Tag Archives: autos

Kinda crazy how that’s now a monthly payment.

Double truck (2-page) Overland magazine ad found in the June 7, 1913 issue of the Saturday Evening Post

Double truck (2-page) Overland magazine ad found in the June 7, 1913 issue of the Saturday Evening Post

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Death of a traveling salesman

Magazine ad for Hertz found in the October 9, 1967, issue of Newsweek
Magazine ad for Hertz found in the October 9, 1967, issue of Newsweek

Avis might’ve reached advertising legend status with its “When you’re only No.2, you try harder. Or else.” ad and eventual “We try harder.” tagline, but I gotta tell ya, this 1967 Hertz ad is its own kind of awesome. I never knew it existed before picking up a short stack of old Newsweek magazines at a local flea market this weekend. And the word count in this single print ad? 385.

Avis v. Hertz – a history. 

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Beep beep! It’s a ‘Jeep’.

Print ad for the WIllys-Overland 'Jeep' Station Wagon found in the January, 1947 issue of Holiday magazine.
Print ad for the WIllys-Overland ‘Jeep’ Station Wagon found in the January, 1947 issue of Holiday magazine.

The 1946 Willys Jeep station wagon was the first 2-door station wagon.

This was just seven years after the first Jeep prototype (“Quad”) was delivered to the US Army. It was designed in just 75 days.

The History of the Station Wagon

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A nice little surprise from the agitator of men

A bit of correspondence from Enzo Ferrari
A bit of correspondence from Enzo Ferrari

A month or so back, I bought several old issues of La Domenica del Corriere, a weekly with cool front and back cover illustrations, on eBay from a guy in Italy who seemed to specialize in racing/auto stuff. Well, they finally arrived rolled up in a poster tube, and when I took them out, I found this nice little surprise sticking out between some of the pages — a card of typed correspondence from Enzo Ferrari signed in his signature* purple ink. Groovy.

*I just saw what I did there.

The life of Enzo Ferrari in the UK’s GQ

A nice bit on Enzo Ferrari’s choice of purple ink.

Washed-out bridge ahead? No problem!

1920 magazine for the Willys-Overland Overland 4

1920 magazine ad for the Willys-Overland Overland 4

From 1912-18, Willys was the 2nd-biggest American automobile maker.
Ford was 1st, the bastards.

Willys-Overland is the company that eventually brought us the Jeep.

Let’s take the 1920 Overland 4 for a spin.

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America’s Hot New Success Car… There are success cars?

Ford Torino magazine ad found on the back cover of an April 6, 1968 Saturday Evening Post
Ford Torino magazine ad found on the back cover of an April 6, 1968 Saturday Evening Post

The Torino was an upscale variation of the Ford Fairlane, eventually replacing it. Sorry, Andrew Dice Clay.

The car was named after Turin, the home of a certain shroud

You might notice some shared DNA with a certain ’73 Ford Falcon used in a dusty Australian movie.

And don’t forget about The Striped Tomato.

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Ready and eager!

This is no time for sidesaddle.
Magazine ad for the 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88
Magazine ad for the 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88

Bone shards:

Street cred? This car had it.

Oldsmobile’s Rocket engine was kind of a big deal.

The voice of Rocket in the Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy movies is Bradley Cooper.

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In hindsight, perhaps a teeter-totter wasn’t the best visual metaphor.

Packard "Balance" ad from the June 4, 1927 issue of The Literary Digest
Packard “Balance” ad from the June 4, 1927 issue of The Literary Digest

Something for the auto buffs: Why Packard Died

Want a Packard of your very own? Looks like a 1929 Packard 645 Deluxe Eight goes for an average of $212,926 these days. What a bargain!

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Sorry to bug you.

Volkswagen Beetle magazine ad from around 1970
circa 1970

Q: Where do Volkswagens go when they get old?

A: The Old Volks home.

I’m so sorry.

Not-really-fun fact: The Volkswagen Beetle was originally named the Volkswagen Type 1 and marketed as the Volkswagen.

More VW Beetle trivia here via Mental Floss.

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“Be the first in your crowd to drive the Dodge Super Grape.”

1970 Dodge Plum Crazy Challenger R/T ad
1970 Dodge Plum Crazy Challenger R/T ad

Can I get it in a light urple?

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