ClassicCar

James P.

I suppose that this Chris Craft promotional photo has likely appeared on here before, but I don't recall seeing it. I'm not sure what Chris Craft was trying to tell us about their boats in this photo, but perhaps it simply was to tell the world that they made short boats, too!

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/hsh/2753883275.html

Park_W

As I recall, that was a Hudson promo picture, not Chris-Craft. Hudson was demonstrating how strong their new all-steel roof was.

1934_Hudson_8_Conv

Yep... Park has it correct. There is a "similar" photo on page 186 of the Butler Hudson book. The ladies look to be the same however, in different outfits and at a different location.

The photo caption reads:

"The sleek Chris-Craft was not about to be taken to a lake for a day of speedboating. It was perched on the Terraplane to demonstrate the strength of the new steel roof insert and the car's general construction. The speedboat weighed 3425 pounds and the two women in it reportedly weighed 350 pounds. Even with the weight of the driver, fenders were not down on the wheels, and the $655 Special Six Sedan supposedly was driven somewhere to show off in public."

Jim

hudsontech

They did the same in 1923 with a pair of Essex cars showing the strength of the roofs.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Hudson308

With nary a lawyer present anywhere to admonish "Professional driver only... do not try this at home!" :whistle:

James P.

Park W wrote:

As I recall, that was a Hudson promo picture, not Chris-Craft. Hudson was demonstrating how strong their new all-steel roof was.

I took the inference of the ad at face value, but it does make a lot more sense that it's a Hudson ad. This was the era when all-steel roofs were replacing fabric covered inserts and Hudson had something to tout.

hudsontech

Hudson wasn't quite as drastic as Chrysler Corp - they actually pushed a '35 DeSoto Airflow off a 110 foot cliff to show how strong the body was. The following clip from Wickapedia:
"In one widely distributed advertising film shown in movie theatres, an empty Airflow was pushed off a Pennsylvania cliff, falling over 110 feet (34 m); once righted, the car was driven off, battered, but recognizable!!"
Talk about extremes!!!
I'm sure some Hudson executive probably said "We could do that!!!"

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

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