(first posted 4/11/2017)
Part 1 and Part 2 of this series from Dave Gelinas’ collection of vintage slides were popular, so let’s do another gallery. This one is of a beautiful sunset along with an attractive young woman and a colorful ’58 Pontiac.
Here they are again, set against the last gloaming of a sunset with the dramatic NYC skyline behind them. The flash is a bit too bright, reflected against the Pontiac’s light trunk.
We’ve seen this half of the young couple a number of times before, and here she is on a snowy day in NYC.
Here’s the other half, with their ’56 Sunliner at a view point.
And taking a happy hour break on one of their many outings. Portable radio, of the time.
This is not actually a snapshot, but a staged photo shoot at the Sahara Resort in Las Vegas. The cars, a Lincoln convertible and Mercury wagon, are color-matched to the resort’s exterior.
This one is from Flint, MI., so how much do you want to bet this ’60 Buick is being driven by a Buick employee or retiree?
Getz’s Restaurant in Cumberland, Maryland. Bet the food was pretty good. The quality of restaurant food took a bit jump when we moved from Iowa to Maryland in 1965. Instead of frozen fish sticks that were actually battered and breaded cardboard, suddenly we were exposed to a whole new world of fresh sea food. Crabs, whole or in crab cakes; fish of all sorts, and really great fried chicken. It was one of the few consolations of that move.
I think we’ve seen the Buick woodie before, but not in this pose.
Sadly, this does not appear to be a Kodachrome slide, as the colors have faded, along with the smiles. Even the dog looks unhappy. Maybe they didn’t really like their Hudson?
Lunch time on the road, somewhere out West, in a scene that is familiar to us. Got to have hot tea from a thermos after a long drive or hike.
Three special friends and their ’54 Buick. Have you noticed how many Buicks there are in all these shots? Well, the early-mid 50s were Buick’s glory days, claiming the #4 sales spot starting in 1949, and even taking #3 in ’55 and ’56. And Buick drivers tended to be the sort of more financially comfortable folks who would have a nice camera and color film.
Here’s a foursome, probably just exiting the restaurant.
The friendly gas station owner, back in the day when running a small gas station was a way to make a reasonable living.
Another Buick driver stopping for a snow ball fight.
A real boat of a ’55 Caddy by the lake.
A shriner with his ’57 Mercury. I remember seeing cars with wardrobe bars full of clothes like that back in the day; but it was always a couple without kids, for obvious reasons.
Two friends and a Cadillac, somewhere in Iowa.
A dapper middle-aged woman with a dapper ’58 Impala convertible, both with white tops, and an early Burger King across the street.
Like everyone else in these shots, this young man is well dressed along with his pristine ’50 Ford convertible.
On the beach, with a big Buick.
Isn’t it another Buick, getting a drink from an old-fashioned gas pump?
A ’56 Buick getting its Saturday morning wash.
And another one, waiting for one of those steaks. This how folks grilled back in the day; not on one of these modern wussy gas grilles.
I love this shot, not surprisingly. These folks are on the road, in their camper van and with a Jeep hooked to it in the rear. I’m guessing that screen on the bottom of the door is to keep the dog from falling out while on the go with the door open, which undoubtedly it was, it being summer-time.
And thanks to CC, we now know the ’58 Pontiac didn’t share Chevy’s horrendous 1st-year X-frame! 🙂
Umm; Pontiac did use the X frame from ’58 -’60.
And you know what, it wasn’t “horrendous” by any stretch of that word. I’m still not sure why folks are so down on it; are there actual reviews from the time where reviewers feel that it was any more flexible than other systems? I’d actually like to see that, if so.
I don’t see it as optimal, but it was an approach that combined with substantially-stiffened body sills and ribbing on the floor pan made a system that seemed to work quite well enough. The only real concern was of course if/when the reinforced rockers rusted out. The claims of it being less safe in a side impact might be true to some extent or another, but then unibody cars like the Chryslers and Ramblers didn’t have a frame member on their perimeters either.
Essentially, the x-Frame system was something of a hybrid of BOF and unibody.
I’ll update my reply in 2017, as I’ve come to realize that the X Frame had no intrinsic shortcomings. It was stiff; stiffer than the perimeter frames that replaced it. It certainly wasn’t “horrendous” in any stretch of the word.
Lotus seems to have agreed with your assessment.
Wonderful photos again! Even if the woman is petite, the height of that Buick wagon is impressive. Modern vehicles really have gone back to early postwar proportions.
