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This is one of many color slides that my father shot when we lived in the San Francisco area in the mid to late 1950's. This particular shot was taken on Anscochrome film and shows Union Square in downtown SF. Note the overhead wires for the electric buses. I have many more like this, which I'll try to post as time allows. View full size.
I sing with a community chorus, and we just wrapped up a concert series that was all music from the Beatles. Thanks to Dbell's pointing out the B.O.A.C. sign, I now have "Back in the U.S.S.R." stuck in my head - "Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C...." Thanks for a great historic picture of one of my favorite cities!
As our Brit friends explain it, "Better On A Camel"!
The Corvette is cool, but I'll take the '58 Bel-air hardtop. In fact, I had one almost exactly like it, bought it used in 1962 to go to college in. 1958 was a rare year for the entire GM lineup. The cars were new from the 55-57 group, but strangely not repeated in 59. The 58 models had another distinction––there were more available body styles than in 57 and previous years, or 59 and succeeding years. The one pictured here was a rare variation of the Bel-air 4-door hardtop. Most Bel-air 4-door hardtops had a slightly different treatment of the roofline and rear door pillars. This one is white over silver blue. Mine was silver blue over white, otherwise this car would be identical to mine. The car was a dreamboat and proved at college to be an incredible chick magnet. Co-eds loved to ride in it at night with the windows down, and my buddies and I loved to oblige them. BTW, the "V" emblem on the hood indicates a V8 engine, the soon to be famous "small block" Chevy. First year with 283 cubes, too. What a car!
That 1958 Chevrolet looks like the newest car in the pic. This would make the earliest date fall of 1957. I don't remember that chrome piece at the rear of the back window.
[That bit of chrome was specific to certain Bel Air models. - tterrace]
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