Do you remember when the cars were name?

[Guest CoolJ]

Hi all,

When I started driving in the mid-1960s the fad of naming the cars had died out.  I still remember some of my older brother's friends doing it though.  They named the car and painted the name on it, sometimes with a small illustration.  I remember a 59 Chevy that was named Lil' Angel and had a cartoon angel painted right above the name.  I think the names were usually in front of the doors or on the rear fender.  I feel like I missed out on a pretty cool thing and am considering naming a car now.  I would appreciate hearing from you guys who remember this stuff with ideas, comments, stories, whatever.

Thanks

Edited August 19, 2016 by CoolJ (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

i know a lot of folks, many young, who have names for their cars. And not just when they break(If you know what I mean).. One calls her Kia Ricky Rio.

[Guest CoolJ]

3 hours ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

i know a lot of folks, many young, who have names for their cars. And not just when they break(If you know what I mean).. One calls her Kia Ricky Rio.

Did you ever know anyone who painted the name on the car? 

 

[Bhigdog]

Mine's names are Leaky, Breaky, Rattles, SOB, WTF, and John, but I haven't painted any names yet.............Bob

Edited August 19, 2016 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[John348]

1 hour ago, CoolJ said:

Did you ever know anyone who painted the name on the car? 

 

 

NEVER! I think it was more of a regional thing, but nobody in Da Bronx did that I ever saw

[Curti]

Ya, back in the late 50's to mid 60's hanging a club plaque off the rear bumper and naming the car was popular. My club was the Phantoms and my 49 Plymouth was " AC/ Ducy"    We had Long chrome pipes that hung under the rear axle called scavenger pipes. And you HAD to have duals.

[smithbrother]

Our 1937 Roadmaster was ' BETSY '.

 

Us kids would holler, COME ON BETSY, START.

 

Dale in Indy

[1940TORPEDO]

My Jeeps name was Damnit

 

[Guest CoolJ]

2 hours ago, Curti said:

Ya, back in the late 50's to mid 60's hanging a club plaque off the rear bumper and naming the car was popular. My club was the Phantoms and my 49 Plymouth was " AC/ Ducy"    We had Long chrome pipes that hung under the rear axle called scavenger pipes. And you HAD to have duals.

Did you have AC/ Ducy painted on the car?  If so, where and how big?  Any other graphics with it?

[Curti]

On the front fenders  close to the door. No graphics, I painted it my self and I am not too artistic.  I was more into splitting the manifold. 

[padgett]

My 70 GP was "Asphyxiation" from the tire smoke.

[Guest CoolJ]

I was thinking about naming my Dodge Mr. Period or Mr. Fine.

 

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM5eW9R_9UrjgM7eSfCWPH3Tms7RxSkFlxysxMp

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNquqpNsgzst0Mx1oLV0DNGa7XC9jL7NNMMfS66

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNjlnJ1CuvkNUMQPTEIZl_m1dn_BnWXganYQwaL

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO858gB7ISOFFFzpMjLX6r1chrpZRpR9_PBtUiC

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOVluLsinWYifE9uOU_0fUCsFz5wSWH7wK78JKv

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNG3vuOxQ5FDkRPZym1joEZI1XIn6tMExPnQzrg

　

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM2Hc9pF7-IlRP34GQ1sewHhbsuHNU2th0mIqTO

Edited August 20, 2016 by CoolJ (see edit history)

[Phillip Cole]

October 2 is "Name Your Car Day".

So there is still time.  ?... ?...

[plymouthcranbrook]

5 hours ago, CoolJ said:

Did you ever know anyone who painted the name on the car? 

 

No, I don't think I ever have known anyone who did.  However when I was in High School about 100 years ago I did have a hand me down 54 Plymouth that was such a junk that we referred to it as the DSP.  Dilapidated Sh*t Pile.

Edited August 20, 2016 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[zipdang]

My parent's car during my childhood was a 1960 Studebaker Lark Wagon - "Gussy May." Dad's 1966 Galaxie 500 was "Candy Apple" - after its color. Our '55 Cadillac was "Babe" (as in the blue ox). My '67 Fiat 500 Giardiniera is "Luigi" - named by my daughters after the Disney Movie character. Was the name painted on any of them? No. Well, maybe Dad's Ford...

