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Turning Point: 1932
... get into the turtle hump box, to wait for that trolley. No car would ever accidentally drive into the turtle hump box, because, as you can ... over 6000 cars. Ultra rare auto The car with the dealer plates at the right is an extremely rare 1932 DeVaux. One of them was ... 
 
Posted by Cazzorla - 05/01/2016 - 2:00pm -

Tom Jensen, Los Angeles police officer, chef at the Police Academy and part time actor. I scanned this photo at a family reunion for my mother's 90th birthday. He was my mother's stepmother's brother-in-law's brother. View full size. A Bag of Nails or an Electric Washing MachineAnd handy for a nice casket right out the door and to the right. Dresslar's was located forever in Downtown Los Angeles at 1130 W. Washington, the spot where this very busy traffic photo was taken. Mighty Turtle HumpsOkay, the trolley runs down the middle of the street and you have stations to get on it, marked by turtle shell hump dots in the pavement. So you walk across a lane of moving traffic to get into the turtle hump box, to wait for that trolley. No car would ever accidentally drive into the turtle hump box, because, as you can see, those mighty turtle humps are there to tell them not to. And no pedestrian would ever get hit crossing moving traffic, because, as this picture seems to show, even then, Los Angeles traffic was totally jammed. So, explain to me now, why we don't use mighty turtle hump boxes. They seem to have been so "safe" for all back in 1932. [They also came handy for cartoon characters, like Porky Pig in Tex Avery's 1937 "Picador Porky." -tterrace] What hand signal?Not sure just what hand signal the driver at the arrow is making. I thought left hand up was for a left turn, down for a right turn, but that driver's left hand is straight out. [That's how my father, and other drivers, signaled for a left in California in the 1950s. Arm raised aiming up was for a right and arm down was for slowing. -tterrace] DeVauxThe pretty sedan in front of Mr Jensen was a rare bird even then, a first-rate salesman named Norman DeVaux brought a new company to market in the spring of '31 and was in receivership before a year was out, total production over two model years was a bit over 6000 cars. Ultra rare autoThe car with the dealer plates at the right is an extremely rare 1932 DeVaux. One of them was featured in a recent issue of Hemmings Classic Cars. The car immediately behind it is an early '20s Essex built by Hudson. Pierce-Arrowis the only car I can unequivocally identify with its distinctive fender-mounted headlights looking straight at us from the right rear of the Air Line Transfer truck. Shorpy's De VauxA 1931 De Vaux with a 65 hp Hall engine can be seen on Shorpy here. Turtle Humps Cont'dThey are the bane of Shriners everywhere who drive tiny cars in parades. They will flip you if you're not careful. Next on the list is following mounted units. I'll leave it at that. In IndianaThat's how we were taught to hand signal in the Hoosier state: Arm up (right turn), arm straight left (left turn), and arm down (slow or stop). Safety ZoneThose "Turtle Humps" or "Mushrooms" as many call them were used extensively for numerous purposes. Some were lighted, some with reflectors and some with words like STOP. The particular one pictured had LAPD in raised letters on it, one is on display at the LAPD Museum. I'm getting a headacheIsn't my mother's stepmother's brother-in-law's brother also my mother's stepmother's brother-in-law? I'm getting a headache. No Relation?If I understand correctly, this man was the brother of the man who was married to your mother's step-mother's sister. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Caught in Passing: 1920
San Francisco circa 1920. "Chalmers touring car on Van Ness Avenue." At F.J. Linz Motor Co., your Scripps-Booth dealer. With a streetcar squeezing by. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/21/2015 - 11:58am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Chalmers touring car on Van Ness Avenue." At F.J. Linz Motor Co., your Scripps-Booth dealer. With a streetcar squeezing by. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Multi makesThis dealer also sold Simplex-Crane cars listed below the Scripts-Booth name and on the second floor is the radiator image and name of the National car. Prices start probably with Scripts-Booth followed by Chalmers, National and Simplex-Crane (a huge expensive car) in that order. Building on the left The building on the left is still there. The Linz building has been replaced by a hideous square box that is boarded up in the Google Streetview ... [Though unrecognizable now, it's actually the same building, originally built in 1913 -tterrace] ... but its grand neighbor across Cedar St. is there. It is the Concordia Argonaut Club: founded in 1864 by Levi Strauss and famous members like Haas, Dinkelspiel, Sutro, Lilienthal, the club was originally composed of only Jewish men, it now admits non-Jews and women. The Concordia-Argonaut Club is one of the premier private clubs in the United States. Things to Ponder"Is it worth a bent fender to knock that oaf out of the way?" I know -- the car's not moving or there's a depth of field issue, but it certainly looks as if Mr. Pedestrian is not long to remain in an upright position. Van Ness - The Auto 'Miracle Mile'In the early 60's Van Ness used to harbor the majority of S.F. auto dealers. Gotta askBetween the front of the streetcar and the radiator of the automobile we see a rectangle of glass with a Scripps-Booth pennant hanging in the window. The car that we see in the glass is the reflection of our Chalmers touring car, right? And we also see the blurred arm of the man outside on the pavement walking towards the unsmiling driver? [It's not a reflection. The car is on the street in front of the building. -tterrace] Well, I'll be. Thanks, tt. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of figuring out photographs. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Streetcars)
Uneasy Rider: 1931
... 1931. "Auburn at Golden Gate Park." Similar to the car seen earlier here . 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View ... whites. Serial Numbers Note that they are both dealer plates. I'd be happy with either car today. That gentleman needs a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2016 - 12:57pm -

San Francisco, 1931. "Auburn at Golden Gate Park." Similar to the car seen earlier here. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. OffhandedHe should have had the stitches holding his pocket closed removed before he posed for the picture. He would then have been able to get his whole hand into it! WorrywartThe guy looks a lot like Bob Crosby on a bad day. Similar, but DifferentThe earlier Auburn is a sedan with a canvas covered roof. This one's a convertible. [So it is! I thought they had the same tag number, but not quite. -Dave] Not an easy clean.Imagine crawling underneath That Auburn to scrub those B.F. Goodrich double whites. Serial NumbersNote that they are both dealer plates. I'd be happy with either car today. That gentleman needs a shoeshineThen there would be a smile in his heart--even if the scowl on his visage remained the same. Knockoff HubsWheels, use a hammer to spin the hub cover. If you look carefully, you can see the arrows on the front wheels hubs that indicate which direction they spin. Auburn was quite sporty. This example is interesting in how the height of the windscreen is used to make car look bigger. HubcapsHow did they get them off. They are only flat on one side to pound them on/ tighten them. You would have to hit on an angle to loosen them. Auburns looked so great!Like many teens of my generation, I first became aware of Auburns and Cords when Olds introed the Toronado, which hit me (as Nicky-Nick-Nick would say) "Like the hot kiss at the end of a wet fist." My wife and I are shopping right now for what will likely be our last new car, and they all look like bars of soap. Re: Knockoff HubsYou used the hammer on the flat side of the 'wings' to loosen the hub (hence, 'knockoff'); the threads on the hub tightened with the rotation of the wheels when the car was moving forward, so the hubs only needed to be hand tightened, with maybe a love tap or two from the hammer. The hammer, incidentally, was wood or leather, to avoid damaging the hubs. Re: Re: Knockoff HubsBack in the day I owned a 1962 MGA 1600 MkII equipped with wire wheels with knockoff hubs. Rather than wood or leather, the mallet had a solid copper head to avoid damaging the hubs. Wish I had that car today. HeterogeneityNot readily visible in the photo are the contrasting colors that were in vogue on the 1931 Auburns. The photos below provide much more vivid illustrations of the blatant color schemes available. One of the people assisting the design staff was Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky who was known for his use of extravagant color schemes. He was, at the same time, also the body designer of the more subtlety colored DeVaux cars seen here. The Auburn shown is a model 8-98A Custom Phaeton Sedan which cost $1,345 and weighed 3,700 pounds. The freshly styled Auburns were three inches lower than the previous year which was possible by the use of underslung semi-elliptic springs and 17 inch wheels. The bumper with the drop in the center was a covert allusion to the reduced height of all Auburn models. The windshield on this model could fold down over the cowl. Safety glass was optionally available, but radios from the factory were still not offered. This was Auburn's best year for sales with 32,301 cars produced, and the firm rose from 22nd place in the industry in overall sales to 13th place. It was the only time Auburn broke into the top 20 of U.S. automobile manufacturers. Sales would fall more than 64% in 1932. Auburn production finally ended in August of 1937. The rights, tooling, castings, etc. for the V-12 engine Auburn brought out in 1932 were purchased by American LaFrance, improved, and then utilized in their smaller fire trucks until 1963. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
New Old Stock: 1925
... circa 1925. "Montgomery County Motor Co." (the Chevrolet dealer seen here ). National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. ... seen showing how the set would be hooked up to a 6 volt car battery for powering the tube filaments and a high voltage dry battery for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2016 - 11:20am -

Rockville, Maryland, circa 1925. "Montgomery County Motor Co." (the Chevrolet dealer seen here). National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Parts Dept.This is in the smaller building to the right ("Parts," "Used Cars") in the previous post. The Seiberling All-Treads sign is in the window in both photos. Atwater Kent RadioThis establishment was probably an Atwater Kent distributor. The company sold its radio products along with ignition parts through automobile outlets during this time. The set is a Model 24 receiver and Model M horn speaker. This is one of the few pictures I have seen showing how the set would be hooked up to a 6 volt car battery for powering the tube filaments and a high voltage dry battery for the plate voltages. Ceiling constructionAnyone know what that ceiling is? I know drywall wasn't around in 1925 so I'm curious as to what the method was there? Some kind of plaster board perhaps with battens? Also check out that floor. Concrete tiles? [Drywall was indeed around in 1925. Used in the construction of many government buildings in and around Washington during World War I. - Dave] Simplicity itselfJust think how simple it must have been working on those engines! And amazingly many an old Model T got about the same mileage as today's complicated cars. Up To DateA customer who waits in the chair had the latest Atwater Kent Radio and speaker at his command, if the batteries were up. Not fussyIt seems to be a Chevrolet dealership that has no problem also selling Ford parts. Have a SeatI worked for a bearing company in Fresno that started in 1912. We still had the roller bearings (like those pictured), babbit material, and chains for the drives of the old trucks and cars. The old place had what appears to be the same style shelving, too. Would also like to note the nice chair in the right of the photograph. Anyone think it is a Stickley?? More WeathermenSomeone's keeping serious track of the weather, by the look of those atmospheric pressure charts. Keeping WarmAt left is the ubiquitous potbellied stove, so that staff and customer alike could keep warm while discussing that valve spring or tire patch. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Natl Photo)
Service Man: 1940
... machine! Back in my (very small) hometown the Chevy dealer had that same peanut machine sitting on a counter by the front door. It ... under the hood for you, ma'am?" Any non-serious motor car need you might have is no challenge for this cat and his immediate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/27/2019 - 2:34pm -

