Flip up steering wheel was found on a barn wall, NOS, in pristine condition... designed to allow fat guys to get into a model T, the Tiltlok

That wood is in the best condition of any old steering wheel I've ever seen...

Found this one at the LA Roadster Show, just like last year when I found a different one
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/flip-up-steering-wheel-on-model-t-i.html

factory side mirrors with the extra mini convex mirror built in. Great idea, why aren't they on all new cars?

this is on a Traverse, a GM vehicle, but these don't come on all new GM vehicles. They should.

How many damn cupholders does a passenger need? The Chrysler Town and Country for example has too many, but a brilliant armrest/console design

Above you can se the regular position, up front for the center console and drivers cupholder use
Ah HA! Do the drivers of Town and Country vans really need two more cupholders?
So this has three parts on slides, and comes right back to the passengers. That is a damn cool center console designed with more storage, 3 layers, and mobility to slide to the back in 2 stages


But look at the way the 2nd row passengers get this cupholder slid back to them... cool.
Look even further and see a cupholder in the sidedoor... now why does each passenger need two cup holders? The people in front have the holders under the radio, the ones in their doors, and then the center console can either be for them, or the 2nd row people who also have door cupholders

Flip up steering wheel on a model T... I finally found another!

great to come across such a rare old aftermarket gizmo.. I'm amazed that I've seen one before
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/09/rollaway-motor-company-made-lokwel-fat.html

Coolest damn thing you'll see all week. 1913 Harley, heavily optioned,TANDEM !, unrestored, with a quick history and instructions how to start it. WOW

the bike's options are discussed for the first 5 minutes, then the bike is started up and the procedure is wonderfully demonstrated, step by step. (starts at minute 5:30)
Thanks Mike! This is great!

A big bug screen

photos via: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=733

Speedometer I've never come across before, a windspeed indicator mounted to the hood trim on a 40's Chevrolet

I bet it works as a bug deflector like the green one I photographed as well as a speedometer

Great advertising photo of the optional record player in a 1950's car

Via: http://thisisnthappiness.com/

the running horses optional Mustang interior

Visual ID of 1948 Chevrolet optional accessories listed alphabeticaly

Above: 1947 Chev Fleetline hood ornament, Below: 1948

http://www.1948chevy.com/support/accy1.htm

Heavily optioned 57 chev convertible. Can you identify the 2 things on the dash?

the glass clamshell is for prisming the lights from a stop light, so you don't have to look up and crane your neck, remember that the windshields were a lot more verticle back then instead of aerodynamic and laid back like todays cars... it wasn't as easy to look up at the intersection lights if you were the first at the stop.

The other thing?

That thing on the dash board just above the headlight switch is a sensor for the automatic dimming headlights. It sensed the headlights of an oncoming car.

John D. Weimer emailed me to let me know, Thanks! 3 years and no one had filled me in about that!

Another unusual option, Pontiac Bonneville Sleeping Trunk

This full size car has alot of trunk space, and is about the size of a double mattress. It's the only example of this factory option for mosquito netting and travel gear storage that I've ever seen or heard of, for the cross country travler on a budget. A 40's nash did something similar, but the car could be completely closed up, and just the rear upper seat flipped up towards the roof for the trunk access.


For what this Pontiac cost when new, I'm thinking discretionary funds would disappear once this was in your driveway. Very cool guy owns this, he's also a sport bike rider, and he used to show up at the La Mesa Thursday night cruise frequently. These shots are from the really big annual Balboa Park Auto Museum car show that is worth the lack of spectator parking for the fine collection that gets out onto the lawn, along with the vast local supply of interwesting and rare cars that only need to pony up 15 buck for on the grass parking.