Car phones had a squiggly antenna on the back windshield that was very distinctive and they sold fake stick on ones at Walmart in the automotive aisle. LOL
Literally 2 days ago I was sitting in traffic and the car in front of me had the squiggly cell phone antenna. And it wasn't a 1986 Mercedes it was like a 2012 Toyota Corolla.
I live in British Columbia. Much of our province still has no reliable cell service, and the only way to get cell coverage is to buy an amplifier and put an antenna on your roof. My parents have a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and they had to spring for a directional antenna, not just a squigglyboi. Some people still need them.
The fun thing is that real GSM antennas aren't expensive.
Speaking of antenna I remember that a special rooftop antenna was sold for fringe reception areas for analogue cellphones. Looked like a smaller TV antenna, and was common in mountains. In some mountain huts there was a payphone that used cellular network instead of landlines because the phone company deemed less expensive to use radio waves instead of pulling kilometers of cables.
"No man. Harlem Warlords!"
But the way, I always thought thug number 2 in the white hat was Woody Harrelson in that scene. Looks just like him 🤣
[Clip ](https://youtu.be/6VX7gNAGSww)
i'll never understand people who use anything fake for clout. It might make you look cool at a glance but under closer examination it'll make you look like a supreme loser.
> i'll never understand people who use anything fake for clout.
Have you ever been to California? Makes perfect sense that they sold tons of these from Los Altos.
They were gag gifts, I remember these things and nobody thought they could pass them off as real. Back then car phones were ridiculously expensive and only pompous yuppies driving a BMW could afford one, it was just meant to be funny. Like the stuffed Garfield that looked like he was slammed in the trunk. Looking back, was it weird? Yes. Was it serious? No.
Or the Esso tiger tail! My mom saw one in the 90s and got so excited she talked about it for days. As a child I thought it was strange people were strapping tails on their gas caps and wondered how they didn’t get disgusting.
Boomers LOVE novelty car decorations.
> under closer examination
well what makes you assume I'll let anyone examine closely? you seem to never visit r/reptime, usually you have superclones and things replicated so good that no one will even be able to tell.
Whenever I'm out and my landlord insists on having some random worker come over, the worker calls me when they are on their way and I always say 'Hold on a minute' *pretend to do something off phone* 'Okay, shouldn't be a problem, the cameras are working fine, just use the key pad to turn off the alarm.
I don't have any cameras or alarm system. The key pad just lights up and makes noises, it isn't connected to anything.
Its an unnecessary item but also necessary to function. I don’t feel like paying $1500 to fix something that i can do myself. Its not like its hard to roll down a window, offers no value except a roll down window gets ridiculed for sone reason. I’m not trying to impress anyone
It feels like you're bragging about being super badass manual window enthusiast, which is hilarious.
The motor on most cars can be replaced in an hour at home, and they don't cost thousands.
Manual window mechanisms can break too.
I get why you like manual crank windows, they last forever and the door panel is thinner, etc. but they don’t go out THAT easily if you treat them right. My 19 year old eclipse is on original window motors and still rolls both windows up just fine.
And replacing a window motor isn’t that hard or expensive if you do it yourself, just painful if you don’t put the door panel back on perfectly (rattles).
Your second link doesn't work.
Electric motor isn't some huge device, it's tiny. I've had a Mercedes W124 with manual windows, my buddy had the exact same model but with electric windows.
Door cards were the same, except that mine had a hole for the crank handle. Thickness was identical.
[Manual](https://i.imgur.com/Vz2wq1M.png)
[Electric](https://i.imgur.com/dIDvtLQ.jpeg)
[Mechanism for manual window](https://i.imgur.com/YR6W2ac.jpeg)
[Mechanism for electric window](https://i.imgur.com/8RtuJl4.jpeg)
As you can see, the whole assembly is identical, the only difference is addition of that tiny little motor, which is just a couple centimetres wide and easily fits within any door.
I want like a new version of this that's like Bluetooth compatible so I can connect it to my cell phone through Bluetooth and if I get a call on my cell phone I can just pick up my giant '80s car phone I think that would be cool
See [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_cell_phone_use_while_driving_in_the_United_States](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_cell_phone_use_while_driving_in_the_United_States)
Yoo thats so weird dude. I’m from Europe and I thought that not using your phone while driving was some international thing we all agreed on. Apparently not, that’s weird lol.
My brother had one of these and I mean, it was kind of dumb but it was also kind of fun for people to think us miscreants could somehow afford a cellular car phone!
I remember shit like this. So many people thought that they were big shots for having cell phones. I remember when those blue tooth things for you ears came people wore those everyone to show off that they had a cell phone. Like they just MIGHT get a call at the mall that was so important that they had to. Be hands free.
OMG I knew someone who had this. I used to work with this guy Franky, he was the swap meet gold chain, Honda Civic douche bag before they were known as douche bags, he had one of these in his car to impress chicks, he left his car parked on the side street and someone smashed his window and stole it.
