Found treasure-Old Pop. Mech./Mech Ill. mags

[Guest Timthemailman]

Dad died 4 yrs ago and Mom sold the farm last June. I had no help getting ready for it and was running out of time when I got to the old freezer full of old mags. stuffed in paper sacks & taped shut.

They were of all kinds going back to 1939 or so. I blew through them throwing any w/ a car on it in a pile to bring home & the rest into piles for the auction. They didn't get a bid, not suprising as all the rest was just about given away (lathe 25 bucks-welder same-beer flats of hammers,screwdrivers etc. a buck a pop).

Somewhere in the shuffle they got lost and I just rediscoverd em this morining. Haven't been able to read them yet but flipping thru them to find some pretty neat stuff.

The Aug. & Sept. 41' issues show America was getting ready for the war. Stories of mobilation,ships etc. Feb. 43' has contest to win Aeronca airplane (looks like a Piper Cub) or a $1500 war bond.

Seems Ford was trying to come up w/ compact. Test of Taunus, the NEW small Ford (But not the Zodiac orZephyr) in the Sept. 58--Here it is-Ford's new small car in Oct. 59'(Falcon)--Ford amazes car world,Sept. 61' (Cardinal) up to the Maverick in Aug. 69'.

In no order are Sept 49'- Stude's new nose--Feb. 53 Hudson's Jet--Feb. 67 Pontiac GM-X---57' ford---55' Pontiac---Nov. 59' Corvair---Sept. 60' Arthur Godfrey & his "New" 1901 olds (Where did that one go?)---Apr. 54' Metropolitan---

Have about 60 of them. Am going to enjoy going thru them. So when Grandpa dies, be sure to go thru those bags of magazines. Never know what you'll find.

[Rusty_OToole]

You are in for a treat. I especially like Tom McCahill's road tests in MI and the Owner's Reports in Pop Mech. It is eye opening to see the contemporary opinions of an honest, utterly frank expert (McCahill) and the people who bought our antiques and collectibles as new cars.

[Dave Henderson]

I liked Gus's Garage, a monthly fiction article in the old Popular Mechanics. Gus and his helper were always saving the day for someone, sometimes a person with little money. The diagnoses were interesting, and could be applied in real life too.

[Guest pitt64]

Say Smokey is also great.. I grew up reading those mags and still remember those tips..

[Guest Timthemailman]

UPDATE- Arthur Godfrey's "New" 1901 Olds. Getting around to reading the article shows its a 3/4 reproduction done by Rollsmobile Corp. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. owned by Arthur Godfrey, Leo DeOsey and Capt. Al Starts.

Powered by an air-cooled Continental AU85 engine. 30 mph-100 mpg. 300 lbs.

They also made a 01' Ford. Sept. 60' issue of Mech. Ill. Also has plans in issue.

At the HAMB site there was post of guy going to take pics of an 01' olds in garage. Posters brought up in 51' Olds dealers got repo for 50th Anniversry.

Wonder how many Rollsmobile Corp. made in in 60' & how many more were made from plans? Anybody have one?