Vintage Cars
As long-time readers of GDB might know, I am a big fan of vintage automobiles - but I don't know much about them! I just love the way they look, and the way certain styles from certain years evoke something about the culture and the nation. I chose three scans for today, but am going to have to rely on the expertise of the Junior Gorillas as far as ID-ing the cars. I made a bit of an effort, but got nowhere.
First up is this 1950s photo of a station wagon down by the ocean. It sure looks like Florida, or somewhere on the Gulf Coast. It also looks like a beer commercial. Perhaps the dock is where you could catch a fishing boat. Get out there and get some tarpon, or even a barracuda! Mmmm, toothy.
Might as well stick with the "down by the water" theme; I think I see mangroves, so perhaps this is Florida again. I can imagine a family leaving their frozen home up north to enjoy the relative warmth of the south.
And finally, a man poses with his pride and joy, a bulbous (yet streamlined!) beauty that I just couldn't ID, as much as I tried. The Indiana license plate is from 1948.
12 comments:
A nice photo! I like the spots of light and shadow, highlights and shade. I bet those palm trees make a "big W" when seen from a certain angle. I tried zooming in on the license plate, but with uncertain results. It might be Florida, but I couldn't really make the letters cooperate. This picture must've been taken during the Covid years, the guy leaning against the tree is wearing a face mask. ;-) OK, so it's not a face mask. Is there someone else next to him? Or is that 'mask' actually something on the dock, farther back?
2) Someone must've been really proud of their new(?) car, to showcase it so prominently amongst all the other stuff going on. Is that a boat behind the car (on the right)? Seems odd for it to be hot pink and red in the 1950s. Meanwhile, somebody give that guy on the left edge a towel. His lower half is nekkid! :-p
3) There's more to this pic than I first thought. Junior can be seen behind the wheel, through the glare on the windshield. And someone else is sitting next to him, almost invisible. The girl with her head poking out of the passenger side window is holding a doll, which I thought was a real baby at first. And I can't tell what that red thing is in the back. I love the shiny chrome on this car!
Major, like you, I like the looks of vintage cars but know practically nothing about them. Thanks for the photos.
Major-
The 1st image is sporting a 1955 Ford Country Sedan, [probably] in Snowshoe White.
In the 2nd image, we have a 1951 Mercury, [probably] in Tomah Ivory, sitting in front of a 1957 Chevrolet, [probably] in Lakespur Blue. It appears the 'black' car behind the Mercury is a 1949 Ford; and the 'tan' car behind the Ford is a 1955 or 1956 Pontiac.
The beauty in the final image is a 1942 Oldsmobile, [probably] in Slate Green ... or maybe Forest Green.
Thanks, Major.
Well, that's that. I did pick out the 57 Chevy, I'm so proud. I like old cars too. I used to have a hardcover book about the cars of the '50s and '60s. I kept it on a table in my office. One day I realized someone had borrowed it. Was that you, Nanook?
Thanks for the vintage cars, Major.
Zach
There had to be some kind of mystical convergence in the universe with the evolution of the primate brain, the development of the camera, and the invention of the automobile, that resulted in humans' irresistible urge to photograph themselves standing next to their cars. I've seen too many examples going back to the early 1900s to discount it. I think it's awesome! My own family albums are full of them! "See my wheels!"
@Nanook, my Mom's first car was a used 1957 Chevy. The story goes that there were two on the lot: one in Larkspur Blue and one in Tropical Turquoise. Mom really wanted the blue, but she could only get a loan with a co-signer, and Grandma would only co-sign if she got the turquoise. So Tropical Turquoise it was!
There was one part of Grandma's woods that was full of old cars from this era that Grandpa and my oldest uncle had brought home from the junkyard for parts, and we cousins used to play in them when we were over. I wish I'd paid more attention to what they were. Back then, all I thought was, Cool! Spooky! Now, all I think is, I'm glad we didn't get hurt!
Major, I like old cars too, and also have mostly no idea what any of these models are. I like the warm water theme though.
