These Are Your Favorite Hood Ornaments
We've lost the aesthetic of making things look good just for goodness sake, and nothing drives home what we lost more than taking a look at some of the beautiful hood ornaments throughout history. Very few of these are still gracing vehicles to this day, and it's a damn shame. If you want a little naked dude or lady on your car, you have to go to the chintzy aftermarket, and that just will not do.
I asked you about your favorite little car guys earlier this week after seeing some really beautiful ones at Pebble Beach. It's so nice when a Question of the Day can transport me back to the sunny skies and gentle breezes of the Best Coast. Hopefully, someday automakers will realize they're lost nearly all of their drip and bring these little statues back. Mack Trucks was able to make their little bulldog hood ornament more aerodynamic. You can't tell me Buick can't do the same with its Bomber hood ornament.
Another naked dude one! Where are all the naked dudes on cars today?
There are a lot of really interesting old hood ornaments, but I really like the archer on Pierce-Arrow cars. It's detailed and particularly fitting for the name.
and
You bet, Pierce-Arrows were amazing cars
From Stillnotatony and Jimboy II, The Sequel
GUYS! It's Mercedes! Hiiiiiii Mercedes!
The Mack bulldog. Has a surprising amount of detail, looks pretty cute, and is infinitely accessorizable. There's a Mack owner near me who puts a tiny sweater on his hood ornament every winter.
From Mercedes Streeter
Nothing like a Studebaker
The 1928 Studebaker line. Sometimes hood ornaments really are works of art.
From Xavier96
The greats remain great for a reason
Lots of good answers, but I'm gonna have to say my favorite is the Jack in the Box antenna ball I glued to the hood of my Subaru in high school.
FroLeftyLooseyGoosey
Absolutely in the running for best ornament ever
The illuminated Pontiac Chief.
From IB007
Another bomb-like ornament from the Nuclear Age
1948 Studebaker Champion
From jchavezona
It's called the leaper and I love this classic kitty
It's a Jag!!
From Luc Desaulniers (minardi)
She's having a great time
"Spirit of Ecstasy" because of it's ability to thwart even the most cunning of criminals...
From Jimboy II, The Sequel
This Nash Metropolitan ornament is my new favorite
Pontiac Indian light-up ornaments are my favorite, I've made a walking stick with the amber insert from a 52 (which lights up) and a cane with the handle in the shape of a 51, but Pontiac hood ornaments have been well represented by others. This is probably my 2nd favorite, from a Metropolitan. I would love to own one of these but they are too expensive.
From Dan60
Big Buick energy
I'm a big fan of the Mac Bulldog and the Charging Ram, but the Buick Bomb sight is the coolest by far.
From JaredOfLondon