What's in the glove box and trunk of a 50s car?

[Mr. Reed]

I have an interesting question for you. I have pondered what was carried in the trunks and glove boxes in the 50s verses now. In my 04 LeSabre there are some straws, flashlight, a vinyl fold out pouch for maps and interesting paper things from hotels or attractions I collect from trips. What was found in cars back then. Has anyone set up their car to look like for the decade it came from?

[John_S_in_Penna]

Well, in some cars I have road maps from the

year the car was made.  Some maps have the

year prominently on the front, which makes

the connection especially obvious.

 

Here are a couple of pictures from the internet:

 

[SC38dls]

That’s a picture of an Illinois governor before he wore his prison uniform! 
 

[CHuDWah]

1 hour ago, SC38DLS said:

That’s a picture of an Illinois governor before he wore his prison uniform!

Nope - several Illinois governors have done time, but Stratton ain't one of 'em.

Edited October 17, 2021 by CHuDWah
typo correction (see edit history)

[Walt G]

Plastic bank in the shape of a Howard Johnson's restaurant

[TerryB]

Points file.  Small Ice scraper from your local gas station. Pencil or pen. Notebook with gas fill up mileage and gallons, oil change mileage log.

[Bloo]

Maybe a whisk broom if the car has flat floors.

 

[Mr. Reed]

19 minutes ago, Walt G said:

Plastic bank in the shape of a Howard Johnson's restaurant

How long have you had that?

[Bleach]

I have one of these lights in the glove box of my '56. Never used yet.

[JFranklin]

1 hour ago, Mr. Reed said:

I have an interesting question for you. I have pondered what was carried in the trunks and glove boxes in the 50s verses now. In my 04 LeSabre there are some straws, flashlight, a vinyl fold out pouch for maps and interesting paper things from hotels or attractions I collect from trips. What was found in cars back then.

 

Has anyone set up their car to look like for the decade it came from?

As to your last question I have a hobby offshoot where I build just such set-ups for my friends in the old car hobby. They are for any specific year and no 2 are the same but are similar, $10. P.P. Send me a PM if there is any interest.

[Guest]

 I recently bought a 48 Chrysler and was told that the owner always wore white gloves while driving it.

 I found those white gloves in the glove compartment along with a small plastic ice scraper and a radio delete plate.

[Bleach]

2 minutes ago, Roger Walling said:

 I recently bought a 48 Chrysler and was told that the owner always wore white gloves while driving it.

 I found those white gloves in the glove compartment along with a small plastic ice scraper and a radio delete plate.

 

I found a couple of those small ice scrapers in my car and a pair of thin black gloves stuffed in the area between the seat back and bottom cushion. Both were no doubt belongings of the original owner of my car.

[Mr. Reed]

I found a couple rags under the seat and some pencils from the area where the car was from in the glove box. Rumor has it that someone in the family worked for the 7up bottling company in that area. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

2 hours ago, CHuDWah said:

Nope - several Illinois governors have done time, but Stratton ain't one of 'em.

As an Illinois resident I expect I can say not from lack of trying.

[plymouthcranbrook]

1 hour ago, Bleach said:

I have one of these lights in the glove box of my '56. Never used yet.

The city where I grew up did not allow on street overnight parking unless the car had a light on it. To avoid a ticket or a dead battery many of us used those very lights to stay legal. I had forgotten all about them 😁

[pkhammer]

Local gas/service station give-away items such as ice scrapers and maps for sure but what about these cool little trash bags?

 

[Mr. Reed]

That's cool.

[CHuDWah]

2 hours ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

As an Illinois resident I expect I can say not from lack of trying.

As a former Illinois resident, I expect I can say I expect you're right...although he was acquitted of tax evasion.  Course there's always Blagojevich, Kerner, Ryan and Walker.

 

[AL1630]

2 hours ago, pkhammer said:

Local gas/service station give-away items such as ice scrapers and maps for sure but what about these cool little trash bags?

 

That's really cool! Probably wouldn't be overly hard to reproduce and would definitely draw some attention at shows!

 

My car had an insurance company ice scraper, a couple fuses, and a some spare bulbs. Not too exciting.

[Fossil]

I remember having S&H green stamp books in the glove box along with sun glasses, pencil and paper. Maybe a bottle opener, and road maps. In the trunk were tools, chains, rags, always rags and maybe a quart of oil. Dad also use to keep asphalt shingles there in case we would get stuck in ice or snow. And now that I think about it there was one of those folding short handled trenching shovels. A patch kit and there was one of those OD green military surplus tire pumps also. Those and the jack and lug wrench were all stored in a box. Later when we acquired station wagons that box was in the back corner. After we purchased the new 1963 Dodge Dart I think the box disappeared. 

