This early 1950s color film is about the 1950 Mobilgas Grand Canyon Run, which compared performance across the major car manufacturers, using Mobilgas products. It was produced by Caravel Films. The hanging sign advertises Mobilgas Socony-Vacuum. A concept artist shows 1949 car sketches. A Mobilgas refinery laboratory checks gasoline quality (:30-2:07). A 1950 Plymouth Super Deluxe Convertible approaches (2:08-2:16). A car drives on a test track (2:24-2:52). 1950 Los Angeles includes the Mobiloil Mobilgas building. The course from LA to the Grand Canyon is mapped out (3:52-6:32). The entry form is followed by car emblems for Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, Ford, Frazer, Hudson, Kaiser, Lincoln, Mercury, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Plymouth, Studebaker, and Willys. The cars were divided into ten classes, based on price range (6:33-7:25). The entry cars were impounded by officials to verify they were unmodified stock model cars. Shown being examined are the cylinder bore, valves, pistons, connecting rod, carburetor, spark plugs, distributors, and fan blades. Mobilube CW and Mobilgrease await in metal buckets, followed by the Mobilubrication disc chart. Mobil Permazone and Mobiloil are poured in. Each car was run on a dynamometer and a motor analyzer. Those passing received a windshield certification sticker (7:26-9:45). A Dodge is weighed; the results shown on a Toledo Scale. Crew members are weighed. A too-light Plymouth’s trunk receives lead weights. The gasoline level line is painted on. A Stanley No. 313 level is shown (9:46-11:12). The cars are driven to the starting location. A Dodge Coronet gets its tire pressure checked and oil level filled before the hood is sealed. A Packard Super has the gas tank topped off; a bulb syringe removes some. The gas tank is sealed. The cars are pushed to the starting line, where the press waits (11:13-14:14). A pocket watch shows 3:00. The cars are flagged to begin the drive through the Sierra-Nevada Mountains to the Line Pine refueling station. Patrol cars relayed information as the cars drove steep grades up to Townes Pass and down to Death Valley, passing the Sea Level sign (14:15-19:14). The instrumentation inside a laboratory test car running the route is shown. An anemometer checks the wind velocity (19:15-19:50). They pass Furnace Creek Ranch and continue to the Nevada State Line. The overnight stop is Las Vegas, where a Mobilgas refueling station is located before being impounded for the night. The crews are taken by taxi to the Flamingo, Thunderbird, The Last Frontier, or El Rancho Vegas. Neon advertising signs flash (19:51-23:28). The cars drive past Lake Mead, over Hoover Dam, and up switchbacks to the Ashfork Timing Station, and to the refueling station before continuing to the Grand Canyon final check-in point. A Santa Fe train and bus arrive. The results are tabulated (23:29-30:39). The crews stand with their cars and trophy’s and handshakes are given out. Good driving tips are expounded on (30:40-34:04). A Clayton Vehicle Analyzer and a Champion spark plug machine are shown. Mechanics work on cars (34:23-35:20). Cars from the race drive past (35:21-36:05).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com