Posted by Clint Dixon [172.70.126.8] on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 20:17:01 :
In Reply to: Re: Forum refresh tomorrow posted by Clint Dixon [108.162.216.196] on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 19:13:05 :
The photo shoot that resulted in the image of that particular truck, as shown in your 1967 Chrysler advertisement, appears to have taken place sometime in 1962 (if not earlier). The earliest image I have in my literature collection, of that same truck, shows it appearing in a sales brochure dated 9/62. With this date, the brochure it was most likely advertising the new 1963 models.
The photo that actually appeared in the above mentioned brochure shows the truck staged exactly the same - slightly crossed-up, front wheels turned slightly to the driver's left, winch cable and chain loosely wrapped the same on the winch drum, wiper arms in the same position, white painted driver's side mirror, a partially buried tree branch with a couple of leaves still attached sticking out of the ground right next to the passenger side front tire, and a small mound of dirt in front of the passenger side front tire with two "peaks" at its top.
There are two main differences between the photo in your ad and the one appearing in the 9/62 brochure. One is that the camera angle was about 30 degrees more to the passenger's side in the photo that was ultimately published in your 1967 Chrysler ad. The other is that the 1962 image shows cowl lights in place and no turn signals. The plot thickens...
The next time that very same photo appears (the same one as oriented in the 1962 brochure) is in the next sales brochure dated 9/63. This brochure was printed on glossy paper instead of the matte paper used in the 1962 brochure and was apparently advertising the new 1964 models based upon the date.
Not much changed between the brochures of 1962 and 1963, except for some details on the W100 Town Wagon brakes. However there was one huge visual change. For 1963 the photo of the WM300 was altered with an airbrush before going to print. The cowl lights were removed and turn signals were added to the sides of the grill - all by hand. The artist did a good job of blending the background where the driver's side parking light was, but where the passenger side light once was is now seen as kind of a fuzzy blur. The turn signals were added in a slightly too small of a scale, appear to have no depth, and the light reflections off of the lenses appear to be a little too fake.
This retouched image of the front of the Power Wagon in question appeared up through sales brochures dated 7/64. Brochures in my collection after the one dated 9/63 no longer show any cowl lights on WM300 model trucks.
The turn signals on the same truck shown at the angle in your Chrysler ad appear to have endured the same artists alterations. However now the lenses of the turn signals appear to have been cut and pasted (the old fashioned way with real scissors and paste) from the original cowl lights that were in place on the cowl before the image was altered.
As I alluded to earlier, the style and font of the Power Wagon name badges on the hood sides were no longer in use by 1967, but were used in 1962.
Enough trivia for one night.
Thanks again,
Junior