A lot of people find hood ornaments, and hope to identify them... and some see this guide and with all the items it has, it still doesn't have the one they need to figure out. Sorry! But I didn't make this... and it's good, but not as complete as it could be due to the person who made it probably ran out of resources.
Marland has been taking photos of hood ornaments and was wise enough to caption the images (unlike most of my photos) with the year and model, so see his selection too, at http://www.pbase.com/mgrove/hood_ornaments a small sample of it is pictured below
For all the rest of you who can't find a match to identify the radiator cap or hood ornament you have, and still want help, try the auto museums, which ever one you happen to live closest to. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-you-are-looking-to-visit-car-museums.html has a list of the best I've heard of, and the links at the very end have the websites with EVERY car museum known.
So ask them, see if they can help. A lot of museums have collections of hood ornaments, the Nethercutt has an amazing collection. Try your library, and see if they have one of the many books made about hood ornaments.
If you find a better source of hood ornament and radiator cap identification, share that source with me and everyone in the future that tries to figure out what they have by emailing me at jbohjkl@yahoo.com or using the comment function.
If you can't get to the museums, or libraries, and are stuck with trying to research your item online, and nothing so far that I've written about, linked to, or posted here has helped, you can also try the "Old Car Manual Project" http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_54chevyparts/index.htm is just the link to the Chevy 1929-1954 stuff
I do wish every one of you the best of luck, and here I've done all I can to help you out. I seriously don't have anything left to offer, and unless you readers send me something to add that will help out other people, which will be posted immediately! I have nothing to give you if you email me asking for help. So I'll be annoyed and irritated with you if you email asking me to identify some object. You would be too after doing all of this to help, and it being ignored.
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Just below these words in the upper left hand corner, spotted by sharp eyes of Dale Stephens, are the 1956 FENDER ornaments. So the maker of these posters has the wrong year and concept. They are fender, not hood, and 1956 Chev, not 1957. Thanks Dale!
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I just took the photos of the 1950 through 1956 Fords, here's the link: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/hood-ornament-guide-ford-1950-to-1956.html
All of these incredible visual ID guide posters are from here: http://www.taillightking.com/Hood_Ornaments.htm
Marland has been taking photos of hood ornaments and was wise enough to caption the images (unlike most of my photos) with the year and model, so see his selection too, at http://www.pbase.com/mgrove/hood_ornaments a small sample of it is pictured below
For all the rest of you who can't find a match to identify the radiator cap or hood ornament you have, and still want help, try the auto museums, which ever one you happen to live closest to. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-you-are-looking-to-visit-car-museums.html has a list of the best I've heard of, and the links at the very end have the websites with EVERY car museum known.
So ask them, see if they can help. A lot of museums have collections of hood ornaments, the Nethercutt has an amazing collection. Try your library, and see if they have one of the many books made about hood ornaments.
If you find a better source of hood ornament and radiator cap identification, share that source with me and everyone in the future that tries to figure out what they have by emailing me at jbohjkl@yahoo.com or using the comment function.
If you can't get to the museums, or libraries, and are stuck with trying to research your item online, and nothing so far that I've written about, linked to, or posted here has helped, you can also try the "Old Car Manual Project" http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_54chevyparts/index.htm is just the link to the Chevy 1929-1954 stuff
I do wish every one of you the best of luck, and here I've done all I can to help you out. I seriously don't have anything left to offer, and unless you readers send me something to add that will help out other people, which will be posted immediately! I have nothing to give you if you email me asking for help. So I'll be annoyed and irritated with you if you email asking me to identify some object. You would be too after doing all of this to help, and it being ignored.
.jpg)
Just below these words in the upper left hand corner, spotted by sharp eyes of Dale Stephens, are the 1956 FENDER ornaments. So the maker of these posters has the wrong year and concept. They are fender, not hood, and 1956 Chev, not 1957. Thanks Dale!
.jpg)
I just took the photos of the 1950 through 1956 Fords, here's the link: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/hood-ornament-guide-ford-1950-to-1956.html
All of these incredible visual ID guide posters are from here: http://www.taillightking.com/Hood_Ornaments.htm 
Great post - I have never been able to identify cars from the 1940's and earlier...this will help. It's great to see the transformation of a hood ornament from year to year. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. I have an old photo of my Grandad's 1950 Ford 1/2 ton pickup that shows a hood ornament. I haven't found any other pictures of this truck with any sort of hood ornament. It appears that it was one of the swans from the Packards that he put on to customize the truck himself. I had no idea, and as a boy never thought to ask him about it. As a young man my brother and I thought about buying the truck when it was sold at the estate sale, and decided we'd have a tough time sharing it. I wish now we'd made the effort. Anyway, again, thanks for this wonderful resource.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. I had seen the old Packard Swan ornament on a car before but never knew what type of car it was.:) now I know. Thanks for the post.:)
ReplyDeleteSaw a hood ornament today on an old truck at McDonald in Harrisonburg, VA. I thought it was from a Hudson but it turned out to be from an 1948 Oldsmobile. Thanks to my wife for bringing the camera along, I was able to ID it accurately with the help of your awesome Blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Pete at adamshistory@gmail.com
I have been looking for help IDing a heavy metal airplane that looks to be either a hood ornament or maybe a trophy top. I don't see it in any of these pictures, but was hoping you may be able to point me in the right direction. I can post a pic if you can help.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Amy
Thanks, was able to identify the 1946 ford hood ornament I found on a rusty hood in my dad's yard.
ReplyDeleteI have acquired 9 antique hood ornaments and 2 radiator caps. When I found this wonderful site, I thought I had it made in identifying them. I can't identify a single one!! I need help! I don't see how to post pictures here.
ReplyDeleteImpressive hood ornaments!
ReplyDeleteThe 1956 Mercury is incorrect, that's actually a 1955-1957 GMC.
ReplyDeleteCan you identify this one? It is tagged as a Marmon, but it only has two bars instead of three.
ReplyDeletehttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAyMVgxNjAw/$T2eC16JHJGwE9n)ySd8KBQPPCLr3gw~~60_35.JPG
Right there on the post title it says clearly "Don't ask me, I don't know!" I just double checked, it's still there.
DeleteI don't know, I am not going to look it up. It's yours, you do your own homework.
What a DICK!
Delete