When I was writing shop manuals for transit buses, the only fun illustrations I commissioned were nixed by my boss. That didn't happen with these Chrysler Master Technician pamphlets of the 1940s and 1950s!

The folks at the Imperial Club site have obtained and scanned vast quantities of these helpful technical documents from the 1947-1978 period, and the early ones are heavily illustrated with the disturbing-yet-lovable figure of Tech.


Tech has a blocky body, gigantic globular head, and what appears to be a segment of dowel for a nose. In Tech's world, mechanics wear military uniforms; no doubt they've just returned from duty wrenching on P-47 remote turbochargers and Studebaker Weasels in France, or maybe Korea.


Tech makes fixing that Dodge, DeSoto, or Chrysler real easy!


Just to let you know you're in the 1940s, Tech even throws in some hair-raisingly racist and/or sexist caricatures when explaining complicated stuff.


We're sure Tech has become more enlightened in his old age, though. Remember, ya can't go wrong with a Chrysler (unless it's a Sebring or Cirrus, that is). Thanks to 57Sweptside for the tip!
[Imperial Club]

Send an email to Murilee Martin, the author of this post, at murilee@jalopnik.com.