. Vintage Odd Studebaker Pic .

[aarrggh]

Hmm . No parking at any time sign .
Case of moonshine in trunk ?
What are thoses at the floorboards and falling out of open drivers door . Snowballs ?
Suspicious guy lurking at back of car . .

[jclary]

This photo is a good example of the unpredictability of how things will survive the trauma of impact in an accident. For example, many of us worry about attempting to install or remove a back glass without breaking it. However, in this instance, look at how bad the body and glass area is mangled and the darned glass looks unbroken. Look at the gas tank filler tube. It looks almost unscathed or misshapen although it is between the bumper and the lower valence. If I read the date of the picture correctly, it is July 7, 1955. The box in the trunk could be groceries and the things falling out the door could be from a sack of peaches or "taters" placed up front.

The faded area above the driver's arm rest and other areas indicate to me that this was someone's very depended upon used car by this time. A sad situation for what I think was a great ride.

[kmac530]

That picture is really sad. What a nice car up until this part of its life, or death. I would guess that this car would be totalled by the insurance company at that time.

[COMMANDERPINK1]

Beings I work in the auto collision field I hope no one comes on and comments that they dont build em like that anymore!! Yes the passenger cabin took the hit fairly well but would not want to be sitting in the rear.
Tom

[Orestudeguy]

From looking at the amount of damage to the vehicle, it appears to me that it was rear-ended by the semi-truck parked in front of the police vehicle.
A sad sight for sure.

[kmac530]

Beings I work in the auto collision field I hope no one comes on and comments that they dont build em like that anymore!! Yes the passenger cabin took the hit fairly well but would not want to be sitting in the rear.
Tom

I disagree. Especially if it was indeed hit by that big rig. The trunk area is destroyed, and there is a pretty big buckle in the roof, but the door still opens, the rear glass is not broken and I dont see and sheets covering anyone laying in the street or blood running out the door. I think she did REALLY well for how bad that hit was to the rear.

[Roscomacaw]

"And THAT'S how you transform a 5-passenger coupe into a 3-passenger coupe............... in one fell swoop!

[Tom Bredehoft]

Not that I know the area, I don't, but the script on the photo says

Accid Holly eprway near Cahuenga, 7/11/55, 11512 7

[Roscomacaw]

That's a suburb of Los Angeles, I believe.

[kmac530]

Good eye Tom. California plates too. My guess is not Holly but rather the Hollywood freeway at Cahuenga which is on the other side and one exit before Universal Studios in North Hollywood.

I built the Revenge of the Mummy ride at Universal. I spent almost a year driving right where that accident was then riding a stinky bus up the mountain to the ride. No parking inside the studios for construction smucks...just vip actors and Spielberg types. We had to park off lot and ride this horrible bus carrying our tools for a 10 minute ride up this crazy windy steep rode.

Back on track....Good eye Tom

[Retired]

Oranges would be my guess

[kmac530]

HAHAHA... Alot of Oranges in So Cal in the 50s....now it is all houses as far as the eyes can see. Impossible to even see where one city ends and the next one starts in So Cal nowdays. If you miss the little sign that say "now leaving... Now entering" you have no Idea you left or entered.

[woodysrods]

Does the guy standing by the No Parking sign look like he has been drinking? and there is no hole in the front windshield and we know these cars were not equiped with seat belts???
So am I to assume that his air bag worked??? Oh! thats right this car didn't have Air Bags and the guy does not appear to have two black eyes and a broken nose????
Just checking the scene!
Good Roads
Brian

[Corvanti]

Does the guy standing by the No Parking sign look like he has been drinking? and there is no hole in the front windshield and we know these cars were not equiped with seat belts???
So am I to assume that his air bag worked??? Oh! thats right this car didn't have Air Bags and the guy does not appear to have two black eyes and a broken nose????
Just checking the scene!
Good Roads
Brian

the guy is probably the "deuce" that caused the crash.

[dnevin]

The notches on the film indicate that it is Kodak Royal Pan 4141--it was popular with the press in the mid-50's because it was the fastest film available from what I understand.