Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Anyone Else Remember the DeniMachine Give Away?

The process of going through Scotty's stuff continues ... today I unearthed a box that was jammed with a wide variety of items tucked in amongst the other stuff was a pile of advertisements for the Coca-Cola, Levi's, Ford DenimMachine!!! (He even has a full page newspaper ad saved !!)

I remember one of the DeniMachines visiting the Stratford Fall Fair (or it might have been the Western Fair in London) - the interior was done in Blue Denim (aka: Levi's) and it was a thing of beauty.

I was only nine or so when it was being promoted, and Scott would have been 15 turning 16 that fall - so he was smack in the demographic Coke was aiming for. I'm sure he would have given up his first car (a 69 Javelin) had he won one of these beauties. I'd love to know how many entries he filled out that summer and sent it in.

Today though, as I stood in Mom's kitchen looking at the DeniMachine promotion materials I remembered Scott finding a DemiMachine in an AutoTrader once a few years ago and he mused about buying it and restoring it ... today I was reminded once again that a simple piece of paper can bring so many memories ...

6 comments:

Bill Harloff said...

Yes, I remember following the build of the Demin Machines in Hot Rod Magazine. I remember entering, but properly didn't enter as many times as Scott did. I've really enjoyed reading your blog and will continue to follow it as time goes on. The line " What the Hell are you doing" brings a grin to my face every time.

Bill Harloff

Anonymous said...

I entered the contest approx 25 times ended up with Levi boot cut jeans and Levi jacket

Anonymous said...

Yes I remember drooling over the add in HotRod Magazine. In fact, I did get to see one of the originals, both in its pristine shape on the trailer being towed into my town (on Vancouver Island). And about 8 years latter broken down and left for dead. Windows open, and the weather blowing through it. The “bolt on” power window kits were, well, just terrible. It sat off to the side of a parking lot under a tree. Until one day it was gone.

Anonymous said...

My father worked for Coca Cola for over 40 years and was a general manager. I travelled with the denimachine one summer to malls and fairs handing out ballets. They were truly a work of art, absolutely beautiful. I still have two replicas (minatures) of the denimachine. Approximately 13 inches I believe they are plastic, however, they appear as wooden. It was a wonderful time in my life.

Anonymous said...

Memories from the seventies are golden for me...but none as precious as the fall in which I too handed out ballets from the Denimachine at local Friday night H.S.football games and the county fair. My dad was also a general manager at the local Coca-Cola distributor. Eventually, when the promotion was over, we repainted the van all Coca-Cola red and used it for another promotion - I hated the fact that we painted over that beautiful Denimachine. But the memories are forever!

donvett@aol.com said...

Hi;
I remember entering the contest here in Ontario. I collected so many cap liners and entered so many times, but did not get one of those Denim Machines. I wanted one so bad. I ended up buying a used ford van, and customising it
myself. I got a lot of airbrush work as a result of my efforts.
I currently have a 1:64 scale
die-cast of it. and fond memories.
Cheers.
Don.