# Aftermarket automobile accessories from years past **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591 "2015-09-17T20:06:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/21 "2015-09-17T23:13:12Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > A “Traffic Light Viewer”. Basically, a dash mounted fresnel lens that let you see whether the light was red or green when you couldn’t see it by looking up. I’ll take one, COD! Connecticut is full of intersections that are too small and have the wire-hung lights too high, so that even in two vehicles with high, set-back windshields you can’t see the light at the limit line, sometimes not even one car back. Fraggin PITA… ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/22 "2015-09-17T23:18:33Z")
I had one of those FM converter tuners. I later replaced it with an actual underdash stereo FM radio. I bought an 8-track player and hooked the radio and tape player to the same speakers with a two position switch to switch the speakers between the 8-track and the radio. When record companies stopped releasing 8-track tapes, I bought an adapter that slid into the 8-track slot and let you play cassettes. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/23 "2015-09-17T23:32:07Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > My sister had a '62 Bug and found a mint window-mount ‘swamp cooler’ at a swap meet. Used it for years in hot,dry summers. We had this beauty in Las Vegas. You pulled a chain and it would soak the pad in water. Worked great in the dry climate. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/24 "2015-09-17T23:51:50Z")
how about those cassette adapters for portable CD players? I had one back when I was in high school, and aftermarket radios with CD started at $399. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/25 "2015-09-18T01:13:53Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > \*\*Dipstick engine heaters still around? > > Remove oil dipstick, insert heater shaped like dipstick, plug in. Never tried one. > \*\* > ‘Moon’ ‘hub caps’ (actually wheel covers). > > Sheepskin seat covers. Bought one last year for my lawn tractor which doubles as my snowblower. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/26 "2015-09-18T01:43:49Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’ll take one, COD! > > Connecticut is full of intersections that are too small and have the wire-hung lights too high, so that even in two vehicles with high, set-back windshields you can’t see the light at the limit line, sometimes not even one car back. Fraggin PITA… This is [windshield mounted](http://www.lightinsight.com/default.aspx) but may work for you. The “buy one” link gave an unsecured connection error but they also sell them through Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/27 "2015-09-18T02:26:07Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’ll take one, COD! > > Connecticut is full of intersections that are too small and have the wire-hung lights too high, so that even in two vehicles with high, set-back windshields you can’t see the light at the limit line, sometimes not even one car back. Fraggin PITA… Also, in addition to Amazon, eBay is full of them. > **[NOS 40's 50's GM Pontiac Accessory Traffic Light Viewer Viewfinder 514340...](https://www.ebay.com/p/15015322971)** > > Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NOS 40's 50's GM Pontiac Accessory Traffic Light Viewer Viewfinder 514340 O125 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/28 "2015-09-18T02:47:05Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Also, in addition to Amazon, eBay is full of them. > > [NOS 40's 50's GM Pontiac Accessory Traffic Light Viewer Viewfinder 514340 O125 for sale online | eBay](http://www.ebay.com/bhp/traffic-light-viewer) Hilarious… The first one in that list is from a resto place I used to buy stuff at! ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/29 "2015-09-18T03:12:05Z")
My daughter and I are reading a book that takes place in 1963. The dad purchases a record player(!) for his car. I had never heard of such a thing,but my friend Google told me otherwise. A record player… For a car! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/30 "2015-09-18T04:40:07Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > A “Traffic Light Viewer”. Basically, a dash mounted fresnel lens that let you see whether the light was red or green when you couldn’t see it by looking up. The parents of a friend of mine had a '57 BelAir with literally every option, including a factory traffic light viewer on the dash. It was pretty, and worked well. I haven’t had a steering wheel cover in ages, but they used to seem really common. Of course, steering wheels seem to be made of better material these days. Driver’s airbags also seem to have largely gotten rid of after-market steering wheels, as well. I had a couple of different ones, the most evil and pretty was a wood/chrome one that would sear your hands to a delicious medium rare on a summer day. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/31 "2015-09-18T05:01:45Z")
I was going to post about traffic light viewers but it seems I’m late to the party. They’re especially useful on cars with [exterior sun visors](http://vpstestbringatrailercom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1947_Plymouth_Deluxe_Front_1.jpg) like the one on my 48 Chevy. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/32 "2015-09-18T05:41:39Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > how about those cassette adapters for portable CD players? I had one back when I was in high school, and aftermarket radios with CD started at $399. I still used one with my iPhone up until a few years ago. Then I bought a new stereo with an AUX in jack. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/33 "2015-09-18T05:47:15Z")
> [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](#): > > My daughter and I are reading a book that takes place in 1963. The dad purchases a record player(!) for his car. I had never heard of such a thing,but my friend Google told me otherwise. > A record player… For a car! Would you believe a [car record changer](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S0hRzEihsR4)? ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/34 "2015-09-18T05:51:52Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Would you believe a [car record changer](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S0hRzEihsR4)? That’s just crazy! I didn’t realize they played upside down! ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/35 "2015-09-18T11:28:22Z")
> [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](#): > > My daughter and I are reading a book that takes place in 1963. The dad purchases a record player(!) for his car. I had never heard of such a thing,but my friend Google told me otherwise. > A record player… For a car! [Here ya go](http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2010/04/car-record-players-other-cool-vintage.html). ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/36 "2015-09-18T12:51:18Z")
We had an 8-track player in our van. The Van was kind of a camper van as there was a table in the back that you could convert in to a small bed. The best thing we had though was an 8-track to cassette converter. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/37 "2015-09-18T13:54:12Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I haven’t had a steering wheel cover in ages, but they used to seem really common. Of course, steering wheels seem to be made of better material these days. Put one of those perforated spongy ones on lots of cars with slick plastic grips. Then I got into a better grade of car and the leather/ette wheels were both pretty and plenty grippy, so I was done with that. Then we bought an XC90, most models of which come with said grippy leather wheel, but because this one had some interior upgrade package, the wheel was… shiny, slippery woodgrain plastic. Like a 1972 Buick. So it’s on it’s second Wheelskins leather wrap (aka cover)… ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/38 "2015-09-18T14:17:22Z")
In the early 2000s I bought a high end Pioneer CD player with an animated display that would play videos. Today it’s not even legal in the US to have what is essentially a video player in the front of the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/39 "2015-09-18T14:38:43Z")
My dad bought a 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 (baby blue!) for me to drive when I was in college. It only had an AM radio, which was awful (I had a 45-minute commute to college), so I \*\*\*begged \*\*\*for an AM/FM/cassette radio. I offered to do extra work around the house to pay for it. And dad got one and put it in for me. He’s a really nice father. Anyway, that falls under the “ridiculous” category because obviously now I’d be begging for Bluetooth and iPhone-friendly. 😃 ETA: various seat covers and steering wheel covers, because dammit, both seats and steering wheels get hot in Florida! (I still have a sheepskin steering wheel cover today; it’s nice in the autumn/winter.) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591/40 "2015-09-18T14:40:18Z")
I remember JC whitney-they sold all kinds of aftermarket junk. I remember the wheel spinner knobs-that would impale you in a crash. also the "gas saving’ frauds that (allegedly) would give you up to 100 MPG! they also had things that plugged int o your lighter outlet-it would ionize the air, and make you more alert. JC Whitney-proof positive of PT Barnum’s old adage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermarket-automobile-accessories-from-years-past/731591.md?page=3)