Archive: 1958 Bulgemobile Catalog (Rare Find...)

[vwlarry]

From the mind of Bruce McCall. Enjoy.

[spockcat]

Didn't realize that old glass was less transparent.

Quote »

It's new C-Thru windshield glass, now up to 63 percent more transparent.

[GTI 20v]

The proportions of those drawings, with the little tiny people in the huge, impossibly wide cars, are hilarious!

Even the convict and policeman are laughing at the tiny people in the huge car!

What were these published in? Mad Magazine or something?


Modified by GTI 20v at 9:49 AM 11-8-2009

[vwlarry]

The heritage that Bulgemobile built over the decades was not lost, fortunately, when the company was forced to merge with Wagon Queen Motors in the late 1960s, even though Wagon Queen's management felt it best to "retire" the Bulgemobile name, due to the vicious, and so far unconfirmed rumors of steering wheel fires in the early 1960s, which allegedly left many owners handless. Damn that Ralph Nader and his lies!

[Porridgehead]

Quote, originally posted by GTI 20v »

What were these published in? Mad Magazine or something? Modified by GTI 20v at 9:49 AM 11-8-2009

I had to go back and check to see if I recalled correctly and, oddly enough, I did. It was in National Lampoon. I still have the 25th anniversary hardbound book with that in it.

[vwlarry]

McCall's Bulgemobile series originally appeared in NatLamp over the years. I scanned this one from his book "Zany Afternoons", which is a compendium of Bruce's insane humor over the years. It is, without a doubt, The Funniest Book Ever Printed.

More Bulgemobile brochures to come...

[vwlarry]

BTW, if anyone takes a liking to Bruce's automotive humor, he was a contributing editor for Car and Driver magazine for years, and his illustrations, as well as his hilarious satirical writing, stand as stone-classics of the type. He's a freaking genius.

Find this book and buy it.

Modified by vwlarry at 10:33 AM 11-8-2009

[patrikman]

I will stay tuned for more hilarity. this stuff reads like Juniper Monkey's grandfather.

[vwlarry]

Quote, originally posted by patrikman »

I will stay tuned for more hilarity. this stuff reads like Juniper Monkey's grandfather.

1934 "Airdreme" brochure just posted. Don't miss the Saf-T Sof-T Health Seats, upholstered in genuine Rubberette!

[a1veedubber]

I wonder what weighs more, the Super Connie in the background or the Firewood Landscape Cruiser????

Awesome post!

[vwlarry]

Bruce's illustrations look like grotesque exaggerations, until one looks at something like a real 1958 Buick:

[Zz_Radish_zZ]

That reminds me of this one cartoon that I saw eons ago. I think it was produced by Disney, and I remember a scene with the "ultra sensitive brakes" that separated the body from the chassis. There was also a car that sat 20-something people per row.

Someone else has to remember this.

[damion16v]

It reads like Bill Gaines wrote the copy! This is awesome, I'm a fan of 50's ad illustration and copy, it's a perfect send up.

[Porridgehead]

When one compares them to real automobile ads of that era, you realize just how close to the mark he is. The most amazing thing about all this is that it comes from one man. The artistry, design sense, historical knowledge and twisted world view all fermenting in a single mind is impressive indeed.
Just looking at the nomenclature is hilarious enough, but the reality behind it is just as bizarre. We still soldier on with Turbo-Hydramatics yet we don't even blink nowadays. But there was a time when Dynaflows, Super-Turbines, Jetaways and Powerglides ruled our highways. And those were just the transmissions.

Here's a few pics of actual ads from the time for comparison.

[ThisSpaceForRent]

thanks for sharing, I need to go get that book

[The Kilted Yaksman]

I want Wonda-Weev® Underwear.

[mAdD INDIAN]

Quote, originally posted by Zz_Radish_zZ »

That reminds me of this one cartoon that I saw eons ago. I think it was produced by Disney, and I remember a scene with the "ultra sensitive brakes" that separated the body from the chassis. There was also a car that sat 20-something people per row. Someone else has to remember this.

It was the Disney cartoons with Goofy, where they showed him as a commuter driving his car and talked about road rage and such. It was awesome.

Something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI2rFZOBSUw

There was another one called 'Motor Mania' with him.

[vwlarry]

Quote, originally posted by The Kilted Yaksman »

I want Wonda-Weev® Underwear.

You mean that "double-strength, material-like substance"?

Isn't that what the MkIV dash-strokers are so aroused by?

[mycarsux]

Quote, originally posted by Zz_Radish_zZ »

That reminds me of this one cartoon that I saw eons ago. I think it was produced by Disney, and I remember a scene with the "ultra sensitive brakes" that separated the body from the chassis. There was also a car that sat 20-something people per row. Someone else has to remember this.

What about Tex Averys' "Car of Tomorrow"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HdqAwXgGe8

[atomicalex]

Quote, originally posted by vwlarry »

Don't miss the Saf-T Sof-T Health Seats, upholstered in genuine Rubberette!

Isn't this the material that Toyota put in the 2007 Camry?

[Big Dac With Fries]

Looks like the inspiration for:

[Juniper Monkeys]

Quote, originally posted by GTI 20v »

The proportions of those drawings, with the little tiny people in the huge, impossibly wide cars, are hilarious! Even the convict and policeman are laughing at the tiny people in the huge car!

That was actually a trope that even the car companies loved—throughout the '50s, they'd streamline and supersize the cars in ads to a degree only slightly less silly than McCall's parody of them

Like here: Either my '55 Century was a dud, or this guy in his new '55 Special is about 4'5"

[Deserion]

Is she driving off of the dock?

[vwlarry]

Quote, originally posted by Juniper Monkeys »

That was actually a trope that even the car companies loved—throughout the '50s, they'd streamline and supersize the cars in ads to a degree only slightly less silly than McCall's parody of them Like here: Either my '55 Century was a dud, or this guy in his new '55 Special is about 4'5"

Either that, or the couple in the Buick are both suffering from microcephaly.

[ATL_Av8r]

Quote, originally posted by vwlarry »

a white prisoner and a black guard? that CAN'T be from 1958

[Air and water do mix]

Got any really hi-res copies of this, Larry? I'm a large-format printer and I'd love to do something with these!

[vwlarry]

I don't have any high-res, but you might want to check with Porridgehead. He has the copy, too. Isn't Bruce McCall just the best?

[vwlarry]

A member in another Bruce McCall thread provided this link to a TERRIFIC video of McCall talking about his life's work. HIGHLY recommended: http://www.ted.com/index.php/t....html

He's one helluva guy, and a great "car guy", too.

[thesteve]

Larry, this is awesome.

[Vrucizzy]

Quote, originally posted by Bruce McCall »

Mister, you just found a whole new way of going - not to mention a whole new way of saying you've arrived!

Fantastic quote!

[Benjamin.]

Quote »

Corbic's mom?

[monkeytronic]

So which came first...Bulgemobile or Firewood?

[vwlarry]

Quote, originally posted by monkeytronic »

So which came first...Bulgemobile or Firewood?

Bulgemobile Motors has a long, and distingui...well, they have a long history reaching back to the early days of the automobile. Take a look at their 1934 catalog here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4639142 .

[bandi53]

Two words:

Mohs SafariKar.

Naugahyde exterior panels FTW!

[vwlarry]

The somewhat frightening thing about the Mohs machines is that they were apparently NOT created with any humor in mind. That guy was serious.