MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

Bustling Banff: 1964
... eye was drawn to the VW beetle. It would have been a cold car to drive in the winter in Banff. Without an accessory heater fan the only ... Banff clearly has a lot of it. And an Oldsmobile dealer, guaranteed. Back when they still made Oldsmobiles. Banff has ... 
 
Posted by returntoBuddha - 05/05/2015 - 11:03am -

Banff, Alberta, Canada, sometime in the early Sixties. Scanned from a box of Kodachrome slides I found at a flea market. View full size. Ford 'n' FargoNot all Ford trucks were Mercurys and not all Dodge trucks were Fargos. Mercury dealers had Mercury trucks which were just re-badged Fords, but Ford dealers sold Ford trucks. The same for the Mopars. Dodge dealers sold Dodge trucks and Plymouth dealers sold Fargos. We also had Meteor cars which were rebadged Fords sold by Mercury dealers to give them an entry level auto and Monarch cars which were rebadged Mercurys sold by Ford dealers to give them a more upscale vehicle. GM sold Chevy trucks from the early 30s until the early 50s that were called Maple Leafs in addition to Chevy trucks. Confused yet? 2011 viewVisited Banff and Lake Louise on our 2011 vacation. Beautiful area. Here's a view looking in the same direction but farther up the street. MetropolitanTen comments so far, and no one has mentioned the little yellow Nash Metropolitan convertible yet. Well, now I have. BugsMy eye was drawn to the VW beetle. It would have been a cold car to drive in the winter in Banff. Without an accessory heater fan the only heat would be what ever wander up front from the engine compartment. I owned a VW bus that never could quite clear the windshield in the winter, even with an accessory fan. BreezewayThe car on the far right might be a early 60's model Mercury Monterey with a "Breezeway" rear window. Our family had one of those and it was a lot of fun. The rear window slanted down and in towards the rear seat and was powered so it could be lowered to let air flow through the car. Worked great even when it was raining! Definitely 1964The two cars at far left both sport 1964 license plates: the curbside Olds has white-on-blue Alberta plates, while the turning Plymouth's green-on-white plates are from Saskatchewan. 1962 PlymouthThe muddy red car on the left, turning right (the turn signal is lit). I think it's a Fury. [The Fury had chrome trim that the car in our photo doesn't. - Dave] Both the Savoy and Belvedere also have chrome trim. So what is this car? Is that a gold two-tone Pontiac just past the hydrant?My dad had a '58 Chev in "Anniversary Gold" very similar to that "Jubilee Gold" Pontiac. It wasn't his fault, it was a company car and that's what his boss sent him. My mother hated the colour, she said it looked like a Labatt's beer truck. +43Here's that corner last time I was there, in 2007. The building on the left remains, and although the flag-flying buildings on the right have changed, the flag appears to still be flying in the same spot. Oh my, Oh myhow this brings back so many memories of dear Banff on weekends skiing those magnificent Rockies, if I can remember lift tickets were in the ten dollar range. It's a 1954The Big Black Sedan on the front left is a 1954 Oldsmobile, not a '53--the first year for GM's wraparound windshield on Buick/Olds/Cadillac. This images is from at least 1964The blue-green automobile on the extreme right is a 1964 Mercury (with a Breezeway roof no less). [Or a '63. - Dave] Big Black SedanThat's a 1953 Oldsmobile facing the camera while parked at the curb. I can't tell if it's an 88 or a 98, but I had a 98 just like it back in the 1990s. I finally traded it for a piano. We were thereThe following summer, stayed in the Banff Springs Hotel. I bought a key ring from the gift shop, a beautiful round medallion of the Canadian flag with the colors in cloisonne which I still have. You'll notice many Pontiacs in the picture--they were built on Chevrolet chassis and had Chevy sixes, 283's and 348's with PowerGlide. A Catalina trim level was called Strato-Chief, Star Chief Laurentian, and Bonneville was a Parisienne. Although much less car than what an American Pontiac represented, they were much more expensive. [You have it backwards. They were generally less expensive, which was the whole point of building them on Chevy chassis. - Dave] National Flag of CanadaNote the Canadian Red Ensigns flying on buildings on either side of the street. This was the national flag used for several decades until the official flag, the Maple Leaf, arrived on the scene in 1965. Background verticalityBanff clearly has a lot of it. And an Oldsmobile dealer, guaranteed. Back when they still made Oldsmobiles. Banff has changedWe moved out west in '73 and you would often see elk on the road near Sulfur Mountain or the Hot Springs. For the longest time, no new development was allowed. Took my daughter there a few years back and I couldn't believe how many new homes there were. OK Car GuysGeez, enough comments and ID's for the cars. There is a MOUNTAIN in the picture. My take is that it was done with a mildly telephoto lens: the mountain is freeking awesome. What a spectacular display of colors!!The cars, that is: red, and green, and yellow, and purple, and aqua, and -- Look at what's parked on that street today and you'd see black, and silver, and gray, and silver, and white, and black, and silver, and silver, and gray, and white, and gray ... Red PlymouthI think the red Plymouth is a 4 door Savoy. The chrome trim seems understated, at least compared to the advertisement offered by another contributor. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Living Large: 1956
... Prinz & Brooks." Our second look at Chevrolet dealer Earl Hayes' midcentury manse with the tacky acoustic-tile ceiling. Photo ... to be served. American Dream, anyone? Spare me the car dealers in plaid, however! Consistent Taste Sure the ceiling is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/02/2015 - 10:13pm -

1956. "Hayes residence, Kessler Lake Drive, Dallas. Living room to fireplace. Architects: Prinz & Brooks." Our second look at Chevrolet dealer Earl Hayes' midcentury manse with the tacky acoustic-tile ceiling. Photo by Maynard L. Parker for House Beautiful. Source: Huntington Library. View full size. Built-in TVWelcome to the future. Tiny Blk & White TVHow could they see it from so far away? Hard to BelieveI don't think I can spot a single ashtray in this photo. Amazing! Acoustic tile?How can you call acoustic ceiling tiles Tacky? a. They are supposed to be tacky to stick to the ceiling :-) b. You like echoey rooms better? I actually like this living room -- Inset TV, fireplace, hassock, couches, oval coffee tables set 90 degrees off where it oughta be. All it needs is women in full skirts with martinis in hand to make it more attractive. Mantovani on the hidden stereo, a roast in the oven and hors d'oeuvres about to be served. American Dream, anyone? Spare me the car dealers in plaid, however! Consistent TasteSure the ceiling is tacky, but it matches the carpet. And the drapes and furniture, and .... Untouched by human handsOne fingerprint on any of those shiny surfaces and your entire decorating scheme is ruined. Glorious 60's AmericanaI dream of having a home as swag as the Hayes' pad. I can't wait to see more of this home. @loujudson- This has all the makings for a Schlitz beer ad. I'd grab my tweed sport coat and head over to that party! Class CeilingUnfortunately I am old enough to remember when acoustical tile was cool, sophisticated, state-of-the-art. What a lovely, expansive space -- perfect to fill with women in paper silk and men in skinny ties. One can almost hear the clink of cocktail glasses festooned with hand-painted Parisian café scenes in black and red on them, the smell of vermouth and Mi-Lem in the air. Hot StuffThe fourth fireplce tool is a Cape Cod fire starter. It is a soap stone that would be soaked in oil then put under the firewood instead of kindling. PerfectionThis room is perfection in my opinion. Looks like the setting for an Outer Limits episode. I imagine the sound quality was great in the room, where is the hi-fi? Broom, shovel, poker and --Can anyone identify the fourth fireplace tool? It looks like a mold for three-pound cannonballs. mineeyes have shared the story. Thanks! Re: Hard to BelieveIn front of the sofa to the right of the TV are two square coffee tables. The object on the right table could be art but it might also be perceived as an ashtray. [Consider yourself trolled. - Dave] The tiny TVNot sure of the make but it's at least a 21" possibly a 24", and could be as big as 27", that was big for the time. I'm a little surprised to see they didn't have a Color set in the Living Room, they were certainly available in 1956, not much color programming to see at the time though. Haydn SeekThat looks like some kind of drawbar organ in the background, possibly a Hammond M3. Who needs a Hi-FiWhen you can play your Hammond organ? Broom, shovel, poker and --Reminds me of a Pie Iron. El KabongThose lamps in the foreground look like they have had a rough life. They have a number of noticeable dents in them. [The bases are, or are supposed to resemble, ancient bronze temple bells or the like, in keeping with the other Asian-related items of decor. -tterrace] Hoffman EasyvisionPretty sure that's a 24-inch Hoffman. The one we had when I was a kid was in a big mahogany cabinet with a built-in record player. This looks like it might be the same chassis as the 1955 Pacifica models, with the speaker separated and mounted above the picture tube. That's a horn tweeter in the middle of the speaker. 9th and LancasterWas the site of Earl Hayes large salesroom at this time, his tag line was 'Come out our way, trade your way' (Maynard L. Parker)
Hot Wheels: 1942
... After the halt of automobile production and "freeze" of car sales, these 1942 Buicks were among the last new models the public could ... the war. May 1942. "Grand Island, Nebraska. Auto dealer's window." Better buy Buick! Medium format acetate negative by John ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2022 - 3:28pm -

        After the halt of automobile production and "freeze" of car sales, these 1942 Buicks were among the last new models the public could buy until the end of the war. May 1942. "Grand Island, Nebraska. Auto dealer's window." Better buy Buick! Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. No room at the "N" Should've paid for larger lettering. [Or slightly smaller! - Dave] Brubaker Buick102 East 2nd Street is now an empty lot, but I was able to locate this memory. If you qualifyThe Office of Production Management issued an order on Jan. 14, 1942, to "stockpile" all cars shipped after Jan. 15. Cars shipped to dealers could not be sold until specific permission to sell was granted when deemed "in the public interest" but such permission probably wasn't granted earlier than January 1943. Dealers were also required to make the tires and tubes from such vehicles available to any "appropriate agency" at any time so requested. All manufacturers ended their production of automobiles on February 22, 1942. The January 1942 production quota had been a little over 100,000 automobiles and light trucks. The units manufactured at the beginning of February would bring up the total number of vehicles in a newly established car stockpile to 520,000. These would be available during the duration of the war for rationed sales by auto dealers to purchasers deemed “essential drivers.” The government’s Office of Price Administration also imposed rationing of gasoline and tires and set a national speed limit of 35 mph. During the early part of February 1942 all car owners were required to record the serial numbers of the tires on their cars and report them to the proper authorities. They also had to certify that they had only five tires and tubes for each vehicle they owned. Still available?It took me 80 years, but I finally qualify. Not Froze?And not Freezed either. And no snow in May. "Frozen" was not even a Disney dream at the time, correct as the grammar might have been. Hot cars indeed! That car?Could it be a Buick Super? The front end looks identical to some images I found online for that year/make/model. Assault on freedom?I am bemused by Geezer's report that in 1942 the U.S. government required everyone with a car to submit the serial numbers on their tires. Gives some perspective on the current "freedom"-defending North Americans attacking protective mask mandates. Doleful BuickSad-eyed appearance brings to mind a forlorn and lonely pet shop animal. Purchasing a Buick Straight Eight with city MPG in the 12-14 range and strict gasoline rationing in effect, wouldn't have appealed to the average buyer. SharksThat Buick behind the glass - collective image of the sales force behind? BTW, I love 40's car design. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Small Towns, WW2)
Violet's Birthday: 1926
... the former Violet Elder and Washington sportsman and auto dealer Gardner Phillip Orme. He met a violent end in 1941 along with three other men when their car hit a tree in Miami; Violet died in 1966, her mother in 1977. "Are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 10:43pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1926. "Mrs. Gardner Orme group," a.k.a. the Little Foxes. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Which one is Violet?Because if I were her, I don't know that I would WANT to save this picture for posterity; except for the cute girl with the open eyes on the right, this is a rather morose (and occasionally even creepy) looking group. (And sadly, poor Violet's cake has what looks like a floral tombstone on it too -- yikes!) I Know Why They're Not HappyIt's because they all look like angry men. Anyone have some Doritos? Half of them look stoned. Maybe it's the cake with the headstone that's like totally bumming them out man. Stoned foxesA good number of Mrs. Gardiner Orme group appear to have consumed some of Alice B. Toklas' brownies. Thrilled to DeathIt's probably just from the flash, but none of those girls look like they are in a partying mood! Just a bad dreamMy guess is Violet is on the left, given the entire end of the table, with her eyes closed, praying that it's all just a bad dream. Expressions, againSeems pretty clear to me that these are waiting-to-get-it-over-with expressions, meaning the whole photo-taking rigamarole. We're not looking at the party, we're looking at the thing that's holding up the party. Ready, SetSquint. Nothing like a 1000 watt mogul base flood to bring out the eyelids in the crowd. Most of my 16mm home movies from the 40's/50's look like this. Even the spider in the left ceiling corner is gone. If I had that many eyes and no lids I'd take a powder too. What A Sour Bunch!Not a very happy group. Or perhaps people didn't smile much in those days. All sitting smugly with their 'Flapper Bob' hair styles and clothing. They look quite wealthy...little did they know the Stock Market would crash only two years later. Not a happy bunchI guess the clown didn't show up. Snip, snipLooks like they all get their hair styled at the same place. Sharp eyes!The first few times I looked this picture over I didn't even notice the spider web in the upper left corner of the room. [There is no spider web. That's a flaw in the emulsion. - Dave] I'm wondering how much that Samovar on the buffet would bring on Antiques Road Show today. It doesn't look to be made from silver (maybe copper) The girls, for the most part seem to suffering from a bad case of the blahs or possibly this is a wake for Poor Violet. Epilogue: Violet Elder OrmeYoung Violet, an only child, is seated in front of the fern; her parents, who made their home on Massachusetts Avenue, were the former Violet Elder and Washington sportsman and auto dealer Gardner Phillip Orme. He met a violent end in 1941 along with three other men when their car hit a tree in Miami; Violet died in 1966, her mother in 1977. "Are we having fun yet?"Violet should serve her friends Zoloft and Wellbutrin at the "party" instead of M&M's. Merely waiting for the camera to departI am sure that the girls are as happy as any bunch of friends at a party would be. It is evident that they have been required to pose for the camera, with chairs accurately positioned for effect, and the girls told to sit "just so" - and the photographer has certainly produced an effect. Someone wanted a formal picture, and without doubt they got one. Once the picture was taken, they would have all become just what you might expect - girls having fun at a party, full of smiles, chatter and gossip. These girls didn't need any chemical aids! Strange phenomenonEach time I come back to the photo, Violet appears smaller. Refined Deportment!This must have been a group of Mom's teaching their daughters "Etiquette." These Mom's were greatly influenced by their Victorian Mother's who valued "refined deportment." You can imagine just before the photo was shot, one Mother saying, "Now, Girls, lay your hands gracefully upon your lap." Actually, Etiquette has become a lost art. Recently, while having a party, a few "Twenty-Something-Girls" asked if they could help. I said, Yes, would you girls please set the table. What a mess! They had no clue where or how to set the table. It's a whole new world now! Sadly, in some ways, not for the better. [Another lost art: The Apostrophe. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Going Back: 1942
... my points were defective, and that I would have to get the car fixed in Winchester, Virginia, where the nearest Buick/Opal dealer was. So I went back to the house and called the dealer, which was 50 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2008 - 5:41pm -

