Show us your Vintage Automobile Paraphernalia

[Farmer J.]

Here's a device my Mother uses for measuring distances on maps. The dial is calibrated according to the scales of the Ordnance Survey. You 'drive' the little wheel along the map route you are intending to travel and read the distance on the dial. I think this one is 1940's.
I do have a 1990's one which is calibrated for the modern metric map scales, and the glass is still nice and clear. It's in my Land Rover but I can't be bothered to go out in to the rain for it..

 

[WisJim]

A couple items that I have and enjoy. The little wrench is about 3 1/8" long and opens to about 5/8", marked "WOW AERO WILLYS RITCHIE MOTORS", and "Made in the USA" on the other side. I haven't figured out where Ritchie Motors may have been, but the "Willys Aero" model was mid-1950s, and I'm not sure if that is the same as the "Aero Willys". The wrench seems an older style than the 50s to me.
The "Car Care Guide" is one of several that I got in a box of literature at a garage sale years ago, and was used in a service station when that meant something, and had a page for each different auto model, showing the lubrication and tune up details, going back about 10 years or more, depending on the vehicle.

 

[Smokeshow69]

A couple items that I have and enjoy. The little wrench is about 3 1/8" long and opens to about 5/8", marked "WOW AERO WILLYS RITCHIE MOTORS", and "Made in the USA" on the other side. I haven't figured out where Ritchie Motors may have been, but the "Willys Aero" model was mid-1950s, and I'm not sure if that is the same as the "Aero Willys". The wrench seems an older style than the 50s to me.

The "Car Care Guide" is one of several that I got in a box of literature at a garage sale years ago, and was used in a service station when that meant something, and had a page for each different auto model, showing the lubrication and tune up details, going back about 10 years or more, depending on the vehicle.

That car care guide is really cool!


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[jabberwoki]

Mid 60`s Buick Wildcat display.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Love it.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

My Dad found these while rooting around in his shop and dropped them off to me tonight. I grew up with a Western Auto in my small midwest town so these are a bit nostalgic to me. These will go in the Wizard box.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Mid 60`s Buick Wildcat display.

Now THAT is some cool eye candy

 

[GalaxyRat]

Made a new friend yesterday who gave me this Model E Geiger Creeper. 36 inches long, and rolls like a dream still. I think I'm going to keep it as it is, but I want to protect the lettering. Anyone got any ideas? I thought about waxing it or maybe just putting a thin coat of lacquer over the wooden surface.

I love the casters. I'm not sure of the age, though. I was thinking maybe 1940s, the fenders say "Pat. Pend." on them.

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[Private Lugnutz]

We have a Vintage Creepers thread, linked here, and I seem to recall some discussion of Geiger and their age.

[Note to Self: Sticky Update, add Creepers thread.]

 

[ttpete]

I also have a Geiger. I consider them to be the best creeper made. They're hardwood and were advertised that they could be run over without damage. The casters are the standard pattern for all good creepers of that time. I believe Lisle sells replacement ones.

 

[GalaxyRat]

We have a Vintage Creepers thread, linked here, and I seem to recall some discussion of Geiger and their age.

[Note to Self: Sticky Update, add Creepers thread.]

Great! I'll go check it out.

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[Old Radar]

Great! I'll go check it out.

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See my post there (#63). I had a letter-salvaging issue that I solved with poly.

 

[Farmer J.]

Great! I'll go check it out.

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Post 431 on this thread has before and after pics of a sign i salvaged. Used Acrylic varnish as suggested by Lugz, as it doesn't turn the paint yellow as Poly can do.

 

[outofbounds]

Cute, versatile Unity 12 volt work light found today at a garage sale. I'll be curious to see what it takes to spiff it back up. Looks as if the potential is there for this to shine up pretty nice.

 

[MR.X]

Not exactly "Automobile" but the Wright tool (Barberton) thread gets the unrelated Wright aircraft / aeronautical stuff posted on it so I'll drop this here. Was reminded that I had this when watching the 2019 'Midway' film on my latest flight for the 3rd time with the Wright 1820-R Cyclone powered SBD Dauntless's dive bombing the Japanese carriers.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow! Very cool, MR. X. I am envious. I have some Wright-marked paper stuff out of a machinists' box from a guy who worked at the plant in NJ that would go well with those. . Are they coveralls? Out of curiosity, what size? As you probably know, so much of the wartime period stuff is usually too small to wear. Not that one would want to do so on a daily basis, but every once in awhile I will garb up for a Living History Display show. I have two deck pants type bib overalls, both Navy. Heavy fleece lined. One has snap the other buttons and a zipper, and different style blousings on the bottom, too. Luckily, they do fit. Pair well with "mech" hats. Also good for cold weather motorcycle riding. See Pics 1-5.

