Over Accessorized Cars

[imported_PackardV8]

I mite add that ubundantly adorned cars were also popular among the low income southern rural whites. Ever hear of Kentucky Wonders??? That is the long full width rear mud flap often seen 50's - 70's . Even to this day it is common (right here in my own rural area) to see late model 4-wd's, SUV's fully decked out with every roo gaurd, roll bar and baha light in the world and the like parked in front of a single wide trailer sporting polyester curtains and a rotting redwood deck. A $40K+ vehicle maybe even 2 or 3 of them parked out in front of a house trailor or mill wood shack that will be bulldozed over in a few years.

So the over accessorized car is authentic.

[imported_PackardV8]

Early to mid 60's Canadian versions of American cars (Acadian = Chevy II, Meteor = Failane, pariseanne = Pontiac) were nauseously adorned with additional exterior trim like little stars, extra trim strips and so-forth from the factory. I never heard any good explanations for this. If i remeber rite, even the Mercury pick-up truck (same as Ford) had some rather gaudy extra trim on it too.

[imported_PackardV8]

HEY!!! i'm not making this stuff up.

[mrpushbutton]

Restorer32--in the 80's Chevy sold a package that they dubbed "euro sport edition" which had all falt black trim--what had previously been chrome/stainless. We called those "Mennonite sport editions"

[mrpushbutton]

While we're on this topic, It's a pretty well known fact that the immediate post-war cars '46-'50 were frequently trashed up at the dealer before they ever went on to the lot. The dealer knew that every one of them was sold, why not sell them with 5 or 6 "factory authorized options". A lot of those cars had Unity spotlights and other gee-gaws that were in the phamphlet.

[leadsled1953]

i know that the visior on my 1950 desoto was put on before 1955.that year a set of atlas black wall tires were installed.i do not know if white walls were on it new.the only changes to my car were wheels and whiewalls.i did pick up fender skirts .someone gave me a nice set of unity spotlites[off a 1960 fire truck] and i'm debating about puting them on the desoto.so the only stuff i plan on putting on my car were available at the time. my car came without a radio.the only option i think was the fluid drive semi auto and a heater[option?].to me a bare bones stocker is nice but a few accessories[as long as they were period correct] are kool too.just no spinning hubcaps please!!!!

[Clipper47]

Quote:

While we're on this topic, It's a pretty well known fact that the immediate post-war cars '46-'50 were frequently trashed up at the dealer before they ever went on to the lot. The dealer knew that every one of them was sold, why not sell them with 5 or 6 "factory authorized options". A lot of those cars had Unity spotlights and other gee-gaws that were in the phamphlet.

That is certainly the case with my '47 Packard Super Clipper. The dealer installed bumper over-ride bars, licence plate frame and foglights.

[rocketraider]

Quote:

popular among the low income southern rural whites

Hmm- that describes me growing up, but nobody I knew had cars like that! Not even the "community cars" you described earlier. Maybe being away from larger cities, we just didn't see such.

Quote:

Kentucky Wonders??? That is the long full width rear mud flap often seen 50's - 70's

And all this time I thought that was a variety of climbing snap beans- green beans to those of you not in the South. Quite delicious too. All I ever saw the full-width mudflap on was station wagons.

[Dave@Moon]

Quote:

Ever hear of Kentucky Wonders??? That is the long full width rear mud flap often seen 50's - 70's .

I wouldn't call these "adorning" anything. They were rarely installed for looks. These were marketed as a practical accessory for staion wagons. These flaps stopped the spray from forming under the car (to a large extent), which then did not fly up behind the car and adhere to the back window blocking the view. They were later supplanted by the airfoils applied to the side and top of the tailgate. The rear wiper (now ubiquitous) was a better solution.

If you ever saw one on a sedan, however, it was strictly for looks! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

[Clipper47]

Quote:

Quote:

Ever hear of Kentucky Wonders??? That is the long full width rear mud flap often seen 50's - 70's .

I wouldn't call these "adorning" anything. They were rarely installed for looks. These were marketed as a practical accessory for staion wagons. These flaps stopped the spray from forming under the car (to a large extent), which then did not fly up behind the car and adhere to the back window blocking the view. They were later supplanted by the airfoils applied to the side and top of the tailgate. The rear wiper (now ubiquitous) was a better solution.

If you ever saw one on a sedan, however, it was strictly for looks! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

If you've never travelled on gravel roads I guess you would not appreciate a full length mudflap. My game warden trucks had full length mudflaps to prevent gravel from spraying up behind and breaking a following vehicle windshield but also to keep the dust from obscuring the view for vehicles approaching and following.