1942. "Road out of Romney, West Virginia." 35mm color transparency by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. RomneyI wonder if that house is still there. So much erosion. [There's probably pavement where the house is. Something tells me Route 50 isn't two skinny lanes anymore. - Dave] I think I see itI love Google Earth. I'm pretty sure that this is the bend in the road that we see in the photo. There is a bridge in the distance that also appears on the map, but the resolution is so low that I can't tell for sure if the house is still there. I couldn't figure out how to copy a link to the location on the Google Earth map, but here are the coordinates: 39°20'33.72"N 78°45'49.20"W See if you agree. dave Indian MoundThis is the house seen here, across from the Indian Mound Cemetery. The houses are long gone. Route 50 was regraded, widened and straightened out many years ago. Satellite view. The Yellow HouseThe satellite view from "Mountain Mama" (via Microsoft) is clearer than the Google version. It seems like that particular yellow house is gone, but it looks to me that the road is still two lanes - perhaps with a wider shoulder. And lots of homes still right along the road toward the center of town. As posted in another thread, we need to setup a bounty service for a local to take a current photo! Almost HomeThe bridge in the distance is over the South Branch of the Potomac River. I was born in the back room of a country store a few miles on down the road three years before this picture was taken. Then and NowI have passed this scene many times over the years on our annual autumn trek to Blackwater Falls Park in West Virginia. In 2009, I stopped and spent about and hour reviewing this scene and comparing it to the Vachon photo. The scene today is almost identical to the Vachon view, with the following exceptions: The bridge in the distance will soon be replaced by a modern one, but it remains in view; The house on the left has collapsed, and nothing but rubble remains, hidden in the weeds; And finally, the steep embankment on the right has been prettified by flowers and other plantings. The roadway (Route 50) has never been widened or straightened out! Romney, West Virginia: 1942 When I saw this photo, I could barely believe my eyes. In November of 1966, my 1964 Opal died at the bottom of the hill on this road. I was on my way from Colorado Springs to my Maryland home after serving a four-year hitch in the Air Force. I managed to coast to the side of the road. I walked back up to the house on the left to use the phone to call for help, but they didn’t have one. The next home up the road did. They called a garage a couple of miles away, and someone showed up a few minutes later. The guy said my points were defective, and that I would have to get the car fixed in Winchester, Virginia, where the nearest Buick/Opal dealer was. So I went back to the house and called the dealer, which was 50 miles away. They sent a tow truck out, and towed me and the car to Winchester. I stayed overnight in a motel. The dealer replaced the points the next day, and I headed home to Annapolis. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Rural America)
Overturned: 1921
... like someone took it out for a test drive right of the dealer's lot! "Yeah, I don't think I'll take this one -- it feels a little ... idea that the motor bus is going to supersede the street car. No, indeed. The street car has its place, and a mighty important one. So ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2011 - 9:15am -

1921. "Washington Rapid Transit Co. wreck." More vehicular mayhem in the nation's capital. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heated StairsLooks like the extra exhaust plumbing goes into the stairs. Probably to keep the ice off of them. There are holes in the bottom of the steps to let the exhaust fumes escape. PlumbingThat's an interesting assemblage of pipes on the right side of the vehicle from just in front of what appears to be a muffler. The cleanliness of the underside makes me think the vehicle hasn't been in service long. The extra pipeI see what appears to be an exhaust pipe coming from the engine and going into the muffler. What is the pipe that looks to be tee'd off of the exhaust, prior to the muffler, running to the area behind what are probably steps to get into the driver's seat? [The driver's seat is on the other side. The steps are for the passenger entrance. - Dave] Re: The extra pipeI hate to think it's a heater feed, but that's all that comes to mind! External plumbingVery clean undercarriage. Interesting plumbing on the exhaust, very curious. Heater Pipe?I've seen asphalt trucks run their exhaust into the cargo area to keep hot stuff from freezing in winter. Judging from the way the spectators are dressed it was cold that day. Wondering if this wasn't some form of heater. The mufflerIt seems to be a closed tank. Perhaps it is tuned to reflect the exhaust pulses 180 degrees out of phase to muffle the sound. Heat for interior radiatorJust a guess: the piping appears to be too heavy a gauge for exhaust fumes. Perhaps it conveys water to a radiator within the interior, and located by the exit, where the cold air enters the bus. JanusThis section is my favorite in the entire photo: Here's Your ProblemYou don't have any front brakes. This thing pretty much has the suspension of a covered wagon and a two ton tank engine. Slippery When WetThe undercarriage is incredibly clean, especially considering the condition of roads (and occasional lack thereof) at that time. It's like someone took it out for a test drive right of the dealer's lot! "Yeah, I don't think I'll take this one -- it feels a little lopsided." Okehed Transportation Advertisement, Washington Post, Sep 26, 1921. Washington Motor Bus System Comparatively few people are as familiar as they should be with the very marked and singular success of the Washington Motor Bus System. So we wish to give you some of the plain, honest facts about the way all Washington has okehed this most convenient, safe and practical means of transportation. Yet, in pointing out the success of the motor bus system, we do not for one minute wish to convey the idea that the motor bus is going to supersede the street car. No, indeed. The street car has its place, and a mighty important one. So has the modern; properly organized and efficiently managed line of the motor buses! But we do wish to let Washington know what only a part of it already knows — that is, the Washington Rapid Transit System has become a prominent factor in the daily transportation of tens of thousands of Washington folks. This Motor bus system was started only six months ago! Yet in that short time it carried over three-quarters of a million passengers, and mind you, this was when Washington was comparatively empty. How many of you have stopped to realize what enormous profits there are in a properly organized, efficiently managed municipal motor bus system? For example, are you familiar with the facts in connection with London, New York, Detroit and Chicago? In London, even during the war, they paid over a million dollars a year in dividends. New York is the best "at home" example we have. Here they have carried over 40,000,000 passengers a year. … Less than six months ago the first properly organized and efficiently managed system of motor buses was introduced to Washington. The first installation consisted of a fleet of ten motor buses, and they operated on Sixteenth street northwest. So popular were they with the public that April 20th we had to put for new buses on! … So insistent has the demand been for more buses and additional routes that we have decided to expand the system, and will install sixteen brand-new buses. Ten will go into operation during the next three weeks, the balance soon after the first of November. On account of the growing popularity of this splendid motor bus service, the Federal Utilities Commission has granted us two new franchises, which require the installation of these additional buses, First route, starting from Eighth and Pennsylvania to Twelfth street, to Massachusetts avenue, to Sixteenth street northwest, to Harvard street, to Thirteenth street, to Park road, to New Hampshire avenue, to Grant Circle, and return (Petworth Division). Second route, starting at Eighth and Pennsylvania avenue, to Twelfth, to Rhode Island avenue, to North Capitol street, and return. … Washington Rapid Transit Company Fourteenth and Buchanan Streets N.W. Telephone — Columbia 4026 In 1933, Washington Rapid Transit merged with the Capital Traction Company and Washington Railway and Electric Company to form the Capital Transit Company. Route Map of Washington Rapid Transit Company with examples of double-deck and single-deck buses operated by WRT, "Fare 10 Cents" (via): 16th and VLooks like the apartments at 16th and V Street NW. 16th and U is still a pretty treacherous intersection. View Larger Map The Line UpBelow are a photo of the new buses lined up from a Library of Congress photo, and a close-up of bus Number 2. "Built For Business"I turned the original photo from the LOC sideways and it is possible to read, "THE DUPLEX," at the top of the radiator: Another picture from the LOC shows that the entire set of words on the radiator is actually "THE DUPLEX LIMITED." The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collection states, "The Duplex Power Car Company was founded in 1909 and produced mostly trucks and truck related machinery until it was reorganized into the Duplex Truck Company in 1916. The Duplex Truck Company was a prominent builder and supplier of trucks to private companies as well as government agencies during the years between 1916 and 1955. In 1955 Warner and Swasey Company purchased the Duplex Truck Company and the Duplex division closed in 1975." A picture of a Duplex radiator, their logo, and a truck, all from another LOC photo, are below. Overturned by Big TruckThe Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) of March 10, 1921, page 12, details the accident that is shown in the photo. The Washington Herald, on the same date, page 1, states the ambulance on the way to the accident scene was also involved in a mishap. The full Evening Star article and an extract from the Washington Herald story are below. Other information found confirms that the Washington Rapid Transit Company purchased 20 chassis and bus bodies from William P. Killeen who was the Duplex Power Company (truck) distributor for the D.C. area. Service with these buses began on March 1, 1921 which is probably why the bottom of the bus is in such good condition. The bus fare was eight cents on the route. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Downsized: 1977
... when in reality they raised the price by 7% to the dealer. This allowed the manufacturer to look good to the public and made the ... about 1991 until it became useful only as a taxi or police car. If the end of the 70's was bad, the 80's would only get worse with ... 
 