July 1940. "Gas station attendant. Millburg, Michigan." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I’m from Michigan.Thanks Shorpy for a glimpse of the past. I love this photo! That peanut machine!Back in my (very small) hometown the Chevy dealer had that same peanut machine sitting on a counter by the front door. It cost a penny! And since I used to pick up my newspapers for delivery there (they were dropped off by the Greyhound bus) I would regularly feed that machine. Occasionally something inside would break and you could get hit that lever for as many times as you wanted and fill your hand with Spanish peanuts. Consider thisIf you have time to lean, you have time to clean. Mirror, mirror on the wallStrategically placed to ensure that bowtie is straight. Nowadays you would need a gas check and a confined space permit to enter this place if it was in an industrial setting. 1940My parents were born that year. They'll turn 80 in 2020. Looks like Elizabeth Bishop had it right... in her poem 'Filling Station': Oh, but it is dirty! --this little filling station, oil-soaked, oil-permeated to a disturbing, over-all black translucency. Be careful with that match! What is it?Gentlemen, what is a "telephone directory"? Did it direct you to the nearest telephone? And if it did, what exactly is a "telephone"? Now THAT's a gas station attendant!That is the most "at your service" kind of guy you could ever have ask the timeless full-service question, "Check under the hood for you, ma'am?" Any non-serious motor car need you might have is no challenge for this cat and his immediate surroundings. Just pull up, and let him ask the questions. Fill 'er up? Check under the hood? Left front looks a wee bit low, let me check the pressure for you. As one who used to pump Ethyl, at a Mobil station off I-70 mind you, the regular customers knew I would answer all those questions without ever asking them, and I would wash the windshield because that's just what you did at the full service pumps. Today, I challenge you to find a full service drive at any gas station. It's a true slice of Americana that I feel proud to have been a part of, albeit the last wave of such a service that is all but extinct these days. I think I'm going to have some T-shirts made that say "I pumped Ethyl," and see if anyone under the age of 60 buys one. Happy New Year to Dave and band of Shorpy. I love what you guys do! Be well, everyone! Rough around the edgesThis guy will never find himself singing and dancing in the opening sequence of the Ed Wynn or Milton Berle shows. The Spirit of CommunicationThat archangel clutching thunderbolts and wrapped in cables was called the "Spirit of Communication" and was used by Bell from the 1930s and well into the late 1950s as seen on this phone directory from Cameron, Texas. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, John Vachon)
Elinor Blevins, Auto Fiend: 1915
... who apparently went to Lincoln. Streamliner The car is a racing car (giveaway is the big numbers), but it's also equipped for ... her name! The guy is one D. Braily Gish, a hot-shoe auto dealer in the Washington area known for his fast driving. Who knows if he was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 4:26am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1915. "Miss Elinor Blevins. Movie star, aviatrix, auto fiend." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Movie StarEleanor Blevins from Lincoln, Nebraska, was in 24 movies between 1913 and 1916. This list of Iowa orphans lists an "Elinor Blevins" who apparently went to Lincoln. StreamlinerThe car is a racing car (giveaway is the big numbers), but it's also equipped for high speeds with special aerodynamic modifications. Note the fairing around the radiator in front and the boat tail. It might be that the exhaust coming out of the dashboard, as noted by Toto, is some sort of aero trick of the period, since it would be tough on the passenger. It would be piping hot after a few minutes with engine running, and if it leaked, it would gas both the occupants with carbon monoxide (cars of the period usually ran rich, and of course had no catalytic converters). I do not see any third person in the car even though I blew up the picture. To me it looks like the car is right hand drive and Miss Blevins is driving, even though the male passenger has goggles (appropriate for the period with no windshield) and she doesn't. The cockpits of racing cars of the period would hardly have room for a third person anyway. Could it be that the car was prepared for a land speed record attempt? That would explain the fairing. Could it be British? That might explain the right hand drive. [There were plenty of RHD American cars in the teens. No one would be gassed by CO -- it's an open car. That "hidden driver" comment -- it was a joke. Next! - Dave] Hidden DriverI can't be the only one to notice that she isn't driving the car. There are three occupants. The man in the near passenger seat, she is in the middle, and the driver is clearly a slouched-down Oscar the Grouch. You can see his hand on the steering wheel. ExhaustedCould that possibly be the exhaust pipe coming out of the passenger compartment beneath the man's arm? If not what is it? They're definitely sittingThey're definitely sitting still, as the cameras of that period didn't have fast enough shutters to capture motion effectively. Not a pedal car, though. You can see the engine crank on the front between the wheels. [Shutter speeds on a good circa 1915 camera -- measured in thousandths of a second -- would indeed be fast enough to freeze the wheels on a moving vehicle. The question would be how fast can the car be going before the wheels start to blur. - Dave] Whoah, Nellie!"Movie star, aviatrix, auto fiend?" I think I have a new girl-crush! Weightman SpecialWell at long last I know her name! The guy is one D. Braily Gish, a hot-shoe auto dealer in the Washington area known for his fast driving. Who knows if he was related to the famous actress sisters. The racing car is called the Weightman Special and still exists. It was made up by an eccentric millionaire named William "Wild Bill" Weightman, the ne'er-do-well heir of a Philadelphia dynasty known for its monopoly on the production of quinine. "Will Bill" fancied himself a race car driver and bought up or built several such cars. This one was made on the frame of a Stutz Bearcat and had a most unusual racing engine -- hence the exhaust pipe exiting through the cockpit. The pictures were probably part of a set taken by the National Photo Company in Washington during November of 1916, when auto races were held at the Benning Track, a horse racing oval east of the city. D. Braily Gish won the feature race in the Weightman Special against other local speed demons. The car was then sent to California, where "Wild Bill" Weightman raced it. It survives in a private collection. And here it is todayAt Monterey. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Movies)
Pike's Peak Champion: 1920
1920 or 1921. "Lexington. Pike's Peak car." One of two Lexington racecars that placed first and second in the 1920 ... Peak climb. The drivers were Otto Loesche (1st place in car #7) and Albert M Cline (2nd in car # 6). Perhaps this is the #7 car without ... about 34 mph climbing Pike's Peak. The Washington dealer of Lexington autos was located at 1020 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., perhaps ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 10:56am -

1920 or 1921. "Lexington. Pike's Peak car." One of two Lexington racecars that placed first and second in the 1920 Pike's Peak hill climb seen at 1020 Connecticut Avenue N.W., the Washington branch of Hummer Motor Sales Company. E. Adie Hummer, Manager. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. A pane in the glass...Windshields? We don't need no stinkin' windshields...we got goggles! Peak of Power in 1920In 1920, Lexingtons placed 1st and 2nd on the Pike's Peak climb. The drivers were Otto Loesche (1st place in car #7) and Albert M Cline (2nd in car # 6). Perhaps this is the #7 car without headlamps: Hummer MotorsInteresting to see "Hummer Motors" behind the passenger, though some quick research indicates no connection with the modern day Hummer. A Test of MettleFrom advertisement in Washington Post, Sep 6, 1920. Given the quoted times the cars would have averaged about 34 mph climbing Pike's Peak. The Washington dealer of Lexington autos was located at 1020 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., perhaps that it is where the photo was taken. Lexington! Stock "Thorobred" Wins Famous Pike's Peak Hill Climb Against Big Field! In the famous Pike's Peak hill climbing race two Lexington Thorobred Sport models swept the field - a field filled with special cars, piloted by the crack racing drivers of the country. Some idea of what this superb victory means may be gained from the fact that the road rises from a elevation of over 5,000 feet to 14,109 feet, or practically 3 miles in the 12.5 mile course. Skidding into dangerous curves, bounding over ruts, stones, ice and bowlders, Loesche first and Cline second, jammed the Lexingtons through the blinding snowstorm to victory. The weather was so cold that goggles froze to the pilots' faces; one driver had to be lifted from his seat. It was a test of courage and a test of mettle. .... Both cars were stock cars in every detail except for a special body. Lexington First Time 22:25 2-5 Lexington Second Time 22:30 4-5 You will never put such a severe strain on your car as did LOESCHE and CLINE but it is comforting to know your LEXINGTON has reserve power and strength; that it will deliver in pinches without complaint. Hummer Motor Sales Compay, Washington Branch, E. Adie Hummer, mgr., 1020 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
East From Majestic: 1903
... the dealership of William E. Metzger - the pioneering auto dealer. In 1903, his luck was about to peak. After 1908, he shifted from ... of this picture would help to found the Cadillac Motor Car Co., which was the first of many such automotive ventures that Mr. Metzger ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 7:17pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1903. "Wayne County Building, looking east from Majestic Building." This view includes a couple of the city's arc-lamp "moonlight towers." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. EmptySo few people in a huge industrial town. The shadows say early morning, I think we are looking on a Sunday. Sooty Air*cough cough* Pre-heavy metalHmph. The Vizcaya cannon isn't on the lawn yet, nor are the heroic bronze chariots up on the roof. Looking east The photo shows west side of the Wayne County Building in full sunlight, so it's afternoon. Wayne County Building Is in Good ShapeBuilt 1895-1902, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. "William E. Metzger Automobiles"Faintly in the distance, a couple of blocks from the Detroit River, is the dealership of William E. Metzger - the pioneering auto dealer. In 1903, his luck was about to peak. After 1908, he shifted from selling Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, and put his money into brands that time has now forgotten. After trying to recapture the magic in the aircraft business, he died in 1933. Off in the distance, a glimpse of the futureIn the distance on the right of this photo you can barely read the sign - "William E. Metzger, AUTOMOBILES" - but it provides a view into this city's swiftly onrushing future. This business, which was only six years old then, was the first automotive retail dealership and showroom in the U.S. But Metzger was up to even bigger things, and in the year of this picture would help to found the Cadillac Motor Car Co., which was the first of many such automotive ventures that Mr. Metzger was involved in. Within the decade automobile manufacturing would be the largest business in Detroit, Detroit would be the motor capitol of the country, and THE American boomtown of the early 20th century. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Texaco Tanker: 1925
... Texaco truck Just remember, you can trust your car, to the man who wears the star....... Chain Drive Macks The old ... noisy at speed.I grew up in New England and the local coal dealer had a couple of these old chain drive Macks. You could tell they were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 10:44am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Texas Co. Ace truck." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. 1922 Mack "Bulldog"I recently posted this short video of a restored 1922 Mack "Bulldog" truck that I spotted at the entrance to the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, Tennessee, back in March of 2001. Chain drive dualieThose old vehicles are so cool. Went to the Charleston, SC fire company museum and did my best to get a good look at how they worked. Wonder if they were noisy? Coal When I was a kid during the 40s on the west side of Chicago, that same type of Mack truck delivered coal to our apartment building. Two men were left behind to shovel the coal down the chute. I got spanked many times for coming home covered in coal dust from playing on the coalpile. Texaco truckJust remember, you can trust your car, to the man who wears the star....... Chain Drive MacksThe old chain drive trucks were very noisy at speed.I grew up in New England and the local coal dealer had a couple of these old chain drive Macks. You could tell they were coming up the street just by the metallic whir of the chain. BulldogsThose things were durable. I can remember seeing a dump truck version still working on a construction site, surrounded by trucks that were 30-40 years newer, somewhere in Virginia about 1964. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Doctor of Tires: 1934
... Helin. View full size. Very Frustrating The car appears to be a 1931 Studebaker of some sort, but I can't pin down the ... customization of the era? Or a customization at all? Dealer badge? Seems like that would have been pretty darn expensive at the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2014 - 5:11pm -

