Vintage Car Ads – ViewMyGarage.com – The Ultimate Car and Motor Sports Blog

1986 Chevrolet Corvette

In terms of general statistical sexiness, brake performance has long taken a backseat to acceleration. Horsepower numbers are fun, 0-60-mph and quarter-mile times are fun. But braking? Most car guys know that reaching 60 mph from a stop in less than 6 seconds is an impressive feat. How many folks, I wonder, know what a decent time would be for coming to a complete stop from 60 mph?

It’s said that safety sells, but when it comes to classic car ads, the emphasis was always on power. Nonetheless, we did manage to find a number of great print ads extolling the virtues of superior braking performance.

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Note that a few of the ads shared below are not for cars, but for suppliers and insurance firms. Seems that selling safety can be a complicated business.

More classic car ads

1934 Studebaker

1934 Studebaker Ad

10-Gallon-Hat Madness! A Gallery of Cowboys in Classic Car Ads

1935 Plymouth

1935 Plymouth ad

Designer Madness! Fashion in Classic Car Ads

1951 Chrysler Corporation

1951 Chrysler Corporation Ad

Woodie Madness! Classic Ads Featuring Small Wood Sided Wagons

1951 Dow Chemicals

1951 Dow Chemicals Ad

National-Pastime Madness! A Gallery of Baseball-Themed Auto Ads

1953 Bendix-Westinghouse

1953 Bendix-Westinghouse Ad

Thanksgiving Madness! A Gallery of Autumn-Themed Auto Ads

1958 Buick

1958 Buick Ad

Cocktail Madness! A Gallery of Cars in Liquor Ads

1961 Liberty Mutual

1961 Liberty Mutual Ad

Nicotine Madness! A Gallery of Cars in Cigarette Ads

1965 Chevrolet Corvette

1965 Chevrolet Corvette Ad

Grabowsky Madness! 10 Classic GMC Ads

1975 Subaru

1975 Subaru Ad

Dead-Brand Madness! 10 Classic Edsel Ads

1976 Delco Moraine

Delco Moraine Ad/1976 Cadillac Eldorado

Soccer Mom Madness! 10 Classic Minivan Ads

1986 Chevrolet Corvette

1986 Chevrolet Corvette Ad

Urgent-Care Madness! 15 Classic Ambulance Ads

1987 Ford F-150

1987 Ford F-150 Ad

Canine Madness: 10 Classic Car Ads Featuring Dogs

1987 Pontiac 6000

1987 Pontiac 6000 Ad

Emerald Madness! 10 Classic Ads Featuring Green Cars

2009 Nissan Titan

2009 Nissan Titan Ad

Click below for enlarged images.

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Car Ads Featuring Brakes Gallery

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: 1934 Studebaker Ad

: 1935 Plymouth ad

: 1951 Chrysler Corporation Ad

: 1951 Dow Chemicals Ad

: 1953 Bendix-Westinghouse Ad

: 1958 Buick Ad

: 1961 Liberty Mutual Ad

: 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Ad

: 1975 Subaru Ad

: Delco Moraine Ad/1976 Cadillac Eldorado

: 1986 Chevrolet Corvette Ad

: 1987 Ford F-150 Ad

: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Ad

: 2009 Nissan Titan Ad

Car Ads Featuring Brakes

Written by: Tom Appel on September 29, 2020.

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1957 Plymouth

In his 2012 book Fractured Times: Culture and Society in the Twentieth Century, historian Eric Hobsbawm noted, “In terms of literary pedigree, the invented cowboy was a late romantic creation. But in terms of social content, he had a double function: he represented the ideal of individualist freedom pushed into a sort of inescapable jail by the closing of the frontier and the coming of the big corporations.”

If Hobsbawm is correct, the Western/cowboy boom of the Fifties and Sixties represented, to some extent, pushback against the societal homogenization of life in the suburbs, jobs in offices, and shopping in big plazas. Perhaps.

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As an avid watcher of Maverick, Gunsmoke, Have Gun – Will Travel, and Rawhide, I can say that it is the simplicity of cowboy life that appeals to me. That, and the clearly defined characters who respond to adversity in predictable ways. The best Western TV shows were parables, and watching them was—and still is—catharsis.

It’s easy to understand why advertisers would want to associate their products with cowboys. Once you get past the poor hygiene and complete disregard for personal comfort, what you see is grit, determination, and a uniquely American cultural moment.

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Gathered for you here is a gallery of classic car ads featuring cowboys. You can decide for yourself whether the association with The Old West and dusty trails served to enhance the image of the vehicle presented. The art in these ads, for the most part, is wonderful. Enjoy!

More classic car ads