The dapper woman with the ’58 Impala reminds me of my grandmother. She had a ’56 Buick Special or Century hardtop coupe in this era. He kids were grown, she was working, and my grandparents were living it up as a two income, two car, empty nest couple.
Brings back a lot of memories – some of these photos are very similar to ones inherited from my grandparents. I was very young, but remember the mid-50s porthole Buick my great grandfather drove.
I noticed the ’40s Chevy next to the early ’50s Chrysler. The Chevy reminds me of the ’41 Master Deluxe Town Sedan I drove for a while in high school. In this photo, I can’t tell if it’s a two- or four-door sedan.
It’s definitely from 1941-1948; Chevy used the same style taillights through that whole period. Can’t be earlier than 1941; the taillights were more vertical in 1940, and the running boards were concealed starting in 1941.
I love this series. Thank you SO MUCH for running it. Photos like this take me back to my childhood, when the people were friendlier and it was always summer. (Rose tinted glasses firmly in place, of course.) My favorite cars? Well, of course y’all know I’ll pick the Fords. I love that blue ’56 Sunliner, but the white ’54 that the garage man is cheerfully tanking up takes the prize for me. Mighty purty 1950 Ford, too.
What a great collection. here’s my Godmother on her honeymoon and my folks with the only yellow Merc just after the war-my dad blew his GI Bill on it, all of NYC wanted to buy from him on the street.
Looks like a 1940?
Yep, good eye!
And the Lincoln…
I love old pictures like these. Picture 5 (on the picnic) is a real slice of 1950s life. How could you go on a picnic without a convertible, a radio, cigarettes and bourbon and ginger ale for cocktails?
Photo 17 (the Shriner with his 57 Mercury) hides a genuine 1956 Plymouth Fury hardtop (one of about 4500 made) parked in the background along the side street.
Picture 23 (guy washing his 56 Buick) is a pure slice of middle America – he may have a weed-infested yard in an old neighborhood of little houses but he has a four-hole Buick! And who else remembers those backyard barrels for burning your trash?
Trash was much more burner friendly back then. Too much plastic today.
That made me think of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in a lower-middle class, working class neighborhood. The folks across the street had a ’56 Buick Special or Century two-door hardtop. The folks to the east of us on the corner had a ’49 Cadillac convertible. But another neighbor had a 1940s Nash, and another neighbor had a 1940s Dodge. What did we have? Well, the first cars I remember were our 1941 Chevy Master Deluxe Town Sedan and a 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood, with its light grey paint completely chalked. The next car was a 1952 Cadillac 62 sedan, black, with rusty rocker panels. Despite the rust, I liked the car. But Dad had to move on, and he replaced it with the noisy, slow, smoky 1961 Mercedes 190Db. Eventually the neighbor across the street replaced his Buick with a Checker, I think because he could transport his disabled wife more easily. Gradually everything else changed, too.
We didn’t burn trash, but burning leaves on the street in the fall is a great memory. Huge piles of them, crisp and dry, with an unforgettable smell. It was like a neighbourhood party.
One fall, when I’m (really) old and cranky, I may burn a big pile just for the entertainment of the local kids, and to see how long it takes to get arrested. It would probably make the TV news (‘Old man sets fire to east Vancouver street!), and there’d be 4 fire trucks, 20 firefighters, a hazmat team, paramedics, 2 police cars, and a paddy wagon all here within 15 minutes. I see handcuffs. 🙂
Don’t forget the fun of diving into the huge heap of crispy leaves!
My father worked for a chemical processing company, from 1950 until he retired in 1984. They had hundreds, if not thousands, of empty 55 gallon barrels that were free for the taking (for the employees). Like every other place in the U.S. in the fifties and sixties people in our town burned their garbage and then the town picked up the ashes, When anyone on our block needed a new barrel they would mention it to my dad and he would bring one home. God only knows what variety of toxic chemicals got released into the atmosphere that way.
These photos really bring back some memories, from when life was much simpler and, as someone said, it was always summer. That 1960 Ford from the restaurant in Maryland really jumped out at me; my parents had one the same color (although it was a two door), and that was the car that I learned to drive in.
For some reason Coney Island boardwalk still uses that kind of barrel for garbage cans. Lots of them. The garbage bags (unknown back then!) fit nicely.
That guy grilling steaks kinda looks like Kevin Costner.
Look at the size of those steaks!
I think they’re ribs.
Image # 6 is of two 1958 cars – a Mercury but not a Lincoln.
Rather it is a Continental Mk. III – something different from a Lincoln.
I notice many of the cars are two-toned. Beautiful colors and beautiful cars!
The people look like true solid citizens–the type who, if you asked them for help, would be glad to do so.
