Have you ever wondered?

[Jive-Bomber]

Channeling the late, bushy-eyebrowed Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes fame, "Have you ever wondered?" I've got a few custom car origin questions that you might have pondered yourself at one time, or perhaps you've even got the definitive answer to one of th...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[theHIGHLANDER]

Did you ever wonder why looking at a car like this gives you a "funny feeling"?



Something within the cobwebs of my memory says that the big Caddy from like 36 or so had the 1st flippers. Somewhere I have a pic in a big book, but where's the book? I did say cobwebs...

[daddy_o's_diner]

I'm sorry, did you ask a question???

I was too bust staring at that gorgeous '34 at the top of the page.


.

[BOWTIE BROWN]

Iam wondering right now.

[the-rodster]

Number 5 explained, according to Wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_door

Rich

[flamingokid]

Why ask why,try Bud Dry....Sometimes,there are no explanations.

[texdesoto]

Is Ryan really "The most interesting man in the world"

[wingnutz]

Ok... you got me wondering why this is the first time I've seen this car on the HAMB?

[Mr48chev]

The Roadster has actually been on here before but I don't remember the thread.

I'd always been told that suicide doors were called that because you could get hung up in them if you went to jump out of a car pending an accident. In the early 80's when I did them on my truck some old timer told me that they were dangerous because I wouldn't be able to jump out of the truck if it was going to crash.

I always figured the K thing came from George and left it at that.

My dad's not around to explain the tail dragger or flipper things but I think there is a photo in his stuff at my sisters of Lyle Browning's late 30 something with flippers on it in the 30's.
The were called "Indian blankets" around here before I ever heard of "Mexican" blankets. Dad always kept a Pendelton car robe "blanket" in his car that I believe my sister still has in her car. He didn't have it on the seat though. My 51 Merc came with a worn out Indian or Mexican blanket in 1963 when I was 16.

[Jive-Bomber]

Originally Posted by wingnutz

Ok... you got me wondering why this is the first time I've seen this car on the HAMB?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=3225

[Wildcycles]

OK, so my dad talks about his '41 coupe he had in the mid-50's and it was adorned with what he refers to as "flip-flop hubcaps". He also talks about the rear suspension being dropped down low with skirts. He described it as having the car's nose pointed up in the air. I have heard others refer to this as a "speed boat stance" and it just looks cool on cars from the period, so I suspect that lowering the rear end was just plain easy to do and made a fairly dramatic change in stance, so it became popular.

[diegochero]

Originally Posted by Mr48chev

The Roadster has actually been on here before but I don't remember the thread.

I'd always been told that suicide doors were called that because you could get hung up in them if you went to jump out of a car pending an accident. In the early 80's when I did them on my truck some old timer told me that they were dangerous because I wouldn't be able to jump out of the truck if it was going to crash.

I always figured the K thing came from George and left it at that.

My dad's not around to explain the tail dragger or flipper things but I think there is a photo in his stuff at my sisters of Lyle Browning's late 30 something with flippers on it in the 30's.
The were called "Indian blankets" around here before I ever heard of "Mexican" blankets. Dad always kept a Pendelton car robe "blanket" in his car that I believe my sister still has in her car. He didn't have it on the seat though. My 51 Merc came with a worn out Indian or Mexican blanket in 1963 when I was 16.

My Gramps always said the same thing about the suicide doors. I think the difference between an Indian blanket and a Mexican blanket is one would be more southwester looking, and the other is more of a colorful sarape. I am curious I have never heard the term Pendelton car robe, is that like a Mexican Blanket on the seat of a car parked at Camp Pendelton California?

[vonpahrkur]

I too have pondered these mysteries of the Custom/Kustom car universe...

Custom with a K? maybe Barris. Maybe to differentiate the shop from others; a marketing strategy. hmmm...
a better question might be-why do people get upset by the way you spell it? Does calling your car a Kustom verses a Custom make your car better or worse or more authentic? hmmmm


yeah, before car heaters were standard in vehicles, it was a common thing to have blankets in a car, pendleton and other companies made blankets specifically for this use-I have a few. Got a couple from my grandparents that used them in Model T fords. Mexican style blankets in a car- probably the same idea-less-xpensive version of a pendleton. Key Characteristic of a car blanket is it's slim-not thick so you can carry it in your car and it doesn't take up a whole bunch of room-mexican blankets also have this characteristic and as the seat became worn out, it more than likely turned into a seat cover-or perhaps was used as a cover to prevent wear on the upholstery or keep dust off much like a furniture cover.

['51 Norm]

When I was growing up we called them "Indian blankets".

My dad found one behind the back seat of his (later mine, see avatar) '57 Lincoln. It was in the space between the seat back and the trunk mounted air conditioning machinery.

How or why it was there is something that I have wondered about through the years.

[bob-o]

I don't have any answers to your questions, but that Ford is GORGEOUS. I wish someone would build one like that nowadays!

[Hot Rods Ta Hell]

Suicide doors were considered "suicide" to open or pop open on their own at speed.

As Vonparhkur mentioned about cars not having heaters; Many of the big sedans such as Packards, etc. had a rope like rack on the back of the front seat to hang a "lap robe' or "lap blanket".

We must remember that in the ealy days cars were not as dependable or able to travels as fast due to their mechanicals and also due to road conditions. Backroads, 2 lane highways were the norm. Consequently, the blanket in an early car had other uses too;

Roadside or meadow picnics were common. On a long journey through the country, you didn't drive through a burger joint; you brought a basket of food and drinks and took a break. IIRC, the Fords Forever book has a pic of a few farm Women having a roadside lunch next to their Ford.

Cars overheated and broke down more often. A break on a blanket or to lie on while working on the car.

Also, a guy might get lucky and get laid on, or under one, so it stayed in the car.

[diegochero]

Thanks Vonpahrkur and Hot Rods Ta Hell, I learned something interesting today.

[aojo]

I remember the dropped rear of cars into the early 60s and then there was a blend of the raised front /dropped rear for a few years until the dropped rear became unpopular. As for the use of blankets as upholstery... in No. Cal they were simply covers tucked into the seat creases and never stitched into the cushions. This was simply a matter of economics as the +/- $50 cost of upholstery could be better used on speed parts or tires.

[Weasel]

Looks Boydesque to me - no door handles, smooth hoodsides....

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by Weasel

Looks Boydesque to me - no door handles, smooth hoodsides....

I see what you mean... but I think this was before his time. No disrespect to Boyd... but he was a Street Rod builder and this is an early custom, in my opinion. totally different.