BUYING A CAR IN 1969...Volkswagen Beetle

So, you want a car that looks nearly the same in the 1930s as it did in the 1960s? You're not big on change? Tattered and Lost Car Lot has this gem just waiting for you.

Click on image to see it larger.

(SOURCE: Sunset, 1969)

And while you wait for our experts to detail your car sit back and enjoy this little film with some bratwurst and beer. Ve vill call you ven it ist ready!

BUYING A CAR IN 1969...International Harvester Travelall and Scout

Are you just looking for a functional car that lets people know when you drive up that you have just a functional car? Then here, at the Tattered and Lost Car Lot, I've got just what you need. No flash, just function. Think ground meat and beer, not brie and wine.

Click on either image to see them larger.

(SOURCE: Sunset, September 1969)

And yes, the Scout does arrive in pieces via USPS, so don't think of buying it unless you're really good with a screwdriver and I don't mean the kind that comes in a glass...though that might be helpful too.


(SOURCE: Sunset, July 1969)

International Harvester Company (IHC or IH) was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P. Morgan merged the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms, to form International Harvester. International Harvester sold off its agricultural division in 1985 and renamed the company Navistar International Corporation in 1986. Case IH was formed when the agricultural division merged with J.I. Case.

Founding of the company
The roots of International Harvester run to the 1830s, when Cyrus Hall McCormick, an inventor from Virginia, finalized his version of a horse-drawn reaper, which he field-demonstrated throughout 1831, and for which he received a patent in 1834. Together with his brother Leander J. McCormick (1819–1900), McCormick moved to Chicago in 1847 and started the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The McCormick reaper sold well, partially as a result of savvy and innovative business practices. Their products came onto the market just as the development of railroads offered wide distribution to distant market areas. He developed marketing and sales techniques, developing a vast network of trained salesmen able to demonstrate operation of the machines in the field.

McCormick died in 1884, with his company passing to his son, Cyrus McCormick, Jr. In 1902 the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms (Milwaukee; Plano; and Warder, Bushnell, and Glessner—manufacturers of Champion brand) merged to create the International Harvester Company. In 1919, the Parlin and Orendorff factory in Canton, Illinois was a leader in the plow manufacturing industry. International Harvester purchased the factory calling it the Canton Works; it continued production for many decades.

One of the company's light-duty vehicles was the Travelall, which was similar in concept to the Chevrolet Suburban. The Travelette was a crew cab, available in 2 or 4 wheel drive. It was available starting in 1957, and was the first 6-passenger, 4-door truck of its time. The Scout, first introduced in 1961,[12] is a small two-door SUV, similar to a Jeep. In 1972 the Scout became the Scout II, and in 1974 Dana 44 axles, power steering and power disk brakes became standard. After the pickups and Travelall were discontinued in 1975, the Scout Traveler and Terra became available, both with a longer wheelbase than a standard Scout II.

IH would abandon sales of passenger vehicles in 1980 to concentrate on commercial trucks and school buses. Today the pickups, Travelalls, and Scouts are minor cult orphaned vehicles. All were available as rugged four-wheel drive off-road vehicles. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

As a pointless aside I must mention that the reason I was born on the day I was born was because of a jeep ride my mother took through a dry creek bed in Carmel Valley the night before her rush to the hospital. I apparently was a little late so the neighbor decided to take my mom for an adventure. I was ready to pop out the next day, just like Tatter's pups.

BUYING A CAR in 1969...Datsun 1300

Have a hankering to do a little off-road racing in a pick-up with a tasty enchilada at the end of the road? Well, Tattered and Lost Car Lot has a little something you might be interested in if you're Baja bound.

Click on image to see it larger.

(SOURCE: Sunset, July 1969)

SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had been the only SCORE race in the United States. The Baja 1000 allows various types of vehicle classes to compete on the same course - from such small and large bore motorcycles, stock VW, production vehicles, buggies, Trucks, and custom fabricated race vehicles. The course has remained relatively the same over the years with the majority of events being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz, or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada.

The first official race started in Tijuana, Baja California, on October 31, 1967, and was named the NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally. The course length that year was 849 miles (1,366 km) and ended in La Paz, Baja California Sur, with the overall winning time of 27 hours 38 minutes (27:38) set by Vic Wilson and Ted Mangels while driving a Meyers Manx buggy. 

From 1967 to 1972, the race was organized by the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) and grew in popularity with ABC's "Wide World of Sports" sending Jim McKay to cover the 1968 event, and attracting new participants like the late Mickey Thompson, Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones and movie actor James Garner. By 1971, major sponsors such as Olympia Brewing Company and Minolta Cameras began to support Parnelli Jones in his Dick Russell designed and Bill Stroppe prepared "Big Oly" Bronco and Larry Minor in a similar Stroppe prepared Bronco. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

BUYING A CAR in 1969...Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina

So, the MBG wasn't for you. Perhaps you lean more towards Italy than Britain. Some wine and cheese instead of fish 'n' chips? Let's take a look around the Tattered and Lost Car Lot.

Click on image to see it larger.

(SOURCE: Sunset, July 1969)

The Alfa Romeo 1750/2000 is a range of medium-priced cars which was produced by Alfa Romeo from 1967 to 1977.

The 1750 Berlina sedan was introduced in 1967, together with the 1750 GTV coupe and 2000 Spider. The 1750 models replaced the earlier 2600 Berlina, Sprint and Spider at the top of the Alfa Romeo range. In contrast to the 2600s, the 1750s were smaller and much less expensive, shared many parts with other concurrent models in the Alfa Romeo range, and sold many more units during their production span.

The 1750 Berlina was based on the existing Giulia sedan, which continued in production. The 1750 was meant to top the sedan range, above the 1,300 cc and 1,600 cc versions of the Giulia. In the United States, however, the Giulia sedan ceased to be available and was entirely replaced by the 1750 Berlina. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

BUYING A CAR in 1969...the MGB

What were some of your car choices in 1969? I remember a pretty blue Oldsmobile a teacher drove at my high school. The car was beautiful, at least as I remember it. Now I can't even remember what model it was. But nevermind...time to go car shopping!

Here at the Tattered and Lost Car Lot I give you the first model, a British car. It was a hot little pistol.

Click on image to see it larger.

(SOURCE: Sunset, July 1969)

To read about the MGB click here.

IT'S BEGINNING to look a lot like...

Did you know Santa was an authorized Buick dealer? I'm assuming the elves ran the service department. Try to imagine those little fellas with their pointy green hats with their heads under the hood. Probably needed step ladders.

Click on image to see it larger.

SOURCE: The Buick Magazine, December 1936

The J. J. Jacobs Motor Company in Sacramento, California.