Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

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John kuehn
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Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by John kuehn » Wed Oct 05, 2022 4:48 pm

Hers is really clear early 30’s? Houston Tx downtown street scene. This is at the time of the depression and not many older Model T’s that I can see. The detail is really clear. Better than most I think. I see a 25 Coupe maybe.
Might be no later than 1930. If you like detail this is it considering the camera quality at the time.
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Art Ebeling
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by Art Ebeling » Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:50 pm

The film at the theater starring Bebe Daniels " A Kiss In A Taxi" is a 1927 silent film according to Google. Art


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:54 pm

I have seen this photo somewhere else before. Probably "the Old Motor", which in the past used to show great old photographs. I remember the three cars in front waiting at the intersection, as well as the movie playing at the Queen theatre. Bebe Daniels in "A Kiss in a Taxi", was released early in 1927, and probably continued being shown at various theaters for a year or more. The three cars in front as I recall are a 1926ish Hudson super six sedan, one of the larger Paige sedans probably 1926/'27, and a larger model Willys Knight sedan. I spotted the Paige immediately as I have a 1927 6-45 sedan (the small model) hiding in the garage.
The model T coupe parked into the curb on our right is a 1923 or earlier car, and may be the oldest car that can be really seen. The car on the opposite curb nearest us looks to be a model T tudor sedan, probably 1925 or earlier.
A lot of wonderful cars there, but very few show enough details to be identified.

"The Fourth Commandment" was released in March of 1927. This photo was probably taken that year.

Again John K, thank you.


Topic author
John kuehn
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by John kuehn » Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:55 pm

Good information. The picture may be 1928-9. The cars look to be in good shape. and not dirty so it may be down town higher paid folks than the average. Just a guess.
Doesn’t look like depression times had hit when it was taken.
Last edited by John kuehn on Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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RajoRacer
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by RajoRacer » Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:55 pm

First three on the right at the curb are T's - Suicide door Coupe, perhaps a '26-'27 Coupe and maybe a '25 or '26 Pick-up ! Fordoor on the left curb.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Wed Oct 05, 2022 6:27 pm

Zooming way in, the car behind the policeman's left shoulder appears to be a Studebaker sedan. The tire cover appears to have the Studebaker logo on it. And I had a 1925 Studebaker standard coach (two-door sedan) some years ago. The tail-lamp and spare tire carrier look the same as what my car had. I think it even has the factory option Oakes spare tire lock on it. Year could be anywhere from 1925 to 1927, and likely a four-door sedan.
The car crossing the crosswalk going away appears to be a Chevrolet, possibly a 1927. The fenders, tail-lamp, and disc wheels all look right. Chevrolet for a few years then offered a bunch of choices in coupes! Hard top sport coupes, soft top sport coupes, business coupes, and plain old coupes in a dozen variations!
I don't know any details, but a collector's estate has been being settled back East for a few years now. An East coast antique automobile dealer (with a lousy reputation) had a half dozen different four cylinder Chevrolet coupes for sale from that one collection. I don't think any two were alike?!
This particular car is interesting in that when zoomed in close, I can see that it has dummy landau bars on a fixed semi-hard top coupe! So it may be one of the hard top sport coupe models!

In the going away line of cars, slightly out of line and just beyond the pedestrian standing in the street, is a model T touring car. It has a single rear window in the top's rear curtain, which is unusual for model Ts after 1917. Replacement or accessory maybe? The tires appear to be clincher size, but the spare tire carrier looks like a model T.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Wed Oct 05, 2022 6:33 pm

Thank you Steve T!
I had seen and figured the one beyond the suicide door coupe to be a 1926/'27 T coupe. But I had not noticed the car in the shadows to be a T pickup!
A lot of interesting to see stuff in this photo!


Norman Kling
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by Norman Kling » Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:37 pm

In the late 30's and 1940's we saw a lot of Model T's around Los Angeles. They were all models from the 1920's. The only brass cars I saw were in car shows and later among club members. I think there might be a good reason for this. The great Depression which started in 1929 and ran through the 1930's till the War started, then there were no new cars until after the war about 1946. So some people who could afford a new car during the 1930s bought them, but most of the poorer people and those who had fairly new cars when the depression started, kept them running longer than usual. And because gas was rationed during the war some kept their old cars so they could get gas rations. Any way, I saw many black T's and probably many 26-27 as well but the last two years the T's looked so much like Model A's that I thought they were.
Norm


ModelT46
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Re: Early 1930’s changing times Houston street scene

Post by ModelT46 » Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:42 pm

I saw few Model Ts in Minneapolis in the years before WWII. My dad moved us to Minneap[olis 1946. When I bought my 1910 in 1946 and at the age of 14 drove it around the neighborhood, It attracted much attention. I bought a Center door in 1947 for $25 and drove it to school.. The only Model Ts I saw were ones put away in garages or offered for sale. There were a good number of Model As around. I bought my first one In in 1948. By 1953, the Model T was a collector item, ,but a nice one from the late years could be bought for $100. A Model A roadster brought more, often $250 or 300./ There were several cases at that time of an older person still driving a Model A that they had owned since the 1930s.

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