The Automatic 50s

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jasonl

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I love how everything in the 50s was "O-matic" or "amatic". A play on the word "Automatic". Hydramatic (Chrysler), Unimatic (Frigidaire), Washamatic/Dishamatic (Apex), Duomatic (Bendix), even electronics such as Select-O-Matic (Seeburg), Micromatic (Magnavox) and even microwaves in the 80s; Touchmatic (Amana).

Other cool 50s'ish names: Automagic (Thor & Philco), Tel-U-Set (Tappan. What the heck does that mean anyway?).

Brianne, my personal Touchmatic :-D
 
How True

Fun that you pointed that out Jason!
I think it is great how the names can just roll off of your tounge. Very Catchy.
Brent
 
catchy names for things

Cars were King in this typeof thing

Cruise-O-Matic
Ford-O-Matic
Merc-O-Matic
Swift Sure power brakes (Ford)
Wonder Touch power brakes & power steering (Pontiac)
Tele-Touch Drive (Edsel)
UltraMatic (Packard automatic transmission)
Autronic Eye automatic headlight dimmer in GM cars. Name changed for 1960 to GuideMatic
Twilight Sentinel headlight switch (GM)
Mirror-Matic day-night mirrors (Chrysler Corp. cars)
Master Guide power steering (Ford)
Jet Away automatic transmission (Oldsmobile)
Pedal-Ease power brakes (Oldsmobile)
Seat-O-Matic power seat (Mercury)
 
even before "matic" was the thing, we had the "ola's" for instance:

"Motorola" car radios, and
"rock-ola" jukeboxes

I can think of a few "matics" that I like too.

"Veg-o-matic" everyone remebers those!
"U-Matic" VCR's by sony (refers to the shape of the tape path within the deck)
"Bunn-o-matic" coffee makers...a personal favorite funny name for me!

A prefix that became popular in the fifties and sixties with the advent of television was "tele". You had:

"Telechron" clocks in many of our vintage appliances
"Telecaster" guitars by Fender
"Tele-Games" by Sears (Atari 2600 clone)
...and you can't forget "Tele-tubbies"

In the eighties, electronics were big, and "tronic" became a popular suffix to names.

"audiotronics" record players in the classroom
"touch-tronic" programmable sewing machines from singer
"keytronic" typewriters and computer keyboards
"tip-tronic" transmissions in BMW's
"autotronic" headlight dimmers

In the ninties, we now have E-this and I-that. It all started with E-mail, and then came Apple computer's "I-Mac". "E" meaning electronic, and "I" meaning internet.

"I-books, I-pods, I-tunes" and other "I" stuff from apple
"I-power" engines in Toyotas
"E-machines" from Gateway computer
"E-control" from Crestron (home automation company)

BTW...the Hydra-matic was GM's transmission, Chrysler's was the "torque-flite" controlled by the famous pushbutton shifter
 
LMAO !!!!

JASON !!! I need to find out where to pick-up one of those "personal Touch-matics"! <p> how about the Crosley Stack-O-Matic: This original record changer features classic Stack-O-Matic technology. Just sit back and enjoy as the tone arm with its fully automatic swinging motion selects your next album and drops it gracefully on the platter.
 
are the new "Crosely" "Stack-O-Matic" TT's made today anything like the original ones?I am betting the new ones are made in china or something.
In my doings with AM transmitters--RCA "Ampliphase"
 
Seeburg Select-O-Matic

Or the "Record Lath" As I call it... LOL!!
 
Ooooh. I've always loved anything "o-matic"! Guess you can tell, huh?
I also love anything "a-rama". Was it Frigidaires that had "Futuramic Styling"? And I seem to recall somewhere seeing a range (Kelvinator?) with something "Telematic Pict-O-Guide" controls. Or something like that.

veg. o-matic!
 
Food-O-Rama

Kelvinator Food-O-Rama

ps sorry about the double post.didnt think the first one went though ):
Rick
 
One of my FAV's....HOOVER...DIAL-A-MATIC...where's the bag???
Beats as it sweeps as it cleans, ya know !!

Thanks ! !

