Anyone care to school me on which period these trends first became popular in? My new-to-me project is a (not smack on) 60's styled '36 chevy pickup and so many trends from the 60s are so prevalent, it is difficult to know what all happened 'when' as I pick up unique ideas and parts for my build. Cheers!
I think Mexican blankets have been around forever, they were used on hot rods in the fifties as a cheap way to cover up worn upholstery. Lucite shift knobs, not sure what you mean, but Bob Hirohata was making laminated plastic dash knobs at Barris's kustom shop around 1952.
And my theory on mexican blankets is that they were used in the western states that bordered Mexico, and mainly SoCal because TJ was a popular destination.
I just never understood the appeal of Mexican blankets, they always looked out of place to me in a custom or hot rod. I don't think the multiple bright colors help.
I think the main appeal in California was that you could pick them up for a couple of bucks in gas stations and chain stores . Back when cars had no heaters lots of cars already had them for wrapping up and keeping warm on cold days. It didn't take much imagination to use one to cover worn upholstery when you didn't have the time or money for new upholstery. In other words there was nothing special about them. It was just a cheap and handy substitute for seat covers.
I think also people used to keep those blankets rolled up in their trunk or behind their seat in case they broke down or someone got cold etc. I know my grandpa always had a blanket (indian blanket), tools, flash light, water, and extra oil etc. I imagine when the seats got ragged looking that the blanket got turned into a seat cover. IDK? edit* Rusty kinda beat me to it! I agree.
I think that Mexican blankets originated in Mexico. LOL Having spent most of my life around Mexicans I have to say this, what we normally see in cars that we consider "Mexican" blankets are actually Navajo blankets. I happen to have some examples of both here at least one that my dad brought me from Hermosillo before I started Kinder Garden, it is not zig zagged and colorful, it is green and gray. and no I am not going snap pics to make the masses happy. That said, I have seen blankets thrown on seats as long as I can remember but I don't remember much before about '57 or '58 so I maybe am not much help here. Lucite knobs are the same as long as I can remember. Anyway blankets are not upholstery they are a measure to help keep the springs from pocking you in the butt and I don't recall anyone ever thinking that they were to be used as a finished product. That said, my goto for years was a sleeping bag and it moved from one car to the next.
Exactly! When the weather started to turn this fall I dug through the hall closet and pulled out an old Indian blanket (made in Mexico) I picked up at a gas station years ago and stuck it over the backs of the seats. When the wife gets cold while we're out driving I pull it off the seat and she can wrap it around herself. The last time we did this was the day after Christmas (haven't had the car out since then).
10-4 What about wacky and wild shift knobs? Was that pre-war or maybe fifties when it emerged as a 'style' of its own?
don't forget that Mexican blankets were being use on transportation vehicles long before there were automobiles.
The '90s. LOL they emerged with the newstalgia movement. Sort of a wink and a nod to Mr Roth's t shirts.
IMHO... blankets are just tourist items from the south, regardless of where you visited or lived adjacent to Mexico - but you might want to blame the SOCAL surfers (or the Beats?) for making it popular in old jalopies, woodies and beach cars. Laminted plexi was a very popular "craft" item in the 50's. After it became more available, seems like every high school shop class was teaching kids how to make something new out of it - in a post-war, "Wonderful World of Acrylics" era. Lots of interesting (non-military) projects were being built from the stuff, from serving trays, to coffee tables, to bubble-topped show cars. Lots of other trinkets and gizmos were being made from shop floor scraps, too, like key fobs, knobs, ear rings, bracelets, what have you. As an eighth grader, we were sawing, sanding, heating, laminating, and twisting the stuff into all kinds of nifty stuff. I wish I could find my clear plexi, DNA shapped key fob - that I twisted into shape in the shop oven while wearing welder's gloves! I know it's around here some place. Gary
Well, like those blankets or not......I use one on the bottom cushion of my roadster to keep me from scorching my legs while wearing shorts!
First time we went to Tijuana to get my bud's car upholstered, we went to some bars (for the 'show'!) Spent lots of mad money, I called it that because Allen didn't have close to $100 for the upholstery shop! Shoulda gone there first! Anyhoo, he bought 2 Mexican blankets and threw them over the shabby seats. (just in case anybody questioned about the T.J. Tuck and Roll) I recall them advertised as 'Zarapes', probably Spanish spelling, like "Tejas". He wasn't the first...but that was good 'cover'!
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