That car still looks better than 95% of the cars made in the last twenty years, crunched front end and all.

I'm surprised the glass isn't even cracked. I would have thought without seat-belts, someone would have been thrown thru the windshield.

[Not at 10 mph. - Dave]

Mechanic: "I'm sorry, but this repair is gonna set you back $55. We can arrange installments."

Assuming the shallow overhang at left in the c1955 photo is still there, the collision would have been about where the Subaru is parked in front of the streetlight. The Packard could have plowed into the building with the white stone column. Either way, to inflict that kind of damage to a steel bumper took a lot more impact than someone just parking their car.

I did something similar to that while driving a 1996 Buick Park Avenue, in late 2004. It wasn't my fault.

Looks like a 1951 Packard 300. Have to wonder whatever happened to the elegant cormorant on the hood.

Looks like someone's Packard jumped the curb rather rapidly and took out a parking meter, judging by the vertical impact at the front, and the distance from the street. The wrecker is getting hooked up. Hopefully no pedestrians were injured during the melee, especially by that hood ornament of death.

[Did it jump the curb at 60 mph? Looks more like it hit the corner of a building. - Dave]

I was momentarily puzzled by the tassel hanging out the driver's window until I spotted the old Holmes wrecker behind it. Before locking steering columns, a car towed from the rear had the steering wheel tied off around the window frame to keep the front wheels tracking true. Every tow truck operator had at least one but more likely several of these ropes precut and ready for service.

Most passenger vehicles in service today are front wheel drive and have the steering wheel locks. They are towed from the front and the tie-off rope has gone the way of the buggy-whip.