Do you remember these automotive "gimmicks"???

In the 1960's they sold a single light that mounted in the middle of the front grill. It was a running light. Much different than the factory daytime running lights on today's cars. Haven't seen one in years. They were a good idea ahead of there time but provided little value as it was a single small light kind of cone shaped. At the time people laughed at them saying somebody bought a bunch of surplus lights and found people to buy them. Little did we know that the day would come when cars would have special headlights for daytime driving.
 
Jeffro said:
Nu- Finish. I remember those cheesy commercials where badly oxidized paint was INSTANTLY TURNED BRAND SPANKING NEW AGAIN IN SECONDS! By simply wiping this product on it.
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Nu Finish would be classified as cleaner wax (polish with sealant). The cleaners can appear to work miracles on oxidized single stage paint.
 
I'm 60 years old and have been in the car business since I was out of diapers, so I'm familiar with most of the stuff that's been mentioned, from 45 rpm record players and pushbutton transmissions, to vortech intake inserts and various miracle shine products.
Remember when carnauba was an amazing discovery? "Nature's most durable natural armor, harvested from the carnauba palm tree, this wax protects the tree from the extreme heat, humidity and driving rains of tropical forests"! Nowadays, we use carnauba wax as a sacrificial layer over our lab-made sealants!
I hope someday in the future, the same comments we're making today will be made about some of the overdone electronic devices in today's cars. Recently, I had a fellow call me at the dealership in a panic, locked inside his Corvette! Attempting to take it out of winter storage, his first attempt to start it depleted the already-low battery enough that the electric door latches wouldn't function. After reassuring him he didn't have to claw through his convertible top to escape, I explained the location of the manual release handles down by the door sill and he got out. His final comment was "why do we have electric buttons to operate the doors when you still need old-fashioned door handles as a backup?"
For that I had no answer.

Bill
 
I really like the fake bullet holes. I'm surprised I've never seen words spelled out in bullet holes. Fake venting, fake intakes. What about the Fiero to Ferrari body kits? Nobody liked those. Gold window tint.
Blue headlight bulbs. Now led strips all over the place with burned out bulbs.
 
2BlackChevys said:
100,000 mile spark plugs were always my favorite! Same with all the multiple electrode plugs that magically made multiple sparks from one... I can't remember the name of those!
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I think you mean SplitFire
Theo_Auto_Fines said:
How about something thats been plaguing the import community that involved spray painting the whole car flat black in your own backyard and then calling it "rat stylz"..
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People in the hot rod community used to drive their cars around in primer for a year or two, to allow all of the bodywork to settle, to ensure a perfectly smooth body when they painted it. Now somehow people like to paint it matte black on purpose. It's so weird.
BillE said:
Record players in car was kinda a big thing in the 50's>early 60's. They played 45RPM records. Yes, they were hard on the record, used a spring loaded 'arm' to keep them 'in the groove'. Phillip's was the major manufacturer.

While we're on car audio, don't forget "Vibri-Sonic," added 1000 cubic feet of unusable trunk space to your car...LOL. It was an 'echo' system to 'add depth.'

Bill
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I had a Vibra- Sonic in my 57 Chevy and it only took up about 6X2x12 inches.


Bunky said:
Nu Finish would be classified as cleaner wax (polish with sealant). The cleaners can appear to work miracles on oxidized single stage paint.
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You can't do that with clear coat...
 
Curb feelers
Cruiser skirts
Continental kits
Plastic hood wind deflectors with a speedometer needle on them (about 6 - 8 inches wide, and maybe 5 inches tall)
Bug screens that went over the grille
Half moon covers for headlights
Fake radio antenna for the rear fender (for a balanced look)
Winky the cat
Angora dice
Furry rear window package shelf covers
Spotlights (dummy and real)
Clear vinyl seat covers from Fingerhut (I think they still make them)
Port-a-walls (whitewall strips that fit under the rim)
White wall paint
Spinner hub caps (they were 'cool')
Blue dot tail lights
Yellow fog lights
Wolf whistle and a-ooga horns
White mud flaps with red reflector buttons
Swing away steering wheel on T-Birds
Tuck and Roll naugahyde interiors on custom cars
Tonneau covers for the back seat on convertables
Steering wheel spinner knobs
Moon disc hub caps and baby moons
 
Hey "Vet"...Great memory you have there!

Now, where did I put that old JC Whitney catalog...

Bill
 
BillE, thanks. My older brothers and some of my classmates had some of this stuff. I even fell for the port a walls and baby moons for my dad's car. (He wasn't that impressed, LOL)

They still have the JCW catalogues, but I don't think they send you one every month or so, like they used to.

BTW, I forgot the replacement dash knobs that looked like bullets or spears.
 
Don't forget the car club plaques...cast aluminum that were in the rear window. I think they were about 6 x 12 inch.

We'd make them in metal shop for the various clubs around the area.

I wish I COULD remember all the 'stuff' that has past me by...some cool and good, but many are of the, "Are you kidding me?" arena.

Bill
 
Who remembers the old gasoline commercial?

Which gas put a tiger in your tank ?
Which gas won the west ?

Plenty more out there.

Bob from Indiana
 
Back in those days I believe they went by Esso, but it is Exxon

The gas that won the west was Phillips 66
 
I forgot Cut outs and Lake pipes
Padded carson tops on customized cars
The 'run your car on water' system that misted water with the gas in the carb.
Tire valve caps that looked like a red crown, I think they were a promo item for Standard oil, maybe.
Fox tails on antennas
 
About the lake pipes...funny how many were NOT connected-just there for looks.

Coil spring 'compressors' (in lieu of cutting a coil off) and lowering block for the rear leaf springs (I think these are still around).

A 'gimmick' that really wasn't: Installing seat belts! This was well before they became 'Std Equipment'.

Pin strip decals (these actually looked pretty good-considering), $.49 for a sheet at Pep Boys (1956 or so).

Bill
 
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