Vintage Car Accoutrements

[Jay]

Hello all,

First off, as some of you know I finally got a vintage car back in June and it's been great. However, two things come to mind when ever I go for a drive.

1-Does anyone make those registration holder things that hang from the steering column? (If you're unfamiliar, Bogie checks one out in "The Big Sleep" a couple times.)

2-Does anyone make or at least sell a passable vintage styled radio? My car doesn't have one and driving without music makes me talk to myself or worse, sing to myself. Or should I just try and build a vintage housing for an ipod?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Tomasso]

Does anyone make or at least sell a passable vintage styled radio?

Here you go, Jay.

 

[Ms. McGraw]

Mount a modern radio/CD player/ipod dock (I'm not sure what you prefer) in the glove box or under the seat that way your can enjoy your music without ruining the period correct feel of your car.

 

[Retro Rob]

Jay I have a "65 jaguar XKE with original Becker AM FM radio. I looked a a ton of options for modern radio without destroying the interior. The simplest solution I came up with was a Sirius satellite radio that transmits on FM. I plug the thing into the "cigar" lighter, run the antenna wire out the back hatch and attach the magnet to the back BUMPER (not the paint). Tune radio to the same channel as the Sirius unit and Bingo, great music (vintage standards, too) commercial free, playing through my 60s speakers, In this day of Ipods and Digital surround sound, it sounds pretty damn cool. Best part is at a car show the whole thing unplugs and goes in a bag under the seat. Driving the E type takes a lot of shifting, plus I'm extra cautious of other drivers because its so low, I don't need the distraction of CDs, tapes or constantly looking for a station that doesn't play Rap or country (not that there bad, just not my thing) Hope this helps, RR

 

[Twitch]

The vintage registration holders are available from time to time on Ebay. I got one for my car. $10 or less.

I'm sensing you want a genuine 55 Chevy radio to start with. Check Ebay now as there are several in all conditions and prices.

 

[Jay]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I think I'm going to install a radio and speakers in the spring if all goes to plan. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[KY Gentleman]

This is sort of related to this thread, does anyone else miss wing windows on cars? How about having the button for your headlight "brights" on the floorboard? I last had a pickup truck with those in 1988, haven't had either of those since....

 

[priestyboy]

Vintage sytle car audio

Assuming that the car in your avatar is the car you are looking for a radio for, you might try ebay and look it up with something like this. "1955 CHEVY BELAIR VINTAGE RADIO/CASSETTE & CD CONTROLER".

There is a company that makes radios with CDs and MP3 hook ups that will fit right into the holes on some of the more popular classic vehicles like Mustangs, 50s pickups and Chevys.

Try to Google it and get you a site address if the Ebay doesn't work.

 

[Twitch]

I don't miss vent windows but the dimmer on the floor I do.

 

[Bassman]

I don't miss vent windows but the dimmer on the floor I do.

I still have my chrome surfer foot for the floor mounted dimmer switch (Standard/Blue Streak #DS-59 if I remember correctly). Not that I have a floor mounted dimmer switch anymore.

 

[John in Covina]

Look for stuff

If you run across a copy of Hemmings Motor News they have a lot of sources for vintage and updated but vintage looking stuff in their magazine.

I know I have seen some replacement radios for other early vehicles,but have modern electronics so you can up date to cd or even ipod music.

MAybe Classic Car Collector too.

 

[John in Covina]

Brody Knobs

At Egge Machine they just brought in some knobs from Gennie Shifter. They got some Brody Knobs which clamp to the steering wheel to give added leverage for those older pre-power steering vehicles.

I had only seen a handful of them in my life time and am a little intruiged by them.

 

[Randy]

This is sort of related to this thread, does anyone else miss wing windows on cars? How about having the button for your headlight "brights" on the floorboard?

Very much. When I was a kid all cars had them, and then later I drove older cars, which, of course, still had them. Those things seemed glaringly obviously missing when I got my first new car and I miss them quite a bit to this day. I remember turning the wings all the way 'round and getting 'air conditioning' I also remember, in an old van, having little floor vents on the sides, just in front of the doors, that you could open a put a pop bottle in to cool it down a little while you were driving...