San Francisco, 1934. "Fisk Service garage." So, Mister, you say it pulls to the right? 8x10 nitrate negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Very FrustratingThe car appears to be a 1931 Studebaker of some sort, but I can't pin down the model. Let me be the first to ask!For a close up of that repair order! Bald is BeautifulNot much left to align. Straight Stops, Please The equipment being used on this Studebaker Dictator (which turned out to be an awkward moniker as the scourge of fascism advanced during the '30s) may at first appear to be an alignment machine. But instead, it is a brake equalizer, necessary because the pushrod (or cable)-actuated brakes of the day, which did not naturally self-equalize as hydraulics do, frequently needed adjusting for straight stops. The equalizer works by spinning the wheels, like a dynamometer, while measuring each brake's drag when the brakes are applied. That's the purpose of the gauge at far right -- one for each wheel -- and the mechanic is apparently adjusting the brake on the right front. Stude SixIt's a 1931 Studebaker Six. It lacks the oval headlamps that the upscale Eights had. Test BrakesDoubleclutchin is correct about this being a brake adjustment. One of the few things I can make out on the work order is the check mark next to the "Test Brakes" section, also the tool in the Mechanics hand is a "Brake Spoon", a tool used to turn the star wheel of the brake adjuster. This is a picture of a more modern brake spoon but the function is exactly the same. Pimped rideIs the badge on the radiator grille ("San Francisco") a common customization of the era? Or a customization at all? Dealer badge? Seems like that would have been pretty darn expensive at the time. Heck, it wouldn't be cheap to do it now. New (to me)In my many decades of admiring, acquiring, or attempting to acquire pre-WW2 automobiles, I don't believe I have ever run into the after-market home-town moniker this Stude sports, at least not one done in elegant script and attached to the radiator grille. Location The 1934 Crocker-Langley City Directory directory has the Fisk Tire Company at 422 2nd St.; the next year the company is also at 414 9th. Radiator badgeThis is my Great Uncle Henry Augustus Welch from Franklin, New Hampshire. We were never able to figure out what the "Deland" badge was for. Manual starterThe keyhole shaped opening in the radiator grille was for an auxiliary crank starter, Peugeots had the same opening in the front bumper up into the 1960's. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
G Street: 1925
... Typothetae of Washington, Huff Duplicating and an Ediphone dealer. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Driving around with no spare The car in front of the cafeteria. A Moon sedan, as identified by Hayslip. And I'm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/27/2013 - 12:18pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Merchants Bank Bldg., G Street N.W. -- G.G. Loehler Co." Neighbors include Typothetae of Washington, Huff Duplicating and an Ediphone dealer. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Driving around with no spareThe car in front of the cafeteria. A Moon sedan, as identified by Hayslip. And I'm not too sure about the Chevrolet Coach and the Ford Fordor in front of The Merchants Bank, either. White Palace CafeteriaPer display ad in the Washington Herald, April 21, 1920: The Place to Dine Well at One-Third Less Than Elsewhere. Self Service Means No Tips, Better Food, and Saves Time. Delicious Entrees, Roasts, Steaks, Salads, and Pastry. The White Place Cafeteria, 314 Ninth Street N. W. "Stamps for Collectors"The "Harry B. Mason, Stamps for Collectors" office window brings back memories for me. As a teenager back in the late 50s early 60s I was a stamp collector. I would save my money and then ride the bus to downtown Cincinnati and go to an upstairs office similar to this one to purchase some older stamps to add to my collection. I still have the collection but it has not been kept current for a long time. Before my timeFifty years later I was working at General Electric a block away at the corner of 14th & H Streets. Walked that area on my lunch hour many times. Tight Spot!Since we can't see what's behind the convertible across the street on the right, I am only guessing that there may be another car CLOSE behind it, and the Harold Lloyd looking guy scratching his head may be trying to figure out how to get out of a tight space without knocking down the motorcycle that's so close to his front fender.... TypothetaeA now-vanished term that referred to a printers' trade association. Landau ironsTheir use as bling instead of for function did not begin with Detroit Iron of the '60s or even customs of the '50s, as the car center foreground amply demonstrates. Opalite The White Palace Cafeteria, 1417 G Street, on the far left end of the photo, was advertised on opening day in 1912 as "The Handsomest Lunch Room South of New York." The same announcement explained that "to ensure the greatest sanitation, the walls of the White Palace Lunch are entirely covered and finished with Opalite, a new and costly finishing material. This is the only lunch room in the United States finished in this up-to-date material." Car IDsFront row L-R: Ford coupe; Hupmobile club sedan; Star? touring. Back row L-R: Moon sedan, Chevrolet coach; Ford Fordor sedan; Jordan phaeton. Mr. Cohan helps with datingThere's a big poster in the window of the cafeteria advertising George M. Cohan's Latest Broadway Success The Song And Dance Man That debuted on Broadway in 1923. I'd say this picture is from '23 or '24 because in '25 he came out with four more Broadway hits. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Eldorado: 1955
... View full size. Mighty Steel Now, that's a Car! Differences In 1955 the Eldorado only came as a convertible ... and Biarritz extra-cost options listed in the 1956 dealer literature include air conditioning, remote trunk lid release, tinted ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2012 - 5:08pm -

A 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Seville photographed in 1955. From a series of 8x10 glossies with an ink stamp on the back reading "Styling Department, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn Mich." Keeping an eye on the competition. View full size. Mighty SteelNow, that's a Car! DifferencesIn 1955 the Eldorado only came as a convertible (Cadillac called it a Sport Convertible Coupe), and there were just two options: a power seat for $54 and air conditioning for $620. The list price was $6,286 and 3,950 were built. The engine was rated at 270 horsepower. In 1956 the Eldorado came as both a two door hardtop (Seville) and a convertible (Biarritz). There were no options available on either model other than an upgraded engine - 305 horsepower instead of 285. List price was $6,501 for either model. There were 3,900 coupes and 2,150 convertibles built. Although very similar, even from the back differences can be seen: different bumpers, the shape of the exhaust pipe exits, the nameplate and trim above the trunk lock, and trim on the lower trunk disappearing. [Air-conditioning was not available for convertibles in the 1955 Cadillac line, including the Eldorado; the only options listed for the "Eldorado Special Convertible" are tinted glass, Autronic Eye headlight dimmer and spotlight. A four-way power seat was standard. Eldorado Seville and Biarritz extra-cost options listed in the 1956 dealer literature include air conditioning, remote trunk lid release, tinted glass and Autronic Eye. The 305-hp engine was standard. Optional at no additional cost were a gold-anodized grille and wheels. - Dave] Take Me to Your LeaderI remember a "Boys' Life" magazine issue from the 1950's where a close up picture of the these tail lights and the bumper exhaust port won a photo contest with the caption: "Take Me to Your Leader". The 1950's were great years for auto fin and tail light madness. Hollywood also started looking to space for its movie monsters. Eldorado FanI always liked the copper color with the accent interior. We're Excited!Dave, Could you tell us the "color" of the Car before all the excitement begins? [8-bit grayscale. - Dave] DroolingI.want.that.car!!! That would be great to tool around in. Eldorado fanAt around the same time, the 9-year-old me, also enamored of the rear end of the Eldorado, was talking my brother into taking this shot of a 1955 model. Much later, it became one of my earliest Shorpy submissions. Oh Boy!Does this mean we get to see the rest of the series? I can't wait! [Set your dials for EXCITEMENT! -Dave] Comparative PricingInteresting to see the list prices for the '55 Caddy and to realize that for an additional $3500 or so you could have bought a '55 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing coupe. Both cars have appreciated in the years since. Nice and coolThe intake scoops on either side of the trunk tells me that it has air conditioning (the unit with the evaporator and its *two* blowers is mounted in the trunk, below the parcel shelf). And it also has Autronic Eye (the sensor is on the dash on the driver's side). (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos)
Tri-Five Drive-In: 1957
March 1957. Gary, Indiana. "Teenage girls in car at drive-in." From photos for the Look magazine assignment "How American ... below the wing window—which, depending on how the dealer installed accessory was mounted, could prevent the window from opening ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2019 - 12:59pm -