[28 Chrysler]

One of my younger brothers ( 1967 BELAiIR ) was called the "POTATO" with the name painted on the back mainly for the reddish maroon paint .

Mine was called the old car.  ( 1941 Dodge Luxury  Liner coupe ).

[Buffalowed Bill]

Most of my lady friends and my thirty+ cars have names. It personalizes what some see as cold and inanimate, it adds personality, or uses the car's own personality to fit the name. Sometimes I use the name of the person from whom I got the car. I think of it as a way to honor that individual. Sometimes I use the unique way that the car looks or acts. Other times the car has come with a name, and if it seems to work for the car, the name sticks. It's better yet, if the name can be thought of as having a double meaning. Everyone loves a story, and every car has a story. Using the name as part of the story helps give the story a more personal touch. I doubt that I will ever use graphics on the car, that seems a hotrod thing, and that's not me.

 

I keep my cars a long time, and with so many cars, I find that a name is a shortcut when talking to my lady, or some other friends who know the collection. In fact there are people who I scarcely know who will refer to one of my cars by name. It's a sure way to know that the car is appreciated! 

 

Some might see naming a car as a woman's thing, because they seem to like to name things. It may be something that a lady would be more apt to do, but I don't see it as something that a man should be ashamed of. The ladies in my life have always been disposed to naming cars. So if I wanted a name for a special car, I found that I had to act quickly, or risk being stuck with a name that I couldn't stand. If, however, you want your better half to warm up to a car that you have some doubt that she's going to like, I recommend including her in the naming process. Naming and having her help choosing a paint color are the two best ways that I have found to get a lady on board with a car. If you have never named a car, try it you might be surprised at the unanticipated results!

[Tom99]

My father was a commercial sign painter. Every so often, four or five cars would show up at the house to have names painted on them.

I was in my early teens, and the guys always treated me to a great personal tour of the custom, semi custom cars.

My first nice car, 1963 Impala convertible, my father added gold leaf Playboy Bunny's, to the lower front fenders.

I wish I had pictures.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Tom99 (see edit history)

[Bill Stoneberg]

I have a 1960 Electra named Moby after the great white Whale.  I was having a pinstripe put on it so had the painter add its name.

Everyone likes it.

 

 

[8E45E]

Don't some race car owners, and 18-wheeler drivers still paint their vehicle's names on them?

 

Craig

 

 

[60FlatTop]

Mine are called, the white car, the Riviera, the Packard, the convertible, the black car. That's pretty much what me and the wife and the kids call them.

 

Sometimes I tease them: "Which car are we taking?" "The Buick" I get the eye roll on that one.

Bernie

[JACK M]

The guy I bought the Imperial in my avatar from called it "Eva"

He and his boyfriend kept "Zsa Zsa", a similar four door.

 

By the way, The guy had never heard of or didn't know how to identify rust, (or was a liar) Go figure?

[Buffalowed Bill]

Bernie,

 

But what if you had seventeen Studebakers? You couldn't just refer to the Studebaker. Or if you had three 1955 Studebakers, now you have to either describe which one you're talking about or just name them. For instance black and whit 1955 President Speedster, or just "Oreo," which is easier? The car was named by my six yo niece, who is now forty five.

 

Examples:

1931 President 80R "Four Seasons Roadster"-"Red Rooster" name similarity, red, and the cock of the walk in my collection.

1937 President coupe- "Charlotte A the coupe" named after my mother.

1960 Lark wagon-"Humphrey," The sir name of the 97 yo woman from who's garage it came after 38 years of storage. Beautiful original car great storage and the name really fit. Much more to the story!

1937 President (color black) four door-"Elliott"

1996 Ford T-Bird (black with ground effects) "Tubby the T-Bird"

 

 

[Guest CoolJ]

28 minutes ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

Bernie,

 

But what if you had seventeen Studebakers? You couldn't just refer to the Studebaker. Or if you had three 1955 Studebakers, now you have to either describe which one you're talking about or just name them. For instance black and whit 1955 President Speedster, or just "Oreo," which is easier? The car was named by my six yo niece, who is now forty five.

