Sunday, September 13, 2009

Those Wonderful Wagons of the 1950's








Just around the time that the Texaco Kid was used in advertising and Harley Earl was designing everything Art Deco including that cool TV set, the car manufacturers were having a heyday designing their beautiful new station wagons to be a combination go-to-work and weekend family vehicle. Not just were they a utility item but their design encompasses the post war boom and the more affluent society of the 1950's.
Many car guys and hot rodders of today, having a difficult time finding a project worthy of their custom, restoration, or hot rodding talents are turning to these great wagons as a source to show off their 50's roots and building talents. Take one of these wagons, lower it with wide whites spinner hubcaps and lakes pipes and it becomes a thing of beauty to behold.
Occasionally if you are lucky their seems to be more of this type of body style just lurking in a garage somewhere in great condition and with low miles that a little old lady had been reluctant to get rid of after her husband go too old to drive or maybe had passed away. They are out there...just use your x-ray vision to look into all the garages in your city, or canvass door to door and offer a small stipend to look into their garages....and who knows you may even find a 1950's Coca Cola machine like I did....LOL.
If you can't guess their years, just ask........and click on photos to enlarge.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the middle to late 1950's the Texaco on May and Arthur street(was a 2 lane street) gave out football helmets (no face guards in those days)and that day 7 were given out to our family with a fill up of gas. Charlie Firman had an Esso distbution on the south side of Arthur street between the CNR main line and the spur that went down the north side of Arthur st.tothe CN station on Vickers St. We were given a blow up Esso station man punching bag. Still have it somewhere. John K

Dave Cano said...

You have a great memory and it surely tweeks mine to remember all the things you are talking about. You should try to find that Esso punching bag...remember those too...so we can photograph it. D

Anonymous said...

Found the photo of the 7 of us, turns out it was at Marsonets B/A garage at the corner of Vickers and Victoria ave. with CN box cars in the back ground and I think it is Red Marsonet standing with us in our cardboard football helmets(around 1953)

Dave Cano said...

Who are you and where can I see the photo?? Email me at dcan@tbaytel.net Dave