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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Packard enjoyed an industry-wide reputation for engineering excellence. The styling was quite conservative but the engineering always tried to stretch the limits---at least in the way Americans built cars back then.
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,059
    When my aunt and uncle and their 4 kids moved from PA to CA in the summer of 1978, they owned a green Pontiac wagon, that towed a travel trailer. I don't remember the exact year, but I think it was an early 70's vintage.

    My oldest cousins (fraternal twins) turned 16 that summer, and my cousin Kelli learned to drive in the Pontiac. She had this habit of "aiming" the car down the road, not making the small steering corrections necessary to keep the car in the lane. That didn't go so well, as you could imagine.

    Just to complete the story, my cousin Kevin had a '69 Camaro SS - his dad had driven the car out earlier in the year when he started his job in CA.

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  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    Demand was so great for the LaSalle that they had waiting lists at Cadillac dealers for the new car during 1927....




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    1927




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    Reading between the lines this text ad about GM's open mind was a critique of Henry Ford's closed mind and his static Model T. The Model T, little unchanged for more than 15 years, had become so outdated by 1927 that plunging sales forced Ford a month or so after this GM ad ran to shut down all of its dozens of factories that were making the Model T for about a year—because the replacement Model A wasn't ready. At the end of May of 1927 the 15 millionth Model T came off the assembly line and production of all Ford cars ended, sending Ford into free-fall and GM soaring. Ford's thousands of dealers had no new cars to sell for a very long time—and hundreds of Ford dealers were lured by GM into becoming Chevy dealers or dealers for their other brands. Ford by 1927 was epically mismanaged just as GM was firing on all cylinders.




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    1927




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    Late 1927....




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    The "Car Wars" of the 1920s were epic in their own way....Here's the market share for each of the big three starting in 1925. Ford fell off a cliff when it had to suspend production of the outdated Model T in mid 1927 because of collapsing sales. It was quite a while before production of the Model A began, but eventually it was a big hit. Even though in 1929 Ford reclaimed first place in sales by a small margin by number of units, in terms of total dollar sales GM remained ahead because of their richer product mix.

    1925 Ford 45% GM 19% Chrysler 3%
    1926 Ford 37% GM 27% Chrysler 4%
    1927 Ford 17% GM 42% Chrysler 5%
    1928 Ford 16% GM 42% Chrysler 11%
    1929 Ford 35% GM 33% Chrysler 9%
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    Even though people today often say "all cars look the same now", that was far more true back in the '20s. I think that is why I have never been all that interested in vehicles from that era.

    Getting back to the subject of car ads from the 1960s that stayed with me all these years later, I remember this one quite clearly. Not really sure why since I was never particularly interested in the car. Must have been that British-looking brunette. B)


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  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    Did Ford ever sell the Cortina in the US?
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I vaguely recall Ford dealers carrying some British Ford's, but I don't recall the model(s) (Wikipedia states: Anglia,Perfect and Cortina) and think it was a rather brief period of time like GM Vauxhall over at Pontiac dealers. Opel at Buick was longer lived here. British Ford may have sold more models in Canada though.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,407
    I am pretty sure US Ford dealers had Cortina for a short period, Canada had a much longer time with various British Fords on the market.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    texases said:

    Did Ford ever sell the Cortina in the US?

    For sure. That ad I posted was in either Car & Driver or Road & Track.

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  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    OK, I seemed to remember some Cortinas, but I thought that might have been a Canadian ad.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    This one from around the same time was also memorable for different reasons. A competitor to the Cortina among captive imports. It wasn't sold in Canada to my knowledge.


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  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    The Kadett I remember. I went with my dad when car shopping, we ended up with a '68 Valiant, but stopped by the Buick dealer and looked at the Kadett.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    edited January 2019
    I always wondered how they painted the racing stripe on the elephant and how they got it to run along the side of the road (assuming they did and it wasn't all photo retouching).

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    Methinks that was a lot of photo retouching...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,407
    60s Kadetts always make me think of this (prior model, I believe):

    image
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    That picture of Lutz is a classic.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    I like the Buick ad stating that they selected Lovejoy shocks as standard equipment for 1928. Delco-Remy (GM) purchased the Lovejoy Company in 1927 after being found in violation of Lovejoy's patents.

    The General was taking control of the domestic market in 1927 and 1928. Maybe it was the fake convertible top Chevrolet Landau which helped push GM past Ford in sales!

    Interesting history in the Packard ad too. The naval scene depicts the first US aircraft carrier USS Langley and what appears to be Vought VE-7 aircraft which was the first fighter aircraft of the U.S. Navy. Nothing powered by Packard but still impressive.
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    texases said:

    Methinks that was a lot of photo retouching...

