These "car guys" fascinate me. While traveling, I frequently spot these fellows on auto business signs, fixing engines, repairing cracked windshields, adding new coats of paint. They're generic icons, appearing all over the country, notable for their blocky bodies, sharp lines, and bold colors. I imagine an auto body shop owner receiving a graphics catalog one day: "Add zip to your signage with these car guys."
Truthfully I have no idea who creates and distributes these images, or even whether they can be newly purchased; something about the car guys screams late seventies or early eighties. Either way, they grab my attention every time. The "car guys" are functional, professional, and direct in their pitch. Need your car fixed? That's what these guys do.
I call them "car guys" because I can't think of a better term to reflect their identities, though I think the same artist has worked in other venues. During our recent Summer BBQ Tour, I could swear that I saw a "car guy" on a sign for a bar. Apparently "car guy" likes a game of pool after a long day at the garage. There he was, standing rigidly with a pool cue parallel to the straight line of his body. I regret not shooting that sign, and I'll keep an eye out for "car guys" on my future travels.
Are there any "car guys" where you live? Send me a photo!
(Photos by Andrew Wood)
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