- R

 

[Randy]

At Egge Machine they just brought in some knobs from Gennie Shifter. They got some Brody Knobs which clamp to the steering wheel to give added leverage for those older pre-power steering vehicles.

I had only seen a handful of them in my life time and am a little intruiged by them.

Some people call them 'suicide knobs', I suppose because if you use one on a car with power steering you can easily go out of control. My 1971 Karmann Ghia came with one, but we took it off for a cleaner look. It's a real bear to steer though...

- R

 

[Twitch]

In the Mid-west we called them "neckers' knobs" cause they allowed one armed driving while the other was around your girl. Ebay has vintage ones. I found one for the Packard and it is useful.

 

[JimInSoCalif]

They were pretty common with young drivers in the 1950's as were dice knitted by one's girl friend hanging from the rear view mirror. I expect Pep Boys sold less of them after power steering became popular.

The only problem with them is they clamp around the steering wheel and can thus damage the finish of the steering wheel.

My knowledge of old cars is just what I remember from when they were not old cars. I learned to drive in a 1934 American Austin. Cute car that rather resembled a midget Model A.

I can still identify every year Ford from the 1930's (well, 33's and 34's are pretty close) but with most modern cars I can't tell the make until I see the emblem.

I love to look at old cars, but prefer to drive a modern boring car. New cars are about as exciting as a refrigerator, but the nice thing is you pretty much just put gas in them, change the oil once in while, and drive them.

Cheers, Jim.

 

[=Clipper=]

Some people call them 'suicide knobs', I suppose because if you use one on a car with power steering you can easily go out of control. My 1971 Karmann Ghia came with one, but we took it off for a cleaner look. It's a real bear to steer though...

- R

Randy, Actually they called them suicide knobs because they were imfamous for causing accidents. Men would get their cuffs of their sleeves caught in them when driving and making turns that they would either end up in a collision or into a tree. Last I heard brody knobs are illegal, but you can still find them. Either way, It's definitely a nice touch to your old classic. There were different types of 'suicide knobs' in different styles. Some of my favorites were in the early forties. Like this '40 Chevy wheel:

 

[David Conwill]

Have you considered having an original AM radio refurbished? There's nothing on AM where I live, but I have plans somewhere for building a small AM transmitter that you can plug an MP3 player or CD player into. Thus, you could load up your MP3 player with mid-fifties tunes, plug it into the transmitter (which could be concealed somewhere like your glovebox), and have that "Christine" experience of having a genuine '50s radio that played genuine '50s tunes all the time.

As for necker/brody/suicide/tractor nobs. They're still available in a lot of auto parts stores as well as on eBay. They're also illegal in a lot of states, just like fenderless cars and blue dot taillamps. Most cops old enough to know that don't care, however.

With accessories, however, I feel compelled to urge that restraint is the epitome of taste. There are a lot of accessories for mid-fifties cars out there. Tissue dispensers, fuzzy dice, fender skirts, continental kits, visors, etc. etc. ad nauseum. However, one or two accessories that you really use go a long way. Otherwise you end up with what appears to be a lowrider bomb or someone competing for points on the AACA circuit.

The '55 Chevy should be a great car to drive. The nice thing is that a four-door sedan can still be picked up for $2000 to $6000 in pretty nice condition and they make enough pieces that it can always be fixed and rebuilt, so you don't have to feel bad about driving it.

Check out The Old Car Manual Project's '55 Chevrolet Accessories brochure here.

-Dave

 

[64tonya]

AM Woes

Hey David, if you get that nifty invention going, let me know! I just got an original AM radio installed in my 64 Pontiac convertible and there's only one semi-oldies station that barely comes in Other than that its bible stuff or sports. Oh well, it looks cool!

 

[David Conwill]

64tonya,

It might be a while for me. I haven't had the opportunity to drag out the old soldering iron in a while. But here are the plans that I'll be using. It doesn't seem overly complicated if you can find the parts. First, however, I've got to make a vintage handset for my cellphone. I hate holding that horrible little thing to my head.

-Dave