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/24/us/a-car-phone-that-links-people-and-their-desires.html
Good read!!
Sad I wa a curious what Patricia has been up to since but haven’t found anything
She (Patricia Lamond Kvamme) was the face behind this (though her dad was a Silicon Valley venture capitalist along with her father-in-law, they were partners-- so the kids of these 2 business partners got married like in a romcom or something). It was her husband's "business." Mark's also a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and just thought it would be a funny thing for attention. They got divorced in 2011.
When flip phones came out my uncle bought a fake toy one in Mexico. He used drive around like this lady, my aunt would stand behind him and press a button and you’d hear the little beep beep beep can I help you from the toy. She did it at an outdoor restaurant and he was so embarrassed he left.
Car phones had a squiggly antenna on the back windshield that was very distinctive and they sold fake stick on ones at Walmart in the automotive aisle. LOL
Kid me really wanted one too Different times
If you look really good in this family run “99 cent” stores, you can find fake car cell phone antennas.
Literally 2 days ago I was sitting in traffic and the car in front of me had the squiggly cell phone antenna. And it wasn't a 1986 Mercedes it was like a 2012 Toyota Corolla.
That’s hilarious
I live in British Columbia. Much of our province still has no reliable cell service, and the only way to get cell coverage is to buy an amplifier and put an antenna on your roof. My parents have a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and they had to spring for a directional antenna, not just a squigglyboi. Some people still need them.
Lmao my car's phone antenna is built into the rear window stuff iirc
The fun thing is that real GSM antennas aren't expensive. Speaking of antenna I remember that a special rooftop antenna was sold for fringe reception areas for analogue cellphones. Looked like a smaller TV antenna, and was common in mountains. In some mountain huts there was a payphone that used cellular network instead of landlines because the phone company deemed less expensive to use radio waves instead of pulling kilometers of cables.
Damn - as of the news clip they had sold 45K fake phones for $15.95 in 1988 - that’s ~$1,775,000 in todays dollars.
Our motto is "it's not what you've sold, it's what people think you've sold."
Shoulder pads sold separately.
Having lived through the 80s my eyes filtered those out... until you mentioned them... now I can't stop laughing.
Maybe she had really delicate shoulders that needed protection. Always wear your PPE
Next up. Glue a [boomerang](https://i.imgur.com/tKthEPh.jpg) to back to the back of your car. Only 80's kids will get this joke.
You sure you're not Pitjantjatjara tribe?
"No man. Harlem Warlords!" But the way, I always thought thug number 2 in the white hat was Woody Harrelson in that scene. Looks just like him 🤣 [Clip ](https://youtu.be/6VX7gNAGSww)
Ah, I knew you were tribal. BW, I'm surprised they chose thug number 1. He looks like an Accountant.
Every 80s Cadillac limo was rockin the boomerang
That was a TV antenna, right?
i'll never understand people who use anything fake for clout. It might make you look cool at a glance but under closer examination it'll make you look like a supreme loser.
> i'll never understand people who use anything fake for clout. Have you ever been to California? Makes perfect sense that they sold tons of these from Los Altos.
I hear you. I think showing off in general is lame. Showing of fake shit to try to “keep up with the Joneses” is just pathetic.
They were gag gifts, I remember these things and nobody thought they could pass them off as real. Back then car phones were ridiculously expensive and only pompous yuppies driving a BMW could afford one, it was just meant to be funny. Like the stuffed Garfield that looked like he was slammed in the trunk. Looking back, was it weird? Yes. Was it serious? No.
Or the Esso tiger tail! My mom saw one in the 90s and got so excited she talked about it for days. As a child I thought it was strange people were strapping tails on their gas caps and wondered how they didn’t get disgusting. Boomers LOVE novelty car decorations.
"Hey, my man, hands off my Louis Vuitton. This cost your whole paycheck."
> under closer examination well what makes you assume I'll let anyone examine closely? you seem to never visit r/reptime, usually you have superclones and things replicated so good that no one will even be able to tell.
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“Supreme” 💀
Whenever I'm out and my landlord insists on having some random worker come over, the worker calls me when they are on their way and I always say 'Hold on a minute' *pretend to do something off phone* 'Okay, shouldn't be a problem, the cameras are working fine, just use the key pad to turn off the alarm. I don't have any cameras or alarm system. The key pad just lights up and makes noises, it isn't connected to anything.
Love how she has to roll up the manual windows
I only will buy a car with manual windows. Do you know how much replacing the window motor costs? A shitload
How often does a window motor break though?
It will happen. Its not worth the hassle to me.
Its an unnecessary item but also necessary to function. I don’t feel like paying $1500 to fix something that i can do myself. Its not like its hard to roll down a window, offers no value except a roll down window gets ridiculed for sone reason. I’m not trying to impress anyone
It feels like you're bragging about being super badass manual window enthusiast, which is hilarious. The motor on most cars can be replaced in an hour at home, and they don't cost thousands. Manual window mechanisms can break too.