The radio on the picnic table in the 5th photo looks like a Zenith Transoceanic. The Cadillac of Radios, with AM and shortwave but no FM band. FM was definitely still a bit of a novelty back then.
Good call, but not just any Trans-o, the premium hazel nut leather wrapped model !
For the kids, typical portable radios back then were far smaller. Being pre-transistor (those came out in the late 50’s) they used vacuum tubes. I think they were smaller tubes than normal and probably used less energy than a table version, but still a lot since they necessarily were producing significant heat. They used special longish brick shaped batteries, not D cells (if anyone remembers those!). The battery cost per hour of use must have been pretty high.
The radio is actually an “RCA Stratoworld” because of the brown case. The “Strato” was only made for about 4 years. Most Zenith T/O s’ had black cases unless they were “specially” made for military use.
Here the Pix…RCA Stratoworld
Which country is this? – I’m going there
Luke F.
It was a whole different country back then.
Yes, it was and if I was given the choice of living in the year 2017 vs 1957 I’d have to chose 1957. So much simpler and for those not around at the time it would be hard to explain. Wasn’t perfect as race relations weren’t great in many places but the lack of today’s tech would be a plus.
I wouldn’t want to go back and live in 1957. It only seemed simpler because those of us who remember and are commenting here were children at the time.
Children don’t have to worry about adult things like working or paying taxes or mortgages.
And having the constant threat of nuclear annihilation by the Soviets makes today’s risk of terrorism (in the US at least) pale by comparison.
And we would be unlikely to be posting comments on a blog back then.
Agreed! As someone born in 1953, times were indeed “simpler”, and I’d like to visit for nostalgia’s sake, but certainly not to *live* there…
Sure, the cars were more varied and exotic and “fun”, but I remember that most every single new car my folks bought (’56 Buick Special, ’59 Ford Custom, ’65 and ’67 Fury III’s, ’71 Newport, ’76 Delta Royale, ’80 Cutlass with the infamous GM diesel…) was, by current standards, a “lemon” to a certain degree; many cars were simply atrocious straight out of the factory. Options like A/C, power assists, etc. were for the wealthier folk, and they filtered down to us commoners only by the ‘70’s. Cars rusted like crazy, and very quickly, here in the Midwest… if you got a good 100K out of the average vehicle, that was considered outstanding…
The first car trip I can remember was from our West – Central Illinois home to the Ozarks in the Summer of 1959, in our new Ford Custom sedan. Sheer torture with no A/C, and travelling was boring with just a basic AM radio for entertainment. No Interstates back then, and Dad got stopped twice in Missouri cow towns for “speeding” in the small town speed traps that were common. Even the motels were still crude, like something out of the 40’s – no pool, A/C, TV, etc. A few years later when Holiday Inns became common, they were a revelation. Our new ’67 Fury III sedan was AIR – CONDITIONED; we bought it for our eagerly – anticipated trip to Expo ’67 and New England. Riding in “cool Airtemp comfort” was an absolute joy… my Depression – era parents even said, “Why didn’t we get air conditioning sooner…!!!???”
Yes, modern cars bore the shite outta me, but I much prefer the creature comforts, conveniences, and access to information and cheap travel that life in 2023 affords even those of more modest means…
There is much I don’t like about this era, but “that’s the breaks”, and I consider myself lucky to live in the here – and – now. But for fate, I could have been born as my maternal grandfather, in rural Buffalo Praire IL in 1877, or his peasant father in 1830’s Germany…
And if you *do*want the “nostalgia” of an old vehicle (or other older product), there are plenty out there to choose from if you’ve the money to indulge…
That ’60 Ford in picture number 8 is identical, except for the whitewalls, to the one my Dad had as a new company car. We have several views of it on old home movies that all of us siblings have on DVD.
One of the guys behind the Cadillac in picture number 18 is holding what looks like an early Polaroid Land Camera. My Dad had one like that.
I love these pictures. The lady by the red Impala reminds me of my aunt. She always dressed real spiffy. If that was her, though, the car would have to be an Oldsmobile.
I can’t be certain, but the photo of the 56 Sunliner at the scenic view looks very much like Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Here’s the Google Street View from April 2009 of what I think could be the location, Stony Man (Mountain) Overlook, but it’s hard to be sure because of the construction going on at the time.
I believe you’re right. That does look like an overlook along the Skyline Drive.
