian and built in 1908. Still there. The woman is most likely heading in to Shreve & Co. - also still at that location. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Upwardly Mobile: 1923
... car." At the Vanderbilt Apartments. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Brakes Work! That part of the sales pitch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/25/2017 - 10:08pm -

San Francisco circa 1923. "Studebaker Big Six touring car." At the Vanderbilt Apartments. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Brakes Work!That part of the sales pitch that is more dangerous in San Fran. 1005 JonesApparently according to the phone book, it used to be 1005, but Google seems to disagree. [Also according to the photo. - Dave] Good brakes?Just in case, don't stand behind the car. Careful with the clutch when you start up! Good LuckHow would you like to take off up that hill using the clutch and manual transmissions they had in those days? Braking PointsAs someone who drove and parked a standard transmission car often in San Francisco, I can testify the technique is straightforward for most cars. Foot on brake, release handbrake lock but pull on handbrake to keep it on. Foot on the gas, let clutch out slowly to ease car forward against the handbrake, then slowly release handbrake as you powered up. There were a few models of cars where you set the handbrake with a foot pedal and release was an all or nothing proposition. These were not popular in San Francisco. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
This Is the Place: 1923
... tracks is lost to the ages. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Which way do I go? I hold the steering wheel ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2015 - 4:50pm -

"Jewett touring car, San Francisco, 1923." The significance of the streetcar tracks is lost to the ages. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Which way do I go?I hold the steering wheel this way and the car wheels go straight and follow the tracks going straight. But what if I follow this curve? Yes, that curve, there. The one in the road. And then how I do press the gas pedal if I'm standing out here holding the steering wheel? Oh, Mother said there'd be days like this. And the place is . . .Van Ness Avenue just south of Francisco, the cross street in the background. ConnectionsThe girls in this photo are holding yearbooks for Galileo High School, seen here at the right. CuriousThe building across the street from the high school is under construction in this 1923 photo. Do you know what it is and if it is still there. [Apartment house, 1200 Francisco St., still there -tterrace] View Larger Map Thanks! Still looking good! Appreciated. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Streetcars)
San Francisco Briscoe: 1919
... in the Shorpy Dossier of Dead-Ends. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. China Beach Kozel got it right; that's the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2016 - 11:06pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Briscoe auto at Lands End." Latest entry in the Shorpy Dossier of Dead-Ends. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. China BeachKozel got it right; that's the Mile Rocks Lighthouse visible through the windshield. The Briscoe couple were parked just above China Beach in San Francisco's ritzy Sea Cliff neighborhood. Courtesy of Google Earth, we see that the site is now a parking lot for a public bathing beach. The curbing has changed a bit, and there are more trees than 1919-ish, but the view remains as spectacular as ever. Very progressiveThe "little woman" is driving. Today - driving, tomorrow - the vote! That's a beautiful view and a beautiful picture. That cylindrical object seen thru the windshieldlooks like it may be Mile Rocks Light, which opened in 1906. Touring Frisco in a BriscoeShe was a buttoned up type of woman, but she had this car with matching hub cap/crank hole cover /radiator cap...... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Playing Through: 1931
... up in the depths of the Depression. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Or a Cord The car looks more like the 1931 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/11/2015 - 6:56pm -

        Our astute commenters have identified this racy roadster as a 1931 Cord L-29 Cabriolet passing the 18th hole at the Union League Club in Millbrae, San Mateo County. San Francisco, 1931. "Cord roadster at golf course." Living it up in the depths of the Depression. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Or a CordThe car looks more like the 1931 Cord (built by the same company, Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg). The L-29 Cord was famous as one of the first front wheel drive cars. The protruding bump under the grill covers the transmission, which was mounted in front of the engine. This was an expensive auto in its time and made even more famous by the later 810 model, which was noteworthy for its advanced and beautiful styling. [I think Cord is correct. - Dave] Worth a bitA car of this year, make and model sold recently for $341,000. Not a bad investment, if you knew to do so. Yep, it strikes a Cord.That's one beautiful automobile. But where are they?Based on the background, they need to be up near the North end of the city, what with there being land visible across a little bit of water. It could be the Lincoln Park Golf course near the Legion of Honor. There is a golf course in the Presidio, but it seems like it's too far from the water. Course locationMy golf-course aficionado friends inform me that this is the 18th hole at Green Hills Country Club (500 Ludeman Lane, Millbrae CA), and that the course was then known as Union League. In 2007, the original clubhouse was demolished. See this Wikipedia article. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
The Conversation: 1922
... Shorpy Concours of Quaint Conveyances. Glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. And you can drive one here The video version ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/28/2015 - 8:55am -

