Note the fox tail in this photo of my Hudson in 1951. This was one of the photos that California Bill took for his "How To Hop Up A Chevy (and Buick)" book which helped get him going toward founding HP Books which was very successful. The Hudson had just then been taken off of the streets to be a Lakes and drag racer. Previously it had also been used for street racing; with the fox tail and sometimes bolt-on Buick portholes. In the 1930s and 1940s some guys stripped their hot rods and made them into the traditional hot rod styles that we appreciate today. Other guys added chrome, emblems, lights, Buick portholes and other stuff. To many of us their cars were "gaudy" and rarely very fast. Many of these guys put fox tails on their antennas. Stores like Pep Boys and Western Auto sold them. The fox tail on the Hudson was meant to show that I was a "squirrel" and that "my father's" Hudson was probably not very fast. That was the impression that we wanted to make when we went out for an evening of street racing. Actually the Buick (straight 8) powered Hudson ran 106 mph at the drags and 129.96 mph at the Lakes that year. In 1951 that was a very good speed and the car was a successful street racer. To answer the question, the fox tail was typically found on the customized cars that usually had lots of chrome, lights and stuff. It is most likely that the fox tail concept was actually started in regards to the ability to pick up girls. Don www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com
Along with all the other accessories, around here in the fifties, The only people who had visors on their cars were the blacks. And they were the only ones who would drive older Cadillacs. Remember Driving Miss Daisy? Thats the way it was for many years. When the Cadillacs got old and undesirable the blacks got'em. I am amazed that some guys on this forum find old Cadillacs desirable
Man, those old cartoons bring back memories. I have seen more and more of them on cars recently. I have always been curious about their history. Interesting info. on here...
I do believe it dates back to the youth crowd of the '20s. The tails (including squirril, too) were just a jaunty "trophy," not much more than just that.
Fox tails- so cool. Hang off the radio aerial- showed you had a radio- very cool for chicks. Get a good fresh tail, de- bone it (slit), pin out the skin, lay salt on it fer a month. Otherwise it's gonna stink badder than it do already.
When I was in grade school I cut the tail off a road kill ra**** and tied on my Mom's '40 Plymouth hood ornament. After a couple days it stunk so bad Mom made take off of there and toss it. Why I did it and where I'd seen it done I don't remember.
In 1957, I had a '48 Cad that was raked...I welded a huge meat cleaver to the rear axle housing, looked like a butcher had slung it in there. The rear underside was painted, pinstriped, and detailed...Also had a stop lamp filament bulb that lit it up from a dash switch at night. Got a big fat ticket for the light underneath. Vigilant policeman... Never considered the **** tail, when I was a little kid (1947) the Philipinos and Mexicans used to cruise by Grandma's house in their '41 Chevy Fleetline 4-doors, lowered in back, skirts & mud flaps, chrome stars...Always flying a **** tail! Loud exhaust, (single exhaust, straight pipe of holes poked in the muffler; the Hot Rod guys had "twin pipes") They would pull the wolf whistle, and step on the Bermuda bell: 'Ding-Dong!' I liked those guys, I was 6...They'd drive by, and wave. Make a show...for Me! Cool when you're young and impressionable. They were neighborhood guys, I knew 'em all as I grew up. Lifelong friends. In 1954 I was 12, and 'got a ride' with an older pal in his '32 Highboy. Adopted by the fastest hot rod club in town. (Thank you, Lord!) Al Marceline hung a **** tail on his Highboy one night as a 'lark': He had just waxed Cliff Ambrose's '32 Five Window...a 296" flattie that was brand new. Al's little "Five-sixteenths by Quarter" pulled Cliff right outa the gate, beat him by 2 car lengths. Then did it again! This was right in front of the new Food Machinery Corp, Coleman Ave. (Santa Clara) So, a **** tail COULD be cool, for a day or two...(this was my 1954 reasoning) I've won so many races I can't count 'em...(lost lots, too!) But I never flew the **** tail.
The **** tail was initiated during the 20's, along with the ****skin long coats popular in the college group. This was also in the "Flapper" era.
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