...with the Wright 1820-R Cyclone powered SBD Dauntless's dive bombing the Japanese carriers.

Nobody deserves more admiration than those pilots, except maybe the tank crews in the ETO. Right into the teeth of the AA guns. But they had a surprise stinger in the back for any Zeroes dropping down on them from above. See Pic 6.

 

[MR.X]

Thanks. Yeah coveralls. Period repairs and name embroidered on front. Your overalls are really cool, especially that you can use them. As for those aircraft crews...it borders on unbelievable what they did.

 

[Motorman55]

Pre-WWII brass motorcycle pins.

 

[Motorman55]

Very early Bicycle theme metal collapsible drinking cup.

 

[Motorman55]

WWII composite military motorcycle Toy.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah coveralls.

They're fantastic. I would display them with this Wright Aeronautical Corp 'union bible' booklet (see Pic 4) sticking out of the pocket! Here is a link to the whole thread.

Very early Bicycle theme metal collapsible drinking cup.

I have one of those (see Pics 1-3), but no cool bicyclists' scene on the lid.

WWII composite military motorcycle Toy.

You guys are killing me today. That looks like a Dispatch Rider. For good reason, linked here, I would die to find one of those. Very nice.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Not exactly "Automobile" but the Wright tool (Barberton) thread gets the unrelated Wright aircraft / aeronautical stuff posted on it so I'll drop this here. Was reminded that I had this when watching the 2019 'Midway' film on my latest flight for the 3rd time with the Wright 1820-R Cyclone powered SBD Dauntless's dive bombing the Japanese carriers.

Wow X! You are breaking the internet today! In between these coveralls and your square corner you are leaving amazing posts! Where did you find these?


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[MR.X]

I stumbled onto the coveralls in a retro clothes store in Portland.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I stumbled onto the coveralls in a retro clothes store in Portland.

Thank goodness you saved them from the hipsters and them ruining good clothes! Nice work


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[MR.X]

Right?!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Speaking of cool old clothing and US militaria and veterans... Pictured is my Grandfathers Letterman sweater from his Freshman year at Oregon State College. I believe this is from 1933... Back before schools had letterman jackets, they had sweaters. Each stripe represented a "Varsity letter". He was captain of the Tennis team and would letter all 4 years. After college, he would go on to fight in the war in the 10th army division as a Combat Engineer . He earned the rank of Full Bird and was very organized as you can see from the image I attached. He was really good at documenting things including this brief military timeline written in the front of a dictionary he used his whole life. He was in the Battle of Okinawa but died when i was 6 so i never really got to talk to him about the war much. I don't know how much combat vs. construction he saw and I sure do miss not being able to do that!

You guys where talking about peoples sizes and how most of the period stuff doesnt fit. That is true in my case as well. My grandfather was 6'2 and about 170 and i am 6'4 and 210...I have a ton of his military dress uniforms but i dont try to wear them because of size difference and respect as well. I will have to post more pictures some time of his coveralls, foot locker and other items i have as well but i appreciative of the trip down memory lane.

Lugz- my grandmother was from Pa and always pronounced the word water in a funny way[emoji23] she was a nurse in the army and was a real straight east coast shooter. She didn’t pull any punches [emoji23] she met my grandfather in ft belvoir while he was there training.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Cool jacket and stories, Smoke. Lots of intersections for me. I used to work at Fort Belvoir, for one. Believe it or not, we still got letterman sweaters in the 70's at my HS, although bomber jackets were a popular option, for another. As for our generational growth, you ever see an average guy try to Houdini himself into the driver seat of a WWII jeep? And they don't say water like "wooter" (pronounced like wood-er) anywhere else in Pennsy except the greater Philadelphia area and parts of Delaware.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked this up at the flea this morning. Love the label, which features three elven figures busy polishing the top of a globe. Haven't tested the goop yet.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Cool jacket and stories, Smoke. Lots of intersections for me. I used to work at Fort Belvoir, for one. Believe it or not, we still got letterman sweaters in the 70's at my HS, although bomber jackets were a popular option, for another. As for our generational growth, you ever see an average guy try to Houdini himself into the driver seat of a WWII jeep? And they don't say water like "wooter" (pronounced like wood-er) anywhere else in Pennsy except the greater Philadelphia area and parts of Delaware.

