Thursday, July 19, 2012

Chicago Auto Show History in Pictures


1912
 Most of the manufacturers displaying at the 1912 show are long gone.
 But at least Buick is still around.


                                                                                1935
              Looming over early editions of the auto show were a series of 43-foot-tall goddesses
                                      depicted on the walls of the old Chicago Coliseum.

1936
   The glamorous front-drive Cord 810 made its debut at the 1936 Chicago Auto Show.


1940
  This Plymouth's power convertible top operation was mesmerizing back in 1940.

1941 
 The year the Chicago cops finally cracked down on women wearing short shorts and funny hats.


1953:
 The 1953 Chevrolet Corvette concept car was virtually identical to the car that
entered production that same year.

1954
 Cab Calloway was on hand to celebrate the appearance of the
1955 Ford Thunderbird prototype at the '54 show.


1955
The Lincoln Futura showcar made its world debut at Chicago in '55.
However, its greatest fame would come in 1966 when it was restyled as TV's Batmobile.


1956
The Dodge La Femme in girlie "Regal Orchid" over "Misty Orchid" paint 
 was marketed directly to women.
It turned out few women wanted a car better dressed than they were

.
1958
The all-new Edsel Citation convertible was part of the splashy "Motorevue" stage show in 1958.
 It should have stayed on stage.


1959
Three Toyota "Toyopet" models made quiet, inauspicious Chicago debuts in 1959
in striking contrast to the extravagant Edsel launch the year before.



1968
 Go-go boots, a plastic dress and an Olds 4-4-2...
what else do you want in a car show?

1973
The 1973 show was thick with color and hope.
But by that October, the OPEC oil embargo
 had hit and the energy crisis was on.





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