Automotive Ads and Brochures

benjaminh

In 1930 there were ads for Buicks and comics about the bear market....

benjaminh

1930

fintail

Funny that one might guess a little artistic license was used on the length of the Cord hood, but the real thing is also pretty long:

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

1931

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1931

ab348

I am reading a biography of Harley Earl entitled "Fins" and seeing those early 1930s cars I still find it difficult to see much difference in style between any of them except for the super premium ones. The books says that in his first few years at GM he had trouble getting the divisional engineers who traditionally designed (not necessarily "styled") the cars to accept his designs, so perhaps that explains it. Sloan, who was his biggest ally in management, certainly recognized an opportunity to differentiate GM from the pack.

ab348

I saw this Mercury ad from 1964 posted elsewhere today. At first I thought it was a Photoshop job, but looking at it up close makes me think it was legit. Strange choice of image.

texases

Took me a while - I guess the volunteer fire department gets to the fire in Mercuries! At first I thought they were just onlookers.

benjaminh

ab348 said:

I am reading a biography of Harley Earl entitled "Fins" ....

Yeah, that book is good.

Another car book I recommend is:

Engines of Change
A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars
By: Paul Ingrassia

He was the auto reporter for the WSJ and won a Pulitzer prize.

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

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benjaminh

1931
A political cartoon commenting on the new "5-year plan" in the Soviet Union.

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

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1931

texases

When did GM switch to all-metal construction?

omarman

Even with the depression there was a lot to choose from in 1931. I still like the Franklin. The aircraft-type engines outlasted the Franklin car company which was bankrupt by 1934. Former employees bought the Franklin motor rights and formed their own company, Aircooled Motors, and kept the Franklin name brand for their aircraft engines.

Eventually a flat six Franklin O-335 was modified to water-cooled for use in the Tucker 48. By that time Tucker had bought Aircooled Motors though his family sold the business to Aero Industries in 1961.

In 1975 Franklin motor rights and drawings were sold to the government of Poland where the engines were built and installed in light aircraft in Poland.

I found this posted on Wiki but I question how up to date it really is:
The company is now called Franklin Aircraft Engines Sp. z o.o. with the address ul. Chełmińska 208 in 86-300 Grudziądz city in Poland. At Aero Friedrichshafen 2016 the company had new engines on display. The innovations include modifications to the type certificate of the 6A-350; the approval for MOGAS, as well as fuel injection is pending at EASA.

I read nothing there about FAA certification.

So unless somebody somewhere is still building and supplying parts for the latest version of the very popular Franklin 220 then it's probably gone for good by now.

benjaminh

texases said:

When did GM switch to all-metal construction?

It was a slow process, but starting in I think 1933 GM began advertising their steel "Turret Top," but I don't think all of GM went all steel until maybe 1936 or so? Here's a link that has some info. And there's a historical story about it at the site Auto News, but I've already reached my story limit for the month and so I can't read that one. But this one seems pretty good:

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=165855

benjaminh

1931

fintail

Funny that advertising a wooden structure would be seen as something positive. That wouldn't last long. Funny thing for all the cars of that era, I've always liked Model As, since I was a little kid. Kind of spunky, I like the exhaust note, many bodystyles, rugged, cheap. Simple tastes for the depression, but at the same time I like Packards, opposite end of the spectrum.

benjaminh

1931

fintail

Now there's a bathroom fit for a V16 car. Looks...slippery.

I remember going to an estate sale maybe 5 years ago in a fancy 1930 house, and the bathrooms were amazing, all original, heavily tiled, and every bedroom had a bathroom. I should see if the listing photos are still up somewhere - they don't make em like that anymore.

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

1931
The GM ad talks about their new "Art and Color Section."

benjaminh

1931

benjaminh

1931

imidazol97

Neat reading the Greyhound ads and the Underwood typewriter ad. I remember Underwood, Remington, Smith Corona, etc., from the 50s.

benjaminh

1931

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1931
The REO has a 152 inch wheelbase....

benjaminh

1931

fintail

Looks like the Spring cover is by JC Leyendecker (more obscure info from my hobbyist antique dealer parents, I eventually learned about period illustrators).

sda

Every time I see the Reo Royale, I know where Olds got the name and used it again, IIRC, 71 Olds 88 Royale coupe and liberally used years later.

omarman

Royale makes me think of this scene.

benjaminh

1931

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benjaminh

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sda

Is this your car, Stickguy?

benjaminh

1931