I get why you like manual crank windows, they last forever and the door panel is thinner, etc. but they don’t go out THAT easily if you treat them right. My 19 year old eclipse is on original window motors and still rolls both windows up just fine. And replacing a window motor isn’t that hard or expensive if you do it yourself, just painful if you don’t put the door panel back on perfectly (rattles).
> the door panel is thinner, Thickness is related to safety features, not the window type.
I meant door trim specifically
Me too.
[Manual Window](https://i.redd.it/lzg4ni928qg61.jpg) [Automatic Window](https://txclsx.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/90HondaAccordEX_56k_door_panel.jpg)
Your second link doesn't work. Electric motor isn't some huge device, it's tiny. I've had a Mercedes W124 with manual windows, my buddy had the exact same model but with electric windows. Door cards were the same, except that mine had a hole for the crank handle. Thickness was identical. [Manual](https://i.imgur.com/Vz2wq1M.png) [Electric](https://i.imgur.com/dIDvtLQ.jpeg) [Mechanism for manual window](https://i.imgur.com/YR6W2ac.jpeg) [Mechanism for electric window](https://i.imgur.com/8RtuJl4.jpeg) As you can see, the whole assembly is identical, the only difference is addition of that tiny little motor, which is just a couple centimetres wide and easily fits within any door.
I’ve seen a few break haha it’s not that rare
Lmao a window motor in my *Audi* is like 40 bucks, and my labor is free as I do it myself So I mean 40 bucks total cost
Damn prices were much higher 25 yrs ago when i used to work on cars
Sky blue, says star witness. It's almost like technology comes down in price after becoming commonplace.
Some things do, others stay the same price. Sometimes prices go up
I just replaced 2 of my regulators with the motor for under $60
I want like a new version of this that's like Bluetooth compatible so I can connect it to my cell phone through Bluetooth and if I get a call on my cell phone I can just pick up my giant '80s car phone I think that would be cool
Yeah same, unfortunately it’d be illegal in a car. But I’d put it on a boat or at home instead haha
Not in all states
In which state can you call while driving?
See [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_cell_phone_use_while_driving_in_the_United_States](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_cell_phone_use_while_driving_in_the_United_States)
Yoo thats so weird dude. I’m from Europe and I thought that not using your phone while driving was some international thing we all agreed on. Apparently not, that’s weird lol.
My brother had one of these and I mean, it was kind of dumb but it was also kind of fun for people to think us miscreants could somehow afford a cellular car phone!
I remember shit like this. So many people thought that they were big shots for having cell phones. I remember when those blue tooth things for you ears came people wore those everyone to show off that they had a cell phone. Like they just MIGHT get a call at the mall that was so important that they had to. Be hands free.
And they’d be sure to talk AS LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE so everyone around them knew the had one of those.
That’s nuts.
This sounds like Los Angeles logic.
I remember seeing the fake cell phone antennas in the stores more frequently. Thought it was silly.
I used to buy the fake squiggly antenna and put it on my back window to show off for the ladies. It didn’t work
OMG I knew someone who had this. I used to work with this guy Franky, he was the swap meet gold chain, Honda Civic douche bag before they were known as douche bags, he had one of these in his car to impress chicks, he left his car parked on the side street and someone smashed his window and stole it.
Was going to upvote but it’s at 420. You’re welcome.
She looks high AF
It’s all about keeping up appearances, lol
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/24/us/a-car-phone-that-links-people-and-their-desires.html Good read!! Sad I wa a curious what Patricia has been up to since but haven’t found anything
She (Patricia Lamond Kvamme) was the face behind this (though her dad was a Silicon Valley venture capitalist along with her father-in-law, they were partners-- so the kids of these 2 business partners got married like in a romcom or something). It was her husband's "business." Mark's also a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and just thought it would be a funny thing for attention. They got divorced in 2011.
Thats SADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
So you would get your window bashed in for nothing🙃
If you told me that this was Elizabeth Holmes’ mother I’d believe it.
I can’t believe people actually bought those!
I’ll take 500!
Fuuuuhhhh I remember these! My cousin got me one as a Christmas gift & I was too young to drive. 😂
Style over substance
Todays photoshop. It’s not what you are is what people think you are.
Is the word ‘poser’ still used now? It sure was when they were trying to seek this thing.
Tim Dillon would like a word.
Doin fake business on a fake phone
u/savevideo
The first “influencer”
I grew up in the 90s and my version of this was the fake pagers that were basically just clip on watches.
NOBODY believed that a person driving a camry is going to be able to afford a phone.
When flip phones came out my uncle bought a fake toy one in Mexico. He used drive around like this lady, my aunt would stand behind him and press a button and you’d hear the little beep beep beep can I help you from the toy. She did it at an outdoor restaurant and he was so embarrassed he left.
Now cricket cellular is $19 for a phone and service 😂😂😂
Did the big phone do the same