Al
:D
 
automatic systomatic

Kirby Dual Sanitronic 50 & 80, the Metro Turbotronic, Seely PosturePedic,Whirl-a-Way, Waste King Universal Dispos-a-Way drain,, and,of course, Discuss-O-Mat
 
names

Lets not forget the cool names for records-Columbia "guaranteed high fidelity""360 sound"stereo
RCA "living stereo"
Capitol "full dimensional stereo"
and others.
BTW,can anyone advise on a 1958 Seeburg Selectomatic not working properly?If so I will send details.
Tom
 
Another Hoover name

Hoover's motorized power nozzle on Hoover canisters was called the Powermatic in the 1980's...
 
Rambler (AMC) called their automatic "Flash-O-Matic" untill 1968 (unless you ordered "Shift Command").
The senior cars had push-button Flash-O-Matics untill 1962.
These were all Borg-Warner transmissions.

I always loved the O-Rama thing. We have a local Pizzarama.

Ken D.
Rama Lama Ding Dong
 
Mold-A-Rama

Anyone remember these-its not from the fifties-but the early 60's to present.I remember using these twice-once at Marineland of the Pacific and once at a place in florida-one of the many tourest places there-it made a gorilla.The Marineland machine made a dolphin.From a distance the machine looks like a large jukebox-up close its the Mold-A-Rama souvenier maker machine!You put a dollar in it and watched it make your item!!

http://replicationdevices.com
 
GEEEEZ I remember those. Yup, saw it in Florida and I did get the dolphin. I was small so it kinda scared me at first when it started up, but I was fascinated by it.

It had two plates that would come together and then it shoots hot plastic into the mold. Then after a while it would separate and your dolphin or whatever would fall into the hole where you pick it up. The mold comes out still hot and smelling of hot plastic.
 
fortunately the devices are still being maintained on the web link-and they point out some of the machines are 40 years old!I like the idea of the miniature injection molding machine that you can see it work.Usually such molders are hidden away in factories that make the plastic items we use all the time.If you look on the website-beleive they have detailed tech descriptions on how the machines work-the machinery in the unit required the Mold-A-Rama to be plugged into a 120V 30A circuit!And the makers of the units can have molds made to whatever needs you the purchaser of the machine require!I too liked watching the unit work.
 
Flash O Matic Lasted until 1972 and other gimmic names

The Borg Warner made Flash O Matic automatic transmission was offered in AMC cars from 1958 until 1972 when it was replaced by a clone of the Chrysler Torgue Filte called Torgue Command. I got that info from a Collectible Automobile article on the AMC Gremlin. Previous to 1958 Hudson and Nash had both used Packards Ultramatic Drive (when ordered with the optional Packard V8) during 1955-56 and GM Hydra Matic Drive from 1951 to 57 (Hudson and Nash both offered Hydra Matic before they were combined into AMC on May 1 1954 and it was used on the 6 cylinder 1955-56 cars and on the 1957 AMC V8 cars). Hydra Matic was first offered on the Rambler for 1953. Studebaker was the first auto manufacture to use Flash O Matic in 1954. It replaced the more expencive Studebaker produced Automatic Drive first introduced for 1950 and discontinued after 1953.
FYI. The first Chrysler automatic offered was the POWER FLITE DRIVE. It was a 2 speed auto introduced on the Chrysler Imperial halfway through the 1953 model year to replace all the then current versions of Fluid Drive semi automatics (depending on which division of Chrysler you were buying from you got either Gryol FLuid Drive or Tip Toe Shift Fluid Drive in Chrysler,DeSoto,and Dodge, Plymouth never offrered any version of Fluid Drive). Starting in 1954 you could get Powerflite across the board in any Chrysler Corp. car (Plymouth dodn't get it until mid year though). In 1953-54 Powerflite had the convetional gear shift lever on the steering wheel. In 1955 the gear shift moved to the dashboard (an arrangement copied by the Corvair in 1960, and the Pontiac Tempest in 1961). It wasn't until 1956 that the Pushbutton Powerflite Drive was introduced. Halfway through that same model year saw the introduction of the 3 speed TorgueFlite Drive on the Imperial line of cars (Imperial became it's own division in 1955 and would remain so through 1975). Powerflite was last offered in 1961. It was completely superceded by the more efficent TorgueFlite Drive in 1962.

