Main Street, Twin Falls, Idaho, 1941, and all the cars are the same height. And shape.
Here’s the view from the other direction; lots more of the same:
Vintage Photograph: When Cars Were All The Same Height – And Shape
– Posted on November 24, 2020
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Curbside Classics Archives
One can certainly understand the eye popping reactions when the Low, Lithe & Lovely 1953 Studebaker Starliner coupe/hardtop was seen parked among all these look alike cars a few years later.
1941 was a completely different world from 1953.
1941 had much more in common with 1953 than 1953 had in common with 1965.
“1941 was a completely different world from 1953”
Not as long as Raymond Loewy and Virgil Exner were on the job. 🙂
Two tone Starliners normally have a little goldish trim strip between the colors. That one must be a later paint job. Certainly beautifully lit.
I’d say that the visual differences were quite marked, but to the SUV/CUV “trained” eyes of today……..not so much.
The vehicles of today carry about the same amount of similarity; except instead of surfaces flowing smoothly like these 30s and 40s cars mostly do, now the surfaces are TORTURED misbegotten lumps n bumps. Of course, that’s my opinion!! 🙂
Attached is a typical “example” of modern, color LESS SUV design. DFO
“TORTURED misbegotten lumps n bumps” you are quite right. Not just opinion, it’s a design fact.
Ironically, today’s “tortured” designs are more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient than the smooth, flowing designs seen above. And that’s not my opinion.
The newest Toyota RAV-4 is more creasy than the previous creasy one. The 2021 Nissan Rogue is about halfway between the old one and the Toyota.
But the new way too short range Honda electric car isn’t like that but more a melted box, and the new Fit/Jazz we don’t get moves in that direction as well.
I hereby predict that the origami fashion is ending. Maybe fake floaty roofs also.
Nice 39 Plymouth there in the lead shot. That’s a pretty new lineup of cars, I would have expected some Model A’s in 1941. I’d love to put on a grey suit and a fedora and walk into that scene.
Downtown Twin Falls seems to be doing OK in 2020, it’s lost some of the heritge buildings but most are still there.
There would be some plum DeSotos for your choosing. Be sure to take a couple of hundred bucks with you.
And be prepared to brake with all your might, steer with all your body, and sweat all your shirt. That, supposing you are good with the three on the floor…
In the second view, cars four and five are DeSotos, a ’36 and ’38.
First one, I believe is a 36 Chevy, second is definitely a 37 Buick (I had one), third is a 37 Ford. Definitely the “three years and done” didn’t exist back then. And those cars were a lot easier to drive than you think. For starters, clutches were incredibly forgiving and easy to engage back then. It was my perfect car to learn to drive a manual.
They’re all in shades of gray too. The more thing change… 🙂
50shades?. People rattle on about all cars looking the same today. Nothing new then…
I’m starting to think the trend towards grey is driven by nostalgia via greyscale photography.
“What shade of grey was your old Buick in this picture grandpa?” Yellow! Get off my lawn!
Black was very predominant back then. When I was doing the AACA circuit back in the late 60’s/early 70’s, the majority of the cars on the field that weren’t restored (half the show, usually) were black.
I don’t see a single imported car, do you?
With over 15 different American car brands in 1941, it was odd to see a car that was shipped from the other side of the Earth.
In 1941, the Europeans and Japanese were a bit distracted to ponder exporting cars to the US.
I really wish this comment system had up and down votes, not to mention editing.
I think the second shot is from across the street, as the Trolinger Pharmacy sign shows. How long since anyone went to a restaurant and ordered “Chop Suey”?
Lots and lots of Mopars, bit this would be expected from a time when Chrysler Corp was No. 2 of the “Big Three.”
“How long since anyone went to a restaurant and ordered “Chop Suey”?”
I don’t know how often people order it, but there is a very old school Chinese restaurant in the historic district here that still has chop suey on the menu. I suppose if it’s something the cooks can easily make from ingredients the restaurant already had on hand, then why not?
I still order it. That or Chow Mein or Egg Foo Young. I think of them as adult Chinese food as young kids won’t go all in for them.
ix-nay on the Pu Pu Platter …….
Production Figures for 1941
Chevrolet 1,008,976
Ford 691,455
Plymouth 522,080
Buick 374,196
Pontiac 330,061
Oldsmobile 270,040
Dodge 215,575
Chrysler 161,704
I had to drive a few hours to Idaho Falls, but here are some used-car prices from their 1941 paper (budget lot):
Also from Idaho Falls, 1941—newer cars and some trucks here: