Let’s see your period correct aftermarket accessories

[Alex D.]

A recent post by Keeferishere  (Roof visor rare ?? - General Discussion - Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums (aaca.org))  regarding a sun visor had me wandering how popular these accessories are today.

I know a lot of you frown on cluttering up the looks of a classic antique with a lot of add-ons but, it has always been part of the car culture to personalize your ride. Sears Roebuck, JC Whitney and even Popular Mechanics magazine amongst others advertised inventions and accessories for the automobile.

 

Let’s see your period correct accessories, exterior or interior of sun visors, driving lights, fender skirts, radiator caps and etc.

[1937hd45]

No era had more accessories than the Model T Ford era 1909-1927. These K-W rear shocks will be looking for a new home next week at Hershey. Bob 

[SC38dls]

I would show you my old new accessories but they are all under my skin! 
dave s 

[58L-Y8]

While we're on the subject of aftermarket accessories, these blue Plexiglas sun visors would be a neat item to add to a blue Packard such as this one, with an aftermarket 'pelican' hood ornament with light-up blue plastic wings! 

[rocketraider]

I've generally shied away from aftermarket gewgaws, but I have a pair of stainless steel Foxcraft skirts for the 1964 Olds Starfires. They're period correct and work with all that chrome Starfires have on their lower flanks. They don't, however, work good with the Olds factory wire wheelcovers. Only about 1/2" clearance between spinner and skirt bottom lip.

Edited October 1, 2022 by rocketraider (see edit history)

[Walt G]

I don't have enough time to look now in my archives with Hershey packing going on but will contribute to this after the big H is over. I did a story on Nil Melior ( translated to " none finer ") the car accessory store that was located in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan some time ago. I have accessory catalogs for British car supply stores, as well as manufacturers dealership accessory catalogs for Packard ( 1920 thru 1941) Franklin ( 1930-1931) Chevrolet ( 1947) and a pile of others as well. Just need to find the time to scan, save, resize, etc. which can take some considerable time and then note the year, models, makes etc that they are concerned with. I will post with this one page from a 1928 Packard accessory catalog that was issued by the factory to dealerships to get things started and support the great topic! 

I chose this page as the winter front could be considered an aftermarket accessory - many after market items were offered by the car companies after they tested them to know they were acceptable and not cause a lot of complaints.

Walt

Edited October 1, 2022 by Walt G (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

I'm as reluctant as anyone to hang a pile of "gee-gaws" on a car. But, I feel that the insistence that show cars be "as they came from the factory" simultaneously relegates to the trash a tremendous amount of automotive history. Accessories were offered almost as soon as cars were invented...one need only look at the catalogs that offered them well before WWI. It's also a policy that appears to be predicated on mass manufacturing after WWI and even then ignores the high-end coachbuilt cars of the 20s and 30s. My 1910 Mitchell did not come with headlights. Does that mean, where I at all interested in showing it, I should leave them off? Winterfronts were extremely popular and a virtual necessity if you wanted to drive in the the northeast but who has ever seen a "show" car with a winterfront? I realize that if you are going to have judged shows there must be some sort of base line but the total banishment of accessories that were widely popular, and in some cases essential, also presents a skewed image of how cars appeared in period.

Edited October 1, 2022 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[Mark Huston]

In the late 20s, the Western Auto catalog listed “Courtesy Lamps” that mount on the running boards.   When they turn up the lights are frequently miss-identified as nautical lights because of the red and green lenses.   

Edited October 1, 2022 by Mark Huston (see edit history)

[Walt G]

I love the fact you have the courtesy lights and that they work! show the different colors as well. A great part of the history of the cars of that era.

I am in total agreement that so many cars are restored "over the top" by adding every possible accessory that can be found . Moderation is always best and leaves you to see the car as the stylists/designers wanted it. 

[60FlatTop]

5 hours ago, Alex D. said:

Sears Roebuck, JC Whitney and even Popular Mechanics magazine amongst others advertised inventions and accessories for the automobile.

Sometimes it was hard to chose.

 

My most recent has a Fulton sun visor. MOPAR script dual Appleton spots, MOPAR script fog lights, a single factory back up light, and dual heater/defrosters.

Edited October 1, 2022 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Porsche 68]

My 34 dodge DR coupe came wit a winter front It’s rough but neat never seen one on a pre war car before  John

[60FlatTop]

My Dad would have called that a goat warmer.

[John_S_in_Penna]

I have one magazine article, around 1908, that tells

of drivers getting "mascots" for their car.  I infer from the

article that they were sometimes seen as good-luck charms

to keep motoring trouble-free.  The woman in the article

made her own, a small doll with home-made motoring garb;

but old aftermarket catalogues show a variety of add-on

mascots or hood ornaments, often showing the owner's

own interests or hobbies.

