Life, 1926-12-23 · page 3 of 37
Life — December 23, 1926 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It's a 1920s advertisement for Budd-Michelin steel wheels, presented as a testimonial format. The ad claims Alvan Macauley, President of Packard Motor Car Company, endorsed switching to Budd-Michelin wheels as superior to wooden wheels. The "cartoon" elements—sketches of Packard automobiles in urban scenes—are decorative illustrations supporting the sales pitch, not satirical commentary. The ad uses customer testimonials from various locations (New York, California, Colorado, New Jersey) praising steel wheels' durability, appearance, and safety compared to wooden wheels. The phrase "Goodbye, buggy wheels" reflects the automotive industry's transition away from horse-drawn vehicles. This represents straightforward early automotive advertising rather than political or social satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“= asked Mr. Macauley. - he said Ask the man who owns one: Atvan Macau ey is President of the Packard Motor Car Company ... Last March he made Budd-Michelin Wheels standard equipment on all models of the Packard, both Six and Eight. We wanted to know what Mr. Macauley thought of them now, after six months experience, and so we asked him . . . “We put Packard on Budd-Michelins” said Mr. Macauley, “because we firmly believed they were the finest wheels for the finest car in America. Now we know it. Just... ask the man who owns one!” We did. Hundreds of them. People who, in almost every instance, had also owned cars with wooden wheels. We asked them whether their experience made them prefer steel wheels (Budd-Michelin) or wood—and why? Three out of every four persons interviewed endorsed the Budd-Michelin Wheel equipment with specific comments explaining their preference. Here are a few quotations from the actual replies. New York—"I prefer steel wheels by all means because of their better looks, their greater strength and the ease of cleaning.” California—‘Brakes more accessible, wheels far easier to clean, they look better and are much safer, They, too, have an extra wheel.” Colorado—"In wet weather my brakes remain more dry and efficient with steel wheels.” New Jersey—“My car skidded. If I had had wood wheels I could not have continued my trip but the disc was just bent and easily reshaped. A wood wheel would have crushed.”” And so runs the story of Budd-Michelin preference based on actual experience. Experience that has made Packard owners—as critical and discriminat- ing a group as there is in all motordom—truly glad to swell the chorus of: “Good-bye, buggy wheels!” Philadelphia Detroit Also makers ef Budd Interchangeable Wire Wheels which fit the same hub as Budd-Michelin All-Steel Wheels. Ure, ublsed Werk by Life Pub, Co, $08 Madieon Ave, York, N.Y. Subscription, $5.00, Vol. 88. No. 2303. Dec. 23, 1926, Entered as 2nd CI tas Matter Jane 8, 1883, at Ni t OfSce, wader act of March 3, 1879. Printed in U.S. A. [tered as 20d Gass Manterat Sos Pout Otiee Dose Canada. Copyright, 1926, LIFE, ia U. S, England aad British Possessions, comicbooks.com