Here are a few gimmic names you all forgot:
MercElectric---What Kiekhaffer Mercury called their electric starting Mercury outboards from 1954 into the 70's
MerControl----- The Single lever remote throttle/gearshift control unit for a Mercury Outboard
Ease A Matic------Packards name for their Power Brakes
Powerglide Drive----Chevys 2 speed automatic made from 1950 to 1973.
DynaFlow Drive/Twin Turbine DynaFlow Drive/ Triple Turbine DynaFlow Drive------ Names for Buicks original automatic and its descendants.
Fabri_Matic----What Maytag called their 1 Speed washers with the phony delicate cycle (all itamounted to was a couple mihnutes agitation and then a couple minutes of soaking repeated a few times).
Fabric Master-----used by Frigidaire Circa 1960 to describe their automatic dryers, and then by Kenmore to describe their dryers automatic dryng cycle circa 1970 into the 80-'s
Futuramic-----What Oldsmobile called its styling of the 1948 98 line and then the whole line of cars in 1949 and 1950.
Roto Matic-------What Eureka called its new swivel top cannister for 1952. Eureka offerd this model for years (at least into the early 60's)as well as making it for Wizard, Montgomery Wards, and Bradford to name a few of the private brands it was offered by. In the Sevenies Eureka used that name for its power nozzles.
Cinerama----- A filming technique using three projecters and a curved screen to give the impression of being surrounded by the movie.
CinemaScope---a one projector flat screen version of Cinerama.
Ultramatic-----what RCA Whirlpool called their 1961 Washer/Dryer combo (I have proof of that in an RCA Whirlpool ad.
Ultravision------What Ge called their Tv's in the 1950's
AutoMAgic------A name used both by THor and Philco Bedix. THor used it in the 40's and early 50's to describe their washer that could also be a dishwasher by removing the wash tub and inserting a dishwashing tub. Philco used that name starting in 1958 to describe it TOL and MOL washers and dryers.
Automatic Drive----as stated in the above diatribe---this was Studebakers first automatic transmision and was offered from 1950 to 1953 when it was then replaced by a less expensive Borg Warner Flash O Matic unit.
Bail O Matic------- a device connected to most 1950's Scott Atwater and 1960's McCloucch made outboards, including Elgin (changed to Sears name in 1964) sold By Sears Roebuck & Co and Wizard brand outboard motors (sold by Western Auto), that bailed water out of the bottom of your boat when ever the engine was running.
Ice Magic------The name Whirlpool has used for years on the icemakers in their fridges

Iam sorry if this is to long and to out of place here but I just had to let it out.....(deep breath in...deep breath out) There I feel much better now. PATRICK COFFEY
 
And to go with all the wonderful car stuff, we can add Buick's "Air Poise Suspension" it used air springs instead of the usual coil or leaf springs. And Vibrasonic by Motorola. An amplifier and box of springs that usually mounted in the trunk to give an echo effect to your AM or FM radio. It was a lot of fun when you hit railroad tracks or pot holes, it then gave a loud kachang sound.

Also something old that's new again, my Mercury Mountaineer, has the Audiofile sound system. Now electronically, it adds various echo chamber effects, which is a real hoot listening to Yma Sumac CDs, the poor system just doesn't quite know what to do with those!

Scroll about 1/4 page down on the link, and you'll see a description for Vibrasonic in a home application, which I didn't know Motorola made. Click the orange Vibrasonic heading and you'll see the ad for the machine.

http://www.ephemeranow.com/new.htm
 
Ultravisions

What I find is interesting is that Hitachi now calls their Hi-definition projection TV's these days "Ultravision". Hitachi Ultravisions are some of the best projection TV's out there from a technician's standpoint. I remember seeing that name on vingage GE televisions made back in the fifties.

Now, in the eighties, when GE and RCA merged, they were actually re-packaging Hitachi projection sets because they did not have a projection TV program really going yet. Later on in the early 90's, they started manufacturing their own. It was a disaster. They took their CTC 169 chassis from their "big tube" televisions, added a dynamic convergence board and forced it to drive the 3 high-brightness CRTS needed for the projection system. What was a rather good, reliable TV chassis in a direct view tube model was just not up to the task of operating the projection system. The sets were terribly unreliable and had poor picture quality to boot.

