Just returned from OAHU -Hula Girl Dashboard Doll

We just got back from vacation on Island of Oahu!

Thought I'd share this history info with you guys and ASK you for your comments and pics of your Dashboard Hula Girl !







The Hula Girl Dashboard Doll — or Hula Girl Nodder as she’s also known — is probably the most popular and beloved car decoration of all time. She’s been described as iconic, retro, kitschy, nostalgic and just plain cute. In fact, you could say — after all these years — that this prized wiggly wonder of feminine charm has gone mainstream. These days, she can be spotted dancing on boats, bookshelves, refrigerators, motorcycles, patios and even exercise machines.
But for aficionados everywhere, the proper place for this ageless beauty to rest has always been the car dashboard.
How did it all begin?
A little background
According to retroplanet.com (http://www.retroplanet.com/), an online purveyor of anything retro, the Hula Girl Dashboard Doll was created in the 1950s. The influx of American soldiers into Hawaii during World War II as well as visiting tourists after the war helped make this spring-loaded beauty one of the most popular souvenirs of all time. In fact, the dancing dashboard doll was in such demand that factories in Japan capitalized on the craze and began producing them in bulk.
The Hula girl had been a symbol for Hawaii ever since the islands became a popular tourist destination in the early 1900s, and visitors brought the dolls home for souvenirs and gifts. During the 1920s and ‘30s, the earliest hula dolls were made of bisque or redware, a clay material. They were hand-painted and decorated with grass skirts and flower-patterned halters or leis made of cloth flowers.
California surfers and beach-goers were the first to adopt the dashboard Hula Girl fad en masse, helping to make the dancing doll officially a part of American pop culture.
The original dashboard Hula Girl had a hole in the bottom where a magnet could be inserted so she could be attached to the then-metal car dashboards. The doll was made of plastic and had springs in her legs so she could wiggle her hips as the car moved. She was made in different sizes and versions, with the ukulele pose and hands-in-her-hair the most common.
Today’s Hula Girl Dashboard Doll is attached with two-sided tape instead of a magnet. But, after all these years, when that ageless beauty starts to wiggle her hips, she still makes passersby smile.

 

so where can you buy them at??

 

My former GF brought me back one from Hawaii. Pretty cool.
Tom

 

I would think that since the link mentioned above (and that I have linked below) is described as a PURVEYOR of retro stuff, ya might be able to get one thru them........maybe! DD

http://www.retroplanet.com/

 

When my brother girlfriend went to Hawaii I told him to tell her to pick me up one. So happy with it lol

 

They're all over Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p4069.m570.l1313&_nkw=dashboard+hula+girl&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

I bought one at a surf shop in Florida.

 

They are available online --- tons of sites offer them and many to select from

* Just google ; Hula Girl Dashboard

 

mine....

 

haha i have that same one

 

Danged, I looked thru my pictures and can't find any pictures of the Hula Girl I have on the dash of my 55 Chevy wagon. She's the sexy one wearing a grass skirt and halter top. Been there so long I thought it was an original GM accessory. Sadly she's so old and this Florida sun has rotted most of her skirt and pom poms off.
Got it at a large car show but I've even seen them at Wally World.

 

Just found this pic --this is one of the many gift shops on Oahu that sell tons of them.

 

think they sell them at wally world on oahu also but they're all over the place down here

 

I have a Sailor Jerry one I got a few years back... but did anyone know they also made 42" models?? Saw this the other day: http://cnj.craigslist.org/bar/3341360649.html

 

This girl was brought back to Canada in the mid '60's
She now resides in the back window of my '64 Acadian.
The only problem is that after crusin' with the windows down at highway speed -
when I stop her skirt is over her head and I have to fix it
She's clay not plastic

 

I have a nice porcelain one in my OT Jeep Wrangler, I bought it at a gift shop in of all places Portsmouth New Hampshire. A few years ago a guy pulled up next to me at a stop light (in a shady part of town) and asked me where I got it and I told him New Hampshire and he gave me the meanest scowl, and flipped me off as he turned. So now when people ask me I just say Hawaii.

 

This little icon is for sale on the back page of Speedways new street catalog for $9.99 cat #910-87003. The old school ones are plaster and say ALOHA on the base, have a course grass skirt, and some have a magnet imbedded to mopunt. The new ones are very cool hwever!! Rock on little lady! ~sololobo~

 

Me too, and she is starting to look rough, had some pretty wild dances!




Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Here's mine, waiting for dash to dance on.




Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

I am going to look for another when I am down in Daytona next month to put on the dash in my 55 sunliner,had one in my country squire but left it on when I sold it.

 

I have an orignal one that my uncle brought back and gave my Grandmother back in the 40's. I can remember it on the dash of her 37 Ford as a kid. The skirt is long rotted away but I made a fringe one for her. She sets on top of my frig. Wish I could do the photo, but don't know how.

 

Here's a old Hula (don't know the age) my buddy JCHAV62 here on the board gave me, she sits happy on the rear package tray of my 56' Bel-Air. Probably gonna replace here with the newer Made in China one on the right because I don't want her old "real" grass skirt getting damaged with the wind when windows are rolled down. She will sit happy on my fridge.

 

If anyone has an ; old original one let me know!

 

My favorite hula girl. HRP

 

I love the one in the movie "Space Cowboys"...

 

did somebody say old hula nodders?



a couple rare ones below
Cleopatra and one with an oil lamp

 

btt

 

Id like to find an old one. The new ones are pretty cheap looking. Plastic and you can see the mold lines on em. I look for em once in a while, but havent had any luck so far. Some of you guys look to have the style I want, well not the topless one lol. I have three young grand daughters and while grandpa might like it, probably not the best idea for a dash with them around.

One of the new style ones is a chubby girl. Its kinda neat. I suppose if a person had the talent he could sand it all down and paint it up right.

Cool thread, thanks OP.

 

Too cold to take her out today, she is not dressed for it....actually I got her here in Colorado at a Hawaii store up here in the mountains, that has since closed...now imagine that, a store closing! She stays on the dash with a magnet I glued to her base.