• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Flashback: First Modern Glove Box

May 22, 2013 By Nadeem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Popular Science Glove Box Header

We take it for granted that vehicle cabins come equipped with large, lockable glove boxes. But, believe it or not, that wasn’t always the case. In February of 1932, an article appeared in Popular Science magazine introducing the feature as if it was a big deal – which, to car buyers back then, it was.

Today, some glove boxes double as fold-down trays and refrigerators; contain small shelves and coin organizers; feature charging ports for electronics; and – as is the case for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class – come equipped with an active perfuming system.

We’ve sure come a long way since this…

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Popular Science Glove Box

[via Modern Mechanix]

Filed Under: Archive, Industry History Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Glove Box, Popular Science

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. rich santana says

    May 22, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    Around ’32 is when they went from cowl mounted gas tanks to back in the rear. Freeing up the cowl area. Before ’32, they really didn’t have the room for a glove box. Interesting they said ‘entirely out of metal’…the box itstelf is cardboard…Have a great day today!!

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • MasterTech Expo 2026
  • Hyde Leather
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Albright's Supply
  • Keyston Bros

THR Favorites

10 Duct Tape DIY Upholstery Disasters

Though duct tape can fix a lot of things, … [more] about 10 Duct Tape DIY Upholstery Disasters

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Faurecia flat-seam stitch

Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

Faurecia, one of the largest automotive … [more] about Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Vinyl Top Bubble

Botched Jobs Give Trimmers a Bad Name

Customers come to me all the time inquiring … [more] about Botched Jobs Give Trimmers a Bad Name

The Hog Ring - How to fix a skipped stitch

The Easiest Way to Fix a Skipped Stitch

You know what sucks? When your sewing machine … [more] about The Easiest Way to Fix a Skipped Stitch

The Hog Ring - Real Men Sew

It’s True, Real Men Sew!

Real men sew. We've always known that. But it … [more] about It’s True, Real Men Sew!

The Hog Ring - Side Impact Airbag Seams

Read This Before Sewing Airbag Seams

One of the most heated debates in the auto … [more] about Read This Before Sewing Airbag Seams

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Keyston Bros Drops 10 New Carbon Fiber Vinyl Colors and They Pop
  • Trimmer Michael Andrew Piccolo Dies at 67
  • 2026 SEMA Show Registration Opens May 4
  • Nexus Fastening Co. Introduces Solid Gold Hog Rings for Luxury Cars
  • Everything We Covered in March 2026

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2026 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in