Show us your accessory!

As a kiwi, living in Oz, I'm fascinated with all the cool auto accessories that were available in the US in the 50's.
So, fellow supporters of all things metal, I want to know of the really odd-ball accessories you have over there which work or don't. Even if they don't fit a 51 Chevy!
My contribution, although not that rare, is the blue 'towing light' above the centre divison bar on my 51 Deluxe. Apparently it was to be lit whenever you hooked on a trailer so oncoming traffic would know. Now, it's far from legal to have a forward facing blue light for fear of being mistaken for a police vehicle - haha.

 

Maybe the "bomb" kats will chime in. Bombs are always better with a few accessories. My bomb is lacking in this department. I would recommend a certain Chevy bomb site, but, some folks on that site are not very nice, so I won't recommend them.

 

This photo was originally posted up by Eryk on the Los Boulevardos site. Not sure who the car belongs to, but it sure is loaded up with accessories.

 

That's bitchen Nappy. That is what my bomb should look like.

 

I don't have a picture but in the 57 BelAir in the driveway mounted to the seat cushion springs in the front seat is a dash switch controlled Vibrator! I got it from an old and installed it in my son's car. Told him to hit the switch when his girlfriend got in the car the next time...she was not amused!

 

I bet no one has ever seen my accessory defroster fan. It is not electric or vacuum. I have one of those types too.

The fan has universal mounts for the dash board. The fan has about a 4 foot flexible drive shaft that turns the fan blade in it's cage. The flexible shaft is routed out through the firewall. The other end of the cable has a small wheel that is supposed to run on the back of the fan belt. A separate push pull cable is used to raise and lower the wheel against the fan belt to turn the fan off and on. My camera is down or I'd have a picture but with all the hardware included in a pile it's still a little hard to understand how it is supposed to work. It was so unique that I just had to have it. I've been flea marketing for 40 years and never seen another one.

 

All the lowriders are really into factory accesories I know. Especially if you look at all the bomb style lowriders, their all loaded up with options.

 

Strato-Freeze under dash fridge, vacuum operated. Never hooked it up or tried it though.

 

I love vintage accessories! I've been collecting for many years, but lately I've had to let alot of things go that I know I'll be sorry about later. I've included a few pictures of some of my stuff. Some of it has been sold, other parts are still packed away in the basement.

I'd say my favorite accessories are my Smokey the Bear cigarette snuffer and my dual temperature gauge for the inside and outside of the car, both of which are currently on my '62 Buick.

It's hard to tell, but in the picture of my car it looks like there is just a reflection of the temperature gauge in the vent glass--it's not. There is another gauge on the inside, too. The picture of the Smokey the Bear is very similar to mine. Mine (sorry, I haven't taken a picture of it) looks like the one in the picture except for it doesn't have the Ogallala base on it. According to collectors I've talked to, they came bare (ha,ha, a bare bear) with no base, and with a base for various locations that were sold in gas stations and roadside diners as travel souvenirs. I had a few others, but, like a bone head I sold 'em. E

 

Not 50's but early 60's Mercury accessory brochure online here. Pretty neat

http://www.mercurystuff.com/1964accessories/index.html

 

Thee old Chevy vacuum ashtrays are kinda neat. Anyone ever seen one of the underdash electric razors??

 

Here's my kustom seat cover. Not too vintage. Made right here in LA with Mexican parts.

 

ive always like these underdash record players,,i dont have one ,,,yet,,but have seen a few,,i missed one this guy had at a old stereo shop that came from a 64 impala,,by the time i went back to buy it the shop closed down,,still looking for one.

 

Westside Lefty is trying to get this thread shut down/closed. Or deleted altogethor.

 

Nice. Love that temp gauge. Thanks

 

I've got a couple of old bearings tied together hanging from my truck's rear view mirror. I tell people it's an early Ford navigation system, never lose your bearings.

 

my '48 f1 had heated seats! Or at least it had one heater under the seat and the other under the dash. Not sure if it was an accessory or aftermarket add on. I do know it didn't come with custom seat covers.

 

That is so freaking cool!!!