Earl Marischal Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 When did ‘flames’ first appear as a decoration on cars? Is it known who started it, and why? Thanks steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stitchdup Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 the story i've read (more than once) was returning airmen from ww2 used them on their hotrods (nose art was the inspiration) and it progressed on to drag and lakes cars. I dont recall if it said who was first 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) I can almost hear the first guy's buddies. "Why in the h*ll do you want your car to look like it's on fire?" Steve Edited March 24 by StevenGuthmiller 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Started to become popular in the early and mid '50's. Design styles have changed over the years and started a comeback when the "True Fire" style flames starting around 2000. There is just something about a '40's and on Ford with a deep black paint job with the hood and front fenders on fire that just says Hot Rod. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Thought I read somewhere that it was inspired by a car that had no hood sides running at a lake bed and had an engine failure. There were flames coming off the engine and down the sides of the body, which fave somebody the idea. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) 29 minutes ago, Joe Handley said: Thought I read somewhere that it was inspired by a car that had no hood sides running at a lake bed and had an engine failure. There were flames coming off the engine and down the sides of the body, which fave somebody the idea. Yup, that's pretty much the classic explanation, though I've heard versions where it was an Indy car with a fuel leak, or a short-track dirt car. Whatever the truth is, the origin story is good enough for me. Edited March 24 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/flame-job-the-hottest-cars-were-an-entirely-american-invention/ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) Early flame jobs were pretty basic. Check out the 1948 Hot Rod Magazine cover car about halfway down this page... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/traditional-50s-hot-rod-flames.1024947/ Edited March 24 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 11 minutes ago, Daddyfink said: https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/flame-job-the-hottest-cars-were-an-entirely-american-invention/ THIS ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 1955: 1956: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Marischal Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 Thanks everyone, particularly @Daddyfink for your responses. I think it’s settled now. 🙂 steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 As always, the H.A.M.B. is a gold mine of info on the subject. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-history-of-flames.321688/ Here's a photo of a flamed racer from before the war., George Rubsch's Skip it. The photo that some claim is the inspiration for flame paint jobs. Taken in 1938 at Gilmore Stadium. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledsel Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 On 3/25/2024 at 12:04 PM, Richard Bartrop said: As always, the H.A.M.B. is a gold mine of info on the subject. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-history-of-flames.321688/ Here's a photo of a flamed racer from before the war., George Rubsch's Skip it. The photo that some claim is the inspiration for flame paint jobs. Taken in 1938 at Gilmore Stadium. Now that looks bad...... especially around his face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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