Posted by rizzman1953 - 05/28/2012 - 3:57pm -

New Chevrolet meets Old Cadillac circa 1977 in Medford, Mass., on the corner of Mystic Avenue and Harvard Street at a service station whose name escapes me. Not the best time for American cars! View full size. 35 years gone byThe station is still there, selling "7"? gasoline. Curiously there seems to be a payphone remaining where the booth once stood. The house on the right in the photo, remains. CostNot only did GM downsize their cars that year they also cut the profit margins to the dealers from 22% to 15%. This resulted in a lot of problems for both regular customers and dealers who were used to getting and giving anywhere from 18 to 20% discounts. GM also advertised at the same time that they had no price increases when in reality they raised the price by 7% to the dealer. This allowed the manufacturer to look good to the public and made the dealers to look like liars. We had a joke about manufactures representatives at that time. It was how can you tell if a rep is lying. His lips are moving. I think that was a 1968 land yachtMy father had a '68 Cadillac at the time I started driving. It was massive, and it was a beige shade that had you refraining from the use of "pink", but just barely. I believe it was a 492 cubic inch V-8 which ran on leaded premium and returned upwards of 9 MPG. What a beast! [Taillight housing shows it to be a 1967. - tterrace] More NoirIt looks like a crime is about to go down, the lit Phone Booth only enhances that effect. Apply YourselfFirst off - another rizzman night-shot with those Adams tones and depth -- the ordinary is made evocative, and I just drool over the way you have managed and realized this series of photos. Kudos! Secondarily - looks like there was a bit of a QC problem with whoever produced and applied the Chevy ad: the sections of the paper don't seem to quite match up. Wonder if anyone noticed? Other than the paper-hangers, that is. Whatta great photo! A move in the right directionI was in my 20's at the time and HATED that New Chevrolet. In retrospect, this was the best thing to happen to American cars. In a year or so I would get a 1978 model. Beginning of the endWhile the '77 GM full-size models represented a sea change from the behemoths of '76, it was a major step in killing whatever brand identity remained across the makes. This was the year they started putting Chevy engines in Oldses, Buick engines in Pontiacs--ironically only Chevy continued on using its very own small block V-8s and sixes. This body was recycled endlessly until about 1991 until it became useful only as a taxi or police car. If the end of the 70's was bad, the 80's would only get worse with endless reorganizations and no real direction for the company. The lights are on, but nobody's homeI'm curious as to why the lights are on inside the phone booth. I thought they only came on when someone went inside and completely shut the door. [The Bell System Airlight booths, introduced 1954, were illuminated 24/7. - tterrace] I didn't realize that, and have never personally seen one that's lit all the time. Thanks for the update! I also love those print ads for them. I wonder though, if little Fido opted to leave a "present" just outside the door for the next caller. - Uncle George FantasticA beautiful photo. Just had to remark on it as this so captures the times in more ways than one. What a shot. 1977 ChevroletWhoo - I never liked those cars, but the later years of the same body style (can you imagine the same basic body style lasting about 13-14 years today?) were vastly improved with the automatic transmission with overdrive. They were very solid cars and you still see them on the road fairly often. Interestingly enough, the 1977 GM intermediate cars (Malibu, etc.) were just as large as the full size cars for that one year (the intermediates were redesigned in 1978). Keep 'Em Coming, RizzmanI love seeing your photos. So much to see here. The North American Van Lines and 7Up trailers. Can't make up my mind which Chevy steals the show though. In with the New...I wish I could put my finger on what makes this series of pictures so fascinating, but whatever it is--keep 'em coming! They are terrific. I owned an '81 Caprice, but mine was a 4-door. Good thing gas was still relatively cheap back then. Even with a V-6, it was a guzzler! I wonder how many kids today have never even seen a phone booth. 10 years oldIf I'm not mistaken, the Caddy looks like a 1967 Sedan de Ville. Looks a little rough for its age. History Lover is RightThat '67 DeVille *does* look quite rough for its age. I've had a '65 forever, never babying it. It doesn't fit in the garage so a herd of Jaguars live there. So the Cadillac has sat outside for all its 46 years. In spite of that, I've none of the rust visible on the one in our photo. And I've never hit or been hit (in any car), so my doors still match the body color. These old mid-60s Cadillacs were built to last forever. If they don't they were abused and neglected. (That said, this example, while ugly, may well still be providing reliable service.) TaxiI drove a lot of third-generation Caprices and sixth-generation Impalas as taxis during the eighties (never could tell the difference between 'em). They easily outdrove and outclassed all the beater Fords and Chryslers: peppier, smoother ride, and most important of all, you could pull a U-turn within four lanes, a huge advantage for a cabby on an average downtown street. I worked at a nasty multi-car garage in Toronto and drove a different taxi every night. When I came to work, all I really wanted was one of those Chevies. This was the oneI have been watching this site now for about a month and am fascinated with it. After seeing this photo I had to sign up for a login. Rizzman, your photos of New England might as well been projections of my own memories. I went to school in Warwick RI and spent a lot of time in the greater Boston area with friends on the weekends. Seeing this photo reminds me of the 1985 Buick LeSabre coupe i was driving at the time. It looked identical to the '77 Caprice Aerocoupe in this picture. It also got the same gas mileage too! Seeing this image really reminded me of all those good times growing up in New England. Thanks again! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Fenders Fixed: 1920
... tterrace. Chester N. Weaver Company The name of the dealer that sold the truck is on the side of the hood. This was the Chester N. ... In 1913 Weaver was the first person to drive a car to the top of Lone Mountain. At the time Lone Mountain was in the Laurel ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2016 - 1:55pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Day-Elder truck." Latest entry on the Shorpy List of Lapsed Lorries. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Brompton ApartmentsVisible in the background above the radiator, one block east of Van Ness at 1424 Polk St., the 1908 building remains, superficially altered a bit. San Francisco Sidewall AgainOn the right front, from being jammed against the curb when parked on SF's hills. The guy in the bowleris packing a .32 . Is that a pistol in your pocket? No really. Is that a pistol? Good catch on the location tterrace. Chester N. Weaver CompanyThe name of the dealer that sold the truck is on the side of the hood. This was the Chester N. Weaver Company of 1560 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. Weaver is the man standing to the right in the photo. The photo seems to have been taken in the same block as the dealership. Weaver sold Studebaker cars, in addition to the Day-Elder trucks, and he had California Automobile Dealer license plate #1. The Studebaker dealership was the first automobile dealership in the city. Day-Elder trucks are interesting because they used worm drive instead of shaft or chain drive. Weaver personally knew John M. (J.M.) Studebaker, the last surviving of the original five Studebaker brothers, in fact hosting Studebaker in San Francisco for two weeks in 1912. Weaver was the head of the Studebaker Corporation of America, San Francisco Branch. Studebaker went to bat for Weaver when Weaver started selling automobiles on an installment contract basis in 1909. The company wasn't happy with the contracts, but Studebaker said it was okay, and the firm authorized Weaver $100,000 to continue to operate this way. Weaver was told that if this system of selling did not work out the company would not assure his continued employment. In 1913 Weaver was the first person to drive a car to the top of Lone Mountain. At the time Lone Mountain was in the Laurel Hill Cemetery, but the area was cleared of all burials in the 1930s and 1940s. The location is now the University of San Francisco. The photo below is from page 5 of The San Francisco Call and Post, December 20, 1913. Chester Neal Weaver, was born on May 5, 1868 in LaPorte, Indiana, married Elsie Standring in 1890 in the Chicago area, and came west in 1898 to visit his brother who was a manager at a Studebaker branch. On this visit he met J.M. Studebaker who discovered that Chester was an accountant. Studebaker offered him a job which Weaver accepted. By 1905 he was the Branch Manager of the Studebaker Wagon Manufacturing Company in San Francisco. In 1914 Weaver took over the Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose Studebaker franchises, and in 1918 he became the Northern California Distributor for the company. Weaver was appointed the head of the California State Advisory Commission on Motor Legislation, and he helped to draft the California Motor Vehicle Code. He also served as the Director of the Northern California Automobile Dealers' Association. Some newspaper accounts state he retired in 1931, but it appears that he never sold his interests in his dealerships. In 1933 Weaver gave up control of the San Francisco branch but retained control of the Oakland branch. In February, 1935 he purchased the Don Neher Ford and Lincoln agency in Oakland, and Weaver converted his 29th and Broadway Studebaker showroom into a Ford dealership. The transition was not too difficult since Neher's building was next to Weaver's facility. A year later he was the largest Ford dealer in California. Also in 1936 he started to sell the full line of General Electric home appliances. By December 1940 he was selling Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln-Zephyr as well as Ford trucks. The Mercury and Lincoln-Zephyr showroom moved into a new building at 30th and Broadway the same month. Weaver continued to manage his firm through WWII, but he sold his interest to his long-time partner in June 1946 for a reported $290,000. Weaver died on Christmas Eve the same year, aged 78. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Studebanglers: 1919
... 1919. "Girls fishing next to Studebaker 'Big Six' touring car." 6.5 x 8.5 glass negative, purchased and scanned by Shorpy, originally ... Posers! I wonder which one of them is a Studebaker dealer? Or maybe she was dating one. That's the ticket. I don't mean ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/15/2014 - 12:08pm -

The Bay Area circa 1919. "Girls fishing next to Studebaker 'Big Six' touring car." 6.5 x 8.5 glass negative, purchased and scanned by Shorpy, originally from the Wyland Stanley Collection of San Francisco historical memorabilia. View full size. Whose Line is it Anyway?So you're fishing without any line? I noticed that the fly reel that is in the mud would be quite valuable today (not to mention the car) Pretty as a PictureThis has to be one of my very favorite Shorpy images ever! Love everything about it... car lovers can ogle the Studebaker convertible touring car, and the girls and their accoutrements are perfection! Not sure if those are price tags on the girl's equipment on the right, but she looks right at home with her creel, net, fish and waders. Their jaunty hats and pretty blouses add to the wholesome outdoorsy look, but not TOO outdoorsy. A "reel" good time !I'd go fishing with these lovely ladies anytime. But please keep that reel out of the mud! Family resemblanceThe square frame around the roadster's headlights reminded me of the 1964 Studebaker Avantis. SpriggyFisher folk, please explain purpose of fir sprigs on creel. Posers!I wonder which one of them is a Studebaker dealer? Or maybe she was dating one. That's the ticket. I don't mean to carp about fly fishingbut the lady appears to be holding one. SprigsThe sprigs are doubtless packing to separate the fish for their trip to the skillet. You couldn't pick up a sack of ice at the 7-11 back then. Kephart (circa 1917) doesn't mention this usage in his manuals, going with paper or towels for the job, but that was pretty avant garde and probably beyond reach for the more rustic citizenry. These obviously modern women would doubtless have gone with their tea towels, if they were actually fishing, but here the photographer running the show clearly wanted tradition and Huck Finn-liness to show. Great shot!I always thought creels should be lined with damp moss. I saw the evergreen sprigs and wondered why as I would think the fresh sprigs would foul the taste of any fish put in there. Probably non fishing types types setting up for the shot. I bet the gear ended up returned. Note what looks like price tags on the creel and waders on the RH model. Could this beA very old Cabela's ad? The Beach Boys were right!California Girls. Shmock Shmock!A charming invitation to put ferns in creels, Speaking of sprigs.They look like they are from a redwood tree. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Pretty Girls, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
The Happy Wanderer: 1918
"Marmon touring car, San Francisco, 1918." Latest entry in the Shorpy Index of Ill-Fated ... may have been "resistless", but judging by the list of car makers who adopted it, it was the Heisman Trophy of the auto industry! ... Used (?) Tires Curious - the car appears to be new - dealer plates, clean undercarriage, shiny paint, with tires totally scraped and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/11/2016 - 10:56am -

"Marmon touring car, San Francisco, 1918." Latest entry in the Shorpy Index of Ill-Fated Phaetons. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Interesting headlight lensesI wonder what purpose was served by the designs in the glass. [They're Warner headlight lenses. Click to enlarge. -tterrace] Warner DangerThe Warner-Lenz may have been "resistless", but judging by the list of car makers who adopted it, it was the Heisman Trophy of the auto industry! Re: Warner LensesI believe there may be just the tiniest bit of exaggeration in the maker's claims. New Car, Used (?) TiresCurious - the car appears to be new - dealer plates, clean undercarriage, shiny paint, with tires totally scraped and scuffed. Were new tires optional? Amazing finishAlways amazed and the amazing paint finish and body panel fit on these early cars. Maypop tiresThose tires look old and have messed up sidewalls. Why are they on this new-looking dealer car? tterrace's advert for the headlight lenses lists the car companies carrying them as standard equipment. It is, in retrospect, not a promising list. White Sidewall TiresThis is the first time I have noticed the tires had white sidewalls on both sides. Today, white sidewalls are only on one side. When did that change and why? Headlight lensesI have a 1914 Hudson with Warner Lenz headlight lenses. I just like the looks of them. One of America’s bestI read a magazine article several years ago about the five greatest cars ever produced in America, and the 1931 Marmon was one of them (I think it was Brock Yates who wrote the article). They consistently made excellent automobiles until the Great Depression forced them to go out of business (just like Duesenberg and Stutz). Anyway, that stuck in my mind because I had never heard of Marmon before I read that article. Marmon BusinessMarmon did get back into the transportation business, they were making trackless trolley coaches for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Rte. 66 on Frankford Ave. in 1955. Long ago, I think that they also made side cars for motorcycles. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Old Reliable: 1940
... doesn't thrill, but jalopy? Heck, it's only an 11 year old car if it is a 1929 REO in 1940. That's the equivalent of a 2001 model getting ... time to replace parts, you almost have to leave it to the dealer. I'd take a '20s to '60s car anyday over todays. Information, Please ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2012 - 11:01pm -

