bialkov
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It's a slice-of-life view of a 1970s auto show through the eyes of an enthusiast.
Are you ready for a blast from the past? Every now and then we come across a cool time-capsule story, and a couple days ago one popped up on Reddit from a user named TopspinTEC. He posted some photos that his father had taken back in the day at an auto show, and they captured our automotive hearts so much that we had to reach out to him for permission to share and get more on the backstory.
We’re happy to say TopspinTEC – AKA Marshall LeVett, was kind enough to respond and he even sent us a few extra photos to boot. The shots were taken by his father, Richard LeVett, and they feature cars at the New York Auto Show. LeVett didn’t have a specific year for the event; he mentions the late 1960s on the Reddit thread but judging by the cars we see it appears to be either 1971 or 1972. The DeTomaso Pantera didn’t hit the auto show circuit until 1970, and the R107-series Mercedes-Benz 350 SL showed up in 1971. In the extra photos LeVett sent us was a shot of the actual slide for the Pantera, and it’s dated 1972.
Yes, not every photo is crystal clear, but they're still well done and it’s exceedingly rare to see a collection of shots like this that aren’t retouched, highly processed manufacturer photos. What you’re seeing here are slices of life through the eye of an auto enthusiast from the days of bell bottoms and manned missions to the moon. That is, except for one photo. Marshall emailed this special shot to us, featuring his dad's favorite car – a 1959 Mk. I Jaguar – parked outside the shop he owned. Clearly, Richard LeVett was a man of taste.
Also, we can’t help but notice how auto shows have changed over the years. Today’s events are typically filled with dynamic displays that have elaborate backdrops and even hands-on activities. Back then, it was all about the car. Or sometimes the engine – like a brand-new Wankel Rotary that, in the early 1970s, was exotic and destined to be the powerplant for the future.
We’ll stop talking now and let you time travel to the 1970s with some help from this cool photo collection below. Special thanks to Marshall LeVett for sharing these memories.
Are you ready for a blast from the past? Every now and then we come across a cool time-capsule story, and a couple days ago one popped up on Reddit from a user named TopspinTEC. He posted some photos that his father had taken back in the day at an auto show, and they captured our automotive hearts so much that we had to reach out to him for permission to share and get more on the backstory.
We’re happy to say TopspinTEC – AKA Marshall LeVett, was kind enough to respond and he even sent us a few extra photos to boot. The shots were taken by his father, Richard LeVett, and they feature cars at the New York Auto Show. LeVett didn’t have a specific year for the event; he mentions the late 1960s on the Reddit thread but judging by the cars we see it appears to be either 1971 or 1972. The DeTomaso Pantera didn’t hit the auto show circuit until 1970, and the R107-series Mercedes-Benz 350 SL showed up in 1971. In the extra photos LeVett sent us was a shot of the actual slide for the Pantera, and it’s dated 1972.
Yes, not every photo is crystal clear, but they're still well done and it’s exceedingly rare to see a collection of shots like this that aren’t retouched, highly processed manufacturer photos. What you’re seeing here are slices of life through the eye of an auto enthusiast from the days of bell bottoms and manned missions to the moon. That is, except for one photo. Marshall emailed this special shot to us, featuring his dad's favorite car – a 1959 Mk. I Jaguar – parked outside the shop he owned. Clearly, Richard LeVett was a man of taste.
Also, we can’t help but notice how auto shows have changed over the years. Today’s events are typically filled with dynamic displays that have elaborate backdrops and even hands-on activities. Back then, it was all about the car. Or sometimes the engine – like a brand-new Wankel Rotary that, in the early 1970s, was exotic and destined to be the powerplant for the future.
We’ll stop talking now and let you time travel to the 1970s with some help from this cool photo collection below. Special thanks to Marshall LeVett for sharing these memories.