I found a great photo of my Dad with his new(ish) car, taken in 1942, and then in another box I found the cancelled check for $400 for the “1938 Chevy”, dated 1941. A quick internet search proved that was for the same car. That’s the extent of my old car research.
Thanks for this change of pace.
JG
Melissa, I guess getting a new card was a "special" day, worthy of expensive film and developing.
I can't work out how the front doors on that green Oldsmobile could open with the fender flares extending halfway across the doors. Even with the visible seam, I'd think the two sections of flares with crush each other.
@Dean Finder, you can only open the doors once, smashing the fenders in the process. But as my mother always says, what price glory? Seriously, though, I'd LOVE to see how it works in action! I would want the two sections of fender to make an accordion noise when they fold up.
JB, that first photo looks like an ad for Corona beer. It’s funny, every once in a while I’ll see palm trees somewhere that happen to make a “big W”, and it’s impossible not to think of “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World”. I wish I liked that movie more, in some ways it’s fun - wide screen, great color, tons of stars - but I am not crazy about the manic humor. Maybe that car in photo #2 doesn’t even belong to the person who took the photo? I’ve seen people take pictures of cars on the street that they liked. There’s a famous Norman Rockwell painting with a family going (and returning) from vacation, that third picture reminds me of it a bit.
Nanook, “Snowshoe White”, love it. I’ve never seen white snowshoes, but hey, why not? “Tomah Ivory”?? What the heck is a Tomah? Arnold Schwarzenegger knows. Weirdly, that 1942 Oldsmobile might be my favorite of the day, though the Country Sedan is up there. Thanks Nanook.
zach, hey, you gotta take your wins when you can! Wow, imagine stealing somebody’s book from an office. I had a toy in my cubicle at Disney that disappeared one weekend, no idea if another employee took it or what.
Melissa, considering the magnitude of the purchase of a car, I can totally understand wanting a photo with your new pride and joy. I’ve never taken a picture with any of my cars! I think my mom’s first car was a ’58 Ford, she used to use that as one of her security questions (“What was your first car?”). Sort of strange that your grandmother didn’t let your mom get the color that SHE wanted. But turquoise is nice. I sometimes see people on YouTube pulling an old car out of the woods, and am always astonished that, as rusty and ruined as they are, they often will start with a bit of fuel.
JG, wow, in 1942, $400 was a chunk of money. OK, I’ve overcome my laziness, and looked it up - it would be the equivalent of around $9,500. I’m amazed that you still have that paperwork!
Dean Finder, hmmm, good point about those front doors. Maybe Nanook knows how it was done!
@ Dean Finder & Melissa-
"I can't work out how the front doors on that green Oldsmobile could open with the fender flares extending halfway across the doors". "... you can only open the doors once, smashing the fenders in the process". Sheer genius-!
Evidently, describing them as fuselage fenders is part of the secret. The other part [at least for the rear doors] is wearing a top hat and tails - as one does when motoring-! Just check out THIS MONTAGE of theatrical promos, where you can easily hear the references to WWII, but also alliterative copy run amok.
Brings back distant memories. Our '53 Plymouth had a hood vent like that pictured in the third photo. Imagine those humid days back East with no air conditioning other than open wing windows, the hood vents that you could manually open...oh and slo the manual side vents to provide the driver and front side passinger with circulation at floor level. Only worked when moving, so sitting in traffic...ugh! KS
Thanks for that video, Nanook! Boy, do I want some of what that copywriter is drinking for lunch! Dollars to donuts he was writing comic books on the side.
"The cost? Less than you might expect!"
"Is it price that you're asking about? Far less than you might think!"
These sound less like ad copy and more like something a polite hostess says to nosy guests who want to know how much everything in the house cost.
@ Melissa-
"Boy, do I want some of what that copywriter is drinking for lunch!"
No kidding. And just when did huskier and broad shouldered become a 'feature' one looks for when shopping for automobiles-??!! It sounds more like a slogan from Bond Clothes in describing one of their new 'two trouser suits'-!
"The cost? Less than you might expect!"
The first thought running through my head when I heard that one was - 'How do you know what I might expect', Mr. know-it-all-??
Post a Comment