Bench Seats
Bench seats were essential for ensuring that your drive-in movie theatre experience was as authentic as possible. But just like actual drive-ins, you won’t see these around anymore, mostly due to the fact that, for drivers, they’re actually pretty impractical and lack the necessary support when turning sharp corners.
Fuzzy Dice
A staple of the “cool guy driving a cool car” trope from Hollywood, it’s a shame that fuzzy dice have been lost to time. While some may think these baubles are a tad tacky, we think they’re due for a comeback.
Ashtrays
When you were on the road before, a cigarette was the perfect way to stand out. We feel obligated to tell you that smoking definitely isn’t cool (wink, wink), but it’s hard not to feel nostalgic for a time when a cigarette and the open road represented the pinnacle of freedom. And speaking of smoking…
Lighters
What good is an ashtray if you don’t have a lighter to get your smoke on? These built-in lighters made it easy to get your cigarette lit without fumbling around for your flip (which are also totally rad, by the way). Nowadays, however, cars opt for a USB port instead, which is cool in its own way.
CB Radios
Honestly, if there’s one thing on this list that should really make a comeback, it’s CB radios. That way, you can communicate with your fellow man without having to take your eyes off the road to look at your phone (which you should never do). Of course, voice commands make it possible to use your smartphone hands-free, but where’s the charm in that?
Cassette Tape Adapters
Media is a funny thing because the medium through which we consume it is always changing. When CDs began to take over, most cars still on the market only had cassette players. Therefore, these adapters were a lifesaver for anyone who wanted to get their jam on without wanting to upgrade.
Maps
There’s no telling where we’d be without Google Maps nowadays (and we mean that literally, too). But there was a time when paper road maps were the norm, with most glove compartments being stacked full of them. You had to carefully follow premeditated routes to get where you were going; nowadays, it’s as easy as typing into a search box.
Beaded Seat Covers
When you were stuck on the road for hours at a time, your seating arrangements quickly became uncomfortable. Nowadays, there are all sorts of technology options to make your driving experience more comfortable, but back then, beaded seat covers were as close as you were going to get to a truly comfortable car seat.
Gas Cans
To be fair, some off-roaders and intrepid adventurers still keep a spare gas can in their trunks in case they can’t make it to a station in time, but back in the day, running out of fuel out on the road was a much bigger concern.
Steering Wheel Locks
Car theft is still a concern in today’s day and age, but there are more ways to prevent it, or at least, deter it, than ever. Back in the day, if you were caught without a steering wheel lock, you could almost count on your car being stolen. Even today, we’d recommend using one just in case.
Window Vent Visors
Because smoking in cars used to be much more popular, many vehicles came equipped with window vent visors, which let you crack your window without allowing rain to get inside. It was also a good way to get some fresh air without using the AC, but these days, climate control options are much more sophisticated.
Radar Detectors
As shameful as it is to admit, most of us are guilty of driving just a little too fast every once in a while. If you wanted to avoid getting caught, however, a radar detector was a must-have, alerting drivers to any oncoming speed traps. These days, law enforcement makes use of much more advanced technology so that no one can rely on their radars anymore.
Bug Deflectors
Traveling through the countryside used to mean having to deal with all those pesky critters. A bug deflector was essential for redirecting the airflow to ensure a clean, clear windshield. These days, however, they’re far less common due to advances in windshield design.
Fuzzy Wheel Covers
Driving in the wintertime used to mean battling against the cold with nothing but a half-functional AC and a fuzzy steering wheel cover. These kept your hands warm, sure, but they also made it much more difficult to get a good grip on the wheel. These days, your AC options are manifold and advanced.
Folding Sunshades
You’ll still find folding sunshades in older cars. They were pretty much essential for ensuring that you didn’t die of heat stroke in the summer months, keeping your car as cool as possible (which, to be fair, wasn’t all that much). Nowadays, most car windshields come tinted at the top, and cars in general have much better insulation.
Bumper Stickers
Bumper stickers used to be the best way drivers could express their personalities without breaking the bank for a fancy spoiler or custom mud flaps. Sadly, they’re just not as common anymore, mostly due to concerns over scuffing your car’s paint job and thus depreciating its resale value.