[imported_PackardV8]

I never said the Kentucky wonders or any of the other accessories were useless. Only conspicuous.
In reality the kentucky wonders were an attempt to keep gravel from beating the daylites out of the gas tank. The dirt roads i've driven on deposited dust ALL OVER the car. THere is NO way to keep a car clean on a dirt road especialy in very dry conditions. AND i am speaking a DIRT road NOt a well graveled road. Ther is a BIG difference. Dry or wet.

[Clipper47]

Quote:

I never said the Kentucky wonders or any of the other accessories were useless. Only conspicuous.
In reality the kentucky wonders were an attempt to keep gravel from beating the daylites out of the gas tank. The dirt roads i've driven on deposited dust ALL OVER the car. THere is NO way to keep a car clean on a dirt road especialy in very dry conditions. AND i am speaking a DIRT road NOt a well graveled road. Ther is a BIG difference. Dry or wet.

Sorry if you took my comment the wrong way. I wasn't referring to you specifically. Yes I know what you mean by DIRT roads believe me!

[Shop Rat]

Quote:

Even to this day it is common (right here in my own rural area) to see late model 4-wd's, SUV's fully decked out with every roo gaurd, roll bar and baha light in the world and the like parked in front of a single wide trailer sporting polyester curtains and a rotting redwood deck. A $40K+ vehicle maybe even 2 or 3 of them parked out in front of a house trailor or mill wood shack that will be bulldozed over in a few years.

Which looks something like this gingerbread house , right? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[Twitch]

And for those that are not interested in a national organization judging there were myriad aftermarket parts and accessories available that were legitimately used during the era of the car. Honest Charlie, J.C. Whitney and many other smaller outfits sold everything from multi-carb intake manifolds to custom radio knobs- just like today.

As a side note my uncle worked for a dealership aftre he got home from the war and told me how the dealers loaded every conceivable factory accessory part onto the cars in 1946-48 in an attempt to boost profits which the war took away.

[Stonefish]

So what is the bottom line on judging cars with aftermarket accessories? I recall being told by a judge to remove the original factory mats, with Wolfsburg crest and all, from my Squareback so points wouldn't be deducted?!?

[R W Burgess]

Ron, if it was an AACA judge asking you to do this, he just wanted to inspect the underside of your mat, to make sure you weren't hiding a defect.

Wayne

[Stonefish]

It was indeed an AACA judge...he also recommended to keep the mats at home next AACA event. I understand the reason to check for defects, but is it necessary to keep the mats out?

[R W Burgess]

No, that is incorrect. He may have been new. How you arrive at a show or what you have on the car before judging time is immaterial. Particapants have many add-ons to protect the finishes or upholstery of their show cars during transport. They also have plenty of time to remove such items to ready the car for display. Why, even old Pedro removes his XXXX from his Triumph! Well, let's just say a lot of antique lovers have their own way of preparing for car shows. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Wayne

[MCHinson]

Or maybe the judge thought that the mats were aftermarket and was trying to help save some points?

[Paul Dobbin]

It seems this entire thread is concerned with "Judging" someone else's
pride and joy. Remember that the the biggest percentage of our members
don't give a flip about being a "National First Car", they are in the hobby
because they enjoy antique cars. If they like mud flaps, continental kits
and cruiser skirts because it's living a dream that took 50 years to live,
more power to them.
Those guys pay to display their cars and make the whole trophy thing happen
for the the purist with the trailer queen. With it's black wall tires on a
black car with black wheels and black pin stripe it does represent the way
they left the factory, but not the way people personalized their cars.
I had a letter from Henry Ford written to his Dealers in 1915 telling them
to paint the Model T's any color the customer wanted, just sell them a car!
So, I painted mine red and it was always the rose amoung the black cars that
were "Factory", but mine could have come brand new with its red color from
the same dealer that sold all the black ones. I liked it and that's what
counted for me.
Welcome a younger member by accepting his choices of accessories, he'll
pay for your trophies and have fun doing it. When he wants a prize he can
put it back, if that ever becomes important to him.

[D Binger]

AMEN Thank you for saying what you did. Remember - - -cars were ment to be driven, right Paul?

[1957Birdman]

Since I'm the one that started this posting, I want to clarify my intent. As I said in my initial posting, an owner can do whatever he wants with a car because he owns it. I was just suggesting that people consider the result when they add extra items to their cars. It really has nothing to do with judging. I can see a day when someone comes up to an owner of a 1956 Ford Sunliner that is restored to factory original condition and asks why it doesn't have spot lights, fender skirts, and a continental kit. Just because a car could have come from the factory that way does not mean that many, if any, did. If we are trying to preserve automotive history for future generations than it is worth considering the statement we are making with our cars. If you decide to accessorize your car than no harm, no foul because it is your car to enjoy as you please.