The Early Days: Car Commercials from the 1960s

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 08:09 AM

Warning: GM Content - It's still fun stuff

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/...t-tickets-now/

(Maybe something happened to how youtube vids are embedded. The youtube "button" is not rendered, so I put in the links. The vids are the best part.)

By Greg Acosta February 21, 2018

(Editor’s note: Vintage television commercials can be as classic as the cars they promoted back in the day. This is one in an ongoing series of muscle car commercials we’ve found on YouTube.)

With the recent flurry of ads from “The Big Game,” which always provide me with hours of entertainment long after champions are declared, it got me to thinking about vintage commercials, specifically, those for Muscle cars. I have done a few “quick looks” at television commercials from bygone eras for some of today’s most popular muscle cars and always seem to be left wanting to showcase more. Thanks to the far-reaches of the internet and YouTube, I have been able to find a solid assortment of commercials for a walk back in time. However, due to the crazy amount of archived footage, there’s no way to really capture an entire decade in a single post.

The 1960s was a decade of significant change and political turmoil. It was arguably the greatest decade of all time for the classic muscle car – manufacturers had heated battles with one another, color TV was rapidly becoming the norm in American households, and automakers took to the red, green, and blue airwaves to advertise their latest and greatest automobiles in some unexpected ways. These are a few of the commercials that caught my interest during my last trip down the rabbit hole, mainly because of how different they were from what any of us would expect when marketing a muscle car.

https://youtu.be/iYXLmm35Pyc

Starting off our list, is a single video with multiple commercials from 1962-‘63. As you know from our recent article on cool longroofs, we love wagons, so it’s very cool to see an ad for a Buick LeSabre Estate wagon, which is advertised as having the stout 401 cubic-inch Nailhead out of the Wildcat. The advertisement touts its versatility and performance in relative luxury, for “just a little more than those low-priced cars.”

The following commercial introduces the relatively short-lived Buick Wildcat. The ad for the 1963 model carries-over the same “Field & Stream” theme from the LeSabre Estate commercial, but definitely appeals to the sportier segment of the market, with the Wildcat bombing down dirt roads and the commercial featuring it’s “hot look, sports-car console and a tachometer, of course!” While the Wildcat itself only lasted for eight model-years, it was based on one of the best-selling platforms (1965-70 B-Body) in history.

You’ve got to forgive the atrocious color of the third commercial as they were still figuring out mass-market color videography. The Chevy II Nova Sport Coupe is featured driving around the streets of San Francisco while the announcer espouses its sporty ride and improved handling, thanks to its new suspension. The car’s “lively” performance is displayed by cutting a streetcar off in traffic, and it is advertised as both compact and roomy, at the same time. And really, when was the last time a Chevy II was considered a “sensible” car, let alone “lively, luxurious, and low-cost”?

Again with the outdoor theme, but this time it appears Chevrolet teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service to pitch their new line of 1962 station wagons. The Bel Air wagon was advertised as having a “king size” sleeping area in the rear as an alternative to a tent or hotel room, while the Impala wagon was being touted as a kid-hauler and an “economical vacation-mobile.” For all four cars featured in this video, it’s wild to see the cars portrayed so differently than how we perceive them these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=_p-Am92fkx0

In contrast to the outdoorsy family-mobile campaign for the 1962 Impala Wagon, this advertisement for the 1967 Impala Sport Coupe caters to more of what we think of when we think of Impalas – that they look so good you want a garage with clear walls so that you can see it all the time. The ad talks about the Impala’s “bold, modern look” and features some vintage special effects to create the “glass garage,” making this one of our favorite commercials of the bunch, even if it is on the short side.

**aussiblue** · 26-02-2018, 09:55 AM

The mispronunciation of "Impala" makes me cringe. After all it is named after an African antelope not the rotating part of a centrifugal pump.

GT450 · 26-02-2018, 12:05 PM

I don't really see a problem with their pronunciation of Impala but i do believe they bulit a Camaro not a Camero as is the usual USA way of saying it.
GT450

OzJavelin · 26-02-2018, 12:39 PM

Needs more Corvairs ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4RO...utu.be&t=1m10s

**aussiblue** · 26-02-2018, 12:46 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II2VB7_DK8o

marty351 · 26-02-2018, 01:08 PM

Any Pinto or Gremlin ads?

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 01:26 PM

Have to dig some up.

I remember when I was in school, one of my friends worked weekends at his fathers panel beater shop. They got a 401 Gremlin that was a write off. Over a period of time he fix it up and got it back on the street. With the 401 it was pretty quick.

**aussiblue** · 26-02-2018, 01:48 PM

I guess the pronunciation is risk when you name a car after an animal from another continent. Jaguar still often say "Jag-U- ar" in their ads rather than the more correct "Jagwah". (See https://forums.anandtech.com/threads...aguar.1693726/ for a discussion on this). I guess we're lucky nobody named are car after our Emu or we'd have people saying "M-U" as I heard in one US film about surfing in OZ.

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Needs more Corvairs ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4RO...utu.be&t=1m10s

Ralph Naders "Unsafe At Any Speed".

The older brother of a friend got one as his first car. It was an early one with the swing axle rear suspension shown in the video. Four of us would ride in it all he time.

Later he got a '62 Impala with a 327. There was a world of difference in ride and performance.

I think it was '64 or '65 the Corvair got a true IRS which, from my recollection didn't have the tendency to roll over. The Corvairs came with interesting sport options. I don't know how many were sold, but there was, I think a 4 carb option and also a turbo option. However, by this point the publicity of yhe early Corvairs sealed it's fate.

At one point kits were available to install an Olds Toronado or Caddilac Eldorado engine and trans-axle in the rear of the Corvairs.