 

Examples:

1931 President 80R "Four Seasons Roadster"-"Red Rooster" name similarity, red, and the cock of the walk in my collection.

1937 President coupe- "Charlotte A the coupe" named after my mother.

1960 Lark wagon-"Humphrey," The sir name of the 97 yo woman from who's garage it came after 38 years of storage. Beautiful original car great storage and the name really fit. Much more to the story!

1937 President (color black) four door-"Elliott"

1996 Ford T-Bird (black with ground effects) "Tubby the T-Bird"

 

 

B Bill

You seem to get the idea so I will ask your opinion.  I am going to name my 2007 Dodge Magnum.  It's red.  They call the color Torred.  I am torn between naming it Mr. Period (as in The End) or Mr. Fine.  I will paint the name on the car.  Which (if either) do you like?

Edited August 20, 2016 by CoolJ (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

17 Studebakers! Restraint is my least recognized attribute.

B

[SC38dls]

We had 2 Jaguars we called the red. Car and green car. Growing up it was Myrtle the turtle because it was so slow.  The 38 is called the beast due to its size. Never painted names on any. 

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

I call mine "the Roadmaster"

It works out good. Buick put "Roadmaster" script on the trunk and grill.

[Bill Stoneberg]

I like Mr. Period.    But that is the only car out of 5 that has a name. Most of them get called like Bernie does, the Rivera, the Nissan, the 47 or your car.

Moby just fits this one...  

But when talking about, most of the time I say the Electra....

J

[60FlatTop]

Was it too subtle to mention the wife and the kids?

Bernie

[JACK M]

Torred red period?

Sounds scary to me.

[Guest CoolJ]

3 hours ago, Willie Wurke said:

I CALL MINE BY THE NAME OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER.   

That's an idea but I'm not sure about calling my car A**hole... 

[Buffalowed Bill]

Thanks CoolJ for saying that I get it. Many outside the old car fraternity, maybe inside too, think me clueless. Not a graphics guy, but if I were I think that I would want the message to be universally  understood, "Mr. Period" seems a little vague to me. I like the second one better, but it is really your choice. I like the Magnum concept very much, always wondered why it didn't sell better.  If it's a Hemi the name "Red Ram," jumper out at me. Only you can judge the car's character and the statement you want to help it make. Sometimes it takes a good length of time to learn to get to know the car, name can always be changed but not if you have the name written on the car!

[Guest CoolJ]

I want to thank all of you for your input.  I just order a vinyl Mr. Period for each side of the car.  I decided not to have any added graphics or illustration with it - just the name as Bill did with Moby.  I considered white but decided on black; which will show up nicely, but be a bit more subtle on the red.  I'll post some picks later.

[cahartley]

I don't name things.........which is not to say I haven't CALLED them names........ 

[Willie Wurke]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2011 at 9:44 PM, Jim_Edwards said:

Assuming there really was a Cadillac XP-27 in the fifties unless there should be an old newspaper or official GM photo of it floating around there likely isn't any pictures. Most of the early to mid fifties GM concept cars were destroyed by GM. Many of them were not even functional vehicles, just shells that looked like something that could be driven. Twenty footers so to speak that could be easily placed on rotating pedestals at auto shows.

 

18 hours ago, CoolJ said:

That's an idea but I'm not sure about calling my car A**hole... 

 

[Willie Wurke]

Just call it "wreckedem"

[Dandy Dave]

To get to the point Cool J. I do believe Mr. Fine will work much better than Mr. Period for obvious reasons. Dandy Dave! 

[Dandy Dave]

Whoops, Guess I'm too late...Should have read page two before commenting. Ththththththtt.........Dandy Dave! 

[Curti]

My thought too Dave. Good thing it isn't " miss period " 

[padgett]

Had MOTOV8 on the Sunbird for a while but attracted unwanted attention from the man. OA5599 for a while but no one got it. Same for 614HSO. Just have plain plates on my cars now.