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Cold Start: These Are Way More Fun Than They Should Be

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These are illustrations of automatic transmissions for early 1970s GMS commercial trucks, and I just love the bright, fun way they look. The seem like stickers that should be on a kid’s notebook or bedroom door instead of visual representations, not visualizations of options that a fleet buyer is considering.

The way the ad copy describes the transmission is clearly targeting the fleet buyer and not the driver, as it talks about “protecting your investment” and “reduced maintenance per ton-mile,” both of which are phrases so devoid of the idea of “fun” that the contrast with these day-glo transmissions is even better.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

I’m not sure why they’re shown at all, fun or not. The fleet owners aren’t going to look at them, probably ever, or at least they hope. Nobody is picking these based on looks.

It’s all so weird.

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The Car Accumulator
The Car Accumulator
2 years ago

Well, now l want a car with a lime green transmission.

Speedway Sammy
Speedway Sammy
2 years ago

Allison MT653 on the left, AT540 on the right.

James Mason
James Mason
2 years ago

@Jason Noiles, are you aware of the fantastic clipart collection of old drawings hosted by the University of South Florida? I love looking at these. This page will be of specific interest: https://etc.usf.edu/clipart/galleries/739-transportation

Balloondoggle
Balloondoggle
2 years ago
Reply to  James Mason
Amberturnsignalsarebetter
Amberturnsignalsarebetter
2 years ago
Reply to  Balloondoggle

They even have a picture of David Tracy’s next purchase:

https://etc.usf.edu/clipart/62800/62822/62822_carsmoking.htm

Mr.Asa
Mr.Asa
2 years ago
Reply to  James Mason

My Alma Mater.

My favorite in the past 15 minutes of looking, “Building an Automobile” Steps 1-23.
https://etc.usf.edu/clipart/72800/72827/72827_auto01.htm

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
2 years ago
Reply to  James Mason

Holy crap; how did I not know this existed?
Sincere thanks for posting the link!

James Mason
James Mason
2 years ago

Line drawings (of 3d objects) are the best drawings.

Sid Bridge
Sid Bridge
2 years ago

If those were on a bag of vaguely shaped gummy candies I would buy them.

Man With A Reliable Jeep
Man With A Reliable Jeep
2 years ago

The illustrations exist so that the fleet owners realize a transmission isn’t simply black magic or an abstract concept.

Dusty Kornphartz
Dusty Kornphartz
2 years ago

Careful with those. You might start a new tattoo trend with the hipsters…

Wait, are there any hipster gear heads?

Mr.Asa
Mr.Asa
2 years ago

I’ve liked Inline Sixes since before they started putting them in everything. Obvi now that all the big 3 are talking about bringing them back some people may think that they’re midtown now, but I don’t care. It doesn’t take a lot of kale to get one or get it running, and there’s nothing like the vibes you get tinkering with one while sipping on a frosty bronson.

Cool Dave
Cool Dave
2 years ago

I’m sure hipsters wouldn’t want a tattoo of something commercial.. they’d have tattoos of transmissions hand carved by some sort of guru in some small weird town.

Dávid Tóth
Dávid Tóth
2 years ago

They are all driving Nissan Figaros.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
2 years ago

I have some 1970 Ford Mustang ads that feature the same thing – accurate yet sorta impressionistic (the various people are mostly outlines) drawings with day-glo coloring for the cars.

The look ages really well I think. I enjoy how great they look still, compared to say a 1980s full-life-color, picture-based ad which looks dated and just meh.

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