Do You Know What These Vintage Car Accessories Were Used For?
Quiz completed!
Here are your results...
🥁You're a star!
Well done!
Good effort!
Not too bad!
Better luck next time!
You scored
out of
Question 1
What Was A Rumble Seat Used For In Old Cars?
Question 1
What Did A Car's Suicide Knob Help The Driver Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Hood Ornament Mainly Used For?
Question 1
What Is A Vintage Car's Running Board Used For?
Question 1
What Did Drivers Use A Vintage Bench Seat For?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Fender Skirt Designed To Cover?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Throttle Hand Lever Control?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Trunk Rack Bolted To The Car For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Choke Knob Help You Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Visor Vanity Mirror Used For?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Fuzzy Dice Hung On?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Spotlight Help Drivers See?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Lap Robe Kept In The Car For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Radiator Ornament Thermometer Actually Measure?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Gear Shift Knob Often Made Of?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Swamp Cooler Hang On?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Tissue Dispenser Mounted On For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Curb Feeler Help Drivers Avoid?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rear Window Defogger Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Spare Tire Carrier Hold?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Bumper-Mounted Fog Horn Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Rear Fender Skirt Guard Protect Against?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Glove Box Originally Designed To Store?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Fog Light Help Drivers Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Antenna Topper Ball Placed On The Car For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Vacuum Gauge On The Dashboard Measure?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rear Window Venetian Blind Primarily Marketed As?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Radiator Muff Keep Warm In Winter?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Outside Sun Visor Mounted Above The Windshield For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Exhaust Deflector Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Foot Warmer Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Robe Rail Help Passengers Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Steering Column Gearshift Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Compass On The Dash Help Drivers Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Fender Mirror Mounted On The Car For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Windshield Washer Foot Pump Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Spotlight Handle Used For Inside The Cabin?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Rear Seat Ashtray Allow Passengers To Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Cooler Caddy Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Passenger Assist Strap Help Riders Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Picnic Tray Attached To The Seat For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Clutch Pedal Allow The Driver To Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Map Light Mounted Inside For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Suicide Door Open Toward?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Radio Antenna Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Heater Knob Control Inside The Cabin?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Dash-Mounted Altimeter Help Drivers Know?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Windshield Vent Wing Let Into The Car?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Steering Wheel Horn Ring Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Spare Tire Cover Protect?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Dash-Mounted Clock Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Jump Seat Hold?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Vent Window Crank Turned For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Seat Belt Retractor Do For Drivers?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rear-View Mirror Dimmer Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Luggage Strap Secure?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rear Bumper Exhaust Extension Designed To Do?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Fuel Gauge Float Measure Inside The Tank?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Windshield Sun Shade Placed Inside For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Dome Light Switch On The Door Do?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rooftop Luggage Rack Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Steering Wheel Desk Clip Onto?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Flag Holder Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Rear Window Shelf Display?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Bumper Bullet Guard Designed To Protect?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Dash-Mounted Tissue Box Holder Do?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Passenger Sunshade Flip Down To Block?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Steering Column Turn Signal Arm Used For?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Rear Bumper Step Plate Used For?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Steering Wheel Desk Used For?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Exhaust Whistle Attach To?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Fender-Mounted Spotlight Aimed At?
Question 1
What Did A Vintage Car's Trunk-Mounted Suitcase Carrier Bolt Onto?
Question 1
What Was A Vintage Car's Dashboard Bud Vase Meant To Hold?
1
Extra Passenger Seating
2
Holding The Gas Tank
3
Storing The Spare Tire
4
Mounting The Headlights
Rumble seats folded out from the rear of the car and were wildly popular with young couples in the 1920s.
1
Shift Into Reverse
2
Adjust The Side Mirror
3
Lock The Parking Brake
4
Spin The Steering Wheel
This knob clipped onto the steering wheel so drivers could spin it one-handed, which was especially handy for parallel parking.
1
Signaling Other Drivers
2
Holding The Hood Latch
3
Measuring Engine Heat
4
Decoration And Style
Early hood ornaments evolved from radiator caps and became status symbols — Rolls-Royce's Spirit of Ecstasy debuted in 1911.
1
Resting Your Elbow
2
Mounting The Spare Tire
3
Stepping Into The Car
4
Storing Road Maps
Running boards were a must-have on tall early cars, and gangster movies made them famous as getaway footholds in the 1930s.
