Sears in the 70s

[sirenwerks]

Any idea where I can find decent images of Sears delivery trucks and semis from the early 70s, or decals to make such beasts?  So far, online pickins' is slim, mostly tinplate Sears trucks from the same era and 300 DPI logos.

[StarCruiser]

Amazing dearth of decent pictures of ANY Sears trucks from that era!

From memory, these shots of toys (and some service/light delivery trucks) appear to be correct:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1RNKA_enUS624US624&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=Sears+trucks+1970%27s&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwil0bGulrPtAhVH4qwKHUQdB74QjJkEegQIBxAB&biw=1619&bih=960

[wm3798]

I definitely remember the green trucks.  There was a Sears service center right off the Jones Falls Expressway in Baltimore, and was always surrounded by them.
If you emulate the tin plate models even a little bit, it would be the right flavor.
Lee

[cfritschle]

Bryan,

It looks like this one would be safe to make a "copy" of.  https://1-87vehicles.org/photo773/ford_lnt9000_sears.php 

Especially since there are N scale versions of the HO models.   

[wazzou]

I seem to recall the green being a moderate amount darker than the HO model Carter shared a picture of.
Perhaps, that is what the text alludes to below the photo.
I remember seeing small fleets of the Box Vans similar to the Athearn Ford C Cabs at truck freight depots in Sacramento when I was a kid.

[pmpexpress]

A vintage photo and slide collector, I came across the following images in an eBay search:



Sears Semi Tractor Trailer Truck in 1969.



Sears Semi Tractor Trailer Truck in Tampa Bay, Florida in 1970.



Sears Delivery and Semi Tractor Trailer Trucks in Tampa Bay, Florida in 1969.



Sears Delivery and Semi Tractor Trailer Trucks in Tampa Bay, Florida in 1969.



Sears Semi Tractor Trailer and Delivery Trucks in Tampa Bay, Florida in 1969.

Also found on eBay, some photos of circa 1976 HO-Scale Cox Hobbies Inc. (i.e., the model airplane engine manufacturer) containers and van trailers that were factory decorated in Sears' retro 1970s aqua paint scheme:









1969 Chevrolet G-Series Sears Service Truck



Posted in the 1/87 Vehicle Club on April 7, 2008, Jack Magrum's HO Lee Town, Con-Cor, Street Whipz, and Lindberg (from left to right) Sears Truck Models.



Posted in the 1/87 Vehicle Club on April 7, 2008, Jack Magrum's HO Con-Cor, Street Whipz, and Lindberg (from left to right) Sears Truck Models.



Retro Sears Logo (white)



Retro Sears Logo (black)

Previously noted by wazzou, while it it might be a result of the lighting conditions, having once driven an ex Sears Ford C Series Box delivery van with a lift gate for a store fixture company, the aqua that is seen in the model photos appears to be a bit brighter and lighter than I recall the prototypes actually being.

[Mark5]

Thanks Neville!

[peteski]

Excellent reference material Neville - thanks!

While the logo and rest of the artwork is fairly simple, I wonder if Mike ( @C855B ) can figure out what typeface (font) was used for the log and rest of the slogans?  That would make things even easier.

As far as the color goes, looks close to a lighter version of Floquil NYC or PC jade.  Almost makes me want to do the decals. 

[C855B]

Easy peasy -  a slightly modified Times New Roman. "New Roman" instead of just Times Roman because of the vertical termination of the serifs. The modification is a slight thickening stroke on the character edges, but that could easily be chalked-up to generations of repro camera bloom and subsequent cleanups. (You kinda have to know how commercial art was done back then. I've seen some pretty bad logo work come my way, all blurry from camera work. "You really want to use this?!?" sort of stuff.) Definitely not a bold or demi-bold.

You could use straight Adobe/Linotype Times New Roman and not offend any typography rivet serif counters, especially in N.

EDIT: Don't forget the kerning between 'S' and 'e'.

[sirenwerks]

Sears Delivery and Semi Tractor Trailer Trucks in Tampa Bay, Florida in 1969.

I remember the Sears green being more akin to PC green.  I hadn't thought about eBay slide search, great idea.  The pic above makes me happy especially as the previous scheme is still in use too, it had panache on the scale of the Lucky Strikes logo, IMO. 


I have the Internationals for the box trucks, but what is that tractor in the pic?  A Dodge?

[wazzou]

I have the Internationals for the box trucks, but what is that tractor in the pic?  A Dodge?

It's a Ford, likely a 1958 F1000.

[peteski]

Easy peasy -  a slightly modified Times New Roman. "New Roman" instead of just Times Roman because of the vertical termination of the serifs. The modification is a slight thickening stroke on the character edges, but that could easily be chalked-up to generations of repro camera bloom and subsequent cleanups. (You kinda have to know how commercial art was done back then. I've seen some pretty bad logo work come my way, all blurry from camera work. "You really want to use this?!?" sort of stuff.) Definitely not a bold or demi-bold.

You could use straight Adobe/Linotype Times New Roman and not offend any typography rivet serif counters, especially in N.

EDIT: Don't forget the kerning between 'S' and 'e'.

Thanks Mike - I knew you would come through and be faster and more accurate than one of those auto-font-identify websites. 

[cfritschle]

Bryan and Bryan,

The 1958 heavy duty Fords had an "egg crate" grille, while the 1959 and 1960 heavy duty and extra heavy duty Fords had grilles with five horizontal parallel bars and three vertical bars behind the horizontal bars.  The Ford crest above the grille had a "crown" added to for 1960 models (which made the crest a little wider), and the F-850 through F-1100 models had "Super" and "Duty" flanking the crest.  While it is hard to tell for sure, the crest on the Sears Ford appears to have the crown, but not the "Super Duty" script.  If that is the case, it would be a 1960 F-700 or F-750 or F-800.  If the crest does not have the crown, it could be a 1959 F-750 through F-1100.

I have a really good book on Fords (Ford Trucks Since 1905) that was published in 1978, and it has a lot more detailed information than any of the newer books I have.  There is no way I would have known that without looking it up!   

[wazzou]

...well, my response was just a guess, but I was pretty close.   

[C855B]

Thanks Mike - I knew you would come through and be faster and more accurate than one of those auto-font-identify websites. 

Thanks for the confidence! It happens to be the most requested font in my entire quasi-typography career. Seriously.

Ya' gotta be careful with those auto-font sites, tho'. They exist to sell independent fonts, and won't necessarily find matches, for instance, to something out of the longstanding (and professional) Linotype, Monotype or ITC libraries.