1930 Windshield Candle

From a scan of a 1930s Popular Science which had such a nice cover illustration I had to include it:

All that is needed to attach the device to the windshield is to moisten the small vacuum cup fastener and press it firmly against the inside of the windshield, setting the candle in an upright position under the windshield wiper. The flame should be about a quarter of an inch away from the glass, and the candle may be adjusted to this distance by merely bending the metal holder. A shield keeps light out of the driver's eyes.

Can you imagine trying to sell a product today that involved fire in a moving vehicle? I wonder how well it worked. I'd expect it would get soot all over the glass.

CANDLE KEEPS ICE FROM FORMING ON WINDSHIELD (Dec, 1930) [Modern Mechanix]

[#1 posted by strider_mt2k , September 11, 2007 6:00 AM]

Not for application whilst refilling one's automobile with petroleum distillate!

[#2 posted by Tomi , September 11, 2007 7:57 AM]

I used to keep thermal candles in my old car to thaw the windshield in the winter, as the car's heater fan was broken. The other option would have been to drive around for ~10 minutes in the blind, so I chose to look strange for a couple of minutes in the morning instead.

[#3 posted by Tubman , September 11, 2007 9:21 AM]

"Can you imagine trying to sell a product today that involved fire in a moving vehicle?"

Never had a car with an ashtray?

[#4 posted by pork musket , September 11, 2007 9:53 AM]

@Tubman - there's a pretty big difference between an open flame and a hot coil

[#5 posted by Halloween Jack , September 11, 2007 11:18 AM]

Screw the candle, I want that damn car! Fedora dude's kickin' it down like the Dukes of Hazzard by way of Buckminster Fuller.

[#6 posted by strider_mt2k , September 12, 2007 3:50 AM]

He's heading towards-The FUTURE!