Colorized Mario's Tribute to 1957 Chevy Dealers, Ads

Mario on Apr 27, 2022 said:

Ah, the new car dealers with all the excitement of a new model roll out in the fall!

The showrooms were packed with people and salesmen on opening day with decorations, balloons, refreshments and all sorts of free giveaways.

I for one collected as many sales brochures as I could carry to take home and study all the new improvements.

But the real reason why I was there was the new cars! I would sit inside and study the dash board, run outside and note the changes to the front grille, the engine, then run to the back of the car and admire the new taillights and bumpers. I was glued to the showroom floor going from one new model to another and capturing all the new changes in my brain like a sponge!

The Chevy dealers were always the most packed and the most exciting. GM was King back then in the Fifties and Chevrolet was number 1 with GM. So, the dealers went all out. The Icon of all the Fifties cars was the 1957 Chevrolet. And the 1957 Chevy Dealer was King of all the Dealers. This is my Tribute to the 1957 Chevy Dealer and all the colorful Ads in magazines and sales brochures!

ghpcnm on Apr 27, 2022 said:

Man those were fun times. I thank God that I was part of it.

57timemachine on Apr 28, 2022 said:

Mario, you are really making me regret selling my 57 Chev right now. If I ever buy another one, it will have to be the Nomad version. Beautifully thought out 57 Chev tribute here and thank you for your effort sir. Cheers.

Mario on Apr 29, 2022 said:

George I don't mean to make you feel any regrets. The 57 Chevy is a great car and yours was tops! The Nomad is a Beauty as well. So many at car shows and I enjoy all of them. Stay well friend. Cheers!

azmusclecar on Apr 29, 2022 said:

As Dinah Shore sang........SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the USA in your Chevrolet.......

nice work Mario.........

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Thanks Rob. I couldn't find Dinah singing the Chevrolet song for a 57. She did earlier and later but not 57. Guess she was negotiating her new contract!

azmusclecar on Apr 29, 2022 said:

That 1957 ARMY pic really grabbed my attention..

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

I would guess the car color was military green but hard to tell in this b&w photo! The Army Staff had a sweet ride! I wonder if any of these cars survived. I never saw one at a car show.

azmusclecar on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Ahhhhhh I did NOT KNOW that......wow....so we don't know where Dinah was for SHORE (wink wink, nudge nudge) Sorry....a bad attempt at humor. It's a gift

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

As Ralphie said to his father in A Christmas Story: Ha Ha that's a good one Dad!

azmusclecar on Apr 30, 2022 said:

One of my favorite holiday movies...life as it really was back in our days.........

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Yes an old time favorite movie of mine too. I play the DVD every Christmas and all the memories of my childhood come roaring back. I like when Ralphie beats up Scut Farkas and then his Mom covers for him. "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out." "I Triple-Dog-Dare Ya!" "I Can't Put My Arms Down." "Meatloaf, Smeatloaf, Double Beetloaf. I Hate Meatloaf." "He Looks Like A Deranged Easter Bunny." "Naddafinga!" "Aaah! 'Fra-GEE-Lay!' It Must Be Italian!" "He Had Yellow Eyes! So Help Me God! Yellow Eyes!" "Over The Years I Got To Be Quite A Connoisseur Of Soap." "Be Sure To Drink Your Ovaltine. Ovaltine? A Crummy Commercial?"

azmusclecar on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Oh Mario you are ON YOUR GAME..........HAAAAAA! Love it......you didn't miss a beat.

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Great movie and I love all the sayings! I say them all the time and got my kids doing it too. My son the NYPD cop heard me say to him on graduation You'll shoot your eye out kid! Luckily he hasn't!

azmusclecar on Apr 30, 2022 said:

He will be a block off the Old Chip......... nd that's a good thing........

Mario on Apr 30, 2022 said:

nd a good ting it dis!

57timemachine on Apr 30, 2022 said:

Once again. Cheers to you sir.

Mario on May 1, 2022 said:

Cheers to you too George! Can't get enough of the 57 Chevy's!

Mario on May 17, 2022 said:

Check out the new video Rob, this staff car is one of only three surviving military 150s 1957 US Army Chevy.

The Chevy, technically a Model 1503, was used on Army bases into the 1960s. Its rock-bottom Blue Flame 140 engine—a 235-cubic-inch, 140-horsepower inline-six—is mated to a three-speed manual transmission with column shifter.

The car wears gloss olive drab paint, black and white cloth seats, and a U.S. data plate with matching VIN number and August 1957 delivery date on the dash. The 150’s spartan interior includes two “luxury” options—heater and cigarette lighter—but no radio. Cheers!

azmusclecar on May 17, 2022 said:

AHHHHHHHH, THE MILITARY 57'S....

I never served in the military. In a way I wish I would have. We had that silly ping pong ball lottery system in use and my birthday was not in what was considered the potential draft percentage.

So I went to college. I hated college. Lasted a few semesters and then decided to try my hand at professional bowling. I was hired as a pinsetter mechanic which I found very satisfying. Guess that is why I love working on cars nowadays.

I now see many bowling alleys closing in areas which brings a tear to my eye. I tried to buy one but it seems you need deep pockets to own one.

I could practice all I wanted as part of my employment contract. The days of finding financial sponsors was growing as were the costs to travel, motels, hotels, food and then the entrance fees yet.

Well, that dream died when my girlfriend said she "WAS ON THE NEST".

( I borrowed that line from Jimmie Stewart in It's a Wonderful life)

So a new career of husband, father and working in an aluminum extruding plant became my daily life.

There's an old saying which doesn't make sense which says:

When you come to a fork in the road...TAKE IT. You never know when your next meal will need one.

azmusclecar on May 17, 2022 said:

Oh and never forgetting to say"

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SERVED.

Mario on May 17, 2022 said:

Thank you, Rob, for all your info and insight. Those were rough times for all of us.

I too hated college and I quit after 3 semesters and joined the Marines! I later went back at night to get my Bachelors and MBA.

But back in 1966 when I quit college it seems like a lifetime ago! And here we are today and I am thrilled to have met people like you and so many others on this wonderful website.

As they used to say on Laugh In "Keep on Truckin"!

azmusclecar on May 17, 2022 said:

Thanks Mario, very nice compliment whihc is something we rarely hear anymore.

And back atcha........I always liked the HERE COME DUH JUDGE...HERE COME DUH JUDGE on Laugh In.

I wish I owned a Judge now....no the GTO Judge.!!!

Mario on Mar 12, 2024 said:

I was able to colorize all the B/W pictures.