David Burge
David Burge
@iowahawkblog
Apr 20 29 days ago 31 tweets Read on X

Today's is brought to you by the all new 1927 LaSalle. Visit your local LaSalle dealer and learn why LaSalle is the Favorite in Smart Circles Everywhere!

(and happy birthday to LaSalle, born March 5, 1927; ad illustrated by Edward A. Wilson)

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As soon as people decipher Archie & Edith sang "gee our old LaSalle ran great" their first question is "what's a LaSalle?"

Basically a spinoff brand of Cadillac. LaSalles had Caddy engines, gave Caddy-LaSalle dealers a low price option without sullying Caddy's elite image.

Sadly the LaSalle brand came to an end in 1940, after making some very handsome models.

At one time most GM brands had a lower price companion brand; Cadillac/LaSalle, Oakland/Pontiac, Buick/Marquette, Olds/Viking. Pontiac the only one to survive its parent.

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Not to mention Hudson/Essex, Studebaker/Erskine, etc. The auto industry is a true marvel of brand positioning.

But my brand is car IDing, so time to get at it - but please rise to recite the car ID request quality pledge:

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To the victor (and his wife) goes the spoils, as Aunt Nancy demonstrates in her brand-spanking-new 1959 Chevy Corvette in Oct 1958. Sad to learn of her untimely demise.

@edwardcossette
#DavesCarIDService
My aunt Nancy showing off her swanky ride to the kinfolk back East after she and her husband, Bobby Williams Sr, started to hit the big time in the Cali harness horse racing circuit.

Bobby Williams Sr would go on to become one of the most celebrated https://t.co/ppUn2ZrGNm

Now here's a banger of a photo: I am foremost a Mid Century Modern fan, but boy howdy a California Craftsman also gets my architectural attention. The celebrated lady magician Miss Armstrong & pals arrived there in a 1934 Ford.

*may I say I very much appreciate high resolution photo requests, the details of a photo can be delightful.

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These Depression era urchins are with a Deuce, but not the Ford of car song fame; it's a 1932 Chevy Eagle sedan. Looks like barn to left contains one of those newfangled disk harrows.

@swizze_gfrank
#DavesCarIDService I believe my mother's (she's 99yrs old) cousins. I assume the four vents and the hood ornament would make it easy for you but I have no idea. Nice car, though. I think that's just a doll perched precariously on top, but there's also a good boy over to the side. https://t.co/LNCR7joxNa

* "Deuce" refers to the 2 in 1932; generally refers to the beloved 1932 Ford flathead V8, though "Chevy Deuce" is accepted.

That 1932 Chevy Eagle hood ornament was quite a handsome little sculpture.

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You had to roll in an Oldsmobile to join the notorious Cheesehead Unks street gang. L-R: 1951 Olds 88 sedan, 1952 Olds Super 88, 1946-47 Olds Dynamic sedan.

@garygator1
#DavesCarIDService My Uncles in Wisconsin back in the 50-60's? https://t.co/dBEQNXIR9z

These lads are deeply regretting whatever mischief resulted in them being lined up next to a 1936 Ford Tudor for a stern reprimand.

"It was his idea," they both muttered.

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I've received quite a few souvenir giant tree drive-thru photos before, tho most all from California; this is the first I can remember from Washington. The car here is a 1918 Franklin 9B touring.

@HazeDoran
#DavesCarIDService https://t.co/kAD3lRZCou

*that "coal scuttle" style hood was common in European cars, but unique to Franklin in the US (also seen on Mack and a few other trucks). Hinged in front, and the whole hood flipped forward for engine access. Franklin eventually went to a more conventional look after 1920.

The tent roll on the running board says these hardy folks were ready to rough it what is now part of the Greater LA sprawl. Pretty sure the background car is a c. 1911 Cadillac Model 30; nearest is tougher call, but I believe a c.1911 Oakland 40.

@MatthewBowdish
Road trip in the Antelope Valley of Calif. My wife's 2nd-great grandparents William James & Laura (nee Davis) James, along with her great-grandmother Lela James Wharton (sitting on fender). William is in the back w/white suspenders & Laura standing on right. #DavesCarIDService https://t.co/BhU7nMkLnQ

Another fine shot of a family roughing it, with some challenging car IDs. Roadster to left is a 1921-23 Studebaker EJ; back yonder I think is a 1921ish Buick 23 (iffy confidence level). Not enough visible of car on right for me to venture a guess.

