Apart from the T's in this photo, there is an explanation about another photo posted on the forum some time back. That showed a car on what seems to be some sort of dynanometer. The attraction for this photo is a similar device, and below the photo in the comments is an advertisement that can clear up some speculation. At the moment I can't find the previously posted photo, but here is the Shorpy one-
http://www.shorpy.com/node/16139
How's this
I think the caption should really read "now when I pull this lever..."
How's this
I think the caption should really read "now when I pull this lever..."
Oops, sorry for the double post.
Me thinks the car in the ad needs new rings!
The picture in the advertising looks like an artist's rendition of the photograph that Wes posted.
: ^ )
Dane,
Thank you for posting the link to the photo on Shorpy and others for adding additional information. I believe the photo posted by Wes was previously discussed on the MTFCA forum – but I didn’t find that posting. And that is ok as the advertisement Royce posted and which is also available at higher resolution on Shorpy at: http://www.shorpy.com/images/photos/wasson_motor_check.jpg gives us the details on what was going on.
I believe the Havoline Oil company had come up with a good way to stimulate Havoline Oil sales. I.e. they offered the car owner a free engine analysis when they had their oil changed if they used Havoline Oil etc. And they promised to help them pick the best type of Havoline Oil for their car and document that it worked by giving them a second free evaluation several hundred miles later. Zoomed in on some of the writing from the advertisement:
The link above shows a 1924-25 Coupe being tested/evaluated on the Wasson Motor Check machine:
And I would assume (that can get us in trouble) that the cars in line were waiting for their turn to be checked free on the machine. The Centerdoor appears to have a few accessories – sun visor, steering wheel, front bumper, hassler shocks, moto-meter, and a light on the left rear fender.
I really appreciate the details we can see in many of the Shorpy photos. Again thank you for posting it.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
Curiously, Shorpy now has a photograph up that is very very similar to the one that Wes posted-
Original here-
http://www.shorpy.com/node/16143#comments
Dane – thanks for posting another view of the same machine. Two of the three views appear to be the same location – with the Texaco station in the background. The other view appears to be more in an open lot/field area. In the two views with the Texaco station in the background, two of the employees/operators appear the same and there could be others. But the cars are different on the machine.
Keith – the artist may have used one or more of the photos – and of course he may have used a different photo. Note none of these three have the license plate located in the spare rim. But of course the illustrator could draw it wherever he pleased.
Comparison sequence:
(I would guess the car above is a Studebaker based on the Studebaker tire cover. And yes, they could have used the cover without it being a Studebaker -- but that is my initial guess.)
Note how similar those four touring cars from that time period were. Reminds me how the "econo boxes" of the early 1980s looked similar to one another.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off