July 1940. "Auto of migrant fruit worker at gas station in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin." The other end of the jalopy we saw here. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Red Crown Gas StationIt's hard to make out the station name from this picture, but with a little searching I learned this is a Red Crown Gas Station. The crowns on the pump were glass globes colored red and white. Please don't touch. Oops!I stand corrected on the June 7 photo of the back end of this rig. Not a Model B after all. I still think I'm right about the homemade addition, however. How much I owe you?I filled er up mister, that'll be ninety five cents. I Almost ForgotI had almost forgot that there were once people who pumped gas for you, and most cleaned the windshield and checked the tires too. Red, White,and BlueThe "Red Crown" was Standard Oils brand for Hi test(with Ethyl) gasoline. Our subject was no doubt buying the cheaper White Crown. Blue Crown was Standard's name for kerosene for heating use. Standard Oil (Indiana) These Standard Oil Stations featured "Red","Blue" and rarely "White" Crown which were Ethyl (premium), Regular. Not sure whether the White was Kerosene or non-leaded gasoline. Stations were in all midwestern states except Ohio where in some areas Standard of Indiana was branded Amoco and used different grade names. The building shown had porcelain coated steel siding indicating that it was the latest style for that time. The "homemade" modifications to the old sedan shows consideration by the owner for family comfort for what was still very much the "Depression". I'll give you $80 for your jalopy, misterOkay, I'll grant you that the lower edge of the driver door has seen better days and that glob of dirt and grease to the right of the radiator doesn't thrill, but jalopy? Heck, it's only an 11 year old car if it is a 1929 REO in 1940. That's the equivalent of a 2001 model getting gas today. Would you look twice if a 2001 car were on the road next to you today? The cost of gas in 1940 averaged 11 cents a gallon. A new 1940 model car was around $850. The rust out on the door suggests that the rear end customizing may have been done as a home repair for rusted out sheet metal in that area. If you can just find the entrance to the time machine, I will gladly go back there and pay the owner double the 1940 Kelly Blue Book value on that vehicle right now, rusty door and all, and park it in my 2012 driveway. Still a gas stationLooks like it's still in use as a gas station: View Shorpy Sites in a larger map The caris a circa 1929 REO Flying Cloud. Pictured here are a sedan and coupe. The REO Motor Car Co. was founded in 1905 by Ransom E. Olds after he left Oldsmobile (which he also founded.) REO produced both cars and trucks and became Diamond-REO Trucks, Inc. in 1967. The company went out of business in 1975. So much for progressJust try stowing a suitcase on your fender now! Love those glass crownsBeing someone who is dazzled by beautiful, shiny, unusual, kitschy, unique and long-gone items, I wish I had those crowns. Even in my massive collection of the good, the bad and the ugly in both functional and useless items piled high in my garage, I have nothing this spectacular and these especially stunning crowns would be on display in my good living room (if I had them). If that driver's pants have a buckle in the back, they were revived in the 1950's in my high school years as "ivy league pants", very cool, especially in charcoal gray flannels with pink oxford shirts. Daddio! Other CarIs that other car at the pump a 1936 Dodge? Sure looks like the one my folks had. family owned?Standard Oil became Amoco which was gobbled up by BP. If it's a BP today, it might have been the same franchise for over 70 years. Don't make 'em like they used toThank goodness! Cars didn't last as long back then. many DID, but things wore out. The horrible roads during the Great Depression added to the demise of many ten to fifteen year old cars. Cars would literally be shaken apart by the washboard-like conditions of most of the main thoroughfares. If everything wasn't lubed regularly, parts seized up and ceased to function. Door damageThe lower edge of the driver's door is an odd place for a "rust out" to occur on this car. I'll bet that storage box inconveniently stuck onto the running board had something to do with the damage. Beautiful Cars; Not Always LovedProperly maintained, the cars from that era would last a long time (lots are still around today). Only problem is, most weren't maintained. Parts were very easy to change out though. Today's cars last longer without extensive maintenance, but when it's time to replace parts, you almost have to leave it to the dealer. I'd take a '20s to '60s car anyday over todays. Information, PleaseThe beauty of Shorpy demonstrated again: info about the REO, the gas pumps, and proof that, at this location at least, it's still business as usual. Great. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, John Vachon)
Hot Truck: 1967
... Toyopet Dealership Yep, that's the one, and the used car lot is the same one in this shot . Regarding Armor-All, as a kid I always wondered how that dealer got the tires on his used cars so black and shiny, this back in the 50s. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 01/26/2014 - 12:13am -

Admit it: you want one. At the very least you want to drive it. Play with the siren and red lights. Wait -- OMG! Is that a water cannon?!?!? Larkspur (California) Fire Department Engine No. 7, vintage 1964 Van Pelt/GMC, seen here leading the 1967 Fourth of July Parade, driven by Fire Captain (later Chief 1968-82) Craig Shurtz. This is the 300 block of Magnolia Avenue, just down the hill from our house. Kodachrome slide by me. View full size. Adios, PontiacOn the first day that the Pontiac brand is officially dead, a tip of the hat to the little Tempest convertible at far left. Did Armor-All for tires exist back then? Toyopet DealershipSo that would be the street view for the place where you got the pic of the red Toyopet, seen in this photo? re: Toyopet DealershipYep, that's the one, and the used car lot is the same one in this shot. Regarding Armor-All, as a kid I always wondered how that dealer got the tires on his used cars so black and shiny, this back in the 50s. I thought it looked so cool. Armor-All apparently didn't come around until 1962, so there must have been something else he used. A little unfortunate history about this truck, or its duplicate the Department acquired in 1967. See the guy hanging onto the bar in the back? Sometime in the early 70s, this or the other truck, while responding to a call, glanced against a curb while speeding down Magnolia Ave. and it rolled, killing one of the volunteers so positioned. After that, they were forbidden from riding like that. Shorpy Fire BrigadeClassic fire-fighting apparatus are a wonderful sub-genre of Shorpy. Thanks to tterrace for sharing this Kodachrome image of a 1964 Van Pelt/GMC in our new favorite small-town, Larkspur, CA! A few previous posts of Shorpy Fire Engines. Couple Gear Tractor, 1913. Champion Water Tower, 1914. American LaFrance Metropolitan Steamer, 1916. ToplessLousy truck to drive in a rainstorm. OyotaI see you could have crossed the street to see some exotic little Toyotas, too. I wonder what became of this classic firetruck. I haven't seen an open-cab unit in many decades. Water CannonThe "water cannon" is called a monitor. They're handy for fast delivery of water without having to lay hose, or after all the hose is already stretched. And yes, driving or riding the fire truck to a fire with lights and siren on is a total rush. I did it for eleven years. The men and women I worked with were the salt of the earth, and some of the finest people I have ever known. And we were very, very proud of our equipment. I spent many a Saturday morning washing our trucks even though my poor wife couldn't bestir me to wash our own cars or cut the grass. Mine has a full cab!What a surprise to see the same base frame fire truck I bought just this last June!! 1967 GMC 9500 series with a American Fire Apparatus ladder body on it. 65 foot Grove Ladder truck with a duel stage Barton pump. 637 CI gas V-8 and a five speed transmission. Hope this link works to show you a picture. Thanks Shorpy, this is a great thing that you do!! Red is bestNow the trucks are white with a yellow stripe. Boring! I liked the red ones with real chrome much better. Black Plate SpecialCalifornia license plates were black with yellow letters and numbers up until 1970, when the black turned blue. It was right around this time that personalized plates first became available. Nowadays, they're just boring white with black fonts. So clean!I had something similar in 1967 (I was 5, smaller size obviously). And they're white and yellow now? Still red here in the UK. Home-brew Armor-AllBack in the early '70s my brother taught me a neat trick that always made our dad's car look clean with really nicely black tires: a mixture of equal parts water and glycerine, applied to the rubber surfaces with a paintbrush, and then finished with a damp cloth. Very inexpensive. Made the tires look as if they had been covered in today's Armor-All -- for a couple of hours, at least. Later in that decade, some entrepreneurial guy came with the idea of selling "tire paint," which was pretty much a mixture of glycerine and black paint that you applied directly to the rubber. Those had two rather odd consequences: your tires actually *shone* under the light, and the paint tended to create small cracks on the rubber surface over time. Think of it as the kind of liquid shoe polish they sell (or sold?) for when you're in a hurry. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Holiday: 1956
Somewhere in Southern California circa 1956. The car is a 1954 Oldsmobile. Another Kodachrome slide from my recent eBay find. ... California for many years. I have a few of the old dealer books, with fabric samples, loads of photos, accessory info, etc. But ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2012 - 4:59pm -

Somewhere in Southern California circa 1956. The car is a 1954 Oldsmobile. Another Kodachrome slide from my recent eBay find. View full size. Wedding?Two guys in what appear to be tuxes... I wonder if the previous image was related to this event? The photographer appears to be proficient at fill flash. Wedding bellsIn my opinion, this is the same lovely young lady who "loves olives" in a previous photo from the same lot of Kodachrome slides. It appears there is a wedding about to take place (men in tuxes in the background)and she is invited. Wonder if the groom is one of the guys at the previous party. Does anyone else feel like they are spying on people who don't know they are being watched? Optional accessoriesThis is back when side-view mirrors, even on the driver's side, were extra-cost equipment. Panoramic windshield1954 was the first year Olds had the wrap around windshield. They put them on the Chevy the next year. Such a contrast!To the black/white/five shades of grey we see on today's depressing cars! It's either a Super 88 or 98 because I can see stainless steel "top bows" in the roof. The turquoise and white car is a '55 Pontiac with first year V-8 and I believe the one on the left is a '55 Chevrolet. This was when GM ruled the road and every parking lot, like this one, held a majority of that brand. Their biggest problem in those years was to not get over 50% of the market otherwise they'd be charged with unfair trade practices! Today it's 17.5%, the lowest since 1922! Two toningThe car is an Olds 98. The 88 and Super 88 had a different pattern of two-toning. My all time favorite of this period.. ExcellentFantastic era. Love the Kodachrome and the car. Makes you wonder who they are, and did that have a good life. I miss Kodachrome.The colors hold up remarkably well for a nearly 50 year old slide. The magnificence of the late, lamented Kodachrome can not be understated. [Or overstated. - Dave] Facepalm! One additional "trim" commentThe 1954 98 Holiday (hardtop, as posted) and 98 Starfire (convertible) did have the same "slashing" side trim. But the 98 sedan shared the trim arrangement of the 88s. I was always partial to the trim scheme of the 98 sedan, as it appears (to me) to complement the graceful lines of the entire car better, thus giving the overall design a more coherent look. Beautiful CarI had a 1957 Olds Super 88 in my high school days in the early '70s. This picture brought back many memories. KLN 961Another (blurry) view of the car. Click to enlarge. Bonus points to anyone who can Street View this. Really hoping for an "Aunt Liz" momentMaybe someone will recognize this family. The Side ViewThe lack of mirrors reminded me of my dad. Car racing brought so many innovations and safety improvements like rear view mirrors, side view mirrors, seat belts, and various safety glass and on, and on. He raced Midgets in his younger years, and all of our cars had side view mirrors because he installed them, or had them installed from the factory. And he installed seat belts too, well before they were standard equipment. But then he also installed dual mirrors on my mom’s ’58 Chevy Impala convertible, the one with the 348 Police Cruiser engine, and she was often pulled over due to her lead foot for speeding. A very pretty Australian lady, and with that killer accent she was never given a ticket as I remember. Dad would always just laugh. Mystery CarVictrolaJazz was correct about the '55 Chevy and '55 Pontiac in the background of the photo. The real tricky one to ID is the car in between them. It's pretty rough to figure out the make or model from just the "greenhouse" area showing ... I can't! Oldsmobile!My family had the Olds dealership in Richmond California for many years. I have a few of the old dealer books, with fabric samples, loads of photos, accessory info, etc. But the best thing about the books is that at the back there are clear acetate (or plastic) images of all the models for the year, with matching cutout color swatches. You would go to the dealership and put together the colors you wanted - and where you wanted them. You would also select the upholstery you wanted. Then you placed your order and the factory would make YOUR car! I really miss our '55 88, two-tone greens! Here it is, with our tandem bike. This is at the very end of this car's tenure with our family, as it was being replaced my Dad's $3 1961 Ambassador wagon (he bought it after it was totalled in a wreck and spent his spare time putting it back to perfect condition!). My how things changeCan't help but notice how big the cars are and how small the houses in the background seem to be. Now the cars are much more compact (and efficient), but you could put two of those houses into the average new build today. But the families who lived in those small houses seem to manage. CarsCars in large photo above: The car in the middle of the two GM products looks like the top of a 1952-54 Nash. The dull window frames are a clue, Nash from 52-54 used a dull brushed aluminum on the window frames hence the lack of sun light twinkling from them. Cars in KLN 961 comment: The primary car is a 1954 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight. The car behind is a 1955 Mercury. The next car is a 1946-48 Plymouth (very subtle changes through those years) the one way back is a 1949 or 1950 Ford. (Cars, Trucks, Buses, SoCal 1956 Kodachromes)
Marina City: 1964
... Jetsons' apartment? I can hear the sound of their Space Car approaching. BBQ Grills I spot at least two Weber grills on these ... least a dozen times a day. Besides being a huge volume dealer, Nickey built awesome modified Camaros and Chevelles with big block V8's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2015 - 4:00pm -

