If there's one feature I miss from old cars, it's the hood ornament. Long gone are many of the miniature sculptures from the noses of cars, both for reasons of design as well as pedestrian safety.

Human beings have always liked status symbols. Centuries ago, the pineapple was a rarity shown off in the mansions of European nobles, reportedly worth around $8,000 each in today's money. This ...

In the early days of automobiles, hood ornaments were not merely decorative; they served a functional purpose that might surprise modern car enthusiasts. Originally designed to indicate the status of ...

Inside the Mercedes Benz dealership on New York's posh Park Avenue, cars shimmer, leather seats invite, and hubcaps gleam—just like you'd expect. But there's also something missing: the distinctive ...

Unruly teens have often found solace in ripping hood ornaments off their high-school principals’ sedans. Lucky for principals now, hood-mounted crosshairs, half-naked flying ladies and big, leaping ...

Hood ornaments are long gone from most automobiles, a victim of pedestrian safety regulations keen on keeping people from being impaled by steel and chrome in the event of a collision. With a few ...

As far back as the 1920s, certain models of car have had distinctive hood ornaments. In the olden days, hood ornaments were used to cover up the jutting point of a car's radiator cap with something a ...

The hood ornament was once a staple of design for cars of all classes. These days, however, only a few have survived the onslaught of aerodynamics, clean modern aesthetics, and pedestrian safety laws.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Hood ornaments started as a disguise for homely radiator caps more ...