{"id":63850,"date":"2018-03-03T09:22:32","date_gmt":"2018-03-03T13:22:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=63850"},"modified":"2018-03-03T09:22:32","modified_gmt":"2018-03-03T13:22:32","slug":"collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/","title":{"rendered":"Collector Car Corner – New car shopping with our dads in the early 1960s"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Collector

The 1961 Chevrolet line was a big-hit back then. Everything from a real sports car Corvette, mild mannered Corvair to a 409-inch V8 full size Impala, Belair or Biscayne was available. (Compliments Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors)<\/p><\/div>\n

Q: Hi Greg and first I want to thank you for your nostalgic car columns I read every week in my newspaper here in Medford, Oregon. (Mail Tribune and Daily Tidings). You once mentioned years ago that you and your father went car shopping and that you settled on a nice 1961 Chevy.<\/p>\n

I had similar experiences with my dad as I was born in 1948 and we, too, went car shopping late in 1961 for a 1962 Chevy. We settled on a nice 1962 Chevy Impala with the 283 V8 engine and automatic transmission. Buying a car back then was a lot different than it is today and the marketing was so much fun with the new model year dealership \u2018new car celebrations.\u2019 Albert L., Medford, Oregon.<\/p>\n

A: Albert thanks for your written letter and also for recalling your car shopping days with your dad. You are correct that back in that era, new car introductions were major undertakings, and the dealerships all held \u201cnew car model extravaganzas.\u201d The new models were delivered to the dealerships fully covered by large tarps so that no one could see them on the highways.<\/p>\n

On television and in newspapers, the manufacturers would run \u201cteaser\u201d ads showing a certain part of the new car, many times using subliminal split second photos of the car to whet prospective consumer appetites. I remember the 1959 Chevrolet tail fin ads that Chevy ran on the major TV stations (I think there were only three stations back then!). If you were already a customer, you received a special invitation to a dealership and even a special prize if you attended.<\/p>\n

\"Collector

Although this is not a photo of Yank Chevrolet in Vineland, N.J. back in 1961, it is very similar to the size of the showroom at that dealership. You\u2019ll notice all salespeople were dressed in suits not only for the new car introduction week, but every day of the year when business was conducted. (Compliments Chevrolet Division of General Motors)<\/p><\/div>\n

The dealerships went all out during new car week and it was a real big deal. From morning to night, prospective car buyers were greeted with donuts and coffee\/tea in the mornings to hot dogs and cokes in the afternoon\/evening. The new brochures were handed out and coincided with the usual full-page advertisements to visit the dealership and see the new cars.<\/p>\n

Many dealers gave away 1\/24 scale models of the new cars, usually produced by Jo-Han Model Cars, a big name in built and un-built models back them. These 1\/24 dealer promo cars were so neat that I admit I still have a few in my lifelong collection of cars and model kits. These were some of the aforementioned \u201cspecial gifts\u201d if you were a current customer or, in some cases, available on a \u201cjust ask a salesman\u201d promotion (see ad).  <\/p>\n

As for remembering shopping with my dad, I was only 11-years-old in late 1960 when we went to the grand opening new car week and it ended with my dad purchasing his first ever brand new car from Yank Chevrolet in Vineland, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

My father allowed my input, as by that time it was totally clear that I was going to be a lifelong car crazy person. So, I was involved in that decision as my father took me to all the places he was looking for a new car. We hit the Chevrolet, Dodge and Plymouth dealers the most and for whatever reason, not one Ford dealer!  (My dad never owned a Ford in his 77-year life. He was a Chevy\/Dodge guy, but I do recall a used 1950 Mercury when I was really young, so I guess he did own a Ford product. <\/p>\n

The final decision came down between two Chevrolets, a dealer demo all black \u201961 Impala four-door that was not an SS or a brand new \u201961 Belair two-door.<\/p>\n

Although I liked the Impala because it had a 283 V8 engine and was really much nicer than the Belair, my dad and I settled on the brand new \u201cSeafoam Green\u201d 1961 Chevy Belair two door. It came with the \u201cStovebolt\u201d straight six-cylinder engine hooked to a powerglide transmission. I liked the looks of the \u201961 Belair two door mainly because it was similar to the \u201961 Biscayne two-door that my drag racing hero, Dave Strickler, was racing back then with the new 409 engine out of Ammon R. Smith Chevy in York, Pa.  <\/p>\n

The Belair and Biscayne two-doors featured a lip on the back window (see Chevy ad) unlike the \u201cbubble top,\u201d no B-pillar Impala two door models. So, 1961 was a big year in my young life as my dad was a proud brand-new car owner. (In 1962, the \u201cbubble top\u201d was only available in the Belair line and the drag racers bought them up).<\/p>\n

Thanks much Albert for your letter and bringing back good memories car shopping with our fathers.<\/p>\n

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes questions and comments collector cars, auto nostalgia and motorsports at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840 or email at greg@gregzyla.com<\/a>) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q: Hi Greg and first I want to thank you for your nostalgic car columns I read every week in my newspaper here in Medford,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":63851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nCollector Car Corner - New car shopping with our dads in the early 1960s - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Collector Car Corner - New car shopping with our dads in the early 1960s - Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Q: Hi Greg and first I want to thank you for your nostalgic car columns I read every week in my newspaper here in Medford,...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/The-Owego-Pennysaver-49179420591\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-03-03T13:22:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2018\/03\/Car_Collector1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"662\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"psadvert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"psadvert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/\",\"name\":\"Collector Car Corner - New car shopping with our dads in the early 1960s - Owego Pennysaver Press\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2018\/03\/Car_Collector1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-03-03T13:22:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#\/schema\/person\/e03684194434956dfb61f5ffcbc19492\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2018\/03\/03\/collector-car-corner-new-car-shopping-with-our-dads-in-the-early-1960s\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2018\/03\/Car_Collector1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2018\/03\/Car_Collector1.jpg\",\"width\":662,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"All of the new car dealerships back in the early 1960s used Jo-Han produced dealer \u201cpromo cars\u201d in 1\/24 scale as an incentive to visit the dealership and bring the family. 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