March 1957. Gary, Indiana. "Teenage girls in car at drive-in." From photos for the Look magazine assignment "How American Teenagers Live." View full size. Handy hardtopThe absence of a B pillar enables more people to get into the shot. No doubt that's what the designers had in mind as well. It's refreshing to see kids looking up while having fun rather than staring at their smart phones, isn't it? Great MemoriesFor these young ladies. Also the girl in the glasses looks like my wife when she was that age. Since I am from a country that is not acclimatized to drive-ins, my wife took me to one years ago here in Dayton. I could see why these girls look happy. '56 Chevrolet Bel-AirAll you need is the trim to identify the model--Pontiac used the same body. I think it was Alfred P. Sloan (he of "a car for every purse and purpose") who also recognized the importance of small visual cues to differentiate models--Buick's port holes, Olds's rocket, Cadillac's fishtail lights. Drinks in bottlesI remember well when you got a real soda to drink and not a paper cup with 70% ice, carbonated water with a splash of syrup. Dad's Root Beer, Pepsi and ( anyone known #3 ? Chances AreThe girls are listening to Elvis, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers et al on the old AM. And some guy named Mathis had a hit that year too I believe. '56 Chevy, yes, but --Not necessarily a Bel-Air. The 210 also came in a hardtop and its chrome started in just the same way. [The '55 also had similar trim. - Dave] MemoriesThat takes me back to those wonderful days of my youth when it was all good. GirlfriendsNice to see Imogene Coca and Patty Duke together. The PerkettesThese girls have had entirely too much sugar. The Age is in the DetailsThe upper paint divider (that chrome and black strip indicated by the blue arrow in the photo below) that runs on a slant from the beltline dip to the chrome spear reveals this to be a 1955 Sport Coupe. If there was another half-inch to the bottom of the main photo, we could see if there was a chrome spear running from the front fender to the middle of the door. Bel Airs had the front spear, while the 210s did not. As it is, there may be just a hint of a shadow under the Shorpy logo to suggest that the spear is there. The teenager's car appears to have a remote control rear view mirror on the driver's side. These were mounted ahead of the wing window. As seen in the photo below, the regular outside rear view mirror was mounted just below the wing window—which, depending on how the dealer installed accessory was mounted, could prevent the window from opening all the way. 1955 Bel AirThe car is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air sport coupe. The hash marks on the diagonal paint divider are unique to that year. Also on the 1956 the door lock is closer to the door handle. [Both years had hash marks; in 1956 they were separated by strakes. - Dave] Where are they now?If these six happy girls were high school seniors in 1957, they would be about 77 or 78 today. Wouldn't it be fun to re-photograph them in a similar photo now? I graduated h.s. in that same year and I can assure you that this was a very familiar sight from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Our drive-in hot spot was "The Big Dip" on old route 8 in Beacon Falls, Ct. Always lots of action every night of the week, hit tunes from the era and memories that have never faded. This pic definitely brought me priceless and wonderful flashbacks. (Cars, Trucks, Buses, LOOK)
The 1960 Look
... "stick-on, bits and bobs",found all over the "dee-luks" dealer add ons these days. More Polestar The 1960 Dodge Matador also ... improvements. VW was fond of such an approach. Same car as last year with 58 changes was a typical VW style advert. Description ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/01/2016 - 2:46pm -

July 1959. "Detroit's 1960 look. Sneak preview of the new models." This particular example being a Dodge Polara convertible minus some ornamentation. 35mm color transparency for Look magazine. View full size. When chrome was chrome!Mmmmmm....real factory chrome. Not the "stick-on, bits and bobs",found all over the "dee-luks" dealer add ons these days. More PolestarThe 1960 Dodge Matador also used the polestar trim in the same location, but there wasn't a Matador convertible. The Matador was a one year only model that filled the price gap between the lower priced Dart and the top of the line Polara. Almost 28,000 were produced among four different models (2 sedans, a coupe, and a station wagon). A Matador coupe is below. ChangeKeyword for American Auto Design during this period. Always new and fresh. When showroom windows would be covered with paper during the late fall when next years models were due. And most foreign cars would carry on with no major exterior changes, but often, lots of small internal improvements. VW was fond of such an approach. Same car as last year with 58 changes was a typical VW style advert. Description CorrectionThis 1960 Dodge Polara displays the complete correct standard trim for its model. There was OPTIONAL lower body trim that included what car guys generally call a wide bright stainless "washboard" behind the rear wheel well but again, that was an option. Great color photo. Glad you posted it. ["Correction" correction: It's missing the fin ornament. You can see the four holes where it's supposed to go. - Dave] FinsNot people from Finland either. I guess the space race had a lot to do with this look! I miss those days.As a teenager in the 50's, riding our bikes to the local dealers to check out the new models. Sneaking to the rear of the dealers lot to see the yearly changes, never disappointed. In-house previewI worked at Chrysler Canada as a tradesman in the 1960s and got a first hand preview of the new models as we were doing plant "changeovers". I couldn't tell you what was coming or I'd have to kill you. Correction correctionI know my eyesight is becoming more unreliable, but for the life of me I cannot see the screw holes where the missing tail fin is to be attached. [There is no "missing tailfin." The tailfin is missing an ornament -- a stylized compass rose pointing way to the car's namesake of Polaris, the North Star. Another aspect of the contemporary fad for all things Arctic after Alaska's admission to the Union in 1959. - Dave] Those were the daysBack when you could identify a car as it passed you on the street. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, LOOK)
Home Office: 1956
... Dallas. Bedroom to adjoining office." Our third look at car dealer Earl Hayes' contemporary cottage. Photo by Maynard L. Parker for House ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/03/2015 - 9:42pm -

