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What’s the Best Automotive Easter Egg?
I am a big fan of Easter Eggs, and not just in the traditional egg/chocolate hunt that many of us enjoy on a particular Sunday every spring. Instead, I am talking about an unexpected feature or reference in a product that’s only noticeable upon close examination. My first experience with a non-Easter-holiday-related Easter Egg likely isn’t unique, as many of us grew up hunting for the secret treasure in the Adventure video game for the Atari 2600.
But then we have car-related finds, like the “Hi” my 1965 Ford Galaxie wore on its firewall. That was a truly mind-blowing find when performing a mere spark plug swap, only to be topped by the Lagonda that’s printed on the circuit board of said Aston Martin in the top photo. My final example to you comes from the upgrade I made to my 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII, as its HID headlight assemblies have a stunning brand logo in the low-beam reflector.
I spent way too much time obsessing over this dead-end technology in past articles, so I will just walk in the garage and snap a picture for you instead. Finding a corporate logo in a 30-year-old headlight is a nice Easter Egg, something modern automakers (especially pre-Stellantis Chrysler products) embraced in a big way.
I suspect it’s a lot of fun for all parties involved, and now we need to get the readers of Hagerty Media on board. Easter Sunday isn’t too far away, so what’s the best automotive Easter Egg you’ve ever found?
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Germans are way too uptight to put those previously described Easter eggs on their cars, but practically every part on my 2002–even those made by an outside supplier and not BMW–has a sometimes tiny BMW roundel logo either stamped or molded into the plastic or metal. Engine blocks, cylinder heads, trannys and differential housings have date codes cast into the metal.
In addition, things like instruments, tail light and parking light housings, heater housings–even seats–have day, month and year stamped on ’em–with an ink stamp. Those date stamps predate the car’s actual assembly date anywhere from a few days to several months. They also confirm whether they were original to that car.
Many Mercedes parts, even from the “70s, have the Mercedes star molded in the metal or plastic.
Also – the two classic Playboy Bunny decals on the front license plate holder of my 72 Torino that must have been put there soon after purchase and being protected by the plate remain in “good ” condition after all these years.
Current Jeep Renegades have a Sasquatch on the back window along with the jeep image on the windshield
Since DUB6 already mentioned build sheets, I thought I’d go the opposite direction: assembly line pranks, or rotten Easter eggs. You know, like when the assembly line tech put a marble in the frame rail that rolls forward when the new car buyer brakes, and rolls back when taking off from a start. Or a hose in an HVAC duct that rolls around making noise when the car makes a turn (and a note stuffed inside it says ‘How long did it take to find me?’).
One of my favorites is a new 1983 Cadillac that stumbled and hesitated whenever stepping into the throttle a bit aggressively. The dealer replaced almost every fuel related part, including the fuel pump, carburetor, fuel tank, plus distributor, ground cables, etc etc. Finally, a field rep came to the dealer and had virtually every replaced part replaced again…to no avail. He then decided to see how much fuel was getting to the carburetor. With the metal flared line disconnected, before having the engine cranked, he saw something inside the end of the fuel line: a cigarette filter. I’ve wondered if the line tech was bored, angry with management, or something else.
NOW I know who to blame for that darned “can’t-find-it” rattle in my 2008 Jeep!
In the classic Mustangs, at least in 1973, the high beam indicator is a little red Mustang under the speedometer. It’s one of my favorite things about my car.
The first-generation Honda CR-V came with a folding table that was hidden in the rear cargo area.
By that logic, I think the ultimate Easter Egg would be the Motocompo inside a Honda City, followed by the umbrellas hidden inside the rear doors of Rolls-Royce automobiles.