1
Reclining For Long Trips
2
Folding Into A Bed
3
Sitting Three Across
4
Storing Emergency Gear
Bench seats let three people sit up front, which is why old love songs mention sliding close to your sweetheart on a car date.
1
The Front Bumper Bolts
2
The Exhaust Pipe Ends
3
The Running Board Edges
4
The Rear Wheel Wells
Fender skirts gave 1950s cars a sleek, streamlined look and were considered a glamorous custom touch on Cadillacs and Buicks.
1
The Engine Speed
2
The Choke Valve
3
The Headlight Brightness
4
The Windshield Wipers
Before foot pedals were standard, drivers adjusted engine speed by hand — early Model T Fords used a lever on the steering column.
1
Carrying Extra Luggage
2
Attaching A Trailer Hitch
3
Mounting A Spare Tire
4
Holding A Toolbox
Early cars had no built-in trunk, so exterior racks held actual travel trunks — that is literally how the word trunk got its name.
1
Slow Down On Steep Hills
2
Switch Between High And Low Beams
3
Release The Emergency Brake
4
Start The Engine In Cold Weather
Pulling the choke restricted airflow to help cold engines fire up — by the 1980s, fuel injection made choke knobs completely obsolete.
1
Checking Your Appearance
2
Reading Maps At Night
3
Watching Rear Traffic
4
Reflecting Sunlight Away
Vanity mirrors became a standard sun visor feature in the 1950s and were heavily marketed to women drivers as a stylish luxury touch.
1
The Rearview Mirror
2
The Glove Box
3
The Gear Shift
4
The Door Handle
Fuzzy dice became a 1950s craze after WWII pilots hung lucky dice in their cockpits before dangerous missions.
1
The Car's Hood
2
Road Signs Ahead
3
House Numbers At Night
4
Oncoming Traffic
These swiveling roof-mounted lamps were popular in the 1940s and let drivers aim a beam at addresses without leaving the car.
1
Storing In The Trunk
2
Wiping The Windshield
3
Covering The Seat
4
Keeping Passengers Warm
Early cars had no heaters, so wool lap robes were a standard accessory passengers tucked over their legs on cold drives.
1
The Oil Pressure Level
2
The Cabin Temperature
3
The Engine's Coolant Temperature
4
The Outside Air Temperature
Before dashboard gauges were standard, drivers checked a thermometer mounted on the radiator cap to avoid overheating the engine.
1
Wood And Brass
2
Rubber And Cork
3
Ivory Or Bakelite
4
Chrome And Steel
Bakelite, one of the first synthetic plastics invented in 1907, was prized for gear knobs because it stayed cool to the touch and looked elegant.
1
The Roof Rack
2
The Front Bumper
3
The Car Window
4
The Rearview Mirror
Before air conditioning, these water-filled evaporative coolers hung from open windows and were a popular desert-driving solution in the 1940s and 50s.
1
Cleaning The Windshield
2
Holding Spare Change
3
Storing Road Maps
4
Easy Reach While Driving
Kleenex actually marketed its tissues in the 1920s as a car accessory first, before people realized they were better used as handkerchiefs.
1
Scraping The Hubcaps
2
Running Over The Curb
3
Denting The Bumper
4
Hitting The Garage Door
These thin metal wires attached near the front wheels made a scraping sound when they touched the curb, saving many a chrome hubcap in the 1950s.
1
Heating The Rear Seat
2
Clearing A Foggy Back Window
3
Melting Snow On The Trunk
4
Drying The Car After Rain
Early rear defoggers were small electric fans mounted inside the car, since the heated wire grids we know today didn't become common until the 1970s.
1
A Folding Road Sign
2
A Full-Size Backup Tire
3
An Emergency Gas Can
4
A Portable Jack Stand
In the 1930s and 40s, roads were so rough and tires so unreliable that many cars carried two spare tires mounted proudly on the outside of the trunk.
1
Warning Other Drivers In Poor Visibility
2
Announcing Arrival At A Destination
3
Signaling A Gas Station Attendant
4
Scaring Animals Off The Road
Bulb-powered bumper horns were a popular 1930s safety accessory for foggy mountain roads before electric horns became universal.
1
Road Debris And Mud
2
Tire Blowouts
3
Scraping The Curb
4
Rust And Corrosion
Chrome fender guards were bolted along the lower body in the 1950s to shield the paint from gravel and road spray.
1
Spare Fuses
2
Driving Gloves
3
Insurance Papers
4
Road Maps
Early open-air cars required leather driving gloves, so a small dashboard compartment was built specifically to hold them.