1956. "Hayes residence, Kessler Lake Drive, Dallas. Bedroom to adjoining office." Our third look at car dealer Earl Hayes' contemporary cottage. Photo by Maynard L. Parker for House Beautiful. Source: Huntington Library. View full size. Chaise Lounge ChairIs what that piece of furniture in the immediate right foreground is called. It's too long to be a real chair, but too short to be a real chaise lounge--kind of a compromise between the two that looks like it would be pretty awkward to use in real life--and of course it comes standard equipped with the spindly legs of the era. [Ahem. Chaise LONGUE ("shez lonzh"). French for "long chair." Over the years misspelled and mispronounced by us dyslexic Amercuns into the bastardized and redundant "chaise lounge chair." - Dave] Another great interiorOne half expects to see Laura Petrie in capri pants perched on the edge of the desk. Wool carpetsAs a carpet cleaner in a former life, I recognize that broadloom carpeting as being made of wool. They are super soft and nice to walk on but they do wear pretty badly in traffic areas ( halls and around beds etc. ) Cleaning them is a real delight if it's your first time! The water makes them all stretchy and out of shape until they dry and go back to the way they were. Had to calm down a few customers during those jobs! Contemporary CoolCentral air conditioning in houses was just getting good around 1956, which must have been a welcome relief in steamy Dallas, especially after a day peddling black DeSotos. Come out our way, trade your wayHere's a short article on the history of Earl Hayes Chevrolet Co., located at 9th and Lancaster in Oak Cliff. Earl later brought his son Robert into the business, and it became Bob Hayes Chevrolet. A well-equipped home office for its day.Note the multi-line keyed telephone and the intercom system on the credenza. That is a far higher level of equipage than would be seen in a typical home office in that day. Makes me wonder if he had leased lines to his dealership facility. The settee and the two chairs peeking up beyond the credenza give a sense that the furnishings of this office were chosen to accommodate business visitors. The keyed mortise lock on the three-section sliding door reinforces this. Can anyone discern any of the titles in his home library? There's an obvious "U.S. News and World Report" in the magazine rack. [And a Business Week. -tterrace] Neatness countsLike anyone else, I admire neatness, but where do these people keep all their "stuff"? Where is all their mail, newspapers, ads, munchies, dog bed, cat toys, pet treats, house shoes, M & M's, afghan/throw cover, writing implements, phone gadgets, checkbook, shopping lists and the myriad of other necessary stuff that seems to junk up my house? Maybe I really am a hopeless slob. [They put it all away until the photographer leaves. -tterrace] Every Room Looks the SameHow could they even tell where they were? Did they carry maps with them? BroadloomI’m not loving the wall-to-wall carpeting in these shots. Close up, it looks like scorched earth or the beach. It’s the kind that was fine after vacuuming until someone walked on it. Isle of CapriClose-up detail of the Hayes office - and there's Laura Petrie near the desk, ready to take your dictation. (Maynard L. Parker, The Office)
Witt-Will: 1915
... W.W. Griffith, who is well known as a large coal and ice dealer, is president of the company. William F. Legg, the vice president and ... factory manager and head designer for the St. Louis Motor Car Company; superintendent for the E.R. Thomas Motor Company, and factory ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2019 - 12:11pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1915. "Witt-Will motor truck plant, 52 N Street N.E." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. aaaa-UUUUUU-ggaaaaa!!Looks like a considerable horn mounted there just aft the driver's seat. Electric? Air-powered? Is that a little lever on top for the driver to pump? Witt-WillWitt-Will trucks were manufactured in Washington, D.C., at 52 N Street N.E., "in the shadow of the White House." The company was an outgrowth of the W.W. Griffith Company, which started as an automobile manufacturer in 1911. In March 1914 Griffith founded the Witt-Will Truck Company, which folded in 1933. Photobucket has a few photos of Witt-Will coal trucks. [One of them taken from Shorpy! - Dave] Giving Good Service Washington Post, Apr 5, 1914 Making Trucks Here Witt-Will Company Takes Over Business Started by W.W. Griffith. The newly formed Witt-Will company, with large facilities for building motor trucks and maintaining motor-truck service, is the outgrowth of the automobile truck manufacturing business begun here by W.W. Griffith in 1911. The company has taken over the manufacturing plant at 52 N street northeast, and is proceeding on a schedule which calls for five completed motor trucks each month. The company is maintaining a service department and a complete repair shop, together with a body building and paint shop. The Witt-Will trucks are designed for 1-ton capacity and upward, many heavy trucks being in commission at the present time and giving good service. W.W. Griffith, who is well known as a large coal and ice dealer, is president of the company. William F. Legg, the vice president and factory manager of the company, is a Cornell graduate in mechanical engineering, and has been successively head designer for the Thomas B. Jeffery Company; factory manager and head designer for the St. Louis Motor Car Company; superintendent for the E.R. Thomas Motor Company, and factory manager and head designer for the Carter Motor Car Corporation. John L. Bowles, who is the secretary and auditor for the company, has had a long business career, and for the past year has been an auditor for Mr. Griffith's motor truck building business. John M. Dugan has resigned as superintendent of the Washington office of the Bradstreet company to accept the position of treasurer and sales manager of the Witt-Will company. B StreetI'm struck by the truck for G.M. Woolf's "Agricultural Implements and Seeds" located at 1005 B St. NW. I believe the Department of Justice now stands there, on the street long since renamed Constitution Avenue. Chain driveThe truck in the background has a chain drive on the rear wheels. I didn't know that chain drives were used on road vehicles, I have only seen them used on heavy equipment (tractors, etc.) of the era. [Many if not most early automobiles and trucks used chain or belt drives. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Treasury Truck: 1925
... graduated to the manufacture of truck bodies for passenger car chassis and were offering their own line of trucks by 1920. Their success ... and drive trains, for sale exclusively through the Dodge dealer network.-- Source - AACA Museum Rag top commercial truck? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2013 - 7:23pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Graham Bros. truck at Treasury -- Gen. Serp Corn." Which is how some overworked archivist at the Library of Congress has transcribed the label on this glass plate. National Photo Co. View full size. Impressive and unimpressiveIt looks good, but, no spare tire - just a rim? Also, look at that wimpy driveshaft, but then I'll bet it's solid, rather than tubular. A lot of wood there, especially the risers for the stake bed, atop the frame. No rust worries, just rot worries. And, you'd be disgruntled, too, if you had to drive a truck with a non-synchro gearbox. General ShorpyThat truck is calling out to be reassigned to the General Shorpy Committee! Is there a sign painter in the house? Good enough for government work?Not much to talk about here except that the driver did a poor job of affixing the stake sides (see left rear; the hooks are not properly engaged). Spiffy!Then as now, your tax dollars at work -- brand-new and super shiny, looking like a $50K restoration from an automotive reality show on cable. (Even the leaf springs are perky!) A real treat, complete with an authentic accessory -- a disgruntled and uninterested government contractor behind the wheel. Wanna Buy a Truck?My guess is that this is the new Dodge Brothers version of the Graham, and this photo was basically an ad to sell Graham trucks, possibly sent out in the form of a press release. "Ray, Joseph and Robert Graham were born into an Indian farm family. They got their start in the auto industry by converting Ford cars into one-ton express or stake trucks using a rear axle of their own design. They soon graduated to the manufacture of truck bodies for passenger car chassis and were offering their own line of trucks by 1920. Their success attracted the Dodge Brothers who were looking to enter the truck market. Through a deal signed in 1921, the Grahams built trucks solely wîth Dodge engines and drive trains, for sale exclusively through the Dodge dealer network.-- Source - AACA Museum Rag top commercial truck?There are not many folks alive today that can say they remember that!! And how about the spare RIM in the back...no tube or tire, but at least the guy has a rim to ride on should one of his rims crack! Graham Brothers , Dodge, & ChryslerGraham Brothers was not bought by Dodge until October 6, 1925, but even after that date the large trucks were still labeled as Graham Brothers (look at the hub caps). The underslung rear spare tire carrier indicates that this truck was built after June 23, 1925. Firsts for these models included all steel construction, crank operated windows, automatic windshield wipers, and a tray for manuals, books, etc. above the windshield. The Treasury Department truck cost about $1600 in 1925. Adjusted for inflation the cost today would be about $21,500 (MSRP of a base 2013 Dodge Ram pickup is about $23,500). The 1 1/2 ton truck had a wheelbase of 158 inches which allowed a full 12 feet X 5 feet of storage space in the bed. The stake sides are properly engaged. The rear-most section of stakes is warped/not square. Notice how the posts for this section are leaning to the right, and that there is a gap between the center section and the rear section of stakes (with a wider gap at the top than the bottom). The design of the sides is such that the center section can be lifted out while leaving the other side pieces in place. This permits loading and unloading from the side of the vehicle which was a common practice in the day - especially in narrow alleyways. As for the driver, you might be a little disgruntled too if everyone was telling you where to go every day. Without Ostentation Washington Post, May 10, 1925. Rank First in Sales in 1½-Ton Trucks Official figures from Detroit for the first quarter of 1925 show that Graham Bros. rank first in the world in the production and sale of 1½-ton trucks. In the 1-ton and 1½-ton truck fields combined they were surpassed in volume only by Ford. “The information may be surprising to the general public,” said Raphael Semmes, local Dodge Bros. dealer, “but not to us nor to those who are familiar with the performance of Graham Bros. trucks and with their rapid ascendancy in the industry during the last three years. Their advance has been without ostentation. There has been no blare of trumpets, no exaggerated claim. It has been a steady, wholesome growth, based entirely upon the trucks' performance.” Less than three years ago Graham Brothers were in twentieth position. Now they are manufacturing trucks at the rate of over 100 a day, marketing their entire output through Dodge Brothers dealers. … (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Minker Motor Co.: 1922
... fitting suit, but at least a decent shine. Wouldn't a car salesman taken a little more care in his appearance? Blue Collar ... up; however, it would have been fairly easy for a Columbia dealer to replace damaged originals. The front and rear tires are are of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 10:41pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "Minker Motor Co., 14th Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Lotsa nice detailsThis is one of the finer Photographs. I notice the guy in the middle didn't notice to fix his pant cuff. The mechanics seem to be paper cutouts. I'd guess it's because of some combination of depth-of-field and lighting. And what does it mean when even a mechanic wears a necktie? Still thereView Larger Map Interchangeable WheelsNote the gear teeth on the inner hub of each wheel. I believe this is done so any wheel can replace the wheel that drives the speedometer gearbox. I see the side-mount spare is locked to its mount: technology changes but people don't. How odd compared to todayHas anyone ever seen Boston ferns in the front window of ANY automobile dealership? Shoeshine AnalysisI have always thought that, back in the day, men took pride in having well-shined shoes. Of the three men in suits standing in front of the truck, the one on the left, who has the best suit, seems to have at least the remnant of a shine, the guy in the middle looks like he dug ditches in those things, and the guy in the rear with the straw boater has a badly fitting suit, but at least a decent shine. Wouldn't a car salesman taken a little more care in his appearance? Blue Collar NecktiesI had a friend who worked as a plumber on new construction jobs. He always wore white shirt and tie under his coveralls at the site. He said that many of the guys in construction also wore them, they kept the cold out. CharactersSome interesting chaps in that photo, and an interesting truck; good fodder for interwebz research. Hey! What is Al Capone doing in the photo? Columbia Dump Truck? Columbia, which built cars from 1916 - 1924, never made trucks, but this is definitely a Coumbia based truck. This appears to be a 1917 - first half of 1922 car that has been converted to a truck. Columbia's hood, hood sides, headlights, and radiator/grille remained the same during this period of time so a more definite dating would be very difficult. That being said, the running board and fenders do not look very beat up; however, it would have been fairly easy for a Columbia dealer to replace damaged originals. The front and rear tires are are of two different makes (a pretty bald Beacon and a slightly worn Lehigh). Look at the tire on the running board for comparison (also a Lehigh). The windshield has been modified to stand straight up. On Columbia open cars this is normally tilted back. Note how the top posts for attaching a convertible/folding top are pointing forward instead of pointing straight up as shown in Columbia photos and brochures. The piece that extends from the bottom of the windshield to the top of the cowl is missing. Is this a dump truck? There is a round cutout in front of the rear tire about the running board. This looks like it is for attaching a crank handle to raise the bed/body of the truck and dumping a load. It could also be for a power take off (PTO) to run another piece of machinery. The man in front of the cab is blocking the view that would help to determine if the cab lifts with the bed. I think it is a dump truck. There is a fairly wide gap running through the cab from behind the man to the cabs right hand side. There is also a cross beam that extends to the very edge of the cab under the number "14th" painted on the body of the bed. I imagine that originally this was a Coumbia touring car that was in an accident,and they rebodied it to make a service truck. The wire wheels were a $100 Columbia option. The rest of the storyAt least about the building, not the actual company: here. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Hudson, Peerless, Pope: 1910
... above a Hudson center stage at the showroom of J.H. Brady, dealer in Hudson, Peerless and Pope-Hartford automobiles. 8x10 inch dry plate ... Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Car Is Born That's a 1909 Hudson Model 20 Roadster under the gas light, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2011 - 2:09pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Brady -- Gas Company. Auto showroom." Star billing goes to the gas light fixtures above a Hudson center stage at the showroom of J.H. Brady, dealer in Hudson, Peerless and Pope-Hartford automobiles. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Car Is BornThat's a 1909 Hudson Model 20 Roadster under the gas light, the Hudson Motor Car Company's first offering. It was a sturdy and reliable car and began the company's 45 years as an independent automaker. The HudsonSomeone tell me how someone other than the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming could drive this thing. Landaulets and RoadstersJohn H. Brady was president of this company, which according to the 1911 Detroit City Directory was the "Michigan distributors for Peerless, Pope, Hartford and Hudson Automobiles." The Directory also indicates that "Cobb Brothers Auto Repairs" was located in the rear of that same address, which was at the southwest corner of Jefferson Ave. and Beaubien St. Today the Renaissance Center and General Motors World Headquarters occupy this site. Whoa!Got kind of a funhouse mirror effect. 1910s cars and tobacco juiceEvery time I see a picture of a car from the 1910s with a back seat, I think of a story my grandmother told. During the 1920s, her family got a car that was about ten years old, and had the open sides, like some in this picture. She and her sister and brother fought over who had to sit behind their dad. He chewed tobacco and would spit out his side of the car. Of course, whoever was sitting behind him was in danger of getting tobacco juice in the face! I can't think of much that would be worse to get a face full of! Self PortraitThe photographer, camera and flash. Those Are Gaslights?I never saw a gaslight before with the globes pointing down instead of up. Also it seems odd they'd have gaslights in the showroom when there is obviously electric light in the next room, complete with cords along the ceiling and a nifty housing for the one light nearest the showroom that looks like it was made from a tin can. Whatever they are though, they're beautiful! [Those are gaslights. Each chandelier has a pair of pulls to regulate flow. Below is another example from Detroit City Gas Co. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Hop In: 1919
... you not talk to the guy who's actually working on your car. Big Sign Shop Zooming in we see the name of the business that made ... Buying a car? This reminds me of the last time a dealer sold me a car. He insisted that the car he was selling me is a demo and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2011 - 5:58pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Washington Battery Co., L Street." We saw the garage earlier in this post. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Before the Insurance ExcuseThey asked politely that you not talk to the guy who's actually working on your car. Big Sign ShopZooming in we see the name of the business that made the sign. Like it. Pick Me UpIs this the ancestor of all pickup trucks? Also: note the sign. No talking to the mechanics. Hard Four Years CrankingSuper is offering a lift in his 1915 Ford Model T Runabout. No starter motors on this model. He hand cranks it and then gets in. Rear deck and bulb type horn have been replaced with aftermarket pickup bed and manual horn. Practical pickup style not offered by Ford until 1925. The BIG SIGN SHOP, Inc.On my best day I couldn't photograph something like this and get the clarity that it shown in this photo. Brought to mindThis vehicle reminded me of the plastic model car kits my brother and I used to put together in the late forties, very early fifties during long summer days with no school. They were usually (very) antique old-time cars which we could not conceive of being road-worthy, which we had never seen and which we usually messed up due to the plastic cement which dissolved the plastic and the enamel paint which was difficult to apply neatly. Also each and every little part had to be attached, sometimes with a heated metal object to secure wheels, spokes, etc. The kits were sold in dime stores for a dollar or less. Just for the halibut, I decided a minute ago to look them up on the interweb. There are no more $1 car models, more like $20 and up, and the ones we had are long gone. I first heard about Stanley Steamers and Model T Fords via those plastic do-it-yourself car models. Remember plastic bubbles and magic growing rocks? All kinds of cheap crap to keep the kids busy in the summer. Good times. Such a spindly little thingIt's the scrawny 98 pound weakling of pickup trucks, compared to the 2-ton behemoths of today. Pick Em Up TruckI can't get past the sign with the words "any information desired will be cheerfully given". As if you would expect to get info delivered in a grouchy manner. Buying a car?This reminds me of the last time a dealer sold me a car. He insisted that the car he was selling me is a demo and nothing was wrong with it. After having problems with the car he sold me I went to his workmen and asked them for a computer printout and sure enough the car was in a major accident! "We Respectfully request costumers to refrain from talking to workmen any information desired will be cheerfully given by floor superintendent." [That Bob Mackie was kind of a blabbermouth. - Dave] Highway PioneersMy first modeling experience was building some of the styrene Highway Pioneers models made by Revell. I built a bunch of them and had a lot of fun in the process. They were not terribly durable, at least in my young hands, but I loved them nevertheless. The distinctive feature that I remember, like OTY describes, was the way the wheels were attached. You were supposed to heat a slot screwdriver tip over a flame, and use it to melt the end of the axle. This formed a tip at the end like a nailhead that kept the wheel on. It was clever, by you had to be careful not to melt the axle into the wheel. No two hubs ever looked quite the same, but it worked. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Five & Dime: 1939
... the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car ID Chevrolet coupe with landau irons circa 1928. Gas filler on the left; ... I was in that building last year. It now houses a flooring dealer, but I could still see some of the original walls and ceiling and could ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2014 - 10:00am -

