Hood Ornaments: A Lost Art Form

Easy brand identification has become one of the pillars of successful business. You see the swoosh check mark and you know it’s Nike. You see the gold bow tie and know it’s Chevrolet. As logos have modernized and simplified, the art form of exquisite hand crafted hood ornaments has slowly disappeared throughout the decades. If you wanted a luxury car in the early 1900s, there were a plethora of coach builders crafting custom coupes and sedans. Each car, fitted with a brand or coach builder identifier like a hood ornament, logo or engraving. The hood ornament brought brand recognition, vehicle presence and beauty to the front of a vehicle. The screaming Eagle on the Chrysler New Yorker shown below brings a sense of aggressiveness and American pride. The famous Spirit of Ecstasy from Rolls Royce represents energy, grace and beauty. Sadly, it’s rare nowadays to spot a modern car with a hood ornament; perhaps a mid 2000s Cadillac or Mercedes may be the most common of them.

Luckily, at Audrain Concours and Motorweek 2023, I had the privilege to see some impeccable cars. These cars not only had incredible stories, which you can read about here, but some represented the epitome of classic coach building – custom fabricated cars fitted with opulent hood ornaments and lush materials. Below, I’ve compiled some of my favorite hood ornaments from Audrain Concours.

1929 Stutz M LeBaron Convertible Two-Door Roadster

Believed to be one of two surviving roadsters with the optional rear mounted spare tire
Frame number 30013, meaning this is the 13th M model built and the first of the Speedster models to ever be produced
Fully restored by Classic and Exotic Service in Michigan

1932 MG J2 2-Door Roadster

All numbers matching example
Exported from England to the United States post World War II
Previously owned by Fred Wacker– SCAA Racer and President
The Tortoise and the Rabbit ornament made in Davenet, France in 1910 represents the memory of the MGs former co-pilot

1935 MG PA Airline Coupe

1 of 51 Airline Coupes made; half of which were made on the PA chassis
Designed by Henry W. Allingham
Hand formed body panels

1921 Hispano Suiza H6B ‘Chavet Tourer’

7 Passenger Touring body built by Coachbuilder Marcel Chavet
Previously owned by Horace Dodge JR, and kept at the Dodge family home
All Original besides modifications made by Dodge JR, including a Dodge boat steering wheel, Zenith marine carburetors and custom intake
Uses servo-assisted braking, later patented by Rolls Royce

1956 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible Coupe

1 of 921 New Yorker convertibles produced. Fewer than 25 remain today
This specific Chrysler New Yorker was ordered by Chrysler Manhattan Co. for Radio/TV personality Robert Q. Lewis and built on June 6, 1956
The car was sold in 1961 and has remained with the same family since

1928 Auburn 8-115 Mcharlan Speedster

Identical to Wade Morton‘s famous Speedster, which set the production car speed record of 103 mph in 1928
This Auburn was extensively restored starting in 2004 after being in storage since 1945
Features dual golf club doors, dual mounted spare tires and a removable fabric top