    I hope so. It's amazing what an elephant can do to a car if he's in a bad mood.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    Mr. Talcott sure knew how to pick a winner... :D


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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Poor Mr. Talcott. Soon after he sold out, invested all his money in the new Betamax technology, and retired to Three Mile Island.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    I remember this ad as another that stuck with me. I think it might have appeared in Motor Trend. It is a brand that disappeared.


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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    edited January 2019
    This may be the most proportion-exaggerated Fitz and Van Pontiac ad I’ave ever seen.


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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    Let's just call this one "Voyage of the Damned". Dealer promo shot from the fall of 1957.


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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Pallbearers?
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Good one ! B)
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    The boys in the Mercury PR office in the fall of '56 must have thought that the rear deck of the '57 Mercury didn't look long enough, so they issued this pic in their press kit for the new models that featured the factory optional "Dream Car Spare Carrier" a.k.a. continental kit. Yikes.


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  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,670
    ab348 said:
    The boys in the Mercury PR office in the fall of '56 must have thought that the rear deck of the '57 Mercury didn't look long enough, so they issued this pic in their press kit for the new models that featured the factory optional "Dream Car Spare Carrier" a.k.a. continental kit. Yikes.
    Just imagine what it's like leaning over to reach in the trunk! 

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    Talk about an underbite! :s
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,407
    Good for tailgating though, lots of extra seating.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,670
    edited January 2019
    Do the spare wheels swing out or  something for easier access? Everything would have to be lifted over the rear quarter panels. 

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    edited January 2019
    Funny how model year 1957 paved the way to next year when Detroit seemed to lose all direction and boundaries. Speaking of all things big and no holding back, who offered the first 400 horsepower factory rated engine in an American passenger car for 1958?

    Here's a page from the factory brochure.

    Here's an example for sale at $65K.
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yep, most 1958 American cars were a mess. I suppose some of them are quite popular today due to the adage "it's so ugly it's cool", and I totally get that. The allure of the outrageous. But like outrageous people at a party, it gets old fast if you have to live with it for very long.

    Some cars transitioned into 1958 with less garishness than others. The '58 Vette, while nowhere near as pretty and clean as the '57, didn't go too overboard. But dual headlights? Please, not on a sports car.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    The '58 Merc actually looks worse than the '57. But one thing about the '58 was an improvement. Check out the detail in this taillight assembly! Space-age, man.


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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited January 2019
    Reminds me of 50s space movie props. It's definitely Robbie the Robot!

    But "ugly" hasn't gone away--it's just been re-invented for 2019!

    Slash! Gap! Slit! Corner! What-EVER!


  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,407
    Toyolex is using 1958 as a style guide, it seems. Unfortunately, instead of charming space age kitsch as a key factor, they are using faux aggression.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,105
    For some reason this reminds me of the Mercury:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm not sure what they're aiming for exactly, but I could have told them that 10-year-old boys don't buy a Lexus convertible. I'll be interested to see how they market this car in adverts.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited January 2019
    A bodacious claim, since 50 years prior to 1948 would be 1898. Surely, somebody on earth came out with a car with innovations prior to Tucker? It wasn't a very good car, anyway, but it did have interesting features that basically went....nowhere. "Ah, the 4-door sedan of the future--rear air-cooled engine with pre-selector transmission"---said no one ever.



  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    texases said:

    For some reason this reminds me of the Mercury:

    I think it is the taillight lenses that extend beyond the sides of the bodywork.

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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    Mr_Shiftright said:

    I'm not sure what they're aiming for exactly, but I could have told them that 10-year-old boys don't buy a Lexus convertible. I'll be interested to see how they market this car in adverts.

    It looks like they have almost done the impossible - design a convertible you cannot see out of.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It takes just as much talent to do something completely wrong as completely right.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,264
    edited January 2019
    Or as an engineer friend of mine likes to say: "Good design costs no more!"

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I agree about the 58 Merc. The over bulked it up or something - the auto steroids of 1958! I didn't mind the styling of the 57 Mercury and thought it differentiated it quite a bit from the Ford. Well, the Turnpike Cruiser went a little Flash Gordon perhaps ;)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    I've been busy at work, but in case there's interest here are some more advertisements from 1927....Back in those days kids could stand up in the back seat areas of many cars because of the huge amounts of head room and leg room.




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    1927....They named a car "Dictator"? I guess that's not that different from Imperial? And the Taj Mahal which was featured by Packard gets featured again. This Studebaker is painted with four different colors! The interior of the Buick does look comfortable.



    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,539
    edited January 2019
    Apparently in late 1927 the Chrysler Imperial 80 was the most powerful car you could buy. It could go 80 mph—thus the name.




    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2024 Subaru Outback (wife's), 2018 Honda CR-V EX (offspring)
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