Most Glamorous Chassis of 1957

I see Paul's Miss Brake Special of 1951, and raise him Most Glamorous Chassis of 1957, a title awarded to Hollywood star Debra Paget.

Actually, this seems to be another example of the weird thematic synchronicity that we've mentioned before. Having worked on this blog together now for over a decade, the minds of Paul and I seem to have achieved a state of spooky quantum entanglement, in which, without any coordination at all, and separated by a distance of over 3000 miles, we will independently focus on similar subjects at the same time. So, as Paul was preparing his post about Miss Brake Special, I was simultaneously researching a post about Most Glamorous Chassis. I almost posted it yesterday.

Opelousas Daily World - Apr 11, 1957

Anyway, wikipedia notes that in 1957 Paget was at the peak of her career, considered an A-list star, having appeared in The Ten Commandments and headlined Love Me Tender with Elvis Presley. But beginning in 1957 "Paget's career began to decline." Could it be mere coincidence that this was also the year she accepted the title of "Most Glamorous Chassis"?

Although what is arguably Paget's most famous performance was still before her — her snake dance scene in Fritz Lang's The Indian Tomb (1959). Wikipedia says that the scene was "risque (for the time)." I think it's still risque even for 2020.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 25, 2020 - Comments (5)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, 1950s, Cars

The Temple of Plastic Excess

Created by British artist Andy Hazell circa 2010 for a New Year's parade in Newcastle. It's street legal and uses more than 4000 LEDs. He says, "I tried to imagine what Barbie and Ken would use for wedding transport."

More info: andyhazell.co.uk

Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 19, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Art, Religion, Cars

The Ford Skyliner

A hardtop convertible. Just what millions were clamoring for--not!

The Wikipedia page.



Jump to the 6:30 mark in the video to see the roof in action.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 15, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Chindogu, 1950s, Cars

Joe Wardle’s Emergency Landing

This photo illustrates the more likely intersection of plane and car. But in 1952 a certain Joe Wardle got lucky.





Source.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 09, 2019 - Comments (5)
Category: Accidents, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s, Cars

Laser Windshield Cleaner

Tesla recently applied for a patent to use laser beams to clean a car's windshield. They justify the lasers by explaining that they're needed to make sure the driver-assistance system maintains a clear field of view.

It's a long, technical application, which I didn't bother to read completely. So I assume they must have considered how it might be a bad idea to have lasers suddenly blasting away at a windshield while someone is driving the car... or even just sitting in the front seat.

More info: Car and Driver

Posted By: Alex - Sun Dec 08, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Cars

The Pedestrian Horn

We've posted before about Los Angeles auto dealer Hilton Tupman who, back in 1948, invented a "pedestrian horn" that he used to honk at motorists.



Great ideas like that tend to get recycled. So, recently artist Yosef Lerner unveiled a pedestrian horn for the 21st century. His intent was satirical. He wanted to make the point that honking at people can be obnoxious, whether you're on foot or in a car. But for a while he was actually offering his pedestrian horn for sale on his website, at $699 each. He decided to stop selling them because (as he told Gizmodo) he didn't want "to contribute to any more noise in this city!”





For the record, Tupman didn't invent the idea of a pedestrian horn. Actress Eleanor Whitney had rigged one up in 1932.

Chambersburg Public Opinion - Apr 9, 1932

And as early as 1927, there's a report in the NY Times about an unnamed man from Southampton, England who had attached a "miniature but noisy motorhorn" to his walking stick and then "sounded warning blasts to the more fortunate ones in automobiles when he was about to cross."

New York Times - Oct 7, 1927

Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 19, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Motor Vehicles, Cars, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults

Miss Anti-Freeze

It's Anti-Freeze Week! Or, at least, it could have been if DuPont was still promoting this car-maintenance holiday. It usually fell sometime in mid to late October.

Here's a few of the young women on whom the title of "Miss Anti-Freeze" was bestowed.

Grenola Gazette - Oct 16, 1952

Pike County Dispatch - Oct 8, 1953

Taylor Daily Press - Oct 20, 1953

Wausau Daily Herald - Oct 12, 1953

Alabama Citizen - Oct 30, 1954

Salem News - Oct 17, 1955

Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 21, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1950s, Cars

Follies of the Madmen #445

Yes, it's perfectly safe to drive your one-ton car on the same surface as the 150-lb iceboat.

Source.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 22, 2019 - Comments (6)
Category: Business, Advertising, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Death, Sports, 1960s, Cars

“Breakfast” by Cyriak

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 19, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Annoying Things, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Death, Destruction, Food, Highways, Roads, Streets and Traffic, Surrealism, Foreign Customs, Fictional Monsters, Cars

Water Bottle Warning

A water bottle left on a car seat may potentially be a fire hazard. How? Because the water can act as a magnifying glass, concentrating the sun's rays and setting the upholstery on fire.

This was news to me. During past road trips, I've left water bottles on the car seat many times.



Via Book of Joe

Posted By: Alex - Fri May 24, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Stupid and/or Dangerous Products, Cars