San Francisco. "Cadillac coupe." A rare extant marque in the Shorpy Concours of Quaint Conveyances. Glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. And you can drive one hereThe video version is a 1920 but they look the same, including the "get out of my way" horn. I also saw photos of a 1918 Cadillac Victoria Coupe and it had the horn, so it was either a very popular aftermarket accessory or the Cadillac people wanted to make sure everyone knew a Cadillac was coming. The video shows the unique seating arrangement and ends with an underside drive-by. Interesting look at a luxury car of the 1920s. Room for four (only)This would be the Victoria four-passenger coupe that had an asymmetrical rear seat with what looks like a storage compartment on the left side. The "clear the way" horn mounted on the left frame rail is probably an aftermarket item but not being an armstrong activated one speaks of the luxury of Cadillac. Also shot on Octavia The Standard of the WorldAn ad from the 1922 Cadillac, which really was a pricey car in 1922. You could get a new full sized sedan for $3,100 well into the 1960's. You could also buy a house in some areas for $3,100 in 1922. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Drivers Wanted: 1924
... Diorama of Defunct Dreadnoughts. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bi- And also fitted with the very practical ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/19/2016 - 1:43am -

San Francisco, 1924. "Marmon coupe at Golden Gate Park." Equipped with a Biflex bumper. Latest exhibit in the Shorpy Diorama of Defunct Dreadnoughts. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bi-And also fitted with the very practical bi-sided white wall tires. WhitewallsJudging from what can been seen here, it appears the tires may have been whitewall on both sides. Was that ever a standard practice? Love the radiator cap/temperature gauge. All Early TiresWere made of white rubber. The tires didn't last long because white rubber is very soft and wears out fast. Eventually it was discovered that if carbon was added to the rubber, it made the rubber a lot more durable. Tire treads were then made of black rubber, and the sidewalls were white on both sides. It was thought that the white rubber stayed cooler than the black, adding to tire life. Double sided whitewalls were common until the late 1930's, as evidenced by car ads of the time. After that, tires were either all black, or with a whitewall on only one side. License plateThat gem of a license plate had a green background with white numbers. The pair in near-mint condition today would bring over a hundred dollars; bunged up, perhaps half. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Girls' Day Out: 1919
... suitable for pillage or village. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. When hats were de rigueur and milliners ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/18/2017 - 12:28pm -

        "After a fortnight in the wilds, we return with many pelts." San Francisco circa 1919. "Franklin touring car." The versatile conveyance suitable for pillage or village. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. When hats were de rigueurand milliners prospered. Everything old is new again.And I thought thin whitewall tires came out in 1962. Wrong again. Hatted hottiesI can't see much of the driver's face, but the other three women are quite attractive, especially the lady in the front passenger seat. Also, it looks like this Frankin uses full-elliptic springs, front and rear - quite unusual. And rear drum brakes with external linings, not unusual for the era. Not for the average man.Franklin was also uncommon for it's wood Chassis, aluminum body, air cooled engine and a price that would buy about 4 Model T's at the time. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Fashion Plate: 1924
... miss descending from her sedan. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Flat (almost) hood With a beveled edge, disc ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2016 - 11:38am -

From circa 1924 San Francisco comes this modishly draped miss descending from her sedan. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Flat (almost) hoodWith a beveled edge, disc wheels; I'm going to guess it's a Packard. I like the house-style door latches. Great photobomb!Love the driver peeking through. Me too!The driver really wanted to be in the shot. Presenting silk stockings and a shapely ankle.Her friend also seems anxious to get in on the act as well. The driverI like her, too. Especially the way she’s bending down to get in the picture, with one foot still on the pedal. And check the shine on those fenders! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Jurassic Truck: 1922
... dumper with solid rubber tires. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Project The placement and orientation of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2015 - 5:40am -

San Francisco, 1922. "Fageol truck on construction ramp." Flintstones-era dumper with solid rubber tires. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. ProjectThe placement and orientation of the buildings and utility poles seem to indicate the ramp is erected over the roadway of a downhill city street. What sort of project might this be, I wonder? Shifty CharacterI wonder how many gears it has. Quite the radiator statementI wonder how many speeds this truck has? PeterbiltInteresting story about Fageol Motors, which was founded in 1916 in Oakland, California by the Fageol brothers. The company made trucks, buses and farm tractors. In 1921 they were the first company to build a bus from the ground up. They made a very high quality vehicle, but unfortunately, like so many companies of the time, couldn't survive the depression and were sold into receivership. In 1938, T. A. Peterman bought the factory and its contents. In 1939, the first Peterbilt was produced in the Fageol tradition of building the best possible product. They've been making them ever since. Sperry Drifted SnowThe storefront visible to the lower right shows that it offers Sperry Drifted Snow brand flour (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
All in the Springs: 1919
... my driving, get off the sidewalk! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. "It's All in the Springs" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/05/2018 - 11:37pm -

