I've owned 27 autos, and most of them had features that are no longer seen. My first car, a 1934 Plymouth sedan, has a "crank-out" windshield, which opened from the bottom and allowed air to stream through the interior of the car, exiting through the rear windows. It wasn't the same as A/C, but provided a pleasant relief at times. Later models had an "air scoop" which opened from under the dash with a lever. It provided some airflow, but not like the crank-open windshield. Another feature was the "running board", which was wide enough to stand on, and allowed kids and ladies to easily enter and exit the vehicle, and could provide a temporary "lift" for someone going a short distance. Better yet was the "rumble seat", which was like a trunk lid which folded back from the top and contained cozy seating for two. My first car had the spare tires mounted on the front fenders. (see photo) The starter button was foot-operated and was on the floor under the clutch pedal, so the transmission was always disconnected when operating the starter. The instrument panel always had a cluster of 4 essential gauges which were important to the driver: Oil Pressure, Engine Temperature, Ammeter, and Gasoline. Until electric windshield wipers became standard, wipers were powered by vacuum from the engine. When it was raining and you stepped hard on the gas, the engine would use all the vacuum, and the wipers would slow down or stop. Some cars had a reserve vacuum tank to avoid this. Another feature that the owner installed himself were "curb feelers", which made a light scraping sound when you got within a foot of the curb, preventing scuffing of your beautiful whitewalls! Some cars had a gasoline-powered internal heater, but mine all had heaters which used a fan blowing air over a hot-water radiator. The radios in those days were AM-only. When we went to an all-service gas station, 2 or 3 attendants came running out and immediately began cleaning your windshield and checking your tires, while another pumped your gas and a third checked your Oil, your Radiator Water, and your Battery Water, while you bought 5 gallons of gasoline for one dollar! That's how it was when I began driving in 1952! Hal
Is that the same as the little crank out triangle windows just in front of the side windows? I miss those because you could turn them inside out and make the air blow in your face (before AC). Also miss the foot switch for the high beam headlights. I keep forgetting where it is now.
My Austin Healey did not have windows...it had removable side curtains. The tachometer was cable-driven off of the dynamo. The door locks on my '63 Lincoln were vacuum operated: pffffffftttttttttt-*CLUNK* We had a 1933 International tractor that was crank start. I recall when the headlight dimmer switch was floor-mounted, just as the starter buttons were. I recall cigarette lighters and ashtrays being standard, and no cup holders. I also recall the gauges you mention, and loathe idiot lights. Why does an automatic need a tach but no oil pressure gauge? We had a Nash Rambler station wagon with push-button automatic transmission. There were "suicide steering balls" you could install, which are now illegal. [Edited to correct: this are legal.] I wanted one for my tractor and had to go to Tractor Supply...you can't buy them at auto parts stores. I managed a Hess gas station in the early 70s, before and during the shortage and Odd/Even. We pumped the gas and swarmed the cars. There was a 10-point check: wash the windshield, the rear window, the headlights, the side-view mirrors, the taillights, check the oil, check the tranny fluid, check the battery, and 2 other things that escape me now (we never took the caps off of hot radiators.) Gas was cheap enough that shysters would say "Give me five," and when you pumped $5 in, they said "No, I meant 5 gallons," because 5 gallons was significantly less than $5 and they thought you'd just let them get away with it. I pulled more than one of them to the side and told them "You got 3 choices: (1) Pay up; (2) I siphon out what you refuse to pay for; (3) I call the cops." Yeh, I siphoned some gas. The rest paid. I never had to call the cops. The one thing that changed for me in the late 70s/early 80s was many new cars all looked alike. It used to be you could spot the make/model/year from way up the road based upon the headlights, grill, or taillights. Not any more. At least, I can't.
Very interesting post with a lot of details I didn't know, Hal. I remember having seen those curb feelers when I was a kid and kind of worked out what they were for. They were spiral-shaped with a knob at the end. Did you hear a sound then as a driver? Were you wearing googles when your crank-out windshield was open? Is that you in the photo and is this your car or one of those you owned, a Plymouth? "Cozy seating" in the "rumble seats"? Really? Were they used for kids then? @John Brunner Are steering balls those knobs on the steering wheel you'd see on trucks today? Any idea why they are called "suicide" steering balls? I had to google that but didn't find an answer. What is suicidal about them?
According to Wiki: I would have thought the name was because you could whip the wheel around so quickly it was easy to send the car out of control, but apparently this is one of those things with no quantified origin (like why are people from Indiana called "Hoosiers.") Wiki also says: I just looked on a website named www.suicideknob.net which claims that "Searching through each state's statutes, there were no laws in the 50 states banning the use of steering wheel knobs on regular cars." This seems to be one of those "Everyone knows that..." things that ends up being universally misunderstood. I know that none of the auto parts stores I checked with here sells them. I was told at Advance Auto that these are illegal in Virginia. I see that Amazon sells them with no restrictions on where they may be shipped. Advance Auto has no listings for them. NAPA lists several, available in Virginia. Gee, I just learned something. I might think about putting one on my car. I couldn't do without it on my tractor, with all the turns I make cutting my acerage. edit to add: This is not legal advice. Upon further review, I saw this in the Q&A on Amazon for one of these: But this guy might be disabled, and can only drive is he has this steering aid. So in his case, he is not given an exception to have one, he may be required to have one.
Remember the vacuum operated windshield wipers? Step on the gas and they would slow way down. Six volt systems where the headlights, were mere glows. Magneto system motor cycles where the headlightwould almost go out at idle.
Those steering wheel spinner attachments were known as "Brody Knobs" in Southern California, because it was easy to throw a big Brody in loose soil or gravel using one! They also came with 8-balls or naked babes in them. If you had a floor shift, you could get a Brody Knob and a Shift Knob in a matching set! Hal
HEY THOMAS, the windshield could never be cranked open wide enough to let in a blast of air that would require goggles. I was only 16 when I owned my 1934 Plymouth, which was just like the one in the photo. It was my first car, and I paid $35 for it. Rumble Seats were only used in coupes, which had no back seat. They were used for both kids and adults, although they weren't very spacious. I never owned a car that had one. You listened for the curb feeler only when you were nearly stopped at the curbside. Hal
@Hal Pollner Anybody recall "Van Aukens"? They were huge add-on front bumper guards designed to protect the shiny chromed bumpers of cars like the Lincoln. My Dad's '49 had them. Frank
I've been in a number of rental vehicles during my career. It always takes 10 minutes to figure out how to operate the wipers and the headlights. I bought a new car last year. The owner's manual is over 700 pages long.
According to Wiki: Regarding the wings on older cars (which I miss, too)...they were likely an early sacrifice to the ever-growing need to meet CAFE mileage standards.
I really sometimes wonder how today's young folks could/would handle..........standard steering/brakes, non-electric windows/door locks, carburetor system, generator and AM radio only?