@dougbentley
I just came across this one of my grandma, her sis & bro, their parents, & friends on an adventure (perhaps in the late 1910’s?). The love of camping runs deep in my family! #DavesCarIDService https://t.co/5f3DAZ3yUv

After Slate Gravel & Quarry sold out to Split Rock and upgraded to steam shovels from dinosaurs, Fred Flintstone traded in his Cavemobile for a 1917ish Buick D45 touring.

@macado64131
#DavesCarIDService
Split Rock Quarry https://t.co/VFFR6y4Rci

The great Lakota Sioux chief is cranking a 1907ish Pope-Toledo Type XV. Iron Tail's image appears on the Indian head/ buffalo nickel, and he toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Some digging reveals that the car was Buffalo Bill's. (ht )

@historydefined
Chief Iron Tail, cranking an early automobile, 1915. https://t.co/PXUnSn6zMO

The neighborhood gals could barely contain their thirst when Great Gramps was out in the driveway waxing up his 1937 Hudson Terraplane. (ht )

@MercurialMiss
I submit my great grandpa for #historicalHottie consideration. That's his father of 3 dad bod my great gram won the lottery of men as a teenager. Stupid in love till the days they were both gone. @WhoresofYore https://t.co/2VjEthRXfy

There are compact cars, there are microcars, and then there is the 1916ish Smith Flyer, the smallest and cheapest production car ever made (generally classified as a 'cyclecar'). Powered by a Smith Motor Wheel. (ht )

@YawuMiller
@HUBhistory Who is this woman with the fur coat and the crazy hot rod? These City of Boston photo archives are a rabbit hole. https://t.co/pbCeLOLyI7

*here's a Smith Motor Wheel, also sold as a cheap way to convert a bicycle to gasoline power. On the Flyer, a lever would lift or drop it to the ground for power.

Smith sold out to Briggs & Stratton, and it became the B&S Flyer, and finally the Auto Red Bug.

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*if nothing else, I hope these threads help illustrate the bottomless rabbit hole that is automotive history.

HEYYY YYABBOTT!

Speaking of the infinitely deep rabbit hole of auto history, Lou Costello is showing off his stunt skills on the Universal backlot, atop a California-made 1940ish Powell Streamliner scooter with side car.

@WCespar
#DavesCarIDService https://t.co/dqtqBc7eTt

*Powell would later make the Powell Sport Wagon, with its wacky pull-out fishing pole drawers.

Like I said, an endless rabbit hole.

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I'm guessing this flyboy was stationed in the UK; in outside the Galaxy is a 1972ish MG MGB coupe and a smidge of a BMW 318? In at the fish & chips is... 1982ish Ford Fiesta? Probably wrong, but a car really not in my wheelhouse.

@JRPfeff
#DavesCarIDService @iowahawkblog My high school buddy recently shared some photos from his time in the USAF. The car IDs are my excuse to share the photo of the studly flyboy. https://t.co/xkaLRSwQaQ

Time to move on to some street & wilderness finds, like this swanky 1960 Ford Falcon Ranchero. First year for the small Ranchero after the full size 1957-59s. Would later be based on the midsize Fairlane.

@hoseapluma
@iowahawkblog Another find in the wild in Central Texas. I thought it was an early '60's Ford Fairlane, but it turned and. . .#DavesCarIDService https://t.co/6TA183KR9l

That'd be a 65 Chevy C10.

@toddva99
#davescaridservice How about this old truck I ran across the other day…. https://t.co/YV50wssivX

Know your Tri-5 (55-56-57) Chevys! This is a 56 Bel Air 2 door hardtop; the gas filler tube is behind left taillight housing, which hinged out like a door.

@robert_dunaway
Oh #DavesCarIDService saw this Bel Air crusin around. Not sure the year? ‘55? ‘56? https://t.co/XMlEuudiCm

1963 Studebaker GT Hawk.

@Malvenue
I saw this at a local car repair shop and thought you'd get a charge, @iowahawkblog!
#DavesCarIDService https://t.co/ZLNlx2EIG4

1947-53 Chevy Suburban. Yep, Chevy has been making Suburbans since 1936, and I believe it's the longest continually offered model name of all vehicles.

@dukemeiser
Seen in the wild at Toot Toots for #DavesCarIDService https://t.co/YjiuO5d2mU

Cadillac's Cadillac is a 75-76 Eldorado droptop. (ht )

@AuburnFootball
The content you didn’t know you needed:

Cadillac 🤝 Cadillac https://t.co/xLnfH1NKo7

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