Car ID needed

[bkahler]

I figured I'd post this on the car side figuring I would have better luck getting an id.

 

This is a picture of a car my mom drove in Colorado springs back around 1950-51 or so.  She called it her "Chev in the Springs".  

 

My Siblings and I would really like to identify the make and model of the car.  The hood ornament is fairly distinctive but I have yet to find a match for it.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Brad

[DJ194950]

Hood sides look to me to be 37 Chev.  Ornament ??

Friend many years back had a 37 Bus. Cpe that is what reminded me.

 

DJ

[bkahler]

I think you're right, it appears to be a 37 Chevy Sedan.  The only oddity is the ornament.  Was it a popular trend back in the day to swap out ornaments for something more flashy?

 

Mecum auction

 

Thanks!!

 

Brad

[greg g]

Car looks GM, ornament seems Packard.

[Kahunah]

37 Chevrolet. 38 had the same body line in the door but the opening in the side of the hood was longer. The hood ornament looks like one my grandfather had on his car but it was an aftermarket item. 

 

[bkahler]

13 minutes ago, Kahunah said:

37 Chevrolet. 38 had the same body line in the door but the opening in the side of the hood was longer. The hood ornament looks like one my grandfather had on his car but it was an aftermarket item. 

 

 

I've been googling ornaments for the last hour and haven't found one that matches.  I agree the car sure appears to be a 37 Chevy.   

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Brad

[Dan Hiebert]

Yes, 1937 Chevrolet.  Hood ornament is aftermarket.  It was indeed a "thing" to "upgrade" the ornament to something to personalize the car, more whimsical, fancier, etc.  I remember as a kid looking through grandpa's J.C. Whitney catalog that had a couple pages of hood ornaments, and that was the '60s.  Some of the earlier aftermarket ones can fetch as much as original manufacturer ones. 

[bkahler]

20 minutes ago, Dan Hiebert said:

Yes, 1937 Chevrolet.  Hood ornament is aftermarket.  It was indeed a "thing" to "upgrade" the ornament to something to personalize the car, more whimsical, fancier, etc.  I remember as a kid looking through grandpa's J.C. Whitney catalog that had a couple pages of hood ornaments, and that was the '60s.  Some of the earlier aftermarket ones can fetch as much as original manufacturer ones. 

 

People certainly haven't changed over the years have they!

 

Thanks!

 

[dpollo]

How many modern cars have a mascot over the radiator ?  Mercedes ?   I have several books  on the subject by  James R Colwill . One is "The Automotive Mascot  Worldwide

isbn 978-0-9738866-3-4    Highly recommended.     as for the car pictured 37 Chevrolet Coach  (2dr sedan)

[greg g]

This is what I'm seeing, it's Packard.

[Plymouthy Adams]

While the Packard Cormorant was very much a popular ornament....it design was quickly picked up by aftermarket companies and you could put these on about any car you wished.  These were available with acrylic colored wings and internal lamp in the body to light these puppies up.  These are very much available yet today.

[bkahler]

9 hours ago, greg g said:

This is what I'm seeing, it's Packard.

 

I thought so at first too but it looks like the mounting plate is much longer than the one in the picture.

 

I think Dan nailed it about being an aftermarket "upgrade".

 

 

[BobT-47P15]

Found this picture of late 30s....early 40s ornaments....just for fun.   

 

Yes....you could buy a cormorant or swan hood ornament which either replaced your original ornament or attached to it.  Western Auto, J C Whitney, Warshawsky,

Oklahoma Tire and Supply and your local auto parts store offered such items.  I remember one area auto supply store in the 1950s who used to have one whole window

just full of chrome goodies.   

Edited May 4, 2020 by BobT-47P15

[Robin (UK)]

Here's an example of an accessory light-up swan hood ornament.
These pop up on eBay fairly regularly, in various colors.

[kencombs]

7 hours ago, BobT-47P15 said:

Found this picture of late 30s....early 40s ornaments....just for fun.   

 

Yes....you could buy a cormorant or swan hood ornament which either replaced your original ornament or attached to it.  Western Auto, J C Whitney, Warshawsky,

Oklahoma Tire and Supply and your local auto parts store offered such items.  I remember one area auto supply store in the 1950s who used to have one whole window

just full of chrome goodies.   

You could have said OTASCO, but only you and I would have known what it was!   They where in my town for years, along with Western Auto.  Bankrupt in the 80s?   I have a High Standard revolver in it's original box with an OTASCO price sticker on it.  59.95 for a new, high quality revolver!