[J.H.Boland]

This picture of my '25 Buick features a couple of aftermarket items that set off the car's appearance and are functional to boot. The flip-top Boyce Motometer has obvious benefits. US built Buicks, unlike their Canadian McLaughlin cousins, didn't come with factory bumpers in '25 I was lucky enough to find an unrestored front bumper on Ebay, complete with '25 Buick Standard-only brackets. Later, I pieced together a set of rear bumperettes.

Edited October 1, 2022 by J.H.Boland (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

   Front to back:   Optional Greyhound radiator cap.  Fog lights, Driving lights,  Firestone 16" bent spoke wire wheels, Pin-Striped     hood louvers, Slave windshield wiper for the passenger side, Gar Wood fender skirts, 16" stainless wheel trim rings, Peep mirrors. whitewall tires, Bud Vases on rear inside door posts, Leatherette upholstery, trunk rack with trunk.  Had I bought it new, I might have added Chrome wheels, a Sportlite, and a Potter Trunk.   

Edited April 3, 2023 by Paul Dobbin
added an item (see edit history)

[TheMoneyPit]

These sit on my dresser and are my favorite mascots.

[CChinn]

This 1930s wool motor robe keeps me warm in the winter

[CChinn]

Would this fire extinguisher have been allowed at AACA events in the 1940s?

Edited October 2, 2022 by CChinn (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Just found out this week that Cadillac supplied a lap robe with their Town Cars with the Cadillac logo on it in the late 1930's.

[Grimy]

27 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Just found out this week that Cadillac supplied a lap robe with their Town Cars with the Cadillac logo on it in the late 1930's.

It was certainly a factory option throughout the 1930s.  @edinmass is the expert on these.  I have a Pierce lap robe that is identical -- except for the silk color label with the logo -- to one that I acquired for the 1939 Cad 75 I owned for 42 years and now lives two blocks away.  I suspect that Packard and other luxury marques used the same vendor but with their own labels.

[Pfeil]

 

>6v coffee percolator!

 

 

[rocketraider]

That 3-band Blaupunkt radio is interesting. Notice the FM (U) tuning band is reversed? And it has dedicated preset buttons for each band?

 

Still trying to figure out what this is, unless it's to keep unwanteds out..

[1937hd45]

2 hours ago, Grimy said:

It was certainly a factory option throughout the 1930s.  @edinmass is the expert on these.  I have a Pierce lap robe that is identical -- except for the silk color label with the logo -- to one that I acquired for the 1939 Cad 75 I owned for 42 years and now lives two blocks away.  I suspect that Packard and other luxury marques used the same vendor but with their own labels.

Was  the lap robe logo just a small tag or as large as NASCAR sponsorship logo across the entire robe? 

[Grimy]

7 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Was  the lap robe logo just a small tag or as large as NASCAR sponsorship logo across the entire robe? 

Just a small tag  about 1.5 x 2.5 inches placed diagonally on one corner.  My Pierce robe is bagged and tucked away at the moment.  No, not like a NASCAR logo--after all, these were used in sedate luxury cars!  🙂

[SC38dls]

24 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

 

Still trying to figure out what this is, unless it's to keep unwanteds out..

It’s a pet guard, allows the window to be open, dog can’t get out yet you can lock the doors. 
dave s 

[J.H.Boland]

Pictured here are Hercules Shimmy Chasers, made to eliminate steering wobble on Ford Ts and 490 Chevy's. I use one on my 490 and it helps !

[Alex D.]

Trippe Safety Lights, you either love them or hate them. I found that replacing the bulb with an LED gives excellent lighting for night driving with very little amperage draw on the 3-brush generator system.  

 

[1937hd45]

31 minutes ago, Alex D. said:

Trippe Safety Lights, you either love them or hate them. I found that replacing the bulb with an LED gives excellent lighting for night driving with very little amperage draw on the 3-brush generator system.  

 

The third option is finding them and flipping them, I'm looking for my Fourth pair. Bob 🙂

[Bob Barrett]

I find early accessories fascinating. The older the better! I’ll have some fun ones for sale at RCH 64 this week, including a steering wheel lock, spare tire locks, pistol grip spotlight, Fulton gas pedal for Model T ‘s, “T” carb accessory, bud vase holder, suction cup ashtray, a custom shift knob or two (20’s/ 30’s), a wild looking 6 blade fan for a Model A, Presto-Lite tanks (script steel tubes, not brass), etc.

Bob

[RAH]

I too have collected period accessories for my '15 Dodge Brothers. The most prominent is the REX 'All seasons top which is the most expensive as it cost over $200.00 in the day. Also have a complete set of RH Hassler shocks front and rear specifically made for Dodge Brothers. the ca had a set of spring loaded bumper on front and I fabricated brackets for the rear that look like they would have come with the front ones. Then there are the period (pat'd 1917) turn signals from the Diamond Electric Signal Co. from SanFrancisco, Ca. Inside are the Bud Vase and Tiffany sun shades (Probably not that one) and the BOYCO running board cans.  I'll try to get pix Enjoy! 

