Here’s one of Hollywood’s biggest stars ever, Bob Hope, to sell us on the simple virtues of the 1973 Ford Galaxie 500.
Bob Hope (1903-2003) was one of America’s great entertainers, appearing in more than 70 films, including the seven famous “Road to” adventure comedies with Bing Crosby. He might be even better known for his countless NBC TV specials, or for his 57 USO tours entertaining U.S. soldiers abroad. Over his 75-year career he also managed to find the time to pitch cars for the entire Detroit Three: General Motors, Chrysler, and in this spot, Ford. Here the ski-nosed comic actor appears with the golf cart fashioned for him in fiberglass by George Barris to tell us about the 1973 Galaxie 500.
It’s interesting that for this campaign, Ford brought in such a major star to pitch the mid-range Galaxie 500 rather than the top-of-the-line, best-selling LTD and LTD Brougham. They were much the same car, of course, with the same 121-inch wheelbase and standard 351 cubic-inch V8. But the Galaxie 500 offered plain and practical cloth-and-vinyl upholstery.and less in the way of standard equipment. We couldn’t help but notice that when the female model closes her window to demonstrate the Galaxie 500’s quiet interior, she’s operating a hand crank. Remember those? Video below.
” closes her window to demonstrate the Galaxie 500’s quiet interior, she’s operating a hand crank. Remember those?”
Sure do. In fact 4 of my 5 current vehicles have them. Range in vintage from 1966 to 1995. And 2 of them even have vent windows. Remember them?
I had the misfortune of seeing that golf cart thing at one of the custom car shows in the ’70s. It scarred me for life.
It seemed to be quite an effort to roll up that window.
My current 2009 Kia has “roll up” windows. In my 35 years as an auto tech I only remember fixing one roll up window because it stopped working (that was in my own 1961 Corvair, and it took about 45 minutes and an old nut and bolt to get it working again). I replaced a few others but only because they were squeaking or rattling, not because they stopped working. In contrast, I must have repaired hundreds of power windows that stopped operating , usually at inconvenient times. I’m 78 years old and had a triple heart bypass a few months ago and I still don’t find rolling my windows up and down particularly taxing.