That is of course the legendary (and yet woefully underappreciated) Bo Diddley, astride a 1957-59 Cushman Pacemaker or 1960 Cushman Allstate Jetstar/Jetsweep, posing for the cover of the 1960 album "Have Guitar Will Travel." Guitar: Bo's custom Gretsch G6138 "Twang Machine." 
Another shot of Bo and the Cushman from the album cover session at 368 Livingstone Street Brooklyn NY, plus a candid shot showing girls can't resist a man on a scooter. Album release was January 1960, so I estimate date sometime 1959.
As always I welcome your car ID inquiries, but there are rules:
Tag #DavesCarIDService
Historic & family album pics, street & wilderness sighting only
Remain patient
Befoul my car ID threads with your stupid politics and thou shall be cast into a lake of fire
Tag #DavesCarIDService
Historic & family album pics, street & wilderness sighting only
Remain patient
Befoul my car ID threads with your stupid politics and thou shall be cast into a lake of fire
I don't know what's better here: the Swanky Club sign, or the look of embarrassed horror on the 1949 Ford's face in the camera flash, realizing it had just been caught patronizing the notorious Swanky Club.
https://twitter.com/wespratt95/status/1598560943256276992
*Other cars caught up in the Swanky Club parking lot vice raid: 1946-48 Plymouth coupe (near right), 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe (in front of entrance sign). Ovalish back window sedan yonder right is a 1942 or 46-48 Ford or Mercury.
Since we started out with Bo Diddley's Cushman, here's another Cushman with a combat record: looks like Dad sprang for one of those WW2 war surplus Cushman Airborne scooters that were floating around in 40s-50s. Car is a 1953 Chevy.
https://twitter.com/TheTinFossil/status/1597991382370525185
Always fun to read the old WW2 war surplus ads where you could buy Jeeps and Cushman scooters and life rafts and whatnot for pennies on the dollar. Allison V12 aircraft engines for $350! A lot of them ended up in 50s-60s drag race and land speed cars.
*Behold Jim Lytle's "Quad Al" 4WD, 4-Allison V12 Fiat Topolino. Overkill? I think not.
Young Betty: vivacious Wichita debutante by day, undercover espionage agent for the Allies by night. Her car here is a 1933-34 Oldsmobile L coupe, with a 1941 Ford behind it.
https://twitter.com/ucladj/status/1597854047725182976
I can't tell what Lil' Gwen is holding in this adorable pic, but she's holding it next to a 1935 Ford Tudor.
https://twitter.com/SeeClickFlash/status/1597644993745018882
Petroliana collectors (a very fanatical subset of the old car hobby) are salivating over that original Red Crown glass pump globe in #1, which can fetch $1500 today. Car on far right in #2 is a 1930-31 Chevy Universal sedan.
https://twitter.com/kjwill1229/status/1596964969668808704
I appreciate Mr Mathues for sharing this terrific family heirloom, and his patience while I have nearly exhausted every car ID reference at my disposal. 1000s of pages, photos, & Google searches later I must admit complete stumpitude.
https://twitter.com/john_k_mathues/status/1591423055443771392
*The closest I can find is circa 1911 Empire or Regal runabout, but the maddening feature here is the chain drive & chain drive rear fender, which has foiled me at nearly every turn.
That said I will continue the search, and if any of you can ID the car first - with photo receipts - I will bestow upon you the Dave's Car ID Legionne de Honore, and all rights thereunto appertaining.
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—“A vast and trunkless shred of car
Stands in the desert. Near it, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered grille lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command...
1/3
Who said—“A vast and trunkless shred of car
Stands in the desert. Near it, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered grille lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command...
1/3
https://twitter.com/DbldDieObtuse/status/1591840434976063489
Tell its designer well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
2/3
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
2/3
My name is 1925ish Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, Car of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
3/3
*with apologies to Percy Bysshe Shelley
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
3/3
*with apologies to Percy Bysshe Shelley
I am proud to be your one-stop Twitter shop for obscure car IDs, Bo Diddley facts, fart jokes, and 19th century English sonnets
These bellbottomed Bicentennial boys are on a 1973-76 Ford F-150 Ranger, station wagon to right is a 1971-72 Ford Country Squire.
https://twitter.com/LawyerSimple/status/1593966057865314306
I have never seen this pic before, but I'm pretty sure it's a Ford Model B, made in the very early pre-Model T 1903-07 days of FoMoCo when it made some big expensive cars like the B and K.
https://twitter.com/BadWolfRobot/status/1594042253198077952
Honestly I think the photo was post-1903 Kitty Hawk, as the B wasn't made till 1904. Maybe in that first couple years when the Wrights were still testing in secrecy.
