Today, we’ll pay a visit to America’s premier luxury carmaker during its peak era of the ’50s and ’60s, all seen through period postcards around that era. A nice way to check out what was available in those Cadillac dealers of those days. We’ll start with the image above, from Robinson Cadillac-Oldsmobile, in Wheeling, WV.
Don Lee Cadillac, Sherman Oaks, CA -1949.
Rector Motor Co., Cadillac-Oldsmobile, Burlingame, CA.
Dew Motor Co., Cadillac, St. Petersburg, FL.
Mitchell Cadillac-Oldsmobile, Huntington Station, NY.
Ferraro, Oldsmobile-Cadillac, service area, Upper Darby, PA.
Bradens Pontiac-Cadillac, Roseville, CA.
Ed Tutwiler Cadillac, Indianapolis, IN.
Olsen-Todd, Oldsmobile-Cadillac, Central Valley, NY -1970.
Another great trip down Memory Lane! 👍 I recall the time when post cards were sent to potential customers and BIG color advertising brochures were free for the taking. Over The years, I’ve accumulated a four drawer file cabinet filled with (mostly Luxury) car brochures. I think the last ones are from pre 2000. 🤔 Now nobody wants them. I contacted two long time sellers who said they were going out of the business, due to lack of sales. Guess it’s time for another chorus of Those WERE the Days!
We no longer have a Cadillac dealership in my area. But I remember DOLEMBO Chevrolet Cadillac here and Knoezer Cadillac in Hammond, Indiana which advertised The Oldest Cadillac Dealer in the world.
These images make me want to go right out and buy a new Cadillac coupe .
The only Caddy I’ve ever owned was a 1980 Fleetwood S & S Victoria hearse with low miles .
It still sits unloved and unwanted in my big brother’s ma cave .
-Nate
Really? I figured people would be dying to ride in one. I’ll let myself out.
Rector in Burlingame is now a Porsche-Audi dealership. Located on Cadillac Way.
I miss nice, glossy car brochures! Having them post an electronic version on the company’s website is a poor substitute to being able to have a paper copy of your very own.
I wouldn’t know which current car model I’d even want a brochure for.
What must be acknowledged, however, is the general decline of the graphic arts industry over the past two decades. Whether it’s postcards, stamps, record covers, advertising posters, car brochures… Decline everywhere you look.
A true impoverishment of everyday culture. But unfortunately, it’s probably irreversible.
Rector Cadillac is now The Candy Store. A private collection of automobiles , and an event center. See candystoreclub.com . It’s a short walk east of the library.
If I’m not mistaken, that Don Lee Cadillac in Sherman Oaks is now the famous Casa De Cadillac. At least it looks just like that yet today but without the Don Lee name.
I sold Caddy’s for around 14 years in total starting back in 1988. I fondly recall sending out those post cards to old customers as well as people who came in for a visit. They worked.
I too miss the nice heavy gloss brochures. But like Midsommar said above. There’s not much today that I can think that I would want a brochure for.
It sure looks like Casa de Cadillac.
“Wheeling, WV” was still a bit a “happening” back then.
My dad was friends with Bob Schneider, who owned Bob Schneider Olds-Cadillac in Bowling Green Ohio. My dad and his two brothers had pretty much the first 3 ’66 Olds Toronados in the area. We got all kinds of stuff from him, like a bunch of different key chains, a key with a globe on it, with the name of the dealership engraved in the back, and some awesome loaner cars when one of ours was in the shop, including 2 Hurst Olds, one of them being the first car I ever drove solo at 14, and later on, a ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda. My sister had a ’67 Steve Mcqueen type of Mustang that I never got to even see as I was in the hospital with a blown appendix in Sept of ’68. It was about the only Mustang I ever cared about seeing. The movie wasn’t out yet, but I saw a trailer for it, and my sister said it was “scary” and my dad ended up driving it, he said he “liked it, but too flashy”.
Great photos of a bygone era.
I too have a pretty large 60 year brochure collection of cars, motorcycles, and boats/motors that nobody wants, including my 40-ish sons. I’ve been slowly giving them away, just keeping of few of the best ones. The biggest vendor in the world, Walter Miller of Syracuse NY, passed away a few years ago, and as mentioned above many are just giving up. Most brochures selling on eBay sell for a fraction of what I paid 30-40 years ago, always from a dealer or car show back then. Sigh…
Don Lee Cadillac is a stunning piece of mid century architecture. Seeing it all lit up at night, it looks like a fever dream or a mirage out in the middle of the desert
So easy to distinguish a Cadillac vs Olds vs Pontiac back then.
Today, all cars look like one large glob of painted plastic on wheels.
Also, way too complex to work on. Therefore, no attachment to the vehicle.
I now understand why kids are not interested in cars.