San Francisco, 1919. "Overland auto." And if you don't like my driving, get off the sidewalk! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. "It's All in the Springs"According to Joseph A Friedman, Dept of Sales. It's the Fuzz!The license plate indicates that the vehicle is being used by law enforcement. Our local police museum has a similar license plate (w/star). In the late '20s, the local constable used his own vehicle for police work. [Incorrect. The star was on all 1919 California license plates. - Dave] Singularly sprungThis car, the "baby Overland," had triplex springs -- two short cantilever springs mating at a point ahead of the radiator, hidden from view under an apron. No other car, Willys models among them, had this feature. Willys Overland Pacific Company buildingAt Van Ness Avenue and Bush Street. Now a Nissan dealershipVan Ness is still the mecca of auto business in SFO! The car that got awayI was a Denver high school senior in 1952 when I found an Overland car at a local wrecking yard. It was restorable in my opinion and the guy wanted $25. I got the money and returned with a friend who was going to help me tow it home. The guy would not sell to me without written parental permission. That queered the deal. For years, I had daydreams about what I could have done with that car. No need to reinvent the wheel.While working as a young automotive engineer in the early 1970s for Cadillac Motor Car Division, I was part of a design team developing bumper systems that would met the 2.5 and 5 mph federal safety standards. The first idea we tried was based on springs like these. This idea was soon replaced with shock absorbing bumper mounts (another old idea turned 90 degrees). [I've owned four 1972 Cadillacs with the 2.5 mph front bumpers. Look at them too hard and they get sprung five different ways. So thanks for that! - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Sunset Lodge: 1918
... promotion tied to the war effort. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. High beam I just wonder who had to climb a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/11/2014 - 1:35pm -

The Pacific Northwest in 1918. "Kissel Military Highway Scout Kar at Sunset Lodge." Our first look at what seems to have been a Kissel Kar promotion tied to the war effort. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. High beamI just wonder who had to climb a ladder every night to light the little lantern over their sign? Or maybe they just lit it on special occasions. [Maybe they had a pole. With a hook. - Dave] Porcelain welcomeNothing says "Howdy stranger!" better than a chamber pot waiting by the front steps. Kissel Kar in camouflageThis is the same car and driver shown here. That separate link carries fascinating information about this patriotic stunt, including a couple of captions from the newspapers of the day. The ladies, who do not appear in that other picture, must have been members of the staff at Sunset Lounge posing for a picture. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, WWI)
Caught in Passing: 1920
... With a streetcar squeezing by. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Multi makes This dealer also sold ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/21/2015 - 11:58am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Chalmers touring car on Van Ness Avenue." At F.J. Linz Motor Co., your Scripps-Booth dealer. With a streetcar squeezing by. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Multi makesThis dealer also sold Simplex-Crane cars listed below the Scripts-Booth name and on the second floor is the radiator image and name of the National car. Prices start probably with Scripts-Booth followed by Chalmers, National and Simplex-Crane (a huge expensive car) in that order. Building on the left The building on the left is still there. The Linz building has been replaced by a hideous square box that is boarded up in the Google Streetview ... [Though unrecognizable now, it's actually the same building, originally built in 1913 -tterrace] ... but its grand neighbor across Cedar St. is there. It is the Concordia Argonaut Club: founded in 1864 by Levi Strauss and famous members like Haas, Dinkelspiel, Sutro, Lilienthal, the club was originally composed of only Jewish men, it now admits non-Jews and women. The Concordia-Argonaut Club is one of the premier private clubs in the United States. Things to Ponder"Is it worth a bent fender to knock that oaf out of the way?" I know -- the car's not moving or there's a depth of field issue, but it certainly looks as if Mr. Pedestrian is not long to remain in an upright position. Van Ness - The Auto 'Miracle Mile'In the early 60's Van Ness used to harbor the majority of S.F. auto dealers. Gotta askBetween the front of the streetcar and the radiator of the automobile we see a rectangle of glass with a Scripps-Booth pennant hanging in the window. The car that we see in the glass is the reflection of our Chalmers touring car, right? And we also see the blurred arm of the man outside on the pavement walking towards the unsmiling driver? [It's not a reflection. The car is on the street in front of the building. -tterrace] Well, I'll be. Thanks, tt. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of figuring out photographs. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Streetcars)
Playboy, Mansion: 1923
... famous for the ad copy that sold it. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.         Somewhere west ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2017 - 12:56pm -

