A total of 50 exhibits filled The International Ampitheatre for Chicago's 44th auto show, which went on as planned despite the continuation of the Korean War. The 1952 show offered visitors plenty of opportunity to view the modern all-new body styles developed by Ford, Mercury and Lincoln; a hardtop body style by Studebaker and the debut of the Willys Aero. By 1952, a third of available cars had a V-8 engine, including the "Hemi" version, now available in both Chrysler and DeSoto models. Cadillacs were given dual exhaust tips, and full-size Nash models were restyled in part by Pinin Farina. The admission ticket price including tax was 90 cents for adults and 45 cents per child 12 and under. On the right, Miss South Suburban (Jean Bergman), one of the auto show's community queens, stands in front of a Henry J sedan on the show floor. Introduced in 1951, Henry J was the compact model issued by the Kaiser-Frazer company. Either a four- or a six-cylinder engine might be installed.
Members of Executive Show Committee discuss artist's rendering of proposed stage design for the 1952 Chicago Auto Show, during a CATA luncheon held on November 1, 1951. Luncheon took place at the Saddle & Sirloin Room of the Stock Yard Inn, next to the International Amphitheatre. Pictured are (left to right): designer John C. Becker, of Becker Brothers Studios; show manager Edward L. Cleary; show chairman Frank H. Yarnall; CATA president James F. Goodwin; and Edward E. Carlson.
Close-up view of the stage design scale model approved for the 1952 Chicago Auto Show. The decorated stage was created by the Becker Brothers Studios. Photo dated December 12, 1951.
Chicago Mayor Martin H. Kennelly presents his entry ticket to a female attendant at the turnstile gate inside the International Amphitheatre during the 1952 Chicago Auto Show. At the same time, auto-show chairman Frank H. Yarnall is pinning an official CATA show pin onto the mayor's lapel. Next to Yarnall are CATA president James F. Goodwin and past president James F. McManus, Jr.
Like Hollywood premieres with spotlights, beautiful models, live musicians and spectacular settings, the latest cars were presented to the overflowing crowds in the Amphitheatre arena. Appearing on stage during the "Motor Modes of '52" revue is a 1952 Packard 250 series two-door convertible. Waiting in the wings is the new Plymouth Belvedere two-door hardtop.
Miss Rogers Park (Maxine Darland) leans on a Plymouth Cranbrook Belvedere convertible during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. This year's Plymouths were nearly identical to the 1951 models. Belvedere was the name given to the two-door hardtop body style, in the upper-level Cranbrook series.
Willys two-door sedan is in motion on the revolving stage, during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. Introduced in 1952, the Willys Aero was a compact sedan, far different from the company's military-derived Jeeps and station wagons. Either a four-cylinder or a six-cylinder engine might be installed.
In a close-up view, Miss Garfield Park (Ardee LeHew), leans on a Buick Roadmaster convertible during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. A chauffeur sits at the steering wheel and an Andy Frain usher is onstage. Face lifted for 1952 and offered in three series (Special, Super, and Roadmaster), Buicks stuck with their overhead-valve straight-eight engines.
Close-up view of Miss Uptown (Pat O'Neil) leaning on a Chrysler New Yorker convertible during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. A chauffeur sits at the steering wheel. All Chryslers except the six-cylinder Windsor series were powered by the company's Hemi V8 engine, introduced in 1951.
Miss Portage Park (Gloria Kramp) leans on a Lincoln Capri hardtop during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. Totally redesigned and modernized for 1952, Lincolns now carried an overhead-valve V-8 engine. Lincolns earned considerable publicity for their prowess in the Carrera Panamericana race through Baja California, Mexico.
Miss North Suburban (Rozsika Carroll) leans on a Nash Rambler Country Club hardtop during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. Photo taken from orchestra area, in front of stage. Introduced in 1950, Ramblers were the compact-size Nash models, not changed much for 1952.
