Wagons in vintage Street scenes

OMG, this reminds me of a story my dear departed friend George told me when he sold cars at the Buick dealer in Tacoma, WA. Back in the mid-Sixties, GM dealers used computer terminals and 'bubble' order sheets to make their orders by darkening in the bubbles (Like the SRA tests most of us took in school) for what platform, body, drivetrain, options, etc. Well it seems someone ordered a '65 Wildcat in the two colors the above Mercs are sporting: Salmon pink over Seafoam Green. Once the car was delivered to the dealer lot, nobody would confess to having ordered this hideous feline. When George told me the story, he said that his theory was that either the factory had done it for another dealer somewhere, and it got put on the wrong train, or auto workers did it as a big F.U. joke, but anyway, they attempt to sell this albatross around their necks, to no avail. So George had a talk with the sales manager, telling him he could get the car sold, but it neede to go to the paint shop first. After he got permission, he talked with the paint shop manager, and got some of the pink covered by the green in a few key spots, relegating the pink to only below the belt line. Since this was during wWinter months, the Sun would go down well before the dealer closed, and sure enough, some Airman co.es in, wanting a Wildcat, so George steers him over to the car, the guy checks it over, takes it for a test drive, agrees to buy it, cash on the barrel. The next day, the Airman comes screaming into the lot, finds George and gives him a piece of his mind and demanding his money back. George told the guy that there was ample light to see what color the cad was, he drove the car and loved it, was looking for that specific model, and basically said that he got an excellent deal for his money. It was a dick move, but really, the Airman's complaints were all over color only.

 

There was enough money to go around, back then, to afford giving his wife the car for her birthday, anniversery or whatever. He could have then bought another one for himself. Airmen didn't earn just chump change.

 

FYI - That 'Jack Loftus Ford' pic above...

Jack Loftus Ford was in Hinsdale, Illinois (suburb of Chicago)
They were apparently real big in racing - Chicago area's largest Shelby dealer.

The property at 300 E. Ogden Ave. is a Land Rover / Range Rover dealer. The dealership moved in 1970, changed its name, and appears to be gone now.

 

Dad ordered a 57 Ford in 1956, it was delivered in the wrong color. He canceled the order went down the street and bought a new 57 Chevy off the lot. Turquoise&white. I can thank him for being a chevy guy now!

 

I'd guess a lot of cars were delivered the wrong color and most customers bought them anyway. From the looks of all the ugly grey and silver new cars all they want now are computers on wheels with cup holders!

I've mentioned before about 1957 Chevys. Still can't believe it's true. Some of the customers that traded every year or every few years cancelled their new '57 Chevy and waited another year because to them the '57 was too ugly.
I can see that. A '57 Chevy is overloaded with trim and strange fins. Of course I loved the '57 HT I owned used and would trade my wife for a nice '57 2-dr HT or convertible.

Our ideas of beauty change as we get older and uglier. I always like Edsels and Studebakers too.

 

I know Ford out sold Chevy in '57, and I kind of like the '57 Fords look, not sure what happened in '58, that year Ford was terrible. Most cars from the late 50s were overloaded with trim so those customers that didn't like it bought a 150 like mine...
PS Does the wife know you are taking offers on her? lol

 

My closest uncle had a 1957 Ford 2-dr ht. I loved that car but it had two problems. I don't remember what engine it had but he only got 9 mpg mostly downhill.
The other problem it was tu-tone white and buckskin brown............. We all had another name for that sort of light pink and grandma didn't like to hear it.

PS Does the wife know you are taking offers on her? lol----- Most often there is a humpback sofa and distance between her and my desk. There are lots of things she doesn't know. There are also lots of times she'd be willing to make a trade.! The problem is she'd want the '57 Chevy too .