I’m off to Portland for the day, but not just in my imagination. Bonus points for identifying the year and make “car” this happy driver is piloting.
Curbside Caption: The Happy Driver
– Posted on January 20, 2012
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Curbside Classics Archives
Didn’t the photographer think to cover the sawhorse with a cloth or something? My guess on the car: a Packard.
Its a 54 Buick, a senior car, like a Super or a Roadmaster, you can tell by the strip speedometer.
Best caption:
Boy, those Wisconsin winters are tough on a car……
Ha! Those cylindrical slider controls are so Space Age.
And she can’t reach any of them without banging her forehead on the steering wheel.
1955 “C” body Buick mock up!
“This specimen was captured from the planet Earth. Some items from its natural environment have been provided to make it feel more at-home.”
“Our new driving simulator is portable! It can be setup right in your livingroom to practice driving from the comfort of your couch.”
“We’ll add the rest of the car to the shoot later using CGI, after we find out which car company will pay the most for a product placement.”
“The Joneses saved lots of money buy buying a car in kit form. Mrs.Jones fantasizes about the day that her hubby finally finishes assembling it.”
In the midst of the family’s remodeling project, Matilda found the new sofa to her liking. The television remote, however, was somewhat cumbersome.
Jet smooth?
GM’s first attempt at an adjustable steering column was overly complex.
Buick, but not a ’55 (I spent some time in one)–I’d agree with the ’54 guess.
“Before developing the X-frame, GM unsuccessfully tested the A-frame.”
As Matilda celebrates her divorce settlement with a fragment of her ex-husband’s most prized possession, little did she know that it was the exact place where he and his secretary had most of the action.
Feel the winds on your hair, your face, your sides, your feet…
The 54’s have the big steering wheel center, where the 55’s have the smaller pointy poke your eye out one.
I think you’re right, Carmine. A 1954 “C” Buick mock up as ’55-’56 had the “impaler” steering wheels.
“Nader: Please show the court what you were doing when the steering wheel came off.”
“With modern advances in materials engineering, one day every car will have full 360-degree visibility with no blind spots.”
“Wonder Woman can keep her invisible Jet. I’ve got my invisible Roadmaster!”
Now let me see… Lever A re-engages reality? Or is that Lever B?
“That’s what I get for my constant complaining about fixed windows!”
That photo reminds me of one of those 1960’s commercials with Bob Hope driving a frame with an engine and wheels on a seat saying: “Hi. This is Bob out-of-gas Hope.” for – I think it was Shell and one of those economy runs.
If it was Bob Hope, it was Texaco.
Yes, I believe that’s right – Texaco. Forgot about that company.
How come auto manufacturers today don’t try to make dashboards more interesting? What else do you see and interact with more when you’re at the wheel? Anything’s more stylish than grey PVC plastic.
The dust proofing needs some more work
I hope I don’t get bugs in my teeth.
Since I didn’t really caption this before:
Faced with Grandma’s dimming vision and failing memory, but also her need for independence, the family found the next best thing to actual driving, and everyone was happy.
FWIW these “bucks” were used as models to assist illustrators in the production of the periods’s brochures. Using these as a reference, they were free to undertake whatever
acts of artistic license they deemed necessary.
Given the angles, and the model’s gloves, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that this photo was used for the attached illustration. It’s from the 1954 Buick brochure, and was found on oldcarbrochures.com.
And in case you’re curious as to why I think these two images are related, here’s the reason:
Nice spotting! –Mike
“For 1954, Improved Buick Safety Power Steering(TM) makes driving absolutely dreamy…so light and effortless, you’d swear the rest of the car wasn’t even there!”
OR
“After heavily advertising a ‘Million Dollar Ride’ in for its golden anniversary in 1953, some owners found the 1954 Buicks to have a slightly less substantial structure.”
So light it doesn’t even feel connected to the front wheels!
I have no idea– but I’m glad Detroit is finally listening to my constant complaints about skimpy headroom and poor visibility!
Many automotive features that are commonly standard today were optional in the 1950s.