Vintage Photos Of Everyday Scenes In 1950s-1970s America

Text by Patrick Bell.

Today we have some everyday people doing a variety of activities, always with a car or two close by.  These are great shots that show how much the world has changed in so many ways.  Please join in as we take a look.

Our opener was a young actor that was practicing his part in front of a camera, along with his coach.  In the background was a 1955 Lincoln Capri Special Custom Coupe with factory air conditioning and some quarter panel damage.  The Capri was the upper series of two, and was also available in a 4 door sedan and convertible.  The green car in the distance looks like a 1952-1954 Ford.

This man looks quite happy with the tuna he was holding.  Behind him was a 1952 Studebaker Champion Regal 4 door sedan with a sun visor.  The Champion had a 169 cubic inch 6 cylinder for power, and if you wanted the 232 ci V8 you had to step up to the Commander series.

Moving is fun.  A couple was posing with a 1948-1953 Dodge “Job Rated” B or C series pickup with a Pennsylvania license plate.  It had a bed and some other goodies in the back, tied down and ready to go.  To the right was a 1950 Buick Super Riviera coupe.

Here was a parade of some kind on a cool day.  A man had a dog that was pulling a baby on a cart.  Most of the parade watchers were looking down the street at what was coming next.  On the left was a 1957 Ford Fairlane, the center was a 1954 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, and to the right was a 1957 Dodge Coronet 4 door Lancer hardtop.  They all were wearing the same blue license plate that was difficult to read.  The best guess I have would be Alabama from 1958.

A tennis playing couple was having a discussion along side of a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Victoria hardtop.  It had the conventional style two tone, a radio, full wheel covers, and whitewall tires that needed a wash job.  The Fairlane 500 was the top of the line series, and was available in a full range of body styles.  The 500 models had five engines to choose from, while the other series only had three.

A lady with a baby stroller was in a yard by a young tree that was blooming.  Parked in the street was a 1954 Ford Mainline Business Coupe that was a fleet car for the Swift company.  It had the new overhead valve 223 ci Mileage Maker 6 for power, and likely not much else for options on this inexpensive fleet car.  The Business Coupe still had a following with over 10,000 sales that year, but they were fading in popularity and 1960 would be the last year they were offered by Ford.

A pair of happy fishermen were shown here, one with an Atlantic City shirt and his catch of the day.  Behind them was a 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne 2 door sedan in a typical three tone color style; white, blue, and rust.  Biscayne was a new name for the newly styled 1958 models, and was the mid priced series of three.  It was demoted to the low price series in 1959, where it lived comfortably for many years.

These images may have been baby boy’s first ride home from the hospital, though it seems the camera person (Dad?) would have helped Mom out of the car.  At any rate, their ride was a 1962 Chevrolet Chevy II 300 4 door sedan, Chevy’s new “conventional” compact.  The basic 100 series and mid range 300 series were available with either a 4 or 6 cylinder engine for power, while the 6 cylinder was standard in the upper Nova series.  The car above had the 194 ci Hi-Thrift 6 per the fender badge.

Here was a man feeding the wildlife in the parking lot of a beach somewhere in the state of Oregon per the sign in the upper left.  He was leaning on one of two 1963 Dodges in the image, a 440 4 door sedan.  The 330, 440, and Polara series were Dodge’s standard size line (their terminology), while the Dart 270 or GT in the lower corner was the compact size.  Or if you wanted a big car there was always the 880.

Another baby was the center of attention, this one a girl at her christening or dedication service with grandma and other relatives.  Grandpa was closing the door of a 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sports Coupe, the apparent family sedan.  The Impala was in its heyday as America’s favorite car during this era.  Over 832,000 of them were produced that year, and that number did not include any station wagons.

A photographer was hard at work focusing on something off to the right of the image.  His case and maybe a light meter was on the car in the foreground, which was a 1963 Mercury Monterey with the Breezeway rear window.  Beyond the man was a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II 2 door hardtop with a 318 ci V8 per the aftermarket side stripe.  And in the background was one of them pink Cadillacs, a 1956 Series Sixty-Two Coupe or Coupe de Ville.

I am going to say this image was in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, in the late 1960’s.  A & L Motors is still there, though the building has been replaced and they no longer sell Triumphs, but rather a few other high end European marques.  Directly across the road from this view looks like a sign in yellow that said “MONROEVILLE’, and the two license plates I can barely see look like Pennsylvania issue from that era.

It appears a family was meeting in a sloping parking lot that also survives, with a shopping center to the left.  The three ladies were fashionably well dressed, while the guys were more casual.

The cars I can see starting in the center background were a pale green 1961 Chevrolet full size 4 door sedan, and a black 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 2 door hardtop.  Down on the corner of the dealer’s lot was a red Austin-Healey 3000, and a blue Renault Caravelle Coupe.  And on the right edge was a tan 1960 or 1961 Ford Falcon wagon, and a blue 1965 full size Oldsmobile.

I know the Corvair had a rear mounted spare tire, but I don’t think this setup was quite correct.  It also had a full load of passengers.  Judging from the nameplate, the badge below it, and the taillights this was a 1963 Monza convertible.  But, backup lamps were standard on Monzas, and this one has the plugs for the models without backup lamps.  So some tinkering had been going on.  That’s okay, as the latest license renewal was 1974, which meant this car was in its 11th year.

It was lunch time on the road, or in the parking lot, for two couples and a 1975 or 1976 Ford Maverick 4 door sedan with the Exterior Decor Group. The Maverick was Ford’s compact model from 1970-1977 that received relatively little updating through those years.  Sales wise it did well with the last year of 1977 turning out to be the lowest at just under 100,000 units.  Overall, Ford’s investment (which was meager on the car and heavy on the marketing) had very good returns.

Here was a young man washing (or pretending to) a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Rally Sport.  Perhaps he was telling his female friend “this is going to be my car someday”.  This was the first year of the second generation of Camaros, and this basic style was sold through 1981 with updates along the way. It also had a vinyl roof, double stripe whitewalls to accent the standard hub caps, and a Minnesota license plate.

Thanks for joining us and to all good day!

 

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