Ok, here we go again. A bit of a ramble on accessories.
This post is prompted by goings on on another forum. Not a major bitch fight or anything, just some differences in opinion.
Where to start. I like accessories, I'm not a chronic accessory freak, but I have a few and wouldn't mind a few more.
I'm not talking about whaletails and chromed louvered firewalls here, just the period ones and a few others.
I know it is just someone elses opinion but I really don't get the (to me) over the top covered in accessories look. There are some things that I plain just don't like. Aka, fender skirts/spats in particular, empi bumper protectors, big logo hub caps, in most cases fat white walls. Edit, add 3 bar horn grills. Oh and of course eyebrows. I do like the concept behind eyebrows, to reflect more of the light towards the road to try and improve the 6V headlight. I just don't like the “style” / “fashion” of them.
To me I have no interest in having a car dripping in accessories, some yes, but I intend to keep them limited and generally subtle. I did work out a “rule” or some such bs once. no more than 7 on the outside of some such thing but rules are crap so I'll ignore it.
I think what bugs me most about accessories is the lack of thought that goes into them. Back in the day when old mate bought his new vw he wouldn't have bought every single option in the book, if he bought any at all I think they would likely have been bought for specific purposes.
Imagine the person buying the car lived out in the county and drove miles of dirt into town. You'd expect them to buy mud flaps, maybe rear stone guards and maybe headlight meshes. They all serve the same purpose, they protect against stones and grot thrown up off rough roads. Spotlights might feature if it was a long way to and from town and they were likely to be coming home after dark.
An older gent who doesn't like the elements interfering too much might go for an outside sun-visor and a rear venetian. Possibly a wind deflector on the window as well.
Someone who wants a bit of shine, say, rear intake chrome trim, knuckle guards and trim rings on the wheels. (if they were really gauche maybe spats and whitewalls as well)
the long distance commercial traveler might add a vol mac camper kit and spotlights.
The family man, back seat belts, a tow ball and a roof rack.
The sporting enthusiast, a twin carb kit/supercharger, some suspension bits and some practical gauges.
To me a non stock steering wheel and gearstick go together.
Door pulls, inside sill protectors and a fuel gauge etc. for the “practical types”.
Some things are so practical that I think they stand on their own. Pop out windows in particular.
Obviously there are plenty of combo's that you could fit together. Aka the practical family man. The sporting long distance traveler etc.
I suppose it would be easier to say what you wouldn't have seen together back in the day. I would bet that the number of cars that left the dealer with spats and headlight meshes was less than one in 50 000. they just don't fit, they cross purposes.
When choosing accessories to put on a car now I would also take trends into account.
For a very long time I hated hazet tool boxes simply as to me they were badge that said I'm snooty and into accessories, look what I've got. (yes I can be more than a little that way myself but no-ones perfect) it was a “post your favorite accessory and why” post on the samba that changes my mind. Someone maned the tool box because of it's practicality. Until then they were just a status symbol in my eyes.
Eyebrows to me say “i want to be a bit quirky and different while still following the trends”.
For a long time I didn't like repro empi 5's as when I first got into vw's every second car at the shows or in the magazines seemed to have them. It is the same for the whole whale tail and fiberglass flares thing. They were everywhere when I was growing up, I got into the whole old school cal-look style so they were like the cars modified by the devil to me. (or the dumb bogan) I was far too into myself then. Yes I have mellowed a lot since then believe it or not. Damn I thought I was cool. In hindsight I really laugh at that. Though come to think about I guess I'm still pretty bigoted in some ways... this whole blog being a perfect example.
Right back to the topic at hand.
Accessories.
I can understand wanting to show off the amazing stash you have collected but to me it ruins the lines of the car. A beetle is so pure in it's styling. Especially say an oval with no blinkers on the guards etc, so simple and pure. They were the peoples car, cheap small but well made mass transportation.
I'm sure that most people would have forked out for something a bit more flash before they would have gone over the top on their beetles.
I do foresee the trends changing a bit as now people have gotten so into date codes etc, you can have a car that stands out at a show without hanging every known accessory off it. You just have to be totally anal and hunt down matching dates for everything. With the prolification of repro accessories I see date codes as the new black. You can't really fake the funk with that stuff. Either it is right or it isn't.
Over the years I have thought of doing up the remains of my 56 to give to my dad. Of course in my hours of pipe dreaming (that would have been better served say learning to weld :) ) I worked out what accessories I'd fit to it. Back in the day it had a locking engine lid (I believe that was a factory option not standard), a flashing blinker switch and a passengers side interior sun visor. It had also been fitted with a door hinge mirror in the 60's I think (one of the rhomboid wibroc ones). Until typing this I had forgotten but I think it had also had a tow ball at some stage. I had planned to fit the latch, the blinker switch, the interior visor a round door mirror and maybe pop outs, some recliners and a trip meter speedo (I couldn't afford one now). I did get door handle scratch guard at one stage. I did fit a rear venetian when I drove it but that was just a pain in the ass when the windows fogged up (often, it needed some new rubbers) I may have got another as it did look good because the car was so plain.
Note that with the exception of the venetian which was a maybe, there is nothing that stands out like dogs balls. The knuckle guards are the only ones that most people would even notice. That is still quite a decent list of trinkets and to folk out for them all in one hit would cost a fair bit of coin (be it now or back when the car was new). Still most would think it a very boring car at a show.
I just looked at the list and with the exception of the speedo, the venetian and the tow bar I have them all. :) I do know of a couple of tow bars, I just haven't gotten around to going out there and getting them. I might see if I can pick one up tomorrow.
When I think about it nearly all of my trinkets do need some kind of work or other but at least they are basically there.
From what I have heard accessories were far more common in Victoria... new south welshmen were tight asses and didn't fit them when they bought their cars... I did find a few different things along the way thankfully. I'd love to get a set of headlight meshes and a full set of mud flaps. Mainly as I could fit the front mudflaps as to me they are super cool.
I do have a small collection of rooted accessories, not exactly something to be proud of but I still think it is cool, plus if you wanted to make people cringe they would be great.
from what I have seen I think the most common accessories fitted up here were rear stone guards then maybe sun visors. I think radio's would come in 3rd though possibly wind deflectors (nearly always broken by now) might beat them.
i wonder how this varies about the world?