It was a welcome divergence from the typical deep discussions around the campfire last night. Some of the “oldies” were recalling old vehicle features that no longer exist or have been modified in recent years. Folks in their 60s, 70s, and 80s seemed to enjoy challenging the “young’uns’” knowledge. I thought perhaps you’d enjoy reminiscing, too.
Old vehicle features from “back in the day”
- Dimmer switch: Today this light switch is built into the turning signal on most vehicles. Not so in days gone by. I remember when the dimmer switch was a button on the floorboard. You used your left foot to tap (dim the lights) and tap again (to bring the bright lights back on).
- Spare tire: No, they weren’t always those mini, trike-sized tires. In days gone by, a spare tire was the same size as all of the other tires on the car. You never had to drive on a “donut” back then. No, siree!
- Speedometers: What’s the highest speed displayed on your speedometer today? Probably not as high as the speedometers on the cars I grew up driving. Back then the highest speed displayed on our car’s speedometer was 120 mph. Oh, and all of the speedometers featured a “needle”—not a digital display.
- Horn: “In the dark ages,” an older camper began, “a car’s horn was sounded by depressing the ‘horn ring.’” I’d almost forgotten about this feature. There was a separate, metal ring or half-ring on the steering wheel. You could find and depress the horn ring quickly and easily—something I have found problematic on some of today’s vehicles. There have been times when I practically break fingers as I poke and punch the horn area on our truck, trying to get it to honk. Maybe they should bring back the horn ring!
- Window wonders: Campers recalled a variety of names for the small, triangle-shaped window, located in the front portion of both front seat windows: wind wing, vent window, window wing, smoker’s wing, triangle wing. This little, three-sided window opened with a small, unique latch. Then, you pushed or pulled the window open to direct the incoming air in many different directions throughout the vehicle’s cab. I miss this little window! (Of course, all windows were hand-operated, “crank” ones.)
- Bench seats: Today’s bench seats are a joke! Try getting some sleep on one. Usually, the middle of the “bench” sits lower than the two on either side, making it extremely uncomfortable. Years ago, bench seats were level—all the way across—with no split benches either. And there were bench seats for the front and well as the back seat of most vehicles, too. (Remember scootching closer to your boyfriend as he drove? Ah … good ol’ days, for sure!)
- Seatbelts: I recognize their life-saving capabilities, but I also remember a time when no car or truck had this feature. We used to take our cousins to school. At one point there were eight little kids in the back seat of our Ford. How did we all fit? One kid sat at the back of the seat. The next kid sat at the front edge of the seat. Up and back. Up and back. It worked. Not the safest idea by today’s standards, but it got us to school and back for eight consecutive years!
- Radio features: One “old-timer” recalled that “Radios had push buttons to choose channels. All radios had just AM frequencies. There were markers on the radio face at 640 and 1240 kHz. These were the designated frequencies for the CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) system—an early form of what is today’s Emergency Alert System. In the event of a Soviet nuclear attack, all of the other radio stations were to shut down their operations. The emergency stations would take over to tell listeners when and how to “duck and cover.”
- More music memories: Other campers around the fire remembered cassette tape decks, 8-track tapes, and CD slots on the radio systems from which you could listen to your favorite tunes.
- Windshield shading: Vehicles used to feature a strip of tint at the top of the windshield. This darker strip of glass protected the driver from the sun’s glare.
There are probably many more long-lost vehicle features, but the fire was dying, and it was getting late. Maybe next time we gather we can talk about suicide doors, whip antennas, all chrome bumpers, curb finders, fins, and hood ornaments. Can you add more to the list? I’d love to hear them!
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##RVT1041
I remember the old starter switch in the floorboard instead of the solenoid under the hood that clicked when the key started.
Then there was the ignition in the dash instead of the steering wheel.
And where did all the hood ornaments go? Very few cars have them now days.
I remember the 50s/60s Ford vehicles with Ford-O-Matic transmissions and the ignition key/starter switch on the left side of the steering wheel below the headlight switch. Those cars had an interlock in the gear selector that kept you from starting the vehicle unless it was in Park (or Neutral). That interlock would sometimes require you to hold the column-mounted shift lever up in the Park position to enable the engine to start. This was OK until they decided to move the key to the right side of the steering wheel. Then you had to reach across the steering wheel with your left hand to hold the shift lever up into Park while using your right hand to turn the key.
Not only ignition switch in the dash, but also a starter button on the dash. I think it was a ’58 Chevy?, that you could turn off the ignition with the key, remove the key, before the last detent’ and then anyone on the farm could start the car without having to go find a key.
Cigarette lighters?
Also ashtrays
I’m building a street rod – a 1936 Hudson Terraplane 2-door sedan. It has a cigar-shaped hood ornament And factory suicide doors. I may put a cigarette lighter in it, but only to use as a USB charging port. It’s been a many year project, but I hope to be driving by summer.