1
Illuminate The Dashboard
2
Signal Other Drivers
3
See In Low Visibility
4
Light Up Road Signs
Vintage fog lights sat low on the bumper and cast a wide, flat beam that cut under fog rather than bouncing off it.
1
Protecting The Antenna Tip
2
Better Radio Signal
3
Fun Decoration
4
Identifying The Car Model
Smiley faces, fuzzy animals, and sports team balls topped antennas in the 1970s and 80s purely as playful personal expression.
1
Coolant Temperature
2
Engine Efficiency
3
Fuel Level
4
Tire Pressure
Popular in the 1930s, vacuum gauges helped frugal drivers adjust their throttle to get the best possible gas mileage.
1
A Wind Noise Reducer
2
A Sun Glare Blocker
3
A Privacy Screen
4
An Interior Decoration
These 1950s clip-in mini blinds were sold specifically to shade backseat passengers from harsh sun glare.
1
The Engine Coolant
2
The Car Battery
3
The Fuel Line
4
The Driver's Hands
Before modern thermostats, drivers wrapped canvas or leather muffs around the front grille to help the engine warm up faster in freezing temperatures.
1
Deflecting Rain Off The Glass
2
Improving Aerodynamics
3
Mounting Extra Lights
4
Shading The Driver's Eyes
Before tinted glass, metal visors bolted above the windshield on 1930s and 40s cars to block low sun without the driver squinting.
1
Reduced Engine Noise
2
Redirected Fumes Away From The Car
3
Boosted Horsepower
4
Protected The Bumper From Heat
These chrome accessories bolted over the tailpipe in the 1950s to angle exhaust gases downward and away from the trunk and bumper finish.
1
Warming Passengers' Feet
2
Warming The Windshield
3
Heating The Engine
4
Drying Wet Floor Mats
Before car heaters were standard, drivers used charcoal or hot-water foot warmers to survive cold winter drives.
1
Hold A Lap Blanket
2
Grip During Turns
3
Store Their Hats
4
Hang Their Coats
Robe rails were small chrome bars on the back of front seats, designed to keep a passenger's lap robe neatly in place.
1
Controlling The Wipers
2
Setting The Parking Brake
3
Changing Gears
4
Adjusting The Mirrors
Called the 'three on the tree,' column-mounted gearshifts freed up the front bench seat so three passengers could sit comfortably.
1
Track Their Direction
2
Measure Their Speed
3
Monitor Fuel Levels
4
Check Engine Temperature
Long before GPS, dashboard compasses were a popular accessory that helped drivers navigate unfamiliar roads on long road trips.
1
Checking The Front Tires
2
Reflecting Headlight Glare
3
Seeing Behind The Car
4
Decorating The Fender
Fender mirrors were mounted on the front fenders rather than the doors, and Japanese drivers loved them so much they stayed popular in Japan for decades.
1
Activated The Horn
2
Pumped The Brakes
3
Squirted Water On The Windshield
4
Inflated The Spare Tire
Early windshield washers used a rubber foot pump on the floorboard — drivers had to stomp it to spray water while keeping their eyes on the road.
1
Aiming The Spotlight
2
Controlling The Wipers
3
Adjusting The Headlights
4
Turning On The Dome Light
The interior handle let the driver or passenger swivel the outside spotlight without rolling down the window, a clever feature on 1940s and 1950s cars.
1
Dispose Of Gum Wrappers
2
Hold Drinks Steady
3
Store Small Change
4
Smoke In The Back Seat
Rear ashtrays were standard in most 1950s and 1960s cars because smoking while traveling was completely normal and even considered refined.
1
Holding A Picnic Cooler
2
Storing The Spare Tire
3
Mounting A Bike Rack
4
Carrying Luggage Bags
Trunk cooler caddies were popular 1950s accessories that held an ice cooler securely so families could bring cold drinks on summer road trips.
1
Adjust The Seat Position
2
Open The Car Door
3
Hold On Around Corners
4
Buckle Their Seat Belt
Nicknamed the 'oh no handle' or 'oh shoot strap,' these grab handles appeared before seatbelts were common and gave nervous passengers something to grip.
1
Eating On The Go
2
Resting Your Arm
3
Holding Road Maps
4
Storing Sunglasses
1950s drive-in restaurants popularized fold-down trays so families could eat full meals without leaving their cars.
