March 1953
It's not often that you flip through a copy of Popular Science
without seeing something about cars, be it a feature on eco-friendly
automobiles, a compendium on futuristic concept designs, or an article
on crackpot DIY vehicles. If you look carefully through older copies of
the magazine, you'll spot charmingly-illustrated advertisements tucked
between the aforementioned stories -- and in most cases, they serve as a
surprising testament to that decade's culture, as well as to the beauty
of (most) vintage automobiles.
As the image above shows, some of these ads are as nostalgic as the
cars themselves. We begin in the early 1930s, just after the stock
market crash threatened to shatter the American car industry. To ensure
continued sales, brands like Chrysler, Ford, and Chevrolet produced
budget-friendly vehicles that would retain their quality even when sold
second-hand. During that period, our advertisements reflected our
readers' practical sensibilities; we focused on durability over
aesthetics and slapped images with bargain prices. A Plymouth for just
$485? How could anyone refuse?
The war and post-war era marked an appeal to family values and
consumers' new-found taste for luxury. Buy the "Knee-Action Chevrolet"
to give Junior his first comfortable car ride! Drive the
European-looking Studebaker to enjoy a "far-advanced new flight into the
future!" We even catered slightly to the 1960s counterculture movement,
as evidenced by the groovy aesthetic our ads took on once Volkswagen's
Type 2 "minibus" became the hippie vehicle of choice.
DeLuxe Plymouth Sedan: August 1934
After the stock market collapsed in 1929, Chrysler touted its
Plymouth line as America's "best engineered low priced car" -- and with a
starting price of just $485 for a used Standard Plymouth, these
automobiles were practically a steal even for struggling households.
Advertisements like these ones were so effective that Plymouths became
the third most-popular car by 1931, and was later counted with Ford and
Chevrolet as the top low-priced vehicle brand. The model pictured on the
left was not only durable, but it featured Chrysler's famed floating
power, which attached the car engine to its chassis to reduce vibration.
Knee-Action Chevrolet: July 1937
The appeal to domestic bliss continued well in the late 1930s,
when Chevrolet unveiled its 1937 Chevrolet Master and Master Deluxe. The
$26 million revamping went a long way: designer Jules Agromonte not
only included knee-action shock absorbers, but he gave the two-door
sedan a body of steel, thus reducing the car's weight by 150 pounds. The
Master model cost between $619 and $725, which contributed to a slight
dip in Chevrolet sales as the economy continued to worsen.
Studebaker Starliner: March 1953
As far as car designs go, the 1953 Studebaker Starliner coupe was
practically a work of art. At a height of less than five feet, the
sleek Starliner bore a greater resemblance to European automobiles than
American ones, which favored a geometric design unlike the Starliner's
sloping silhouette. Studebaker was so enamored with this model that they
marketed it with the tagline, "a far-advanced new flight into the
future." Unfortunately, the Starliner stumbled into a few problems once
it went into production. Its engine didn't quite fit into the frame, but
corrections to the design only made the Starliner more prone to
developing rattles.
'59 Chevrolet: November 1958
Today, the Bel-Air 4-door sedan and Impala Sport coupe are two of
the most sought-after collectibles, and for good reason: those tailfins
are out of this world. We boasted that they included wider seats,
"loungelike comfort," and a new Magic Mirror finish" that promised to
eliminate the need to wax and polish. You can't tell from the
illustration, but the Impala also came with a "Speedminer," or a device
that buzzed if you passed a pre-determined speed limit. As expected,
these two vehicles were far more expensive than the Depression-era
family cars. The Impala Sport Coupe cost almost $3,000, while the Bel
Air cost around $2,000.
'65 Chevrolet: November 1964
This page advertised four Chevrolet offerings: the Impala SS
Coupe, the Chevelle Malibu SS Coupe, the Corvair Corsa Sport Coupe, and
the Chevy II Nova SS Coupe. A few notable features on each: the Corsa
came with an optional 180 hp turbocharged engine, the Chevelle SS went
down as Chevrolet's first foray into muscle cars, while the Chevy II
completed its transition from compact car to muscle car. Despite the
Chevy II's makeover, the slick '65 Corvair completely overshadowed its
popularity. It is now commonly remembered as the the one GM car that
experienced a decline in sales that year.
Chevy-Van: January 1965
Car advertisements took on a distinctively groovy aesthetic once
we entered the 1960s, when General Motors introduced its first Chevrolet
Van. The first-generation ChevyVan debuted in 1961 as a competitor to
the Ford Econoline and Dodge A100. There was a strong demand for compact
vans, and the Chevy's roomy interior certainly appealed to families who
anticipated hauling luggage back and forth between seasonal vacations.
The design didn't change much between 1961 and 1965, except for the
addition of seat belts, but its legacy continues in GM's Chevrolet
Express.
Volkswagen Type 2: June 1967
The Volkswagen Type 2, colloquially known as the "minibus,"
"microbus," the "hippiemobile," and the "hippie bus" didn't need a long
introduction. As the short copy and prominent illustration show, the
minibus' popularity spoke for itself. Several years after its debut in
1951, the Type 2 was upgraded with a tailgate-style rear door, a fuel
tank in front of the transaxle, and an extra tire behind the front seat.
During the peak of its popularity, the van became a favorite for
artistically-inclined hippies. Drive through California one day and see
if you don't spot a Type 2 with a psychedelic custom paint job.
Volkswagen: April 1969
During the 1960s, Volkswagen introduced its line of Type 3 and
Type 4 models, which were built with a unibody make and a longer nose to
accommodate a spare tire. The Type 3, also known as the Volkswagon
1500, is remembered as one of the first German series to use electronic
fuel injection as standard equipment.
Bradley GT: June 1975
You might recall the Bradley GT as Liberace's gold-painted
vehicle of choice, but prior to its association with the entertainer,
the Gt II was actually promoted as a kit car for the everyday man.
Granted, its design was a little flashy, but assembling one of these
fiberglass autos required some manual labor. The models were based on
the VW chassis (hence the advertisement's reference to the company), and
the original sold over 6,000 units between the late 1960s and 1970s.
IMAGE 10 OF 10
Datsun Truck: August 1976
Hello, 1970s. The Datsun/Nissan compact pickup truck, advertised
as the "Li'L Hustler Deluxe," arrived in the United States in 1955 after
debuting in Japan. The model pictured on the left is an early "King
Cab" model, a popular vehicle in the early to mid-1980s. In addition to
"gargantuan legroom," early King Cab models offered single wall beds
with rope ties and 11.3 cubic feet of storage space. Some countries sold
four-door varieties of this truck, but there was no such luck in the
United States.