Chicago circa 1964. "Marina City." The high-rise apartment towers on the Chicago River, and a compendium of balcony-decorating ideas. View full size. Orbit CityWhich one is the Jetsons' apartment? I can hear the sound of their Space Car approaching. BBQ GrillsI spot at least two Weber grills on these upper floor balconies, and who knows how many unseen hibachis there are? Something tells me that firing up a grill on the umpteenth floor of a high-rise would be VERY strongly frowned upon in this day and age! Miracle-Gro or --Dupont Plastics might be the source of that consistently lush and suspiciously uniform greenery covering the railing of the balcony on the right since no pots are visible as they are on the other units' balconies. 1964 would have been a prime year for plastic decoratives. CorvairsChevrolet Corvairs, a bargain at any [rental] price. A Balcony with a ViewThe photographer is looking southwest across the river to the north end of the Loop, with Wacker Drive and the Dearborn Street Bridge (with one leaf open) at the lower left. The one significant building visible in the distance, the 21-story building with a deep light court creating a shadowy vertical stripe in the center, is the former State of Illinois Building. Located at the northwest corner of Randolph and La Salle Streets, it was built c. 1920 by the Burnham Brothers architecture firm. To my surprise, I just learned that this is now called the Michael Bilandic Building, named after the Chicago mayor best remembered (perhaps unfairly ...) for failing to clean up the snow following the brutal Blizzard of 1979. Life's a piece of pieFloor plan for apartment. [Well that explains the half-balconies. - Dave] Log Way Up & DownWhile in high school two years after this photo, my best friend and I decided it would be fun to take the stairs all the way to the observation deck, then back down again. Even at 16 years old, that turned out to be grueling exercise as both towers are 65 stories and the tallest residential buildings in the world at the time. This looks familiar.I thought I recognised this place. You might notice this place in the opening sequence of the Bob Newhart show in the 1970s. I remember seeing Bob Newhart walking across a bridge next to this building and thinking that Chicago would be a very exciting and dreamy place to live. I still do. And today -- another craneToday's view and there is still some sort of construction going on. Lower level parking in the buildings apparently - and they are all backed in! Unique place to liveI lived on the 59th floor (I think there are only 60 stories, not 65?) in the west tower for a couple of years in the 1980s (it's a condo building, but of course one can rent from a condo owner). My apartment was a 1-bedroom, identical to what is shown in the floorplan here. My view was to the northwest, and none of the nearby highrises to the north and west had been built yet so one could see a good bit of Chicagoland. I always felt bad for the Marina City residents who had an apartment that faced the other Marina City tower, because their view was more of their neighbors across the abyss than of the city. A studio apartment was one "petal" of the "flower" (elevators and mechanicals were in the "stem"), a 1-bedroom was one and a half petals (as shown in a comment below), and a 2-bedroom was two petals (or one and two halves). The wedge-shaped apartments did present a significant decorating challenge, and I believe that when the building opened developers had to work hard to convince prospective renters (it started out as rental) that their conventional furniture would indeed work in these space-age apartments. The best part about living there was surely the balconies. I know of no other high-rise in the northern US that has such enormous balconies available for such affordable rents; you can judge their size by the floorplan measurements. Another great aspect was that because of the outward-radiating apartments, it never felt like your balcony was pinned between two others. In the early years most of the residents would put holiday lights on their balconies come December as in the National Geographic cover below, for example. The novelty of this gradually became outweighed by the hassle, and most residents don't appear do it anymore. The buildings are having a lot of the maintenance issues common to high-rises built in a hurry in the 1960s, but they'll always be iconic landmarks. The bottom floors are a corkscrew-shaped parking garage; in the color photo in the comments below you can see the cars precariously backed up to the edge on the lower floors (go to YouTube and search for "Marina Towers The Hunter" to watch the car-chase scene filmed in this garage that ends with a car flying off the building). And for an interesting account of the amazing construction process of the towers ("A new floor poured every day!")--produced by the Portland Cement Company--search on YouTube for "This is Marina City." Another oneThey are everywhere. Volkswagen Beetle photobomb again. Mob approvedLast home of notorious gangster Murray Humphreys. Chicago 13Look familiar? Nickey, Nickey, Nickey, Nickey, Nickey Chevrolet!!!Man, that jingle is good and earwormed into my brain now. Could not listen to AM radio in Chicago without hearing it at least a dozen times a day. Besides being a huge volume dealer, Nickey built awesome modified Camaros and Chevelles with big block V8's long before they started coming that way from the factory. Every kid on my block went by their speed shop three or four times a year, just to drool. WilcoAbout the same time period. (construction) Beware of the BalconiesJust this week, balcony access was restricted due to the need for extensive railing repairs at Marina Towers. For the time being, residents can enjoy the view but not the breeze. (The Gallery, Chicago, News Photo Archive)
Our New Car: 1956
... after that of the Pinin Farina-designed Nash-Healey sports car. View full size. Rambler Think the Hudson name was on the ... was a Hudson Rambler because we bought it from a Hudson dealer. Metropolitans were also a Nash product initially. Beep Beep Beep ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 04/03/2021 - 12:36pm -

One early September morning in 1956, my father pilots our brand new Hudson Rambler from its docking bay preparatory to its maiden voyage. Yes, I said Hudson Rambler. The distinctive front end was patterned after that of the Pinin Farina-designed Nash-Healey sports car. View full size. RamblerThink the Hudson name was on the Rambler for only a couple of years, until their merger with Nash. The first Metropolitans were also manufactured by Hudson. Rambler rootsRamblers were actually a Nash product originally, debuting in 1950. Nash and Hudson merged in 1954 to form American Motors, and Ramblers were produced with both emblems until the Nash and Hudson lines were discontinued. Ours was a Hudson Rambler because we bought it from a Hudson dealer. Metropolitans were also a Nash product initially. Beep Beep BeepPerhaps you can clear up the urban legend about Ramblers having tricky transmissions? I heard one of them had to chase down a Cadillac to get advice on shifting gears. Shifting RamblersPerhaps you can clear up the urban legend about Ramblers having tricky transmissions? The '56 had a 3-speed manual transmission, the '66 had an automatic, both apparently Borg Warner. Except for the '66 blowing its transmission on I-580 in Oakland in 1971 (yes, I have Kodachromes of it), my father had no complaints. Hey tterraceI’ll show him that a Cadillac Is not a car to scorn. Beep beep. Beep! Beep! His horn went beep beep beep. Hudson-Nash mergerHudson merged with Nash in late 1953, moving production to Kenosha after closing its Detroit plant in October 1954. The 1955 Hudson was a restyled Nash with Hudson's '54 instrument cluster, but retained "Dual-Safe" brakes and Hudson front suspension. You could get a Packard V-8 in the car. 1956 saw "modest" styling and engineering changes and further declining sales. 1957 introduced AMC's new four-barrel, dual exhaust 327-c.i. V-8. It as Hudson's last year. AMC dropped both Hudson and Nash, carrying on with the Rambler. Metropolitans were sold by both Hudson and Nash, but the car is usually associated with the latter. Beep-beep! Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America RamblingI learned to drive on a 1962 Rambler with a pushbutton automatic transmission on the dash. That thing was a tank! Wouldn't go much above 40, so Dad figured it was safe to let us drive it. We had a '59 Rambler station wagon when I was in grade school - but it didn't have the massive amounts of chrome shown here. Ramblerin' ManMy dad was a diehard Rambler man. There were Nashes before my day, then in '57 he bought a brand new wagon much like the one in the picture, but black with white roof and red side trim. Quite striking. Next came a new '59 Ambassador Custom Country Club. What a beast. 327 4V, 270 bhp. Electric windows, seat belts, headrests, push button transmission, fully reclining seats, continental tire, yada yada yada. A '65 Ambassador wagon came next and lasted him for over 300,000 miles. The last one we had was a '68 AMX 390 he bought for my mom. I got the '59 for high school use, but good old mom let me take the AMX on occasion. Dad made my sisters and brother buy Ramblers. At one point we had five of them in the family. My brother was not pleased with his '62 American. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Wrecked Haynes: 1920
... second glimpse at the operations of this long-forgotten car dealer. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2011 - 5:38pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Wayne Smith Auto Co. -- wrecked Haynes sedan." Out second glimpse at the operations of this long-forgotten car dealer. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Wow!The side airbags didn't even deploy! Quite an ImpressionThe marks left in the side panels of this Haynes sedan clearly show just what happened. The other car's headlights and radiator, flanked by its fenders are easily seen. Classic T-bone collision. Now, could one of our antique car aficionados identify the culprit's make for us? Active restraints? What active restraints?Side curtain airbags? Who needs 'em? Why, in my day, we hit our heads against the windows, and we *liked it*! It has to be saidThat'll buff right out! Headlight printsVisible are what appear to be the imprints of the culprit's headlights and grille. TotalledGreat Caesar's Ghost, there must be at least $50 in damage there!! MKHNote the monogram. That'll buff right outSince that car recently cost somewhere in the neighborhood of eight times as much as a Ford it probably didn't stay totaled for long, some enterprising fellow with a blowtorch and lead-paddles would've had it back on the road in short order. Insist thatgenuine OEM Haynes parts be used to make the repair. Three-door sedanIs this another attempt at just one door on the curb side of the car? I see what looks like the shape of afront door, but there is no handle or mounting point visible. This car did get repaired though, it obviously belonged to da Boss. When is a Haynes not a HaynesI suggest the damaged car is an Oldsmobile, not a Haynes. A look at similar photos especially the hood of the Oldsmobile truck in an earlier Shorpy will confirm this. The fact that it is at a Haynes dealership is coincidental. Wrecked By a Haynes?I must concur with the comment made by Hayslip that the cars is actually an Oldsmobile. Maybe the Oldmobile owner was hit by a Haynes or traded the Olds in on a new Haynes. The combination of extra glass panels on the side of the windshield, the tapering wheel hubs with a hexagon incised, the looped door handle, and the number of canted hood louvers all point towards a circa 1916 Oldsmobile. A picture of another 1916 Oldsmobile is below. Locus delictiThis appears to be the vacant lot across 22nd St. from the brand new Wayne Smith dealership. (Note rowhouse and empty lot at extreme right of that photo.) This also lines up with the 1919 Baist atlas, which came out a year before the Smith dealership was built & thus also depicts that site (NW corner) as a vacant lot. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Off We Go: 1908
... It has the same little plaque on the radiator showing a car as on some Brush roadsters I found on the Web. '08 Brush ... hubcaps and threshold plates. Some (and I think they were dealer installed later) had the Maxwell script over the front of the radiator. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2012 - 8:39pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1908. "Mrs. Guy Henry in auto." Which our readers have identified as a Maxwell Tourabout. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Maxwell TouraboutIt's a Maxwell Tourabout. Maxwell and Brush were part of the same company. I'm thinkingit is NOT a 1969 Cougar. A friend of mine had one and I remember the fenders being sportier. Auto PlantIs that a plumeria on the porch? If so, I am somewhat surprised to see it in D.C. Early WheelsI'm guessing it's a 1908 Brush Runabout... or perhaps an earlier model B Cadillac. BrushyIt has the same little plaque on the radiator showing a car as on some Brush roadsters I found on the Web. '08 BrushI believe this may be a new 1908 Brush. Note the lack of headlights mounted in the front. Locked trunksI don't know, but I want one. Did anyone ever figure out why they overprotected the trees so much? Were cars that apt to bump into them? [Horses tended to nibble on them. - Dave] The MaxwellThe Maxwell was the first car to be driven across America by a woman, Alice Huyler Ramsey, in 1909. It got the job done. CSI: ShorpyIt's time for Shorpyists to take it to the next level. You can ID plants, animals, cars and ephemera, let's move to fingerprint analysis of the marks left on this photo. MaxwellIf it was a Maxwell, shouldn't it have the Maxwell script on the radiator? [Noop. There wasn't any. - Dave] 1905 Maxwell Model L Tourabout1905 was the first year for Maxwells (some sold in late 1904 as 1905 models); this is the little one, the Model L. Two-cylinder opposed motor and with two-speed transmission and shaft drive in an era where final drive by chain was popular. The small plaque up front is probably the radiator maker's plate; radiators for Maxwell and Brush may have been made by the same company. Maxwells had the name only on the hubcaps and threshold plates. Some (and I think they were dealer installed later) had the Maxwell script over the front of the radiator. Most period photos show only the nameless radiator but these cars had a very unique look not to be confused with any other. The Brush didn't come into the picture with Maxwell until 1910, when Benjamin Briscoe started his New United Motors, which included the Maxwell, Brush and several other makes. A neat slogan was used by Maxwell: Perfectly Simple -- Simply Perfect. It was a good little car. I've had rides in several and they settle down to a nice lope. Going uphill on one tour I hopped off and ran alongside. Not a powerful car, these little Maxwells, but their larger two-cylinder Model H had ample power for an early, not too large, car. Where isTweety Bird? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Ford Woody: 1922
... What kind of headlights are those? Check out the car right behind the Model T. What kind of headlights are those? Looks like a ... Ford Truck Chassis Ford supplied the bare chassis, the dealer or the buyer supplied the body. Warner Lens Here is a closeup of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 11:11pm -

