By Garland Pollard
CAMDEN – We love the odd old brands. And one brand that could have been Armor All was Whiz Hollingshead. Whiz Hollingshead made all sorts of waxes and fluids for cars, as well as other products. The company was sort of the S.C. Johnson of the East Coast; their main product was Whiz Floor Wax.
At right, some vinyl top wax that appears to date from the 1960s; we happened upon it in a family garage!
We should have tested it out, or against some new Armor All.
While it appears the vinyl top polish is no longer on the market, we recall that Whiz Hollingshead is famous for something else. Namely a spectacular fire that hit Camden, New Jersey.
Read about it on a great site of the Delaware Valley Rhythm and Blues Society:
In the fire, 10 people died and over 100 were injured. It spread not only to factories but to nearby houses. Reports had 60 families homeless.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Angelo // Feb 1, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I have a can of their vinyl top wax, probably from the 1970s or early 70s. It has a girl in a halter top waxing what appears to be a GM midsized—Pontiac Lemans or Olds Cutlass. The woman is hot. By the way, the product was fantastic. I used it on my Dad’s Cadillac vinyl tops—it made them shine. I kept the can, now displayed in my glass cabinet in my office at work.
2 Chris // Jun 1, 2011 at 6:21 am
I purchased a Whiz table top display rack circa 1940′s and complete with Whiz Moror Rythm [ add to crankcase each oil change ] in various size containers at an auction. I’ve since located other Whiz automotive Products including 1920′s vintage unopened Whiz auto polish and a can of Whiz nickel polish. I’ve also added Whiz tire patch kits to my collection.
3 Michael // Aug 12, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I was born around midnight on July 29, 1940. My dad told me that soon thereafter the Hollingshead plant blew up. He seemed to feel it may have been my fault since my later life was quite…umm…explosive.
4 Billie // Nov 5, 2011 at 2:40 pm
I bought a old {I quess it would be called an ink die stamp} for Whiz Auto top dressing. Does anyone know when this company starting. Thanks, Billie
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