Ran across this cleaning the garage today. Anyone know what it is?
Some kind of heating element or de-icer?
FoMoCo in-car bug zapper.
A ballast resistor of some type from a car earlier than yours, possibily.
This is what it really is :
Thunderbird ( 1956 -57 ) Ignition Coil Resistor p/n B7A-12250-A
Indeed it is! Nice work.