In 1926 Manuel Gorriaran founded Hook-Fast Specialties, Inc. by introducing what was then a newly invented style of belt buckle called the “Hook-Fast Can’t Slip Buckle”. Before long, customers began to request other items and Hook-Fast responded and expanded the business to include badges, tie clasps, name plates, money clips, and key chains. In the 1940s they started to make midget car pins and other track and street racing cars.
These crossed checkered flags were made by Hookfast as racing trophy awards. Here is a 1947 and a 1955 example. This gives an idea as to when the race car pins were made.
Many other vehicles of the day were immortalized in nickel plated, enameled metal pins. Pictured here is a panel van and a classic 1940s type of motorcycle.
Besides race cars and street rods, Hook-Fast made a lot of 18 wheeler type of trucks, ambulances, fire engines and more. Many of these enameled vehicles were applied onto belt buckles for the workers that drove these for a living. Some of the trucking companies had Hook-Fast apply their trucks onto hat badges - As drivers of the day wore a uniform with a visor hat.
I found my first Hook-Fast racing car pin at a Massachusetts flea market around 2001. I was lucky enough to find this collection for sale on Ebay in 2013. The person that put this together was associated with midget car racing in New Jersey.
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