San Francisco circa 1923. "Jordan Playboy roadster." A car famous for the ad copy that sold it. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.         Somewhere west of Laramie there's a broncho-busting, steer-roping girl who knows what I'm talking about. She can tell what a sassy pony, that's a cross between greased lightning and the place where it hits, can do with eleven hundred pounds of steel and action when he's going high, wide and handsome. The truth is -- the Playboy was built for her. Built for the lass whose face is brown with the sun when the day is done of revel and romp and race. She loves the cross of the wild and the tame.         There’s a savor of links about that car -- of laughter and lilt and light -- a hint of old loves -- and saddle and quirt. It’s a brawny thing -- yet a graceful thing for the sweep o' of the Avenue. Step into the Playboy when the hour grows dull with things dead and stale. Then start for the land of real living with the spirit of the lass who rides, lean and rangy, into the red horizon of a Wyoming twilight. Hard to ThinkOf a car today that would generate copy like that. Most cars today are just appliances that can be discarded after the lease is over. BTW: Agree about that house, a real duesie! Who cares about the car. It's the house that steals the show!!Any ideas? Still up? The Copy Still SellsWho wouldn't want to know or be that lass! I understand the author was riding the Union Pacific across Wyoming at sunset when he spotted the unknown girl keeping pace with the train for a fleeting moment. Something-01Hmm, only one clue I could even sort of find, and it's clipped off by the car. Somewhere West of Laramie Appearing in a June 1923 issue of the Saturday Evening Post, the ad promoted the Jordan Playboy, in art by Fred Cole, driven by a cloche hat wearing flapper hunkered down behind the wheel in abstract fashion, racing a cowboy and the clouds. Gough near ClayThis house was torn down to build a stairway into Lafayette Park, I think the pillar is still there. Here's a 1919 view of it on our OpenSFHistory site. And a view of the stairway that was built. [Thanks! No wonder I was never able to find it. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
It's a Bear: 1919
... Minimally equipped, we'd say. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. "Grant - It's a ......." The ... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/14/2016 - 11:17pm -

San Francisco, 1919. "Grant motor truck at Public Library." Minimally equipped, we'd say. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. "Grant - It's a ......."The logo on the spare cover - It's a Bear? Bean? Beat? Bead? Beak? Beav(er)? [Perhaps there's a clue in the title of this post. - Dave] Minimally equipped?C'mon -- four wheels and a motor besides! Time check; 1920sMy dad told me that when he was a kid the old vets were from the Civil War and THEIR fathers and grandfathers were from the Revolution. Wow -- today I'm a history teacher. Those fellows in the background look like Civil War vets to me. "I remember that one time outside of Vicksburg ... " The truck's not all that basic.Plus it's got a bumper, spare tire and spotlight. By the (truck) standards of the era, it wasn't Spartan. Whadda Ya Mean, "Minimally Equipped"Why, it's got the optional pneumatic tires and the heavy-duty angle-iron front bumper ! I'm reminded of an aeronautical engineering maxim: "If it's not on board, it doesn't need to be maintained!" You just wait until the 2016 trucks and autos, with all their one-of-a-kind electronics, get old. 59 years from now, I don't think they will have aged nearly as gracefully as a 1957 Chevy. (Or even a Model A Ford, for that matter.) In contrast, I have little doubt that if a Grant truck was found in a barn today, it would be restorable to drivability. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Rolling Cole: 1925
... 5x7 inch glass negative by that automotive amanuensis Christopher Helin. View full size. The Thin White Line Yet another example of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2020 - 3:29pm -

