1930's Car Crashes

Forum for general car talk, upcoming events, posting photos, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Steve Simmons
Site Admin
Posts: 4107
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:45 pm
Vehicles Owned: .
1937 MG SA Saloon
1946 John Deere AN
1949 MG TC
1953 MG TD
1958 MGA Roadster
1959 Morris Minor 1000
1965 MGB
1967 MGB GT (UK-Spec)
1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
Contact:
Contact Steve Simmons

1930's Car Crashes

Post by Steve Simmons »

I'm posting this for Malcolm, who emailed it to me. Great stuff! Click the images to enlarge.

---------------

The pictures were taken in and around Boston, Massachusetts by Leslie Jones, who was staff photographer at the Boston-Herald Traveler newspaper from 1917 to 1956.

When he died in 1967, his family donated a vast collection of 34,000 prints to the Boston Public Library. They included these fascinating photos of vintage car wrecks from the great motoring boom.

Motor cars became affordable to the masses for the first time in the 1920s. By the end of the decade a Model T Ford cost $298, just a fraction of the $1,200 it cost in 1909.

By 1929, 20 per cent of Americans were on the road. Ford, Chrysler and General Motors were all competing for the boom in business and by the time the depression hit in 1929, Ford was producing more than one car every minute. Technology meant these early cars were capable of achieving speeds of up to 50 miles per hour - but safety measures were nowhere near as advanced as they are today.

Add in the fact drivers didn't need to pass a test before they got behind the wheel, and it's easy to see why accidents were frequent and often spectacular.
Attachments
Officers examine a car that has wrapped itself around a tree, spilling its interiors onto the street in Boston in 1933
Officers examine a car that has wrapped itself around a tree, spilling its interiors onto the street in Boston in 1933
Passersby try to figure out how this car ended up nose-down in a trench in Boston's West End. A glance at the rough, dirt-covered road provides a clue
Passersby try to figure out how this car ended up nose-down in a trench in Boston's West End. A glance at the rough, dirt-covered road provides a clue
The scene of an accident in 1935. Information with the photo reveals a car stolen by joyriding children crashed into a lawyer's car, killing him
The scene of an accident in 1935. Information with the photo reveals a car stolen by joyriding children crashed into a lawyer's car, killing him
Giving a rare glimpse of the day's fashion, a group of men look over a crumpled car that sits by the side of a residential Boston street
Giving a rare glimpse of the day's fashion, a group of men look over a crumpled car that sits by the side of a residential Boston street
Crowds pose for photographer Leslie Jones alongside a mangled and burnt out wreck in Boston in 1933
Crowds pose for photographer Leslie Jones alongside a mangled and burnt out wreck in Boston in 1933
A police officer poses next to a car that flipped over maneuvering around corner in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1935.
A police officer poses next to a car that flipped over maneuvering around corner in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1935.
This truck stood no chance when it came into contact with a tree on a rural Mass. road, disintegrating on impact - leaving just the steering wheel intact.
This truck stood no chance when it came into contact with a tree on a rural Mass. road, disintegrating on impact - leaving just the steering wheel intact.
A fireboat struggles to haul a car out of the Fore River in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1933. They succeeded, but couldn't save the three passengers, who drowned
A fireboat struggles to haul a car out of the Fore River in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1933. They succeeded, but couldn't save the three passengers, who drowned
This car came out loser in a battle of wills with a trolley bus on Boston's South End in 1932
This car came out loser in a battle of wills with a trolley bus on Boston's South End in 1932
Children peer out of the undergrowth as photographer Leslie Jones captures a nasty wreck smouldering by the side of the road in Hingham
Children peer out of the undergrowth as photographer Leslie Jones captures a nasty wreck smouldering by the side of the road in Hingham
Crowds watch in awe as a car is winched out of the Charles River in Cambridge, Mass in 1933. close to the Harvard University campus
Crowds watch in awe as a car is winched out of the Charles River in Cambridge, Mass in 1933. close to the Harvard University campus
Taken in 1934, this photograph shows a truck balancing on a bridge in Dorchester by just one wheel. Workers from the Walter Baker & Co chocolate factory rushed out of the building in the background to watch
Taken in 1934, this photograph shows a truck balancing on a bridge in Dorchester by just one wheel. Workers from the Walter Baker & Co chocolate factory rushed out of the building in the background to watch
Another angle from the same accident shows how close the truck is from toppling into the water
Another angle from the same accident shows how close the truck is from toppling into the water
This car remarkably survived a collision with a utility pole in Cambridge, Mass - with just a mangled bumper to show for the crash
This car remarkably survived a collision with a utility pole in Cambridge, Mass - with just a mangled bumper to show for the crash
The driver of this car was unlikely to have survived this collision. The wreck is wrapped entirely around a tree, which sits in the driver's position
The driver of this car was unlikely to have survived this collision. The wreck is wrapped entirely around a tree, which sits in the driver's position
The shell of a truck is pulled from the Charles River after it careered off the Harvard Bridge
The shell of a truck is pulled from the Charles River after it careered off the Harvard Bridge
Photographer Leslie Jones had to part crowds of onlookers to capture this accident in downtown Boston. An out of control car collided with a shop front, smashing windows and ending up on its side
Photographer Leslie Jones had to part crowds of onlookers to capture this accident in downtown Boston. An out of control car collided with a shop front, smashing windows and ending up on its side
Local businessman Byron Harwood and Byron Grover were hurt when their car collided with a bus in Waltham, Mass. in 1921. They were lucky to survive this nasty looking wreck. Their car certainly didn't
Local businessman Byron Harwood and Byron Grover were hurt when their car collided with a bus in Waltham, Mass. in 1921. They were lucky to survive this nasty looking wreck. Their car certainly didn't
Taken in 1934, this photo shows a car that skidded out of control on ice-covered roads and wrapped around a tree in Auburndale, Mass.
Taken in 1934, this photo shows a car that skidded out of control on ice-covered roads and wrapped around a tree in Auburndale, Mass.
A truck collided with a bus and flipped over in south Boston, stopping just before it smashed into a cafeteria storefront
A truck collided with a bus and flipped over in south Boston, stopping just before it smashed into a cafeteria storefront
Another view of the same accident shows eager children posing with the upturned truck. it also demonstrates how close the vehicles came to nearby buildings
Another view of the same accident shows eager children posing with the upturned truck. it also demonstrates how close the vehicles came to nearby buildings
A Cudahy Packing Co. truck is hauled out of Fort Point Channel, which separates South Boston and downtown Boston
A Cudahy Packing Co. truck is hauled out of Fort Point Channel, which separates South Boston and downtown Boston
Even public servants weren't immune to accidents. An early mail truck came out loser in this battle with a tree on the tree-lined Commercial Avenue, Boston
Even public servants weren't immune to accidents. An early mail truck came out loser in this battle with a tree on the tree-lined Commercial Avenue, Boston
Sitting in a Boston wrecking yard, this cross section of a wreck shows how basic car interiors were in the early days of motoring.
Sitting in a Boston wrecking yard, this cross section of a wreck shows how basic car interiors were in the early days of motoring.
Top
User avatar
Jimmy
Don't take him seriously!
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by Jimmy »