Washington, D.C., 1922. "J.C.L. Ritter -- Polli Food Products truck." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. What kind of headlights are those?Check out the car right behind the Model T. What kind of headlights are those? Looks like a modern LED lens. Could this be some kind of gas fired light? [You're seeing the pattern of the headlight lens. - tterrace] Vehicle ID'sL to R:Apperson Jackrabbit(note animal on radfiator core),Ford model TT (ton truck), Packard, unknown dump truck Lamp Covers?It's possible that those are protective lamp covers. Lots more rocks in the road and hard to find parts (no standardization of lamps yet, so probably needed to order to replace) created such a need. Of course, in many jurisdictions these days, covers over headlights aren't legal, although you still see them, but in some sort of plastic. More universally required these days are fenders and/or mudflaps, neither of which is on the Model T truck's rear wheels. Classic trucksI really like these old-fashioned cars and trucks. Hard to ride on, difficult to drive, but sturdy and resistent. Those wooden bodies lend them a certain look and feel I find really attractive. And they were very recyclable - once you wrecked the truck, you could use the remains of the body in the chimney. Yes, LensesYes, those are glass lenses on the Packard. Possibly from the Warner Lens Co. Here is a similar set on a Stutz. Heavy Load - UnloadedThis woody must have been for lightweight goods transport - eggs, bread, etc., since the weight of all that wood is a major load all by itself. Love the trim over the side window. Nothing personalCould these vehicles be destroyed by termites? (No offense to tterrace). Plywood?Seems they took advantage of a relatively new product, the plywood industry was born around 1905-7 in Oregon although the Egyptians and Chinese had forms of it 3500 years back. Note the TiresThe Ford is equipped with non-skid tires. If you don't believe me, you can read it for yourself: The words "NON-SKID" make up the siping (tread pattern). Carpentry and axleCarpentry and axle grease...Rapture! Ford Truck ChassisFord supplied the bare chassis, the dealer or the buyer supplied the body. Warner LensHere is a closeup of the Warner headlamp lens introduced in 1912. Production stopped sometime in the late teens. There is an ad for the lenses here: http://the-master-craftsman.blogspot.com/2010/12/patented-in-1912-two-wa... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Nu-Blue Xmas: 1940
... and the vice-president and manager of the local Studebaker dealer known as Kilcline & Normandin. In about 1944 he opened up ... 1960. Play safe & SAVE! Let Us Winterize Your Car NOW! (The Gallery, Christmas, Gas Stations, Jack Delano) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/25/2018 - 11:51am -

December 1940. "Christmas trees for sale at a gas station. Woonsocket, Rhode Island." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. "Up on the Roof"Someone's up there doing last minute repairs before winter arrives! 14.1¢ a gallon!Well, I guess they have to charge those exorbitant prices just to cover the cost of Mickey's endorsement. Way Ahead of Their TimeDid a little quick research and apparently Sunoco had a deal in the early 1940s to use Disney characters such as Mickey and Donald in its advertising. When tenths matteredThe gas price illustrates a time when tenths of cents mattered. Not so any longer. That's one thing from olden times I wouldn't mind seeing gone. Accurate at any rate of flow and all temperatures Inside the window of the gas pump there is a view glass that shows the fuel being dispensed. Some of the pumps had a multi-petal 'vane' that rotated as the fuel flowed. It was there to reassure people that only liquid was being pumped, and they were getting what they paid for. I don't know much beyond being a pump jockey back in the 1960s (Sunoco with the new "190" -- lower octane than regular at a lower price), at which time the pumps were so equipped. I didn't do windshields unless the purchase was $2 or more, about 6 gallons. Adjusted for Inflation14 cents per gallon computes to $2.53 today. They were paying essentially the same for gas as we do today. [Although the gas tax in the photo is a steep 50 percent. - Dave] Math is wrong9.6 + 4.1 = 13.7 not 14.1. Where did the extra 4 tenths of a cent come from. [You're adding wrong. 4½ = 4.5, not 4.1 - Dave] I'm so used to prices in tenths that I didn't notice. Of course, today all gas prices end in .9 . Top Tier?As an automobile mechanic (I dislike technician), I have corrected many driveability issues by cleaning dirty fuel injectors. The injectors are like miniature valves that spray in a conical pattern into the intake manifold or combustion chamber. Inferior fuel causes these deposits, and greatly affects how the engine performs. The fuel must spray in a conical pattern for optimum atomization. Fuel droplets don't burn as fast, causing a loss of power and economy. Sunoco was able to introduce premium fuel without lead, a common additive to reduce cylinder pre ignition/knocking/pinging. Its Blue Fuel (I found no reference to Nu Blue) was dyed so motorists could see the color in the globe over the pump, which differentiated it from other fuels. The globe on this pump is not transparent so it would be difficult to notice the slight bluish tint. [These "globes" light up at night. There's never any fuel in them. - Dave] Your choiceWhich is worse, rolling off the roof or stepping through the second floor door? Dear SantaI'd like all the signs, the gas pumps and one of those fresh cut trees for you to put it all under. p.s. Give the man on the roof one of your nice fancy ladders. The gas pump sightglassRe: FixIt's comment: Dave is right about the globe atop the pump, which was just a light-up advertisement. The color-tinted gasoline could be viewed in the sightglass, which was located on the face of the pump just above the price meter. I remember a few older pumps still had these when I started driving in the 1970s, but they seemed to disappear soon after. There was usually a little vane in the glass which spun when the gas flowed. Cool! TiresI believe this is the Woonsocket General Tire Company, incorporated in 1932 at 247 South Main Street. It was run by William F. Garrahan from 1932 to 1943. Prior to working here Garrahan had been a tool maker and the vice-president and manager of the local Studebaker dealer known as Kilcline & Normandin. In about 1944 he opened up Garrahan's Tire Service at 18 Blackstone Street, where he also sold gasoline. He continued operating this business until 1953. This location is still a tire dealer. The Woonsocket General Tire Company appears to have closed sometime between 1945 and 1949. Garrahan also opened a real estate and insurance business circa 1951, and served as a tax assessor for the city for many years. He died in 1960. Play safe & SAVE!Let Us Winterize Your Car NOW! (The Gallery, Christmas, Gas Stations, Jack Delano)
Camp Cuddles: 1925
... San Francisco circa 1925. "Swimsuit girls camping in dealer window with Willys-Knight auto." Say hello to Kay and Nina, who, in ... window lettering casting a shadow ("Overland") near the car suggests that this may have been the Overland and Willys-Knight salesroom ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/09/2015 - 1:36pm -

San Francisco circa 1925. "Swimsuit girls camping in dealer window with Willys-Knight auto." Say hello to Kay and Nina, who, in addition to camping and swimming, seem to enjoy golf. 8x10 film negative. View full size. In the immortal words ...of Daffy Duck:* "It's a living." *Daffy Dilly, 1948. "No Shieks Allowed"But we welcome all sheiks! Auto RefrigeratorI've never seen an "auto refrigerator" like that before! A quick search located this. Sheik?I'm guessing that would be a "player" in the modern vernacular. I guess girls just want to have funEven advertising for their own Rudolph Valentino. Say, if they're still with us they're way over 100 by now. And from that day forwardNina was known to her friends and family as "the big one." A Knight & two DamselsThey can do laundry, golf, read, but can they cook? Plato's CaveThe window lettering casting a shadow ("Overland") near the car suggests that this may have been the Overland and Willys-Knight salesroom at 1414 Van Ness. That, at least, is what the 1925 Crocker Langley directory suggests to this reader. Hegelian Unity of Opposites Revealed!The car has sleeve valves; the bathing suits have no sleeves -- unlike many illustrated on his site, some of which might as well have trains. I'd subtly tie the above point to Kant, but I can't. Golf RoadsterThe door behind the golf bag conceals the compartment in which the clubs will be stored while en route. Sheiks and ShebasIn the 1920s, a sheik was what they called a guy that girls swooned over, like a Valentino. Another name was darb, which was more like a super cool guy, superior to all the others. A ladies' man was a cake-eater. Hot flappers were shebas or kittens. They had other names too, but sheik and sheba were popular. A flapper's father was a dapper. I'm not that old but I'm writing a novel set in the era and I researched the jargon of the day. It's quite interesting. (The Gallery, Camping, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Pretty Girls, W. Stanley)
West Market Street: 1907
... Street." Another view of the Union Terminal building and car barn seen in the previous post. Points of interest include the 1902 ... Monument, the Hearsey Vehicle Company to the right (dealer in gasoline, steam and electric automobiles) and, farther down the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 11:19am -

Indianapolis, Indiana, circa 1907. "West Market Street." Another view of the Union Terminal building and car barn seen in the previous post. Points of interest include the 1902 Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Hearsey Vehicle Company to the right (dealer in gasoline, steam and electric automobiles) and, farther down the street, medical offices of Dr. Gasaway & Co., "specialists." View full size. Dizzy heightsCheck out the crazy "viewing platform" for the statue! The ViewIt looks like someone, perhaps even a couple, if my old eyes are correct, has made the dizzying climb up the stairs inside the monument's tower. I am left to wonder if Dr. Gasaway was an internal medicine specialist. Monument CircleThe Soldiers and Sailors Monument today. A German Monument in IndianaThe 1887 design competition for the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was won by the German architect Bruno Schmitz; the monument was completed in 1901. This monument is actually quite restrained compared to Schmitz's later designs for war monuments in Imperial Germany, most notably the Voelkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of the Nations, where Napoleon was defeated in 1813) near Leipzig, which was completed in 1913. VictoryWhile reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty, the lady adorning our monument is called simply 'Victory.' She is 40 ft tall and her platform is 284 ft atop this monument honoring soldiers and sailors who fought the War for the Union (1861-65), the War with Mexico (1846-48), the Indian and British Wars (1811-12), the War of the Revolution and the capture of Vincennes from the British on February 25, 1779. The monument was completed in 1902. She faces south, it is said, to watch for Confederate forces that may again try to invade the North. The attached photo was taked 09/2009, while the observation deck enclusure was being reconstructed for the 2nd time. The first enclosure was installed in the 1930's. During the summer of 2011 the statue will be removed for the first time since it was installed. Repairs and restoration will be done offsite before it is reinstalled. Fantastic EdificeNow that Sir is a marvelous monument, what a tribute. The colour version as of today just seals it for me, thanks Revelator. I'm glad there's a Hotel English for me to stay at as my American ain't too flash. That's the most frogs I've ever seen on one streetThe steel (railroad) kind, of course, not the amphibious kind. Also interesting to see the carbon-arc lamps on counterweighted booms, rather than the usual block-and-tackle. A great imageI would love to know what the two men in bowlers strolling down the street on the left are talking about. Or the two men in the doorway on the right. Most fascinating. (The Gallery, DPC, Indianapolis, Streetcars)
T Room: 1923
... Co." The service garage of this Washington, D.C., Ford dealer, seen earlier here . Here we are 20 years into the Motor Age yet this ... foreground were early dirt racers the tires on the middle car seem to be caked in mud. All in all it is a fascinating photo and I am sure ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 7:37pm -

1923. "R.L. Taylor Motor Co." The service garage of this Washington, D.C., Ford dealer, seen earlier here. Here we are 20 years into the Motor Age yet this still has the look of your local Conestoga wagon repair shop. View full size. Where the term "Grease Monkey" originated.That place is filthy! What a dump!I don't know how they know where or what anything is in that mess! Someone could trip over the extension sticking out of the tool box, but he wouldn't fall too far before he'd hit something else! OSHA would have a field day what with all the exposed pulleys and drive belts! How to Start a Model T Tractor! Can anyone identify the model of tractor the gents are working on? They have the cylinder head and manifolds off. A ring job perhaps? T MEN G MENThere is so much going on in this photo it's hard to start. Out of the three men in the back the one in the suit looks like central casting for a typical G man. The other two staring the camera down look like the are about to teach the photographer a lesson he won't forget. It looks like the 2 partial cars in the foreground were early dirt racers the tires on the middle car seem to be caked in mud. All in all it is a fascinating photo and I am sure as I stare at it much more will be revealed. Tractor:The tractor is a Fordson Model F, manufactured between 1918 and 1928. I agree that they're probably doing a ring job on it; the copper head gasket is lying on the ground, but I don't see the Fordson's head or manifold anywhere. They've removed the steering wheel and fuel tank to gain access to the head bolts. There is a complete Model T automobile engine and transmission visible behind the tractor's rear wheels. Notice the Model T rear differential leaning against the wall in the lower left-hand corner: The spaces in between the wooden spokes have been filled with concrete to provide extra weight -- but why? Great line shafting on the ceiling, and overall just a great photo from 90 years ago! Tractor!It's a dismantled Fordson. Baby It's Cold InsideHeavy jackets, collars high, window open for some ventilation. Miserably cold on the hands, especially when you wash a greasy part with gasoline. 14th and TIt seems the building, at T and 14th Streets NW, lives on. Red meat for gearheadsNeat little slice of life here, this is the era when Henry Ford was trying to make the same splash in the tractor market that he had in cars, even metropolitan dealers were getting shipped unordered tractors they were expected to find customers for. Concreted wheels were one of the tricks used on "Doodlebug" home-made tractors to eke out a bit more traction, somebody had a side project. [That's clay, not concrete. - Dave] I'm fascinated with the floor fixture they have an entire Model T rear axle, torque tube, dogbones, and all, mounted on, lifts as we know them were a few years down the road and this looks like a well thought out method of doing major work without lying on your back for hours. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Self-Service: 1920
... the two gas pumps. -tterrace] You can trust your car -- Huh, I could've sworn this was a Texaco dealer just yesterday. That wall Is screaming for the sign painter's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/10/2014 - 4:42pm -