San Francisco circa 1925. "Cole Aero Eight Series 890 touring car on Gough Street." This was the final year for both the marque and its founder, Joseph J. Cole, who died in August 1925. 5x7 inch glass negative by that automotive amanuensis Christopher Helin. View full size. The Thin White LineYet another example of body line pinstriping, done by hand. Beautiful. Be there or be squareI do love a fine automobile but I'll leave the commentary on vintage models -- like this beaut -- to those who know what they're talking about. But being one who is fairly obsessed with shiny windows as well as enamored of geometric shapes (in all honesty I favor circles, but still), I am transfixed by the number of square panes of mosaic-like glass in the windows of the house beyond, belonging to what I imagine must have been a sun room or small conservatory AND in the front. Can you imagine cleaning those? Also I love the way the shades over the larger front windows were pulled to exactly the same place on each window. (Had I lived there, that's exactly as I would have done it.) More squares on the heavy front door as well as its side lights. The symmetry is ever so comforting. [More of this multifaceted house here and here and here. - Dave] Wow. Sweet. I remember being taken with the ad copy on the Playboy, so much so that I copied it elsewhere so as not to lose it. Of course I have no idea where I put it so thanks for the reminder. The retaining wall and bollards surviveVery nice looking car and house. As noted from a previous post -- this spot on Gough Street is now part of Lafayette Park. Distinctive front and rear tiresi don't believe I have ever seen front and rear specific tires in any vintage photos before. The fronts are grooved for steering control similar to aircraft tires today. the rears are knobby style for traction. Great photo of course. [Like most cars of the era, this Cole had only rear-wheel brakes. - Dave] Thank you for closureSometime ago, having seen this house on Shorpy, I set out to find it in vain like a boy in love with a girl from a picture found in a box in the attic. You found her, and she remains no more, except always in my heart. Aero 8 AdI have had this advertisement hanging on my wall for years. I think mine depicts a 1918 Cole Aero 8. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Neoclassical Gas: 1919
... at Palace of Fine Arts." Home, Fido! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Not exactly The 1960s reconstruction of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2017 - 12:14pm -

San Francisco, 1919. "Hudson Biddle & Smart touring limousine at Palace of Fine Arts." Home, Fido! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Not exactlyThe 1960s reconstruction of the Palace is MOSTLY an exact replica of the 1915 version. The wall of the Palace itself facing the colonnade was originally fully decorated with freestanding and engaged columns identical to those of the colonnade, and the central doors facing the entrance to the rotunda were elaborately framed. This wall was rebuilt smooth, dull and blank (presumably to reduce costs) and its bareness is now screened by trees; the central doors now have minimal moldings framing them. The original concept as executed made the crescent walk behind the colonnade a much richer, more enclosing, visual experience than it is today. A bit of the pergola which crowned the original wall is visible in this photo. Theft insurance.Love the chain and padlock on the spare tire. During the big warThe lad on the right has a navy pea coat with chief petty officer rating. Some kids even had a full uniform to wear. Last war that happened. [He must be standing behind the car. -tterrace] ReduxThat's the original Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda, built of wood and "staff" (a mixture of plaster and straw) for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Beloved by San Franciscans, it was the only structure retained afterward. The building deteriorated so badly over the next 50 years that it had to be demolished in the fall of 1964. An exact replica was built in its place from permanent materials and was completed two years later. Early SUVwith integral roof rails and requisite pooch. FashionistaShe can also be seen here. Hudson Sold ValueWhen this car was new autos often had mechanical troubles that made them difficult to drive. Hudson was a medium priced car that was both powerful & reliable for its time. The Super Sixes as shown in this picture were the first production car to feature a counterbalanced crankshaft allowing higher engine speeds, more power & longer life than was typical at the time. Another feature was a cork clutch which ran in oil that was smooth, long lasting and did not slip. Other types of clutches often jerked, burnt out or slipped. Every Hudson except the first & last years of production was equipped with a cork clutch. With these mechanical advantages and a moderate price, Hudson sold a lot of Super Sixes and some were fitted with elite bodies such as those by Biddle & Smart. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Dogs)
Va-Va-Vroom: 1927
... the Shorpy Roster of Rusty Relics. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. I think our sinister-looking Paige driver is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2017 - 11:57pm -

San Francisco circa 1927. "Paige Cabriolet Roadster." Today's entry on the Shorpy Roster of Rusty Relics. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. I think our sinister-looking Paige driver is Lon Chaney Sr. [That was my first thought. -tterrace] (...Great minds, etc. -bohneyjames) Futuristic Edmund & Jones Model 20 Torpedo HeadlampsThat Paige Roadster features a pair of custom items from the 20's. These rare lights are still popular today with "Old School" hotrodders, who often strip them to bare metal, then buff/polish or chrome plate them, like this: Quite the pairHe looks sinister, she looks evil. I wouldn’t get in the car. [I think he looks a little like Lassie's dad, the actor Robert Bray. - Dave] All of the cool features---rumble seat, golf club door, visor, two-tone paint, spare tire cover. What's the round emblem down near the corner of the hood? Darkroom Work?The guy's face looks (badly) dodged in printing, not that it would have been easy to do better. That is, it's too dark to print yet is on the negative, and you move a bit of opaque paper back and forth across it while exposing the print to reduce its exposure on the paper, and hence lighten up a dark area. But I don't understand the process from negative to Shorpy pic. [First, you are confusing burning and dodging. If the guy's face is too dark, it's badly burned; reducing the exposure by dodging would lighten the area underneath; to make it darker you increase the exposure on the desired area by using a piece of paper with a hole cut in it. Second, there was no "darkroom work" -- no print, no paper, no burning or dodging. We take the glass negative (Fig. A), place it on the scanner (Fig. B) and hit SCAN. We do minor adjustments in Photoshop and then publish it to the web. The man (Fig. C) looks dark because he has a dark, tanned or ruddy complexion; also, unlike the lady, he is in shadow rather than direct sun. - Dave] I disown this carIn spite of its charming name, this particular vehicle's occupants lead me to believe that this is a very early version of the Munster Mobile, and it scares me. I know that all the Paige cars probably weren't owned by folks like the ones shown here, but who really knows? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Angler-Saxon: 1921
... brand not long for this earth. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Those Headlights! It almost looks as if the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2014 - 5:00pm -