1
Control The Headlights
2
Adjust The Throttle
3
Apply The Brakes
4
Change Gears Smoothly
Early manual transmissions required a clutch pedal to disconnect the engine so gears could shift without grinding damage.
1
Reading Maps At Night
2
Signaling Other Drivers
3
Lighting The Dashboard
4
Checking The Engine
Before GPS, a small dome map light let passengers navigate paper road maps on dark highways without blinding the driver.
1
The Rear Of The Car
2
The Front Of The Car
3
Sliding Into The Door Frame
4
Straight Up Like A Wing
Suicide doors hinged at the rear, and if one flew open at speed, the wind could fling a passenger right out.
1
Grounding The Electrical System
2
Flagging Down Help
3
Measuring Car Height
4
Picking Up Radio Signals
Trunk-lip antennas became popular in the 1970s as a sleeker alternative to the tall fender-mounted whip antennas of the 1950s.
1
Warm Air From The Vents
2
The Rear Window Blind
3
The Engine Fan Speed
4
The Windshield Wipers
Early car heaters in the 1930s simply routed hot air from the engine block into the cabin — no separate heating unit required.
1
Their Engine's Operating Temperature
2
Their Elevation Above Sea Level
3
Their Current Driving Speed
4
Their Distance From The Next Town
Dash altimeters were a novelty accessory in the 1940s and 50s, popular with drivers crossing mountain passes on long road trips.
1
Engine Heat In Winter
2
Rain For Cooling Down
3
Fresh Air Without Wind
4
Outside Sounds More Clearly
These small triangular vent windows, called no-draft ventilators, were invented in 1932 and let drivers stay cool before air conditioning existed.
1
Decorating The Steering Wheel
2
Locking The Steering Column
3
Honking Without Moving Your Hands
4
Gripping The Wheel Tighter
Horn rings circled the entire steering wheel in the 1950s so drivers could tap the horn with any finger while keeping both hands on the wheel.
1
The Bumper From Scratches
2
The License Plate From Mud
3
The Trunk Lid From Rust
4
The Tire From Sun And Rain
Decorative spare tire covers became a fashion statement in the 1920s and 30s, often painted to match the car's two-tone color scheme.
1
Measuring Speed
2
Telling The Time
3
Tracking Fuel Use
4
Counting Miles
Before smartphones, a built-in dashboard clock was a luxury feature found only in high-end cars like Cadillac and Lincoln in the 1930s.
1
Emergency Tools
2
Luggage Overflow
3
Extra Passengers
4
A Spare Tire
Trunk-mounted jump seats folded out so children or extra guests could ride along, and were common in station wagons through the 1970s.
1
Rolling Down The Window
2
Locking The Door
3
Adjusting The Mirror
4
Opening The Vent Wing
Those little triangular vent windows could be angled to push a cool breeze directly onto the driver long before air conditioning became standard.
1
Locked The Belt In Place
2
Tightened The Belt In Crashes
3
Automatically Rolled Up The Belt
4
Adjusted The Belt Length
Early retractors from the 1960s were a huge convenience upgrade — before them, drivers had to manually tuck loose belts away so they wouldn't get caught in the door.
1
Reducing Headlight Glare
2
Brightening The Dashboard
3
Dimming The Dome Light
4
Adjusting Mirror Angle
A flip tab on the bottom of the mirror tilted the glass slightly so blinding headlights from cars behind you became a soft, harmless glow.
1
The Spare Tire Cover
2
The Rear Bumper Guard
3
A Roof-Mounted Rack
4
Bags On The Trunk Lid
Before hatchbacks were common, families strapped suitcases directly onto the closed trunk lid using sturdy leather or rubber luggage straps for long road trips.
1
Reduce Backfire Noise From The Tailpipe
2
Direct Exhaust Fumes Away From The Car
3
Boost The Engine's Horsepower Output
4
Protect The Bumper From Exhaust Heat
Chrome exhaust extensions were a stylish 1950s aftermarket add-on that angled fumes downward and away from the car's painted finish.
1
The Level Of Gasoline
2
The Engine Oil Level
3
The Coolant Amount
4
The Brake Fluid Level
A cork or foam float bobbed on the surface of the fuel and moved a needle on the dashboard gauge — the same basic idea cars still use today.
