Show us your vehicles

[LizzieMaine]

It actually became kind of a national joke by the middle of the war -- you'd see cartoons of some poor soul peeking desperately out of a tiny clear space on a windshield otherwise completely covered by required stickers. But for some reason the only ones that people tend to remember today are the ration stickers.

 

[Big Man]

Back from a Memorial Day road trip.

Very nice looking car.

 

[Vintage lover]

I tend to notice the presence of any stickers on windshields. Here in New Mexico, we don't have inspection stickers (or vehicle inspections) , so I grew up thinking how odd it was to see windshields from Texas or California adorned with anything other than an oil change reminder. Do you think the ration stickers are more known about because of their more frequent/larger impact on the car drivers and their bold simplicity?

 

[1mach1]

A much need rear bumper came in the mail yesterday afternoon. Bumper mail!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I tend to notice the presence of any stickers on windshields. Here in New Mexico, we don't have inspection stickers (or vehicle inspections) , so I grew up thinking how odd it was to see windshields from Texas or California adorned with anything other than an oil change reminder. Do you think the ration stickers are more known about because of their more frequent/larger impact on the car drivers and their bold simplicity?

I think the main reason they're remembered is the reason why they were used in the first place. The primary reason for them was to cut down on ration cheating -- your ration stamps had to match the sticker on your windshield, because before the stickers it was very common for people to borrow/steal higher-classification ration stamps belonging to somebody else. A lot of filling station attendants either didn't bother to enforce the regulation that stamps could not be given without the attached booklet, or didn't understand the regulation, and as a result there was a lot of chiseling going on during the first few months of rationing. The sticker, being highly visible, made it much more difficult to get away with this kind of thing.

The stickers were also used as a visual enforcement tool by the OPA itself. If you had an "A" ration, which prohibited all non-essential driving, and your car was seen parked outside a ballpark or a racetrack or a roadhouse by a roving OPA inspector, you could and usually *would* get a letter the next day revoking your ration.

And finally, the stickers made for social pressure. If you'd managed to convince the OPA to give you a B or a C card, and you weren't exactly by the letter of the law entitled to that ration, your friends and neighbors would very likely make it hot for you until you gave it up. If you were going to chisel, you'd have to do it in full view of everyone, which most people weren't willing to do.

With all that, the stickers were highly disliked by a sizable slice of the population, the kind of folks who considered it their right to butt in front of other people in lines and otherwise appropriate more than their fair share of things. Conversely, they were strongly appreciated by another, even more sizable slice of the population, those who liked to see the other type put in their place. Between the two, the stickers tended to loom large in the popular imagination, and still do today.

 

[Big Man]

... With all that, the stickers were highly disliked by a sizable slice of the population, the kind of folks who considered it their right to butt in front of other people in lines and otherwise appropriate more than their fair share of things. Conversely, they were strongly appreciated by another, even more sizable slice of the population, those who liked to see the other type put in their place. Between the two, the stickers tended to loom large in the popular imagination, and still do today.

Good assessment. I wonder how, if the situation ever warranted, rationing like this would be taken today?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Well, I can remember the odd-and-even rationing during the '70s fuel crisis -- and people being hostile, threatening, and sometimes even borderline violent when told they weren't going to get any gas on a particular day. A lot of gas station owners in the late seventies kept guns under the counter, just in case.

Keep in mind a lot of those people in the 70s had lived thru stamp rationing in the '40s. I don't think we've gotten any more receptive to the idea of rationing today, especially since the current generation has had no experience with any form of rationing and is used to having as much of what it wants whenever it wants it. There'd probably be an awful lot of breath-holding and foot stomping on the part of lot of people, and the Internet would be alive with advice on how to cheat the system.

 

[1930artdeco]

That is what I like about the older cars, as long as it will blow up the antiques will generally run on it for fuel.

Mike

p.s. very nice car Lizzie

 

[GHT]

p.s. very nice car Lizzie

Seconded.

Lizzie, is the colour of your car a very deep plum, like aubergine, what you might call an egg plant? Or is it black, with the light distorting the appearance of the colour. (Or am I just getting old and need yet another optician's appointment?)

Seen last Saturday, about to set out for the nostalgia show.



I still haven't pulled in and buttoned the waist adjusters on the trousers. They should sit high waisted to prevent the rucking around the ankles. (Edward, note.)

 

[1mach1]

Awesome GHT!! :eusa_clap You guys look great, and so does the car!

 

[GHT]

You are too kind, just showed my wife your compliment. Aw shucks was all I could get out of her. Thank you.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lizzie, is the colour of your car a very deep plum, like aubergine, what you might call an egg plant? Or is it black, with the light distorting the appearance of the colour. (Or am I just getting old and need yet another optician's appointment?)

It's a Chrysler color called "Regal Maroon," which looks either purple or chocolate brown depending on the angle of sunlight. In 1942 they had the same color except they changed it to "Military" Maroon -- I don't see anything particularly miitary about it, but Regal seems fitting.

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

Not vintage and not mine, but I can't resist sharing this eye candy that I spotted while out and about earlier today. A Lamborghini Aventador:

 

[jamespowers]

Not vintage and not mine, but I can't resist sharing this eye candy that I spotted while out and about earlier today. A Lamborghini Aventador:

View attachment 14809

The problem with having one of those is that most people will never use them as they were intended. That is why you see so many of them on fire by the side of the road. People buy them and then use them like a regular car. You can’t. They have to be raced at least once in a while to keep them from being clogged, overheating and catching on fire. Now if you can drive on fast all the time……..

 

[GHT]

Now if you can drive on fast all the time……..

Like an MG

 

[jamespowers]

Like an MG

:rofl:
Uh, no.

 

[Caleb Bogart]

Not mine, but this is my dads...

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[jamespowers]

Not mine, but this is my dads...

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Look great! Tell him to keep polishing.

 

[Jimmy Cadillac]

Here's a little of my junk
1960 Cadillac coupe Deville, the "dream" since 8 years old. purchased and driven daily when I can for the last 7 years

My baby Austin which unfortunately left the fold this week

When the Hawaiian shirts come out, so does my Falcon

Slowly Slowly she it being restored... This is "Ugly Betty" my campervan, just drove her 9000km across Australia. when finished she will be seafoam green with whitewalls, checkered floor and lots of retro gear

Lastly my daily "Bricktop" my one off build S type Jag, lots of goodies, lots of speed, cmon guys and gals, everybody needs an heater and an airconditioner occasionally

 

[jamespowers]

Here's a little of my junk
1960 Cadillac coupe Deville, the "dream" since 8 years old. purchased and driven daily when I can for the last 7 years

My baby Austin which unfortunately left the fold this week

When the Hawaiian shirts come out, so does my Falcon

Slowly Slowly she it being restored... This is "Ugly Betty" my campervan, just drove her 9000km across Australia. when finished she will be seafoam green with whitewalls, checkered floor and lots of retro gear

Lastly my daily "Bricktop" my one off build S type Jag, lots of goodies, lots of speed, cmon guys and gals, everybody needs an heater and an airconditioner occasionally

You can keep everything else, I'll take the Cadillac! That should have heat and air conditioning too.