I'd love to find one of those old Hitachi built projection TV's ...Remember them? They were a box with a reflective screen on top. Directly in front the projection box was a mirror that reflected the picture up onto the screen on top of the box. Almost the same as the common rear projection sets of today, but it was front projection. I remember seeing one of these things at the department store as a kid and being awestruck at the design. I also couldn't fathom anyone spending close to $10,000 for a television set when I saw the price tag!

http://www.cedmagic.com/home/pfr100.html
 
weirdarama

I hope I get to see (and video) another Mold-A-Rama in my lifetime.

In new orleans we had a car paint place called "Fact-O-Bake". They paint your car and put it in an oven.
 
more about hydramatic

kenmore 1978

With your extensive knowledge of GM transmissions, you left out one designation: Pontiac for 1956 called their trans Strat-o-flite hydramatic. (Olds was Jet-a-Way hydramatic, Cadillac simply hydramatic).

These 4 speed transmissions had a fluid coupling instead of the now-familiar torque converter. The change for 1956 was the addition of a smaller fluid coupling which would fill to change from 1 to 2 and 3 to 4. No clutch or band change ocurred. These shifts were indeed liquid smooth. The shift from 2 to 3 was a little rougher, because clutches and bands were involved. I feel fortuate to have owned a 1961 Cadillac with this trans.

I was also luckey to have driven a 1959 Chevy Impala with turboglide, and a 1959 Buick with dynaflow. I always loved flooring those cars to feel the pitch switch. Those transmissions were not that efficient, but the engines were so powerful that the performance was pretty good.

When we were kids we made up the name coolerator, or at least I thought so until I saw a Coolerator freezer in our neighbor's basement.
 
transmission designations

"With your extensive knowledge of GM transmissions, you left out one designation: Pontiac for 1956 called their trans Strat-o-flite hydramatic. (Olds was Jet-a-Way hydramatic, Cadillac simply hydramatic)."

Yep, I knew about them, but i just lumped the Hydra-Matics together siince there was nothing differnt about them except the name

"These 4 speed transmissions had a fluid coupling instead of the now-familiar torque converter. The change for 1956 was the addition of a smaller fluid coupling which would fill to change from 1 to 2 and 3 to 4. No clutch or band change ocurred. These shifts were indeed liquid smooth. The shift from 2 to 3 was a little rougher, because clutches and bands were involved.".

It was sort of 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another, since the new design for 1956 with the second fluid coupling simply exchanged 3 small "typical" bumps for 1 LARGE bump

"I was also luckey to have driven a 1959 Chevy Impala with turboglide, and a 1959 Buick with dynaflow. I always loved flooring those cars to feel the pitch switch. Those transmissions were not that efficient, but the engines were so powerful that the performance was pretty good."

Turboglide had a lot of problems, but the final version of the Dynaflow (Turbinie Drive" had been improved so much that the performance of my Grandparent's 1962 Buick Wildcat felt every bit as positive as a geared transmission. That car was FAST!
 
More about Hydra-Matic ..Oldsmobile Whirlaway Hydramatic Dri

In advertising for Oldsombiles circa 1950 Old's version of Hydra-Matic Drive was advertised as "Whirlaway" Hydra-Matic Drive.
PAT COFFEY
 
Ultravision

i own a Hitachi RPTV Ultravision set I got from Circuit city about 3 years ago.These machines were top rated by reviewers from such magazines as "The Perfect Vision"A magazine publised by the same folks that publish "The Absolute Sound" and "Home theater" magazines.Its quality is unmatched by any other set.The CRT based models are the best. Hitachi now has added DLP and Plasma to their "Ultravision" line. the CRT based sets are still best.I have compared the images on my set to the $10,000 plasma sets from other builders and the "Ultravision" is still better and at a much lower price.At some point I am going to get a HDTV tuner for my set so I can really see what it can do.I use it to watch DVD and laserdisc movies at this point.It has a 57" screen.Love it-the best set I have ever owned.Sadly just about all set builders are trying to phase out CRT based projector sets.This is bad-they still give the best image quality and reliability for the price.
 

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