1
Protecting The Dashboard Paint
2
Blocking Rain From Wipers
3
Keeping The Interior Cool
4
Hiding Valuables From View
Parked cars in the 1950s could reach 130 degrees inside on a hot day, so accordion-style cardboard sun shades were a popular and inexpensive fix.
1
Turned The Light On Automatically
2
Activated The Interior Fan
3
Released The Door Latch
4
Locked The Door From Inside
A small pin in the door frame pressed against a spring switch so the cabin light came on the moment you opened the door — a feature introduced in the 1920s.
1
Mounting A Spotlight
2
Carrying Bags On Top
3
Supporting A Sun Shade
4
Holding A Spare Tire
Before large trunks were standard, families strapped suitcases to roof racks on long road trips in the 1930s and 40s.
1
The Steering Wheel
2
The Visor
3
The Glove Box Door
4
The Dashboard
These clever fold-out trays clipped to the steering wheel so drivers could eat or write without leaving the car.
1
Mounting An Extra Light
2
Displaying A Small Flag
3
Holding A Fishing Rod
4
Securing A Luggage Strap
Patriotic drivers in the 1950s and 60s used chrome flag holders to fly small American flags from their rear bumpers.
1
Emergency Road Flares
2
Stuffed Animals Or Toys
3
Spare Fuses And Tools
4
Maps And Directions
The flat parcel shelf behind the back seat became a popular spot for nodding dogs and stuffed toys in the 1950s and 60s.
1
The Grille From Bugs
2
The Hood From Rust
3
The Headlights From Cracks
4
The Bumper From Dents
Those chrome torpedo-shaped bumper guards, nicknamed Dagmars after a famous TV personality, were both decorative and protective in the 1950s.
1
Held Spare Change For Tolls
2
Kept Tissues Within Easy Reach
3
Organized Driving Gloves
4
Stored Road Maps Neatly
Before cup holders existed, dash-mounted tissue holders were a popular aftermarket accessory sold at gas stations throughout the 1950s.
1
Headlights From Oncoming Cars
2
Rain Dripping Through The Vents
3
Sun Glare Through The Windshield
4
Wind From The Vent Window
Early sunvisors were simple padded flaps, and the passenger-side version was often added as a luxury upgrade in the 1940s.
1
Sounding The Horn
2
Flashing The Headlights
3
Signaling A Turn
4
Activating The Windshield Wipers
Before column-mounted signals, drivers had to hand-signal every turn out the window — the electric turn signal became standard in the late 1930s.
1
Stepping Up To The Trunk
2
Holding A License Plate Light
3
Protecting The Exhaust Pipe
4
Mounting A Trailer Hitch
Chrome step plates were bolted to rear bumpers so passengers could easily climb up and load heavy bags into tall 1940s and 50s trunks.
1
Resting Your Arm
2
Storing Sunglasses
3
Writing Or Eating
4
Holding A Map
1950s drivers clipped fold-out steering wheel desks onto the wheel for roadside meals and paperwork long before drive-throughs existed.
1
The Door Frame
2
The Tailpipe
3
The Roof Rail
4
The Hood Vent
These novelty whistles screwed onto the tailpipe and made a chirping sound using exhaust pressure — a popular gag accessory in the 1940s and 50s.
1
The Side Of The Road
2
Oncoming Traffic
3
Road Signs Ahead
4
The Car In Front
Police and taxi drivers popularized fender spotlights in the 1930s to illuminate curbs, addresses, and driveways that headlights couldn't reach.
1
The Rear Bumper
2
The Running Board
3
The Door Hinge
4
The Roof Edge
Before large trunks were standard, bumper-mounted luggage carriers let 1930s families haul suitcases on long road trips without cramping the interior.
1
A Fresh Flower
2
A Perfume Bottle
3
A Small Flashlight
4
A Pen Or Pencil
Volkswagen Beetles famously revived the dash bud vase in the 1990s, but the original idea dates to 1920s luxury cars meant to feel as elegant as a parlor.
1 / 74
Players who played this quiz:
+
Faster than you:
Wow! You're faster than % of players
Smarter than you:
Amazing! You're smarter than % of players
Some of these vintage car accessories were once considered must-haves. Do you know what they were used for?
About us
At RamForumz, we offer an engaging and interactive way to challenge your knowledge across pop culture, entertainment, history, sports, and more.
Our trivia quizzes are crafted to entertain and educate, providing a fun learning experience that's accessible from anywhere.
With a diverse selection of topics, you're bound to discover something that sparks your interest.