Washington, D.C., 1920. "Nation's Business." Back at the filling station seen here yesterday. 8x10 inch glass negative by Harris & Ewing. View full size. *POSITIVELY*Do you think people actually bought the sign's message about dirt or water in the fuel? In my lifetime, most of the contamination of fuel occurred at the station's tanks, not before. Marketing-speak! Innovation -- Not!The post-'73 oil crisis tendency for US gasoline sales to become largely self-service (except for the handicapped, those willing to pay a hefty surcharge, and anyone purchasing fuel in New Jersey) apparently revives a much older practice, as the two photos in this series attest. My own memories date from the mid-1940s, and self-service was by then unknown in any place where I witnessed cars' being refueled. One wonders not why the practice was revived but, rather, why it was abandoned for so long? Not same dates in 1920It seems that not only did the brand name change, but the sign touting clean gas moved from the wall behind the station to the other side of the station. [The sign is suspended from a wire strung between the two gas pumps. -tterrace] You can trust your car --Huh, I could've sworn this was a Texaco dealer just yesterday. That wallIs screaming for the sign painter's touch. You too can pump your gas like thatIf you have a hankering to have your gas put into your tank using the amazing force of _GRAVITY_, there is a resort (I forget the name) on road into Kings Canyon National Park in California that has not one, but two, working pumps just like the one in the picture. Dodge BrothersThe old Dodge looks much spiffier with the optional wire wheels. Cars, and such1920 Dodge, maybe a little earlier. Model T or TT in the background. Interestingly, Wikipedia dates coveralls to the late 1920s but they seem to be fairly common in earlier-than-that Shorpy photos. Anyone know when they were really introduced? Cameo appearancesTurnbuckle star! Also, Dick Cheney. Two brands at the same station?So the pump on the right had Texaco gas and the one on the left Standard gas? Maybe they were owned by the same company at one time; don't recall my oil company history the way I used to. SpiffyThe wheels may be spiffy with those wire wheels, but the tires look like bicycle tires! They look like they might collapse at the first big pothole. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Gas Stations, Harris + Ewing)
Future Tents: 1959
... finger can set up camp without getting out of the car. First public showing of the easy-does-it camping equipment will be at ... produced by independent suppliers and installed by a Ford dealer. Wagon with a dilophosaurus on top Those wings on top of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2020 - 12:40pm -

"1959 Ford Country Squire with pushbutton 'Station Wagon Living' equipment." Color transparency from the Ford Motor Co. photographic archive. View full size. FORD WILL EXHIBIT PLUSH CAMP WAGON         In the experimental station wagon developed by Ford Motor Co., the outdoorsman with a strong push-button finger can set up camp without getting out of the car. First public showing of the easy-does-it camping equipment will be at Eastland Center in Harper Woods ... (Continue reading) -- News item, Detroit Free Press, 1958 Barbie had a nightmare. This is it. In a word. Hideous. Capitalism does it bigger and betterThe socialist version looked like this. More homely, less comely. Updated version of Chitty Chitty Bang BangThere's nothing new under the sun. Camping Could BeIn tents in 1958. You see a dinosaur ...I see a HAPPY MEAL! Just Push a Button, and Camp News item from the Washington Post, July 3, 1958:         TRAVELERS and sportsmen who would like to park their cars after a day's drive and set up camp by pushing a few magic buttons, may be able one day to do just that.         With the "pushbutton camper," a specially equipped experimental Ford station wagon, a traveling couple could pull into a parking area, lower a boat from the roof top, pitch their tent and set up a kitchen unit protected by an overhead awning -- almost without getting out of the car.         One push button lifts the boat and swings it over the side so it can be easily removed for launching. A car-top tent, containing a full-sized double bed, already made up and equipped with a reading lamp, is erected by another button.         After the tailgate is opened, a third button slides out the compact kitchen unit complete with an electric refrigerator and two-burner stove, a work table and meat cutting block, and a sink with hot and cold running water.         The roof compartment also houses a shower head, complete with curtain. Ford has no definite plans for mass producing such a vehicle. If consumer demand warranted it, a company official said, the automatic equipment could be produced by independent suppliers and installed by a Ford dealer. Wagon with a dilophosaurus on topThose wings on top of the pop-up tent are eerily familiar. Took me a second to realize where I'd seen something similar ... From the same company that brought you the Edsel.Looks like something Rock Hudson's character in the movie "Pillow Talk" would drive. It might as well have been a camperThis one really took me back! While our Country Squire was newer than this one (1963, maybe) it looks almost exactly the same, right down to the red interior. We moved twelve times between my birth and the start of kindergarten, so while ours didn't have the camper accessories, I might as well have lived there for as much time as I spent going place to place in it. AmenitiesI love the little shower on the side. (Technology, Bizarre, Kodachromes, Camping, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Citizens Savings: 1905
... nearly a decade. It was immortalized in song as the merry car that Lucille was asked to come away in. When I was a kid, our local Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealer had one on display in the showroom. Whenever my dad would take our van ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2011 - 3:53pm -

Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1905. "Citizens Savings and Trust Company building." Compared to the bulk of Detroit Publishing's glass negatives, this 8x10 plate has been heavily reworked, with the top corners masked out and buildings to either side subordinated under a layer of smudges and stipples. View full size. Curved-dash OldsmobileThe vehicle on the left is the first model of automobile ever to be mass-produced, predating the Model T by nearly a decade. It was immortalized in song as the merry car that Lucille was asked to come away in. When I was a kid, our local Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealer had one on display in the showroom. Whenever my dad would take our van there for service, I would spend about ten minutes looking over the new cars, and the remainder of the time admiring the antique Olds, with the words "non-skid" endlessly repeated on the tire treads. Surrounded!Something about the horse's demeanor makes me think he's thinking "Don't look at the motorcar, don't look at the motorcar, don't look at the motorcar ... AAAACCCK! I LOOKED! ... don't look at the motorcar, don't look at the motorcar, don't look at the motorcar ..." High AdvertisingWe've seen so many pictures of office buildings with the name of a firm 7 or 8 stories in the air; makes you wonder whether that was really affective. Did they think you'd glance up as you were meandering along and say, "Oh, I need a new suit, look, up there on the 12th floor"? It does save on having a display window. Little Big Horn ReduxIs this the closest that Custer has been to a scalp specialist since June 25, 1876? A different kind of animalWhat is that rather odd-looking vehicle on the left? Looks like the horse has some disdain for it. (Perhaps because it knows that thing threatens to replace it?) RunaboutThe vehicle the horse is looking at (or not looking at) might be an Oldsmobile. To me it looks similar to the 1904 model shown here. Building Is Still Going StrongNow used by the Cleveland City Club. re: High AdvertisingMy guess is that these people weren't advertising to the man on the street, they were advertising to the guy in the office across the street. If you have a place on the 12th floor, your sign can't be read by the guy on the sidewalk but it can be read by the man in the seventh floor insurance office across the street or the man going to a lawyer in the tenth floor office down the street. Car talkI believe the runabout on the left is an electric car. Greekified SkyscraperAlso known as the Citizens Building, 810-850 Euclid Ave. Its still there, sans Greek temple entrance, and now known as the City Club Building. The Ohio Architect and Builder, Jan, 1904. Cleveland. O., Dec. 28. — Citizens building, well under way. Marble, bronze and mahogany being used in interior. Bank fixtures, safes, etc., to be installed. The American Skyscraper: 1850-1940, Joseph J. Korom, 2008. The Citizens Savings and Trust Company, established in 1868, constructed this fourteen-story skyscraper. Their home office building was a symmetrical U configuration, from the third floor up. No office was more than ten feet from natural sunlight and an operable window for fresh air. The steel skeleton, electric elevators, and streamlined facades bear witness to its desire for modernity. Its entrance pavilion says otherwise. The architectural firm of Hubbell & Benes, founded in 1897, managed to blatantly "Greek-ify" what otherwise might have been a strong, but modern, architectural statement. A full Doric temple front announces the building's main entrance; there can be no mistake were the door is. … A change in building ownership deemed a remodeling necessary in 1924. The Bank's showcase lobby, two stories tall, was converted to stacked office space. The Doric columns, indeed the entire temple front, was erased and replaced with an exercise in design banality. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC)
White Flash: 1943
... reflection of the photographer, Jack Delano, in the shiny car bumper as he is taking the photo. That Corner HistoricAerials.com still shows those billboards on top of the Buick dealer on the northeast corner of 47th & Chestnut streets in 1950. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/30/2013 - 5:59pm -

June 1943. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Women garage attendants at the Atlantic Refining Company." The hard part here was figuring out that crazy clamshell hood. Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. It looks like aLaSalle. [Not even close. - Dave] I think it's a1942 Dodge. [Correct! -Dave] West Philly GasI would suggest the image is taken from the southwest corner of Chestnut Street at Markoe Street (now called Farragut St)in West Philadelphia, looking towards the large natural gas storage tank at 47th and Chestnut. The gas tank is gone, but a BP station remains where these ladies were checkin' under the hood. Gasoline and GasAnother great view of a gasometer right behind them. Would not want to be there if that thing blew up! Full ServiceI remember full service back in the day when the attendant would check your oil, clean your windshield and maybe even check your tire pressure. But the young lady with the whisk broom? What's she going to do, sweep out the interior? That's really full service. Rethinking West Philly "Gas"The gas stored in containers like these would be of the manufactured variety-- a by-product of a coal carbonization process that yielded a gas that was both toxic and heavier than air at atmospheric densities. In those days, manufactured gas consumers could and did asphyxiate themselves by simply turning on an unlit stove burner in their home. It was the toxic constituents in the gas that did them in. Save for legacy manufacturing sites subject to environmental remediation, manufactured gas has been almost totally supplanted by natural gas as piped to customers through distribution utilities. "Natural gas" as we consumers know it today comes out of the ground, is delivered through interstate pipelines, and is odorless until the mercaptan odorant is added for safety. Dress Shoes?Looks like the ladies are wearing loafers (without socks, too). I guess workplace regulations at that time did not require steel toe work boots. My mechanic says he would never work without them; he's lost track of how many times he's dropped something on his foot.... PantsLove the cargo pants part of the coveralls ... although the cuffs need work. Last Call for CarsThis would be one of only 22,055 Dodge Custom four-door sedans built in that war-shortened year (more may have been made for government use), but I'm sure it had Fluid Drive to absorb some of its 101 horsepower from a slightly enlarged flathead six. There was an even rarer (13,000 built) example of the less expensive DeLuxe sedans with the blacked out trim here in town as late as the 70's and I've always wished I'd bought it! Lost inspirationIf the writers of the "I Love Lucy" show back in the early fifties had seen this photo, there would probably have been a classic episode of Ethel Mertz and Lucy working at an auto service center. Oh well, you can always write your own. Bumper JackIf you enlarge the photo and look just left of the left knee of the lady on the right, you can see the reflection of the photographer, Jack Delano, in the shiny car bumper as he is taking the photo. That CornerHistoricAerials.com still shows those billboards on top of the Buick dealer on the northeast corner of 47th & Chestnut streets in 1950. The gasholder is on the northwest corner. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Philadelphia)
Old Amsterdam: 1941
... of a Packard. Would have been nice to see more of the car. They just don't make 'em that way anymore. The fates were not kind ... no horizontal grooves (the plain version). California car dealer Earle C. Anthony persuaded Packard to produce a version without the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2013 - 10:21am -

