Automotive Ads and Brochures

fintail

I am sure I told the story before: when I was a kid, I would buy large quantities of old National Geographics at yard sales, remove the car ads, bundle them up, and sell them in my parents antique mall booth. I think it was 10 ads for $10, and they'd usually sell within a week of me putting them out. When I was a teen, that was decent money! Especially as I could usually buy a box of old NGs for no more than $5.

uplanderguy

I seem to remember car ads in NG being keyed to what seemed to me to be NG's more 'discerning' audience; e.g., I don't remember Chevy II or Falcon ads. In fact, I can't say I remember Studebaker ads other than that Avanti ad, which was a top-end product at the time. I remember a lot of Cadillac and Buick ads in it.

ab348

One ad I remember seeing somewhere - it must have been online at some point but has now vanished - is a GM ad from the late '60s. I don't believe it was for any car brand (although there is a nagging thought in my head that it might have been Pontiac) but more likely for GM Corporate or Fisher Body Division. It showed a typically lovely young '60s lady, sitting amid a collection of colorful fabrics and other materials used in GM interiors of the day. It was unusual in that I believe it was done in a Middle Eastern/Arabian theme, right down to a large hookah that was next to where she was lounging. Would love to see that one again.

fintail

I recall a lot of Caddy and Buick ads in those old NGs, Lincoln was there too, plenty of Buick/Olds and fancier model Mopars. There would also be more mainstream Chevy Ford and Dodge/Plymouth ads here and there, but probably always a well-trimmed fullsize model.

Coke ads were also a good seller, I maybe even sold those at a premium, or fewer in a bundle. If the old NGs were just going to end up at the dump anyway, at least I saved part of them.

uplanderguy

I remember the Cadillac ads of the early '60's that featured a jewelled necklace or bracelet of the Cadillac crest, close-up. Also remember their ads with a two-or-three-year-old Cadillac in the background, talking about the value of a pre-owned Cadillac over a new fill-in-the-blank.

fintail

I recall those jewelry themed ads in the NGs, I think they might have started around 56-57, and went into the mid 60s. The era when Caddy was maybe at the top of their game.

I also recall reading something along those new vs used lines in an old Mechanix Illustrated, or something similar - I'd also pick those up at sales, and read some of them. Someone wrote in about whether to buy a new Chevy or 3 year Cadillac. This would have been in the early 60s, I think. IIRC wife wanted the Chevy, husband wanted the Caddy, and the response was it depends on your priorities.

uplanderguy

Just stumbled on this other '64 Studebaker ad I don't recall seeing previously.

My favorite color for the Hawk that year, and even though I can get tired of red, I think that red sedan--the angle of the pic, color, and trim--looks good. Rather stands the test of compact-sedan time.

Just four months into the '64 model year, Studebaker shut down U.S. assembly, discontinuing the Avanti, Gran Turismo Hawk, and all trucks.

Not an outside mirror in the bunch here.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

Just four months into the '64 model year, Studebaker shut down U.S. assembly, discontinuing the Avanti, Gran Turismo Hawk, and all trucks.

I wonder how much finished car inventory they had of those two cars at the time. And I wonder if they had discussions in the boardroom of running the plants at or near capacity for a while before the announcement to use up parts inventories and provide some extra vehicle stock for dealers to cushion the blow.

uplanderguy

There's some evidence that they did 'build out' the Hawk. As an example, the last day of production, 12/20/63, 31 of 108 cars built were Hawks; a notably larger cut of the production total than sales would normally indicate.

Not sure about the Avanti, but I've always heard that Nathan Altman who resurrected the Avanti as the Avanti II, got a good price on the building and leftover parts and in fact was still using some Studebaker-sourced parts many years into his production.

Avantis were in fact built until 12/26/63, in their own building. Avantis had more hand-work done on them as opposed to Hawks and Lark-types built on the regular assemby line. I know a lady who has an Avanti built on that last day. When she bought it, she didn't know nor did the selling dealer (classic car dealer). I recognized the serial number (5634) as only nine from the last Studebaker Avanti.

uplanderguy

I remember only ever seeing one B&W ad for a '64 Studebaker Champ pickup, in some farming magazine, but can't locate it now. Did find this short promotional color film for it. You can't see too much how the bed was wider than the cab, but at least the styling matches the cab I think. This wide bed was used by Dodge on their '58-60 pickups. The width matches better, but I think the styling of the bed actually matches the Stude cab better than the Dodge, LOL.

America's lowest-priced pickup they often advertised, and had some exclusives like the sliding rear window and 5-speed trans available. They also advertised that since the truck itself was lighter, but was rated the same as other half-ton pickups, you could safely carry more. That is probably debatable!

Their claim of 'no exposed metal' inside is an exaggeration--you can see it inside!--but I do remember riding in a '66 Chevy pickup. Other than the vinyl seat and floor covering, every bit else inside was indeed metal.

I could like the very Champ shown in this video, although I like Champs with narrow(ish) whitewalls best. I'd also need a radio!

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/short-promotional-film-for-the-1964-studebaker-champ-pick-news-footage/169827640

fintail

This is a fun (local to PNW) ad. First the car - a color combo that once could have been called the height of passe, but I think now looks quite good on this car. And the jingle - - something echoing in my head since childhood, the dealer used it at least into the late 80s (probably dates to the 60s):

https://youtu.be/1XkoVNzMMQo

imidazol97

I never felt those were divided up right. I wonder how it would look were the colors reversed.

What year is that puppy?

fintail

Ad claims it's a 79. The off white/cream and brown works.

imidazol97 said:

I never felt those were divided up right. I wonder how it would look were the colors reversed.

