"1957 International Catalogue of Automobiles" nostalgia fest

[Matt Bacon]

Picked this up in a local charity shop for £2, and was surprised to discover that it's almost an "Abe-whack": a book that has only one copy on AbeBooks. There are two. It seems that 1957 edition is the only one there ever was, but it's a treat... especially if you chose 1957 as your favorite year for American cars. I've photographed a few pages below (I'm nervous of scanning them flat in case the laminated binding starts falling apart). There are quite a few candidates for the Auto ID quiz, which I'm keeping under wraps, but if there's a particular 57 model or range you'd like me to look up and post up, just holler...

Quite a stylish cover...

This is what each spread looks like... photos to the right, key data and  vital statistics to the left...

And now, on with the 1957 Car Show...

There are 210 pages in all (105 picture and data spreads), so this is just a small sample, but it's a real blast from the past, and some of the photography is super cool... in a kitsch sort of a way. It's clear that, for example, Buick put the effort in on their location photography, whereas Pontiac... not so much)

best,

M.

 

Edited June 13, 2019 by Matt Bacon

[ChrisBcritter]

Thanks for posting these, Matt! Wonder why the Mercedes photographer had people hiding much of the 300 sedan's front end? And the photo staff at Olds drew a B-pillar on the 98 4-door hardtop to depict a sedan. Too bad they forgot the passenger side.

Edited June 14, 2019 by ChrisBcritter

[RichCostello]

I think Moebius needs to do that Stude Golden Hawk, and while they're at it, might as well do the Olds 88 Holiday Coupe!

[Brian Austin]

I may well have passed over this book, or one very similar at a car museum this past summer.  I sensed the photos were simply factory promo images I could perhaps find online or elsewhere, so I didn't purchase it.  The price, while a bit higher than the equivalent of £2, didn't seem unreasonable.

I do really like that "Coupe Super Flow" (Alfa Romeo by Pininfarina).

[stavanzer]

What do they show for the Jowett Car Co.?

[SfanGoch]

Nothing. This lists 1957 MY cars. Jowett went through a voluntary liquidation and ceased to exist in 1955.

[Anglia105E]

What a marvellous find, Matt..... that is a precious record of motor cars from that period. My year range of particular interest includes 1955 to 1959, so 1957 is right there..... I would like to see 1957 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I ( if it appears in your book? ). Thanks.

David

[stavanzer]

Thanks,Joe. I thought Jowett had lasted longer.

[Matt Bacon]

Here you go David @Anglia105E :

That "Silver Wraith" looks a bit odd, doesn't it, with the invisible window pillar at the back.. a bit hearse-like.

best,

M.

[dimaxion]

On 6/13/2019 at 9:53 PM, RichCostello said:

I think Moebius needs to do that Stude Golden Hawk, and while they're at it, might as well do the Olds 88 Holiday Coupe!

The rest of the Chrysler 300 Letter Cars , The rest of the Hudson line  .. The res of the Hawks  Thanx ..

[Anglia105E]

I quite agree, Matt..... the lack of a rear pillar for the Silver Wraith is not a good look, and it certainly reminds you of a hearse!

The all black Silver Cloud is undoubtedly the most attractive design for a motor car, although broad white wall tyres would be more suitable for the American market. Thanks for posting the extract from your book and other members will appreciate this I am sure.

David

[MrObsessive]

That '57 Buick Century two door hardtop brings back some childhood memories for me as a close family friend had one of those except theirs was all white. I used to love sitting in the back seat of that and looking out those interesting triple rear windows. In fact, in my neighborhood in the later '60's, there were a number of '57 cars parked on the street. The Olds 98 pictured comes to mind......a neighbor who lived behind us had a '57 Plymouth (Belvedere?) that was always parked in the alley. Another neighbor had a '57 Chevy two door wagon-----rather plain so I'm guessing either a 150 or 210 model.

Thanks for showing us what's in the book Matt.......those '57 cars (among other '50's stuff) were some of the first cars I saw when I first knew what a car was!

[Brian Austin]

I think the Rolls-Royce looks fine.  I believe that bodystyle is termed touring limousine.  The view from the back seat should be nice and clear with the slim window post.  The door window post trim should be brighter in the picture, along with the vent wing trim.  I'm not sure why they're printed so dark.

The bodywork in the two-tone grey one appears to be by Park Ward.

http://car-from-uk.com/sale.php?id=72657&country=us