Back in the Day

[9zero1790]

when i was a kid mom had a blazer, the real ones that were a truck with the clam top. we used to all fight over who got to ride on top of the spare tire in the back we would climb up and wedge in between the tire and the fiberglass roof. im not sure why it was so fun then. im not sure when i got so damn fat i no longer fit on top of the tire... id lay in the back of that blazer and stare out the big glass window of the tail gate for hours. later the family had a suburban for a bit. i thought i was king of the highway having my own bench seat all to my self in the back of that burb. damn gm ac screeching above my head. ours were blue inside instead of tan but looks about the same.

Sponsored

 

[pbethel]

Was that back in the days when grown ass men knew which restroom to use?

Even when they swung the other way.

Just last night finished this puzzle. Been laid back since the MRSA knee infection set in. Wife purchased these puzzles to keep me occupied. She knows what keeps my attention. I owned a hot rod 57 Belair in High School, and I learned to drive in this 59 Ford - both standard shift. And I built 1/12 Scale Models of the GM EMD E Unit Locomotive in the background.

She treats me well.

Take good care of that knee. MRSA is nothing to fool with.
My wife got it in a toe joint of all places. Lots of anti-biotics.

 

[LaBalbe]

Anyone else grow up in one of these?

We had a used '69 and then a new '78.
Weekend trips to the cottage with mom, dad, g'ma, 3 kids and a Husky in the back along with all our cloths and food for the weekend. Week long trips just required another suitcase full of clothes. Towing the boat to the lake or river.
Drive-ins on occasion, parked backwards, with us kids in the back, mom and dad in lawn chairs outside.
Hauling lumber, shingles, pipes and whatever for projects, Christmas trees tied on top. Mom hauling me and a bunch of friends to whatever event we had.
Took my drivers test in one and was a great date vehicle. Bench seats and wide open back.
Hauling a bunch of friends around to movies, parties, mall...
Mom ramming my car in the rear end with it when she caught me cutting school.?

Didn't grow up in one, but the summer after high school, I worked for my dad's company doing field tests, so they gave me a car; oddly enough, a station wagon. Not nearly as big as that old boat, but I still managed to cram a dozen friends into it on the weekend.

 

[Grumpaw]

I grew up with my dad owning station wagons. After the war he worked for a company that made hospital surgical equipment. Obviously way before internet and puters....he was an on the road sales rep.
Drove his assigned area visiting hospitals, taking their orders, and when products made, delivered them. He always drove a wagon, and I can remember the early /mid 50's when he drove the 2 door wagons from Ford. He was away 3-5 days a week, and sometimes slept in the back.
Wasn't until the 58 Ford that he got a 4 door wagon. 1960 he bought a Chevy Impala Wagon which is what I learned to drive in and took my test in 1963.

 

[got3fords]

My wife, Margie was a Stewardess back in the 60's when you had to be thin, beautiful and single... pix is not of her but her counterparts...

Best,
Phil

I assume that is in some kind of stewardess training center? Otherwise that is a giant airplane!

 

[TJC]

Still Healing! And doing puzzles. Time for a classic Corvette. These were made to be seen in! Love the styling if this generation, esp, the inset tail light on the top of the fenders. Automotive designers were artists.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Just finished this puzzle. It's missing the Chevy emblem from the grill, but close enough.

Actually the '57 didn't have an emblem per se, only the "Chevrolet" script within the vee, which the puzzle doesn't have either, but it gets a pass, as that was a common mod back in the day.

The '55 didn't have a Vee regardless of engine, only the bowtie & crest, the '56 and '57 had Vees on cars with V8s: the 6s had only the emblem ('55,'56, 58) or or script only ('57).

 

[Motorpsychology]

My wife, Margie was a Stewardess back in the 60's when you had to be thin, beautiful and single... pix is not of her but her counterparts...

Best,
Phil

I assume that is in some kind of stewardess training center? Otherwise that is a giant airplane!

That photo is probably from a Boeing 747 press kit or one from a major airline in the early seventies, judging from the makeup and hairstyles.

 

[TJC]

Actually the '57 didn't have an emblem per se, only the "Chevrolet" script within the vee, which the puzzle doesn't have either, but it gets a pass, as that was a common mod back in the day.

The '55 didn't have a Vee regardless of engine, only the bowtie & crest, the '56 and '57 had Vees on cars with V8s: the 6s had only the emblem ('55,'56, 58) or or script only ('57).

I still love the Tri 5s....

You are correct that the Chevrolet script is missing from above the V in the picture. But incorrect about the crest. My 57 has the crest in the middle of the chrome centerpiece of the grill - See it in the image below. This is EXACTLY the nose on my 57 Chevy! I am old, but I remember vividly hand painting the red, white and blue on the back side of the crest to brighten up the faded piece. That crest was the first thing to go in an accident. You'd be left with an empty hole in the crest shape. My 57 also had backup lights - Most did not.

The 55 (even the 210 models) 265CI V8's had the V below the taillights... see closely below

55 Chevy 210 265 V8

 

[dtech]

I'm sure some remember when a service station attendant pumped your gas, one of the many jobs I had, albeit only for a few months was working at a garage/service station, wasn't one where I had to wear a uniform like the major brands. But it was after hs in the evenings and remember cars pulling up with dudes that tried to be hard *sses - "fill that mf up" "check that sob's oil level" "clean my windshield son" " bring me a pack of lucky's" and of course occasionally some women older than I flirting and maybe looking to get filled up in a different way.

 

[Trigganometry]

I still love the Tri 5s....

You are correct that the Chevrolet script is missing from above the V in the picture. But incorrect about the crest. My 57 has the crest in the middle of the chrome centerpiece of the grill - See it in the image below. This is EXACTLY the nose on my 57 Chevy! I am old, but I remember vividly hand painting the red, white and blue on the back side of the crest to brighten up the faded piece. That crest was the first thing to go in an accident. You'd be left with an empty hole in the crest shape. My 57 also had backup lights - Most did not.

The 55 (even the 210 models) 265CI V8's had the V below the taillights... see closely below

55 Chevy 210 265 V8

Pretty sure gas cap on those was behind drivers side tail light

 

[Trigganometry]

How far back do you remember?

 

[Radioman]

How far back do you remember?

Sometime around 1971, I had a 1955 F-100. Fun truck.

 

[TJC]

Pretty sure gas cap on those was behind drivers side tail light

Middle section of the drivers side fin hinged opens to reveal the gas cap on the 57.

The 56 was even more unique. It was hinged in the middle. and you turned a vertical chrome piece just above the red lens 90 degrees to unlock it, and the entire assembly pivoted downward.

 

[TJC]

Sometime around 1971, I had a 1955 F-100. Fun truck.

My dad owned as 55 Ford Pickup back in the late 60's. It had a flathead V8 in it. I later owned a 52 Studebaker pickup - Flathead 6 with 3 speed manual trannie which req'd you to double clutch it... No synchros in it. It was a slow, bumpy riding machine meant for farm duty. This was around 1977. Fond memories.

Sponsored