3000 B.C Somebody invented the wheel. It was round and funny. And since the road wasn’t invented yet, everybody laughed.

1875. The telephone. Who’d want to stand and talk to a box full of wires? They laughed.

1879. The electric light bulb. It was so dim, people had to use a gas lamp to see it. They laughed.

1877. The automobile sputtered down the road. The horse and buggy passed it like it was standing still. And it usually was.

1807. The first steamboat in America made it from New York to Albany in 32 hours. A small boy could have beaten it in a rowboat. They laughed.

1903 The airplane. Off it soared into the wild blue yonder; down it came 59 second later. They laughed.

1950. The Volkswagen Station Wagon. It was square on homely But it held almost twice as much as un-funny station wagons, took 4 feet less space to park, never froze or boiled over, and cost about half as much money to run.

The VW is still a pretty funny sight. And people are still laughing. But the laughter is dying down.

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated

1966 Ford Trucks Six Cylinder advertisement

Our new Sixes are messing up the Ford V-8 image!
Great!

For years “Ford V-8″ has meant powerful performance. Smooth. Responsive.
It still does.
But today Ford pickups offer another way to get great performance. You get it in our new Sixes. Seven main bearings give them a smoothness you expect only in V-8′s . They retain the economy you look for in a Six, yet their size and power (up to 300-cu. in. and 170hp) put them squarely in the V-8 capability class.
If our new Sixes challenge the Ford V-8 image, that’s alright with us.
Who cares about cylinder count? The important thing is the pep and response and smoothness you get in an engine. And you get it with either a Ford Six or Ford V-8.

Our smoothness in engines is matched by smoothness in ride. Ford’s Twin-I-Beam suspension sees to that. Two front axles work independently to absorb road shocks. At the same time, they hold wheel alignment and reduce tire wear.

Big…powerful…economical…smooth?
Somehow we kind of like this image.

Ford/66

Source: Mechanix Illustrated

1966 Genuine General Motors Parts advertisement

I’d still like to know how those parts can fit in those boxes?

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated

1939 Continental Motors advertisement

Wherever Dependable Power is Needed You Will Find – Continental Red Seal Engines

On the farm, on the highway, on construction projects; in factory, mill, lighting plant or marine applications, the Red Seal Engine is giving dependable and economical performance. That is why Continental’s large list of customers keeps growing.

Now, a new era of transportation is opening. Aviation is coming into its own. It finds Continental taking leadership in the light aircraft engine field and expanding its activities in the higher power range.

91.4% of the aircraft engines under 75 h. p., delivered during the first nine months of 1938, were built by Continental. Its motors have scored significant victories in recent endurance and economy test flights.

Continental’s two great plants, capably equipped, provide adequate facilities for all motor applications

Continental Motors Corporation
A specialized manufacturer for a diversified market
DETROIT AND MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN

Dependable power for trucks – tractors – buses – farm machinery – airplanes – industrial machinery – lighting plants – passenger cars.

Source: 1939 Ward’s Automotive Year book

1966 Ford Motor Company Quality Car Care advertisement

“Certain parts of Ford Motor Company cars are engineered to tolerances 100 times thinner than this page. So fine a piece of machinery can be for best by the specialists – your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer. See him and be sure.”

“Your dealer has special equipment, such as this “Rotunda” oscilloscope engine analyzer, for the care of Ford-built cars.”

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated

1966 Chrysler "Top Quality" Used Cars advertisement

“When you draw lots, hope you get ours.”

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated

“We’re glad to answer ticklish questions about our used cars. We’re Chevy dealers.”

Source: Mechanix Illustrated

1966 AC Spark Plugs advertisement

The second I’ve found so far of the “Engineer’s Notebook” ads for AC Spark plugs.

Source: 1966 Mechanix Innustrated

1966 Ford Data Control Center advertisement

Really reminds to me what we take for granted in today’s cars, as far as warnings and automation go

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated

1966 Ford Bronco advertisement

“New fun one from Ford”

Source: 1966 Mechanix Illustrated