Old Car Brochures

[93JC]

I recently started scanning my collection of car brochures from the '80s and '90s, in anticipation of getting rid of them.

Figured some of you might find them interesting, or at least get a laugh out of them.

First up: 1986 Buick Century










Not sure what point of the photo of the person tying their shoe on the bumper was supposed to convey. Nor the biplane on the cover.

Funny fact I noticed: standard radio across all trims was AM only. They also offered AM/FM Stereo, and separately AM Stereo/FM Stereo options, but the AM Stereo radio wasn't available with the cassette deck.

[shp4man]

Aircraft is a Pitts Special, an aerobatic plane competitive still today. Wish I could fly one.

[Laconian]

Stereo AM? Witchcraft!

[93JC]

I remember seeing advertising materials for some of the old local AM stations proudly bragging that they broadcast in stereo. I've never seen a radio receiver capable of it though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Aircraft is a Pitts Special, an aerobatic plane competitive still today. Wish I could fly one.

I love the Pitts Special! That's a true timeless design. At least in our current atmosphere.

[cawimmer430]

That Buick actually looks pretty good - for an '80s GM car. 

I inherited some real gems from an older salesman who used to work at Mercedes but died a few years ago. Among those brochures/items were a genuine Mercedes 600 Pullman brochure, a 300SEL 6.3 W109 brochure in excellent condition, an original 1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing instruction manual in brand new condition (if I ever sell it it should fetch me $$$$$$), a comprehensive 1950s Mercedes lineup brochure, also in superb condition. Good stuff.

I also collect some JDM brochures from the late 1970s and early 1980s which a friend in Japan sends me. They also sent me a very nice late 1980s/early 1990s Toyota Crown brochure and an amazing quality Toyota Century brochure. Amazing stuff!

[veeman]

I liked velour.  None of my parent's cars had it but my uncle had an Oldsmobile Delta 98 Regency with it.  I wish they brought velour back. 

[CALL_911]

Heh this is awesome. Plz keep them coming

[Submariner]

Heh this is awesome. Plz keep them coming

Agreed.

[93JC]

[93JC]

Interesting that you couldn't get AM Stereo radio in the Century with the cassette player, yet in the Somerset/Skylark the AM Stereo was only available with the cassette player with graphic equalizer.

Most people likely don't remember that the Buick Skylark 2-door was called 'Somerset' for a few years in the '80s. By '88 they dropped the Somerset name.

[93JC]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgQMIaF-PRo

[FoMoJo]

So far, they all look like the same car .

[Eye of the Tiger]

That's my Skylark! But I had the 3.3L big block

[93JC]

No no no FoMoJo, didn't you read the brochures? Pontiac Builds Excitement! The Grand Am has a "rally suspension", the 6000 is "North America's Performance Sedan". They're nothing like the Buicks.

[Submariner]

That Pontiac commercial looks like a low budget Whitesnake video.

[veeman]

My best friend's Mom had a Grand Am in white.  It was a nice sporty looking cars especially with the wrap around aero skirts which initially were not overdone.  My friend inherited it when he finished college but the quad 4 engine wasn't that reliable and he ended up dumping it.

[WookieOnRitalin]

The 6000 LE Wagon had 74 cubic feet of cargo capacity in 1986? Eat your heart out Subaru Outback. Pretty sure that's what the Subie has in cargo capacity 33 years later.

[93JC]

The relatively short-lived Eagle brand had a few more product offerings in Canada than in the US. As far as I know the Vista (a rebadged Mitsubishi Colt) and 2000 GTX (rebadged Galant) were never sold anywhere else. The cumbersomely named 2000 GTX DOHC AWD was the same thing as a Galant VR-4. Mitsubishi Motors didn't begin selling cars in Canada until the early 2000s.

[Laconian]

2000 GTX DOHC AWD lol

[Galaxy]

http://www.auto-brochures.com/

[cawimmer430]

Love these 1950s and 1960s MB brochures. Great drawings.

[cawimmer430]

Nissan Laurel, Japanese market brochure, just some crap shots I took with my iPad.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

At the time my Uncle was over the plant that made those Pontiac 6000s! They were made close to NYC. That Grand Am still looks good IMHO!