Windbreakers

 is how the Fryer-Auster Company of Providence, Rhode Island, described its accessory tonneau windshield in a 1916 letter to automobile body shops and coachbuilders. The Auster Extending Tonneau Shield was an inspiration from Europe, and was a windshield that bolted to the rear of the front seat in a touring car to protect the rear seat passengers from the often extreme wind and drafts that blew into the car while it was in motion. With no windows in the doors to roll up, the tonneau shield was the only thing viable to protect the passengers without the side curtains in place. Although most often associated