BTW, Henry Ford was pals with the Wrights, and their Dayton bicycle shop is now on the grounds of Ford Museum.
BTW, Henry Ford was pals with the Wrights, and their Dayton bicycle shop is now on the grounds of Ford Museum.
This fantastic image from the indispensable @TracesofTexas features a circa 1907 International Harvester 4 passenger high wheel. A very practical car for rural areas with deep-rutted dirt roads. Many were used for rural mail delivery.
(ht @Griffbl)
(ht @Griffbl)
https://twitter.com/TracesofTexas/status/1594401323100798977
*right hand steering was the US standard until the 1908-27 Ford Model T singlehandedly flipped it; by 1920 pretty much all US cars were LHS. Also gentlemanly practical- when you parallel parked, your women & children passengers could exit to the safety of the sidewalk.
Yikes, the tragic flood victims here are:
1. 1949-51 Chevy Fleetline coupe
2. 1940 Packard, 1942 Ford 3/4 ton, 48ish Farmall Cub
3. 1950ish International R series flatbed
4. 1933-37 International pickup
1. 1949-51 Chevy Fleetline coupe
2. 1940 Packard, 1942 Ford 3/4 ton, 48ish Farmall Cub
3. 1950ish International R series flatbed
4. 1933-37 International pickup
https://twitter.com/PennInk2/status/1594728430175940611
If you ask me, there just aren't enough Almas, Evas, and Daisys being named these days. Alma's hoopty here is a 1957 Chevy 4 door sedan.
https://twitter.com/bebe_strange/status/1595787864968757249
first gen "brass era" 1908-1912 Ford Model T touring.
https://twitter.com/SkidWillie/status/1595930940232138753
Grandpa is fiddling with the timing on another Ford T, and a very weird and charming version thereof: a 1916-22 center door sedan. The Ford with doors that open in the middle!
https://twitter.com/ChaplainONeil/status/1596926180695085056
*Interesting oddity: you entered in back and went forward to the driver's seat.
It's a year-end closeout on all Ford Model T car ID inventory!
Fantastic pic here, and Grandpa's vehicle is a 1917-23 Ford Model TT, the heavy duty truck version.
Fantastic pic here, and Grandpa's vehicle is a 1917-23 Ford Model TT, the heavy duty truck version.
https://twitter.com/SkidWillie/status/1596985999208632320
*Twists head*
These boys are about to R-U-N-N-O-F-T in a 1917-23 Ford Model T touring.
Have I mentioned that the Ford T was a very popular car in its day? At one time, a 50% share of global car sales.
These boys are about to R-U-N-N-O-F-T in a 1917-23 Ford Model T touring.
Have I mentioned that the Ford T was a very popular car in its day? At one time, a 50% share of global car sales.
https://twitter.com/CPCUSnark/status/1597064860227051522
*I always appreciate it when you orient/crop photos for optimal reader enjoyment.
Why yes indeed, yet another 1917-23 Ford Model T touring, but the stars here are the hardy Albertans gathered 'round it.
https://twitter.com/OrQuack/status/1597442777528139777
All the lumber, tarps, and swaggering 1920s farm dudes can't disguise the fact that this is yet another 1917-23 (or 24) Ford Model T touring. Those Tin Lizzies were everywhere.
https://twitter.com/swizze_gfrank/status/1598134777470914561
And we finally break the Ford Model T streak: even with the fantastic parade peacock plumage camouflage, there's no disguising the car is a 1928 Ford Model A phaeton (the car that was the immediate successor to the Model T).
https://twitter.com/ted_poppke/status/1596949563847241728
Man this pic has everything. Check out Ted's Grandma behind the wheel.
Yikes, one more flood photo, this one with 1954 Ford Customline sedan caught in a compromising position with a 1949-52 Chevy or Pontiac "Tin Woody."
https://twitter.com/PennInk2/status/1597233726412718081
The 49-52 Chevy/Pontiac Tin Woodys were the OG fake wood trim wagons.
Sorry folks, I'm flat outta time for today. Keep those old family pix coming, and get a little Bo Diddley in your life. Until next time, Happy Motoring!
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