…and push-button transmission in the Dodge Dart.
Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler had push-button transmissions in the early 50’s.
And the model T was shifted from forward to reverse using foot pedals on the floor
and 1956 Plymouth Savoy push buttons. And had the 1957 Chevy tail fins before Chevy did.
The Ford Edsel had the push button gear select in the center of the steering wheel. Not lighted so parking at night required the dome light to find the R/D/P buttons.
When they moved the dimmer switch to the turn signal, a lot of people were getting their foot stuck in the steering wheel 🙂
As far as the seats, my first car, a 1956 Desoto Adventurer, had bench seats that you could stretch out completely to take a nap and not hit the door panels.
Fender skirts
How about the 4 track tape player and the 45rpm record player.
Three on the Tree.
I remember each and every one, and would add operating a choke, whether a hand choke or automatic. And each vehicle seemed to have its own start sequence for a cold start, not to mention stalling at every stop sign until properly warmed up, etc.
Your mention of today’s horns brings up a pet peeve of mine, the inability to give a couple short “toots” when you see a friend. So many vehicles, like my current Ram truck, have multiple modules in a CAN-bus network involved in the formerly simple action of blowing the horn, that only a long blast can be achieved.
How about the hidden gas fill such as on the 1941 and 1952 Caddy, it was under the tail light. Maybe the 48 Tucker (yes that was a real car) which had a portion of the red fender that hinged out to reveal the fill. The true classic 1956 Chevy well designed hidden gas filler behind the tail light. Also many hid the filler behind the license plate. Then we have the cigar lighter that had a device that you would push in in to the 12V power supply that would heat up then pop out so you could light your cigarette so you could put it’s ashes in your ash tray… made for stinky cars!
The gas cap/filler on a1956 chevy was behind the left tail light as well and in “57 they just added a fin and hid it under the “flip over” chrome piece. Backup lights were also an option for a price. My first car, “55 Chevy’s, radio didn’t even have push buttons, that was more $.
Awesome, thanks for reminding me at my young age of 70, I still remember all those! Remember fender finders? those flexible antennas that feel for the curb and help you park?! Remember how much a new car cost then vs now?…………
Curb feelers on the passenger side of vehicles.
I wish I had them on my new car. They would save me from tire scuffing against the curb.
To protect your fender skirts! Remember them?
Going back a bit further, I own a 93 year old car that features mechanical brakes and steering, driver adjustable choke, hand throttle, carburetor, and distributor settings, gravity fed fuel system, no turn signals, floorboard starter pedal, non synchronized transmission, floor mounted hand brake, and if the 6 volt battery is weak the car can be started with a crank handle.
Sounds like a model A.
Yep, 1929 Station Wagon.
On occasion, a friend let me drive his 1930 Roadster.
Go back a little farther and replace the starter pedal with a crank. My dad had 3 of them; 1906 Cadillac, 1903 Buick, and I don’t remember what the 3rd was.
Don’t forget about the “Wonder Bar” on the radio!
Continental kits anyone? Actually the strangest thing on any car I ever owned was the foot-operated windshield washer pump on my ’67 Cougar. It was just a mechanical pump that gave you a squirt each time you pressed the pedal which was near the dimmer switch. Of course that car also had a rotating electrical switch that gave you sequential turn signals on the rear.
flipping the license plate down to fill the gas tank
How about the bumper jack to change the full size flat tire. Also good for straightening the bumper when the brakes failed.
That brought back a lot of good memories. 🙂 I do not recall what my parents called the triangle-shaped window, but I do recall how effectively it could steer a cooling flow of air through my parents’ car. Of course the car lacked air conditioning because that was an expensive option. I also recall standard/manual transmissions with the column shifter and only 3 forward speeds. Sadly, my first car (1984 Dodge Charger), although it lacked air conditioning, also lacked the triangle-shaped window and was a 5-speed (not 3) with the shifter mounted on the floor (not column). Of course, it also had bucket seats, not a bench seat, in the front to accommodate the shifter
My memory of the small triangle shaped window, was referred to as the wind wing.
I would still use vent windows, but I am sure was a cost cutting thing.
It was bad if a bird hit that vent window and came in! Also a bee!
Automatic tranny, if available, was an add on. Push gas pedal to the floor to engage starter, kept both legs busy with clutch as well.
I recall a couple of my earlier cars where the windshield wipers worked off engine vacuum, the harder you stepped on the gas pedal the slower the wipers went.
I remember those. It got worse if you got a pin hole in that small tubing as well!
I drove Jensen Healeys for awhile, the first time I needed to use the horn, I couldn’t find it. My Jensen, and many other British cars had the horn button on the turn signal stalk. The horn would operate when the whole stalk was pushed straight into the steering column.