Interesting.
I didn't know that Tanny's family had its roots in Boston, MA.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
Top
User avatar
tannyo
Veteran Member
Posts: 1058
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 1:58 pm
Vehicles Owned: 1967 MGB GT
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Contact:
Contact tannyo

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by tannyo »

Look at those bald tires in the first picture. No wonder they couldn't control the car.
Top
Martin Keller
Core Member
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:04 pm
Location: Ventura, Ca.

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by Martin Keller »

tannyo wrote:Look at those bald tires in the first picture. No wonder they couldn't control the car.

Those are racing tires of the time...... :lol: ...... :jester
Martin Keller
Ventura, Ca.
Top
User avatar
HealeyBN7
Core Member
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:33 pm
Vehicles Owned: 1959 Peerless GT
1960 Austin Healey 3000
1961 Warwick GT
1971 Lotus Europa
1995 Range Rover
Location: Not Thousand Oaks CA

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by HealeyBN7 »

It struck me that most of the pictures show the radiators untouched.

Next time I ride in Steve's Model T I am sitting on the front bumper.

Dean
Top
User avatar
VWNate1
Veteran Member
Posts: 1402
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:41 am
Vehicles Owned: LBC's

Mercedes Diesels OM 616 & 617

1969 Chevrolet C/10 pickup shop truck
250 I-6 , TH350 slushbox

1959 Nash Metropolitan FH Sports Coupe

1961 Morris Minor W/ 1973 1275 CC engine & gearbox

Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
Location: Sunny So. Cal. , land of fruits , nuts & flakes

Re : 1930's Car Crashes

Post by VWNate1 »

Then as now , speed and ignorance are the primary causes of vehicle collisions .

It's neat to see older pix of where I grw up .
-Nate
Top
Fifty Six MGA
Core Member
Posts: 562
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:19 pm
Vehicles Owned: 1954 Velocette LE Motorbike
1956 MGA
1971 BMW 2002 tii (Sold)
the most generic gold tan minivan you can imagine
A pile of kayaks and bicycles.

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by Fifty Six MGA »

HealeyBN7 wrote:It struck me that most of the pictures show the radiators untouched.

Next time I ride in Steve's Model T I am sitting on the front bumper.

Dean
Dean,

I hate the overused LOL, but your comment truly made me laugh out loud. I'd noticed too how many of them looked liked they'd slid sideways into something.

Early drifters?
____________
Geoffcj@gmail.com
Top
User avatar
Steve Simmons
Site Admin
Posts: 4107
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:45 pm
Vehicles Owned: .
1937 MG SA Saloon
1946 John Deere AN
1949 MG TC
1953 MG TD
1958 MGA Roadster
1959 Morris Minor 1000
1965 MGB
1967 MGB GT (UK-Spec)
1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
Contact:
Contact Steve Simmons

Re: 1930's Car Crashes

Post by Steve Simmons »

Dean, it may pain you to learn (literally) that the Model T has no front bumper. You will instead be sitting on the crank start handle. Ouch! :eek:
Top
Post Reply

Return to “General Chat”