What year is that puppy?

imidazol97

The only exemplars I found on duckduckgo.com search were W30 models in that pattern two tone. Was that paint style exclusive to those models?

I like the one with the darker side and back than the hood color.

fintail

Nice wheels on that W30. I don't know much about those cars, just thought the one in the old ad didn't look half bad for what it is.

ab348

imidazol97 said:

The only exemplars I found on duckduckgo.com search were W30 models in that pattern two tone. Was that paint style exclusive to those models?

They came in two color schemes, the one you showed and this, which I believe is slightly more common:

uplanderguy

My other favorite '60's Stude magazine ad photo.

fintail

Here's an unusual ad. I estimate late 1962-early 1963 by a couple of the details on the car, I've never seen a fintail in this color, in person:



Also interesting that an "oilman" would be cast as driving this car, which was a nicer model but not top of the line, maybe in the low 5K range at most when new. Also note this is a Stude era ad.

fintail

Regarding the Olds, the paint must have not been exclusive to W30s - the car in the ad does not have W30 decals and appears to have different wheels. A loaded car probably.

ab348

Everything you want to know about the '79 W-30 H/O is here:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1979-hurst-olds-w30

uplanderguy

fin, in that the M-B ad has a zip code for South Bend, the ad would be July 1, 1963 or later.

fintail

That makes sense , as it might have been photographed just before. MB made detail changes to cars then at random times rather than for model years. The bullet type turn signal lenses date to after roughly mid 1962, I think, but the mirror on the fender is no newer than 1963.

lemko1968

Saturday would’ve been the 95th anniversary of Pontiac.

williamms

ab348 said:

Everything you want to know about the '79 W-30 H/O is here:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1979-hurst-olds-w30

that's what I swear I'm looking for.

uplanderguy

'74 Pontiac ad--slamming Ford quietly, LOL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl9DpGKz30k&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3_fjvFloTpMhvSmuHsemgJl-Ov9P-dfCoDq1KI5dq2ZPX-VV0U9NcPPuw

texases

Grand Am "foreign intrigue"....

uplanderguy

Maybe in the four-door sedan version.

sda

Dad bought a used 73 Grand Am in 1980 for my sisters to drive. It was the 4dr, in a solid butterscotch color with brown interior. Though the color wasn't my choice, it was a nice car that swilled gas to around 10mpg.

uplanderguy

I don't think I ever saw a four-door in person. In our town I remember two or three white coupes with red and blue striping.

uplanderguy

'63 Studebaker auto show handout. I do think the lineup looks great from this angle.

ab348

The Studebaker Museum posted this 1963 ad today on Twitter:

imidazol97

I love the explanation of the bragging in the title: "Q-Car."
"Q Boats are potent warships disguised as innocent-looking merchantmen to fool the enemy in wartime."

uplanderguy

I like that ad, but detest the placement of the mirror. I've never once seen another factory photo of a Lark, or real car for that matter, with the mirror in that location.

I always liked their plucky attitude near the end, LOL.

That's pretty similar to my old '63 white Daytona Hardtop, without the sunroof and without an Avanti engine (no badging on front fender). Although, I've read that the badges didn't get installed until March, and that dealers were told to contact owners of previous '63 sales to get the badges installed, for free I assume. Mine was built before March (Sept. '62 actually), but has the badges in 1964 photos of the car.

I like '63 Studes but other than the Avanti, their magazine ads, sadly, were B&W. I always liked this ad too:

fintail

Interestingly, fintails before ~1963 also had a fender mounted mirror like that - not the best ergonomics, as you can't adjust it from behind the wheel. It moved to the door, where it belonged.

Surprised Stude didn't do a body colored wheelcover design for full MB vibes.

I found this old promo pic interesting - MB appears to have used several tire suppliers or designs in the early 60s, this one appears to have the whitewall width of my car:

ab348

uplanderguy said:

'63 Studebaker auto show handout. I do think the lineup looks great from this angle.

The Avanti pictured above seems to have exterior mirrors mounted in the same position as the car in the Q-ship ad does.

uplanderguy

I've seen Avantis with mirrors like that (hate it too), but never a Lark besides that one ad. I've seen most factory Stude photos of that period with no mirrors (I like the look, but couldn't deal with driving like that), but have seen door mirrors on Avanti pics too.

uplanderguy

fin, twice in the past week, I've seen photos that include a black or dark-colored '63 Lark with the white bands on the full wheelcovers painted dark to match the body. Either they were the same car (both pics were a Daytona Hardtop), or that was a thing to do then.

imidazol97

uplanderguy said:

fin, twice in the past week, I've seen photos that include a black or dark-colored '63 Lark with the white bands on the full wheelcovers painted dark to match the body. Either they were the same car (both pics were a Daytona Hardtop), or that was a thing to do then.

Does anyone have a picture of this?

uplanderguy

Here's one. I prefer the white band on the full wheel covers but I'm used to seeing them that way. The Hawk's wheelcovers did not have the white band. I do know a couple guys who had/have '63 Larks that didn't like the white band wheelcovers and installed '62 full wheelcovers, full bright metal but for a small red center.

uplanderguy

'64 Studebaker ad I always liked.

fintail

I posted the 1963 MB "oil man" ad some time ago, I recently stumbled across this pic, a high resolution version of the scene, not from a period magazine. Tires appear almost identical to the style of mine:

benjaminh

Some ads from January of 1933....

fintail

That was a bad year for the depression. Styles started evolving pretty fast after that, probably hastened by the Airflow, which while we all know was not a home run, had huge influence.

benjaminh

January of 1933....

benjaminh

benjaminh

1933

benjaminh

1933

benjaminh

1933

benjaminh

1933

benjaminh

1933. Wow, the Great Depression really drove down prices.