Here is an interesting article about how a new car was designed in the 50's. It also has some details of other 1955 models, a banner year. http://books.google.com/books?id=390DAAA...p;q&f=false
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Popular Mechanics Feb, 1955
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Originally Posted By: Burt
Love these old popular mechanics on google books. Notice how they are chuck full of advertising versus today's magazines in the post-internet era.
I know, there are literally over a 100 pages of advertisments in just one issue. I like how the ads have an adress to write to for brochures, catalogs and manuals lol. I remember the days before internet where and everything was handwrittened (or typed)and mailed.
Love these old popular mechanics on google books. Notice how they are chuck full of advertising versus today's magazines in the post-internet era.
I know, there are literally over a 100 pages of advertisments in just one issue. I like how the ads have an adress to write to for brochures, catalogs and manuals lol. I remember the days before internet where and everything was handwrittened (or typed)and mailed.
Originally Posted By: pbm
I found it interesting that the article says that a 'short stroke' engine is more durable than a 'long stroke' one.
Is there any truth to this today?
It was probably a bigger issue with carburetors, straight grade motor oil etc but generally all things equal a shorter stroke engine should see lower cylinder wall wear. I don't think it is noticable since engines tend today tend toward longer stroke than the 50's and last.
I found it interesting that the article says that a 'short stroke' engine is more durable than a 'long stroke' one.
Is there any truth to this today?
It was probably a bigger issue with carburetors, straight grade motor oil etc but generally all things equal a shorter stroke engine should see lower cylinder wall wear. I don't think it is noticable since engines tend today tend toward longer stroke than the 50's and last.
Cool read!
Thanks for posting, I got a kick out of reading that. So hard to believe that things used to be done that way!
Brings back memories of my 1955, 4 Door 6 cylender, Chevy Station wagon with a 3 speed hand shift on the column. Lots of power in that car for a six. My first car....they were built like tanks in the 50's and early 60's.
Interesting about the Lincoln Mercury line having the "Push Button Lube system". Just fill the reservoir once a year with your favorite grease and when the time came...push the button and the front end, drive shaft, bearings etc would all receive a generous amount of lube. I bet the system clogged up like a grease gun with the heat of the engine and the freezing temps.
So much for that idea......
Interesting about the Lincoln Mercury line having the "Push Button Lube system". Just fill the reservoir once a year with your favorite grease and when the time came...push the button and the front end, drive shaft, bearings etc would all receive a generous amount of lube. I bet the system clogged up like a grease gun with the heat of the engine and the freezing temps.
So much for that idea......
Originally Posted By: 07Wolfie
Thanks for posting, I got a kick out of reading that. So hard to believe that things used to be done that way!
Yeah, all the designing was done by hand by artist, engineers and skilled craftsmen. They really didn't take much longer than today and the cars were pretty affordable even for the time.
In the Feb. '56 issue they show a car being assembled within 17 hours, and in some pictures it shows the workers spraying primer and paint with no protective gear. Seems like that could be hazardous. http://books.google.com/books?id=u-EDAAA...956&f=false
Thanks for posting, I got a kick out of reading that. So hard to believe that things used to be done that way!
Yeah, all the designing was done by hand by artist, engineers and skilled craftsmen. They really didn't take much longer than today and the cars were pretty affordable even for the time.
In the Feb. '56 issue they show a car being assembled within 17 hours, and in some pictures it shows the workers spraying primer and paint with no protective gear. Seems like that could be hazardous. http://books.google.com/books?id=u-EDAAA...956&f=false
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What a real JOY it was to work on a vehicle from the 1950's and 60's! Lots of room under the hood, easy to remove parts, easy to obtain rebuilt parts for a good price and no real specialized tools or equipment was needed for repairs or maintenance.
Brings back a lot of memories of my youth when working on vehicles on the street or in backyards was a pleasure.
Brings back a lot of memories of my youth when working on vehicles on the street or in backyards was a pleasure.
Absolutely. When they made close to a million '55 Chevies alone there were parts everywhere for cheap especially in junkyards. These cars were a little before my time, but there use to be a joke I heard from older mechanics that "you could take apart a whole '57 Chevy with a 9/16" wrench". You didn't need a complete set of metric tools or much specialty tools. I heard you could get ignition parts and sometimes even a whole carburetor at grocery stores. If you had a fuel system or ignition problem, the car might run bad but it would usually make it home.
PM of the 50's and 60's and so on is great. 300 pages with a lot of useful info, fold out posters etc and information from industry insiders and engineers. Magazines were king before the internet. In the past I probably ahd subscription to every major hot rodding and automotive magazine.
I was reading some late 50's/early 60's PM automotive stuff and foreign cars from Europe were already a sales threat. The cars were very small and basic, usually ugly, often unreliable and not all that much cheaper. No one could figure out why consumers were buying them or what exactly they wanted Detroit to build. So Detroit quickly came out with the Falcon, Corvair, and several other models. JMO but there were stupid people and media starting in the late 50's that didn't know a good situation when they had it and ruined it for everyone, just like in more recent times. Anyway it's good reading into the past.
I was reading some late 50's/early 60's PM automotive stuff and foreign cars from Europe were already a sales threat. The cars were very small and basic, usually ugly, often unreliable and not all that much cheaper. No one could figure out why consumers were buying them or what exactly they wanted Detroit to build. So Detroit quickly came out with the Falcon, Corvair, and several other models. JMO but there were stupid people and media starting in the late 50's that didn't know a good situation when they had it and ruined it for everyone, just like in more recent times. Anyway it's good reading into the past.
Check out the ad for "Miracle Power" oil and gas additive on Page 301.
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