Let me hear about some "Rare" factory options you've seen on cars I'll start My little brother once had a 1953 Chevy (MoreDoor) with power windows and power seat Another friend owned a 55 Chevy "Nomad" with factory air,padded dash and power windows
thanks...I almost forgot my 1947 Pontiac Fastback REAR wiper and back window louver (Inside) Ist year, I was told, for Metallic paint (Maroon)
1957 Chevrolet "vacuum ashtray". I've only seen it once. Don't know if 1957 holds the record for total number of options,accessories, but there were sure a lot.
Not a factory option, but my Dad's '60 Chevy Parkwood had a Dealer-installed Motorola FM radio. Yes FM. Musta been crazy expensive then.
Had a 51 Chrysler New Yorker with hemi head V8, 4 speed automatic Fluid Torque Drive, padded dash, tinted windows, power steering and power brakes. No other car in the world offered those options at the time, no Cadillac no Rolls no Mercedes no nothing.
Swing-a-way wheel,and vinyl top on my 64 Galaxie! Along with power windows,brakes,steering,and factory air! The vinyl top is the rarest!!
We had a 57 210 4DR hardtop (lowest prod model) with padded dash, powerpack and a posi. Who in the world would order the cheap trim package in the more expensive hardtop THEN add the other options!?!?!?!
When kid was a young lad back in the 50's, my Dad had a 48 Packard that had a vacuum button on the dash that when pushed would open and close the rear window. Right next to it was another button that turned on the auto clutch, back off the gas, vacuum would pull clutch peddle down, shift then hit gas and the clutch would engage smoothly. of course you had use your foot whet starting or stopping.
Had a 55 packard with power windows, power seat, power antenna, power steering, power brakes, seat heater, and of course the auto leveling suspension. Not rare for the 55 packard but I would consider rare for 1955.
Fiber optic turn signal indicators on Rivs and a chevy pony car... Also headlight washers and a liquid traction bottle on the chevy also...
Two that I remember. We had a '50 Nash with a steer head hood ornament that had clear Lucite horns that lit up when you turned on the lights. I had a Terraplane coupe with the small electric shift lever on the column and if the solenoid system failed there was a standard type floor shift lever mounted in the trunk that you could remove and pull up a cover plate on the floor and insert it. It would allow you to drive to a garage to get the electric stuff repaired.
When I use to sell parts, a guy came in looking for a battery to his '54 Chevy 2-Door. I told him that I had one and that I would help him install it. When he popped the hood, I noticed on the side of the 235 that it had a power steering pump built onto the generator. It got me curious, so I followed the lines from the pump. Sure as shit, the '54 had an original, factory installed power steering setup in addition to a cast-iron factory Powerglide behind that straight-6. It was the coolest thing I saw up to that point. Another guy came in one day who was driving a '47 Buick Convertible that had 45K original miles and still looked brand new. The coolest thing about this car was that it had hydraulic power windows and a hydraulic power top, and they still worked...with no leaks! The windows made absolutely no sound as they went up and down. It was unbelievable!
In 66 was workin @ a Buick dealership. Ws walkin across the used car lot on the way into the bodyshop, saw a 64 Rivi (that musta been tradin in the night B4) Noticed it had a 4 speed in it. On my morning coffee break, went over to the used car Manager and asked about it. Left my 62 Skylark H/T 215 V-8 4 speed there and drove the Rivi home that night. It was Black on black, dual quad GS car. Every option available. Then Nam came and the Rivi went away. Damn !
My 1960 Lincoln has factory cruise control. Its' serial number puts it about 200 cars before the end of production (Build date August 12th, 1960). The serial # on the Cruise Control unit (Perfect Circle Speedostat) is #96.
Ad a pickup bed on rollers in the trunk, factory option for farmers that wanted a pickup and then a car on Sunday.
The 51 Lincoln Cosmo has factory hydraulic power windows. Going to be interesting to try and get working again.
My '37 Chevy coupe had a pair of original accessory vent window bug screens on it when I got it. Chevy owners didn't pop for too much back in the tail end of the Great Depression! It also had a "No-Roll" device set up to the brake pedal to the clutch. When you were at a stop and had the clutch pushed in all the way, it would lock the brakes on. When you let out the clutch a little, the brake would disengage.
had a neighbor that bought a new '65 Ford Galaxie H/top...came with glass covers over the headlights.(dual lights,over & under)..pretty sure they were factory,cause I remember them having some sort of Ford/Galaxie emblem on them...Used to wash the car for them on the weekends...
Back when I was in high school, my neighbor ordered a new Dodge (full size car) don't remember the model, but he wanted a 4 door with a standard shift. I came with a Hurst 4 speed and swan type shifter. Bench seat, 383 V8. Only 4 door I ever seen with a factory Hurst. I think this was about 1964 or there abouts.
how about lack of factory options----had a 72 impala sport coupe .quarter windows and rear of roof looked like a convert. car was a 1 owner;white with black int .250 6 cyl 3speed on column.radio delete no ps only pb
1939 chevy. "Witch eye" bulb burnout indicator. Green light on dash came on when any light bulb on the car was blown.