Miss Berwyn-Cicero (Arlene Block) leans on a Studebaker Commander State Starliner hardtop coupe during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. Studebakers earned a facelift for 1952, losing their former "bullet-nose" front end.
Costumed dancers and singers perform during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue, photographed from the orchestra area in front of the stage. On the left, Prince Charming (Ralph Sterling) is at the microphone, and on the right, commentator/soloist Alexander Gray is at the microphone with Cinderella and Princess of Song (Jo Sullivan). The orchestra is under the direction of Lew Diamond.
Five "community queens"pose in a 1952 Cadillac convertible, during the auto show at the Amphitheatre. At the steering wheel is Miss West Suburban (Diane Jedick). Seated atop the front passenger seat is Miss Belmont (Ruth Collins). Seated in the rear are (left to right): Miss Portage Park (Gloria Kramp), Miss Irving Park (Philma Fox), and Miss Logan Square (Bonnie Yake). Cadillacs changed little for 1952.
Miss Austin (Beryl Wallman), left, and Miss Garfield Park (Ardee LeHew) pose on the front fender and hood of a 1952 Buick Super convertible, during the 44th annual Chicago Auto Show at the Amphitheatre. Facelifted for 1952 and offered in three series (Special, Super, and Roadmaster), Buicks stuck with their overhead-valve straight-eight engines.
Large crowd is milling around a 1952 Studebaker Commander State Starliner hardtop coupe, which sits on a rotating turntable at the Studebaker exhibit on the show floor of the International Amphitheatre.
Holding a bouquet of roses, Miss North Suburban (Rozsika Carroll) poses with a Ford Crestline Victoria hardtop on a raised turntable, at the Ford display in the Amphitheatre. A trophy on the turntable is for Miss Photo Flash, presented by the Chicago Press Photographers Association. Fords were fully redesigned for 1952, and a new overhead-valve six-cylinder engine was offered as well as the venerable flathead V-8.
Adding glamour to the pistons and spark plugs of an exposed 1952 De Soto hemispherical head engine was 19-year old Arlene Kieta, who was crowned, 'Miss Fire Dome V-8.’ Her title reflected the Fire Dome name specific to the car’s 160 horsepower, 276.1 CID. eight-cylinder Hemi-head design. On the right, a man and a young boy are looking at a another cutaway V-8 engine, which sits upon a large world globe.
W.K. Edmund (left) and Ray Heure discuss the newly restyled Ford for '52, while standing in front of a cutaway model. The Ford sedan has been sliced down the middle to give a complete view of its interior space, trunk area, and (visible in this photo) the engine compartment. Fords were totally redesigned this year, offered with a new overhead-valve six-cylinder engine or the familiar old flathead V-8.
A Ford sedan has been sliced down the middle to give a complete view of its interior space, trunk area, and engine compartment. Illustrations on the back wall at this display space show some of the inspection processes undergone by Fords at the factory. Fords were totally redesigned this year, offered with a new overhead-valve six-cylinder engine or the familiar old flathead V-8. Note the mannequin at right.
Plymouth automobiles are on the left side of the aisle in this shot taken on the main floor of the International Amphitheatre, in February 1952. Nash cars are barely visible on the right side.
Plymouth's transparent engine and chassis allowed attendees at the 1952 Chicago Auto Show the opportunity to watch the flow of power from the combustion chambers to the wheels. The six-cylinder powerplant was displayed under black light from ultraviolet ray lamps, complimenting the drivetrain that was constructed of transparent plastic and accented with glossy fluorescent lacquer. It took a year and a half to construct, using 1,200 separate plastic parts.
International Harvester heavy-duty truck, equipped to run on L.P.G. fuel, was on display on the first floor, with its hood open. A large world globe and people are in the background.
Judges view contestants for annual Neighborhood Beauty Queen contest in February 1952, in the ballroom of a Chicago hotel.
