Classic Car Ads – MHMMotorSports.com – Providing Auto Service and Information

1973 Porsche 914

I recall a time, oh, 38 years ago, when my folks forbade me from driving to a friend’s house because it was raining. At the time, even if I believed that rain in any way made driving more dangerous, I wasn’t prepared to admit it. Besides, real car guys were unafraid of driving in snow, at night, and through downpours. Honestly, I still enjoy driving around through fresh snow.

Still, rain is a serious traffic matter, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Motorists’ Handbook has this to say on the matter:

When it is raining or the road is wet, most tires have good traction up to about 35 mph. However as you go faster, your tires will start to ride up on the water, like water skis. This is called “hydroplaning.” In a heavy rain, your tires can lose all traction with the road at about 50 mph. Wide tires or tires that are bald or badly worn will lose traction at much lower speeds. The best way to keep from hydroplaning is to slow down in the rain or when the road is wet. If it feels like your tires have lost traction with the surface of the road, you should:

Ease your foot off the gas pedal.
Keep the wheels straight.

Only try to turn if it’s an emergency. If you must turn, do it slowly, or your vehicle may skid.

Do not try to stop or turn until your tires are gripping the road again.

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Let’s not forget another important point about rain: most cars look pretty good when they’re wet. Turns out carmakers aren’t oblivious to the whole rain thing. Either because rain makes their cars look good, or because it makes their cars seem like sanctuaries of comfort and safety, automakers have produced many car ads set during moments of precipitation. We hope you enjoy the collection of such ads shared below.

More classic car ads

Cars in the Rain

1928 Essex

1928 Essex Ad

Market Crash Madness! A Gallery of Depression-Era Car Ads

1942 DeSoto

1942 DeSoto Ad

Dead-Brand Madness! 10 Classic DeSoto Ads

1948 Packard

1948 Packard Ad

“The Man Who Owns One” Madness! 10 Classic Packard Ads

1960 Fisher Body

1960 Fisher Body Ad

What Was the Deal with Car Ads and Swimming Pools…and Golf Courses…and Airports?

1963 Mercury Monterey

1963 Mercury Monterey Ad

Quicksilver Madness! 15 Classic Mercury Ads

1964 Chrysler Corporation

1964 Chrysler Corporation Ad

5 Forgotten Chrysler Models

1966 Jeep Wagoneer

1966 Jeep Wagoneer Ad

4WD Madness! 10 Classic Jeep Ads

1972 Saab 99E

1972 Saab 99E Ad

10 Coolest Saabs

1972 Volvo

1972 Volvo Ad

What Did The Saint Drive? (Hint, it was a Volvo)

1973 Amco custom tops

1973 Amco Ad

Topless Truths: 6 Things You May Not Know About Convertibles

1973 Porsche 914

1973 Porsche 914 Ad

Review Flashback! 1973 Porsche 911

1985 AMC Eagle

1985 AMC Eagle Ad

Review Flashback! 1980 AMC Eagle

1987 Mercury Tracer

1987 Mercury Tracer Ad

Review Flashback! 1986 Merkur XR4Ti

1989 Chevrolet Beretta

1989 Chevrolet Beretta Ad

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Cars in the Rain Ad Gallery

Cars in the Rain

Written by: Tom Appel on October 30, 2020.

1957 Plymouth

In his 2012 book Fractured Times: Culture and Society in the Twentieth Century, historian Eric Hobsbawm noted, “In terms of literary pedigree, the invented cowboy was a late romantic creation. But in terms of social content, he had a double function: he represented the ideal of individualist freedom pushed into a sort of inescapable jail by the closing of the frontier and the coming of the big corporations.”

If Hobsbawm is correct, the Western/cowboy boom of the Fifties and Sixties represented, to some extent, pushback against the societal homogenization of life in the suburbs, jobs in offices, and shopping in big plazas. Perhaps.

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As an avid watcher of Maverick, Gunsmoke, Have Gun – Will Travel, and Rawhide, I can say that it is the simplicity of cowboy life that appeals to me. That, and the clearly defined characters who respond to adversity in predictable ways. The best Western TV shows were parables, and watching them was—and still is—catharsis.

It’s easy to understand why advertisers would want to associate their products with cowboys. Once you get past the poor hygiene and complete disregard for personal comfort, what you see is grit, determination, and a uniquely American cultural moment.

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Gathered for you here is a gallery of classic car ads featuring cowboys. You can decide for yourself whether the association with The Old West and dusty trails served to enhance the image of the vehicle presented. The art in these ads, for the most part, is wonderful. Enjoy!

More classic car ads