First, a post on a Michigan manufacturing company–and now a tribute to Ford? One might wonder where this sudden fixation on dying American industries comes from. This post happens to be purely accidental. That said, I maintain that while they’re not within my typical realm of design crushes, both the Tyler literature and shiny cars do possess a certain, unmistakable style.

At a family gathering in Wisconsin, we stumbled on a classic car show along a main drag, and I couldn’t resist taking a few snapshots. The exquisite details, the emblems (hey, I love typography–in any form), the candy-apple-red juiciness–it called to me. I know next to nothing about cars, but I found myself wondering which one I would select (on a purely aesthetic basis, of course) if given the option.

The whole spectacle was like a scene from a John Mellancamp video–popcorn and hot dog vendors, Beach Boys on the loudspeakers–total Americana. And I ate it up. I love the details I captured above, but the true winner was a 1960s cream-colored Mustang. It was not as flashy, sculpted or souped-up (yes, I had to look up that expression) as the others but that’s what made it irresistibly chic.

Who would have thought a set of wheels could put me in such a state of reverie?

There is nothing quite as optimistic as Technicolor advertisements from the 50s. Whether showcasing cars, appliances or breakfast cereal, they conveyed a sparkly vision of “tomorrow”—a Jetsons-eque world view encapsulated by pastels, happy families and progress (on the road, in your home or in a box).

This past weekend, at a Tyler family Fourth of July gathering in Michigan, I was given an iconic piece of history from this era. While the recent closing of Tyler Refrigeration was a loss for my family (and more so for the workers who lost their jobs), reviewing the decades of memorabilia has been fascinating. And the goods are right up my alley.

Among the treasures I snapped up was this painting, presumably a template for an ad.

And, even better, I scored an amazing promotional booklet (with accompanying record!) highlighting the features of Tyler refrigerators. Behold the punchy graphics and cheerful sales tactics:

The gentleman on the right is Robert Tyler Sr., my great-grandfather, then the Chief Executive Officer of the company. (On a side note, I could wax poetic about my memories of visits his fabulous ranch house as a very young child: My sister and I would spend the afternoon sitting in his living room, being plied with sweets as we delivered our annual updates.)

Though I never knew him well, I think he would enjoy knowing that I’m already plotting how to display these images……part family legacy, part fabulously chic found art.