When did they come about. I have a 54 ford with a 58 t bird bumper. Don't like the stock t bird grill. Car is a early 60's custom and was thinking of going this route. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
They first became popular in the later '50s and early '60s. I don't doubt that someone used them before that but they became popular in the affore mentioned period.
I used those chromed square knobs that are recessed in the middle on my 1954 Ford maybe in late 50's with an accessory chrome cover on the grill bar center. I probably got the idea from the early "Little Pages" car magazines.
We did copy a lot of new styling trends. Many guys were trying to make their old car look like a late model. That was the idea behind cusomizing. That and trying to be different.
i do weatherization and we change out alot of old doors. so i tell my guys to keep those old glass knobs for me. i have a nice collection going on....lets see some pictures!!
I thought I read Barris took some from his mom's kitchen . Posted while on the run with Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I'm not that wound up about knob grilles. Some are just too much, some look like exactly what they are, door knobs in the grille. It's a tough call to get it dead on and I've seen maybe 1 or 2 that actually looked good. I agree with the 58 Buick reference. They look like that's what THEY did!
Sounds like something of myth. He worked with Westergard on the Fade Away in the '40s. I can't imagine a grown man stealing his mom's drawer pulls.
I don't think that one kitchen would have enaugh knobs to film a complete grill;-) Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
In 1958 I had a friend give me a couple dozen gold colored tv or furniture legs, about 6" long. I put them on a 55 Ford grille. From a distance it looked like gold teeth. Picture 3 rows 1 across the center and 1 top and bottom. Never really grew on me so I removed them after a month or so.
I don't know the date but at one time I had a custom magazine from the 50's or 60's with an article telling how to put them on your grill. I think it was in one of those Rodding and Restyling books that sold for .75 around 1960.
I recall reading articles in the little pages about drawer knobs between 1958 and 1959. I admired the look they gave but never attempted it. I was more of a tube grill kind of guy.
that was back when they had good chrome on them. todays knobs would probably be all flaked off in 6 months, considering where they probably come from.
Wait! I'd like to see one with glass door knobs. Those drawer pull ones always look like drawer pull knobs to me.
I remember my Dad telling me he had them in his 50 Ford in 1960, I did a little Knod to this on my dash, I used 2 of his old ones to fill the holes from the OG radio!
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