Spare Car Fuses
While cars nowadays are generally designed with advanced technology, it has also made it difficult to repair them ourselves. In the old days, people used to carry spare car fuses for quick electrical fixes out on the road. Today, it’s easier to just take your ride to a mechanic.
Antenna Toppers
Aside from the fact that people are more inclined to listen to Spotify than the radio, modern cars typically feature built-in antennas or satellite radio functionality. But these old antenna toppers were a cute and funky way to spot your car in a crowded parking lot, and it’s a shame they’ve been relegated to relic status.
Disposable Dashboard Cameras
While we don’t exactly want to see these making a comeback anytime soon due to their cumbersome, impractical designs, disposable dashboard cameras used to be the only way to record accidents on the road. Modern dash-cams have rendered these dinosaurs obsolete, but there’s definitely an old-timey charm to them.
Wind-Up Windows
It’s never been easier to crack open the window than today, when you can let in some fresh air at the press of a button. But back in the day, we had to work for our fresh air, dammit!
Blanket Seat Covers
Your car seats’ upholstery is one of the most difficult things to preserve. However, these blanket seat covers not only protected the upholstery, they also added warmth and charm to the inside of your vehicle.
Dashboard Compasses
Dashboard compasses used to go hand-in-hand with paper road maps, but it’s up for debate as to whether they were ever useful to begin with! They were easily thrown off by other vehicles on the road (and magnets, of course). Fortunately, we’ve got plenty of digital navigation options to help us nowadays.
Underglow Lights
Underglow lights were a great way to give your vehicle a more futuristic bent, and that neon glow is still a symbol of old car culture. Of course, nowadays, they’re outlawed in most countries.
Aftermarket Audio
While still popular with collectors and aficionados, aftermarket audio is no longer a sought-after commodity, what with all the infotainment options many modern cars come equipped with. Still, it’ll always have a place in our hearts.
Cassette/CD Holders
If you loved listening to music on the road but also insisted on keeping your car as neat and orderly as possible, a cassette or CD holder was a must-have. Designed to fit right into your console, under your seat, or on top of the console, they were a convenient way of storing your road music.
License Disk Holders
License disk holders aren’t an old accessory yet, but they’re on their way due to many countries moving towards more digital solutions. If you’ve still got one of these, keep it safe, as you’ll be holding onto an important and iconic piece of motoring history.
Personalised Windscreen Shades
Personalised windscreen shades were always going to be a passing fad, but now that some time has passed, it’s much easier to look back fondly on them for their oddball charm. We wish we could get one of these today - such fun!
Fender Mounted Mirrors
Believe it or not, but there was a time (before the 60s) when side mirrors were completely optional. The public must have been onto something, though, because anyone who wanted to check their blind spots got a pair of fender-mounted mirrors. These days, they’re nothing more than a novelty, but they still look pretty cool.
CD Players
It’s certifiably insane that CD players are already out of fashion, but such are the times we live in. These days, most people would rather pair their phone to their car’s console instead, but man, it’s a shame that CD players are already going the way of the dodo.
Keys
Like CD players, actual, physical car keys are quickly becoming obsolete thanks to modern car design. Of course, we’re not all there yet, and many of us are still holding onto older car models, but the writing, as they say, is on the wall.
Rear-Facing Seats
To be fair, rear-facing seats were never really the norm, but they were great for long trips or maintaining a conversation with your fellow passengers. We can’t really attest to how safe or practical they are, but at least they’re still an option for some Mercedes-Benz models.
Round Headlights
Nothing screams the 70s like a pair of round headlights. While some luxury models still make use of these, they used to be much more common and added a touch of charm and class to any vehicle.
Wacky Paint Jobs
These days, all cars look more or less the same (but don’t tell the gearheads we said that), all differing shades of black, white, or gray. There was a time, however, when people weren’t afraid to get a wacky paint-job to show off their personality.
Spare Tires
Many modern cars are designed with efficiency in mind, which normally means having to downsize the vehicle. This not only decreases the amount of space in your trunk, but it also makes it so that you’re no longer able to fit in a spare tire anymore.
Hood Ornaments
Finally, nothing made your car stand out more than a hood ornament. These were classy, elegant, and stylish, and they were fantastic for brand visibility. Of course, you wouldn’t want to be on the sharp end of a hood ornament in case of an accident, which is precisely why you don’t see them nowadays.