In remembering the bench seats, my mother was a rural letter carrier when I was growing up. She usually drove Ramblers or Dodges, she would sit in the middle of the seat and steer with her left hand and operate the pedals with her left foot.
My grandfather was a rural route letter carrier in NE Arkansas, and as a kid I’d go with him occasionally during summer visits. He’d drive a Chevy pickup the same way, straddling the bench seat and driving over gullied and potholed dirt routes like a champ.
How about the lever under the dash that when pushed opened up a vent door right before the windshield?? Need cooling off, open the vent. Precursors to air conditioning.
I miss my E350 c motor home. It had doors under the dash on both sides to let in fresh air. Free air conditioning
I had a 54 Dodge pick-up that had that.
Ah, memories of simpler times. Back when a mechanic could listen to a car and tell you what the problem was.
I must confess that I’m a retired auto mechanic. Two of my three vehicles have floor dimmer switches and those triangular vent windows, my 1977 Ford pick-up and my motorhome. I’ve also owned many column shift vehicles without power brakes or steering. Gone are the days when a $100 car would last you several years.
How about steering wheel spinners? A knob you could use to turn the wheel, No power steering and a spinner, wrist breakers for sure. I miss wing windows, should be an option.
You can still get those. Do a quick search on Amazon – about $12 to $15.
I have one on my tow vehicle, with arthritis it is much easier parking and backing one handed. some states you may be required to have a dr letter to have one and it may have to meet special requirements.
I still have one, I used it on my lawn tractor, don’t know what I’ll put it on now, no lawn tractor.
My DILs father had a stroke and uses one of these to drive now.
Off topic but I had an Okie co worker once who thought it was safer to be thrown clear of the car if you crashed- so you wouldn’t suffer the same fate with the car. Hearing him explain it was really funny.
Didn’t have to have a degree in electrical engineering to work on your vehicle!
My 1960 VW did not have a gas gage, but there was a lever on the “firewall” that you could flip with your right foot, that when you ran our of gas, would open a valve in the gas tank and give you another gallon of gas. My memory was better then as one would have to know how many miles you could go on a tank of gas and would mentally note the mileage on the odometer so you knew when to stop and fill up. It also had a gas heater with one vent over the front passenger’s knees that could melt the nylons off your girlfriend. Gosh!, I want that car back!
I had a Plymouth sedan which had push-button gear selectors on the dashboard to the left of the steering column instead of today’s PRNDL lever on the steering column. I think that innovation didn’t last long because the US government made a requirement that all vehicles had to have the PRINDL lever for standardization. Come to think of it, that Plymouth had big tail fins. Styles come and go.
Just think, someday our grandchildren will be saying that they remember when you had to use a little thing called a “key” to open car doors and start the engine. Oh, wait, I think we’re there already. I guess they’ll be saying that they remember when you had to use a key fob (remote) to unlock and run the car instead of brain-wave pattern recognition by the car.
we used to drive my friends dads 56 chevy because he would not turn the ignition switch to lock when he removed the key
How about Lake Pipes, Baby Moons, and Continental Kits?
When I bought my brand new 64 dodge hot rod, a mechanic showed me how easy it was to steal. He opened the hood, switched a couple of wires on the solenoid, took the dipstick out and used it to open that 3-corner vent window, then used the dipstick to short the starter – and VOILA, the car was running. Took maybe 30 seconds. My next purchase was an elaborate alarm system!
My 1959 T-Bird had a speedometer that went to 140. Also had push button FM.
I don’t see any mention of the tail fins on some cars. Also “Spinners’ are allowed now if you are handicapped with a missing right leg and are using hand controls.
Skirts, headlight covers, purple dot in the center of your tail light, dump pipes, lake or leg pipes, raised clutch pedal, steering wheel knobs! In my day, we lowered the rear and or raised the front to make them look sleeker!
Regarding the horn, I believe that it was a 60s Chrysler of some model, that You just squeeze anywhere inside of the steering wheel to honk the horn.
Also, my grandfather had early 60s Cadillacs with auto dimming high beams and power vent windows.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned manual chokes.
White wall tires
I remember map lights, searchlight mounted on the driver’s door, and getting window washing fluid pumped out using the air from the front spare tire (VW bug).
I remember a lot of these features. I’m reading these comments with a huge smile on my face
But the most appropriate comment is probably the fact that you didn’t have to have an electrical engineering degree to work on your vehicle
Progress is not always what we expect
Old adage ….careful what you wish for
Sorry……forgot to mention
First car was a 65 Rambler American, bench front seat that folded down backwards into a bed
I was very popular in high school
Cheers
no one’s mentioned the distributor cap you could lift to remove the rotor for theft protection