I actually lived at belvoir in 87’ for a while when my dad was in officer school so maybe we crossed paths [emoji23] in terms of the keep, I have never sat in one but I have eye balled a few and they sure look small [emoji15] as in if you are under 5’8” the wheel is in your chest. I once was inside a b17 and was amazed at how small it is inside. The air crewmen certainly where on the small side!


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[Private Lugnutz]

I actually lived at belvoir in 87’ for a while when my dad was in officer school so maybe we crossed paths

I was in Germany in 87. Assigned to INSCOM HQ at Arlington Hall in 88, Belvoir when Arlington Hall was closed and INSCOM moved to Belvoir in 89.

 

[bcschief]

Here is the light kit. I have two of them I got them out of some old semis that we retired years ago.

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I have a modern version of that light bulb box

 

[Farmer J.]

I have a modern version of that light bulb box

I have the Land Rover version of it, bulbs and fuses. I added extra fuses over the years as they seem to get used up It must be from around 1990, it was new when they changed over from round fuses to the 2 pronged blade type.

 

[duddly]

I like the old auto testers as shelf pieces.

Also, how have I never seen this thread of beautiful items.

 

[thehorse13]

I found this at a sale yesterday. Too cool to leave behind.



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[Private Lugnutz]

I found this at a sale yesterday. Too cool to leave behind.

Agreed!

...how have I never seen this thread of beautiful items.

Welcome, Duds!

You know from our discussions on the Garage Sale threads over the years that I have been jealous of your display cases, and that I vowed to do something about it. I am happy to say that between some shelving units, barristers, and a barbershop display case, I am over half way to upgrading the Lugzsonian. Liking, and taking note of, your eclectic style of display choices and arrangement. I have started off much more categorical (socket sets here, goggles there, antique wrenches here, battery chargers there, etc). I like how you're doing it, but I'm not sure it's feasible for me, in terms of how much I have to display and how much display space, or in finding things when I need to find them.

I like the old auto testers as shelf pieces.

My military boxed testers (Pic 1) are too big for that, but my antique and vintage handhelds (Pic 2) will have a display spot somewhere, eventually.

 

[Motorman55]

1953 AMA Motorcycle Safety Inspection Sticker.

 

[duddly]

Welcome, Duds!

You know from our discussions on the Garage Sale threads over the years that I have been jealous of your display cases, and that I vowed to do something about it. I am happy to say that between some shelving units, barristers, and a barbershop display case, I am over half way to upgrading the Lugzsonian. Liking, and taking note of, your eclectic style of display choices and arrangement. I have started off much more categorical (socket sets here, goggles there, antique wrenches here, battery chargers there, etc). I like how you're doing it, but I'm not sure it's feasible for me, in terms of how much I have to display and how much display space, or in finding things when I need to find them.

Lugz, glad to hear the Lugzonian has even more of the artifacts on display! My approach to displays is 'opportunistic' at best. On any given day, something catches my eye, reminds me of my lost ones, or maybe stands out to me on how it speaks from someone else I never knew in a way that must be preserved. And in that moment I have an idea of where/how it should be displayed. One of these days, I will re-organize, if only to pick up the items and let them speak to me again.

Here are a few more 'automotive' items.

 

[duddly]

and a couple more... I love early automotive literature...
that's a 1903 master patent for some early automotive "improvements" - I think there's a Ford and a Nash wrench in there too (ignore the fish! Lugz warned you about my displays!)

 

[Provincial]

I've had this compresson tester for over 50 years. I bought it at an antique auto swap meet to test the compression of my Model A Ford. It is really only usable on flathead engines, so it got put away. It might work well on a GM Stovebolt 6, and probably was.

I recently was digging for something else and stumbled upon it. It seems to be military, probably WWII. The interesting thing is that the gauge doesn't have a company name on it. The instruction sheet is from the Allen Electric and Equipment Company.

I have visions of it being used on Jeeps and Deuce-and-a-Half's!

 

[B17E1943]

Nice!

The olive drab paint does make it likely military.

Private Lugnutz might know something about it.