Two men are photographed at exhibit area for Kool Kar Co. Inc., which marketed "refrigerated air conditioning" for automobiles. Only a handful of motor cars had factory-installed air conditioning in 1952.
A display of scale models of International trucks highlighted that company's exhibit area at the 1952 Chicago Auto Show. Several visitors are looking over the display, which has a large world globe in the center.
Capacity crowds fill the main arena inside the International Amphitheatre twice daily --afternoon and evening to enjoy the artistic stage revue during the 1952 Chicago Auto Show. The one-hour revue was a potpourri of singing and dancing presented by glamour girls gorgeously gowned. Culminating the revue would be the showing of the gleaming new cars to the public.
Three-member balancing act performs during the "Motor Modes of 1952" stage revue. A female member of the troupe is upside-down in the air, her head supported by the head of a male performer standing on the stage. She is also supporting a table atop her feet.
Cutaway of a Hudson sedan has been rotated on its side, to give show visitors a view of its interior (with half of roof removed) and engine. Twin carburetors, called H-Power, were used by Hudson engines in the early 1950s. Note the center-mounted radio antenna.
Hudson Motor Company ran ads in the Chicago Tribune to make sure that people attending the 1952 show took time to view the new lower-price Wasp model. The Wasp was a running mate to the Hudson Hornet.
No people are in this scene which looks down the aisle between the Plymouth display space on the left, and De Soto's space on the right. Only the front ends of two Plymouths are visible, but several De Sotos can be seen, including a Fire Dome 8 sedan with two-tone paint and the front of a convertible in the foreground. A V-8 engine was available for the first time under De Soto hoods. Note the wide whitewall tires.
Standing left to right: Miss South Suburban (Jean Bergman), revue director Dorothy Hild, Miss Belmont (Ruth Collins) and Miss North Suburban (Rozsika Carroll) pose with a 1952 De Soto Custom Suburban station wagon during the 44th annual Chicago Auto Show. Miss Irving Park (Philma Fox) is sitting in the car. Original photo caption reads: "Exclusive to Chicago Daily News. Auto Show 'Queens' get instructions on entering and alighting from a car correctly. They are among 20 who will appear in the stage revue 'Motor Modes of 1952' during the nine-day period starting Feb. 16th at the International Amphitheatre."
Three of the twenty community beauty queens pose with three auto-show officials. CATA president James F. Goodwin (far left) holds an auto-show poster. Also pictured are (left to right): show chairman Frank H. Yarnall; Miss Belmont (Ruth Collins); Miss Rogers Park (Maxine Darland); Miss Uptown (Pat O'Neil); and show manager Edward L. Cleary.
Chicago Mayor Martin H. Kennelly presents U.S. Savings Bonds to the six winners of the 1952 safety-slogan contest, which was open to area high school students, while CATA executives look on. Pictured are (left to right): auto-show chairman Frank H. Yarnall; Joan Wayne (age 15) from St. Francis De Sales High School; Essie Lee Brown (16) from Wendell Phillips High School; Arlowyn Peterson from St. Thomas Apostle High School; Mayor Kennelly; Marie Rolnieki (17) from Tuley High School; Lois Ann Gross (14) from St. Stanislaus Kostka High School; Janet Maylor (14) from Steinmetz High School; show manager Edward L. Cleary; and CATA president James F. Goodwin.
Twenty chosen Neighborhood Beauty Queen contestants pose together after their selection at a downtown Chicago hotel.
Throngs of admirers surround the Buick XP-300 experimental car, which was making it second appearance at the annual Chicago show. It was first display in 1951. The XP-500 featured an aluminum body, wraparound windshield, bumper/concave grille combo, and headlight bezels similar to those that appeared on 1953 Buicks. Using an experimental 330 horsepower, 215 cubic inch aluminum V-8, the XP-300’s engine was capable of operating on gasoline or methanol fuel. Flowing down the trunk lid was a chrome trimmed center fin that was capped at the rear with a jet-like exhaust containing a backup light.