TheSamba.com :: View topic - Camping in a vw bus, 1955 popular mechanics

Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:51 am

Found this today

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:08 am

mmm who doesnt love a barndoor campingbox! sweet rack.

I guess even back then chrome DID get you home.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:46 am

Where are the women!!!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:55 am

typically known as the gay man camp out...i have the cover blown up and framed in my house,courtesy of jason mcdaniel from the middle 90's.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:24 pm

gatorwyatt wrote: typically known as the gay man camp out...i have the cover blown up and framed in my house,courtesy of jason mcdaniel from the middle 90's.
Now i see why you have it blow up in your living room. :wink: :lol:

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:38 pm

wow todd...

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:38 pm

krusher wrote: Where are the women!!!

Here they are:

It was a 3 on two camp outing.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:46 pm

not the same bus!!!

theyre still gay!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:16 pm

sled wrote: not the same bus!!!

theyre still gay!

I asked Linda and he confirmed that this is not a gay illustration. He gave me three pieces of evidence to support his position:

1. Gay guys don't fish, for fish.
2. Gay guys can't start campfires.
3. Gay guys would have installed a Hurst bumper on the bus.

Linda said it is a camping trip with three generations of the family; Grandpa, Dad and his son. He did say, however, that grandpa may be a switch hitter because he is wearing loafers.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:34 pm

Linda is an expert, and his evaluation is definately credible.

Im going to go out on a limb and say that this camping photograph depicts a gay man couple with a straight son. It appears the man tending the fire is the "he" in the relationship with rugged skills and natural instinct. The grey haired guy is the "her" in the relationship as he is lounging, reading a book so as to not dirty his hands or crack his nails. Men have always, and will always get grey hair early. The son is adopted and has no gay tendancies, he simply wants to make his parents proud and "bring home the bacon".

of course this is all just speculation and Im sure Linda is correct.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:54 pm

You may be right.

I do get an uncomfortable feeling when I look at the cover.

It is the same feeling as when Johnny kept offering me a "free neck and shoulder massage" at the last OCTO show. TF Doug told me he has "hands of silk". I told TF Doug I would take his word for it.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:03 pm

Anchovy wrote: krusher wrote: Where are the women!!!

Here they are:

It was a 3 on two camp outing.

all though not quite enough to make them air tight, still a bundle of fun...

and as for the 3 gay dudes on my wall...i say they are cool just as long as they dont grab my as...lol

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:04 pm

Anchovy wrote:

I do get an uncomfortable feeling when I look at the cover.

are you a homophobe?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:19 pm

sled wrote: Anchovy wrote:

I do get an uncomfortable feeling when I look at the cover.

are you a homophobe?

I'm a Hylophobe. It's those trees in the distance that sends me into a panic attack.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:27 pm

I completely understand, I am an ichthyophobe. Ive tried everything and I just cant deal!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:37 pm

Brokeback Barndoor???

Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:47 pm

It looks like 3 generations of family to me.

I detect no homophobic tendencies in this painting.

This is the 50s, women don't go camping in America. They are home taking care of the household, parenting any daughters, and awaiting their husband's return with a nice hot meal.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:03 pm

Very funny guys...
We all know that Popular Mechanics was and always has been targeted at girl hating young boys, and magazine illustrations at the time were notoriously illogical, sexist and politically incorrect. Add to that the widespread homophobia of the era and it's unlikely the illustrator was thinking about anything other than 100% apple pie americana when they painted this.
If you ask me the three men are actually commies :wink: Only a commie would drive a VW in 1955, and they wouldn't have brought any women along because they'd blow their cover. The antenna is connected to a short wave radio to transmit the results of the nuclear test. The bus is filled with radiological monitoring equipment for this purpose. All kidding aside this is actually a pretty well executed illustration for 1955, thanks for sharing.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:50 pm

EverettB wrote: It looks like 3 generations of family to me.

I detect no homophobic tendencies in this painting.

This is the 50s, women don't go camping in America. They are home taking care of the household, parenting any daughters, and awaiting their husband's return with a nice hot meal.

Not only that, but it was considered risque to portray women in any other setting than the home maker setting. during these times, they were viewed as second class citizens.
I myself see no gayness at all. I am trippin on the color combo, odd they would paint it so far from reality, back then. IF there ever were a barndoor camping box, in orange creme scheme, someone needs to recreate it. thatd be bad ass.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:26 pm

wow...I hope everyone knows we were joking.