Dusk

Dusk, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Shot while on a bike ride, on a path through a corn field. Only in the Midwest, I guess.

Coke

Coke, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Another vintage Coca Cola sign, this one hanging in front of a laundromat in Genoa City, Wisconsin. This sort of sign would have originally been in front of a store or restaurant, the name of which would go where the laundromat's name is now. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this sign was recycled from an old diner or drugstore.

Alflaska

Juliet, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A genuine Alaska vanity plate that says "ALFA" on it, on an Alfa Romeo racing car. I believe that the plate is original to the car, which kind of blows me away. Aside from the fact that I like continuous history on old cars, I find it interesting that anyone had an Alfa GT in Alaska. It had to have been just about the only one in the state!

Aug. Hipp Market

Aug. Hipp Market, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A very old ghost sign on the east side of Aurora, Illinois. I've attempted to photograph it several times over the last couple of years, but between the trees in the yard next door, the fence, the No Trespassing signs, and the vines that grow on the building, it's kind of hard to get a good shot. I got this in the early spring, on a quiet Sunday.

I imagine that it's short for "Augustus", although I've not found a whole lot of info about this former market.

A/FX

A/FX, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Factory Experimental was an offshoot of the Showroom Stock class. These were usually cars with prototype engines and other equipment combinations that weren't available from the factory. A/FX cars were even wilder, featuring altered wheelbases that pushed the center of gravity around for better traction. Wild cars.

Dodge

Dodge, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Vintage Dodge neon sign, outside of a local dealership. This type of sign would usually have hung on the side of a building, probably at a downtown storefront dealership.

Little Mouse

Little Mouse, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Launched in 1937, Fiat's original 500, the "Topolino" (Italian for "Little Mouse") was just about the smallest car you could build and still call a car. Powered by a sub-600cc four pot motor, the Topo put Italy on wheels, and remained in production in one form or another until the 50's. This is the classic earlier "Type A" style, which despite it's diminutive size was still an elegantly styled car. Well, until you chopped the body off and put it on an altered wheelbase drag chassis with a big V-8 sticking out the top.

That's one thing they don't talk about in the Fiat history books-the Topolino's racing history here in the States. Along with old American Bantam roadsters and English Ford Anglias, the Topo was a popular Altered and Gas class drag racer, due entirely to it's tiny size, which combined a low weight with a small frontal area to make a nice racing platform. Though plenty of genuine cars were chopped up, many of the Toplino Altereds were made with fiberglass replica bodies, like this mid sixties example.

Fun fact-you can still buy 'glass Topolino bodies today.

The Studebaker Theatre

The Studebaker Theatre, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Signage for the former Studebaker Theatre in Chicago. Now the Fine Arts Building.