Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Old-Nail]

I came out of the Supermarket this morning and (once again) I was met with a dewy eyed old fella looking over the Vanguard.

He told me how he had bought a '53 model at two years old in '55 and pretty much as soon as he had bought it we had the Suez crisis and petrol was rationed so he couldn't drive it!

I tossed him the keys as I loaded up the shopping in the boot and told him to have a look around inside which he did. several moments later I saw a beaming smile emerge from the car and the first thing he said was " I can't believe it- it smells exactly the same as mine did..exactly!"

Now that has played on my mind a little since as to me old cars smelled 'old', and yet this former owner related that even as a two year old his Vanguard interior smelled exactly as mine does at 53 years old!

It got to thinking back to my childhood and in the early sixties cars did indeed have that 'old car smell', even though they were at that time only three or four years old.

So what is/was it?

Was it the materials they used back then?

Apart from the obvious hint of hot oil and petrol vapour (don't you just love 'em) why is it that sitting in a 1950's or 60's saloon car smells so distinctive and evokes memories of childhood so well?

[Uncle Joe]

Good question! I've always thought that it was the fact that all of the older cars used proper, natural materials, wood, leather, wool and so on, but that only my thought.

I do find it very strange though that its possible to buy 'new car smell' aerosols for todays cars....is this to emulate the past?

UJ

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Maybe the old car smell, is actually a new car smell, but as it occurs in old cars today, it is known as an old car smaell, like UJ, says new cars today smell different as they probably have some kind of odur stopper on the fabrics and all of the plastics are bound to tint the smell!

Thats my oppinion, but as I am young, can't say what they used to smell like!

I hope you all followed that as I got a little bit confused!

Cheers

Dave

[Scotty]

Most of the pre & post war saloons we have at the museum that date back from about 1965 ish have that old car smell. I've always put it down the seat webbing (canvas or hessian), their stuffing and the types of materials used in the trimming. Old Jags always small of damp leather to me, whereas our Austins have that wonderful musty canvas smell.

Purely as a side issue - we have small electrical units dotted around the museum where we top them up with "concentrated smell". The unit heats the specially prepared liquid up and we get - underground railway smell, bakery smell & my favourite - wet horse smell!

[Rick]

Wow never realised that museums went to those lengths - wonder what goes into that liquid to create a certain smell!?

R
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[old gto]

I was thinking along the same lines as Scotty....I attribute much of it to the materials used in the interior.
While re-doing the interior in my wife`s 1965 Ford Mustang, the padding in the seats & side panels, and the insulation (mostly for sound buffer) are just as previously stated, hemp (or burlap?), wool, etc.
The replacements seem more like cotton, but I was able to retain & re-use much of the original padding.....and hence, the "smell".
Brilliant observation!

[Brian M]

FIrst of all- I would call it an aroma!

Many years ago I talked to a professional upholsterer about this, and he was convinced it was due to the bit of dampness that we inevitably bring inside when using the car on rainy days, getting into woollen carpets, seat stuffing, woollen headlinings and older leather seats.

So if you replace ALL these items during a "restification" you would lose the delightful old car aroma. Leave any one of them in place and some of the aroma would remain.

[vwt2dollyvan]

My father had various cars in the 70s and into the 80s but the 70s is the main era i remember and as a kid you notice things more. Allegro V/plas,
zephur, morris minor, austin, to name a few and it was always the leather with the slight damp leak that gave it its distictive smell.
With myself it was due to damp that seem to flood the front part and soak the carpets until they dried. I still get the same with my present car, but that old damp smell makes me feel at home

[FIFTIES CRUISER]

Hi, My dad used to hire mark 1 Escorts in the early 70's for our holidays. I was always travel sick. One particular year I remember my dad arriving home in an Escort. It was a very hot day and the car windows were open. I put my head through the passenger door opening to say hello and look at the interior. The smell of the vinyl seats and rubber flooring nearly made me sick and I hadn't even been for a ride!!!! Strangely I used to have these square crisps in my lunch ( recently ) I think they were called "Seasons". One flavour had the Escort smell. I'm being serious.
Around 1973/74 my mum's friend took me to my swimming lesson in a cream or white P4 Rover. I recall it had the same interior smell of a Hillman Minx I went in a couple of years earlier. Great smell but haven't come across it since.
Hot days are great for bringing out the aroma of an old car interior.
cheers, Des.

[Rick]

My most vivid motoring smell (!), apart from burning clutches and brake linings, is dad's Volvo 120, when I was a nipper. In the hot weather the vinyl seats used to have a very distinctive aroma, plus they were sticky as hell if you were wearing shorts!

My old A40 Farina, looking a little sad, still has the original BMC whiff inside it, just can't be replicated

Rick
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[ozflash]

Loved the different reasons for that smell but I had one that had me puzzled until I removed the headliner--a dead mouse in a cosy nest it had built near the rear window. I hope thay don't ever put that "fragrance" in a can.

[pigtin]

The headlining mice don't usually smell too bad, it's the doormice that you have to watch out for!!!

[62rebel]

we've got these lovely field rats that get to about 1kg and love to nest up in old cars left idle. they also lack any sort of housetraining, so they relieve themselves pretty much at will... MANY is the old car with a distinctly "ratty" odour.... wooof. couple that with a muggy hot day! RUINS the effect of the mouldy mohair upholstery....

[Greg]

I find it very interesting reading this subject because it IS what most people say,'Can I have a smell inside'?
I have a 1956 Ford popular,all original and that does have a lovely smell/Aroma to it and this is what people do ask .As mentioned above,I think it does have a lot to do with the trim materials used and the heat or moisture,just like some types of Wood,it may not smell at all but if you dampen or wet it,it then gives off a real strong odour.

[Brian M]