San Francisco, 1921. "Saxon auto and fishing boats." Another automotive brand not long for this earth. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Those Headlights!It almost looks as if the 1921 Saxon is sporting LED headlights! The fellow at the gunwale seems to be pointing this feature out to his pal on deck. Saxon only has another two years before its demise. [Very possibly these; ad from March 1919 (click to enlarge). -tterrace] Not visibleare any body panel hinges or even protruding door handles on the Saxon. And a raked windshield, too! Very forward for 1921! Paint Your WagonAgain, a shine not to be believed. I have yet to see a Maybach or Bentley that glows like that. Those cars, in the $300,000 range should look so good. That three hundred grand in 1921 probably equates to a nice few million today. The Depression was the flu epidemic of automakersMy grandfather worked for Marmon until it went under after the crash. That was a hard time for my mom's family. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Criminal Background: 1923
... With Alcatraz in the distance. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Vegetation overload For more laughs, back up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/30/2015 - 11:36am -

San Francisco, 1923. "Nash sedan at Spreckels Mansion." With Alcatraz in the distance. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Vegetation overloadFor more laughs, back up and see the Washington St. side. King of KaptionsDave, every now and then you really outdo yourself on captions - this is surely one of those times. Nice touch offering the viewer a fog shrouded view of "The Joint" to drive the message home, so to speak. [Or is it more like the Tsar of Titles? In any case, thanks. - Dave] Danielle Steel's houseThat's author Danielle Steel's house now. The story behind the hedge. gNASHing my teethBald tires, steep hill, two wheel brakes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Kruger Boxes: 1919
... truck -- Kruger & Co. Boxes." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bumpy Glass Ahead That's some pretty rough ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/15/2015 - 11:19am -

Somewhere in San Francisco circa 1919. "Ford motor truck -- Kruger & Co. Boxes." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bumpy Glass AheadThat's some pretty rough bottle glass on the windshield. Through a Glass, WobblyEven stone sober, anyone would probably drive like they're drunk while looking through that. Blurry survivorThe building seen through the wobbly glass is the only apparent survivor from this scene: BoxesThese days, when we think of "boxes", we mostly think of folding cartons: cardboard boxes that are shipped flat from the box manufacturer to the user. The user (cereal maker, appliance maker, whatever) assembles ("erects". Yup.) the box often as part of their production process, fills it with their product, seals it, ships it. But for many years, boxes were shipped "set up" from the box plant, so they were mostly shipping air: hence the light construction of this truck body. Apparently Kruger made light wood boxes (cigar boxes? fruit boxes? Who knows?) as "shook" is the term for wooden box parts, which they made on site. There's still a thriving cardboard "set-up box" trade, but it is dwarfed by the folding carton industry. Junk and MoreMax J Ballen, general junk dealer, grader of woolen rags and paper stock, 124-130 Harriet, tel Park 2033 (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Model Tea: 1918
... Park." The styling: Early Perpendicular. Glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Soldier, Buick and Ladies are MIA But the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/01/2015 - 12:48pm -