Funny thing is I don't remember there being anything to tow with or jumper cables. 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Fossil (see edit history)

[Mr. Reed]

 I think it's cool if someone uses period luggage if they took their old car on vacation. I'll have to find some for my 50 Buick's trunk

[Bryan G]

Usually some screws or nuts that fell off somewhere, maybe a spare light bulb. My 49 has some off-brand trading stamps and a small bracket that I can't identify but came off this car somewhere, along with some keys that don't fit anything. Matches would have been typical, maybe a plastic spoon from Tastee Freez (which I found one time.)

[John_S_in_Penna]

31 minutes ago, Bryan G said:

...maybe a plastic spoon from Tastee Freez (which I found one time.)

 

Good idea, Bryan!  A few old wrappers or cups

or utensils from a period drive-in restaurant.

Remember how opening the glove-compartment

door would reveal places on the lid to set drive-in cups?

An internet sale site such as Ebay might have

such accoutrements.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333613227075

https://www.etsy.com/listing/945452196/1960s-dairy-queen-ice-cream-sundae-cup?

Edited October 18, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Saw a book by a  lady motorist from about 1910. She recommended other ladies should carry spare gloves, powder puffs, a box of chocolates and a revolver.

Edited October 18, 2021 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Bloo]

What did you keep spare bulbs in?

 

A one owner 51 Nash I once acquired had a little drawstring pipe tobacco bag among the stuff in the glovebox. I am trying to recall what was in it. Not tobacco, and the former owner wasn't a smoker as far as I know. Maybe bulbs or fuses?

[hook]

A pad or two of period matches and don't forget a flashlight of the proper age for the car. Finding one of those without corrosion might be a problem. Also maybe sunglasses. 

[28 Chrysler]

It all depends on the age of the driver. A young guy may have a comb, can opener (for oil "church key") and other things parents would not approve of ., His parents would have would have most of the above.

[AL1630]

8 hours ago, Bloo said:

What did you keep spare bulbs in?

 

A one owner 51 Nash I once acquired had a little drawstring pipe tobacco bag among the stuff in the glovebox. I am trying to recall what was in it. Not tobacco, and the former owner wasn't a smoker as far as I know. Maybe bulbs or fuses?

The ones in there were just in blister packs in a plastic bag. Someone just bought the kind that come in a 2 pack and stuck the extra in there. The tobacco bag is probably more period correct for a '51!

Edited October 18, 2021 by AL1630 (see edit history)

[John348]

This is a great idea for a thread, and inspired me to open up one of my coveted possessions out of the show case, You might want to shave before that date or an important business meeting. This was a very hard piece to find 40 years ago in a pristine box

 

  

[Mr. Reed]

 I like all the content so far. I have pens in my car from different places I visited. I'll post a picture of my notepad later of interested.

[John348]

You got to be able to light up that smoke

[Restorer32]

Tire chains in a torn canvas bag.

[John348]

I love to get to get to share this stuff, don't forget the tool kit a factory one at that!

[Peter J.Heizmann]

2 hours ago, John348 said:

You got to be able to light up that smoke

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Peter J.Heizmann (see edit history)

[John348]

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, John348 said:

I love to get to get to share this stuff, don't forget the tool kit a factory one at that!

 

What tools are in there and what approximate year is that for?

 

 

[John348]

14 minutes ago, Bloo said:

 

What tools are in there and what approximate year is that for?

 

 

 

Judging from the part number they would list from 1948 down. The part number I found  is 1949 to 1957 987322. These tool kits really have no right or wrong year back in the day, now judges  do of course would find it incorrect. I did not want to open the snap before,  it just felt a little weak and I did not want to tear the bag I will give it a go later I have some more neat glove box items to photograph later and another tool kit from the late 50's. Thanks for asking. I love this stuff, and I don't really get a chance to share it with anyone that much anymore.  I am starting to thin things down for various reasons, but some of this stuff is hard to part with.

Edited October 18, 2021 by John348 (see edit history)

[John348]

1 hour ago, John348 said:

 

Bloo, 

snap seemed like it was going to tear so I slipped them out the one opened end 

Edited October 18, 2021 by John348 (see edit history)

[keiser31]

In the '50s, some women wore gloves, so I'm gonna say gloves, map, flashlight and bottle opener.

[John348]

Like one of these?