The year 1955 brought about some of Detroit’s most exciting innovations when it came to automotive engineering. Chevrolet introduced the 265ci OHV V-8 in the Bel Air, revolutionizing Americans’ expectations of engine performance. Ford launched its two-seat Thunderbird, and overall domestic production reached a staggering 9.2 million vehicles. Indeed, it was a great time to be an automotive enthusiast.
One of the vintage magazines a friend gave me recently was the July 1955 issue of Popular Science. There was plenty of automotive content to be found within its pages, and below are a few of the advertisements that caught my eye.
The Packard Caribbean, pictured up top, was said to be limited to just 1,000 units for the year and was offered at “just a shade under $6,000.” It had a new-for-’55 torsion bar suspension with “load levelizer.”
Motor’s Auto Repair Manual, offered for a $6.95 one-time payment or $2.00 a month, claimed it was a one-stop shop for “crystal-clear pictures and step-by-step directions.” It contained over 1,000 pages. These days, a lot of do-it-yourselfers (including me) just head to YouTube when it’s time to attempt a car repair.
Micro Bronze oil filters were said to guard against five engine enemies: acids, abrasives, friction, moisture, and sludge. The company Micro Bronze Filter Corporation said your oil would be good for upwards of 10,000 miles with the filter. That reminds me of my story about oil change intervals from back in March.
Continuing the car parts trend, there was an advertisement for Champion spark plugs. It said, “NASCAR Daytona Beach Grand National stock car race permits only regular stock spark plugs to be used — the kind available at neighborhood dealers. Once again, Champion scored a clean sweep! The first nine cars to finish were all Champion-equipped!”
There was a feature about a “two-headed” Ford Model A created by art student Weyland Moore of Sarasota, Florida. It had two radiators, but only one was functional.
A story by Kenneth Wylie talked about the origins and importance of the Lincoln Continental, a luxury car that debuted in 1940 and was set for a return in 1956 at a price of about $10,000. That figure was astronomical for its time; it comes out to a staggering $123,000 in 2026.
A few innovations such as armrest covers and a rolling sun shield were presented.
Finally, Johnson’s Car-Plate wax was used in a “science experiment” wherein 20 rental cars were waxed with two different products (one for each side). Hertz found that Car-Plate wax (which required minimal rubbing effort) produced results just as impressive as traditional paste wax. Now I’m considering a 50/50 approach the next time I do a car detail!
