Tag: Auto

A Car Is Shiny, But A Burro Is Sure

Nat Geo 1/68

Such is the caption in this 1968 Nat Geo, as I call them. Evidently, it was a common practice for motorists to attempt to cross the Rio Grande River at its low points in fall and winter, though I would personally advise to NEVER ford a river by car. Yes, the wheels get wet, but so does the engine.

Cue the enterprising young Mexican boy on the burro, who offers round trip rides for 75 cents to get across the river. Often, they neglect to mention that a dirty half-mile ride to Boquillas then awaits them. If they have another 75 cents.

But what do they do with the CAR??

Advertisements

Back To School: Creative Studying Solutions

LIFE 3/7/49

Preston Tucker, owner of the Tucker Corp, tries to prove to investors that a car can be manufactured with engines in the rear.

This photo was published exactly four days after the company ceased operations of the Tucker 48. Only 51 cars were ever produced. Among other negative publicity, top newspaper columnist Drew Pearson reported that the car was a fraud because it could not go backward and it went “goose-geese” going down the road.

giphy.com

But what horsepower!

Turns Out They Were Saying ‘Merica Back In ’58

This 1958 Ford ad isn’t cropped or split down the middle of a page. It actually says “Merica’s” instead of America. I’m assuming it was implied that the painter had painted it on the part of the billboard to which we aren’t privy. But as it stands, it’s pretty funny. And the rest of the ad itself was peppy and colorful.

DeSoto: Like The Spanish Explorer, It Just Keeps Conquistadoring

LIFE 08-15-49

In actuality, the DeSoto stopped conquistadoring in 1961, due in large part to the 1958 recession, from which sales failed to recover. That year, DeSoto sales were 60 percent lower than those of 1957. In addition, Ford introduced a new mid-price competitor with the Edsel, which seemed intimidating at the time–but we all know became a symbol for an utter commercial failure. But long live the memory of the DeSoto!