October 1941. "Amsterdam, New York." Walnut and East Main on a rainy day. Dare you to "Ring Bell for Taxi." Photo by John Collier. View full size. Crowning momentSome of the buildings in the second block survived. Note the arched cornice. The lamposts appeared to be chopped with new fixtures applied. Also a Packard fanAs you did, switzarch, the first thing I saw was that dreamboat of a Packard. Would have been nice to see more of the car. They just don't make 'em that way anymore. The fates were not kindMost of the buildings seen here were demolished in the 1960's or 70's for the construction of a shopping mall and a new bridge over the Mohawk River. Like its counterparts in many tired old Rust Belt cities, the mall was supposed to turn around Amsterdam's economic fortunes, which had declined when the city lost the carpet mills that had long been its mainstay. In what should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone, the mall itself failed. Today it's known as the Amsterdam Riverfront Center and mostly houses professional offices. Amsterdam itself, like much of Upstate, is trapped in a "death spiral" of a shrinking tax base, ever-increasing tax rates, business losses, and a declining population. There are a few more fortunate spots: Elmira has benefited from natural gas extraction across the nearby Pennsylvania border; Cornell University has long been a boost to Ithaca; and Albany enjoys a measure of stability from being the home of the state government (about the only thing in Amsterdam's favor is that it's within commuting distance of Albany). Most of Upstate, however, seems to be devolving into the northern outpost of Appalachia. 1938 PackardNice. Ask the Man Who Owns OneI guess the guy who owns the Packard is at the Barber. Packard, but what year?Absolutely love this site. My guess is 1937. Street sign hiding digitTaxi office downstairs and call 666? How far downstairs is that office? Time TravelI wonder how many people like us, who peruse these history and photo websites, wish we could go back in time, walk these streets, stop into the shops, talk with the shopkeepers, the people on the street -- just to hear their thoughts about living in their town at this time. What a fascinating trip that would be! Dial 666Not sure if I want to take that ride! Yes, IndeedThat beautiful Packard is the first thing I noticed. Very nice. Every building in this shot is now goneThey tore down the entire block in the early '70s and replaced it with an eyesore of a shopping center. What a shame. Hell of a RideWhat is that missing number? Does that sign really say to call "666" for your taxi from "downstairs"? Packard Deluxe Emblem - 1939The tightly spaced vertical grille bars in combination with this hood emblem and chrome headlight bezels positively identifies the Packard as a 1939 model Packard (17th Series). The 1940 Packard's had fewer grille bars and body colored headlight bezels. No Packard hood emblem before 1939 had a glass portion (except motometers which this is obviously not). This car also has an accessory center bumper guard. The 1939 - 1940 Packard hood emblem, finished in chrome and glass, was designed by John D. Wilson. It was given Design Patent 114,358 on April 18, 1939 (assigned to Packard). This hood ornament was used from 1939 through the cease of U.S. car manufacturing in 1942 for the duration of WWII. The rounded front of the emblem base identifies it as a 1939 or 1940 model. If the front of the base is squared off it is a 1941 or 1942 model emblem. There are a couple of variations of this hood emblem. In 1940 the glass portion could be had with no horizontal grooves (the plain version). California car dealer Earle C. Anthony persuaded Packard to produce a version without the forward thrusting arms and wheel (the California version). (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Collier)
Night Rider: 1921
... so wonderful, and very similar to what we used to do for car shows in the '60s. Cars would be displayed in a natural surrounding for ... to be stuffed. Thirty-six years later every Edsel dealer got a live pony in their showroom, to bring people in to see the cars. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 4:54pm -

Circa 1921. "Oakland window." A showroom display at District Oakland Co., 1709 L Street N.W. in Washington, for the General Motors brand that in 1926 would beget Pontiac. National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size. Location, Location, LocationWashington: 12 miles Baltimore: 31 miles For some reason, that struck me as particularly fascinating. I realizeshe's a dummy, but still she creeps me out. Looks like Chucky's mom. The GobblerNot only does she look like Chucky's mom, but she's freaking out the turkeys with those feathers in her hat! Well displayed Oakland!I will be sorry to see the Pontiac go after all these years. Times sure are changing. These displays are so wonderful, and very similar to what we used to do for car shows in the '60s. Cars would be displayed in a natural surrounding for interest and for sales. Fantastic, Dave! I would give anything to have one today. Oakland Six Do you remember......the kind of September when new cars filled the showrooms with windows covered by paper--in anticipation of the big fall roll-out of the new GM, Ford, Chrysler, American Motors, Jeep, and Studebaker-Packard cars? That's how it was in the 1950s, and, man, we kids would get excited. And, oh that new car smell. Nothing like it today. If auto dealers could recapture that excitement and longing, things might be different in Detroit! The first thing that crossed my mindChucky in drag, his sister or John Gruden. What a great show-window display! I Do SO RememberLook Magazine would have a new car issue in late August each year. That was the first look we had of the new models. The cars being hauled to the dealerships were often covered so no one would get an early peek. Stuff it?That is the first forest to have an electric light in its sky, if not the first dummy to drive through a forest without any hint of a road. But are the turkeys stuffed too, or did they let real birds roam the showroom? The mammal (bobcat?) in the far right corner does appear to be stuffed. Thirty-six years later every Edsel dealer got a live pony in their showroom, to bring people in to see the cars. Ponies make a far worse mess and smell than a couple turkeys. Yes, I rememberThese days, it's kinda tough to remember what year we're in -- it's May, and the car companies have been selling 2010 models for months, it seems... guess they're doing their best to fan new car fever into a pandemic. Wish I knew what happened to the scrapbook I made in first grade, carefully cutting out all the cars from every magazine ad I could find. As went Oakland, so goes PontiacOakland was shut down by GM at the end of 1931; companion make Pontiac had sold seven times as many cars that year, which sold fewer than 9,000. Now, Pontiac follows in its footsteps, set to be closed at the end of 2010. Before televisionThis window display is particularly fascinating because there is so much going on! The birds, the lush "greenery", and the glassy-eyed, grimacing dummy. I wonder how long it took to put this all together? The car seems almost incidental. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Kids, Pontiacs, Kodachrome: 1953
... their home in Larkspur, California. Since their own family car was the 1941 Pontiac in the background, I'm assuming this shot was taken by the owner of the new one. The dealer, Bianco, was a long-time car dealership in Marin County up through the ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/24/2015 - 3:10pm -

My best friend and his sister with a 1953 Pontiac on a late afternoon in front of their home in Larkspur, California. Since their own family car was the 1941 Pontiac in the background, I'm assuming this shot was taken by the owner of the new one. The dealer, Bianco, was a long-time car dealership in Marin County up through the 2000s. At the time David and I were in the first grade together at Larkspur-Corte Madera School, just three blocks away. Earlier this year you saw us both at his sixth birthday party in this photo. He's no longer with us, but his sister has loaned me her family photos to peruse and has given me permission to post this scan I made of this particularly Kodachromalicious slide. View full size. Faulty equipmentLooks like the (then) mandatory "curb feelers" must have been broken that day! [Narrow streets; that was the standard way to park in that neighborhood. -tterrace] Real ColorsThe rich-looking color on that '53 was called "Stardust Blue." In those days, auto buyers had not only their choice of an array of vibrant colors (instead of the limited, ubiquitous, and ho-hum metallics we're stuck with today), but there was also a little romance in the color names. How times do change! Cars were Cars and Kids were Kids.Can you even sit on a front car fender these days? Chrome and colors and all the room one could desire in an automobile. There's nothing like these old cars and never will be, great picture thanks for sharing. RIP DavidSorry you had to leave so soon. Good shot, Tterrace, nice you have it. We showed up for the new car shot, too. Dad would show it around saying "new car and the kids, growing like weeds". As my aunt grew in age and size she would pose movie star-type glamour sitting on the fender. Today's vehicles are too flimsy to sit even a small dog without worry of a dent. I haven't seen curb feelers since the 50s when city neighborhood streets were too small to park, and others to drive simultaneously. To this day if I hit the curb I remember dad admonishing me "you're going to have to clean those whitewalls!!" , which I haven't had in decades. PontiacsMy family had a 1952 2-door straight 8 sedan. It wasn't nearly as neat a color as this '53, being kind of a pea soup green. Until I was about 9, my parents always bought 2-door cars, the assumption being that the kids in the back seat would not fall out in an accident. I notice that the little girl's shoes have been removed to protect the new car finish. American PrideWhat a great picture!! The spanking new Pontiac, resplendent in its elegant blue gray and deep, shiny, hexavalent chrome plating. Its 12-year-old big brother was a loved and pampered possession, as well, looking as new as the '53. I like to think that at least one of them survived. Laurel GreenAs I recall the 1953 Pontiac Catalina two-door hardtop (my first car) was only available in various combinations of that horrible "Laurel Green" and "Milano Ivory". Narrow Streets IndeedThis photo reminds me, fondly, of my senior year at San Rafael High School. I had a friend who lived "up the hill" from the Corte Madera School and several of us used that then undeveloped area as our favorite area for watching the Marin County Submarine Races. To say the streets were narrow does not adequately describe them and I often wonder how we managed to climb and descend those cow paths without toppling over the edge. Mine was a '55In 1963, as soon as I turned 18 (earliest driving age in NYC at the time), I bought my uncle's 1955 Pontiac sedan. Big old 4-door, two-tone blue if my memory serves. Automatic transmission, but no power steering or power brakes. Car lasted about a year. My Dad's was a '54 (I think)And I suspect it started out the same Stardust Blue as the one in tterrace's slide, but years of southern sun had bleached it. The other car under the carport was--I believe--a '59 Olds. In this slide, my dad, who was a commercial pilot, had his flight bag sitting on the fender with, as always, a thermos of coffee. Taken in Houma, Louisiana. My dad loved that old car. I'll bet that new car got a lot of attention from neighborsIn the olden times, when a neighbor got a new car, it would attract considerable attention. I recall our neighbor in Walnut, California bought a 1965 Pontiac GTO. I think it was yellow. We kids ooohed and awed, and the other Dads muttered approving comments. I got to sit in it! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Main Street: 1910
... is rolling along. (Please pay conductor upon entering car - I wonder what the fare was back then. a nickel? a dime?) I also see ... Keen Kutter E.D. Bracy Hardware Co. Your Keen Kutter dealer. This boat named for the knife, still plies the waters of Lake ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 7:15pm -

Little Rock, Arkansas, circa 1910. "Main Street north from Sixth." A zoomed-in version of this view. Note the Free Bridge in the distance. View full size. Okay, but *why* 8:20?Does the use of the time 8:20 have any special meaning? Or is it for purely decorative purposes, like clocks for sale in shops that have their hands set to 10:10? [At 8:20, the hands leave plenty of blank space for text. - Dave] Ahh, city life! From the Newsie and the fellow in some sort of Uniform on the left, to the man in the window of "Jones House Furnishings," this is a wonderful image of life in 1910. The big clock there on the corner, in front of McKinley's Jewelery store tells the time of day (8:18 AM)( This must have been the morning rush hour.) So many of these clocks are either gone or no longer work at all. [Shorpy veterans will recognize the clock-face jewelers sign as a familiar fixture on early 20th-century streets. They're not real clocks, and all show 8:17. - Dave] The East 14th St. streetcar is rolling along. (Please pay conductor upon entering car - I wonder what the fare was back then. a nickel? a dime?) I also see a little business competition in the Stein and Kress 5 and 10 cent stores. The descent from the Free Bridge looks a bit steep but that could be the camera itself doing that. I wonder what the "LIGHT" sign above the street means... Further to the right, in front of the E.D. Bracy Hardware store, There is a nattily dressed gent walking along. We also see some large wheeled bins marked 5 cents. I would like to see what is in those. To either side of Bracy's hardware are a Sporting Goods Store and J.H.Martin's Arms Store. Then comes the 'Jones House Furnishings Store' with its list of wares that you can purchase within. Imagine having a time machine so that you could go back and fill your home with furnishings from 100 years ago! Ready made antiques! A little help, pleaseI'll supply the truck if someone else will let me use their time machine. Then we can go back and get the spiked ball on top of the Stein Co. 5&10 at left. It's gonna look great on my garage! Keen KutterE.D. Bracy Hardware Co. Your Keen Kutter dealer. This boat named for the knife, still plies the waters of Lake Winnipesaukee New Hampshire. Remembering streetcars and trolley busesConductors on streetcars was a job destined to become obsolete as eventually the driver had to handle all the chores. I remember one corner in Cicinnati where it was rare for a streetcar or trolley bus to make the turn without the the trolleys coming off the wires. The driver would rush off, line them up, and we would be on our way again. Keen Kutter IIAlive and well and highly collectible I might add. Public Time These jewelers clocks were very real. During this period of time railroad, street car employees and the better off had personal time pieces and the rest had municipal, jeweler and other clocks for when they were away from home. These particular clocks had a pendulum that was short enough to fit in the diameter of the face ... [The hands on this clock (below) are painted on -- it's right twice a day. Same for the other 8:17 jewelers' clocks seen here. - Dave] Thanks for the enlargements and setting me straight Dave. It really shows up in the symmetry issues of the flourishes at the end of the hands. 8:18 still common at fine jewelersWhile no longer universal, that time is still the most common time watches are set to at fine jewelers, because it doesn't obscure the maker and model information. The to couple of pictures site what I mean. Go to any specialty watch or fine jewelers, and chances are that's the time on the face, if its not actively running. 8:20 or 1:50Those of us who remember the old Timex watch commercials where they'd torture test a watch by tying it to the blade of an outboard motor or attached it to a jackhammer or some similar method to show that the watch could "take a licking and keep on ticking," will remember that the watch usually read 1:50 - 10 to 2 - and it read that way for a reason. Like 8:20, 1:50 didn't obscure the maker's name or the model type. 9:15 or 3:45 (or worse, 9:45 or 3:15) wouldn't work because there would always be those who would claim that the watch only had one hand! As for why Timex chose 1:50, well their name was at the top (under the 12) of the watch and placing the hands at 1:50 framed the name nicely. +105Below is the same view from July of 2015. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Little Rock, Streetcars)
« first‹ prev…2 [3]4…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.