10 Once Commonplace Items You Can’t Find In Cars Anymore

The automotive industry has seen many changes over the years. Some once commonplace features in cars are now relics of the an almost forgotten past. Some less expensive cars sold today may offer some of these on their base models, it is becoming more and more difficult to find these features. So you wish any of these were still around?

Vent Windows

You could find these small windows, generally triangular in shape, next to the driver and passenger’s windows. They opened up to allow air in without having to roll down the regular window, which had the tendency to mess up hair and let water in. They were created before commonplace air conditioning systems were avialable, providing a dryer alternative to air circulation. Now that cars come standard with proper air circulation, vent windows have become all but obsolete.

Crank Windows

I know this is hard to believe, but windows were once controled by cranks that required physical exertion before the reward of fresh air. Sarcasm aside, this feature is actually still fairly commonplace in base model cars with few added features, but it is seen less and less each year. Almost all vehicles now have electric windows making the crank window obsolete. However, electric windows can have more problems associated with them with the need for a motor, so some drivers opt for the old-fashioned crank.

Ashtrays

Smoking was once much more accepted than it is today and therefore cars generally had ashtrays installed in them. With the anti-smoking movement growing, cars have become less of a socially acceptable place to smoke rendering ashtrays unnecessary for many cars. Some states have created laws making it illegal to smoke in a car when children are present. When ashtrays are found, they are often converted into change holders.

Suicide Doors

These doors open backwards from the typical door. While some found that these doors made it easier to enter the car, manufacturers determined that they proved too dangerous as the force of air could accidentally open the door while in motion. While these are mostly a thing of the past, the Saturn Ion Quad Coupe and other similar cars have brought back the concept of a rear-opening door, however these can only be opened if the front door is opened, adding a safety feature absent from original suicide doors.

Rear-facing Seats

Station wagons and other utility vehicles once offered rear-facing seats which maximized floor space in some instances and provided extra seating in former storage areas in others. While infant carseats work most efficiently when placed in a rear-facing manner, this orientation made many car sick. This positioning was also potentially dangerous to the rider.

Cassette/8-Track Decks

With the popularity of CD’s and MP3 players, cassettes and 8-tracks have become obsolete and players for them are no longer necessary. What’s more intriguing is just how quickly CD players are now disappearing from cars…

Automatic Shoulder Restraints

Although the concept of automatic shoulder restrains seems like a good safety feature, it proved to be more hassle than it was worth. Many people found them to be restricting and annoying and removed them. Others, assuming the belt would restrain them, failed to use the lap belt. Once air bags became the norm, the automatic shoulder restraint slowly slid out of prominence.

Horse-head Hood Ornaments

For this one, you have to go pretty far back; all the way back to when the roads were shared with horse and buggy. While many know that the term “horse power” originiated from the concept of a horse and buggy, most don’t realize that many would place a fake horse-head ornament on the hood of their car. This was intended to prevent spooking actual horses when driving by. These were the gateway into the modern metallic hood ornaments which are likewise dwindling in popularity.

Wrist Twist

This experimental steering system included two five-inch bars that controlled the steering of a vehicle. Unfortunately it was cumbersome to maneuver and did not become mainstream. The steering wheel is still widely considered the easiest and safest steering system.

Sedan Front Bench Seats

With the popularity of bucket seats and a center console to provide storage space, car manufacturers have moved away from the front bench seat in sedans. Gone are the days of cramming 8 people into a car without seatbelts. The bench seat is still quite common in pickup trucks, and in the rear of a car.

Dial Radios

With the digital age, the radio dial is all but obsolete. In the past you could continue listening to a radio station as you began to lose service by making slight modifications to the dial to keep the station in range. With the digital seek that modern radios come with, you are forced to listen to what the “smart” system thinks you want to listen to.

Tail Fins

Tail fins were extremely popular on cars in the 50s and 60s. They added a unique style that many longed for. This fad fizzled out, and it is unlikely that you will be seeing them return anytime soon.

Full-size Spare Tires

Once the norm, so many people have roadside assistance programs in place that even if they have a spare, they leave it in the trunk and call for help. As such, most companies are doing away with the full-size spare in favor of the temporary spare, better known as a “donut” due to it’s small shape. Some cars do still have full-size spares, as do almost all trucks and SUV’s.