[chistech]

As many have said, the aftermarket accessories manufactured throughout the years has allowed each owner or multiple owners of one car to personalize that car and it would be nice to see. With showing in the AACA, that is not the case as we know and any accessory, even dealer supplied, needs to be backed up with literature or you will get penalized.

     With my 32 Oldsmobile, my firewall mounted factory OEM decarbonizer, always comes under scrutiny of the judges with some shaking their heads in disbelief even when I produce the literature. I have two true aftermarket, but Oldsmobile dealer approved/install items on my olds, one is the stone guard, the other is the heater. Having researched my car extensively, then knowing Harrison was the heater core/radiator supplier, and that Harrison only made two production tombstone style heaters for the non custom bodied cars, I believed I needed to find the Senior model of 32. Harrison’s other tombstone heater made in 32 was smaller than the Sr. and private labeled for Chevrolet.

      To my pleasant surprise, joe Pirronne, searching through his original 32 Oldsmobile factory bulletins, found and sent me the bulletin about installing the Harrison Sr. Heater in the F32 and L32. So a NOS Sr. Heater is installed in my car and I carry the factory literature in my folder. I’m pretty proud of myself for figuring out exactly what heater belonged in my car and then finding a perfect example. So armed with my factory bulletin literature, I’m just waiting for the time the judges as me about it. We’ll, I’ve NEVER been questioned once about the heater! What I don’t understand is I see other cars with much later heaters in them that are totally incorrect for an OEM class. I figure they probably are docked points for those heaters but if they are, wouldn’t they question me about mine? Oh well! (I tried to post a copy of the factory bulletin but it’s in a format that my iPad won’t let me copy to the forums)

      My stone guard opens up a whole other issue that I have been questioned on. The crank hole cover in the lower radiator skirt is about 3” square. The stone guard, which sits on top of the whole radiator front, has a 2 3/4” round hole in it! How the heck do you get the cover out to hand crank it, and that is exactly what the head judge at the first GN asked me. He said it can’t be the right stone guard until I produced the factory accessory literature and showed him. He shook his head and we both agreed how it shouldn’t be, but it is! I included a picture of the Harrison senior and my round holed stone guard.

[junkyardjeff]

I personally think all period accessories should be allowed without any point deductions since technically the dealer installed are not factory installed,yes I know they are not manufacture approved but still did not come off the assembly line with them so to me no big deal.

[5219]

My 1940 LaSalle has an aftermarket Arvin heater installed that appears to have been there for a long time. I once saw a picture of a 1930's Chevrolet dealer parts department that had a prominent display featuring what appears to be the same heater. At least some of these non-authorized accessories were probably installed by dealers when the cars were new.

[ron hausmann]

Here’s a truly very rare radiator “winter cover” that was on a shed-find 1923 Kissel which I bought several years ago. Aftermarket accessory? Very rough but very thick and tough. Never saw one before nor since.

Ron Hausmann P.E.

Edited October 9, 2022 by ron hausmann (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

10 hours ago, 5219 said:

At least some of these non-authorized accessories were probably installed by dealers when the cars were new.

I know for fact that the local Ford-Mercury-Lincoln dealer had a Motorola radio display in their showroom from early 70s thru about 1985. These Motorolas looked almost identical to then-current Ford factory radios, without the Ford logo.

 

I'm not so sure Motorola didn't make Ford's radios in that time, after Ford had to divest Philco.

[Paul Dobbin]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:34 PM, Porsche 68 said:

My 34 dodge DR coupe came wit a winter front It’s rough but neat never seen one on a pre war car before  John

     I had one in that condition for one of my 1934 Fords.  Kept it for years thinking it would be easy to restore

     but we lived in Florida and I thought it wouldn't do much good in a hurricane and thru it away.

[Pfeil]

 

 

Bay standard surfboard racks

[31nash880]

Is this factory or aftermarket? Saw it at a cruise in yesterday.  Think the car is a 41 chevy.

[MCHinson]

My 1937 Buick Roadmaster Convertible Phaeton has an interesting aftermarket accessory. It is mounted to the steering column. It is a Masterbilt Cigarette dispenser/lighter. It is designed to be loaded with cigarettes. You press down on the dispenser bar and it feeds a single cigarette down, the lighter coil lights the cigarette, and you can then pick up your lighted cigarette with one hand, while "safely" continuing to steer with your other hand. 

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, 31nash880 said:

Is this factory or aftermarket? Saw it at a cruise in yesterday.  Think the car is a 41 chevy.

I believe that's a factory authorized GM accessory. But it was way before my time so I could be wrong.