July 1939. "Appliqued embroideries for sale on street in front of ten cent store. Saturday afternoon. Siler City, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car IDChevrolet coupe with landau irons circa 1928. Gas filler on the left; gas gauge on the right. '37 Chevy Hood OrnamentA color shot of a '37 Chevy hood ornament. Rose's and Sheriff TaylorRose's still has stores in my neck of the NC woods, but it looks like they're no longer in Siler City. Saw a Mayberry episode recently where Andy takes his girl all the way to Siler City to go fishing. Woohoo!! Window decorator wanted - apply insideI remember the old 1940's "Five and Dimes" as having the largest variety of assorted goods of any single store on Main Street with all sorts of colorful dishes, hardware, cosmetics, art supplies, holiday decorations, fabulous toys and books, pots and pans, knickknacks, shiny things, sewing notions, inexpensive costume jewelry, toiletries, bulk candy, you-name-it, but virtually something for everybody. Why would they feature in their most valuable advertising space (the front windows) something as boring and nondescript as socks? Hood ornamentThat's a killer hood ornament at right. The hood ornamentIt's a 1937 Chevrolet. We own a '37 Chevy coupe. I don't have clue as to what the car on the left is. Field's Five & DimeWas my go to place as a kid in the 60's. My mom had worked there before I was born and every so often we would go to the store in St. Albans, WV. so she could do a little shopping and visit with her friends. I wandered through the store and the ladies there would brag on how much I'd grown in the last few weeks and then I'd tear over to the toy department which was full of anything a little boy (or girl) would want. They had a big notions counter and a hardware department that would put most hardware stores to shame. They even had an alteration department in the back. Before we would leave I usually managed to get a big bag full of the best malted milk balls I ever ate, often on the house. It's good to know people in the right places. I was in that building last year. It now houses a flooring dealer, but I could still see some of the original walls and ceiling and could point out to some people I was with how the old store was laid out. The lady working there could also remember the old store. 5 & Dime + 75 =Today. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Stores & Markets)
Lanza Motors: 1920
... Motors Co., exterior, 14th Street." Lanza Motors sold a car called the Metz; neither would be long for this world -- a world whose ... look as good. And where is the actual showroom for the dealer? [Behind the doors. - Dave] We'll Save Money On The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/25/2012 - 11:55am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Lanza Motors Co., exterior, 14th Street." Lanza Motors sold a car called the Metz; neither would be long for this world -- a world whose sidewalks were trod by ectoplasmic pedestrians. View full size. Metz Master 6Great photos thank you Dave for sending the information to http://www.metzauto.wordpress.com We have shared it with our members. Also here is a Google Street View of the site today. The Frank D. Reeves Center for Municipal Affairs is located on the site now. View Larger Map Forget the Metz...I'd love to see the inside of the La Pricesse corset shop! Metz Friction DriveThe earlier models of the Metz car used a unique continuously variable ratio transmission. It had a rubber-tired wheel that ran perpendicular to a huge machined flywheel on the motor. The driver operated a lever that changed the location of the driven wheel on the flywheel. When the driven wheel was dead center on the flywheel, that was neutral. As the driven wheel moved away from center in one direction an infinite number of forward ratios could be achieved. When the driven wheel moved away from center in the opposite direction an infinite number of reverse ratios could be achieved! While Metz Drive died in passenger car use, it was used on garden tractors for many years (and still may be). This clever transmission was limited in its ability to handle loads. It also had durability issues. Very modern bay windowThe window showing off the brass beds is quite modern looking; too bad the Metz didn't look as good. And where is the actual showroom for the dealer? [Behind the doors. - Dave] We'll Save Money On The Rent!An automobile showroom that's too small to hold even one floor model seems to have been a mistake. Unless the Metz 6 could really drive through those front doors. [The Lanza Motors showroom (below) held at least five cars. - Dave] BoardwalkAnyone know what the boardwalk in the street is for? [It's a streetcar boarding platform. - Dave] Metz Master Six Washington Post, Feb 1, 1920. TO HANDLE METZ. Lanza Motor Co. Opens Salesroom On Fourteenth Street. The Lanza Motors Company has opened a salesroom at 2008 Fourteenth street northwest for the sale of the Metz motor cars. The Metz is one of the oldest cars on the market, but up to this year they have built [only] a friction drive car. This year's model is a six-cylinder model with the standard type of transmission and gear shift. The car is built in four models, a five-passenger touring, three-passenger roadster, two-passenger coupe and five-passenger sedan. Ghostly MotionIf you look very closely, on front of the buffet and the corset shop, there are apparently disembodied feet on the sidewalk. I'd be interested to know how long the exposure was, for the people to be almost entirely invisible. [These are the "ectoplasmic pedestrians" mentioned in the caption. Exposure time would be around one or two seconds. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Streetcars)
Kiwi Garage: 1908
... manufacturer. This garage may be the establishment of a dealer, and at this period, most dealerships were tiny affairs, often one man retailing one car at a time, or handling various brands as he saw fit. It is nice to see the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2013 - 7:43pm -

Christchurch, New Zealand, circa 1908. "Wolseley and Cadillac motor cars in garage." Glass plate by the Steffano Webb Photographic Studio. View full size. Interesting CamberOn the front wheels of the Caddy. Must have been hell on tire wear. One of my new favoritesIf only I could get my garage this tidy. Perhaps it is likely that the owner had a mechanic on staff? The details in this one combine to make it one of my favorites. The lathe, workbench, and fully-ranged set of ball-peen hammers and brooms make me want to step in and wrench away on one of those classics (assuming it was in need of repair). I particularly like the cabinet with the driving lanterns stored. Can anyone confirm what the conical item hanging on the left is for...water, oil or grease? Also, could that be a maintenance/mechanical diagram for the drivetrain of one of the vehicles over the workbench? Well lit, amazingly neat and clean garage!Thinking over the contemporary garages that have been pictured here, this one is beautiful. The walls are painted, the rafters are clear (as if recently built), there's a nice display cabinet, and all of the work areas are clean and neat. This reminds me of the modern garage of an auto collector. Re: One of my new favoritesThe conical object on the display cabinet is an early soda-acid fire extinguisher. My local auto museum has one. Definitely for the _early_ stages of a fire (in a wastebasket). Not hoi polloiRather, hoi oligoi, this motorist. Anyone New Zealander who could afford to own both a Cadillac (with hefty import duties attached) and a Wolseley (not cheap in the colonies by any means, either) probably had ample staff to keep the garage washed and brushed up. It appears that the Wolseley has yet to be fitted with its custom coachwork, or else the chauffeur is in the process of switching its summer, open body for its winter, closed attire -- or vice versa, obviously. The lathe in the corner suggests that major maintenance can also be done on-premises. Ditto on the favoriteIt's just beautiful. Two brass era classics, and not a drop of oil on the floor. I'm curious about the overhead flat ironwork; some sort of trolley hoist, perhaps. Flat IronworkPerhaps the ironwork is for sliding doors and the wall visible above is an outside wall. You can also see a joint in the concrete below. My guess is the camera is just outside the actual garage. IronworkTrack for a rolling door, maybe? Note what looks like wood siding above it. Note the cabinet on leftAll full up with headlights and markers -- kerosene-filled, I believe, just like early trains. A Commercial Establishment?These cars look like they may have just come off the boat. The Wolseley may have only primer paint, no gloss or striping, and English cars were often delivered without bodies, to be finished by the coach builder of the customer’s choice (I have no insight on the coachbuilding scene in New Zealand). American cars were more commonly fitted with bodies by the manufacturer. This garage may be the establishment of a dealer, and at this period, most dealerships were tiny affairs, often one man retailing one car at a time, or handling various brands as he saw fit. It is nice to see the foot treadle machinist’s lathe for quickly running up replacement parts, and a selection of hammers to match any problem. SiblingsCadillacs were well represented in both Christchurch and Auckland in 1908, thanks to Dexter and Crozier, an energetic dealership with a presence in both locations. However, at the risk of offending the New Zealander who wrote the original caption, both of those cars are Wolseleys. The 1908 example on our right has the unique Wolseley curved body panel from which the crank handle protrudes below the radiator, which was installed on some models. It also sports a Wolseley paint scheme, new style axle with long hubs, grille, and frame mounted headlight brackets—all characteristics of the Wolseley. The 1907 model on our left also has the frame mounted headlight brackets, along with an earlier style grille, hood, and dash/firewall (to which a wooden frame would be bolted to mount the windshield). The '07 appears to be stripped down for racing, which would explain the heavier axle of the type found on purpose-built Wolseley racing cars of the day. Both cars have their steering rods mounted behind the front axle—a Wolseley feature and not a Cadillac one. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, New Zealand, S.F. Webb)
Safety Stutz: 1927
... Plymouth The last time I checked a few weeks ago, my car still had its 4 wheel hydraulic brakes, just as it (and all other 50,000 ... selling feature touted in their magazine advertising and dealer brochures. 1929 Plymouth My Dad bought me a 1929 Plymouth to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/21/2020 - 1:02pm -

