I regularly drive on Broad Street as I travel to and from my office downtown. Obviously, I had not been paying close attention to my surroundings until this past week when I happened to notice the Studebaker Building at 667 North Broad Street, with its Studebaker marquee. This building, I discovered, was once an integral part of Philadelphia’s “Automobile Row,” an area stretching along Broad Street north of City Hall that housed automobile dealerships and related businesses.
While the building, renovated some years ago, initially caught my attention, it was the Studebaker name that generated memories of automobiles that were around in the past but are no longer manufactured. So, how many defunct automobiles, once driven by some of us, do you remember from back in the day?
One of my earliest memories of an old automobile, no longer manufactured or branded, comes from years ago as I sat on the porch with my parents. Down the street from where we lived, the police were pursuing a stolen automobile when it sharply turned the corner at 43rd and Wallace Streets and ran directly into the side of an older model Desoto. The Desoto was well built, like many older automobiles of that era, and I can still recall how the stolen automobile bounced off the Desoto without leaving a dent on the parked car. Yes, automobiles were built like tanks back in the day.
Then there was the luxury automobile—a LaSalle—owned by my brother-in-law that was regularly parked directly in front of my home on North 43rd Street. It was a General Motors Company automobile, introduced in 1927 and discontinued in 1940. Like me, this car left most people “in awe” because of its classic and pricey style—it was clearly a high-end automobile.
At the other extreme is the Corvair, another automobile that comes to mind whenever I think of cars from the past that no longer exist. This automobile was my first car after college graduation. My Corvair was red with red bucket seats—I thought I was everything when I drove this automobile. For those who don’t remember, the Corvair was a rear-engine, air-cooled, compact automobile manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet from 1960 through 1969.
There are many other automobiles that are no longer available today. Some are no longer manufactured because the company no longer exists, while others are brands that have been discontinued although their parent companies still operate. For example, although General Motors still exists, several of its brands—such as Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Mercury, and Saturn—have been discontinued. On the other hand, the Packard automobile company is no longer in business, and the Packard brand has also been discontinued. Packard was produced from 1899 to 1958 and was known for high-end vehicles.
Here are other automobiles that have been discontinued over the years. I suspect many of you recall the Edsel made by the Ford company. Those who remember this car immediately point out that it was an unattractive flop but had advanced features. Many of you who were around in the mid-1970s and early ‘80s will recall the DeLorean automobile, if for no other reason than its stainless steel body. The company with its brand lasted for just a short time.
I suspect you did not see many of these automobiles driven around in our neighborhoods back in the day. Do you remember the Nash, Hudson, and Duesenberg? The Duesenberg’s demise came with the Great Depression.
What about the Simca automobile? One of my colleagues recalls his close friend driving this car in the ’70s. Maybe you are not familiar with Simca—it was a French automobile founded in November 1934 and was affiliated with Fiat. After Simca bought Ford’s French subsidiary, it became increasingly controlled by Chrysler. Simca disappeared in 1978, when Chrysler divested its European operations to another French automaker.
Then there were classic models like the Volkswagen Beetle and AMC Eagle, both also discontinued. Add to this list brands such as Trans Am, GTO, Firebird, Cougar, Grand Prix, Marquis, Barracuda, Valiant, Gremlin, Chevelle/Nova, Saturn, Ford Pinto, Mustang II, Kaiser-Frazer, and the Sagle.
Many of us owned a Volkswagen Beetle back in the ’60s, as you could purchase one directly off the showroom floor for approximately $1,500.
Other defunct models include the Cutlass, 442, Toronado, Road Runner, and the SUV Voyager minivan.
I cannot recall any of my friends or associates owning and driving a Willys Jeep, sometimes called the Military Army vehicle. But many of you Cadillac lovers owned a Fleetwood or Eldorado.
If you remember these automobiles, then you should also recall the classic car that was a challenge to Cadillac: the Lincoln Continental Mark IV. This personal luxury coupe was produced from 1972 to 1976. It was a large, opulent vehicle known for its long hood, landau vinyl roof, and plush interior.
So, what about the Hummer? Well, it was once discontinued but has since returned and is sold today.
I get immense pleasure out of observing automobiles of the past that are no longer produced. While photos are nice, actually seeing the automobile in person is even better. With many of the older cars, owning one in good condition is difficult due to price and the challenge of having ample storage space. Still, even with these challenges, they bring back fond memories of automobile life back in the day.
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Alonzo Kittrels can be reached at [email protected] or The Philadelphia Tribune, Back In The Day, 520 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146.
*The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Philadelphia Tribune.*
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