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Grandpa washing the Oldsmobile. This was taken during the mid '50s in Los Angeles. Scanned from a medium format safety negative. View full size.
I never thought of my grandmother as being anything but a sweet old lady who gave me anything I wanted. I recently found a (rare) picture of her when she was in her mid-twenties and it gave me a new perspective on her life.
My grandfather had an Edsel and was bald. And was hysterical! Love this photo.
I keep have to wiping the fog off my glasses each time I look at this photo.
If you take your eyes off the Gramps for a minute check out the nice lawn. Looks like Gramps like to take care of the grass as much as the car.
I think Tony is purposely posting pictures of his scantily-clad Grandpa just to torment us poor females.
Even after over 50 years, your grandfather is still causing hearts, among other parts of the body, to flutter!
WOWOWOW! Please take me to the drive in and out for a burger afterwards. Maybe we will get a Coke and go watch the submarine races? Grandpa must have had to fight the ladies off with a stick!
Grandpa wouldn't be winter-washing the car dressed like that in Peabody. There's the reason to live there.
By the way, Gramps, the neighbor-ladies have all seen you. You've rubbed a hole in the paint on that spot. Time to go back inside.
Life in those days had promise, and order and purpose. The great Middle Class who had fought WWII were able to find manufacturing-related jobs and move up and along; a step up indicated by somebody's grandfather washing his new Olds instead of patching together the '41 Ford that he traded.
Things might just have been better in '53.
Dan Patterson
I use a Canon CanoScan 4400f. But, like I say on my profile, the scanner was made for 35mm film, not medium format, so it takes more time to stitch two scans together in Photoshop. If that sounds daunting to you you might want to invest in a larger film scanner but they can be pricy.
Of course, the quality is also because the photos are indeed medium format and are in good condition. I look forward to seeing your old photos!
The age of the automobile, before fins came into vogue. My mindset has always been very southern Ontario. California was somewhere else, and where movie stars lived. My father could've been of a similar age. We drove foreign cars; Dad bought his first domestic (U.S. built) car, a Buick with big flapping rear wings, in 1960. We sold that in 1965 and drove Volvos until he died in 1982.
I have a steamer trunk full of family photos that I want to scan. The prints are no problem, but I haven't looked into scanning negatives. Your scan is so clear -- I wonder what hardware and software you are using.
Is it okay to nominate someone's grandfather for Rake status? Please? Wow.
Beautiful example of a Rocket 88!
Love the cars of the 50's! My first car was a 50 plymouth. It was geared so low that I could leave rubber in first and second and make it sound like third gear when the fan belt slipped.
Today he'd be wearing baggy basketball shorts flopping below his knees.
That is a magnificent lawn and Grampa's not too shabby either. Im a big fan of whitewall tyres too.
Beautiful shot! The car (as well as the hunk) is gorgeous.
Okay ladies, are you going to embarrass poor Tony W. again with your lustful remarks?
The housewives on this street must have been one frustrated bunch.
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