My favorites, in chronological order –
The 49 or 50 dark blue Ford convertible,
The black over cream 55 or 56 Buick Century by the snowbank,
and the blue 1960 4-door Ford Fairlane.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Wow, great photos. Pictures of cars when they were new are somehow very different from pictures of restored versions. The real ‘living’ thing, as opposed to a taxidermist’s best effort. I was a little surprised by the high quality of the paintwork (the 1950 Ford convertible is almost jewel like). That’s something I’d have expected NOT to live up to one’s memory.
The people and backgrounds are fascinating. I love the Mamie Eisenhower hat in the Burger King photo, and those miserable Hudson owners. Somehow all owners of ‘bathtub’ cars tended to look just like that, in my memory anyway :-). Maybe their neighbours just bought a ’57 Firedome?
The red/yellow/black thermos brings back memories of family camping in my childhood – they were a common ‘Thermos’ brand product in the 1950’s. Where’s the Coleman stove?
That Hudson would have looked really dated by about 1955.
That 1950 Ford is a brand-new car. Not only is the white top very clean, but it also sports a 1950 Pennsylvania license plate. Pennsylvania didn’t issue license plates good for several years until 1958. Prior to that, owners were issued new license plates annually, with the year embossed on the plate.
Such great photos or my Childhood ! .
Thanx for sharing these .
.
-Nate
the picture with the shriner. could that possibly be the 58 Pontiac we see in the early photos parked directly behind it?
All so evocative of the time – a real pleasure, each and every one.
You really cannot appreciate the 58-60 Lincolns/Continentals unless they are matched with the mid-century modern architecture of the era as in the staged shot at the Sahara above – perfect.
And I’m with JPC – oh for the guilt-free days of the mid-50s in which an afternoon picnic included bourbon and cigarettes…
The traffic light in the shriner picture has a third yellow caution light . In new york city we didn’t get them until the late 60s if I rember correctly
Other than people like us , who would take a picture next to a car in todays world
Getz’s (now Geatz’s) is still going, in the same location. It’s considered the oldest restaurant in Maryland still owned by the founding family (135+ years)
http://www.geatzs.com/
The bumper sticker on the 1956 Buick owned by the man grilling ribs says, “Something Wonderful Has Happened!”
But I can’t read the fine print to tell which group or business issued that bumper sticker.
Love the Buicks. Even that toothy, soupy green ’50 that’s identical to the one my grandmother bought new.
would anyone know what year this Photograpers Trade Show took place & what city?…….any help would be much appreciated!……they’re promoting the DeJur Movie Camera & the car looks like a late 1950’s model Hillman Husky and was probably a Raffle Prize, & the photo was taken by photographer Dave Gelanis. Thanks, Harry DeGeorge
With all due respect, why does a reputable blog like Curbside Classics allow David Gelinas to perpetuate Copyright fraud? He did not create these photos and I doubt that he has obtained copyright assigment for the original photographer. In some of his photos he claims location unknown, how is it possible that he does not know the locations of his photos, if they are really his photos? This is total BS and highly illegal. Just because you buy a photographic slide on EBAY from an estate sale, you have not bought the copy rights.
The question of ownership/copyright on old vintage photos and slides is one I’ve pondered. I tend to agree with you. It would seem that purchasing them on the open market doesn’t convey copyright.
But it’s not like I can easily remove his watermark. Or have any good reason to. Does it make a difference? Not to me.
For a real taste of the fifties it would be a good idea to check out the ’50 Ford sedan that Arthur O’Connell drove in the 1955 movie “Picnic”. And a good movie to boot.
What car is the convertible in #11 at the picnic?
1953 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe. Might have been more obvious if the trunk was closed showing the Silver Streak down the middle.
Meanwhile – why two thermos bottles? One for milk for the tea or coffee (probably), or maybe something stronger?
Second to last photo – great hair style on that guy. Wonder what the OB beer is he has there? Looks like he is on his second.
Yeah, when I think of OB beer – it’s the Korean brand – which I doubt he’s drinking…
Some slides my father took when he was an Esso rep.
More Esso
Great shots!
The young couple with the blue skyliner have been ided as living in Washington DC. I think it was Q street near 15th. Many of the buildings are still there (picture 2).
Sorry it’s picture 3.
I must laud Paul for using the term “gloaming”. One seldom sees that word employed outside of the lyrics of a hymn.
As far as the copyright issue, there’s a macaque out there that might have an opinion on it, too.
WOW! Finbe collection of Americana! Keep this stuff coming!
Pic #3 – Love the skirts on that ’58 Ford! Love skirts on most anything. And in the old country (Scotland), no g on the end of gloamin.
Those are FOXCRAFT aftermarket skirts .
Very well made and still quite popular across many brands .
-Nate