What was the bag hanging on the hood ornament?

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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Mulholland Falls

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dcut74 — 21 years ago(January 22, 2005 10:54 AM)

When they were driving out to the military base the first time there is a bag hanging from the hood ornament. What is it?

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topcat-9 — 21 years ago(January 26, 2005 01:39 PM)

It's a water bag to supplement the water in the radiator and keep the engine from over-heating.

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dcut74 — 21 years ago(January 26, 2005 04:30 PM)

Hey! thanks, I didnt think anyone was going to answer.

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tireless_crank — 20 years ago(April 11, 2005 05:25 AM)

It is a water bag that is cooled by moisture evaporation through the canvas cover.

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pullgees — 20 years ago(April 12, 2005 01:35 PM)

Used for drinking as well

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inoldhollywood — 20 years ago(May 25, 2005 12:01 PM)

In the 1940s-1960s, you could drive to Las Vegas from Los Angeles and find gas stations selling the water bags. I remember seeing them in Bakersfield, Riverside, Palm Springs and Barstow for sale around 1960 when we drove to Las Vegas. We bought one and I remember my dad filling the radiator a few miles from town when the radiator was boiling over.

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rsgre — 19 years ago(May 19, 2006 11:21 PM)

Before the days of antifreeze and recycling water resevoir tanks on the car radiators being standard equipment (maybe from the late 60's on), the water would literally evaporate enough that you had to add water every so often, especially in the desert country. The "desert bag" was one way to carry extra water with you in those situations. Cars have come a long ways since then!
Regards,
Steve

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spocktom — 18 years ago(June 30, 2007 05:42 AM)

Rsgre100% correct. They can still be seen in parts of the outback here in Australia. Back in the 60s and early 70s my dad always tied one on the front of the grill of his car during long trips into the country.

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thestilettoman — 18 years ago(September 07, 2007 06:30 PM)

Of course you have to add water to the radiator. It boils over and loses water because that bag is hanging there and blocking off the cooling air to half the radiator!
Another interesting anachronism from the 40-50s is the tubular shaped evaporative air conditioner that mounted at the top of the window, usually in the passenger's door.

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swamprat_21 — 14 years ago(January 20, 2012 02:07 AM)

I know this post is years late, but this bag is intended for drinking water. Any jug or bottle can be used to store water for the radiator, these were kept in the trunk. The canvas bag allowed water to leak and evaporate and thus cool the bag. It was huge in front to allow the windstream to better cool the water. A boiling radiator doesn't really "care" if the water is cool or not, as long as its under 212 degrees. I lived in LA and Bakersfield in the 1950 and 1960 and we had one of these bags.

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ophelia_hardin — 13 years ago(May 05, 2012 07:21 PM)

I'm trying to remmeber the name of them. They were printed with a picture of a donkey in red and blue

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csteve67 — 13 years ago(March 19, 2013 09:11 AM)

red and blueno donkey, you sure this ain't it?
http://10engines.blogspot.com/2009/05/radiator-water-bag.html
"Vive la mort, vive la guerre, vive le sacre mercenaire."

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jim-85613 — 9 years ago(December 12, 2016 05:14 PM)

It was water to add to the radiator as water would boil off. My dad used them as we traveled across the open country.