San Francisco, 1918. "Buick at Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park." The styling: Early Perpendicular. Glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Soldier, Buick and Ladies are MIABut the entrance is still there: Under the HoodEarly Buicks had an overhead valve engine with external tappets, push rods and rocker arms as invented by the founder. Thus the serenity of this dignified setting and sophisticated outfits of the women would be joined by a rather coarse automotive racket when the motor was started. Another nameDuring WWII it was known as the "Oriental Tea Garden" for obvious reasons. Louis XVI remember my grandmother telling me she used to wear Louis Quinze heels when she was young, in the early 1920s. The Original Fortune Cookie.Makoto Hagiwara, the designer and longtime caretaker of the Japanese Tea Garden pioneered what we now know as the fortune cookie here in the early 20th century. It was essentially a sweetened, secular version of Japanese tsuji ura sembei crackers, which are curled around religious "fortunes" and served at several Shinto shrines in the Kyoto area. These treats, which were served with tea in the garden, soon became quite popular and were picked up by San Francisco Chinese restaurants. The rest is American culinary history. Makoto Hagiwara died in 1925, but the Hagiwara family continued to tend and live at the garden until WWII, when they were dispossessed and removed to a camp in Utah as part of the shameful forcible internment of Japanese-Americans. The garden was renamed as the "Oriental Tea Garden" until 1952. The Hagiwaras were not allowed to return to the garden, but the street in front was renamed in their honor by the City of San Francisco in 1986. (The Gallery, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Nash-and-Grab: 1919
... Edison Electric Something-or-Other. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. POOL & BILLIARDS Who can locate the pool ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/04/2016 - 5:26pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Nash touring car." Across from the pool hall, taking delivery of some apple crates and an Edison Electric Something-or-Other. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. POOL & BILLIARDSWho can locate the pool emporium across the street? He's collectingIt looks like he is collecting for (?). The way the two gentlemen are holding the box it looks like it is being passed to the car. Also all the well dressed people behind them are holding packages and patiently waiting to do their good deed. Relief DeliveryThis looks more like a delivery. Maybe to an orphanage or a home. Explain...Why did everyone wear hats during this period? For protection or style? [Better you should ask, "Why, starting in the middle of the 20th Century, did nearly everyone stop wearing hats?" -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Three-Quarter Moon: 1920
... File of Ephemeral Phaetons. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Starter solenoid That's where an annoyed soul ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2015 - 11:27pm -

San Francisco, 1920. "Moon touring car and tire chains in Golden Gate Park." Was that ice under those palm trees? Latest entry in the Shorpy File of Ephemeral Phaetons. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Starter solenoidThat's where an annoyed soul puts the crank to start the engine. Agree with Starter SolenoidMoon began using the Delco electric starter with the 1914 models. One source said that Moon continued the manual starter as a "convenience for the customer". Radiator drain plugIs that a radiator drain plug in front center? Draining radiators for more than 50 years and never had one that convenient. John McLaren's homeThe building behind the car is now McLaren Lodge, the SF Park & Recreation headquarters but at the time of this photo it was home to Park Superintendent John McLaren. Just out of frame on the right of the 1920 photo is a Monterey cypress that still stands today and is known as 'Uncle John's Tree.' At the time it would have been about 40 years old. Warm and dryMy rule: always conduct a trial fitting of new tire chains when it's warm, dry, and in good light. There is SO much that can go awry, and be conducive to pain and profanity, in actual road conditions. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Sweet Six: 1919
... Note the rakishly tilted windshield. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Hail Columbia! Built by Columbia Motors, not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2015 - 9:05pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Columbia Six touring car." Note the rakishly tilted windshield. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Hail Columbia!Built by Columbia Motors, not related to the Columbia Motor Car Company that produced its own Columbia car from 1899-1910; I wonder how the trademark lawyers handled that? The earlier company had some connection to the famous Columbia bicycles (still made, I believe), in that both were originally part of A.A. Pope's Pope Manufacturing Company. The later Columbia's name was apparently just another attempt to "wrap the brand in the flag." Looks likeIzzy and Moe, on the verge of stardom? Tick...tick...tick....You sure about the motive power? I see a wind-up key! Edit: Actually, what is that thing? "That Thing"Looks like a support for the top framework when the top is folded down. Body curves in and the top braces are outside the body line. Closed With the two gents comfortable without topcoats, it would seem the automobile has not been running prior to this photo being made --- the thermostat controlled radiator shutters are in a closed configuration. (A touted feature by Columbia.) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Work Zone: 1930
... On the sunny side of the street. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. San Jose Ave. Looking back at 1930 aerial ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/02/2015 - 3:49pm -

