Hot Rods Lil' Deuce Coupe

Ah yes, but today we live in the age of the perpetually offended.

 

Bingo!!!

Since when do the Ned Flanders' of the world get to tell everyone else what to think of a symbol that may have a deeply personal and completely benign meaning when taken in its true context. Wake up AMERICA!

 

The pic I took of the car back in 2007 has a maltese cross in it's place.

I really couldn't care less other than I love the Alexander Bros' work. The swastika (in general) does offend me somewhat (I suppose I've been conditioned to that view - my dad gave my brother a hiding when he drew and stuck one on our bedroom door as kids!), but I think it's important to not take it out of context....and there's no way I can really understand that context in terms of the "Little Deuce Coupe".

 

"The swastika (from Sanskrit svástika / स्वस्तिक) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (卐) form or its mirrored left-facing (卍) form. Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates from the Neolithic period. It occurs mainly in the modern day culture of India, sometimes as a geometrical motif and sometimes as a religious symbol. It remains widely used in Eastern religions / Dharmic religion such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism."

10 years after any given war, the smallest children living away from, but during, that war do not remember those things that are burned in the memory of those that fought and/or survived it. It is easy for these children to pick up a seemingly offensive element for more legitimate reasons, yet not fully understand the mindset of the rest of the world.

Perhaps the surfer culture mentioned above was more in line with an Eastern "peace" of mind rather than a "Socialist State" of mind.

 

looks like its called a swastika either way its facing.

 

I pushed The Little Deuce Coupe around at the 75th deuce anniversary in pomona. We pushed cars in to the Rodders Journal makeshift photo booth. It's a cool car and I'm sure "it" wasn't meant to be there in a bad way. Here's a pic of me sitting in it

 

Guess I wil be the ass that doesnt have anything to say about the insignia but glad to see the son is taking it around but damn he seems a little intimidated by that car. The way he got it in was sorta like it hurt to get in. He doesnt seem like a car guy but he is keeping that car alive so good for him.

 

wasn't one of the alexander brothers questioned about it? i thought his response was something like, ah, it's some of that southern california surfer crap. indian larry had a few on his bikes too. long before nads tried one for his gas pedal, i had one on my bike. i guess i stuck it on to show i'm a non-conformist. i'll do what i want and not care what anyone thinks. they were everywhere in the 60's.

 

What about all the skulls on everything??
The SS had death head symbols on their uniforms and vehicles. The PC crowd missed that one. What a world.

 

Bottom line: the Swastika in the 50's/60's bike/car culture (that's why we're here, right?) had NOTHING to do with luck or any other of it's various meaning other than a symbol of evil to "freak out the squares". That's it.
As far as the Maltese Cross goes, Nazi Germany was not the only country to use the symbol. It doesn't have the air of pure evil that the Swastika has. Have you looked at the insignia of your local fire department lately?
Larry T

 

Then there is the famous picture of the LA Roadsters Clubhouse with Norm Grabowski sitting in "his area" next to a shelf of trophies etc with swastikas and military crosses and iron crosses on them. Surfer/hotrod/Cali style of the times, bad taste now, cool daddy then.

The direction of the bends in the "hooked cross" don't mean much, as Native American, Indian, and most others are seen in both right and left handed versions. Hitler chose the right-hand hook but on many banners and flags which were only single sided they are left-handed from the reverse view.

Although it may have been used for centuries, even millenia, the Swastika will forever be a stark and instantly recognizable symbol of evil and man's worst intentions due to its use by the NSDAP(also prior to 1933) and Germany during the 1933-1945 era. If we try to rationalize it and tenderize it we lose sight of the suffering and deaths of millions of innocents at the hands of the Nazis and their sympathizers.

The oft-repeated "We must not forget!" catchphrase IS very true.

 

wow i would have never noticed.

 

I think that pretty well puts it in a nutshell

 

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Comet
Todays lesson, if you can break it apart without reversing it and the "twisted cross" (as it was sometimes referred to) forms two "S's" then you have a swastika. Otherwise, it's not a swastika.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by scottybaccus
"The swastika (from Sanskrit svástika / &#2360;&#2381;&#2357;&#2360;&#2381;&#2340;&#2367;&#2325;) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (&#21328;) form or its mirrored left-facing (&#21325;) form. Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates from the Neolithic period. It occurs mainly in the modern day culture of India, sometimes as a geometrical motif and sometimes as a religious symbol. It remains widely used in Eastern religions / Dharmic religion such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism."
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
looks like its called a swastika either way its facing.


That's what I thought too? Wonder if the N_zis reversed them for left/right use?
I'm not an expert,just an observer.
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[QUOTE Wonder if the N_zis reversed them for left/right use? QUOTE]

No.

 

Sometimes people just do dumb things. I am sure the Iron Cross was the original intent, but thats not what came out.

Mabey the SS that Chevy used had him confused.

Wondered what it looked like with the blower turning?

 

That car rules....swastika or not.....

 

Seems the magazines and liberal news media always over-sensationalize everything,..
but this helps them sell publications; I think it has always been a way Cool car, and am glad to here it's back in the original families ownership,..generations to come can enjoy it for what it is,...COOL

 

ditto!!!!

 

Yep, theres one on the "Surfs Up" decal.

 

I really wish they would put the correct wheels and tires on it...

 

I like the Silver Sapphire



Heres a shot without the Swashitcia






From Rikster's site...

 

Whoa....look at the '39 in the background!!!!! We need more mild customs like that man!

 

WOW!....look at that vintage VW!...........

 

"Linde" later to be Union Carbide still rented gas bottles used and maufactured in Germany in the 80,s. The oldest gas bottle I saw was 1939. They have a stamped in Swashitcia on the neck about 3/8 square. Ater the war they where restamped by hand with a chisel to become a box with a cross in the middle

 

I bet he did it cause it looks pretty when it spins? Everyone always though the iron/maltese cross was racist the jj made it mainstream wallmart

 

I wonder if this car is the reason I have to listen to the Beach Boys at every Car Show I go to.

If so, that pisses me off more than the artwork on it...

 

What a lot of rot. Hell yes. It was part of that time period. I'm so sick of politically correct assholes making much ado about nothing. It's like picking at a scab. If you don't, it'll heal up. I have been told by some on my mother's side of the family, we were German Jews, long before Schicklegruber, the little paperhanger, raved his way into power . I don't take offense at that being on the blower pulley anymore than I would it being on an Indian blanket, or a piece of pottery. Car culture is an escape from all political point of views, the way I understand it. Otherwise, I'm going to become a biker.

 

That would be a "vw hebmuller"
Long before they were called "bugs"

 

I thought it was KDF.

But it doesnt matter, that is a O/T vehicle anyway.

We were discussing a cool vintage Hot Rod with an unfortunate logo...