San Francisco, 1927. "Stutz Vertical Eight with Safety Chassis." The so-called "Safety Stutz" featured four-wheel hydraulic brakes and wire-reinforced, supposedly shatterproof glass -- just the thing for cruising in the rain on bald tires. 5x7 glass negative by Chris Helin. View full size. AdvancedFour-wheel hydraulic brakes in 1927 is well ahead of lowly Plymouth, which didn't have that feature until 1935. Rear Wheel DriveI agree with the hazard bald tires present, but the rear tires have good tread. Fortunately, the Stutz was rear wheel drive so this fellow has the traction where it's needed. The PlymouthWas not produced until 1928, at which time they all came with four wheel hydraulic brakes. All Chrysler cars,from their beginning in the mid 1920's, were equipped with four wheel hydraulic brakes. Perhaps Manalto was thinking of Fords, which had mechanical four wheel brakes until 1939. Pre roof gutter daysAt least the driver's elbow won't get wet on rainy days thanks to those spiffy side window awnings. 1927 Stutz survivorAt this link. Looks pretty much identical. I love all original unrestored cars. I never knew about this "safety glass" before seeing this on Shorpy. My 1930-30U PlymouthThe last time I checked a few weeks ago, my car still had its 4 wheel hydraulic brakes, just as it (and all other 50,000 1930 Plymouths) have had since their manufacture, a well documented safety & selling feature touted in their magazine advertising and dealer brochures. 1929 PlymouthMy Dad bought me a 1929 Plymouth to drive out on his grain farm in south Saskatchewan. It had 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, that much I know for sure. Stutz Hood Ornaments/Radiator CapA nice view of the hood ornament/radiator cap. Stutz hood ornaments were made from 1926-1935, they were solid quality on a period chrome over brass cap.The original ones like this one are marked: S.M.C. Co. of America Inc.; Indianapolis, Ind. Feb 2, 1926. It was designed by Aurelius M. Renzetti and D. Carlton Brown; des. pat. 69360. Attached is a cropped picture of this one, along with a couple of pictures of one of the hood ornaments today. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Bumper to Bumper: 1941
... fella, I got a hot date!" I'd actually assume this is a dealer or distributor lot. Can't be a downtown parking lot! [It is ... where you have to wait till the end of the day to get your car. - Dave] Been there, waited for that As late as the early-70s (and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/20/2020 - 1:03pm -

July 1941. "Parking lot. Chicago, Illinois." This is what you call being in a tight spot! 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Why no older models?There are usually some from the early '30s in the mix, but the oldest cars here seem to be from 1936 or so. Someone who knows more about antique autos than I do will be along shortly to educate me, and that's OK, too. [After around 1935, when cars began to be made with steel roofs and all-steel bodies, the number of older vehicles in these photos drops off sharply. - Dave] Do believe it is a normal parking lotThese cars seem to have come from some transport or are waiting to go on one, a ship or maybe a train since they look like they are all the same manufacturer. You can see photos like it of arriving Japanese verhicles that came off a ship. ["The same manufacturer"? I see a Pontiac, a Plymouth, an Oldsmobile ... - Dave] The one in the middle!"Yeah, here's my tag - it's the two tone coupe, the one in the middle. And make it snappy, fella, I got a hot date!" I'd actually assume this is a dealer or distributor lot. Can't be a downtown parking lot! [It is downtown, one of several such scenes photographed by John Vachon. Note that the cars have license plates, a smattering of windshield stickers, and various parcels visible through their windows, some of which are open. I would imagine this is the kind of lot where you have to wait till the end of the day to get your car. - Dave] Been there, waited for thatAs late as the early-70s (and maybe beyond) there were large parking lots at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore that packed cars in just like that. You had better have been prepared to stay for the whole game because unless you were lucky there was no way out 'till it was over. Fake ViewsDear Dave, Something's wrong with this picture. All these cars are like, really old. Not even that black Dodgein dead center trapped between a Chevrolet and Pontiac could ram its way out of that crowded lot! The old saying when backing up"Keep going till you hear the crash" must have been employed here. As for older vehicles, I'm fairly sure that of the 40 or so in the parking lot at work, my 2008 Ford pickup is the oldest. The root of the term "bumper"It seems to me from images such as these, and old movies, that bumpers were once meant to be literally bumped. What happened? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)
Tops and Trimmings: 1921
... prizes in the horse show rings of those days. As a dealer he furnished many horses for the diplomatic set. He later entered the ... The company started out in 1914 as the Alter Motor Car Company in Plymouth, Michigan. Some websites claim that it is linked to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 3:07am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "McCaully's garage." Note the bakery-delivery bread box next door. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. It's been a whilesince I had my Carbon burned, probably due to have it done. That's oddDoes anyone have any information about the "Apex Twin Frame Truck" mentioned on that sign? I've never heard of anything with twin frames. Free air!No such thing as free air in my town. All the stations have a "Please deposit 50 cents" air station that takes ten minutes to inflate a tire! Benjamin F. McCaully Washington Post, February 3, 1901. Behind High-Steppers “Horseless vehicles are multiplying fast enough in Washington,” said B.F. McCaully, the well-known whip, last week, “but they are not crowding the thoroughbred to the curb by any means. Good horses and good traps are as valuable now as they ever were. They combine life and action with a certain dignity of appearance that are inseparable to the lover of a stylish turnout. In proof of this, I might say there are more highgrade turnouts in Washington to-day than ever before.” Washington Post, August 1, 1926. Appoints New Manager B.F. McCaully To Be in Charge of Stoneleigh Garage. Stoneleigh Garage, 1630 L street northwest, has just appointed B.F. McCaully, manager. Ben McCaully has long been identified with local transportation problems. For more than half a century, from 1874 until a few years ago he was in the livery business, transferring to the garage business when it was seen that the automobile was destined to replace the horse. Well known to Washingtonians, he furnished carriages for four inaugurations, and had carriage privileges of all the large hotels, including the old Arlington, Shoreham, Willard and Riggs house. He furnished many a “turnout” for noted men, including James G. Blaine and Mark Hanna, as well as for diplomats, senators and representatives in Congress. Washington Post, April 1, 1937. B.F. McCaully Funeral Rites Set Tommorow Was Retired Garage Owner and Formerly Sold Blooded Horses. Funeral services for Benjamin Franklin McCaully, 81, who died yesterday after a two-weeks' illness, will be held at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Chambers undertaking parlors. Fourteenth and Chapin streets northwest. The Rev. W.M. Michael, chaplain of the Stansbury Masonic Lodge, of which Mr. McCaully was a member, will officiate. Born in Lebanon, Pa., Mr. McCaully came to Washington as a young man and entered the livery business. As a driver of fancy horses and rigs he won many prizes in the horse show rings of those days. As a dealer he furnished many horses for the diplomatic set. He later entered the garage business. He retired several years ago. He was an active member of the Society of Natives, and one of its vice presidents. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Annie S. McCaully; a son, William H. McCaully, of Winnetka, Ill.; two daughters, Mrs. James H. Collins, of Hollywood, Calif., and Mrs. H.M. Krarup, of Washington and a granddaughter Vita Krarup. Apex Twin FrameApex Twin Frame. Hamilton Motors CompanyThe company started out in 1914 as the Alter Motor Car Company in Plymouth, Michigan. Some websites claim that it is linked to the earlier Alter Car that was made by the Cincinnati Motors and Manufacturing Company, but there doesn't seem to be any physical evidence for that, and the Cincinnati firm did not go out of business until its founder died in early 1916. The Plymouth based Alter Motor Car Company is said to have produced about 1000 vehicles (only one of which still exists) before the company dissolved in 1917 to allow the formation of the Hamilton Motors Company. The new firm relocated across the state to Grand Haven, where its said that they built just one car. They reorganized again and in late 1917, under the name Panhard Motor Company, began building trucks that featured the twin-frame. A blurb from a later press release explained: "The feature in its construction is a sub-frame of channel steel bolted to the main frame, thus giving the truck the trade name of 'twin frame.'" In September of 1919, after the Panhard et Levassor vehicle company in France complained of trademark infringement, the Grand Haven company revived the Hamilton Motors Company name and began marketing the truck as the Apex (not connected with Apex Motors of Ypsilanti). In May of 1920 the company made a $1,000,000 stock issue for factory expansion, and when Adolf Pricken, a New York real estate investor, promised to subscribe the entire issue, he was made president. By the end of summer the company was producing only a few vehicles a month and production was suspended in September, 1920. In early November Pricken was arrested for grand larceny involving stock fraud connected to a separate warehouse venture. Even though the charges were dropped in July of 1922 due to lack of jurisdiction (and the fact that restitution had been made to any disgruntled investors), the promised stock subscription was not completed and Hamilton Motors/Apex was out of business. At least one Apex truck survives in the Tri-Cities Historical Museum collection in Grand Haven. FramedA photo of the Apex Twin-Frame chassis is below, but it does not appear to be anything especially rigid. The lack of cross members spanning the outer chassis rails, where most of the body and load weight would be carried, would in fact seem to make this frame less structurally sound than a conventional truck chassis with well placed cross members. Photo from the 1920 Chilton Automobile Directory, page 23. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Dodge for Dummies: 1948
... UFO It looks like a spaceship is about to beam the car and dummy up into its hold. Our family car A 1948 Dodge was our ... that Woody Wagon! Worth a Continental Too bad this dealer didn't handle Lincoln rather than Dodge-Plymouth, as the building's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/06/2013 - 12:03pm -

