Car stuff you find in OLD non car magazines

[1937hd45]

Thought this was rather nice for 1907, in The Illustrated London News. Bob 

[1937hd45]

[8E45E]

Ken Purdy was a well known freelance automotive writer.  His articles often appeared in True, Argosy, and Playboy magazine in the 1960's. 

 

Craig

[John_S_in_Penna]

I have found that old magazines in the mainstream

occasionally have articles that give good glimpses of

automotive life back then.  In contrast, an automotive

magazine might tell the ownership of the company, its

car models and their statistics;  but a general-interest magazine

will give broader glimpses of life with the automobile.  As an

AACA regional editor, I reprinted such historical insights that

may be totally forgotten today.

 

A few examples:

---A woman driving a car around 1909 told her experiences in learning,

and recommended only the smaller-horsepower cars for women.

She revealed that the first radiator "mascots" were personalized,

may have been for luck against breakdowns, and could be home-made.  

 

---An old ad referred to a car's rear wheels as the "hind wheels,"

hind being a term not usually heard today in regard to wheels.

 

---A fascinating article from the 1880's gave the 30-year history of

oil development and described the then-current boom in Pennsylvania.

It told of fracking with nitroglycerin and how the nitroglycerin man and

his wagon might hit a bump and be suddenly obliterated without a trace.

And even then, people were afraid of running out of oil!

 

History is vast.  Much is forgotten and remains to be rediscovered.

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

1 hour ago, 8E45E said:

Ken Purdy was a well known freelance automotive writer.  His articles often appeared in True, Argosy, and Playboy magazine in the 1960's. 

 

Craig

Ken Purdy’s articles were the only reason I read Playboy.......😂😂😂

[8E45E]

6 minutes ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

Ken Purdy’s articles were the only reason I read Playboy.......😂😂😂

When I was pre-driving age, I was visiting my uncle who happened to have the latest issue of Playboy on the end table in his living room.  I picked it up and thumbed through the August, 1967 issue of Playboy and immediately saw an article by Ken Purdy with an awesome photo-essay of cars that I had never seen excellent color pictures of before, Bizzarinni 5300 Strada GT, Lamborghini Muira, etc., to name a couple.   I asked my uncle it I could have it when he was done with it, and he said I could, but it was 'conditional' with my mom.  In the end, she did allow me to have it.  Of course, at the time, I cut out the pictures and glued them on cardboard and disappeared over the years.  Fortunately for me, I was at a garage sale a good 30 years ago, where the seller had a stack of late 1960's Playboy magazines for sale, and was able to find that August, 1967 issue, which I still have complete.  I didn't cut it up this time!

 

Craig

[keiser31]

I was about 15 in 1967 when I was looking through a Playboy magazine and saw an ad about the new MGB and Triumph Spitfire "roadsters" from British-Leyland. The cars had roll up side windows, so I decided to write the company a letter. I explained that "roadsters" had no roll up windows, but had side curtains.  Therefore, the cars were actually "convertibles". I went on to explain other differences. That was it. I had said my thoughts and went on my merry way. A few days later, I received a letter from the president of the British-Leyland thanking me for my letter. He went on to give Webster's definition of a roadster and told me that I was correct in some ways. WOW! The president of the company. COOL! I still have that letter.

[1937hd45]

Ken Purdy lived about four miles down the road from me, can't take that drive without thinking of him in his MERCER or  Bugatti, or a car he was testing for a review. Bob 

[Terry Bond]

Great early print Bob. Somewhere out there is an original piece of artwork the print was made from.  Playboy certainly wasn't first to have a centerfold!

Terry

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

2 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Ken Purdy lived about four miles down the road from me, can't take that drive without thinking of him in his MERCER or  Bugatti, or a car he was testing for a review. Bob 

For those who don’t know or remember.......very sad ending for Mr. Purdy......https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Purdy

[8E45E]

39 minutes ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

For those who don’t know or remember.......very sad ending for Mr. Purdy......https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Purdy

It was sad, but as I recall reading, he was slowly dying from a chronic illness, which was giving him an intense amount of constant pain.

 

Craig

[1937hd45]

On 2/21/2020 at 2:13 PM, 8E45E said:

It was sad, but as I recall reading, he was slowly dying from a chronic illness, which was giving him an intense amount of constant pain.

 

Craig

True, He would stop by the shop once a month it seamed, had the first V12 Jaguar I ever saw, he was driving before he did a Playboy story on it. At the time of his passing he had a Type 44 Bugatti, a chain gang Frasier Nash and a Morgan three wheeler. Drove past his place today, still can't brake the habit of looking down the driveway. Bob 

Edited February 22, 2020 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I have a compilation of the Purdy articles, a great book, picked it up foe around $5

[8E45E]

On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 6:09 AM, John_S_in_Penna said:

I have found that old magazines in the mainstream

occasionally have articles that give good glimpses of

automotive life back then.  

That is exactly why I liked reading about 'Gus' in "The Model Garage' in Popular Science magazine.

 

Craig