There are few things as exciting as buying a new car. And why not register those moments for posterity? After all, they make for nice promotional material.
With that in mind, this is a short series of obvious dealer-sponsored captures. One can sense the photographer’s indication of “Act natural!” To which some had more success than others. And I suspect a shot or two may even have a salesman posing as a ‘buyer.’
Not that it matters much. Each of these shots is a good reflection of their times. They’re also a reminder of the joy that is felt when those keys are handed over.
Is it just me, or did the front end appearance of the ’59 Imperial always give the impression that the ends were drooping down? I always got that impression looking at photographs of the car, but it never showed in the advertising illustrations.
Is it because they moved the headlights down into the grill, but kept the front fender hoods?
What a nice ‘56 Bel Air. My favorite of the tri-fives. All of the subtle changes over the ‘55 worked perfectly. The ‘57 wasn’t bad, but the ‘56 just looked so right. Loved the gas filler pipe hidden behind the left taillight. These hidden gas fillers started becoming a trend around this time, with manufacturers hiding them everywhere. Behind the license plate was a favorite spot as well. Today I can’t think of any vehicle that doesn’t have the filler on the left rear (sometimes right) fender.
Notice all the salesmen are in suits with buffed to a shine dress shoes.
Today, it’s a polo shirt, maybe slacks, and tennis shoes.
Also, it was exciting to get a new car and show it off to family back then.
Today, more of an appliance with a 60 plus monthly note which is never paid off as the car is turned in at the end of 48 months.
3 Spped: You hit the nail on the head!
When I first got into sales at a dealer with Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Honda back in 1988, we had to dress in nice slacks, button up shirt, tie and a jacket. We all dressed nicely and the delivery of the cars was an affair still. The way we parked the car for the new owner to see as they walked up. Making sure everything was perfect and shined like a brand new nickel. I even went a step further and would pre-program the radio to stations the customer told me that they liked. If it was a lady getting her new car, I would often pick up a rose or flower that they said they liked and place it perfectlly on the dash. I even had one older couple who drove Cadillac’s and they didn’t want the cassette radio that came standar in their new 1989 DeVille. So I found out the music they liked and purchased a new cassette and set it on the seat for them to see. I then used it to demo the radio.
It was stuff like that which would leave a lasting impression on my customers and that’s why I has such loyal customers that would drive hours to buy from me. Any more today, the vehicles cost way more and it’s difficult to even pick a brand new car us properly cleaned. And forget about finding sales staff that seem to care let alone dress the part! Sure are different times.
The Mercury woody wagon, what a gem!!
I wouldn’t give the keys to the guy buying the 57 Chevy wagon without making him pass a vision test first. His glasses are thicker than Coke bottles.
Internet seems to say that Majestic Motors is Englewood, CO—and that the “Sport Bowl” bowling alley is still in business there.
Carl Schmidt (near Toledo OH) shows himself to be community-minded: supplying drivers-ed car for high school, and lots of similar donations of vehicles or dollars; at least one couple (of employees) marrying, Christmas party for employees (100 total!), sponsoring amateur sports, etc.
Once in a while these sorts of photos are “contest winners,” but who knows about today’s….always fun to see these!
I wonder if those Imperials were the dealership’s total sales for the month.
Hard to imagine a slow selling car like the Imperial moving 4 units in one day unless the dealer were located in a very large city.
I bet all 5 guys were salesmen at the dealership.
Photos #1 and #3 are shot in front of the same building (Carl Schmiot Motors). Note the Chevrolet neon sign over the glass door entrance, the 2nd floor windows are the same, and the font of the dealership is the same.
Maybe they added a concrete pad in front of the dealership in time for photo #3.
The illustrate how much car dealerships changed in the immediate postwar years, here’s a picture of Carl Schmidt’s earlier facility (I believe it was located on the same site of Louisiana & Indiana Aves. in Perrysburg, Ohio). The showroom was big enough for one car.
Note the 1st photo has the reflection of a tower in the dealership windows just to the left of the lady in the picture. Tried to use this as a cross reference point, put still cannot locate dealership building.
Like many dealerships, probably moved to the suburbs or close to an interstate exit.
I was stumped by that tower reflecting in the window too. But everything I’ve found has indicated that the dealership was located at 330 Louisiana Avenue in Perrysburg throughout the 1950s and 60s. Maybe another structure was located across the street before the current building (which is a library) was constructed?
Not just for new cars!
My wife accompanied a friend and her daughter to pick up her first car, a well used one, from a Buick dealer.
The salesman made such a big deal of her purchase one would have thought the daughter’s subsequent smiles would have set a Guinness record!
It gained the dealer future sales of two Park Avenues by my wife.
Sometimes it is hard to pick the salesman from the customer in these photos.
My mother bought a 72 Cutlass brand new from Collins Oldsmobile in Fort Wayne. I still remember the salesman’s name – Shorty Weber. Shorty was a gregarious fellow who was indeed short (probably about 5’3″ or so) and walked with a pronounced limp, which I guessed had been from a childhood bout of polio. But he was an excellent salesman, who sent my mother birthday and Christmas cards for several years. and who always made it a point to say hello if we were in for service. He was a real pro, who built lasting relationships with his customers.
Those guys in the Mercury woody pic look more like they are going to a funeral than making a deal on a new car.
Nice pictures, too bad no one dresses neatly for work anymore .
-Nate