It was an interesting car.

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

The mispronunciation of "Impala" makes me cringe. After all it is named after an African antelope not the rotating part of a centrifugal pump.

image

The 60's Impalas were nice looking cars. I liked the looks of the '65.

Oops too big. Here's the link:

http://playtoysclassiccars.com/wp-co...nger-Side..jpg

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT450

I don't really see a problem with their pronunciation of Impala but i do believe they bulit a Camaro not a Camero as is the usual USA way of saying it.
GT450

A lot of folks spell it Camero too.

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty351

Any Pinto or Gremlin ads?

Terrible audio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtZHL8D3rvI

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

I guess the pronunciation is risk when you name a car after an animal from another continent. Jaguar still often say "Jag-U- ar" in their ads rather than the more correct "Jagwah". (See https://forums.anandtech.com/threads...aguar.1693726/ for a discussion on this). I guess we're lucky nobody named are car after our Emu or we'd have people saying "M-U" as I heard in one US film about surfing in OZ.

Here's a famous "Jag" around here:
(This will remind you of the "Binki" video intros...plus you will see "the other Brock Yates)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFbL-l5dEFY

The head engine guy at Group 44 Racing taught me and a friend how to prep and paint a car with old time "lacquer" paint when we restored and modified a '54 Merc. I was surprised, even back then, how beautiful the car turned out. Medium-dark lower and white upper, with clear all over. All sanding prep done with old fashioned sanding blocks. My arm still hurts.

TOO BIG again. Here are the links.

https://rmsothebys-cache.azureedge.n...6050910246.jpg

The folks at Jaguar provided a special set of cylinder heads for these engines which gave the engine a little extra hp.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Lz-lvKdxf...+w+air+box.jpg

OzJavelin · 26-02-2018, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solarite_guy

Ralph Naders "Unsafe At Any Speed".

The older brother of a friend got one as his first car. It was an early one with the swing axle rear suspension shown in the video. Four of us would ride in it all he time.

Later he got a '62 Impala with a 327. There was a world of difference in ride and performance.

I think it was '64 or '65 the Corvair got a true IRS which, from my recollection didn't have the tendency to roll over. The Corvairs came with interesting sport options. I don't know how many were sold, but there was, I think a 4 carb option and also a turbo option. However, by this point the publicity of yhe early Corvairs sealed it's fate.

At one point kits were available to install an Olds Toronado or Caddilac Eldorado engine and trans-axle in the rear of the Corvairs.

It was an interesting car.

My response was half "tongue-in-cheek" .. I've got a '65 Corvair Monza coupe ;)

CoupeKing · 26-02-2018, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

The mispronunciation of "Impala" makes me cringe. After all it is named after an African antelope not the rotating part of a centrifugal pump.

image

They would probably cringe when they hear most of us talk about a Shelby or XC Cobra:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pro.../english/cobra

CoupeKing · 26-02-2018, 03:41 PM

vroom vroom

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 03:46 PM

Youtube is available again !

Nice looking Cobra.

lra · 26-02-2018, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

I guess the pronunciation is risk when you name a car after an animal from another continent. Jaguar still often say "Jag-U- ar" in their ads rather than the more correct "Jagwah". I guess we're lucky nobody named are car after our Emu or we'd have people saying "M-U" as I heard in one US film about surfing in OZ.

Oz is just as bad. Holden 'Mon-ah-ro' vs 'Mon-air-ro' Hway.
Try getting the pronunciation of some outback towns correct, without be chortled at by locals..

roKWiz · 26-02-2018, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lra

Oz is just as bad. Holden 'Mon-ah-ro' vs 'Mon-air-ro' Hway.
Try getting the pronunciation of some outback towns correct, without be chortled at by locals..

I live just down the road from Upotipotpon.
I called it, Up o tip ot pon..... the locals call it, U poti pot on.

Can I ad a 68' Ford commercials vehicles clip love this

https://youtu.be/dFtCWwi-HV8

**solarite_guy** · 26-02-2018, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I live just down the road from Upotipotpon.
I called it, Up o tip ot pon..... the locals call it, U poti pot on.

Can I ad a 68' Ford commercials vehicles clip love this

https://youtu.be/dFtCWwi-HV8

That was great. Those folks were dirt tracking those trucks.

We have towns like that too. The spelling and pronunciation don't intuitively align in the mind.

Let's see if my edit of the youtube link works.

roddy1960 · 26-02-2018, 08:20 PM

Remember this ol' chestnut from 1964 here in Oz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSp7bxgca_Q .

I think the 'From the wheels up ' classic was in about 1970-71 , a bit too late for this thread but I actually remember that one as a kid.

Bit too little to recall this dinner suit one. All the rage were this production style ad I think.

Ah bugger it ...I love this very classic ad 1970-71 or not. Still nearly half a century ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7RHF01lolQ

**solarite_guy** · 27-02-2018, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty351

Any Pinto or Gremlin ads?

Pinto:

Trevor 57 · 27-02-2018, 04:59 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUnWu91RiHQ

Trevor 57 · 27-02-2018, 05:00 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiBG8z1e_pc

**FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0** · 28-02-2018, 11:38 AM

I like these pickup truck ads:

**solarite_guy** · 28-02-2018, 12:00 PM

Love those pickups. So much more than the modern overgrown versions made today. Long story short, I got a great deal on a new, well sped'c F250 with upgraded spring and load capacity, BW 4 speed with "granny gear", full floater rear axles and an FT 360 real "truck" motor with steel crank and other good parts inside. Had it loaded with 10K lbs more than a few times. No sagging. That was pretty good for back then. No I idea what an F250 can be rated to these days.