March 24, 1948. "L Motors, 175th Street and Broadway, New York City. Entrance detail." Our second look at this showroom and its curious display of dummies in Dodges. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. 1948 Dodge convertibleHere's a link to a heartwarming story about another '48 Mopar convertible. UFOIt looks like a spaceship is about to beam the car and dummy up into its hold. Our family carA 1948 Dodge was our family car when I was just a year old. Here it is brand new in Augusta, Ga., right before we moved to Germany and took it with us. Behind, and to the leftToo bad we didn't get a better view of that Woody Wagon! Worth a ContinentalToo bad this dealer didn't handle Lincoln rather than Dodge-Plymouth, as the building's already sporting the perfect neon logos for Ford's luxury make. AmazinglyThis showroom was located right across the corner of my apartment building. Across the street is a former LOWES theater, now the "United Palace" aka the "Reverend Ike Church." The dealership is long gone. I'm not sure if the same building is there. If so, it's been severely modified, but the one-story proportion remains. It's currently a small supermarket. My husband and I shop there all the time! And the same spot today175th & B'way, across from the Palace Theatre Church View Larger Map Building's HistoryAccording to the Certificates of Occupancy on the NYC Department of Buildings website, that location's first available CofO was issued in 1927 as a collection of stores. In April of 1948 it received a new CofO as an auto showroom. In 1959 the CofO reclassed it as a supermarket. In 1968 and again in 1985 the CofO's were for an auto parts and auto repair shops. In October of 2012 there was issued a temporary CofO for a supermarket. The Google street view shows it as a working supermarket in June of 2011, so there seems to be a missing CofO or two in this history - or they converted it and didn't apply for a new one. Regardless, this does appear to still be the same building today as seen in this photo from 1948, just after the showroom opened. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Mom, Uncle John, the Porsche and Me
... it has alloy wheels". These were readily available as a dealer option on the 912) Classic This is a classic photo. Your dad framed it perfectly, the car and the people are in a natural pose, your mother is beautiful and your ... 
 
Posted by AmericanJarhead - 09/20/2011 - 10:18pm -

My mother, Lea, with her brother, John, and his Porsche 912 in front of my parents’ house in the Shore Cliffs development of San Clemente, Calif., in 1969 or 1970. Scanned from the original 126 negative. My father was the photographer and the boy in the tree is yours truly! I have just been given boxes upon boxes of negatives and slides that my mother had kept in a closet for all these years. The prints are small, faded and almost colorless now. I hope to find many treasures in the following months. This is my first submission to Shorpy. View full size. Gimmmmeeee!Drrroooollll. I want the Porsche! I'll takeUncle John if he's still around. Little black dressThe lack of comments is surprising. AmericanJarhead's mom is one of the most attractive and stylish to appear on the pages of Shorpy. I go on record as saying she is a hottie. A simple back dress ... wow! I know Shore Cliffs very well, having spent a lot of time there in the early 90s. Great neighborhood and the ocean views unbeatable -- if your house does not slide onto Pacific Coast Highway. Background detailsThe Porsche is cool, Mom is cool, Uncle John is cool, but what makes this picture come alive as a slice of life is the kid hanging out of the tree. Your father showed great sense in not yelling at you to get out of the picture. 911I think that's a 911, not a 912. Porsche..I think that's a 911, not a 912. As the major difference between the two models was the engine (911 = 6 cylinders, 912=4 cylinders) how can you tell that it's a 911 from this photo? (Please don't say "because it has alloy wheels". These were readily available as a dealer option on the 912) Classic This is a classic photo. Your dad framed it perfectly, the car and the people are in a natural pose, your mother is beautiful and your uncle cool and you hanging from the tree make this wonderful. Porsche 911John's car looks a lot like my unrestored 1972 911 T except mine is a Targa. Same "Arrest Me Red" color. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Running Behind: 1963
... 1963 Back then you could actually fix your own car. Fancy Taxi This was a top of the line 1956 Plymouth Belvedere ... had a 1957 Plymouth back in the day. After a visit to the dealer to replace the light bulb behind the buttons, it seems the panel was not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2015 - 8:24pm -

1963. "Cab driver and taxi at Saxony Bar & Lounge, Boston." 35mm negative, photographer unknown. Another eBay find scanned by Shorpy. View full size. What's He Going For?Based on his near-full immersion, the gearshift linkage or the starter motor. Poor man's power steering"Necker's knob" on the steering wheel. 1963Back then you could actually fix your own car. Fancy TaxiThis was a top of the line 1956 Plymouth Belvedere before it became a cab. It even has the optional wire wheel hubcaps. Most taxi companies used a specially equipped stripped down Savoy model with a six cylinder engine. A Cheap Bike Lockseems to have found a better use as a hood tie-down on this battered Belvedere. [It's a hood lock now. - Dave] My dad the cab driver.My dad drove a cab in Boston from 1962 to 1964 so you can imagine that this caught my eye. He was tall and slender so I don't think this is him. Unfortunately he passed away a year ago but oh boy....he would have LOVED this photo. Thanks. Stick or AutomaticIf it's a stick I would guess he's trying to get the shift levers back in alignment. Those old "three on the tree" shifters could get worn and jump in between the levers, leaving you stuck in one gear. [With no shift lever to be seen here, the car had a PowerFlite automatic transmission controlled by pushbuttons on the dash. - Dave] Park SquareThe Saxony Lounge was located in Park Square, which for many years was the location of the Greyhound/Trailways bus depot and home to a lot of sketchy activity (drug use, prostitution, street theft, you name it). More recent arrivals to Boston will know Park Square as it currently exists - the home of upscale restaurants, office buildings, and fancy hotels - it has undergone a massive transformation in the past 20 years. I don't think either the buildings or the street shown in this photo still exist. (The address of the Saxony was 35 Providence St. - although there is still a street with that name it's really no more than an alley. I think this portion of it was in an area that got reconfigured.) That darned pushbutton PowerFliteWe had a 1957 Plymouth back in the day. After a visit to the dealer to replace the light bulb behind the buttons, it seems the panel was not properly secured. One good bump on the way home and - off comes the panel, and out pop the buttons? After a couple of tries, I figured which went where and off we went. Havana-Where one would now need to go to see such a nice variety of late 1950s American autos in everyday urban service. (The Gallery, Boston, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Found Photos)
Hog of the Road: 1949
... Chryslers in 1972. Kelly Motors, the local Sonora Olds dealer used to insist on placing big bumper stickers that had two green shamrocks and said "Buy Kelly Cars." on each car they serviced. As clever as that motto is, my uncle insisted on the service ... 
 
Posted by bunaen - 11/02/2012 - 7:50pm -

Uncle Alec, Aunt Irene, and their Hog of the Road. "1949" is written on the back of the print. Uncle Alec was partial to the biggest, most powerful Oldsmobiles money could buy. He bought a new one every two years. Although the year is 1949, I am pretty sure the model pictured here is a 1948 Olds 98 Club Coupe. If it is a 1948 it has the old 115 horsepower 257 cubic inch flathead straight eight, and not the cool new 135 horsepower 303 cubic inch overhead valve V8. The Olds Rocket, as the new V8 was called didn't come out until 1949. Don't fret, Unca Alec, as I always called him, would have a new Rocket V8 within a year. As I mentioned, Alec liked the big Oldsmobiles. My favorite was his '63 Olds Starfire two door hardtop. It was electric blue with four bucket seats, a brushed chrome center console that ran down between the two rear buckets and on to the front and up into the dash. It had a 330 horsepower 394 cubic inch V8. I think it was the one that had a speedometer with a thermometer-style bar that would change from green to yellow to red as it traversed from left to right across the miles per hour numbers. It might have been his '57 that had that trick speedometer, but I remember he used to joke that after it turned red and passed the 125 miles per hour mark, the radio would come on and play "Nearer My God to Thee." He finally gave up on Oldsmobiles and went to Chryslers in 1972. Kelly Motors, the local Sonora Olds dealer used to insist on placing big bumper stickers that had two green shamrocks and said "Buy Kelly Cars." on each car they serviced. As clever as that motto is, my uncle insisted on the service shop leaving his bumper unsullied by any such frivolous B.S. Well, the fools at Kelly Motors either insisted on, or inadvertently put a set of matching "Buy Kelly Cars" stickers on the back bumper of his car. Not only that, John Kelly refused to have his slaveys remove them when Uncle Alec told him to. So, Alec told John Kelly to go to hell and assured him that he'd seen the last of Alec Brady at his dealership. He peeled out of the driveway, now remember, Alec is 83 at this point, blasts up to the Opera Hall Garage and trades his year-old Olds in on a brand new Chrysler Newport two door hardtop. Later after the next meeting of the Lions Club, where Alec was known as "King Brady," he invited John Kelly out to the parking lot. No, not to fight, but to admire what Alec assured John was the first of what would be a whole line of Chryslers, purchased each and every even numbered year, instead of every odd year, as he had when he was an Oldsmobile man. View full size. You Tell 'Em, Unca Alec!He is a man after my heart! Anyone who puts a bumper sticker on MY baby will find my Birkentsock-shod foot placed firmly on his/her keister. FWIW, I, too, am a firm Mopar owner--a 300C is in my driveway. My sons say in all seriousness, "Mom drives like a bat out of Hell!" DH drives a Jeep. Wonderful Story; Wonderful PhotoBunaen, I can't decide which is better; your photo or the story behind it. I am in total agreement with your Uncle Alec about dealer stickers or logos on my cars; I have never allowed them. I did allow a dealer-branded license-plate surround, but that was easily replaceable and I told the dealer that how long it stayed on the car was dependent on the service and prices they provided. Funny how folks sometimes stay with particular makes of auto; my dad was a DeSoto guy until they went away, then he was an upper-end GM guy. I was more concerned with the color; for a while I only bought white cars. When I couldn't find a convertible Beetle or an FJ Cruiser in white, I discarded that habit! --Jim (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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