San Francisco in 1930. "Oldsmobile sedan on Alemany Boulevard." On the sunny side of the street. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. San Jose Ave.Looking back at 1930 aerial photos. I believe this is actually San Jose Avenue in lieu of Alemany Boulevard as stated above. In the attached aerial you can make out the two bridges. Also in Google Earth street view you can still clearly make out the roof lines on the left in the above photo (though the bridges have been modified slightly). Alternate TrinityA line from one of my favorite movies: "Some men are Catholics, some men are Protestants; my father was an OLDSMOBILE man." The steamroller is goneBut much of this scene is still there. Alemany is now to the south of here. The odd shaped double house with the doglegs is still there, the 2 halves painted 2 different colors, and they replaced the center piers of the 2 bridges with very odd squared off arches. Right city, wrong street.Following this great site for a couple years now but this is my first comment. Alemany Boulevard in S.F. is not depressed like this. This has to be the modern day San Jose Avenue, which used to be Bernal Street in the 1930s. The bridges are the same except modified to clear span across the road bed and the road is now a divided highway with the Muni Metro light rail tracks in the middle. Edited 1/3/15: The embankments in the original photo are quite steep and the one on the left appears to approach a 1:1 slope (45 degrees). This is always a concern for engineers as the slope could erode and possibly fail depositing whatever is at the top to the bottom, in this case houses. The Google Street View shows they mitigated that by installing a higher retaining wall to reduce the incline. On another note, you can see the stairs beyond each bridge still exist if you "drive" up the street in Street View. View Larger Map Falling RockA common sign on the roads of my youth. Could have used a few on this stretch of roadway. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Pier 42: 1920
... evidently bound for San Diego. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. P.M.S.S.Co. Wagon The wagon in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/04/2015 - 6:36pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Nash motor truck on waterfront." The Pier 42 bulkhead building on the Embarcadero, with a truck evidently bound for San Diego. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. P.M.S.S.Co. Wagon The wagon in the background marked P.M.S.S.Co. likely belongs to the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. The lapstrake boat lying on the sidewalk appears to be a double-ender with rowing seats, likely a ship's boat or lifeboat. It does not seem to be treated with the TLC due to a riveted-lapstrake vessel. This Nash truck has many quaint features, including solid-rubber tires and brakes on the rear wheels only. The lack of doors is no surprise, as in those days many people believed it was safer to jump out of a motor vehicle if a collision was inevitable. Exported to GuatemalaKeyword searches suggest that San Diego Bella Vista was (and still is) a farming village or ranch in the La Flores Canton of Columba Costa Cuca, a municipal district in southwest Guatemala. I'm guessingthat it's a gorgeous red and black. Sound not heard The distinctive voice of the ah-uga horn is long gone but not forgotten. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Nashing Out: 1928
... my parking, get off the sidewalk. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Looks Right To Me I do not have the exact ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/02/2015 - 11:39am -

San Francisco circa 1928. "Nash Special Six on Gough Street at Lafayette Park." Sporting a brace of Goodyear 31 x 5.25 Balloons. And if you don't like my parking, get off the sidewalk. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Looks Right To MeI do not have the exact numbers but there certainly were right hand drive Nash automobiles produced for export. Isn't the parking brake lever to the left of the steering column? [Look at the photo. The middle of the dash is to the right of the steering column, which is behind the center-mounted gearshift. - Dave] Trompe l'oeil ! I stand corrected. Looks brand new.Notice the shine on the spare-tire cover. Is it a right-hand drive? [No. - Dave] KeyedAny thoughts as to why and what the keys are for hanging on the door handle? Most importantNo center console for my coffee cup? I could never have survived back then. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Junior League: 1927
... Park." Check out those headlights! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Low Beams Excuse me, but what headlights? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/27/2015 - 1:11pm -

"Cadillac (Flappers, 1927) at de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park." Check out those headlights! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Low BeamsExcuse me, but what headlights? Not the SheerestThe opaque glare of the silk stockings sported by the lady on the left illustrate why the advent of nylon hose about a decade later made so many women eternally grateful to DuPont, even if many had to wait until World War II ended to sate themselves with this fashion accessory. Photography crewInteresting that you can see the photography crew reflected in the front bumper under the girls feet on the left. Engineer's perspective...As a mechanical engineer I really love these detailed images of autos. The design and construction of these vehicles were to say the least, impressive. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Expect Great Things: 1923
... a variation on the "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. 2-wheel go, 4-wheel stop Hey, it looks like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2015 - 1:57pm -

Dec. 27, 1923. "Don Lee Cadillac agency, corner Van Ness & O'Farrell." And a Model V-63 Phaeton, approximating closed-car comfort with a variation on the "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. 2-wheel go, 4-wheel stopHey, it looks like it even had front-wheel brakes! Very rare in '23. The Don Lee BuildingIt's significant. The Demi-SedanWow! Impressive sculpture over the door of the building. I'm trying to buy a '21 Franklin with this kind of body. It has a "California top" with removable window side panels. In the Franklin case (and others) this was called a "demi-sedan" It could be stripped down to make a touring car in the summer and panels added to create a semi-snug semi-sedan for winter time. Very similar to the 1922 model ... that my dad's cousin owned in the '60s: a gorgeous blue Model 62 touring car that started my lifelong fascination with antique automobiles. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
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