Dear Tom and Ray:

I never fail to read your column and I am simply amazed by your knowledge. I guess that's why I find it hard to believe that you don't know what "Cosy Wings" are. They are one of two things. First, your reader could be referring to "wing vents," which used to be on older cars and were very popular. Second, in the 1940s, there was a curved, plastic item that snapped into the existing wing vent. The purpose of this was to direct the air to a part of your body called the crotch. The trade name for this product was "Koolies." There were a few other names used to describe this product which I won't mention because I'm sure you won't print them. How do I know all this, you ask? Because I worked for an automotive parts company that sold them. If wing vents ever become standard equipment again, so will "Koolies." I guarantee it. Especially in cars without air conditioning. Robert

Tom: Gee, Robert. But I'm not sure we've solved the "Cosy Wing" mystery. If "Koolies" are cosy wings, where does the name "cosy wing" come from? I'm skeptical.

Ray: So we'll keep our "Cosy Wing Division" open in case anyone else has anything to add to this growing body of knowledge. Write to us in care of this newspaper.

It's NEVER cheaper in the long run to buy a new car. Want proof? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1995 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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